Syria

Spotlight on Global Jihad (February 9-15, 2017, 2017)

Free Syrian Army forces entered the city of Al-Bab, in cooperation with the Turkish Army. In the city of Daraa in southern Syria, several rebel organizations, including the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, launched an attack against Syrian Army strongholds in the Manshiya neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. In Iraq, the Iraqi
Read more...

Turkey strives to create a “safe zone” along its border with Syria after the liberation of al-Bab, seeking support from President Donald Trump.

After having liberated the rural area around al-Bab and encircled the city, on February 11, 2017, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Turkish army initiated an attack to take control of the city. The attacking forces occupied the western part of the city (about 40% of its total area). They are removing mines and
Read more...

Spotlight on Iran* (January 30, 2016 – February 12, 2017)

Ali-Akbar Velayati, advisor to the Iranian supreme leader for international affairs, said Iran would welcome any just ceasefire recognized by the Syrian people and the country’s legal government. Iran and Russia continue consultations on developments in Syria following the Astana talks. Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said that Hamas had recently
Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (February 2-8, 2017)

In Al-Raqqah, ISIS’s stronghold in Syria, and in Al-Bab, ISIS’s last stronghold west of the Euphrates River, ISIS is under increasing pressure from the attacking forces (the Syrian Democratic Forces with US support, the Free Syrian Army with Turkish support). In the other areas in east Syria, ISIS continues its local offensive initiatives against the
Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (January 26-February 1, 2017)

The ceasefire declared more than a month ago is still in effect in most of the regions of Syria. In the area of Wadi Barada, Syrian regime had yet another achievement, reaching an agreement in which the rebel organizations surrendered and were evacuated, together with their families, to the Idlib region. In Iraq, the Iraqi
Read more...

Spotlight on Iran* (January 15 – 29, 2017)

The Astana talks on the future of Syria ended on January 24, 2017. Iran, Russia and Turkey agreed to establish a joint mechanism to oversee the Syrian ceasefire. A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry denied claims made at the UN by the Israeli ambassador that Iran was using commercial Mahan Air flights to transfer
Read more...