Syria news/Current

23 Sep. At a meeting of intelligence agencies of Central Asian states in Kazan, the FSB warns the others that US intelligence is transferring ISIS fighters to Afghanistan with the intention to use them to destabilize the region.

20 Sep. MintPress publishes an investigation into the latest smear campaign against a group of journalists "challenging Syria groupthink", i.e. reporting from the ground.

16 Sep. Erdogan, Rouhani and Putin meet in Ankara to discuss Syria under the Astana process and release a joint statement.

15 Sep. USS Ramage docks in Lebanon (either amid regional tensions or as a goodwill visit).

13 Sep. Lavrov: "The war in Syria has really come to an end. The country is gradually returning to a normal, peaceful life. Some hotspots of tensions remain in the territories that are not controlled by the Syrian government, such as Idlib and the eastern bank of the Euphrates."

The re-opening of the al-Qa'im border crossing between Syria and Iraq near al Bukamal, planned for today, has been delayed for the second time.

11 Sep. Bashar al-Assad turns 54 years old.

6 Sep. According to Middle East Eye in an "exclusive" based on "two sources", the famous Iranian tanker that was seized by the UK in Gibraltar has anchored and unloads at "a Syrian port".

Later John Bolton tweets a satellite picture allegedly showing the tanker two miles offshore of Tartous (a version is also posted on Cassad).

5 Sep. The Russian and Syrian joint coordination headquarters make another statement on problems hindering the restoration of peaceful life in Syria.

31 Aug. 06:00 o'clock on August 31, 2019 at the initiative of Moscow and Ankara, the Syrian Arab army unilaterally announced a ceasefire in the entire Idlib de-escalation zone

On or about 15:00, officially acknowledged US strike on rebels commanders gathering in northern Idlib.

30 Aug. Reports on a successful operation in southern Idlib attributed to Russian forces.

25 Aug. 5 Turkish generals stationed in northern Syria resign

23 Aug. The SAA command announces that it has taken over a number of towns and villages in the new pocket south of Khan Sheikhoun, the list of which - including Latamina, Morek and Kafr Zita - sounds like the whole pocket is already in their hands.

21 Aug. According to reports, the SAA has taken Khan Sheikhoun from the "rebels" during the day and connected their forces from west and east, building a cauldron around the towns and villages south of Khan Sheikhoun including the Turkish observation post at the M5 south of Morek.

20 Aug. While "rebels" are fleeing Khan Sheikhoun, the SAA is entering the northern parts of the city.

Putin expresses Russia's full support for the actions of the SAA, saying that Turkey failed to live up to the Astana agreements and stop the "rebels" from constantly attacking targets outside the "deescalation zone", including the Russian airforce base which has been under (failed) attack several times in recent weeks.

19 Aug. Al-Nimr checkpoint on M5 road, north of Khan Sheikhoin, at elevated position over the city, is under SAA control, cutting Maarat-an-Numan to Khan Sheikhoun road and supplies and creating an operative cauldron; - collection of photos, maps and videos by Cassad. Turkey tried to send in a military hardware convoy, said to travel from checkpoint 7 to checkpoint 9 (towards Khan Sheikhoun); its movement was stopped by Syrian airforce strike near the convoy (TV Zvezda; TASS). Turkey's foreign minister said that 3 were killed and 12 wounded by the strike. According to SouthFront, Turkey sent F-16 jets to protect the convoy but the Russian airforce was hovering the region, so they retreated. (Details are disputed)

18 Aug. "On the road to Khan Sheikhoun", ANNA News / Cassad.

15 Aug. Moon of Alabama publishes a summary of the recent developments in and around the Idlib pocket.

14 Aug. Rebels' "headquarters of joint operation al-Fatah al-Mubin" claimed that they shot down a Su-22 of Syrian AF on the border of Hama and Idlib and captured the pilot (report and some videos, Rus.; i24 news, Eng.)

13 Aug. Over the weekend, the SAA has continued their advances at the southern fronts of the Idlib pocket. After taking the towns of Hobit and Sakik, they are now approaching Khan Sheikhoun from both the west and the east. Meanwhile, there has been infighting at a "rebel" meeting in Idlib city between Al Nusra and other gangs and it is reported that a number of leaders have fled to Turkey.

8 Aug. The SAA captures the strategic hill Tal Zakhar and the village of the same name in northern Hama at the south-western border of the Idlib "deescalation zone".

Turkish state media reports that some US-Turkey agreement about a "safe zone" along the Turkish border was reached. The Syrian Foreign Ministry categorically rejects any agreement reached "by the US and Turkish occupations". Later, the Turkish foreign minister claims that Trump has promised Erdogan in a phone call to withdraw troops from the planned "safe zone" area and that Turkey would under no circumstances allow the US to "delay".

6 Aug. Syrian and Iraqi troops meet in Al-Bukamal at a new border crossing a bit south of the old one and outside populated areas. The crossing's official opening is planned for the near future.

US "defense" secretary Esper says that unilateral actions by Turkey in northern Syria are "unacceptable" and that the US has no "ambition" to abandon the SDF.

5 Aug. Erdogan threatens again to invade east of the Euphrates soon, claiming the US and Russia are informed, while the Kurds are not amused, still feeling backed by the US, and Emirate media leaking alleged documents about a Saudi "strategic plan" to take down Turkey.

4 Aug. In an interview with Syrian TV, First Lady Asma al-Assad shows herself for the first time in over a year without headscarf and declares her victory over cancer.

25 Jul. US-Turkey talks on Syria safe zone end without agreement

22/23 Jul. Rebels' night-time rocket strike on Aleppo - a video report by ANNA news; 7 killed and 22 wounded.

22 Jul. A US delegation led by James Jeffrey is in Turkey to discuss the issue of a buffer zone at the Turkey/Syria border east of the Euphrates. Metin Gurcan analyses the different issues and positions.

The SOHR and White Helmets-activists accuse the Russian airforce of having attacked the busy vegetable market in Maarat al-Numan town in Idlib province in the morning, killing at least 23 civilians and wounding many more. The Russian defense ministry calls the reports "fake".

19 Jul. Today is the 7th anniversary of the so-called "Rojava Revolution". (YPJ statement)

An SDF commander tells Turkish media that if Turkey attacks anywhere east of Euphrates, the whole 600 km border will turn into a battlefront. He offers Turkey, which wants a 30km buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border, to withdraw SDF/YPG forces 5km from the border and let locals or an international force handle the security there. He says the US has informed Turkey about that offer.

18 Jul. The Russian airforce launches a massive bombing campaign on targets in Idlib pocket, including some near the cities of Jisr al-Shughour and Khan Sheikhoun. This comes among reports that the SAA is about to launch another offensive on the al-Ghaab plains west of Jisr al-Shughour.

Al Monitor takes a look at the latest developments east of the Euphrates and the dynamics there especially between Turkey and the US.

8 Jul. After US Syria envoy Jeffreys visited Germany over the weekend and told German media that they would like the Bundeswehr to replace some US troops on the ground in Rojava and expect an answer before the end of July, German government speakers today tell journalists that the legislative mechanisms won't be able to decide anything before end of October and in addition that nobody plans to expand the current German participation in the "Anti-IS coalition" in Syria.

5 Jul. The Rojava Information Center publishes a report titled "Bringing ISIS to justice: towards an international tribunal in North East Syria".

1 Jul. At least sixteen civilians are murdered in attacks on targets in Damascus and Homs by Israeli jets flying in Lebanese airspace.

27 Jun. A clash between Syrian and Turkish troops is reported. It is claimed that Turkish troops at an observation point in the Sheikh Maghar area in the Idlib de-escalation zone, fired more than 18 mortar shells on the positions of the SAA, which returned fire. It is said that according to Turkish minister of defense one Turkish soldier is killed, 3 others are wounded. It is said that Turksih helicopters entered Syrian airspace to evacuated the wounded, with local sources claiming they were fired on. It is reported that several Turkish military aircraft have been spotted over the north of the province of Aleppo and south of Idlib, both regions controlled by militants. In connection with the incident, the Russian attache in Ankara was called to the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces "to discuss the incident". The Turkish side promised to "respond to such attacks." Turkish coverage of events, e.g here.

25 Jun. Iranian FARS News has for several weeks been quoting Arab news outlets about a "popular uprising" in eastern Deir ez-Zor and southern Hasaka provinces (which are not traditionally Kurdish) against the SDF and its US backers, met with quite violent suppression. Summary from today

Patrushev, Bolton and Ben Shabbat hold tripartite negotiations on Syria (TASS; Atlantic Council).

24 Jun. It is said that a number of Syrian underwater oil pipelines have been sabotaged (Oil and Gas; Rusvesna/photos).

21 Jun. The Syrian foreign minister al-Moallem is visiting North Korea after he had stayed in China for a five-day visit.

Firat News Agency publishes "confessions" by captured Turkish intelligence agents that they carried out terror attacks, abductions and other crimes while posing as SDF soldiers, with the goal to fuel conflict between Arabs and Kurds in Rojava.

After 45 days of trying to conquer the hill town of Kabani from the Idlib "rebels", the SAA gives up for the moment and deploys its elite forces to a different front.

20 Jun. Iranian media reports that US and Saudi efforts to convince tribes in Rojava to separate from Syria have failed.

19 Jun. Al-Ja'afari delivers an update to the UNSC about the situation in Idlib and demands that they take their resolutions "against terrorism" seriously. He specifically points out the role of Turkey in supporting the various gangs of militants in the area.

13 Jun. According to press reports, Iraqi officials complain that the US is refusing to hand over 40 to 50 ISIS commanders of Iraqi origin they/the SDF have captured in the endgame in al-Baghouz.

9 Jun. A funeral ceremony for al-Sarout in the Turkish border town Reyhanli sparks a controversy in Turkish society over the relationship of the state to radical jihadis.

8 Jun. In fights in northern Hama the SAA kills prominent Jihadist leader al-Sarout to the great mourning of the "western" press.

7 Jun. Offensive by the rebels, Idlib-Hama, is reported (1,2).

31 May. According to Al Masdar, both US forces and the SDF attack "Syrian government ferries" carrying oil from the eastern banks across the Euphrates.

Also according to Al Masdar, a Turkish observation post came under cross-fire during fights between the SAA and "rebels" in northern Hama.

28 May. Around 50 activists disrupt the Berlin annual shareholder meeting of Germany's largest weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall and demand a stop of weapon exports to Turkey because of that country's attacks on Rojava. Among many other war machines, the company produces the Leopard II tank. Its' Italian subsidiary RWM Italia continued selling weapons to Saudi Arabia despite a German export ban to Saudi

YouTube bans the ANNA News channel for unspecified "community guidelines violations". A back-up channel is availabe.

26 May. The SAA has reversed the gains of the HTS counter-offensive, reinforced their troops and resumed the northern Hama operation.

22 May. A group of about 700 jihadists starts a counter-offensive in northern Hama and takes several places back from the SAA.

18 May. While the "European Song Contest" is going on in Tel Aviv, Israel attacks Syrian territory with drones and missiles for the second consecutive day.

16 May. Russian reconciliation center said that militants plan to stage a provocation in Idlib to accuse Russian forces of using chemical weapons (Eng.), (Rus).

10 May. Ziad Fadel summarizes the first couple of days of the SAA offensive in northern Hama.

7 May. 'A powerful strike' by the Russian aerospace forces and Syrian government forces on Idlib-based militants is reported, countering their reported preparations for an attack. north of Hama. From May 6, SAA conducts a military operation in north Hama; the settlements of Janabar, Al-Bana and Tel-Osman came under  government forces control.

6 May. Russian airbase in Kmeimim was attacked twice with unguided rockets salvos from the area near Zavia settlement in Idlib, with fire correction by drones. It is reported that attacks were repelled with no casualties or damage, and that attackers positions were destroyed. There has been 12 earlier repelled attacks since early April, 8 of those with improvised drone munitions, other attacks with MLRS.

28 Apr. salon.com publishes the second, concluding part of their detailed interview with Sharmine Narwani.

26 Apr. In recent days militants in the south-western part of the Idlib pocket have fired Grad missiles at targets in Latakia province including the Russian Hmeimin base but also civilian suburbs. Today the Russian Airforce replies with massive bombardments of where the missiles were coming from.

25 Apr. The 12th round of the so-called Astana Meetings takes place in the Kazakh capital - now renamed Nursultan after the currently resigned long-time president's first name - with delegations from Turkey, Russia, Iran, Syria and the UN.

On Chinese invitation, Syria attents the global summit of the Belt and Road Initiative in Beijing.

22 Apr. SANA reports that in the last month, Russian and Syrian forces have evacuated around 4,000 civilians from Al Rukhban camp, which is around 10% of those entrapped there due to lacking US cooperation.

21 Apr. The old bridge in Raqqa city is opened after the sustained damage to it has been repaired.

salon.com publishes part one of a wide-ranging, essential interview with Syria expert and war reporter Sharmine Narwani.

20 Apr. Firat News Agency publishes an interview with a Rojava official about the future of the 11,000 male ISIS fighters and 72,000 family members that are in prison resp. camps after the defeat of the terror cult.

Elijah Magnier reports that Hezbollah leader Nasrallah has told his top commanders that he expects an Israeli surprise war on Lebanon this summer, in which the whole leadership including himself would be targeted for assassination.

19 Apr. A high-level Russian delegation visits Saudi Arabia to discuss Syria with Crown Prince Bin Salman. After that, the delegation heads to Damascus to meet Assad.

17 Apr. After Iranian foreign minster Zarif had a "long" meeting with Assad the day before, he is now in Ankara to brief Erdogan on the results.

16 Apr. Brazil and India reopen their Syrian embassies.

15 Apr. Jenan Moussa publishes an investigative report based on the leaked contents of the smart phone of Tunisian-born German citizen Omaima Abdi, who went to Syria in 2015 to join ISIS, married the most famous German ISIS fighter Denis Cuspert AKA Deso Dogg and is now back in Germany living as if nothing had happened. (in the evening the story is making top news in Germany)

12 Apr. It is reported that differences between "Assad and armed opposition" over composition and nature of the constitutional committee have been narrowed down. The 150-member body would be split equally between representatives chosen by the Syrian government, the Syrian opposition and Syrian civil society, with 50-members each. The Syrian government was not allowed to object to the names of the representatives of the opposition; with the rest of the body, it is said that "Assad's regime has given its consent to all names but four".

7 Apr. The German capital Berlin's district of Kreuzberg - known for its multi-cultural and leftist milieu - starts the first city partnership between a German and a North-Syrian city partnering with the city of Derik, where the Rojava parliament is located. Several other city partnerships are in the planning stages.

4 Apr. The Venezuelan foreign minister visits Assad and Moallem in Damascus.