Syria news/Current

18 Jan. Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Turkey, Army General Hulusi Akar and the Director of the National Intelligence Organization of the Turkish Republic Hakan Fidan visit Moscow, meet with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Valery Gerasimov, whose big smile is here.

The city of Afrin sees mass demonstrations against the Turkish threats of invasion and occupation. Solidarity demonstrations take place in cities of the other Kurdish cantons like in Qamishli and Kobane.

Syria's deputy foreign minister Mikdad warns that any Turkish incursion into Afrin will be considered an act of war and that the air defense systems are ready to target Turkish planes entering the country.

17 Jan. Rex Tillerson tells reporters that "entire situation has been mis-portrayed, mis-described, some people misspoke. We are not creating a border security force at all". Later he delivers webstreamed remarks about Syria at the Hoover Institution. Nothing about the events of recent days is said, however he states that "the United States will maintain a military presence in Syria ", and that "our military presence is backed by State Department and USAID teams who are already working with local authorities to help liberated peoples stabilize their own communities". Some commenters are unconvinced that a border force is not being created, not just mis-sold, pointing out that a border force may be used to control flow of weapons, ammunition, supplies, fighters into Syria.

16 Jan. Speaking at a NATO meeting in Brussels, the head of the Turkish army General Akar stresses that his country will not allow "the PKK" to be armed and supported by the US, which he asks to "return from its mistake". Back in Ankara, Erdogan urges NATO to show solidarity with Turkey against the US. "NATO! You are obliged to take a stand against those who harass the borders of one of your partners", he requests in front of the parliamentary group of his AK party.

In an interview with Firat News Agency, the YPG Commander General Sipan Hemo states that should Turkey attack Afrin as announced, they are well prepared and "the final war" to get rid of "the Erdogan menace" would begin. Asked about the US stance, he says that they have no information. A "Border Security Force" plan is not mentioned in the detailed interview.

15 Jan. Situation in the Idlib pocket: In recent days the SAA has advanced from the East towards their comrades at the gates of Abu al-Duhur, then in a surprise move freed the Khanasir-Aleppo road up north, building a pocket east of it. Apparently next to no militants were left in that pocket and by now it seems to be almost cleared. The opening between the forces at Abu al-Duhur and those to the east is only 2 km wide by now, almost forming another pocket to the south which includes the ISIS micro caliphate. Meanwhile to the West, Nusra and their Uyghur comrades throw everything they have against the SAA, with only small and temporary success (map of latest developments).

Lavrov: what we see is not a desire to help resolve the conflict as soon as possible, but rather to help those who try to make practical steps to change the regime in Syria. WSJ: The Russians and Turks threaten the U.S. to abandon Syria’s Kurds; Lavrov misses John Kerry.

13 Jan. The US military announces that it is training a 30,000 strong "Border Security Force" that is supposed to protect the borders to Turkey and Iraq as well as the east bank of the Euphrates. 15,000 of them are already recruited veteran SDF fighters. Syria and Turkey sharply condemn the move, with Erdogan promising to "crush the terror army". Al Masdar reports that as part of a "secret side deal" the US has delivered MANPADs to the SDF. There is no statement on the SDF website even 48 hours after the announcement.

12 Jan. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, they have "completely wiped out" the group that attacked the Khmeimim base on Dec 31, blowing up their minibus after special forces had located them. They also destroyed a depot of drones of the type used on Jan 6. In both cases "Krasnopol precision artillery munition" was used.

Jusoor publishes an infographic showing the development of military influence in Syria during the months of 2017.

11 Jan. Speaking about the drone attacks to the Russian press at an extensive meeting, Putin says that Russia knows who paid whom how much for the provocation aimed at driving a wedge between Turkey, Iran and Russia (answer to Mikhail Komissar in full transcript + video. Also, Igor Chernyak: Recently, during an attack on the Russian base in Syria, a US reconnaissance aircraft was spotted near the base, according to the Defence Ministry. Putin: There was a drone hovering nearby).

Putin conversation with Erdogan prior to press conference (drones including).

10 Jan. A map showing today's again rapid developments in the eastern Idlib pocket suggests that HTS/Nusra is fleeing out of the building pockets to the west, while the SAA and ISIS are filling the void. The SAA stands at the gates of Abu al-Duhur airbase.

Turkish state media prints claims by "moderate rebels" that "Russia, Iran and the Assad regime" are responsible for the growing of the ISIS micro caliphate in the Idlib pocket.

According to a source cited by an Al-Masdar author, the number of fighters in the ISIS micro caliphate has grown from initially 300 who broke into the pocket months ago, to 800-900, mainly thanks to defections.

An article in the newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry, "Red Star", states that the drones attacking the Russian facilities have originated in the village Muazzara in the Turkish-controlled part of the Idlib de-escalation zone. Inquiring letters to the heads of Turkish Army and Intelligence have been sent.

9 Jan. Russian military sources quoted by Kommersant say they have evidence that the Jan 6 drone attacks on their facilities were carried out by Ahrar Al-Sham, with "satellite assistence" from a state, implying the US. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is "worried" that such drones are seen in the hands of militants, claiming to have seen them being used by ISIS. A further al-Masdar report claims a US P8 Poseidon was flying an orbit nearby during the attack - implying the US had prior warning of the attack and was monitoring Russian Command Control and Communications.

Israel attacks SAA targets in the western Ghouta with missiles.

ISIS-in-Idlib-pocket snatches another dozen villages from HTS and extends their micro caliphate into Aleppo province.

Speaking to parliament, Erdogan repeats his threat to extend Euphrates Shield to Manbij and Afrin.

8 Jan. A Turkish army convoy is attacked by unknown militants in western Aleppo countryside. While Muraselon reports that at least one military vehicle was destroyed and the crew killed "by RPGs", Yeni Safak claims that "a rocket" missed the convoy by 20-30 m and no damage occured.

7. Jan Continuing the rapid advance, the SAA takes the regional traffic hub of Sinjar and several villages in southern Idlib province. Video footage from Sinjar released by the Tiger forces shows an empty town.

The Turkistan Islamic Party, a militia consisting of Chinese Uyghurs based near the Turkish border in the Idlib pocket, sends a large convoy of reinforcements to the front with the SAA to help out Al Nusra.

6 Jan. Russian air defense at Khmeimim base intercepts an unknown flying object. Later report with photos said that armed wooden frame drones handmade by the rebels were shot down near Khmeimim. Two days later the Defense Ministry speaks about 13 "rebel" drones they had intercepted.

5 Jan. According to both government and opposition sources, HTS/Nusra is retreating from its positions in the southern Idlib pocket while the SAA advances. A bit east of that battlefield, the pocket-in-a-pocket ISIS micro-caliphate uses the opportunity to take two more villages from the rival Jihadis.

The SDF continues to fight remnants of ISIS on the low east bank of the Euphrates.

4 Jan. A Brazilian parliamentary delegation comes to visit Syria.

3 Jan. The SDF publishes a detailed report of their activities in 2017. A similar year-end report by the Turkish PKK's militia HPG claims that they have killed 2,616 Turkish soldiers and police men in 2017.

2 Jan. The SAA declares the western Ghouta to be free of terrorists (background story on the history of the Beit Jenn pocket).

In the eastern Ghouta, the SAA is involved in heavy clashes with Ahrar Al-Sham over a base in Harasta.

1 Jan. Assad appoints new ministers of Defense, Industry and Information. The new Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub was until now the SAA's Chief of General Staff.

The Mharda power plant in northern Hama gets shelled but stays in operation with damage only to administrative buildings. Meanwhile, the al-Zara power plant goes back on line.

2018

31 Dec. According to Russian MoD, Russian Mi-24 crashed in Syria due to a technical problem on a flight to Hama, 2 pilots were killed, a technician survived.

According to Kommersant the Khemeymim airbase was hit with mortar fire which resulted in the destruction of at least four front-line Su-24 bombers, two Su-35S multipurpose fighter aircraft and one An-72 military transport aircraft. However, according to Al Masdar News the attack was intercepted and no damage (ACLOS page).

30 Dec. The SAA is steadily advancing against Nusra and has liberated dozens of villages in northern Hama since the start of the offensive.

According to a detailed ANHA News summary, in the year 2017 the Turkish army attacked targets in Afrin canton 576 times, killed and wounded dozens of civilians and uprooted over 10,000 olive and other trees.

29 Dec. The SAA reaches an agreement with the remaining ca. 300 Islamist fighters in the small Beit Jenn pocket in the western Ghouta. They take the proverbial bus ride to Idlib.

28 Dec. The giant al-Zara power plant in southern Hama close to the Rastan pocket goes out of service after a shelling attack.

27 Dec. "Pantsir" deflected a rocket attack on the Russian military base in Syria -report.

Erdogan calls Assad a terrorist. The Syrian foreign ministry replies sharply.

26 Dec. The SAA led by the Tiger forces starts their offensive against Nusra/HTS at the southern border of the Idlib pocket.

Syrian army Aero L-39 Albatros plane was shot down with MANPAD by HTS rebels, the pilot is reported killed (Rusvesna; Cassad).

23 Dec. According to a YPG statement, in the month of November the SDF ranks were joined by over 300 defectors from the Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield and over 1,500 mostly Arab youths from the liberated areas.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, there are over 10,000 ISIS fighters in Afghanistan now, with more arriving every day from Syria and Iraq. The statement says that the US is informed but underestimates the threat.

22 Dec. In Astana, al-Jaafari demands the "immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign forces from Syrian territory".

21 Dec. Report +photo (robo-translation): terrorists shelled Aleppo during the procession of the "Immortal Regiment". 4 mortar shells were fired, presumably, handicraft production, 3 people were killed, including 2 children (girls 6 and 13 years) and a woman of 50 years, many were injured.

The Duma approves a proposal to turn the small Russian refueling port in Tartus into a complete naval base.

The eighth round of talks starts in Astana.

20 Dec. SAA General Suheil "the Tiger" al-Hassan arrives at the Idlib pocket frontlines where he is expected to lead a major upcoming battle against Al Nusra.

19 Dec. After an agreement with the government, the national flag is raised in the YPG-controlled Kurdish districts of Aleppo city.

18 Dec. In the eastern Ghouta pocket, the Army of Islam executes 45 fighters of the Al Nusra Front.

Assad receives an official and economic Russian delegation headed by Dmitry Rogozin and gives a press conference in the aftermath. Asked about French comments about the Geneva talks, he says that the country "has been the spearhead of supporting terrorism in Syria" and that "its hands are covered in blood".

17 Dec. French president Macron states that Assad will stay in power because he is protected "by those who won the war on the ground" and calls him "an enemy of the Syrian people".

Erdogan-loyalist Turkish paper Yeni Şafak claims that ISIS-leader Baghdadi and other top figures are alive and held at a US base in Rmeilan near Hasakah. (Peskov 'does not know what it is based on')

15 Dec. The "talks" in Geneva finally end without progress, which De Mistura and the French foreign ministry - to the accused's protest - blame on the Syrian government delegation.

Fehim Tastekin reports that at this week's meeting, Putin and Erdogan found a compromise concerning the participation of Syrian Kurds at the planned Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, with the latter accepting it as long as no official representatives of the PYD attend. A list of 140 delegates has already been provided to the Russians by the "Democratic Federation of Northern Syria" administration.

A (Öcalanian) "Democratic Society's Academy" opens in al-Tabqa.

14 Dec. CNN: two F-22A 'intercept Russian jets over Syria, fire warning flares', 'Su-35 also flew across the river and was shadowed closely by one of the F-22As'; TASS: 'F-22 interfered with our Su-25 planes but departed when Su-35C approached'.

12 Dec. The Syrian delegation has returned to the still ongoing Geneva talks and holds new meetings with De Mistura, again in seperate rooms from the exile opposition and in face of the latter's preconditions they will never accept. This futility made them leave in the first place after the organizers announced that this kind of talks should go on for weeks. Meanwhile, the next round of talks in Astana is scheduled for December 21/22.

Remnants of ISIS start attacks from the desert pocket on the Euphrates east bank on the SAA on the west bank, with several success messages spread by their media outlets but unconfirmed by anybody else.

SDF: Life gradually returns to Raqqa City

11 Dec. On his way from Sochi to Egypt, Putin makes a short surprise visit at Khmeimim airbase, meets Assad and orders the withdrawal of Russian troops from combat operations in Syria.

10 Dec. The series of assassinations of Nusra leaders continues with one in Deraa and one in Aleppo countryside. As usual, nobody claimed responsibility.

9 Dec. Iraq: PM Abadi declares that the army is in full control of the border with Syria and the war against ISIS has successfully ended.

7 Dec. The SDF releases a "clarification" saying that operation Al Jazeera Storm is still ongoing and about to be finished, likely countering rumours and an alleged document about a ceasefire deal between them and ISIS. They thank Russia for its actions which led to the "rapid collapse" of the terror group. A day earlier, South Front reported that the SDF released a statement denying that Russia's Airforce helped them advancing. Such a statement can't currently be found on the SDF press website.

The US defense ministry respectfully disagrees with the Russian proclamation of the end of ISIS in Syria.

6 Dec. The SAA declares that they have established full control over the west bank of the Euphrates. Putin states that he was briefed by Shoigu that the operations against ISIS on both sides of the Euphrates are finished and the group doesn't control any territory in Syria anymore.

Both Turkish and Kurdish media report that ISIS forces are retreating from Syria and Iraq to North Africa.

US: Trump recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

5 Dec. Afrin canton is again under attack of the Turkish army and their proxies.

The Russians have supported the SDF advances on the Euphrates east bank with 672 combat flights (background).

4 Dec. Yemen: Days after former long-time president Ali Abdullah Saleh switched sides again and basically called for a surrender to Saudi Arabia, he dies at the hands of Houthi fighters.

After advances by the SAA, 13 km of the western bank of the Euphrates are still under ISIS control.

3 Dec. YPG Declares Full Control Over Eastern Deir Ezzor Countryside During Meeting With Russian Officers

2 Dec. Resigned SDF spokesperson Talal Silo, who the SDF after his resignation said did so because his children in Turkey were threatened, gives an English-language interview to Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency. The following days a part 2 and part 3 are published.

Jihadists use of armed drones in this report +videos.

1 Dec. In Rojava, the elections for local councils and administrations are taking place. This is the second of three rounds of a bottom-up process of elections, after community co-chairs had been elected on September 22. The third round scheduled for early next year will elect a congress.

30 Nov. Secretary of Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev: 'Preparation for some troops withdrawal from Syria is already ongoing (no time frame).

The US announces that 400 marines are preparing to return home after they've successfully assisted the SDF with artillery in the battle for Raqqa.

It is reported that China announces that it will send special forces to Syria to help combat the estimated 2,500 Uyghur Islamists currently fighting in the Idlib pocket. However, there are reasonable doubts 1, 2 about the accuracy of the story, and denials, too.

28 Nov. In the uprun to the 8th round of talks in Geneva, Russia's permanent representative Alexei Borodavkin there asks his fellow UNSC members to bring the exile opposition "down to earth" and face reality which doesn't have Assad or Iranian advisers going anywhere anytime soon.

26 Nov. 'Kurdish-led SDF will join Syrian army if federal state guaranteed: Rojava official' - 1, 2.

25 Nov. The SDF reach the border to Iraq north of the Euphrates. Meanwhile in Iraq, the army and PMU make steady progress in a huge operation to clean the remaining desert pocket of ISIS remnants.

24 Nov. The exile opposition conference in Riyadh ends with the formation of a unified 36 member delegation for future talks in Geneva and elsewhere, headed by Naser al-Hariri.

Trump and Erdogan had a phone conversation. According to Turkish FM Cavusoglu quoted by AP, who listened in on the call, Trump told his president that he had "given clear instructions and that the YPG won't be given arms and that this nonsense should have ended a long time ago."

The reparation of the Euphrates Dam energy generation facilities continues to progress.

The ISIS splinter group that managed to cross from a desert pocket into the Idlib pocket several weeks ago keeps on expanding its territory from originally three to now about twenty villages it has taken from the thin-spread Nusra front.

Egypt: Suspected ISIS terrorists attack the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed on the Sinai, killing at least 235 people.

23 Nov. In statements on the trilateral meeting, officials from Rojava express concerns that Turkey might have made concessions in other areas to get the green light to attack Afrin canton. They say they have been invited to and will attend the National Dialogue Congress Russia is preparing in Sochi.

22 Nov. The presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran, the guarantor countries of the Astana process, meet in Sochi. According to Putin, a "new phase" has been entered where all sides have to make concessions and compromises, "including obviously the Syrian government", to come to a political solution.

In Saudi Arabia, a three day conference of various branches of Syrian opposition groups starts with the aim to find a common position to negotiate in upcoming meetings in Geneva and elsewhere. Leading up to the conference, a number of "Assad must go" hardliners of the Saudi-sponsored "High Negotiations Committee" resign, including its leader Riyad Hijab, a former Syrian Prime Minister.

In Rojava, preparations for the Local Council elections scheduled for December 1 are in the final stages.

Washington Post: U.S. moves toward open-ended presence in Syria after Islamic State is routed

21 Nov. Putin and Trump have a phone call lasting about an hour, discussing Syria, Iran, North Korea and Ukraine. Putin also has phone conversations with al-Sisi, the Saudi King and Netanyahu.

Iranian president Rouhani and Major General Qassem Soleimani declare the end of ISIS.

20 Nov. Assad and Putin meet in Sochi.

19 Nov. After a three days offensive, Al Bukamal is back in SAA hands with remaining ISIS forces withdrawing to the other side of the Euphrates.

18 Nov. US: Marines in MV-22 Ospreys and Cobra attack helicopters are photographed flying up and down the east cost and allegedly seen hovering over Langley. It is speculated that the show of force was targeted against Obama administration hold-overs in the CIA still operating its terrorist proxies in Syria.

17 Nov. The Iraqi army liberates the small Euphrates town of Rawa, which was the very last urban settlement controlled by ISIS in the whole country. The group is now reduced to rural desert regions. Meanwhile the Syrian army takes over the Euphrates island of Hawija Kate north of Deir ez-Zor after 250 ISIS fighters surrender. The SDF has advanced on the eastern bank of the river during the week and liberated several villages and Al-Tenk oilfield, Syria's second largest after Al-Omar.

Russia vetoes US resolution on Syria. Earlier, the Russian-Chinese version was rejected as well (BBC), (TASS).

16 Nov. Kurdish news agency ANHA publishes their fourth installment of interviews with captured ISIS fighters.

15 Nov. SDF spokesperson Talal Silo, a Turkmen, defects to Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield forces, complaining about Kurdish dominance in the SDF. An SDF statement alleges that he was pressured into resigning after his children were threatened in Turkey.

14 Nov. The Russian Ministry of Defense releases a news item on their facebook page accusing the US of refusing to bomb ISIS forces retreating from Al Bukamal. The photos illustrating the post turn out to be from a computer game and an old video about events in Iraq; they accepted the mistake and replaced the photos, pointing out that the work was done by a civilian contractor (Cassad posted a theory that a mole placed by a competing contractor is to blame).

Assad gives a speech at the meeting of the "Arab Forum for Confronting Zionist-US Reactionary Alliance" in Damascus.

13 Nov. A statement by the Women's Protection Units commemorates the second anniversary of the liberation of the trapped Yezidis of Sengal (Sinjar) by the YPG and the preceding "betrayal" by the KRG Peshmerga.

A convoy with humanitarian aid reaches Douma in the Ghouta pocket.

The BBC publishes a long story about the deal that let ISIS fighters evacuate from Raqqa before the liberation. For some reason it's called "Raqqa's dirty secret".

12 Nov. While the loyalist forces which retreated from Al Bukamal are cleaning the outskirts, the SAA led by the Tiger forces advances from Al Mayadeen down the Euphrates towards the town.

The back-and-forth between SAA and Nusra at the south-eastern corner of the Idlib pocket continues.

11 Nov. In a joint statement by Presidents Trump and Putin after their meeting in Vietnam, they agree on several points regarding Syria and mention a memorandum the two countries concluded with Jordan on Nov. 8, regarding further steps in the southern de-escalation zone. According to the Kremlin, the document had been drafted by the two countries’ experts, coordinated by Lavrov and Tillerson and specially prepared for the Danang meeting. The foreign ministers also had a separate meeting at the event.

After heavy fights with ISIS on the northern outskirts of Al Bukamal, the SAA withdraws from the city center.

10 Nov. The SDF takes full control over the Khabur river.

9 Nov. After the fall of the last city controlled by ISIS, Al Masdar lists the remaining Syrian pockets controlled by the group. Which are Yarmouk Camp in southern Damascus, a pocket at the border to the Golan heights in the very south-west and a strip of the Euphrates with several smaller towns between Mayadeen and Bukamal. Several independent hordes and sleeper cells continue to exist in the central desert.

8 Nov. Just hours after meeting at the border a stone-throw south of it, a huge combined force of Syrian and Iraqi militaries and paramilitaries surrounds and then enters Al Bukamal. In the evening, some sources report that the city's liberation has already been completed.

The SDF is active liberating villages in the upper Khabur river region.

7 Nov. The Iraqi Army gets official government approval to enter Syria and participate in the liberation of Al Bukamal.

According to the Russians, 54,000 "militants have been eliminated in Syria over the past two years", among them 2,800 Russian citizens.

Syria signs the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, making the US the only country on Earth opposing it.

6 Nov. Reports (Ivan Sidorenko on Twitter) of HTS-led offensive in north-east Hama countryside, seizing a few villages, after SAA defenders chased off with chlorine gas attacks. Location: in and around Umm-Turaykiyah (Wikimapia), near Alawite villages Tulaysiyah, Zughba

The Reconstruction Commission of the Raqqa Civil Council receives the last of a number of large batches of construction vehicles and machines from the US-led "coalition" to remove the rubble from what's left of the city. Meanhwile, the SDF receive 120 trucks worth of weapons from the US for their Deir ez-Zor operation.

At the "Arab Reality after 100 Years of the Balfour Declaration" conference in Damascus, Assad promotes a revival of Pan-Arabism.

5 Nov. The SAA reaches the Iraqi border after progressing east from the T2 pumping station. They now stand 30 km south-west of Al Bukamal.

4 Nov. The UN expresses concern about the situation in Al Rukban camp where 50,000 refugees cannot be provided with assistance because it is inside the 55 km radius around Al Tanf military base the US has declared a no-go zone.

According to PMU sources, they have entered Syria intending to block the SDF from reaching Al Bukamal.

3 Nov. According to several sources, the SAA has fully liberated Deir ez-Zor city from ISIS.

Iraq: the Army and PMU liberate the city of Al Qaim after taking the border crossing of the same name in the morning. According to SOHR, fleeing ISIS forces were chased over the border into Syrian territory by the PMU.

2 Nov. ISIS is on retreat in Deir ez-Zor city where the SAA liberates neighbourhood after neighbourhood.

In the SDF-controlled regions of Deir ez-Zor countryside, the Civil Council takes up work.

1 Nov. Six strategic Tu-22M3 Russian long-range bombers strike targets in Al Bukamal. The bombers will return on each of the next several days to continue the attacks.