Strange States: Al Hasakah, Syria
US Troops occupy & pillage Northeastern Syria
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“‘It seems to me, though our 900 troops have no viable mission in Syria, that they’re sitting ducks,’ Rand Paul said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote [to remove troops]. ‘They’re a tripwire to a larger war, and without a clear-cut mission, I don’t think they can adequately defend themselves, yet they remain in Syria.’” (defensenews.com 12/7/23)
The Western media’s failure to report on Ukraine’s shelling of its Donetsk & Lugansk provinces resulting in 14,000+ casualties over eight years as a pretext for Russia’s invasion is as stunning as the news blackout of the US occupation of one third of Syria.
“According to state news agency SANA, the US and Kurdish armed groups have begun construction of an oil refinery in Al-Hasakah governorate in northeastern Syria. The new plant at Rmelan fields in Al-Hasakah's northeast is expected to have a capacity of 3,000 barrels per day, according to the Syrian agency. Rmelan is home to one of Syria's largest oil resources.
The US forces illegally occupy territories in the northern and northeastern parts of Syria, where the country's major oil and gas fields are located. Damascus has decried the US presence there as occupation and pillaging.” (https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-occupation-building-oil-refinery-in-syrias-al-hasakah:-sa)
“On Sunday, when detailing the U.S. special forces raid against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Trump said U.S. troops would remain in Syria to secure ‘massive’ oil reserves and even put up ‘a hell of a fight’ against any force that tried to take them. ‘We should be able to take some also, and what I intend to do, perhaps, is make a deal with an ExxonMobil or one of our great companies to go in there and do it properly,’ he added.
In particular, Trump threatened to use military force to defend U.S. control of the oil fields, saying, ‘Either we'll negotiate a deal with whoever is claiming it, if we think it's fair, or we will militarily stop them very quickly.’” (abcnews.go.co 10/28/19)
“The US also uses oil revenues to finance its military presence and obstruct Syria’s reconstruction efforts. For instance, in August 2020, CNN reported on a deal approved by the Trump administration allowing US firm Delta Crescent Energy LLC to develop oil fields controlled by the SDF.” (Mohamed Nader Al-Omari thecradle.co 8/16/24)
“Pillaging is illegal under international law, explicitly prohibited by the Fourth Geneva Convention, which the U.S. ratified as a treaty in 1955. The U.S. War Crimes Act of 1996 also made it punishable under U.S. law to commit a ‘grave breach’ of any of the Geneva conventions ‘whether inside or outside the United States.’"
The Syrian Civil War began during the Arab Spring of 2011 when demonstrations against the Baathist government of Bashar al-Assad were brutally suppressed. Battle lines were then drawn between the government’s Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and numerous rebel factions including the Free Syrian Army (FSA, initially composed of SAA defectors), Al Nusra (Al Qaeda), ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq & Syria), and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF was initially composed primarily of Kurdish (YPG) forces, but were later joined by Sunni Arabs in the northeast of the country.
Several senior government officials were completely honest about who the US was supporting in the Syrian Civil War:
President Biden’s (current) National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, wrote an email to Hillary Clinton on 2/12/12 titled “Spot Report”. Released by Wikileaks, he stated: “AQ (Al Qaeda) is on our side in Syria”
“President Barack Obama has signed a seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, U.S. sources familiar with the matter said. Obama’s order, approved earlier this year and known as an intelligence ‘finding,’ broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad.
This and other developments signal a shift toward growing, albeit still circumscribed, support for Assad’s armed opponents – a shift that intensified following last month’s failure of the U.N. Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against the Damascus government.
A U.S. government source acknowledged that under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies. Last week, Reuters reported that, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Turkey had established a secret base near the Syrian border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad’s opponents.
This ‘nerve center’ is in Adana, a city in southern Turkey about 60 miles (100 km) from the Syrian border, which is also home to Incirlik, a U.S. air base where U.S. military and intelligence agencies maintain a substantial presence.” (reuters.com 8/1/2012)
“U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tried Monday to patch back together a conference with Syrian opposition leaders that was to be the centerpiece of his debut overseas trip, urging Syrian rebel leaders not to boycott the meeting and insisting that more help is on the way in their fight against President Bashar Assad.” (AP Matt Lee 2/25/13)
“With help from the C.I.A., Arab governments and Turkey have sharply increased their military aid to Syria’s opposition fighters in recent months, expanding a secret airlift of arms and equipment for the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, according to air traffic data, interviews with officials in several countries and the accounts of rebel commanders.
The airlift, which began on a small scale in early 2012 and continued intermittently through last fall, expanded into a steady and much heavier flow late last year, the data shows. It has grown to include more than 160 military cargo flights by Jordanian, Saudi and Qatari military-style cargo planes landing at Esenboga Airport near Ankara, and, to a lesser degree, at other Turkish and Jordanian airports.” (nytimes.com 3/25/13)
A classified SECRET/NOFORN Defense Intelligence Agency Information Report cable from August 2012 reads: “A. Internally, events are taking a clear sectarian direction. B. The Salafist, The Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI are the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria. C. The West, Gulf Countries, and Turkey support the opposition; while Russia, China and Iran support the regime.
8C. If the situation unravels there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist Principality in Eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran).” (https://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pg.-291-Pgs.-287-293-JW-v-DOD-and-State-14-812-DOD-Release-2015-04-10-final-version11.pdf)
The US initiated operation Inherent Resolve in response to the rise of ISIS, an international coalition aimed at “defeating” the Islamic State with its capital in Raqqa, Syria. As part of Secretary of State John Kerry’s promise to aid rebel leaders, the CIA infamously spent $500 million in a train & equip program that was to create a force of 5,000 to overthrow the Assad regime, but resulted in a couple dozen fighters who quickly surrendered and handed over their arms to jihadi forces.
“Ex Al Qaeda leader Nabeel Naim: ‘Baghdadi is a US agent. It's known that US released him from prison and he spent $20 to $30 million to establish these ISIS groups. The first ISIS camps were in Jordan supervised by US Marines.’”
“On Thursday, Biden said that ‘our biggest problem is our allies’ who are engaged in a proxy Sunni-Shiite war against Syrian President Bashar Assad. He specifically named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
‘What did they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad - except that the people who were being supplied were (Jabhat) al-Nusra and al-Qaida and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world,’ he said.” (cbsnews.com 10/5/14)
“In Al Jazeera’s latest Head to Head episode, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Michael Flynn confirms to Mehdi Hasan that not only had he studied the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) memo predicting the West’s backing of an Islamic State in Syria when it came across his desk in 2012, but even asserts that the White House’s sponsoring of radical jihadists (that would emerge as ISIL and Nusra) against the Syrian regime was ‘a willful decision.’” (foreignpolicyjournal.com 8/7/15)
“The war began in 2011, when the United States landed Central Intelligence operatives to begin coordinating with Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. And we had been unwavering supporters of Al Qaeda, since before the war formally began. We are supporters of Al Qaeda today, where they’re bottled up in Idlib province. The CIA supplied them under secret Operation Timber Sycamore. We gave them all of their anti-tank weapons, all of their anti air-missiles. And Al Qaeda has always been our proxy force on the ground. They, together with ISIS, have carried out the mission of the United States, together with a great number of affiliates that really are kind of interchangeable. You have the Free Syrian Army soldiers move from ISIS to Al Qaeda to Free Syrian Army, rather fluidly. And so we started that war.” Colonel Richard Black (schillerinstitute.com)
The crossing of President Obama’s August 2012 “Red Line” warning against the use of chemical weapons infamously occurred in August 2013 with the alleged Syrian Government sarin attack on Ghouta. But cooler heads prevailed and the West didn’t intervene, because, as Sy Hersh reported: “The joint chiefs also knew that the Obama administration’s public claims that only the Syrian army had access to sarin were wrong. The American and British intelligence communities had been aware since the spring of 2013 that some rebel units in Syria were developing chemical weapons. On 20 June analysts for the US Defense Intelligence Agency issued a highly classified five-page ‘talking points’ briefing for the DIA’s deputy director, David Shedd, which stated that al-Nusra maintained a sarin production cell: its programme, the paper said, was ‘the most advanced sarin plot since al-Qaida’s pre-9/11 effort’.” (London Review of Books 12/08/13)
As Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) whistleblowers later confirmed, the UN chemical watchdog had doctored reporting and suppressed evidence in support of US war aims. A statement titled, “Panel Criticizes ‘Unacceptable Practices’ in the OPCW’s investigation of the Alleged Chemical Attack in Douma, Syria on April 7th 2018,” would conclude:
“Based on the whistleblower’s extensive presentation, including internal emails, text exchanges and suppressed draft reports, we are unanimous in expressing our alarm over unacceptable practices in the investigation of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, near the Syrian capital of Damascus on 7 April 2018. We became convinced by the testimony that key information about chemical analyses, toxicology consultations, ballistics studies, and witness testimonies was suppressed, ostensibly to favor a preordained conclusion.”
“Star pupil: Pied piper of ISIS recruits was trained by U.S.: Those seeking an explanation for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s insistence on sending military supplies and manpower to Syria to bolster the government of President Bashar Assad would do well to consider Batirashvili. Putin not only personally oversaw the Russian push into Georgia, but he has twice waged war against Islamist-led factions in Chechnya whose cause Batirashvili has supported since he was a teenager. Ethnic Chechens are thought to be the largest group of foreign fighters among Islamic State forces.
Now 30, Batirashvili is a key figure, reportedly a member of the group’s governing council, is said to be the Islamic State group’s supreme military leader in northern Syria and Aleppo, and is perhaps the group’s most fearsome ground commander. His status is an irony for a man once considered a Georgian soldier with a bright future.
‘We trained him well, and we had lots of help from America,’ said a former Georgian defense official who asked to not be identified because of the sensitivity of Batirashvili’s role in the Islamic State. ‘In fact, the only reason he didn’t go to Iraq to fight alongside America was that we needed his skills here in Georgia.’” (seattletimes.com 9/15/15)
The Russians intervened militarily in 2015 after US backed jihadis battled their way to the gates of Damascus, then reinforced the SAA as they drove the rebels back from the Syrian capital through air and missile strikes and facilitated the liberation of Aleppo and the 2/3rds of the country west of the Euphrates jihadis had occupied.
In Mike Pompeo’s memoir, Never Give an Inch he states: “Later that summer, while I was still running the CIA, the U.S. Government began reconsidering support for the Syrian rebels who were fighting Assad - an action I recommended to the president. These programs, with enormous price tags, had become black holes of taxpayer dollars. And American weapons were ending up in the hands of al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups.”
Al Nusra jihadis still control the province of Idlib in Northwestern Syria, which US envoy Brett McGurk (the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL) in July 2017 called “the largest Al Qaeda safe haven since 9/11 tied directly to Ayman al-Zawahiri.” Yet, despite the brutal honesty of multiple senior government officials, the US still supports Al Qaeda in Idlib and continues to enforce its crippling economic sanctions against the Syrian people. In fact, war-hardened Idlib jihadis were recruited by Azerbaijan in their 2020 war with Nagorno-Karabakh and more recently by Ukraine in their war with Russia.
President Trump had called for the removal of all American troops from Syria in December 20018, but relented after pushback from the Washington political establishment: “The Pentagon announced Wednesday that it has started the process of withdrawing all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria after the White House confirmed President Donald Trump had given the surprise order to leave because ISIS there had been ‘defeated.’ The announcement was met with backlash from Capitol Hill, especially from Republican senators, and Wednesday afternoon Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., was headed to the White House for an unscheduled meeting with the president. President Trump's decision followed a phone call with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last Friday which triggered the decision, a U.S. official told ABC News. During that call, Trump told Erdogan that he was planning to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, a senior Turkish official said.” (abcnews.go.com 12/19/18)
“‘What Syria withdrawal? There was never a Syria withdrawal. When the situation in northeast Syria had been fairly stable after we defeated ISIS, [Trump] was inclined to pull out. In each case, we then decided to come up with five better arguments for why we needed to stay. And we succeeded both times. That’s the story. We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there,’ Jeffrey [Jim Jeffrey, Trump’s Syria Special Envoy] said in an interview. The actual number of troops in northeast Syria is ‘a lot more than’ the roughly two hundred troops Trump initially agreed to leave there in 2019. (defenseone.com 11/12/20)
The United States’ Inherent Resolve operation formally ceased in December 2021, but troops currently remain in Northeastern Syria as well as at the Al Tanf base along the Jordanian border (see map above).
“Earlier, around 450 extremist Arab and foreign nationals arrived in Ukraine from Idlib to fight against Russia's forces, less than only three days after they left Syria, passing through Turkey.
Relatives of extremists that have arrived in Ukraine told Sputnik that senior fighters from terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (the rebranded version of Jabhat Al-Nusra, i.e., Al-Qaeda) have held a number of meetings with senior leaders in the Turkistan Islamic Party group and Ansar Al-Tawhid and Hurras al-Din groups, and agreed on allowing a number of all their fighters to enter Ukraine through Turkish soil.” (english.almayadeen.com 4/15/22)
Because Turks believe Kurds in Northeastern Syria are allied with their arch-nemesis PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) “terrorists” in Northern Iraq, Iran and Southern Turkey, they launched three different incursions to form a security zone along the border: Initially calling for the resignation of Assad, Turkey trained SAA defectors of the FSA, then established observation posts in Idlib (creating the jihadi safe haven in 2017), followed in 2018 by Operation Olive Branch solidifying Turkish control of Afrin Province in the far northwest, which in turn became Operation Peace Spring in 2019 launched against SDF forces in Northeastern Syria, with rocket fire being exchanged between SAA and Turkish forces in Idlib Province in 2020.
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday hailed ‘a historic agreement’ with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to push back Syrian Kurdish fighters from a safe zone along the border, after hours of talks between the two leaders over the conflict in Syria.
According to this agreement, Turkey and Russia will not allow any separatist agenda on Syrian territory," Erdogan said, addressing reporters alongside Putin after the talks in the Russian city of Sochi.
Erdogan also announced a 150-hour deadline beginning on Wednesday for Syrian Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units) fighters and their weapons to be moved back 30 kilometres from areas on the Turkish border which are currently outside the scope of the Turkish offensive.
Within 150 hours starting at 12:00 noon on October 23, YPG terrorists and their weapons will be removed to the depth of 30 kilometers or their positions will be destroyed," Erdogan said.
In the areas covered by Tuesday's deal, Russian-backed Syrian regime forces had been deployed in agreement with Kurdish forces in a bid to stem the Turkish assault.”(yahoo.com 10/22/19)
Also known as Rojava, or Western Kurdistan, the northeastern sector of Syria is currently controlled by the SDF, a Kurdish-led military composed of Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG) that form the primary defense forces of the de facto Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Their stated goal is a federalized Syria with autonomous subdivisions, but with Turkish, American, Russian, Iranian as well as ISIS forces still lurking, frozen conflict seems likely.
In July 2016, AANES Constituent Assembly co-chair Hediya Yousef formulated the autonomous region's approach towards Syria as follows: “We believe that a federal system is the ideal form of governance for Syria. We see that in many parts of the world, a federal framework enables people to live peacefully and freely within territorial borders. The people of Syria can also live freely in Syria. We will not allow for Syria to be divided; all we want is the democratization of Syria; its citizens must live in peace, and enjoy and cherish the ethnic diversity of the national groups inhabiting the country.
The US first became active militarily in the region when ISIS attacked the Kurdish city of Kobane on the Turkish border in September 2014. If it weren’t for American air support the city would have fallen. ISIS eventually retreated after suffering enormous casualties. The Kurds defeated ISIS in 2019 and took control of most of Northeastern Syria.
“The United States first established air bases in Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria in October 2015. In March and April 2016, the US added supplemental sites in the region.” (globalsecurity.org)
“There is no legal basis for US military bases in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press briefing 21 July 2017: ‘The United States does not advertise its bases very much, and the fact that these bases do not have a legal basis is also obvious to all... One more big difference: we do not hide our two bases, they are created and operate on the basis of intergovernmental agreements, and their task is to assist in the fight against terrorists... I don’t object to American bases in Syria as long as the Americans reiterate that their illegitimate presence in the Syrian Arab Republic, because, unlike us, they were not invited by the government...’” (global security.org)
“The American forces brought in a number of battle tanks through al-Waleed border crossing between Iraq and Syria, SANA said, adding that 40 military vehicles entered the Syrian territories. The US military has stationed forces and equipment in eastern and northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh (ISIS) terrorists.
A top Russian military commander has said the illegal presence of US occupation forces in Syria slows down the battle against Takfiri (ISIS) terrorist groups. Damascus, however, says the unlawful deployment is meant to plunder the country’s resources.”
Former US President Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American forces were in Syria for its oil.
“After failing to oust the Syrian government with the help of its proxies and direct involvement in the conflict, the US government has now stepped up its economic war on the Arab country.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/01/01/673809/Bases-housing-US-occupation-troops-in-northern-Syria-come-under-rocket-attacks)
“American forces in Syria came under rocket fire Monday, one day after the Biden administration launched air strikes targeting what it described as ‘facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups’ on the border between Syria and Iraq.
Col. Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the coalition forces fighting ISIS in the region, tweeted that there were no injuries and the damage was being assessed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The Pentagon said the facilities targeted by the US Sunday were being used by Tehran-supported factions to launch drone attacks against American troops in Iraq. Defense Department press secretary John Kirby said the strikes targeted three operational and weapons storage facilities, two in Syria and one in Iraq. The mission was carried out by Air Force F-15 and F-16 aircraft.” (nypost.com 6/28/21)
But, the US attacks haven’t stopped the Iranians from resupplying their forces and staking a claim on the oil-rich region.
“During February and early March 2022, the militias of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) located in Syria’s al-Hasakah Governorate brought in several shipments of weapons and military equipment in an effort to strengthen their military and security presence in the governorate, which is considered the richest in Syria in terms of oil and agricultural wealth.
Three Iranian shipments arrived at the airport during February and March,” one of the employees of the Qamishli Airport in al-Hasakah stated. “Two of them were loaded with various weapons and ammunition, while the third shipment was logistical equipment and about 50 small drones to be used for training in collecting espionage images and information.” (mei.edu 3/24/22)
“Four U.S. service members are being evaluated for minor injuries, and possible traumatic brain injuries, after a Thursday attack on a base in eastern Syria, the international coalition fighting against ISIS announced in a Twitter statement.
At 1:09 a.m., April 7, Coalition forces at Green Village in Eastern Syria received 2 rounds of indirect fire that struck two support buildings," Operation Inherent Resolve wrote, assuring the incident was under investigation.
The Green Village base sits east of the Euphrates River in Syria's Deir el-Zour province. It was previously attacked in January when eight rockets landed inside its perimeter, according to The Hill.” (newsmax.com 4/7/22)
“The U.S. military says explosions earlier this month on a base in eastern Syria that injured several U.S. service members were not, as it originally reported, caused by artillery or another form of indirect fire. Instead, it is now believed the April 7 attack was carried out by the “deliberate placement of explosive charges” by one or more individuals at an ammunition holding area and shower facility on the base, according to a statement issued Thursday by Combined Joint Task Force – Inherent Resolve, the command that oversees U.S. military operations against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.” (militarytimes.com 4/15/22)
“Israel, which views Iran's military presence in Syria as a threat to its national security, has occasionally carried out strikes against Iranian targets in eastern Syria and elsewhere in the war-torn country. Last week, Israel launched airstrikes against several Iranian-linked targets in Syria, the Israeli military said. Some experts say Iran has been seeking to carve out a land corridor from Iraq through eastern Syria to Damascus and the Golan Heights to threaten Israel.” (voanews.com 11/23/20)
The Turks began a fresh operation in Northern Iraq on April 17, 2022: “The Turkish Defense Ministry has released footage of its military offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. Ankara launched its latest campaign against the militants, who it considers terrorists, on Sunday evening. NATO-member Turkey labels the assault a ‘special operation.’
The Turkish campaign, ‘Operation Claw-Lock’, is a cross-border action by Turkish forces targeting Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Ankara considers the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG) terrorist organizations. The ongoing operation focused on the regions of Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan, the Turkish military reported.” (rt.com 4/18/22)
“‘Turkey is ready to rid northern Syria's Tal Rifaat and Manbij areas, near the Turkish border, of terrorist elements in a bid to eliminate the terror threat from the region, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday. ‘We are taking another step in establishing a 30-kilometer security zone along our southern border. We will clean up Tal Rifaat and Manbij’, he said adding that the planned military operations will gradually continue in other parts of northern Syria.
His comments, in a speech to lawmakers from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the capital Ankara, came a week after he pledged a new military operation on Turkey's southern border targeting the U.S.-backed YPG, which is the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group.” (dailysabah.com 6/1/22)
“The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) would be "open" to coordinating with Syrian government troops to fend off any Turkish invasion of the north, the head of the US-backed militia has said. Mazloum Abdi also told Reuters on Sunday that Damascus should use its air defense systems against Turkish planes.” (6/6/22)
"We hope that Ankara will refrain from actions that could lead to a dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria," Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry said. (6/6/22)
“As Ankara continues to amass troops for another military operation against Kurdish forces controlling northern Syria, a former Iranian diplomat has warned that a military confrontation between Iran and Turkey in the war-torn country is inevitable. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the two regional rivals have backed opposing sides.
Iran is the leading supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey supports anti-government groups."A confrontation between Iran and Turkey is highly likely [in Syria], and such a confrontation would lead to clashes between the two countries' troops," Ali Akbar Farazi, Iran's former ambassador to Romania, Cyprus, and Hungary, told the Shargh daily.
The retired diplomat revealed that Iranian and Turkish forces had already fought against each other during previous invasions carried out by Turkey in northern Syria.‘Turkey's army, on previous occasions, attacked Iranian forces and positions, causing losses,’ said Farazi. ‘To achieve its interests, Turkey does not recognise any red lines.’ The former diplomat said Iran was concerned in particular about the possible occupation of the city of Homs by Turkish forces. ‘In recent years, Turkey has proved that it peruses an invasive policy... based on this policy and the Neo-Ottomanism ideology, Turkey invaded Syria and Iraq and annexed parts of these two countries to its territory,’ he added.” (middleeasteye.net 6/10/22)
“Shortly after dawn on 10 June, Damascus International Airport was bombarded by Israeli missiles, leaving three huge craters in each of its two operational runways. Syrian Civil Aviation authorities issued a statement confirming the closure of runways 23R and 23L, citing a "WIP" [work in progress], with the estimated reopening date set for 20 June. Syrians awoke to find their flights had been diverted or cancelled as the Syrian Airways fleet was immediately grounded, adding more strain to the country's war-battered aviation industry. Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against Syria, targeting government troops, Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters.” (middleeasteye.net 6/16/22)
“Syrian farmers have been struggling in the northeast province of al-Hasakah due to a drought and a ban on wheat sales to government-controlled areas of the territory imposed by US-backed Kurdish authorities. ‘Foreign intervention by the US and its allies, and the drought have put the farmers in trouble, and they face obstacles to selling their products,’ Abdul-Hameed Karaku, the head of a Syrian farmers union, told China’s Xinhua. ‘The difficulties and economic siege, as well as the embargo imposed by the US forces, have broken the back of the farmers and added a big burden on them and their children,’ Karaku added. The US maintains crippling economic sanctions on Syria that specifically target the country’s energy and construction sectors to prevent reconstruction. The US also has about 1,000 troops stationed in northeast Syria, where most of the country’s oil fields and wheat fields are located.” (news.antiwar.com 6/16/22)
“Israel secretly coordinates with the U.S. on many of the airstrikes it carries out in Syria as the allies face a battlefield crowded with militant groups, Iranian-backed militias and foreign militaries, according to current and former U.S. officials. American officials have said little about Israel’s bombing missions, which have been aimed at interrupting Tehran’s flow of advanced weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah and diminishing Iran’s military forces and proxies in Syria. Behind the scenes, however, many of Israel’s missions for several years have been reviewed in advance for approval by senior officials at U.S. Central Command and at the Pentagon, current and former officials say.” (wsj.com 6/16/22)
“Russia has reportedly warned American occupation forces that it is going to conduct airstrikes against Washington-allied Takfiri terrorists in southeastern Syria after a roadside bomb targeted Russian military forces in the country. Two unnamed US defense officials were quoted as saying by CNN that the warning, which came earlier this week, led the US to quickly call on the militants to move their positions and to ensure that no American forces were in close proximity. The Russians achieved their goal of “sending a message” to the United States that they can strike without being worried about retaliation, one official said. The incident happened in the vicinity of the strategic al-Tanf region, near the borders of Iraq and Jordan.” (presstv.ir 6/17/22)
“Russian forces have conducted a series of operations against the U.S.-led coalition in Syria this month, including one this week at a strategically located base in the southern part of the country, U.S. military officials said. The Russian actions have alarmed U.S. military officials, who are concerned that a miscalculation might escalate into an unintended conflict between the U.S. and Russian forces in Syria. Tensions between the two countries are already high following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February and American efforts to arm the Ukraine military to defeat Russian forces there. On Wednesday, Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison, near Syria’s border with Jordan in southeast Syria, where U.S. troops have a train-and-advise mission with local fighters to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State.” (wsj.com 6/17/22)
Also, “according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Israel has been secretly coordinating with the US on many of its airstrikes in Syria, and senior officials at US Central Command have reviewed and approved many plans in recent years. Israel frequently bombs Syria and frames the operations as strikes against Iran or Hezbollah, although the air raids often kill Syrian government troops and members of Iraq’s Shia militias. The latest Israeli airstrikes on Syria disabled the Damascus International Airport, marking a significant escalation in the air campaign.
Israel frequently bombs Syria and frames the operations as strikes against Iran or Hezbollah, although the air raids often kill Syrian government troops and members of Iraq’s Shia militias. The latest Israeli airstrikes on Syria disabled the Damascus International Airport, marking a significant escalation in the air campaign.” (wsj.com 6/17/22)Israel
“As part of the US military’s systematic smuggling of basic commodities out of Syria, a convoy of dozens of US military trucks has reportedly carried tons of grain from the northeastern province of Hasakah to the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. Local sources, requesting anonymity, told Syria’s official news agency SANA that 40 military vehicles loaded with wheat crops from silos of the Jazira Region rumbled through the al-Waleed border crossing in the al-Ya'rubiyah region and entered the Iraqi territories on Saturday.
The sources added that vehicles belonging to the US-sponsored and Kurdish-led militants from the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) escorted the convoy. The development took place only a few days after the United States dispatched truckloads of military and logistical equipment to Syria’s Hasakah province. Local sources, who asked not to be named, told SANA that in mid-June a convoy of 55 trucks crossed the Waleed border and headed toward Kharab al-Jir military airport.” (presstv.ir 6/18/22)
In a classic quid pro quo on June 28, 2022, Turkey agreed to Sweden and Finland joining NATO in exchange for both countries recognizing the PKK and YPG as terrorists organizations, ironic considering the latter is a staunch ally of the US in Syria.
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey is in no rush to stage a new military operation against armed Kurdish militants. But regional actors have voiced their concerns over the potential Turkish offensive against the towns of Tal Rifaat and Manbij. ‘No need for hurry. We don’t need to do that,’ Erdogan told journalists in Madrid, where he met with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Erdogan offered no timeline for the planned operation. The stakes are high. Experts believe that Turkey still lacks Russian backing for a military intervention against Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers to be a terror group with direct links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).” (arabnews.com 7/3/22)
“Residents of embattled northwest Syria warned Saturday of a "catastrophe" following a Russian veto at the UN Security Council that threatens to end cross-border aid deliveries critical to their survival. The mechanism at Bab al-Hawa, which has been in effect since 2014, is set to expire Sunday.” (news.yahoo.com 7/9/22)
“Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the US government to stop its practice of looting Syria’s natural resources.
“We have common positions on the Euphrates River regarding the need for US forces to leave this land, and they must stop looting [from] the Syrian people by illegally extracting oil,” Putin said on 19 July during a press conference at the conclusion of a tripartite summit in Tehran.” (thecradle.co 7/20/22)
“The western states led by the US are strongly encouraging separatist sentiment in some areas of the country and plundering its natural resources with a view to ultimately pulling the Syrian state apart.” Vladimir Putin 7/20/22
“Following a trilateral summit with the two other Astana Format nations, Iran and Russia, Turkey has demanded that the US - its NATO ally - leave eastern Syria and end its support for Kurdish militia groups there. ‘America has to leave east of the Euphrates now. This is an outcome that came out of the Astana process,’ Erdogan said on Wednesday, according to the state-owned Anadolu Agency.
‘Türkiye expects this as well because it is America that feeds the terrorist groups there," he said, referring to the People’s Defense Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia that forms the core of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that the US forces in eastern Syria support as a proxy force in order to deny control over the oil-rich region to the Syrian government in Damascus. However, Washington claims it supports the SDF as part of the fight against Daesh.’” (sputnik news.com 7/22/22)
“Syrian media has regularly reported on the movements of US convoys into and out of the war-scarred country, catching Washington bringing military equipment and supplies in, and smuggling stolen crude oil and food out. This week, the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey called on Washington to end its occupation of eastern Syria.
US forces have evacuated a 156-vehicle strong convoy from the Kharab al-Jir Airport in Syria’s Hasakah province via the illegal al-Waleed border crossing, the Syrian Arab News Agency has reported, citing a local sources on the ground in the nearby town of Rmelan. ‘A convoy of 156 vehicles, including 40 refrigerator trucks and more than 50 tankers carrying military equipment, containers, cannons, and a number of Hummers, some of [them] carry[ing] huge devices, came out into Iraq,’ one source said. The source added that the convoy was accompanied by 25 armored escorts.” (sputnik news.com 7/23/22)
“The missile strike over Damascus on Thursday, July 21, was one of the widest-ranging and strategically important operation ever attributed to Israel in Syria. It hammered the ‘Iranian Park,’ which, DEBKAfile’s exclusive military sources disclose, hosted the general command center of Iran and Hizballah in Syria. The site is situated at al Sayyida Zaynab, a Shiite holy shrine in a southern suburb of Damascus. The buildings razed to the ground included ammunition stores and a stockpile of rockets as well as the premises of command and security personnel.” (Debka.com 7/23/22)
“Turkey’s top diplomat has pledged to assist the Syrian government in efforts to oust Kurdish fighters based in the country’s northeast, regarded as “terrorists” by Ankara, despite a recent spike in tensions after Turkey made good on threats to take military action on its own. Speaking to Turkish broadcaster TV100 for an interview on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country is prepared to work alongside Damascus against Kurdish militants fighting under the banner of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
‘We will give all kinds of political support to the work of the [Syrian] regime in this regard. It is the most natural right of the regime to clear a terrorist organization in its own territory,’ the FM said of the SDF, which is present in Syria’s northeastern extremity. Cavusoglu went on to say that Turkey had also reached out to Iran on the matter, as the Islamic Republic has long fought in support of the Syrian government against rebels and jihadist groups during the country’s decade-long civil war.” (rt.com 7/30/22)
Will Putin give Erdogan the green light to invade northern Syria? “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he expected fruitful talks as he arrived at the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Friday to meet Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin. The situation in Syria was slated to be among the main topics on the agenda, given that ‘the battle against terrorism in the region is important for us,’ the Turkish president said.” (rt.com 8/5/22)
“In the joint statement, Putin and Erdogan reaffirmed their commitment to the political process in Syria. The two sides agreed it was important to maintain the ‘political unity and territorial integrity’ of this Middle Eastern nation, the document said. Moscow and Ankara confirmed their readiness to ‘act together in full coordination’ to fight any terrorist organizations. (rt.com 8/5/22)
“The Pentagon has confirmed to Newsweek that the Russian military conducted its second known strike in two months near a U.S. base in Syria, as multiple rival powers in the divided nation ramp up efforts to push competing agendas. The Russian Defense Ministry announced Friday that, while patrolling the skies of Syria, ‘the Russian Aerospace Forces identified and destroyed a group of militants of the terrorist group 'Liwa Shuhada al-Qaryatayn’ as they hid in shelters located in the Syrian desert in a strike conducted the previous day.
‘This terrorist group is based in the Al-Tanf zone, supplied and trained by instructors from the US Army Special Operations Forces,’ the Russian Defense Ministry said. ‘Operating from the desert, the Liwa Shuhada al-Qaryatayn militants carried out acts of sabotage against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Syria.’ The ministry said that ‘all militants were successfully destroyed’ in the operation. Liwa Shuhada al-Qaryatayn was once part of a network of rebel groups that received direct support from the United States, which first backed insurgents against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and then the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) (Newsweek.com 8/5/22)
Have the Turks begun their fourth incursion into Syria?: “Kurdistan Region - Turkish forces shelled Syria’s northern towns of Kobane and Tal Tamir over the past 24 hours, killing a 14-year-old child and several other civilians, the Kurdish internal security forces (Asayish) said on Tuesday. Asayish said in a statement that Turkey shelled Tal Tamir and its vicinity, injuring three civilians. ‘It also began bombing the city of Kobani which resulted in the death of a 14-year-old child and the injury of five citizens, including a woman and a child. Key service facilities were also damaged by the attack,’ Asayish added.” (Rudaw.net 8/16/22)
“The Syrian military said late Tuesday that it would immediately retaliate against any Turkish attack on Syrian bases. The statement from the Syrian military was in response to a Turkish airstrike on Syrian bases in northern Syria on Tuesday, which Damascus said killed three soldiers. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, reported 11 people killed and eight wounded, several of them in critical condition, as a result of the Turkish attack. The Turkish airstrike hit a Syrian base in the countryside of Ayn al-Arab in Aleppo province, near the Syrian-Turkish border, the UK-based watchdog group said. Syria retaliated for that attack by targeting Turkish bases, causing unspecified casualties and damage. Turkey has expanded its attacks on northern and northeastern Syria in a campaign against Kurdish militias in the area.” (themedialine.org 8/17/22)
“At least 21 civilians including children were killed Friday in separate bombardments in the latest flare-up of violence along Syria's northern border with Turkey, Kurdish authorities and a war monitor said. The bloodshed comes against a backdrop of increased tensions pitting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies. A pre-dawn strike by a Turkish drone that hit ‘a training centre for young girls’ in the Shmouka area near Hasakeh in the northeast killed ‘four children and wounded 11’, a statement from the semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities said.” (dailymail.co.uk 8/19/22)
“The US carried out additional airstrikes targeting enemy positions and rocket launchers near Deir ez-Zor in northeast Syria following a rocket attack on coalition bases in the region that injured three US troops on Wednesday, according to a US official. A number of enemy fighters were killed in the strikes, which was launched from an AC-130 gunship, the official said.
The US launched the latest strikes overnight in response to a rocket attack against two coalition bases housing US troops in Syria in which three US service members suffered minor injuries. In the initial response to the rocket attack on Wednesday, US attack helicopters destroyed three vehicles and the rocket launchers used to carry out the attack, US Central Command said in a statement. Two or three Iranian-backed militants were also killed in the helicopter strike, according to an initial assessment.
The military carried out the strikes with AC-140 gunships, Apache attack helicopters, and M777 howitzers, US Central Command said in a statement. The Pentagon said a total of four Iranian-backed militants had been killed in the series of US strikes.’We'll continue to assess the situation,’ Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press briefing on Thursday.” (cnn.com 8/26/22)
“Israel launched a missile attack on Wednesday targeting the airport in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Syrian state media said, citing a military source. The Syrian government did not report any casualties. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based opposition war monitor, said in a statement that Israel fired four missiles targeting a runway at the Aleppo International Airport and warehouses surrounding it. The group claimed that the warehouses likely contained a shipment of Iranian rockets.” (abcnews.go.com 8/31/22)
“‘At around eight o’clock this evening, the Israeli enemy targeted Aleppo International Airport with a missile strike, which caused material damage,’ the military source told SANA. Explosions were also recorded in Damascus, with eyewitness reports speaking of damage to residential areas and possible victims. There was no official confirmation yet, however.” (palestinechronicle.com 8/31/22)
“Shortly after the strike in Aleppo, Israeli airstrikes targeted sites near Damascus International Airport and other targets south of Damascus, with Syrian air defenses downing ‘number of missiles’. Sabereen News, a channel close to Iran-backed forces in Syria reported that Israel targeted Aleppo airport to prevent a US sanctioned Iranian plane – belonging to the Yas Air cargo airline -- from landing as it appeared to be descending, adding that the plane changed course to Damascus so the Israeli aircraft returned and bombed Damascus airport.” (9/1/22)
“According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), US forces established a third military base in Syria on 3 September. The new US military base was set up in Naqara village, just three kilometers from Qamishli in the northeastern province of Hasakah. The US has two more bases, one of them located in Himo village and another one in the Tel Fares area near the Qamishli airport. Armed groups have recently stepped up against US occupational forces and their regional allies due to the illegal exploitation of fossil fuels.” (the cradle.com 9/4/22)
“The news network operating in southern Syria - Suwayda 24 reported that ‘Russia and Iran have turned an agricultural airport in the al-Zalaf area, located in the al-Suwayda desert, into a base for launching drones.’ The al-Zalaf area is about 140 km from the border of the Israeli Golan. The director of the network, Noor Radwan, said in a tweet through his Twitter account, ‘The purpose of this base is to threaten the activity of the al-Tanf base, in southeastern Syria, where American forces are located.’” (newsrael.com 9/6/22)
“Russian airstrikes on positions of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in northwestern Syria reportedly killed 120 rebels. The Russian warplanes attacked a Nusra Front training camp in the Sheikh Youssef area of Idlib province and destroyed observation points, drones, and missile launchers, state news agency SANA cited Russian military sources in Syria as saying, Xinhua news agency reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, also reported the Russian airstrikes in Idlib, saying the Russian warplanes carried out 14 airstrikes on Thursday and fired one surface-to-surface missile on rebel-held areas in the province.” (business-standard.com 9/9/22)
“The Islamic State group killed six U.S.-backed Syrian fighters in eastern Syria saying on Monday that the killing was in retaliation for an ongoing operation inside a sprawling camp housing tens of thousands of family members of the extremist group. The IS-linked Aamaq news agency released a video showing the shooting of the six members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces near the eastern village of Ruwaished where they were captured alive and later shot dead late Sunday. Despite their defeat in Syria in 2019, when IS lost the last sliver of land its fighters once controlled, the extremists’ sleepers cells have continued to carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq where they once held large parts of the two countries. The latest attack occurred in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour bordering Iraq, and where U.S. troops are based at an oil facility known as the Omar Field.” (abcnews.go.com 9/12/22)
“Israel has carried out an air attack on Syria’s Damascus International Airport and other positions south of the capital, killing five soldiers and causing material damage, the ministry of defence said. Syrian air defences intercepted the raid and managed to down most of the missiles, the ministry said in a statement early on Saturday.” (aljazeeera.com 9/17/22)
“A Turkish drone on Tuesday allegedly killed two fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces near a US base in a village in the Ma’bada (Kurdish: Girkê Legê) district in the Hasakah province. The drone strike reportedly targeted a car near a coalition base in the oil-rich Rumaylan in the Hasakah province. Also on Monday, a Turkish drone targeted the city of Kobani. Turkey in the recent months has stepped up drone attacks in northeast Syria. A SOHR report on Monday said that Turkey carried out a total of 58 drone attacks in Syria since early 2022. These attacks left 10 civilians and 56 fighters dead. Moreover, 93 people were injured during these attacks.” (kurdistan24.net 9/27/22)
“The U.S. military said late on Saturday that unidentified forces fired a rocket at a compound in Syria hosting U.S. troops and partnered local forces, but failed to cause any injuries or damage. The military, in a short statement, said the 107 mm rocket failed to impact anything inside the Rumalyn Landing Zone U.S. compound in northeast Syria. ‘Additional rockets were found at the launch site,’ said the U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East.
Central Command did not say who it believed might be responsible for the failed attack. It came just two days after a rare U.S. helicopter raid on a government-held village in Syria's northeast killed an Islamic State militant on Thursday, followed hours later by a separate U.S. air strike later that killed two other militants.” (us news.com 10/8/22)
“US military forces occupying Syria looted a new batch of oil on 7 October from the country’s Jazira region, local media reported. According to local sources in the Al-Yarubiyah countryside, ‘a convoy of 50 tankers belonging to the American occupation, loaded with stolen Syrian oil, left Syria through the illegal Mahmoudiya crossing in batches towards Iraqi territory.’ In just a few short months, the US army has stepped up its oil looting operations in Syria, transporting hundreds of tankers loaded with stolen Syrian oil from the Rmelan fields of the Jazira region into its bases in Iraq, with the aid of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Just at the end of last month, US occupation forces smuggled 79 tankers loaded with Syrian oil from the fields of Jazira region to Iraq. According to the Syrian Oil Ministry, US forces have stolen more than 80 percent of the country’s daily oil output, amounting to around “66,000 barrels of oil every single day.” In late August, Damascus reported that its oil and gas sectors have incurred losses of up to $107 billion since 2011 as a result US-sponsored war which began in 2011.” (thecradle.com 10/8/22)
“Russia operates two military facilities in Syria - the naval facility in Tartus and the Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia Governorate. Khmeimim has come under terrorist fire repeatedly since its establishment in 2015. Terrorist militants in Syria are plotting an attack against the Khmeimim Air Base using drones, Oleg Yegorov, deputy head of the Russian MoD's Center for Reconciliation in Syria, has announced.
‘According to information received by the [Center for Reconciliation], militants from the Jahbat al-Nusra* and the Turkistan Islamic Party* are planning an attack on the Khmeimim Air Base using strike UAVs and kamikaze drones,’ Yegorov said at a briefing Friday.” (sputniknews.com 11/4/22)
“The US-led international coalition forces operating in northeastern Syria intend to establish a new military base in their controlled areas in the countryside of Raqqa. Local sources said that a convoy of US forces, including several armored military vehicles, arrived in Raqqa city as part of preparations to install a new base in the area. On the field, the illegal troops began transferring the logistical equipment and necessary gear to the specified location, coinciding with heavy surveillance drone activity. The US army and international coalition occupy at least 28 declared military sites in Syria, distributed over three provinces, mainly Hasakah (17 sites), Deir Ezzor (nine locations), and Homs (two areas).
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) released photographs showing the construction of a new base near Al-Raqqa Bridge on the Euphrates River, south of the city.” (thecradle.co 11/7/22)
“Air attacks have struck eastern Syria along the Iraqi border, hitting Iran-backed fighters and inflicting casualties, a Syrian war monitor, Iranian state television and Iraqi paramilitary officers have said. The number of casualties has not been confirmed but some of those killed in the attack late on Tuesday were Iranian nationals, according to two Iraqi paramilitary officers. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 14 people were killed in the raids, mostly fighters.
The attacks hit a convoy of ‘fuel tankers and trucks loaded with weapons’ for the fighters in Syria’s eastern province of Deir Az Zor, the Syrian Observatory said. It is not yet clear who was behind the raid but the United States military has carried out similar attacks in the past. The US military has, however, so far denied involvement. Army Major Rachael L Jeffcoat said that ‘no US forces or US-led coalition (members) conducted an airstrike in al-Qaim, Iraq, on the border with Syria’”. (aljazeera.com 11/10/22)
“The US occupation forces plundered 94 tankers and trucks loaded with oil and wheat from Hasaka countryside to north Iraq via the illegitimate border crossings. Local sources told SANA reporter that the US occupation forces took out 30 tankers loaded with stolen Syrian oil via the illegitimate al-Waleed border crossing and 44 tankers from al-Swaidiya fields across the illegitimate al-Mahmoudiya crossing, adding that all of them headed towards the occupation’s bases in Iraqi territories.
Local sources in al-Malkiya region told SANA reporter that the US occupation forces also brought out 20 trucks loaded with wheat towards northern Iraq through the Semalka crossing. Last Sunday, the US occupation forces took out a convoy consists of 43 tankers loaded with the stolen Syrian oil from the oil wells which they had occupied in the Syrian al-Jazeera and took them to northern Iraq via al-Mahmoudiya illegitimate border crossing.” (sana.sy 11/12/22)
After a terrorist attack in Turkey that killed 6 & injured 80, “Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said in a statement after the explosion on Istanbul’s Taksim Istiklal Street, ‘We do not accept the condolence message of the US Embassy. If we had not caught the attacker, she would have fled to Greece today. We know how the incident was coordinated. We know how it was coordinated. It must be said. We know the message that was given to us, we received the message that was given to us and we know what the message was given to us. We will send a very strong message to this message,’ he said.” (cnnturk.com11/14/22)
“The Turkish government blames the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for yesterday’s blast that killed six people, wounded another 81, and sent hundreds scrambling to safety in İstiklal Avenue, Beyoğlu, Istanbul’s main shopping street. Turkish security forces rounded up at least 46 suspects, one of whom is thought to have planted and triggered the device at a distance. A Syrian woman, Ahlam Albashir, allegedly received orders from a Kurdish cell in Kobane.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu pointed the finger at the PKK and the Syrian-Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey says are a wing of the PKK. The minister claims that the order to attack came from Kobane and the bomber arrived in Turkey through the Afrin crossing, both towns in northern Syria, scene of large-scale Turkish operations against Kurdish militias.” (asianews.it 11/14/22)
Meanwhile, US occupation forces at Green Village Base came under rocket attack:
“Eleven people have been killed in Syria, including one journalist, after Turkish warplanes carried out an ‘air operation’ in the country and neighboring Iraq late Saturday, according to an official from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). There have not been any casualties reported from the Iraqi side. Turkey’s new cross-border offensive, dubbed ‘Operation Claw-Sword’ by its defense ministry, targets the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), PYD People’s Defense Units (YPG), and Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), reported state-run news agency Anadolu.
The campaign follows a deadly explosion in the heart of Istanbul a week ago, which Turkish officials said Kurdish separatists were responsible for, a claim denied by Kurdish groups. That attack killed at least six people and injured at least 81 others.” (cnn.com 11/20/22)
“Turkey said a Kurdish militia killed three people in rocket attacks from northern Syria on Monday, in an escalation of cross-border retaliation following Turkish air operations at the weekend and a bomb attack in Istanbul a week ago.
Broadcaster CNN Turk said the rockets were fired from the Kobani area of Syria, controlled by the YPG militia. In response to the attack, Turkey's armed forces were retaliating, the defence ministry said in a statement. Turkish warplanes had already carried out air strikes on Kurdish militant bases in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, destroying 89 targets, authorities in Ankara said.” (reuters.com 11/21/22)
“The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to say that Ankara is planning to deploy ground forces to attack Kurdish forces based across the border in Syria. ‘We have been bearing down on terrorists for a few days with our planes, cannons and guns,’ Erdogan said in a speech on Tuesday. ‘God willing, we will root out all of them as soon as possible, together with our tanks, our soldiers.’ Erdogan has made similar threats in the past six months, but cross-border air raids on Sunday have heightened the possibility that a bigger military operation may occur. Russia has warned against any potential operation.” (aljazeera.com 11/22/22)
“Türkiye’s air operations in northern Iraq and Syria are ‘just the beginning’ and the country may soon launch a ground offensive into Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. In an address to ruling party lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said Türkiye is determined to ‘close down all of our southern borders… with a security corridor that will prevent the possibility of attacks on our country.’ He said the ground incursion will begin ‘at the most convenient time for us,’ and will target the regions of Tel Rifaat, Mambij and Kobani, which he called ‘sources of trouble.’” (rt.com 11/23/22)
“The US military has said recent Turkish airstrikes in Syria ‘threatened the safety’ of American soldiers still in the country, and claimed that further escalations could compromise efforts to defeat the remnants of the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorist group. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Pentagon said it is ‘deeply concerned’ about rising hostilities in Syria, Iraq and Türkiye, noting that Ankara’s strikes on Kurdish militia factions earlier this week risked harming US forces stationed in close proximity.
‘Recent air strikes in Syria directly threatened the safety of US personnel who are working in Syria with local partners to defeat ISIS and maintain custody of more than ten thousand ISIS detainees,’ said Pentagon press secretary Patrick Ryder, adding that ‘This escalation threatens the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS’s years-long progress.’ (rt.com 11/24/22)
“Most unilateral sanctions against Syria date from 2011 with reference to human rights abuses that occurred during popular protests. The United States however banned exports to Syria, prohibited flights and imposed targeted financial restrictions against Syrian entities and individuals already in 2004, referring to the struggle against terrorism. Its sanctions of 2011 blocked property or interests in property of the Syrian Government and of targeted individuals and entities. In 2012, the U.S. blocked property or interests in property of anyone who transferred goods or technologies or provided services to Syria that could be considered as dual use. In 2019, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act authorized secondary sanctions against non-U.S. persons anywhere in the world who provide financial, material or technological support to the Syrian Government or engage in transactions with it, or who supply goods or services to Syria’s military forces or the energy sector. These sanctions include blocking property and transactions as well as travel bans.” (Prof. Alena Douhan UN Human Rights Council 11/25/22)
“U.S. Central Command said in a release on Friday that ‘two rockets targeted coalition forces at the US patrol base in al-Shaddadi, Syria’ at ‘approximately 10:31 p.m. local time. The attack resulted in no injuries or damage to the base or coalition property,’ CENTCOM said, adding that ‘Syrian Democratic Forces visited the rocket origin site and found a third unfired rocket. Attacks of this kind place coalition forces and the civilian populace at risk and undermine the hard-earned stability and security of Syria and the region,’ CENTCOM spokesman Col. Joe Buccino said in the announcement. Al-Shaddadi is a small town located in the al-Hasakah Governorate of Syria.” (justthenews.com 11/26/22)
“The Turkish Army bombed the al-Omar oilfield north of Deir ez-Zor. What this means in practice is that Ankara is now destroying no less than the oil infrastructure of the much-lauded ‘Kurdish autonomy.’ This infrastructure has been cynically exploited by the US when it comes to the oil that reaches the border with Iraq in Iraqi Kurdistan. So in a sense, Ankara is striking against Syrian Kurds and simultaneously against American robbery of Syrian oil.” (Pepe Escobar: asiatimes.com 11/27/22)
“Turkish army units near the Syrian border have wrapped up preparations for a ground operation across the border and are awaiting an order for a start, the TRT television channel said on Monday. The Turkish cabinet is planning to discuss later on Monday an operation in northern Syria against the militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party and its Syrian branch, the People’s Protection Units. Source say Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could decide to start the operation at the cabinet meeting.” (tass.com 11/28/22)
“Turkey has been attacking the Kurdish-controlled zone for more than 10 days with artillery and F-16 fighter jets and drones, killing at least 11 civilians and numerous SDF and Syrian regime troops. On Nov. 22 a Turkish drone struck the perimeter of a joint US/SDF base in Hasakah, where Kobane works cheek to jowl with US special forces, diplomats and aid officials deployed in the region.
Al-Monitor has learned that all US civilian staff, including diplomats, have been evacuated to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as Turkey continues to target SDF assets as well as critical civilian infrastructure, notably oil installations, power plants and grain silos. Medical facilities have also been hit.” (al-monitor.com 11/29/22)
“The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, opened fire on the US' illegal presence in Syria, shedding light on the continuous US looting of Syrian oil and grain and slamming the US occupation’s missile attacks on the country. In a press conference on December 2, 2022, addressing worldwide media outlets, Lijian said, ‘The US’s stationing of troops in Syria is illegal. The US’s smuggling of oil and grain from Syria is illegal. The US’s missile attack against Syria is also illegal.’
Answering a question by the Chinese Shenzhen TV, whereby they asked the spokesperson to comment on the fact that ‘on the morning of December 1, the US forces sent 54 oil-laden tankers from northeastern Syria to its bases in northern Iraq, the latest shipment of stolen Syrian oil to be delivered,’ Lijian said he noted the relevant reports, slamming the US occupation forces for leaving the Syrian people struggling to survive an anticipated harsh winter, as they continue to loot their oil and grain. The Chinese diplomat also highlighted the financial losses of the continuous US looting and smuggling of Syrian oil, saying, ‘According to the official data from the Syrian government, between 2011 and the first half of 2022, the US’s smuggling activities have cost Syria more than $100 billion of losses.’” (English.almayadeen.com 12/2/22)
“On December 6, the United States-led coalition announced that its forces in northeastern Syria had conducted an operational rehearsal exercise with M777 towed 155 mm howitzers. On Twitter, the coalition said that the exercise was held at the Conoco Mission Support Site, which is located within a key gas facility in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. The U.S.-led coalition deployed additional M777 howitzers in northeastern Syria in the last two years to support its allies in the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The M777 has a maximum rate of fire of seven rounds per minute with a range of up to 40 kilometers when firing Excalibur precision-guided rounds. U.S.-led coalition bases in northeastern Syria, including the Conoco Mission Support Site, came under attack on multiple occasions this year.” (south front.org 12/7/22)
“The US occupation army smuggled a new shipment of stolen Syrian oil from Hasakah governorate on 12 December, transferring a convoy of at least 37 tankers to Iraq via the illegal al-Mahmoudiya border crossing, according to local sources in the town of Yarubiyah who spoke with SANA. A week earlier, US forces delivered 66 tankers filled with Syrian oil plundered from the resource-rich Jazira region to their bases in Iraq, marking the continuation of Washington’s oil trafficking operation in northeast Syria following an interruption caused by Turkiye’s attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Last week, Arabic media revealed that recent Turkish airstrikes focused on damaging the US proxy militia’s stream of revenue by attacking its largest local source of income: the US-occupied oil fields.” (thecradle.com 12/13/22)
“The US military base in the Al-Mayadin area in the east of the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor was subjected to rocket fire on Wednesday.” (Sabereen News 12/14/22)
“Israeli warplanes bombed targets in the vicinity of the Syrian capital, Damascus, last night, killing two soldiers, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) has reported. At least four missiles were fired from the Israeli aircraft, targeting the area around Damascus International Airport. According to Sana, one of the targets of the attack was an air defence battery that was deployed recently near the airport.
The attack follows Israeli air strikes on the Shayrat Airbase in Homs province last month that killed two soldiers and injured three others. A warehouse for Iranian militias and Hezbollah was also destroyed, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.” (middleeastmonitor.com 12/20/22)
“Ankara has been holding talks with Moscow on using Syria’s airspace in a possible cross-border military operation against the Kurdish YPG militia, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday, as quoted by media. ‘We are in talks with Russia about all issues including opening the airspace,’ Akar told journalists. He admitted though that the Turkish authorities haven’t yet received a ‘clear and definitive answer’ on the matter, the Hürriyet daily reported.
He was commenting on whether Ankara was still considering an incursion in the area held by the YPG in northern Syria, and if Moscow would open the airspace for an operation against the Kurdish group, which Türkiye considers to be a terrorist organization.” (rt.com 12/25/22)
“The defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria met in Moscow on Wednesday, the first such talks since the civil war broke out in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Russia and Turkey are involved in Syria, with Moscow supporting the Damascus regime against its opponents and Ankara backing the rebels. The meeting came following repeated threats by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to launch a military offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish groups.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish and Syrian counterparts, Hulusi Akar and Ali Mahmoud Abbas, discussed ‘ways to resolve the Syrian crisis, the problem of refugees, and joint efforts to combat extremist groups in Syria,’ the Russian Defense Ministry said.” (themoscowtimes.com 12/29/22)
“Ankara announced its intention to transfer control over the areas where Turkish forces are present in Syria to Damascus if political stability is achieved and indicated the possibility of joint work in the future with the Syrian authorities to combat terrorism.
In a speech during the end-of-year assessment meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it is possible to establish joint work in the future if common ground is formed between Syria and Turkey in terms of combating terrorism. Cavusoglu claimed that Turkey respects the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian territories, adding that the purpose of the presence of the Turkish forces in Syria is to combat terrorism since the Syrian authorities cannot secure stability. The Turkish Minister indicated that the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pose a threat to his country, adding that their threat to Syria is even greater, as the militia has a separatist agenda.” (english.almayadeen.com 12/30/22)
“Washington’s military base in the occupied Al-Omar oilfield in Syria’s eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor, came under intense rocket fire late on 30 December in what has been described as the largest attack ‘of its kind,’ with media suggesting the likelihood of US military casualties. ‘The American base in the Al-Omar oil field in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor was subjected to violent missile strikes of unknown origin this evening,’ a Russian media correspondent reported.
The correspondent also quoted local sources as saying that the sounds of massive explosions were heard in the vicinity of the base before US military aircraft were seen heavily patrolling the skies. The sources confirmed that the missile barrage targeted the Green Zone area of the facility, where the troops are normally housed. ‘There were [most likely] casualties among the American forces,’ the sources added, citing the fact that the missiles accurately hit their targets.” (thecradle.com 12/31/22)
“Israel’s military fired missiles toward the international airport of Syria's capital early Monday, putting it out of service and killing two soldiers and wounding two others, the Syrian army said. The attack, the second in seven months to put the Damascus International Airport out of service, caused material damage in a nearby area, the army said, without giving further details. Israel has targeted airports and ports in government-held parts of Syria in an apparent attempt to prevent arms shipments from Iran to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Lebanon's Hezbollah.” (yahoonews.com 1/1/23)
“News sources reported that ‘A heavy rocket attack on the US military base in the Koniko natural gas field, in the northeastern Syrian governorate of Deir ez-Zor.’ Local sources told Sputnik that at least 10 rockets were fired at this American base. Immediately after the attack, the sirens were sounded inside this base. At the same time, American helicopters and fighter planes flew over the base. These sources announced that these rocket attacks were carried out by an unknown group. These sources suggested that a number of American forces and armed people affiliated with them were injured in this attack. A larger part of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Al-Hasakah governorates is currently controlled by the US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF].” (english.alahednews.com.ib 1/4/23)
“The US Department of State spokesman, Ned Price, expressed his dissatisfaction with Turkiye’s rapprochement with the Syrian government in a press conference on 3 January. Price added that the US calls on its allies and international partners to refrain from normalizing ties with Damascus, and stressed the need to avoid upgrading relations. ‘We do not support countries upgrading their relations or expressing support to rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad. We urge states to carefully consider the Assad regime’s atrocious human rights record,’ Price said in regard to Ankara’s efforts.” (the cradle.co 1/4/23)
“United States Central Command confirmed Wednesday that a pair of rockets targeted US coalition forces at a military base sitting on top of the country’s biggest gas field. ‘Two rockets targeted coalition forces at Mission Support Site Conoco, northeast Syria, today at approximately 9am local time in Syria,’ CENTCOM said in a press release. ‘The attack resulted in no injuries or damage to the base or coalition property. Syrian Democratic Forces visited the rocket origin site and found a third unfired rocket.’” (sputniknews.com 1/5/23)
“Iran has pursued the establishment of a comprehensive aerial defense network in Syria by sending equipment and personnel to the war-ravaged Arab nation in a project Israel has sought to thwart through repeated airstrikes, an intelligence source from a nation allied with the United States told Newsweek.
The source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence shared with Newsweek, recalled how Israeli airstrikes in Syria began in late 2017 as Iranian forces began to entrench themselves in the allied country. Such strikes have targeted ‘Iranian military assets and interests in the Syrian territory that threaten Israel,’ according to the source. (Newsweek.com 1/10/23)
Jan. 20, 2023
Release Number 20230120-0
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. – This morning, three one-way attack drones attacked the At Tanf Garrison in Syria. Two of the drones were shot down by Coalition Forces while one struck the compound, injuring two members of the Syrian Free Army partner force who received medical treatment. No US forces were injured.
“Attacks of this kind are unacceptable – they place our troops and our partners at risk and jeopardize the fight against ISIS,” said Joe Buccino CENTCOM spokesperson.”
“US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday that Washington is ‘a partner to the people of Syria’ but claimed it would be ‘ironic, if not even counterproductive, for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now.’
Instead, Price insisted that the US has ‘humanitarian partners on the ground who can provide the type of assistance in the aftermath of these tragic earthquakes.’ He also argued that Washington has provided ‘more humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria than any other country going forward.’” (rt.com 2/7/23)
“American sanctions targeting Syria have disrupted relief efforts following catastrophic earthquakes that killed more than 15,000 people in the region earlier this week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said. Beijing urged the US to lift the penalties against Syria and ‘unlock the doors for humanitarian aid.’
‘The devastating earthquakes – on top of years of war and turmoil – have left Syria in a terrible humanitarian crisis,’ she said, adding that ‘frequent [US] military strikes and harsh economic sanctions have caused huge civilian casualties and taken away the means to subsistence of the Syrians.’” (rt.com 2/9/23)
“Leading Syrian voices in the West have condemned US-led sanctions on their country for adding to the suffering in the wake of Monday's devastating earthquake. The death toll had reached more than 18,000 in Turkiye and over 1,300 in Syria by Friday, with tens of thousands injured and victims still trapped under collapsed buildings.
The US Treasury Department announced on Thursday that it was allowing limited sanctions relief for six months only, to allow Syria to import urgently-needed supplies and receive aid. Syrian commentators pointed out that years of Western embargoes imposed on Damascus — for daring to fight back against US-armed sectarian terrorist groups attempting to overthrow its elected secular government — had crippled the country's emergency response infrastructure.” (sputnik news.com 2/10/23)
“Following the devastating earthquakes that rocked Türkiye, Syria and their neighboring countries on February 6, leaving more than 20,000 dead, Damascus is struggling to deal with this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe as it remains under brutal Western sanctions that have brought the country to its knees.
Now, in a time of crisis, the Syrian people cannot even receive donations or emergency support from abroad. One supporter set up a GoFundMe campaign, only to have it taken down due to the sanctions. Type the word ‘Ukraine’ into the search field on PayPal or GoFundMe and you’ll see countless appeals for sending money to Ukraine. But for Syrians, Western platforms like these are off-limits, and have been for years.” (rt.com 2/11/23)
“The US has turned to Islamist extremists to plan terrorist attacks in Russia and other ex-Soviet republics, Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said on Monday. A group is being trained at a base in Syria for the purpose, the agency claimed. ‘The US military is actively recruiting militants from jihadist groups affiliated with Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS] and Al-Qaeda to commit terrorist attacks in Russia and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States [CIS],’ the SVR stated, citing ‘credible reports.’” (rt.com 2/13/23)
“The delivery of much-needed aid for earthquake victims in parts of Syria has been hampered by ‘issues with approval’ by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Al Qaeda) that controls the northern zone, according to a United Nations spokesperson. The terrorist group lodged in northwestern Syria and formerly known as al-Nusra Front has been refusing to allow entry to shipments from areas of Syria controlled by the legitimate government of President Bashar al-Assad. While the Syrian government in Damascus announced last week that it was prepared to channel aid into the area, particularly hard-hit by the natural disaster, a source from the terrorist group, cited by media, insisted that aid to the north would be coming in from Turkiye.” (sputnik news.com 2/14/23)
“On February 14th, at approximately 2:30 PM local time, US forces in Syria engaged and shot down an Iranian-manufactured UAV attempting to conduct reconnaissance of Mission Support Site Conoco, a patrol base in northeast Syria.” (@Centcom 2/14/23)
"Last night, during a partnered U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted in four U.S. servicemembers and one working dog wounded. The targeted ISIS senior leader, Hamza al-Homsi, was killed. The U.S. service members and working dog are receiving treatment in a U.S. medical facility in Iraq."
Separately CENTCOM announced in a tweet that a prior Feb.10 raid had killed “Ibrahim Al Qahtani, an ISIS official associated with planning ISIS detention center attacks.” That raid had further "resulted in the seizure of multiple weapons, ammo, and a suicide belt," according to the tweet. (CENTCOM 2/17/23)
“Israeli airstrikes targeted a residential neighborhood in central Damascus early Sunday, Syrian state news reported. Loud explosions were heard over the capital around 12:30 a.m. local time, and SANA reported that Syrian air defenses were ‘confronting hostile targets in the sky around Damascus.’ Syrian state media agency SANA, citing a military source, reported that five people had been killed, among them a soldier, and 15 civilians wounded, along with ‘destruction of a number of residential buildings.’
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that 15 people, including a woman, were killed in strikes targeting sites connected with Iranian militias and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in the Damascus countryside and on an Iranian school in the neighborhood of Kafr Sousa in the capital.” (abcnews.com 2/18/23)
“Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on 2 March that the US is offering financial rewards to anybody who is able to provide the locations of Iranian-made missiles and drones in the Homs desert in central Syria, which is geographically linked to the ’55-kilometer-area’ where Washington’s Al-Tanf occupation base is located.
‘[We] are looking for drones and missiles of all kinds, as such equipment falls into the hands of those who want to harm you,’ US military leaflets are cited as saying by Al-Akhbar. In recent months, US occupation bases in Syria have come under increased attacks, attacks which are attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).” (thecradle.com 3/2/23)
“US troops occupying the petroleum-rich region of northeastern Syria have gotten a surprise visit from America’s top-ranking general and a vote of confidence that their illegal deployment is absolutely necessary to keep Americans safe. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley made an unannounced stop at a US base in Syria on Saturday, reportedly to review defenses against attacks by militants and evaluate efforts to prevent a re-emergence by the Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist group. After the visit, he told reporters traveling with him that US troops and their local allies are making progress in ensuring that IS won’t rise up again.” (rt.com 3/4/23)
“A War Powers Resolution that would have ended the US army’s illegal occupation of Syria was struck down late on 8 March by the House of Representatives in a 103-321 vote. The bill, introduced late last month by Republican Matt Gaetz, garnered the support of 47 Republicans and 56 Democrats – including several members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).
‘There is no role for the United States of America in Syria. We are not a Middle Eastern power. We have tried to build a democracy out of sand, blood, and Arab militias. Time and again, the work we do does not reduce chaos. Oftentimes, it causes chaos – the very chaos that then subsequently leads to terrorism. While today’s vote may have failed, my fight to end forever wars and bring our troops home has only just begun,’ Gaetz said in a statement following the vote.” (the cradle.com3/9/23)
"‘We call on the United States to sincerely respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of other countries, and to immediately stop its illegal military presence and marauding in Syria,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news briefing on Friday. China also urged the US to lift the illegal sanctions slapped on Syria and to stop all actions that exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country.
‘The United States has illegally intervened in military activities related to the Syrian crisis, which has led to the death of a large number of innocent civilians and a serious humanitarian disaster,’ Mao said, adding that his government calls on the US authorities to lift ‘illegal unilateral sanctions’ against Syria and to stop actions that aggravate the humanitarian situation in the country. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, since 2014 the Syrian crisis in the country has resulted in at least 350,000 people losing their lives in the violence, and 14 million being in dire need of humanitarian aid.” (presstv.ir 3/10/23)
“Israel fired several missiles against neighboring Syria on Sunday morning, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) has claimed. Three Syrian service members reportedly sustained injuries as a result of the strike, with unspecified material damage inflicted as well. The article quoted an anonymous source as describing Israeli ‘bursts of missiles from the direction of northern Lebanon, targeting some sites in the countryside of the Tartous and Hama provinces.’
According to SANA, at least some of the incoming rockets were intercepted by Syrian air defenses Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that ‘two pro-Iran fighters were killed and three Syrian soldiers were wounded’ on Sunday morning. The watchdog also alleged a ‘scientific research center’ was located in one of the targeted areas, as quoted by the news agency AFP.” (rt.com 3/12/23)
“On March 13, at 8:23 pm local time in Syria, two rockets landed near Coalition Forces at Mission Support Site Green Village in northeast Syria. No US or Coalition troops were killed or wounded, and there was no damage to Coalition infrastructure or equipment,” CENTCOM said.
“US forces found rocket debris at the Point of Impact. US forces in northeast Syria are investigating this incident. There are no claims of responsibility at this time,” the statement added. Colonel Joe Buccino, CENTCOM spokesman, claimed attacks against the occupation army “undermine the hard-earned stability and security of Syria and the region.”
"‘I believe that World War III is underway, but it differs in its form,’ the Syrian president said. ‘What I mean is that world wars used to be conventional in the past. Armies of several states were fighting against each other. This is also true when it comes to the current situation, but because of modern weaponry, especially nuclear, it is different from conventional war. That is why wars are now moving toward proxy wars,’ he added.
Assad noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now waging a war on behalf of the West, using ‘its army of Nazis. The same goes for terrorists, they are the armies operating on behalf of the West in Syria and other regions,’ the president continued.” (sputniknews.com 3/16/23)
“Assad said he would welcome any Russian proposals to set up new military bases and boost troop numbers in the country, adding that Moscow’s presence in Syria is ‘a good thing’ and does not need to be temporary or limited to just fighting terrorism. ‘The war against terror is today’s topic, but it is temporary,’ Assad said, adding that ‘Russia’s military presence in any country should not be based on anything temporary.’ Instead, the Syrian leader pointed out that the issue is about ‘international balance’ and that Russia’s presence in Syria ‘is important in terms of the balance of power in the world as a country located on the Mediterranean Sea.’” (rt.com 3/16/23)
“In the early hours of 22 March, the Israeli air force launched renewed missile strikes on the vicinity of Aleppo International Airport in northeast Syria, marking the second attack on the civilian airstrip since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake devastated the region.
“At about 03:55 a.m. on Wednesday, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial act of aggression with a number of missiles from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Lattakia, targeting the vicinity of Aleppo International Airport,” a military source said in a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Aleppo airport has been one of the main channels for the flow of humanitarian aid into Syria after the earthquake killed over 6,000 and left hundreds of thousands homeless.” (thecradle.co 3/22/23)
“Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen their embassies after cutting diplomatic ties more than a decade ago, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, a step that would mark a leap forward in Damascus's return to the Arab fold.
Contacts between Riyadh and Damascus had gathered momentum following a landmark agreement to re-establish ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad, a regional source aligned with Damascus said.” (reuters.com 3/23/23)
“In early February, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service revealed that US military forces were recruiting jihadist fighters to conduct attacks against Russia and countries that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States. The service stated that the US had already recruited 60 militants who had been trained at the US' al-Tanf military base.
“Earlier today, a U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and one additional U.S. contractor were wounded after a one-way unmanned aerial vehicle struck a maintenance facility on a Coalition base near Hasakah in northeast Syria at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time. The intelligence community assess the UAV to be of Iranian origin.” (defense.gov 3/24/23)
The US Department of Defense announced late Thursday that it ordered airstrikes against targets in eastern Syria after a suspected Iranian drone struck a coalition base housing American forces. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted in a release issued by the Pentagon that the strikes were issued against ‘facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).’” (sputniknews.com 3/24/23)
“And in response to the US drone strikes, Iran-backed fighters fired seven missiles at the US military base at the Al-Omar oil field in Syria's northeast at 11am on Friday morning.” (dailymail.co.uk 3/24/23)
“The China-brokered Saudi-Iranian normalisation hit Washington where it hurts. But if Putin now brokers peace between two other rival West Asian states, Biden will be exposed as hopelessly incompetent. And, if Turkiye ends its military presence in Syria, the limelight will fall on the US’ illegal occupation of one-third of Syrian territory and the massive smuggling of oil and other resources from Syria in American military convoys.
Furthermore, the Syrian government forces are sure to return to the territories vacated by Turkish forces in the northern border regions, which would have consequences for the Kurdish groups operating in the border region who are aligned with the Pentagon. In sum, continued US occupation of Syria may become untenable. To be sure, Russia, Turkiye, Iran and Syria are on the same page in seeking the vacation of US occupation of Syria.” (indianpunchline.com 3/26/23)
“ISIS literally has an army in prisons — 10,000 in Syria and 20,000 next door in Iraq. At least 5,000 of ISIS’s most dangerous and committed fighters currently reside in Ghweiran prison in Hasakah, northeastern Syria. The facility, a former school, is administered by our SDF partners and its defenses paid for by the U.S. and coalition allies.” (politico.com 3/27/23)
“Two army personnel were injured and material damage was caused by an Israeli act of aggression that targeted with missiles some sites in the vicinity of Damascus City. ‘At about 01:20 a.m. on Thursday, the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial act of aggression with a number of missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some sites in the vicinity of Damascus City, and our air defenses intercepted the missiles and shot down some of them,’ a military source said in a statement to SANA. The source added ‘Two army personnel were injured in the aggression which also caused some material damages.’” (san.sy 3/30/23)
"‘Israel carried out an aggressive attack on military positions in the central part of the province,’ the source noted. ‘Syrian air defense crews opened fire on enemy airborne targets and hit several missiles.’ Israeli Air Forces carried out strikes on Damascus outskirts on Thursday and Friday, injuring two servicemen. According to the Al Hadath TV channel Israel attacked military positions and facilities on Syrian territory 32 times in 2022, hitting over 90 ground targets, killing 89 Syrian servicemen and injuring over 120 servicemen.” (tass.com 4/1/23)
“An official delegation from Syria led by Assistant Foreign Minister Dr. Ayman Sousan arrived at the Russian capital Moscow on 2 April, ahead of a four-way meeting with the assistant foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkiye. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Sousan said that the delegation would hold consultations with the Russian and Iranian sides on Monday. The four-way meeting along Turkiye is expected to take place on 4 April.
The Syrian official said his participation in the summit will focus specifically on ‘ending the Turkish military presence on Syrian territory, combating terrorism, and non-interference in Syrian internal affairs,’ according to SANA.” (thecradle.co 4/3/23)
“The US launched a number of airstrikes on Syria’s eastern city of Deir Ezzor on 11 April, targeting the areas of Hatla and Khasham, reports said. The airstrikes came in response to a rocket attack the day before on the US occupation base in Deir Ezzor’s Conoco gas field.
‘An ineffective rocket attack targeted coalition forces, at Mission Support Site Conoco, northeast Syria, today at 10:51 AM Eastern Standard Time (approximately 5:51 PM local time in Syria). One rocket struck the vicinity of the coalition outpost, and an additional rocket was found at the attack’s point of origin,’ US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. ‘The attack resulted in no injuries or damage to the base or coalition property,’ CENTCOM added.
However, sources told Al-Mayadeen news that the attack was ‘carried out with several rockets’ and that ‘no information is available on the size of the losses inside’ the base. Around the same time as the attack, US forces shot down a drone believed to be Iranian, which fell in Al-Tabiyah village in Deir Ezzor’s eastern countryside, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.” (thecradle.co 4/11/23)
“The spokesperson for the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Colonel Joe Buccino disclosed on 13 April that 11 more US troops based in Syria have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after a series of retaliatory strikes against illegal US bases in March. According to CNN, Buccino affirmed that the US military’s medical teams are continuing to evaluate and assess their troops for indications of permanent and traumatic brain injuries.
The US personnel wounded in these attacks in Syria amount to 25 troops, including a US military contractor, who was killed at a facility in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province on 23 March. Washington claims the perpetrators of the attack were affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).” (thecradle.co 4/14/23)
The commander of the US-backed Kurdish militia, Mazloum Abdi of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said in an interview with Saudi newspaper Asharq on 13 April that his group is open to merging with the Syrian army at some point in the future. The SDF ‘does not oppose the return of Damascus’ relations with other countries and supports the political solution in Syria,’ Abdi said.
The Kurdish militia is ‘a force to be reckoned with,’ he explained, adding that the group’s fighters exceed 100,000 in number and must be included within ‘a system of defense for Syria.’ In 2019, the Syrian Defense Ministry made a call for fighters in the SDF to join the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in order for them to jointly coordinate defense against the Turkish military occupation.
However, Abdi and his group rejected the call at the time, and said that any efforts to merge with the army must depend on a solution that recognizes the ‘special status’ of the SDF. Back then, Abdi said that the Syrian military establishment must be restructured to serve as ‘an umbrella for unifying efforts.’” (thecradle.co 4/14/23)
“According to unconfirmed reports cited by Iranian news outlet Mehr News Agency, several massive and loud explosions took place on 16 April inside the US occupation base in Deir Ezzor’s Conoco gas field, eastern Syria. ‘Massive explosions hit … the Conoco gas field in Deir Ezzor,’ Mehr reported on 17 April.
The Iranian outlet cited other reports as saying that ‘the forces of the international coalition led by the US targeted a drone during the series of explosions over Deir Ezzor.’ The US base in the Conoco gas field has become a regular target for resistance operations and has been struck numerous times over the past two years. Just last week, a rocket attack targeted the Conoco base, resulting in retaliatory US airstrikes on Deir Ezzor.” (thecradle.com 4/17/23)
“The Kiev regime secretly plotted to use Kurdish fighters as a proxy force to carry out attacks on Russian troops in Syria, according to a leaked US intelligence document allegedly obtained by the Washington Post. The document reportedly states that behind closed doors, officers of the Ukrainian defense ministry’s military intelligence service developed plans to train operatives of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to target Russian service members in Syria and conduct ‘unspecified direct action activities along with UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] attacks.’
‘As planning occurred last fall, the SDF sought training, air defense systems and a guarantee that its role would be kept secret in exchange for supporting Ukrainian operations,’ the outlet wrote, noting that ‘the leadership of the SDF also forbade strikes on Russian positions in Kurdish areas.’” (sputnikglobe.com 4/21/23)
“Syria urges the international community to put an end to the systemic plundering of its natural wealth by the United States and their paramilitary proxies, the Foreign Ministry of the country said in its statement.
‘Syria condemns actions of the US occupying forces and demands compensation for the inflicted economic loss as a result of illegal oil exports from fields in the northeast of the country,’ the ministry said, cited by the SANA news agency. ‘Plundering of natural wealth belonging to the Syrian nation contradicts the international humanitarian law and leads to impoverishment and suffering of citizens,’ the ministry noted.
‘The US should stop supporting terrorist and separatist teams and withdraw troops from the Syrian territory,’ the foreign ministry said. Several large batches of Syrian oil were transferred to Iraq and Turkey from the start of April, it added. According to the ministry, Syria’s losses in the oil and gas sector stood at $107.1 bln as of the end of 2022.” (tass.com 4/23/23)
“U.S. Says Russia’s Military Actions in Syria Raise Risk of Escalation: Russian jet fighters and drones are harassing U.S. forces in Syria with increasing frequency, according to American officials, creating new risks of a deadly miscalculation between the two military superpowers.” (wsj.com 4/25/23)
“Ebrahim Raisi will become the first Iranian president to visit Syria in over a decade when he travels to Damascus this week for talks that Tehran’s ambassador to Damascus has touted as a ‘turning point’ in regional relations.
The two-day trip to Damascus will foster closer ties between embattled nations that oppose Western world dominance, Ambassador Hossein Akbari said on Sunday in an interview with Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, apparently alluding to America’s hegemonic foreign policy. ‘This trip will not only be beneficial for Tehran and Damascus, but it is a very good event that other countries in the region can also take advantage of.’” (rt.com 5/1/23)
“The government in Damascus should re-establish the rule of law on all of Syria’s territory, ending the presence of foreign armed groups and terrorists, the foreign ministers of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq said on Monday after meeting in Amman.
In a joint statement distributed by state news agencies, the five ministers called for ‘ending the presence of terrorist organizations’ as well as ‘armed groups’ on the territory of Syria, and ‘neutralizing their ability to threaten regional and international security.’ They also pledged to ‘support Syria and its institutions to establish control over all of its territory and impose the rule of law.’” (rt.com 5/1/23)
“Foreign ministers from Arab League member states have agreed to reinstate Syria’s membership after its suspension more than 10 years ago, according to Iraqi state media. The ministers voted for Syria’s return into the fold at the Arab League’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday.
The decision was made in advance of the Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19 and amid a flurry of regional normalisation of ties with Damascus in recent weeks. Syria’s Arab League membership was revoked after President Bashar al-Assad ordered a crackdown on protesters in March 2011 that spiralled the country into a civil war that has since killed nearly half a million people and displaced another 23 million.
Meanwhile, the United States has said it will not change its policy towards the Syrian government, deeming it a ‘rogue’ state, and urging Arab states to get something in return for engaging with al-Assad.” (aljazeera.com 5/8/23)
“Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic relations nearly 10 years after cutting ties, both countries have announced. The move marks yet another rapprochement between Riyadh and its former foes, after the Gulf kingdom also restored diplomacy with Iran under a deal brokered by China.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision in a statement on Tuesday, saying the renewed diplomacy would strengthen ‘bilateral relations between Arab countries to serve joint Arab action.’” (rt.com 5/10/23)
“The United States has started the creation of the so-called "Free Syria Army" with the participation of terrorist organizations in order to destabilize the situation in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.
‘According to our information, the US has began to create the so-called Free Syrian Army in the vicinity of the Syrian Raqqa with the participation of representatives of local Arab tribes, militants of Daesh* and other terrorist organizations,’ Lavrov said during a meeting with the foreign ministers of Iran, Syria and Turkiye.”
The US wants to use these fighters against the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic to destabilize the situation in the country, the minister added. He said that US should stop undermining peace in the region and respect the will of the people of the Middle East.(sputnikglobe.com 5/10/23)
“President Joe Biden's Syria policy has been dealt its biggest blow yet as the Arab League has welcomed back President Bashar al-Assad despite U.S. opposition to his rule. With Assad expected to attend Friday's annual summit in Saudi Arabia for the first time since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, his diplomats in New York say the return bears with it a message for the U.S. to end its ongoing military presence and sanctions targeting the country.
‘As for the repercussions of these developments on the two issues of the illegal military presence of U.S. forces on parts of the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic and the imposition by the United States of America of unilateral coercive measures on the Syrian people," the Syrian Mission to the United Nations told Newsweek, "Syria's position on these two issues is a principled and firm position based on the provisions of international law and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.’” (newsweek.com 5/18/23)
“Twenty-two U.S. service members were injured in a helicopter ‘mishap’ in northeast Syria on Sunday, the U.S. military said late on Monday, without disclosing the cause of the incident or detailing the severity of the injuries. The U.S. military’s Central Command said 10 service members were evacuated to higher-level care facilities outside the region.
Central Command, which oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East, said no enemy fire was reported but added that the cause of the incident was under investigation. Officials at U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for further information.” (cnbc.com 6/13/23)
“The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria on Tuesday announced the death of a senior local official, her deputy and their driver in a Turkish drone attack in Hasaka province. A suspected Turkish drone on Tuesday targeted a vehicle in Hasaka province, with initial reports talking about the death of four unnamed members of the Kurdish administration.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), also known as Rojava administration, said in a statement that the Turkish drone killed Yousra Darwesh, co-chair of the Qamishli local council, her deputy Lyman Shweish, and their driver Firat Toma, adding that Kabi Shamoon, the other co-chair of the council, was also injured in the attack.” (rudaw.net 6/20/23)
“The world’s leading nuclear superpowers nearly came to blows in Syria after Russian forces threatened to destroy a US base unless American special forces vacated the facility, a UK journalist has claimed in a new book.
The tense standoff occurred in May 2017, at the height of the Syrian Civil War, the UK’s Telegraph newspaper reported on Friday, citing a new book by one of its own staffers. It began when Russia demanded that US special forces leave their base – the Al-Tanf garrison, located near the point where the Syrian, Iraqi, and Jordanian borders meet – ‘or face destruction.’
US troops ‘dispersed into the desert as a precautionary measure,’ according to the report. US Army General Stephen Townsend, then commander of US-backed coalition forces in Syria, responded by sending his Russian counterpart an ultimatum: ‘Are we talking or are we fighting?’” (rt.com 6/24/23)
“The US is preparing Syrian jihadists for possible chemical weapons attacks in order to derail Damascus’ diplomatic reengagement with other Arab nations, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has claimed.
The goal of the purported operation and subsequent media campaign would be to ‘show the Arab world that their choice to restore dialogue with [Syrian President] Bashar Assad was a strategic mistake,’a statement released by the Russian agency on Monday said.” (rt.com 7/3/23)
“For the second time in less than a day, Russian fighter jets harassed U.S. hunter-killer drones operating over Syria, according to the U.S. military. At 9:30 a.m. local time Thursday, Russian planes flew close to U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones and dropped flares in front of them, an Air Force spokesman said. The incident involved two Russian planes, an SU-34 and an SU-35, and lasted almost an hour, the spokesman said. A defense official said the incident occurred in northwest Syria.
‘This is the second instance of dangerous behaviors by Russian pilots within the past 24 hours,’ Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said, ‘with the first happening Wednesday at approximately 10:40 a.m. local time.’” (yahoo.com 7/6/23)
“A new bill from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) prohibiting the normalization of relations with the Bashar al-Assad government also aims to significantly tighten economic sanctions on Syria. In addition to extending the Caesar Act’s sunset from 2024 to 2032, the Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act (HR 3202) expands the list of sanctioned activities and entities, requires the president to respond to congressional sanctions requests, and requires the use of the ‘full range of authorities,’ including sanctions, to ‘deter reconstruction activities in any areas under the control of Bashar al-Assad.’
Nine out of 10 Syrians are currently living in poverty. Food prices have risen 800 percent in two years, leaving 12.1 million people food insecure. The Syrian pound recently hit an all-time low. Amid inflation, depreciation, and shortages of fuel and medicine, the UN Special Envoy for Syria reported late last year that ‘the needs of the Syrian people have reached the worst levels since the conflict began.’” ( FRANCISCO RODRÍGUEZ thehill.com 7/8/23)
“US occupation troops in Syria smuggled a new shipment of stolen oil from the resource-rich Jazira region to their bases in Iraq on 10 July with the help of their Kurdish proxy militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to locals from Al-Yaarubiyah in Hasakah governorate, US and SDF troops smuggled at least 39 tanker trucks filled with stolen oil via the illegal Al-Mahmoudiya border crossing.
Furthermore, the locals told SANA that US forces are continuing to reinforce their occupation bases in the Jazira region, saying that at least 30 trucks and tankers carrying cement and logistical materials recently entered the region through the illegal Al-Waleed border crossing.
Last month, the Pentagon sent reinforcements from Iraq to northeast Syria to solidify their presence in the war-torn country and train anti-government armed groups. The reinforcements included armored vehicles, fuel tankers, and ammunition to US bases and military posts in the towns of Rmelan, TalBeydar, and Ash-Shaddadi in Hasakah.” (new.thecradle.co 7/11/23)
“The US is weighing a military response to Russia’s presence in the skies over Syria, a Pentagon official told the Associated Press on Friday. While the Syrian government wants the US to leave the country, Washington insists it will fly its drones with impunity. The anonymous official refused to state what options were being considered, but claimed that the US intends to ‘address increasing Russian aggression in the skies over Syria,” the news agency paraphrased.” (rt.com 7/15/23)
“A Russian fighter jet flew very close to a U.S. surveillance aircraft over Syria, forcing it to go through the turbulent wake and putting the lives of the four American crew members in danger, U.S. officials said Monday.
The officials said the incident, which happened just before noon EDT on Sunday, was a significant escalation in what has been a string of encounters between U.S. and Russian aircraft in Syria in recent weeks. The intercept by the Russian Su-35 impeded the U.S. crew’s ability to safely operate their MC-12 aircraft, the officials said, calling it a new level of unsafe behavior that could result in an accident or loss of life.
In recent weeks, Russian fighter jets have repeatedly harassed U.S. unmanned MQ-9 drones,but the latest incident raised alarms because it endangered American lives.” (yahoo.com 7/17/23)
“Air defenses around Damascus were activated early on Wednesday local time, in order to repel a missile attack from Israel, the Syrian news agency SANA has reported. An ‘Israeli missile attack’ targeted several sites ‘in the vicinity’ of Damascus, SANA said citing Syrian military sources. The attack began about 25 minutes after midnight, with missiles coming in from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights.
Syrian air defenses ‘intercepted the missiles and shot down most of them,’ the SANA source said, but the ones that got through “resulted in the injury of two soldiers and some property damage.’” (rt.com 7/19/23)
“A Russian fighter jet fired flares directly at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over Syria on Sunday, damaging its propeller, U.S. Air Forces Central announced Tuesday -- the latest in a string of what military officials have denounced as risky and provocative behavior. The drone was on a counter-terrorism mission against the Islamic State group, according to the Air Force.
"On 23 July, 2023 at 12:23 a.m. (EST) Russian fighter aircraft flew dangerously close to a U.S. MQ-9 drone on a defeat-ISIS mission, harassing the MQ-9 and deploying flares from a position directly overhead, with only a few meters of separation between aircraft," Air Forces Central Commander Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich said. One of the flares hit the drone, ‘severely damaging its propeller,’ according to Grynkewich.” (yahoo.com 7/25/23)
“A US MQ-9 Reaper surveillance and attack drone locked its weapons on two Russian warplanes on 26 July over Syria's northwestern Aleppo governorate, reportedly forcing the jets to drop flares that ‘damaged’ the drone's wings. This marked the second incident in three days where Russian jets dropped flares on a US drone after their radars showed the Reaper locked weapons on them, according to Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, deputy head of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria.
Addressing Sunday’s showdown, Gurinov said the Reaper was flying in a ‘reckless manner,’ and collision was avoided thanks to ‘the high level of professionalism’ of Russian pilots.” (new.thecradle.co 7/27/23)
“While the world’s attention has been focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, new Russian attacks against U.S. drones have made Syria a fraught arena for military competition between Moscow and Washington.
The U.S. still has about 900 troops in Syria that are assisting a local partner, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in combating the remnants of Islamic State. But those U.S. troops are operating in the east, far from the northwest enclave where suspected Islamic State and al Qaeda leaders have been operating.” (wsj.com 7/27/23)
“Russia is ‘always ready for any scenario,’ President Vladimir Putin told journalists on Saturday, commenting on a potential direct confrontation between the Russian and NATO militaries. The president was responding to a question about recent near-collisions involving Russian and American aircraft in Syria.
‘No one wants that,’ the president added, pointing to the existing conflict-prevention lines that allow Russian and US officers to talk directly about ‘any crisis situation.’ That fact that these lines still work shows that no side is interested in a conflict, he added. ‘If someone wants it – and that’s not us – then we’re ready,’ Putin added.” (rt.com 7/29/23)
“In the skies over Syria, the US-led coalition has allowed 23 dangerous close encounters to happen between US and Russian aircraft this year, according to the leadership of Russia’s mission in Syria. In 11 of those incidents, coalition aircraft illuminated Russian aircraft with their radars.
While Russian aircraft have permission to operate within the borders of the Arab state by the Syrian government as part of the coalition against Daesh* and other Islamist forces seeking to control Damascus, American forces have no such permission and operate inside of Syria’s border’s illegally.” (sputnik globe.com 7/31/23)
“According to Damascus, Syria’s energy sector as a whole was robbed by an astonishing $107 billion between 2011 and 2022 by a toxic mix of US occupation, ‘coalition’ bombing, and theft or looting by terrorist and separatist gangs.
There are no less than a dozen US military bases in Syria – some bigger than the proverbial lily pads (less than 10 acres, valued at less than $10 million), all of them de facto illegal and certainly not recognized by Damascus. The fact that 90 percent of Syria’s oil and gas is concentrated east of the Euphrates in areas controlled by the US and its Kurdish proxies makes Empire’s job much easier.” (Pepe Escobar new.thecradle.co 7/31/23)
“All promises of humanitarian aid and investment in Syria by Gulf countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been frozen as a result of US warnings and threats, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on 2 August.
‘All the Emirati and Saudi promises to help Syria and activate investment in it on several levels remained words on tongues and ink on paper, and none of them were translated into reality,’ Arab diplomatic sources told Al-Akhbar.
According to the sources, the UAE ‘underestimated the ability of US sanctions to prevent’ these investments and aid transfers from materializing.
‘It became clear that US sanctions and warnings … by the Americans to Emirati and Saudi officials … have already managed to thwart any new investment attempts in Syria … There are Emirati investment projects that already exist in Syria, but work in them has been frozen, under the pretext of the unstable security conditions,’ the newspaper cites the sources as saying.” (new.thecradle.co 8/2/23)
“Syrian air defenses have been activated to intercept a volley of ‘hostile’ projectiles in the vicinity of the country's capital Damascus, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported early Monday morning. ‘The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, targeting some points in the vicinity of the city of Damascus,’ a military source told SANA.
Syrian air defenses allegedly brought down most of the projectiles, but the attack still ‘led to the death of four soldiers and the wounding of four others,’ in addition to ‘limited material losses.’” (rt.com 8/7/23)
“SANA-Syria affirmed that the crime of the American occupation forces and its terrorist organizations by targeting a bus of the Syrian Arab Army in the countryside of Deir Ezzor comes within the framework of the American escalation against Syria’s sovereignty and independence and in the context of the United States’ support and sponsorship of terrorist organizations.
‘Yesterday, the American occupation forces committed a new crime, as they and their terrorist organizations targeted a bus carrying a number of members of the Syrian Arab Army southeast of Deir Ezzor, which resulted in the death of a number of soldiers and the wounding of others,’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Saturday.” (sana.sy 8/12/23)
“The US occupation base at Syria's Conoco natural gas field came under attack on the morning of 12 August, as unidentified attackers launched at least three rockets that caused a series of explosions inside the base. Local sources told Sputnik that US occupation troops, alongside their local proxies, mobilized around the base following the attack while US aircraft conducted reconnaissance flights.
Conoco field is Syria's largest natural gas field and is one of several fields occupied by Washington's forces, who regularly conduct oil smuggling operations to the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Here, Syrian oil and gas are sold to fund the activities of US proxies.” (new.thecradle.co 8/12/23)
“Forces of the United States are responsible for the military escalation in eastern Syria, where terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) intensified their activities recently, the Syrian Arab Republic’s foreign ministry said.
‘US forces are sponsoring terrorists, who are responsible for the August 10 ambush on Syrian servicemen in the Deir ez-Zor governorate,’ the ministry said in a statement, published by the SANA news agency late on Saturday. ‘This criminal act was committed by those whom the United States uses as a tool for implementing its schemes in Syria and the entire region.’
The Syrian foreign ministry underscored that the illegal US military presence on the territory of the country is accompanied by the plundering of its oil reserves and growing economic pressure on the people of Syria. ‘The Americans blatantly violate Syria’s sovereignty and destabilize the situation in order to continue their occupation,’ the ministry said.” (tass.com 8/13/23)
“General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Jordanian TV on 24 August that US forces illegally occupying oil fields in Syria's northeast will remain there for the foreseeable future to ‘fight ISIS.’ ‘The ideology is not yet dead, and there are some ISIS terrorists that are still roaming the deserts of Syria and somewhat into Iraq, so that presents a threat,’ Milley told Jordan's Al-Mamlaka TV.
‘There are still fighters in small groups in and around Syria and around Iraq ... and if we were to somehow suddenly withdraw, those forces could reconstruct themselves. So the situation is much, much better than it was. But it still requires a level of commitment. So we've got some modest amount of forces in Syria, and we've got forces in Iraq,’ he added. ‘I can't imagine that the United States would ever walk away from [West Asia]. I think we'll remain committed for many, many years and decades to come,’ he stressed.” (new.thecradle.co 8/25/23)
“The continued ‘illegal’ US presence in northeast Syria is a roadblock to normalization efforts, Lavrov said. ‘It is the United States that to a decisive extent feeds the separatism of radical Kurdish organizations, which are designated by the Turks as a threat to their security, therefore these processes are connected,’ he said. (sputnikglobe.com (9/1/23)
“For the sixth day in a row, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are seeking to suppress a rebellion from Arab tribal fighters within its ranks in the Deir Ezzor countryside in northeast Syria, Syrian state media SANA reported on 1 September. Clashes began after SDF leader Mazloum Abdi invited Deir Ezzor Military Council leader Ahmed Al-Khabil, known as Abu Khawla, to a meeting and detained him on 27 August. In response to Abu Khawla’s arrest, the Deir Ezzor Military Council broke away from the SDF and issued a call to ‘liberate Deir Ezzor from Kurdish occupation.’” (new.thecradle.co 9/2/23)
“US forces in Syria reportedly smuggled a combined 95 tankers’ worth of crude oil out of the country using two different convoys over the weekend. Sources in the al-Yaroubia countryside in al-Hasakah province told local media Sunday that 40 tankers of crude oil were shipped to Iraq from the al-Jazeera oil fields using the illegal Mahmoudiya border crossing. The sources also said that a separate convoy of 55 oil tankers, also from the al-Jazeera fields, was smuggled through the same crossing within the same 24-hour window.” (sputnikglobe.com 9/10/23)
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov [at the UN General Assembly] scorned U.S. double standards over the Golan Heights and the Donbass region in Ukraine. Asked at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York to comment on U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield's seemingly self-contradictory remarks on the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all UN member states and on U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, Lavrov first read a Russian statement on the Donbass:
‘The Donbass is very important to Russia's security. As long as Zelensky is in power in Ukraine, as long as NATO is present in Ukraine, militia groups backed by NATO, the Zelensky regime itself -- all of these pose a significant security threat to Russia, and as a practical matter, the control of the Donbass in that situation, I think, remains of real importance to Russia's security. Legal questions are something else. And over time, if the situation were to change in Ukraine, that's something we'd look at. But we are nowhere near as that.’
He then read the text of an interview of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Wolf Blitzer of CNN on Feb. 8, 2021: ‘As a practical matter, the Golan is very important to Israel's security. As long as Assad is in power in Syria, as long as Iran is present in Syria, militia groups backed by Iran, the Assad regime itself -- all of these pose a significant security threat to Israel, and as a practical matter, the control of the Golan in that situation, I think, remains of real importance to Israel's security. Legal questions are something else. And that's the answer to your question," said Lavrov.” (victoriaadvocate.com 9/23/23)
“In Northeastern Syria the US is behind all the oil wells controlled by terrorists. So it’s not just a theft issue, but they are also in cahoots with the terrorists and share the illicit profits with them. This means the global superpower is colluding with the terrorists and this is the reality is Syria.” (Bashar al Assad, Leaders Talk 10/1/23)
“Ukraine President Vololdymyr Zelensky is trying to recruit ISIS fighters from Iraqi and Syrian prisons to join the Ukraine Armed Forces and fight against Russia, according to leaked documents published in the Middle East.
The move to recruit convicted ISIS terrorists from prison cells to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces is fully supported by the United States and NATO to fight in their proxy war against Russia, according to the documents.
Details of the current Ukrainian-Iraqi discussions have appeared in the Middle Eastern media. According to a video which rounds up the news reports, the prisoners in question are convicted terrorists, ISIS (Daesh) fighters, who are battlefield trained after receiving support from US forces in the Syrian civil war.” (theeoplesvoicetv.com 10/2/23)
"A U.S. jet fighter shot down a Turkish drone on Thursday after it was deemed a threat to U.S. forces in northeast Syria, a person familiar with the episode said. Turkey claimed it wasn’t their drone, “but one American official described it as an armed Turkish drone and said that the U.S. was aware of that before it acted.” (WSJ.com 10/5/23)
“The Turkish air force launched a multitude of attacks on 5 October against various targets in Syria’s Hasakah governorate held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Hawar News Agency reports that among the targets was an oil site in Qamishli and the Jal Agha Dam. Furthermore, several deaths and injuries were reported following a Turkish drone attack on the town of Tel Habash.
‘These threats against our regions have a revenge aspect after the failure of Turkiye’s project in Syria,’ officials from the SDF-aligned Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said in a statement. ‘Targeting infrastructure facilities is aggressive behavior amounts to war crimes.’
Several other civilian and military SDF facilities were targeted during the operation. According to local sources, some of the strikes hit the vicinity of US occupation bases in the oil-rich region.” (new.thecradle.co 10/5/23)
“Thursday’s attack on Syria’s central governorate of Homs targeted a Syrian military college during a graduation ceremony. A drone struck at the end of the ceremony as graduates were taking photos with their families.
The Syrian Health Ministry announced on 6 October that the death toll has reached 89, with over 250 injuries. Among those killed are 31 women and five children, the ministry added. UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and Al-Arabiya reported 123 deaths so far. The death toll is expected to rise. Sources told Al-Mayadeen on 6 October that the TIP and Emigrants Brigade ‘are the two armed groups that have the technological capabilities to conduct drone attacks.’
The Syrian air force continued its targeting of the northern Idlib governorate on 6 October, striking the positions of extremist groups in response to a deadly drone attack in Homs the day before, which killed dozens of people and injured over 250, among them women and children.
Airstrikes pounded the positions of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) and the Emigrants Brigade, foreign extremist militias consisting of Chinese Uyghur and Chechen militants, on 6 October.” (new.thecradle.co 10/6/23)
“Turkey's military conducted air strikes in northern Syria on Sunday night and destroyed six Kurdish militant targets, the Turkish Defence Ministry said, adding many militants had been ‘neutralised’ in the attack.
In a statement, the ministry said the targets hit included an oil facility used by militants, as well shelters and storage facilities where militants were believed to be. It did not say in which regions of northern Syria the air strikes had taken place.” (reuters.com 10/8/23)
“Ankara, Washington’s NATO ally, continued launching airstrikes in northeast Syria on Monday against US-backed Kurdish militias. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 20 people were killed and dozens more were wounded.
Turkey’s latest air campaign against the armed Kurdish groups in US-occupied Syria, as well as northern Iraq, began on Thursday. It was precipitated by a recent suicide bombing which targeted the Turkish Interior Ministry. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) claimed credit for the attack, both Ankara and Washington have deemed the group a terrorist organization.” (libertarianinstitute.org 10/9/23)
“The ongoing crisis in the Middle East triggered by last week’s surprise incursion by the Palestinian militant group Hamas into southern Israel is a testament to Washington’s inability to resolve conflicts, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
‘I believe many would agree with me that it is a glaring example of the failures of the US Middle East policies. They tried to monopolize the peace settlement, but unfortunately paid no attention to searching for compromises that would be acceptable for both parties,’ the Russian leader explained on Tuesday.” (rt.com 10/10/23)
“Israeli jets bombed Damascus and Aleppo international airports in Syria on 12 October, putting the two civilian airfields out of commission.
‘At approximately 1:50 p.m. this afternoon, the Israeli enemy simultaneously carried out an air aggression with bursts of missiles, targeting Aleppo and Damascus international airports, which led to damage to the airports’ landing strips [putting them] out of service,’ the Syrian defense ministry said in a statement carried by SANA.
Syria's two main airfields have been crippled several times this year alone by the Israeli air force. Earlier this year, these attacks severely impeded the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country after it was hit by a devastating earthquake.
The Israeli army has been shelling Syria since 10 October in response to alleged artillery attacks targeting the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.” (new.thecradle.co 10/12/23)
“Syria’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that an Israeli airstrike has put Aleppo International Airport out of action, as it hit out at Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for not respecting ‘international laws and norms. At approximately 11:35 pm on Saturday, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service,’ the ministry said in a statement. The attack came soon after two rockets were fired from Syria into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the Times of Israel said on Sunday.” (rt.com 10/15/23)
“A drone strike targeted a U.S. base in Syria on Wednesday, the same day as the attempted drone attacks in Iraq, Fox News has learned. A U.S. defense official told Fox News that an undisclosed number of drones targeted the U.S. Al-Tanf base, located near Syria’s shared border with Iraq and Jordan.
Lebanon's Iran-aligned Al Mayadeen TV reported on Thursday that two U.S. military bases in Syria came under attack, Reuters reported. In addition to the drone attack on the Al-Tanf base, Al Mayadeen TV reported a missile targeted the Conoco base in the countryside of the northern Deir al-Zor region.” (foxnews.com 10/19/23)
“A civilian worker at Damascus International Airport was martyred and another was injured, in an Israeli act of aggression on Sunday morning that targeted Damascus and Aleppo international airports, putting them out of service.
‘At about 05:25 am on Sunday, the Israeli enemy simultaneously carried out an aerial act of aggression with waves of missiles from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea west of Lattakia and from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan targeting Damascus and Aleppo international airports,’ a military source said in a statement.
The statement added: ‘The aggression led to the martyrdom of a civilian worker at Damascus Airport, the injury of another worker, in addition to causing material damage to the runways of the two airports, putting them out of service.’” (sana.sy 10/22/23)
“The U.S. occupation forces on Monday looted more Syrian resources from the areas they occupy in al-Jazeera as it transported new batch of the stolen oil into their bases in Iraqi territories. A convoy of 35 tankers, loaded by the stolen oil of al-Jazeera fields, headed for bases in Iraqi lands via illegal al-Mahmoudieh crossing, local sources said.
The US occupation and QSD-linked militia plunder the national resources and strategic resources such as oil, wheat and barley crops, depriving the Syrians from their rights.” (sana.sy 10/23/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for attacks on several US military bases in Syria on 23 October, the second series of attacks on US military bases in a week, Al-Mayadeen reported. The Islamic Resistance stated that offensives were carried out with drones that caused severe damage after they directly hit their targets at bases in Al-Tanf and Al-Rukban near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border.
The sources said that in Al-Tanf, the drones ‘managed to target the base without information about the extent of the losses,’ adding that there was a subsequent mobilization from the US military forces inside the base.” (new.cradle.co 10/23/23)
“Israeli artillery forces struck the source of rocket fire from Syria on the Golan Heights on Tuesday evening, the IDF confirmed. Sirens sounded in the towns of Neot Golan, Bnei Yehuda, and Givat Yoav, to the East of Lake Kinneret. The IDF said two rockets were launched at Israel from Syria and fell in open fields.” (jpost.com 10/24/23)
“ and coalition troops have been attacked more than a dozen different times at bases in Iraq and Syria in the past week amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
U.S. forces have seen attacks in recent days at the al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria and the al Asad and al-Harir air bases in Iraq. While the attacks have resulted in only minor injuries, the Defense Department said troops at the bases are repeatedly being targeted.
“Between Oct. 17 and [today] U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked at least 10 separate times in Iraq and three separate times in Syria via a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s top spokesman. “Those are the initial numbers. We are continuing to work to ensure we get you the facts.”
U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for American military operations in the Middle East, said 24 military personnel sustained minor injuries Oct. 18 in drone attacks at al-Tanf and al Asad.” (stripes.com 10/24/23)
“Israeli warplanes struck Syria’s southern governorate of Deraa early on 25 October, killing at least eight Syrian army soldiers and wounding seven. ‘At approximately 1:45 a.m. today, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting a number of our military points in the Daraa countryside,’ a military source told Syrian news outlet SANA.
Israel’s airstrikes came in response to a rocket attack targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. Sirens blared across the settlements of Neot Golan, Bnei Yehuda, and Givat Yoav, with many settlers making their way to shelters, according to Hebrew media. Israel said two rockets landed in open fields.
The Israeli military said its jets ‘recently attacked military infrastructure and positions for launching mortar bombs of the Syrian army, in response to the launches towards Israel last night.’” (new.cradle.co 10/25/23)
“Air defense systems, surveillance equipment, weapons, and troops have been pouring into US occupation bases in northeast Syria over the past several days as the Pentagon looks to boost its defenses against resistance attacks.
According to local sources who spoke to Al-Mayadeen, several US cargo planes landed this week at the airfield in the occupied Kharab al-Jir base – which came under attack overnight on Wednesday by a faction calling itself the Iraqi Islamic Resistance.
Reinforcements have also entered Syria via the illegal Al-Waleed border crossing, which the US occupation army often uses to smuggle stolen oil to its bases in Iraq. Over the past 10 days, US bases in Iraq and Syria have come under attack at least 13 times. These attacks have left at least one dead and dozens injured, according to US officials.” (new.cradle.co 10/26/23)
“Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17. As a result of these attacks, one U.S. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 U.S. personnel suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty.” (SecDef Austin, defense.gov 10/26/23)
“The Pentagon announced on 27 October that US warplanes conducted midnight air raids in Syria's Deir Ezzor governorate, allegedly targeting two storage facilities used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
‘These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups,’ US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
‘We don't seek to widen or escalate the crisis,’ Austin claimed. However, his statement says: ‘Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against US forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.’” (new.cradle.co 10/27/23)
“US forces at the al-Tanf base on the border triangle between Syria, Iraq & Jordan were targeted using two drones. Rockets also launched at American forces in Kahrab al-Jir in Syria. US and Coalition Forces have been attacked at least 14 separate times in Iraq and six separate times in Syria by a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets: Pentagon” (english.almayadeen.net 10/28/23)
“Sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen that the US occupation base in al-Omar oil field east of Deir Ezzor in Syria came under attack, leading to explosions inside the base. The sources added that the sounds of explosions were heard in surrounding areas. It is worth noting that the base was the target of several attacks recently. On Friday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that a missile strike targeted the base itself.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/29/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on Sunday that it had targeted the al-Shaddadi base in eastern Syria on Saturday with two drones, and launched rockets at another American base in the al-Omar oil field near Deir ez-Zor, Lebanon-based news channel Al-Mayadeen reported.
The strike on the al-Omar base set off secondary explosions inside the facility, Al-Mayadeen’s sources said. The channel’s sources also said that missiles were fired at an American base in Kharab al-Jir in northeastern Syria. In Iraq, the Islamic Resistance said that its fighters had attacked the US base at al-Tanf, near the Syrian and Jordanian borders.” (sputnikglobe.com 10/29/23)
“We must clearly understand who in reality is behind the tragedy of peoples in the Middle East and in other regions around the world, who has been organising this lethal chaos and who benefits from it. In my opinion, it has already become clear to everyone, as the masterminds brazenly act in the open. These are the current ruling elites in the United States and its satellites who are the main beneficiaries of the global instability that they use to extract their bloody rent. Their strategy is also clear. The United States as a global superpower is becoming weaker and is losing its position, and everyone sees and understands this.” Putin (en.kremlin.ru 10/30/23)
“The US occupation troops continue stealing the national resources in the regions where they occupy in Syrian Al-Jazeera and they transported on Wednesday a convoy loaded with stolen oil to their bases in Iraqi territory.
Civil sources in Yarubiyah countryside on the Syrian –Iraqi borders told SANA reporter that a convoy of US occupation troops consisting of 35 tankers loaded with oil stolen from Al-Jazeera fields left via the illegal Al-Walid crossing, towards the occupation bases in Iraqi territory.
In the same context, the sources indicated that the US occupation troops later removed a convoy of 20 tankers loaded with stolen Syrian oil and dozens of trucks through the illegal Mahmoudiya crossing towards their bases in Iraqi territory as well.” (sana.sy 11/1/23)
“In an escalating conflict, armed Iraqi factions have announced their targeting of the American military base ‘Kharab Al-Jeer’ in Syria. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has taken responsibility for this move, linking it directly to the recent Israeli military operations based in the Gaza Strip.” (bnn.com 11/3/23)
“Iraqi resistance targeted on Saturday the U.S. occupation base in al-Shadadi area, south of Hasaka city. ‘The fighters in Iraq targeted US occupation base in al-Shadadi, south of Hasaka city, with missiles, hitting it directly’, the Iraqi resistance said in statement. Earlier on Saturday, the Iraqi resistance targeted the US Harir base, north of Iraq with two drones which directly hit the targets.” (sana.sy 11/4/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the successful bombardment that targeted the US occupation forces at the Tal Baidar base in al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria. Yesterday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq also claimed responsibility for targeting the Harir US base in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region using two drones. Moreover, Iraqi Islamic Resistance continues to target American bases in Iraq and Syria in conjunction with Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/5/23)
“Al Mayadeen's sources reported that a strike targeted US occupation forces at Tel Bider base in al-Hasakah, eastern Syria. Earlier today, informed sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has targeted US forces stationed in Erbil airport using a UAV. Shortly afterward, sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen that US forces were targeted by UAVs at the Ain al-Assad base.
On Friday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it ‘will begin next week a new phase in confronting the enemies, in support of Palestine, and in revenge for the martyrs,' stressing that it will be ‘tougher and broader against the enemy’s bases in the region.’” (english.almayadeen.net 11/6/23)
“The third operation targeted the US occupation base in the US-occupied Green Village in northeastern Syria, near the US-occupied al-Omar oilfield, deep within Syrian territories. The official statement also noted that the drones used to target the US occupation have successfully hit their targets.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq made an announcement declaring that they put Al-Aqsa 1 medium-range missile into service, saying it was launched at the US occupation's bases in Iraq and Syria.
‘In the context of responding to the Zionist occupation's crimes in its aggression on Gaza under US diktats and administration, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq reveals Monday, and for the first time, the putting into the medium range Aqsa 1 into service, wherein it was launched at US occupation bases in Iraq and Syria in some of its operations. Allah’s Will always prevails, the statement read.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/7/23)
“A militant group believed to be part of dormant terrorist cells launched an attack on Syrian Arab Army positions and allied forces in the Syrian Desert (Badia) near the Homs-Hama-Raqqa triangle, resulting in the martyrdom of 21 and the injury of 9.
The sources pointed out that all field indicators show that the attack was launched ‘from the direction of Al-Tanf, where a US occupation base is located,’ accusing ‘the United States of using its bases to support terrorism and provide military and intelligence assistance’ to terrorist groups.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/8/23)
“The U.S. launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said. Wednesday's strike by two U.S. F-15 fighter jets was on a weapons storage facility linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
‘The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,’ Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.” (yahoo.com 11/8/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq confirmed it targeted US bases and forces in Syria and Iraq on multiple occasions on Wednesday, as the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip continues for the 33rd day.
The Iraqi Resistance group announced targeting the US occupation base in the Green Village in the depths of Syrian territories with drones in three separate operations. Additionally, US forces in al-Shadadi, also in the depths of Syria, came under attack.
A field source told Al Mayadeen that the US occupation base at the Conoco gas field in eastern Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, was targeted with missile and drone attacks. Earlier, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq had announced targeting the same base with a rocket strike.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/8/23)
Local sources in Syria's Deir Ezzor governorate report that intense clashes broke out between the US occupation army and its Kurdish proxy – the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies stationed west of the Euphrates River in the morning of 9 November.
“Attacks on the US-occupied territory east of the Euphrates started shortly after US jets bombed an alleged weapon storage facility the Pentagon says was used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Wednesday night that two F-15 jets bombed the facility, adding that attacks on US troops in West Asia ‘must stop.’ According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least nine people were killed in the attack. ‘If attacks by Iran's proxies against US forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people,’ Austin stressed.
As the clashes raged early on Thursday, missiles and drone strikes hit the US-occupation bases in Al-Omar and Conoco oil fields in Deir Ezzor. Earlier in the night, the Iraqi Resistance in Iraq (IRI) announced that a new round of airstrikes hit US troops stationed at the Al-Harir air base in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.” (new.cradle.co 11/9/23)
“Iraqi resistance targeted US occupation forces stationed in al-Tanf base on the Syrian-Iraqi border. The Iraqi resistance said in a statement that a drone had targeted the US occupation forces at al-Tanf base on the Syrian-larqi border , adding that the drone had hit its target directly. Over the past days, the Iraqi resistance reported that it had targeted al-Tanf base and Konico gas field northeast of Deir Ezzor.” (sana.sy 11/10/23)
“Iraq’s Islamic Resistance resumed on Saturday its attacks on the American military bases in Iraq and Syria. In a statement, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced it targeted Rmeilan base in Syria with two drones.” (almanar.com.lb 11/12/23)
“‘Today, in response to continued provocations by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and their affiliated groups in Iraq and Syria, U.S. Central Command (USCENTOM) conducted air strikes against facilities near the cities of Abu Kamal and Mayadin,’ said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander. ‘The United States will continue to defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.’” (@CENTCOM 11/12/23)
“Several missile and drone strikes targeted US occupation bases in Syria on 13 November in response to the latest round of US airstrikes on alleged Iranian targets in the country. Fifteen missiles targeted the US base in the Conoco gas field, sources told Al-Mayadeen, adding that US helicopters began making flights ten minutes after the strike.
‘The Conoco base was targeted with advanced Grad missiles, which led to the death of four US soldiers,’ Al-Mayadeen’s correspondent reported. In a second response to US airstrikes, three drones struck the Al-Shaddadi military base in Hasakah, northeastern Syria. The US Green Village base at the Al-Omar oilfield northeastern Syria, was also hit with a drone.” (new.cradle.co 11/13/23)
“Loud explosions were heard in Deir Ezzor, Syria, originating from the United States occupation base in al-Omar oil field, sources informed on the matter told Al Mayadeen. This is the fifth time that the occupation base was targeted in the last 24 hours.
Sources told Al Mayadeen, that 6 rockets launched by the Resistance hit the al-Omar oil field base, however, the sources did not disclose any information regarding the damage caused by the attack was disclosed
Earlier today, the US airbase in Kharab al-Jir, in al-Hasaka, was targeted via an attack drone. US aircraft took off from the airbase following the attack, according to Sputnik citing an unnamed military source.
‘On Tuesday, the Pentagon reported 56 incidents of targets on US troops in Iraq and Syria since October 17. Sabrina Singh, the Deputy Press Secretary of the Pentagon, informed journalists that out of the 59 US personnel who sustained injuries, 32 were categorized with non-serious injuries, while the remaining 27 individuals suffered from traumatic brain injury (TBI).’” (english.almayadeen.net 11/14/23)
“At dawn on Friday, Syrian air defenses responded to enemy targets over the southern Damascus countryside, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Syria. A Syrian military source reported that at approximately 2:25 a.m. on Friday, the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression from the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting multiple locations in the vicinity of Damascus. He added that the Syrian air defense forces confronted Israeli missiles and shot down most of them, noting that the aggression led to some material losses.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on 17 November its forces attacked three US bases in Syria and Iraq. ‘In response to the crimes committed by the enemy against our people in Gaza, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted the American occupation base, Tal Baidar, west of the Syrian city of Hasakah, with two drones, and they directly hit their targets,’ a statement by umbrella-group read.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/17/23)
“National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson issued a statement emphasizing President Biden's commitment to protecting US occupation forces and his readiness to take further measures if necessary. However, as the attack count continues to rise, concerns are mounting that it may only be a matter of time before a US occupation soldier loses their life in one of these incidents.
Senator Kevin Cramer, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voiced his apprehension in an interview, stating, ‘I don’t sense any deterrence. They keep shooting, waiting for us to respond. We don’t, so they keep shooting. And eventually one of those drones, or one of those missiles or rockets, is going to kill an American. And then we’ll be off to the races.’
Cramer emphasized that he is not advocating for a full-fledged war with Tehran but suggests a more assertive posture than strictly defensive measures. The fear remains that without a change in approach, the situation could escalate, posing a greater threat to US service members in the region.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/19/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced it targeted the US bases of Ain al-Assad and al-Shadadi in Iraq and Syria respectively, using appropriate weaponry. The Resistance confirmed that both bases were directly hit.
Fearing Resistance strikes and potential casualties, Al Mayadeen's sources revealed on Monday that the United States is reinforcing some of its occupation bases in Syria. The sources confirmed that Washington is bringing in more weapons and equipment, primarily anti-air systems such as Avengers and THAAD, in addition to illegally deploying more troops. The Pentagon confirmed that at least 62 US troops suffered from minor injuries or traumatic brain concussions in the operations.
On the morning of November 22 in Iraq, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces conducted discrete, precision strikes against two facilities in Iraq," CENTCOM confirmed in a statement.
‘The strikes were in direct response to the attacks against US and Coalition forces by Iran and Iran-backed groups, including the one in Iraq on November 21, which involved use of close-range ballistic missiles,’ the statement indicated.
According to the Pentagon, US forces in the Middle East have been attacked 66 times since mid-October. Resistance factions in Iraq and Syria continue to support the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza and respond to the US' direct involvement in ‘Israel’s’ aggression on the Strip.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/21/23)
“Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the afternoon of 22 November, state media reported. At approximately 3:15 p.m. this afternoon, the Zionist enemy carried out an air attack with two missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some points in the vicinity of the city of Damascus,” a military source told SANA.
‘Our air defense forces responded to the aggression, shot down one of the missiles, and the losses were limited to material losses.’ Israel has targeted Syria numerous times since the outbreak of the Gaza-Israel war on 7 October.” (new.cradle.co 11/22/23)
“The Israeli occupation aircraft launched an airstrike targeting the runways of the Damascus International Airport, located in Syria's capital, causing it to go out of service. A Syrian military source told Al Mayadeen that the Syrian air defenses intercepted an ‘Israeli airstrike launched from the direction of the occupied Golan targeted Damascus Airport, as well as some other posts across Damascus' countryside.
The military source underscored that the Israeli aggression ‘put the Damascus airport out of service’ and caused ‘material losses’. The source further stressed that the Syrian air defenses had successfully intercepted most of the missiles launched toward Syria's capital. Earlier, the Syrian newspaper al-Watan reported that strong explosions were heard in Damascus and across its outskirts, just before it announced that Damascus International Airport had been targeted.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/26/23)
“Caracas strongly condemned the aggression carried out by ‘Israel’ on Damascus International Airport in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday. The Israeli army carried out an attack on the country's main airport on Sunday afternoon of November 26, causing significant material damage and rendering it inoperable, the second such attack in under a week.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/27/23)
“The US occupation forces in Syria and Iraq have been attacked 74 times since October 7, the start date of Operation al-Aqsa Flood, a Pentagon official told an official from the Ministry of Defense, as reported by the Voice of America. CNN cited a Pentagon official as saying that there was a missile attack on a US base in eastern Syria on Wednesday.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/30/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq confirmed on Sunday that it had attacked US occupation bases in Iraq and Syria using drones. ‘In response to the crimes that the enemy is committing against our people in Gaza, fighters of the Islamic Resistance of Iraq used a drone to attack the American occupier’s Green Village base in Syria,’ confirming a direct hit, the Resistance announced in a statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the Resistance said it had carried out a missile attack on the US occupation base in al-Hasakah province in northeastern Syria. Sources told Al Mayadeen that the Iraqi Resistance factions targeted the US occupation's Kharab al-Jir base in al-Hasakah countryside with seven missiles. It was the second time that Iraqi Resistance factions have targeted US assets in the Middle East, since ‘Israel’ renewed its aggression on the Gaza Strip on Friday morning.
Al Mayadeen's sources revealed that the attack ‘occurred a few hours after the first wave of reinforcements arrived at the American base.’ A US military cargo plane, holding military equipment and weapons, arrived at the Kharab al-Jir airfield, after departing from the US bases in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, according to the sources.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/3/23)
“On Monday, Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, declared that Iran would retaliate to any actions targeting its military advisers in Syria, IRNA reported on Monday. This statement comes in the aftermath of a missile strike in Damascus over the weekend, resulting in the death of two IRGC commanders.
’No action against the interests and security of Iran and our military advisers in Syria will go unanswered, we already have experience in such situations,’ Kanaani was quoted as saying during a press conference.
The IRGC Public Relations Department announced on Saturday the martyrdom of the two generals in a statement, reading, ‘In light of the brutal aggression launched by the Israeli occupation against Gaza with open support from the United States and some European governments and the martyrdom of thousands of Palestinians, especially women, and children, two IRGC members were martyred: Mohammad Ali Ataei Shoorcheh and Panah Taghizadeh.’” (english.almayadeen.net 12/4/23)
“‘The Syrian army pushed large military reinforcements to several axes in the eastern countryside of the Homs governorate and the Sukhna desert, north of the 55-km area surrounding the illegal base of the US army in the Al-Tanf area,’ a Sputnik correspondent reported on 6 December.
The correspondent said that the Syrian army is looking to carry out search operations in the area, in light of a recent increase in hit-and-run attacks carried out by ISIS cells, which ‘coincides with the increase in attacks targeting illegal American bases.’
‘Russian reconnaissance aircraft began activity in the area of expected operations, with the aim of completing the collection of ISIS terrorist organization targets from headquarters and sites in the area between the Homs and Deir Ezzor deserts,’ he added. He also said that Russian airstrikes proceeded to destroy 18 ISIS hideouts, killing about 40 militants.
According to the Sputnik correspondent, ‘American forces stationed at Al-Tanf base recently trained hundreds of militants in a camp located south of a 55-kilometer area.” The 55-kilometer area refers to the surroundings of the US Al-Tanf base in eastern Syria, which is geographically linked to the Badia desert regions.
‘Information confirms that these groups were mostly composed of militants who had previously fought in the ranks of ISIS, some of whom were prisoners with the allied forces of the US Army in eastern Syria.’
Moscow and the Syrian government have repeatedly accused US occupation forces in Al-Tanf of providing logistical support to ISIS cells in the Syrian desert, who, over the past year, have killed hundreds of civilians and security personnel.” (new.cradle.co 12/6/23)
“The US Senate on Thursday rejected a joint resolution proposed by Senator Rand Paul, calling for the Biden administration to withdraw US occupation forces from Syria within a 30-day timeframe. Senators voted against advancing the resolution, with 13 members in favor and 84 opposed.
‘The American people have had enough of endless wars in the Middle East. Yet, 900 US troops remain in Syria with no vital US interest at stake, no definition of victory, no exit strategy, and no congressional authorization to be there,’ Paul said in a statement on the resolution.
The resolution instructs the president to withdraw US troops from activities ‘in or affecting Syria’ within 30 days of its adoption unless Congress enacts a declaration of war or another authorization for the use of force.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/7/23)
“Sources told Al Mayadeen on Friday that Resistance factions targeted four US occupation bases in Syria in the past hours. The sources mentioned that the targeting included al-Omar and Conoco bases in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, in addition to the Kharab al-Jir and al-Shadadi bases in the countryside of al-Hasakah.
According to the sources, the attacks were carried out with a large number of rocket shells, the majority of which successfully reached their targets despite the defensive measures recently taken by US occupation forces in Syria. Furthermore, the sources highlighted that this marks the first time that this number of bases has been targeted in such a short period.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/8/23)
“Iraq’s Islamic Resistance issued on Saturday a statement to announce 11 attacks on the US bases in Iraq and Syrian during the past 24 hours. In response to the enemy’s crimes committed against our people in Gaza, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted US occupation bases in Iraq and Syria in eleven operations yesterday. It pounded them with dozens of rockets and drones, hitting its targets directly, the statement read.” (english.almanar.com 12/9/23)
“The coordination between the members of the Axis of Resistance on the political, defense, and security levels is unmatched, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Akbar-Ahmadian said on Sunday. Talking to Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous during his visit to Tehran, Akbar-Ahmadian stressed the necessity of further economic coordination among the Axis.
The Iranian top official underscored that despite utmost support from the United States on numerous levels, the Israeli occupation is yet to achieve any of its declared goals of aggression on Gaza. The aggression on Gaza showed that even if the US maintained a foothold in the region, it would not be able to impose any of its policies or diktats on the regional states.
‘The front of Resistance stretching from Syria to Yemen will not allow for the implementation of any plans woven by the hegemonic regime,’ Arnous stressed. The Syrian Prime Minister also revealed that his government and that of the Islamic Republic have been working around the clock to implement what has been agreed upon between them, ‘including making achievements that serve the interests of both states and peoples in light of the unjust external pressures and sanctions they are under.’” (english.almayadeen.net 12/10/23)
“Syrian air defenses successfully intercepted Israeli targets in the skies over the capital, Damascus, and its surrounding areas, as confirmed by Syrian official television. A Syrian military source, as reported by Al Mayadeen, has confirmed that the Israeli occupation conducted an air aggression from the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting specific locations in the vicinity of Damascus.
The source added that the air defense forces successfully responded to the aggression's missiles, intercepting and shooting down some of them. Fortunately, the resulting losses were confined to material damages.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/10/23)
“Large and violent explosions were heard coming out of the US’ Al-Shaddadi base in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah on 11 December, following a suspected attack by the Iraqi resistance.
‘Successive and huge explosions were heard a short while ago, in the vicinity of the base of the Al-Jabsa Oil Fields Directorate in the city of Al-Shaddadi (50 km south of Al-Hasakah Governorate), resulting from being targeted by at least four missiles,’ a Sputnik correspondent said.
US forces sounded sirens and deployed troops around the area as drones and helicopters flew overhead. No casualties have been reported. The Al-Jabsa base in Al-Shaddadi is considered one of the largest US bases in northeastern Syria, and also houses a number of French and British troops, according to Sputnik.” (new.cradle.co 12/11/23)
“Al Mayadeen's correspondent confirmed that the US occupation military base in the Conoco gas field north of Deir Ezzor in Syria was targeted twice in less than an hour. Our correspondent in Baghdad mentioned that US forces at the al-Shadadi base in Syria was also targeted.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced in a statement that it targeted the Tanf occupation base and another occupation base in the Rukban camp using drones and achieved direct hits. ‘The drones directly hit their targets in the two American bases,’ the resistance said.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/13/23)
“US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla made a trip to Iraq to meet with the country's top officials and visit US forces and bases, and then illegally made his way into Syria to check up on American occupation bases and troops.
Resistance factions in the region, spearheaded by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, announced in October the beginning of a phase of operations against US presence in Iraq and Syria, in response to the US-backed Israeli savage war on Gaza and in support of the people of the Strip. The groups repeatedly stressed the attacks will continue until the war stops.
Last week, the most intense day of operations took place, when the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced the execution of 11 operations against US bases in one day in Iraq and Syria, using dozen of rockets and drones. In the latest toll revealed by the Pentagon, US forces in both Iraq and Syria were targeted at least 98 times between October 17 and December 13, a massive rise in attacks compared to the period between January 2021 and March 2023, where 78 operations were recorded.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/15/23)
“A new batch of the Syrian al-Jazeera oil was stolen by US occupation and transferred through illegal crossings to its bases in Iraqi territory.
A convoy consisting of 44 tanks loaded with stolen oil brought out through the illegal crossing of Mahmoudiyah towards the military bases of the occupation in Iraqi territory, civil sources from the al –Ya’ariya countryside told SANA.
On December17th, the American occupation stolen a load of 95 tanks a truck of oil and grains from the areas it occupies on the Syrian al-Jazeera.
Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, stressed that unilateral Western economic measures imposed on Syria and the presence of terrorist organizations in several areas of Syria hinder stability in the country, referring to looting operations of Syrian natural resources in places where the US occupation forces are present.
Gerasimov, in a briefing he presented Thursday to foreign military attaches accredited in Russia regarding the results of the Ministry of Defense activities for the year 2023, described situation in Syria as ‘still difficult’ because of those conditions and repercussions of the natural disaster of the earthquake that hit many areas in Syria last February.
Gerasimov said that in the northeast parts of the country and under the auspices of the United States, the illegal acts of plunder and sale of natural resources are going on.” (sana.sy 12/21/23)
“Sources to Al Mayadeen reported that the US base at Kharab al-Jir Airport and the al-Malikiyah base in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria, were targeted with several rocket shells. However, no information was provided about the extent of the losses.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/23/23)
“Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to make Israel ‘pay the price’ after confirming that Brigadier General Razi Mousavi, a top commander in the IRGC Quds Force, was killed during an Israeli airstrike on 25 December in the vicinity of Damascus.
In a statement, the IRGC said Mousavi was killed ‘in a criminal missile attack by the fake and child-killing Zionist regime," adding that Tel Aviv will “undoubtedly pay the price for this crime.’” (new.cradle.co 12/25/23)
“Turkish airstrikes targeted dozens of civilian facilities in north-east Syria on 25 December, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said in a statement. Ankara struck ‘25 civilian service facilities in north and eastern Syria, resulting in the martyrdom of eight civilians, including two women,’ SDF spokesman Farhad Shami said via social media.” (new.cradle.co 12/26/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on Tuesday a new operation against an American military base, vowing more attacks on the occupation forces. In a statement, Iraq’s Islamic Resistance indicated that its fighters attacked the occupation base in Al-Shaddadi, Syria, with a missile barrage that hit its targets.
The statement indicated that the operation came in response to the massacres committed by the Zionist entity against our people in Gaza. The Islamic Resistance affirms its commitment to continue targeting the enemy’s strongholds and resisting the American occupation forces in Iraq and the region.” (english.almanar.com 12/26/23)
“An Israeli airstrike targeting Damascus International Airport late on Thursday killed 11 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), sources told Al Arabiya on Friday. The targeted IRGC members, responsible for overseeing Iran-backed forces in eastern Syria, were present at the airport to welcome a senior delegation, the sources said.” (english.alarabiya.net 12/29/23)
“Russian anti-aircraft missile systems Pantsir-S have shot down ten guided bombs and three cruise missiles launched by the Israeli air force towards Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said on Friday. ‘The air defense forces on duty shot down 10 guided bombs and three cruise missiles, using Russian-made Pantsir-S systems. As a result of the Israeli air strikes, military infrastructure was damaged. There were no casualties,’ Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the center, told a press briefing. Earlier on Thursday and Friday, the Israeli forces launched strikes on Damascus and the southern region of Syria. The Syrian Defense Ministry reported that the air defenses shot down several missiles. According to the statement, the attack resulted in material damage, with no casualties reported.” (sputnikglobe.com 12/29/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on Saturday that it had targeted using drones the Harir US occupation base in Iraqi Kurdistan's Erbil in response to the ongoing massacres committed by the Israeli entity against the people in Gaza.
In a statement, the group emphasized that this operation is part of its ongoing strategy to Resist the US occupation forces in Iraq and the region, vowing to continue ‘strikes against the enemy's strongholds.’
Moreover, Al Mayadeen's sources revealed that in Syria, the US occupation base in the Conoco oil field was targeted with five rockets, while the one in Al-Omar oil field was targeted with seven rockets.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/30/23)
“An aerial attack on Syria's eastern sector near the Iraqi border in the early hours of 30 December resulted in the killing of at least seven people, Al-Mayadeen reported. The air raids targeted the city of Al-Bukamal in the Deir Ezzor countryside, striking the al-Hajana building and Badr Hospital in the southern part of the city.
The Lebanon-based outlet implied the possibility that the attacks were carried out by Israel, as the Israeli army said it carried out strikes in retaliation to a rocket volley that allegedly was fired from Syrian territory targeting the occupied Golan Heights on Friday evening. However, Sham FM and Safa (Palestinian Press Agency), as well as local Iraqi sources, said that the attack was carried out by US warplanes.
On Friday, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and the United Nations Security Council that included a condemnation of Israeli attacks on Syrian land.
‘The new aggressions against Syrian territory and the ongoing threats against Lebanon and other Arab countries in the region reveal the true goals of the Zionist entity, which seeks to expand in the region at the expense of Arab rights in Palestine and other occupied territories,’ the letter read.” (new.cradle.co 12/30/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it hit an Israeli military target in the occupied Golan Heights on Sunday evening. In support of the Palestinian people, specifically the Gazans, the Resistance launched an attack on Israeli military targets located in Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights, using the appropriate weapons. Moreover, in the statement, the Iraqi Resistance confirmed that it would continue to target occupation targets.” (english.almayadeen.net 12/31/23)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said its fighters targeted the US' al-Shadadi occupation base in Syria with a salvo of rockets, vowing to continue to target the enemy's strongholds ‘in response to the Zionist entity’s massacres against our people in Gaza.’ Earlier today, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported artillery shelling targeting bases affiliated with US occupation forces in Rmelan, al-Shadadi, and Malikia in Syria on Tuesday.
It is worth noting that the Rmelan base is considered the most critical US occupation's outpost in Syria. It is situated southeast of the city in the countryside of al-Hasakah Governorate, with approximately 500 personnel.
Meanwhile, Al-Shadadi base is located southeast of the oil-rich city, equipped for helicopter landings and the takeoff of various types of drones, housing around 350 personnel. As for the Malikia base, also known as 'Rmelan 2,' it is situated south of the city in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah, with 150 personnel and combat helicopters. Additionally, it includes a detention facility operated by US occupation forces.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/2/24)
“A US military official told Al Mayadeen that US occupation forces in Syria and Iraq have been subjected to at least 118 attacks since October 17. Since that date, 10 days after the launch of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has been targeting US occupation bases in the two countries and has confirmed in its statements, that the strikes are an effort to end the US illegal presence in the region and come in support of the steadfast Resistance in Palestine.
According to statements, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has so far targeted a number of US bases including Ain al-Assad, Kharab al-Jir, al-Shaddadi, Harir, al-Tanf, Rmelan, al-Malikiyah, and near the Conoco and al-Omar fields, in addition to US occupation forces near the Erbil airport and in the Green Village.
The operations were conducted by using a variety of drones and rockets which targeted specific locations and hit their targets. This comes amid a rift in the US between those who seek to withdraw forces from the region and those who insist on keeping them despite the continuous hits and losses of lives and injuries that are anticipated with the ongoing escalations.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq declared that it successfully targeted the US al-Tanf base in Syria using a drone. This comes after the group took responsibility for launching a rocket salvo at the al-Shaddadi base and launching a drone to strike the al-Malikiyah base, affirming their commitment to continuously target the strongholds of US forces.
In response, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Baghdad, citing sources, disclosed that US forces at the Rmelan base inside Syria were targeted for the second time on Tuesday.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/3/24)
“The Iraqi resistance announced its attacks on two US military bases in Syria on 4 January, just hours after the killing of the commander of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) in a US airstrike on Baghdad.
‘In continuation of our approach to resisting American occupation forces in Iraq and the region, and in response to the Zionist entity’s massacres against our people in Gaza, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, using drones, attacked the occupation base in the Al-Omar oilfield in Syria,’ the Islamic Resistance in Iraq coalition said in a statement on Thursday evening.” (new.cradle.co 1/5/24)
“On Sunday the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that the US occupation forces base in Qasrok, located in the Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria, was targeted for the second time. The operation was conducted using drones.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/7/24)
“US occupation forces in Syria and Iraq have been subjected to at least 120 attacks since October 17 last year, a US military official told Al Mayadeen on Monday. This comes after a field source revealed to Al Mayadeen earlier today the US occupation base in the al-Omar oil field in easter Deir Ezzor in Syria was struck by 30 rockets launched from within Syria, achieving confirmed hits.
Our correspondent said the operation was in response to an earlier US attack that targeted a truck at the Al-Qaim/Al-Bukamal crossing on the border with Iraq. On its part, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the party with the most attacks on US and Israeli targets since the launch of the war on Gaza, announced, earlier today, targeting the US Rmelan occupation base in Syria using drones.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/8/24)
“According to Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder on Tuesday, US occupation forces in Iraq and Syria have been subjected to 9 attacks since January 4.
During a press briefing, Ryder was asked about attacks on US occupation forces in Syria and Iraq, to which he responded ‘Since January 4, there have been nine attacks,’ adding that in total they amount to 127 recent attacks, 52 of which took place in Iraq and 75 of which took place in Syria.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/9/24)
“A series of violent explosions rocked the military base in the US-occupied Conoco oilfield in north-east Syria on 12 January, following a large rocket attack, Sputnik’s correspondent reported.
According to the correspondent, the attack ‘destroyed the base and its surroundings. American air defenses tried to confront the missile attack with their ground and air anti-aircraft weapons, to no avail…the American occupation army’s air force and helicopters, in the meantime, began flying over the skies of the towns surrounding its bases’ in the oilfields of Conoco and Al-Omar.” (new.cradle.co 1/12/24)
“‘Using missiles and drones, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked three occupation bases in Iraq and Syria: the Kharab al-Jir base, the US base at the Conoco oilfield, and the US base at Erbil airport,’ Islamic Resistance in Iraq coalition announced in a statement on Sunday evening. ‘The Islamic Resistance confirms that it will continue to destroy enemy strongholds,’ the statement added.
A Sputnik correspondent reported that explosions were heard that evening near the Conoco base. This is the 24th attack on the Conoco base in the past two months, the correspondent said, adding that the area also witnessed ‘intense US Army helicopter and drone flights, with militants loyal to the US Army on high alert.’ According to Sputnik, US aircraft also targeted positions belonging to allies of the Syrian army near the Deir Ezzor military airport.” (new.cradle.co 1/15/24)
“The Iranian Foreign Ministry says the strikes conducted by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) against terrorists’ positions in Syria and an Israeli espionage center in Iraq were part of the ‘just punishment’ against violators of Iran’s security after a deadly terrorist attack hit the city of Kerman.
Early Tuesday, the IRGC said it fired barrages of ballistic missiles at Syrian bases of terrorists who were involved in recent terrorist attacks in Iran, as well as an Israeli espionage center in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The IRGC said the first missile strike targeted gathering places of commanders and main elements of recent terrorist attacks in the Iranian cities of Kerman and Rask.
It added that the strike came after gathering points of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group were identified in the occupied territories of Syria and destroyed with a number of ballistic missiles. The IRGC said in a later statement that another missile strike had been launched at a main espionage center of the Israeli regime’s Mossad spy agency in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.” (presstv.ir 1/16/24)
“ISIS: US foot soldiers in the regional war:
Is it a coincidence that the world's foremost terror organization is being revived just as the US struggles under a multi-front assault on its hegemony in West Asia? More curiously, both ISIS and Washington's targets are exactly the same.
Iraqi security sources are warning of an ISIS revival in the country, which coincides all too neatly with the spike in Iraqi resistance operations against US bases in Iraq and Syria, and with widening regional instability caused by Israel's military assault on Gaza:
[There are] several incidents that confirm the American assistance in securing the crossing route for ISIS members - mainly, by shelling Iraqi units on the border, especially the Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs), to create gaps that allow ISIS fighters to cross the border [into Syria].’
The Iraqi security source adds that there are confirmed reports of US Chinook helicopters transporting fighters from eastern Syria to the Anbar desert in western Iraq and Jebel Hamreen, in the country's east.
An early US-ISIS connection exists quite clearly: the terrorist group's founding and second rank leaders were among the inmates of Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq, an internment facility run by the US military. The roster of high-value terrorists captured, then set free by the Americans is quite extraordinary: ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, his successor Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, Abu Muslim al-Turkmani, Haji Bakr, Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi, Abu Ayman al-Iraqi, among others.
Camp Bucca, known for abuses against its detainees, brought together extremist elements, slow-boiled this combustive formula for six years (2003-2009), then let the now well-networked extremists go free.
It can also no longer be seen as a coincidence that the terror group is now re-assembling its forces to target Washington and Tel Aviv's most capable regional foes – the Axis of Resistance – just when the US and Israel are struggling to handle a region-wide, multi-front assault from the Axis.
The extraordinary synergies between the Americans and the world's foremost terror group can no longer be ignored: their targets are one and the same, and ISIS is only now entering the fray, just as Washington begins to lose its hold on West Asia.” (new.cradle.co 1/16/24)
“Washington’s Hemo base, located near the north-eastern Syrian city of Qamishli, was struck by drones on 18 January, Al-Mayadeen reported. The base had been evacuated just two days before the drone strikes.
The Hemo base is considered one of the most vital US occupation bases in Syria. A training camp for the US-backed Kurdish militia and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is also located in the area. The strategic base lies four kilometers from Qamishli airport.
Just two days earlier, on 16 January, US troops evacuated the Hemo base and moved to Tal Baydar base, west of Hasakah, a local activist told Al-Araby al-Jadeed. The evacuation came after repeated airstrikes on the base by the Iraqi resistance, the last of which took place on 10 January.” (new.cradle.co 1/18/24)
“The military aviation of the Russian aerospace forces have conducted air patrols along the separation zone between armed forces of Israel and Syria, Vadim Kulit, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said on Thursday.
‘As part of monitoring the situation, the military aviation of the Russian aerospace forces organized air patrols along the border of the separation zone of the Israeli armed forces and the Syrian armed forces [the Bravo Line],’ Kulit told a briefing.” (sputnikglobe.com 1/18/24)
“The US base in the occupied Conoco oilfield in eastern Syria was targeted and hit by two rocket volleys on 22 January. A Sputnik correspondent in the Deir Ezzor region said that violent explosions were heard from inside the illegal US base and that plumes of smoke were seen rising from the inside.
After the first rocket attack, Sputnik writes that witnesses saw an intense deployment of US warplanes, and that US personnel within the occupied field responded to the source of the attack with a number of artillery shells. Another attack on the illegal base followed within the hour.
“Today’s attack on the US base in the occupied Conoco oilfield brings the total number of attacks against US bases across Syria and Iraq since 17 October to 145.” (new.cradle.co 1/23/24)
“The Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, has accusedWashington of directing Syrian armed groups to carry out attacks against Russian troops in the country.
“There are indications that the Americans are specifying tasks for their forces from among the Syrian armed opposition to inflict the greatest amount of damage on Russian military forces in Syria,” Lavrentiev said on 26 January.
Lavrentiev added these attacks are planned not only against Russian forces in southern Syria but also in what is known as the Idlib de-escalation zone northwest of the country – patrolled by Russian and Turkish forces in line with a 2018 agreement.
“[The US] has begun … supplying [extremist groups] with modern weapons and modern drones so that it can carry out raids, including on the Hmeimim base.”
Hmeimim is a Russian-operated military base located southeast of the Syrian city of Latakia. Hostile, unidentified drones have approached the Hmeimim base in the past.” (new.cradle.co 1/26/24)
“After announcing that its fighters had targeted two US bases, Conoco and the Green Village, in Syrian territory, using drones, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said in a statement that its fighters attacked the Conoco base for a second time within hours of the first attack.
The Conoco base was targeted by a barrage of rockets and the resistance confirmed its commitment to continue ‘resisting the American occupation of Iraq,’ and targeting its bases in the region, adding that its operations come in response to the massacres of the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip.” (english.almayadeen.net 1/28/24)
‘‘Tower 22’, the U.S. base in NE Jordan where three American troops were just killed, overlooks a Syrian refugee camp called Rukban, where 15,000 people have been living for years. It is also near the Al-Tanf Garrison, where a couple hundred U.S. troops are based.
This is a crucial node between Iraq and Syria that Iranian militias have long sought to control. There have been several drone attacks on Tanf since Oct. 7. This is a brazen escalation.
The group that will claim responsibility calls themselves the ‘Islamic Resistance of Iraq,’ but that's really a post Oct 7 umbrella group of IRGC sponsored militias. The actual attackers were likely Kateeb Hizballah with support of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujab and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq.” (washingtonpost.com 1/29/24)
“Last week, citing sources in the State Department and Pentagon, Foreign Policy magazine wrote that the White House is no longer interested in continuing the US military mission in Syria. The White House later denied this information, but the report is gaining ground.
The Turkish daily Hurriyet wrote on Friday that while Ankara is taking a cautious approach to media reports, it does see ‘a general striving’ by Washington to exit not only Syria but the entire region of West Asia, as it senses that it has been dragged into a quagmire by Israel and Iran from the Red Sea to Pakistan.
Russia’s special presidential representative for the Syrian settlement, Alexander Lavrentiev, also told Tass on Friday that much depends on any ‘threat of physical impact’ on American forces present in Syria. The swift US military exit from Afghanistan took place with virtually no advance notice, in coordination with the Taliban. ‘In all likelihood, the same may happen in Iraq and Syria,’ Lavrentiev said.” (MK Bhadrakumar, new.cradle.co 1/29/24)
“U.S. officials have confirmed to CBS News that plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets — including Iranian personnel and facilities — inside Iraq and Syria. The strikes will come in response to drone and rocket attacks targeting U.S. forces in the region, including the drone attack on Sunday that killed three U.S. service members at the Tower 22 base inside Jordan, near the Syrian border.” (cbs.com 2/1/24)
“CENTCOM Statement on U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. The facilities that were struck included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces.”
“A Syrian military statement addressed the aerial aggression launched by the US occupation forces on sites and towns in the eastern region of Syria and near the border with Iraq.
The statement revealed that the aggression led to the killing of several civilians and soldiers, injuring others, as well as causing significant material damage. It also stressed that the targeted area in eastern Syria is the same one in which Syria has been fighting ISIS, emphasizing that the United States is working on reviving ISIS as its field arm in Syria and Iraq by ‘all dirty means.’
The statement also affirmed that the Syrian army will continue to defend Syria's land and people, and strike all terrorist groups, regardless of how much their sponsors and supporters try to obstruct this goal. It added that it is determined to liberate the entire Syrian territory from all terrorism and occupation, including the US occupation which ‘cannot persist.’” (english.almayadeen.net 2/3/24)
“US occupation troops in Syria's northeastern Jazira region looted 60 tankers of crude oil and transported it through an illegal border crossing into its military bases in Iraq, Syrian state media reported on 4 February.
‘The American occupation continued its plundering of Syrian oil wealth, transferring it from the areas it occupies in the Hasakah countryside to its bases in Iraqi territory through illegal crossings,’ SANA news outlet reported.
Local sources in the Yarubiyah countryside told SANA’s correspondent that ‘an American occupation convoy of 60 tankers loaded with stolen Syrian oil left Syrian territory, accompanied by an escort from the occupation forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia, through the illegal Mahmoudiyah crossing towards the occupation bases in northern Iraq.’” (thecradle.co 2/4/24)
“Seven fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were killed in an attack on an American base in eastern Syria overnight, a war monitor said Monday.
Seven SDF special forces ‘commandos’ were killed and 18 others wounded in ‘a drone attack after midnight’ on the Al-Omar oil field, the largest US-led coalition base in the country, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, updating an earlier toll.
The US-backed SDF, which spearheaded the fight against the Islamic State group jihadists in Syria, instead said ‘six of our fighters were martyred due to a terrorist attack’ with a one-way drone, targeting a ‘training academy in the Al-Omar oil field’ around midnight.” (barrons.com 2/5/24)
“In Syria, four soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army were reported to have been killed on Wednesday following an attack by armed militants on a military checkpoint in the village of Umm al-Miyazen, in the eastern countryside of the Daraa governorate according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent.
The terrorists targeted a military checkpoint affiliated with the 15th Division of the Syrian Arab Army, which is positioned approximately 3km north of the Syrian-Jordanian border, in the southeastern countryside of the governorate.
Terrorist attacks on Syrian Arab Army positions by extremist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra (HTS) and the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria continue to occur in the de-escalation zone in Idlib.” (english.almayadeen.net 2/7/24)
“As of Feb. 7, there have been more than 168 attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since Middle East tensions surged in October with the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. That has caused injuries among 143 U.S. service members, with two sustaining very serious injuries and nine suffering serious injuries.
The worst attack occurred on Jan. 28, when a drone slammed into a U.S. base called Tower 22 on Jordan's border with Syria, killing Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett.
One senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called that attack ‘tragic, unlucky - but predictable.’” (reuters.com 2/9/24)
“Tower 22, the U.S. base in Jordan where three American service members were killed last month, is not simply a ‘logistics support base,’ as the Pentagon has described it.
What the Pentagon hasn’t mentioned is that Tower 22 is also a drone base conducting long-range reconnaissance on militants in neighboring Syria and Iraq for airstrikes, according to two U.S. military sources. The base also serves as a staging facility for special operations forces and a medevac helicopter home base.
And while the Pentagon says Tower 22’s mission was to combat the Islamic State, or ISIS, since Hamas’s assault on Israel in October, its focus has turned to Iran-backed militia groups.
‘To call Tower 22 a logistics support base is complete bullshit,’ an Air Force airman, whose unit was recently stationed at the base, told The Intercept.” (theintercept.com 2/9/24)
“A US military base (Omar Oil Field) sitting on natural oil and gas fields in eastern Syria was shelled three times within one hour, a local Syrian source told Sputnik.
‘Within less than an hour, the US base was attacked three times - first two, then three more missiles were fired at it, the US air defences were unable to intercept them. During the third strike, more than 10 missiles were fired and struck the base, causing a fire to break out," the source said.
According to the source, the US military responded to the incident by shelling the attackers' positions. US attack helicopters have since been deployed to patrol the area.” (sputnikglobe.com 2/13/24)
“A new report by the inspectors general of the US State Department, Defense Department, and USAID conducted between 1 October and 31 December 2023 has determined that ISIS poses a minimal threat in Iraq and Syria, raising questions about the Pentagon's insistence on keeping US troops in both nations.
‘During the quarter, ISIS continued to operate in a survival posture in both Iraq and Syria. The group remained militarily defeated, incapable of mounting large, complex attacks domestically or externally, even as Coalition forces increased their focus on force protection due to attacks by Iran-aligned militia group,’ the quarterly report on the so-called Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) determines, noting the group’s ‘capacity to conduct insurgent activities remained severely degraded.’ Furthermore, ISIS currently lacks the ‘intent and capability to direct attacks against the US homeland,’ according to the report.” (thecradle.co 2/14/24)
“The legislation passed by the US House of Representatives prohibits the United States from normalizing relations with the Syrian government as long as President Bashar al-Assad remains in power. House lawmakers approved the 'Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act' on Wednesday with a vote of 389-32.
The bill sets a US policy that it will not recognize or normalize relations with any government led by al-Assad, citing alleged crimes against the Syrian people. Additionally, it establishes a policy of actively opposing recognition or normalization of relations by other governments. The legislation prohibits federal officials and funds from being used to imply 'in any manner' US recognition of a government led by Assad in Syria.
Earlier this month, Unidentified air strikes targeted military sites near Ain Ali, south of the city of Al Mayadin in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, Syria, sources told Al Mayadeen on February 3rd. The sources later identified the airstrikes as American, saying they bombed the Deir Ezzor airport in the country's east.” (english.almayadeen.net 2/15/24)
“Al Mayadeen's correspondent in the city of Aleppo reported that a suicide drone targeted the US base in the Conoco gas field, in the Deir Ezzor countryside, eastern Syria.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent confirmed that the drone reached its goal after a strong explosion was heard in the area surrounding the US base.” (english.almayadeen.net 2/21/24)
“The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated on 22 February that there are ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe that ISIS perpetrated chemical weapons attacks on the town of Marea, close to Aleppo, in 2015.
The Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) of the watchdog determined that ISIS militants utilized sulphur mustard in attacks across various parts of the town on 1 September 2015.
According to a OPCW report, ISIS units deployed sulphur mustard gas via their artillery munitions on the town of Marea between 9:00 and 12:00 pm. OPCW's report stated, ‘The chemical agent was delivered using one or more artillery guns.’” (thecradle.com 2/23/24)
“Israeli airstrikes destroyed two trucks, killing three people in Homs governorate in western Syria, Al-Mayadeen reported on 25 February. The Lebanese news outlet's correspondent said the strikes occurred near the Orontes Bridge in Qusayr near the Lebanese border. North Press Agency (NPA) claimed the strikes killed two members of Hezbollah.” (thecradle.co 2/25/24)
“The Syria Free Army (SFA), a US-backed militant group being trained inside Washington’s Al-Tanf base in eastern Syria, appointed a former ISIS chief as their commander on 29 February.
‘Today, the Syrian Free Army conducted a change of command and welcomed a new commander of the SFA. We thank COL Farid al-Qasim for 16 months of dedicated service to the SFA, the local community, and the 55-kilometer area,’ the SFA said on Thursday via its Facebook page.
Between 2015 and 2017, Antari took part in the ISIS takeover of Palmyra and the battles with the Syrian army that ensued. The ISIS assault on Palmyra destroyed some of Syria’s most cherished cultural heritage. He then became a part of the Ahrar al-Sharqiyah faction of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) militant coalition in 2017.
After the fall of Raqqa to US-backed Kurds in 2017, the SNA helped many ISIS fighters and commanders escape into SNA territory and incorporate into their factions. Antari took part in the Turkish-SNA assault on the northeastern city of Ras al-Ayn in 2019, which remains besieged to this day.
Antari then joined the Maghawir al-Thawra armed group, which in 2019 became a part of the US-backed Syria Free Army (SFA) that is now based in the US occupation base in Al-Tanf. The US army has been training these militants inside Al-Tanf under the pretext of confronting ISIS.” (thecradle.co 3/1/24)
“The US military's Kurdish proxies occupying northeast Syria fear an ‘Afghanistan-like pullout’ of US forces that would leave them at the mercy of their long-time enemy Turkiye, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported on 8 March.
Turkiye has escalated its airstrikes on areas in northeast Syria occupied by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in recent months; at the same time, Washington is in talks with the Iraqi government to potentially withdraw forces from Iraq.
The 900 US soldiers occupying northeast Syria with the SDF receive logistical support from US forces in Iraq. Any US withdrawal from Iraq may necessitate US withdrawal from Syria as well.” (thecradle.co 3/8/24)
“Battered by Turkish air strikes and stalked by fears of a US military withdrawal, Washington's Kurdish-led allies in northeast Syria are increasingly concerned they will be ditched as ‘collateral damage’ of the war in Gaza.
A rare visit last week to northeast Syria by General Erik Kurilla, the top US military commander in the Middle East, did little to boost confidence in the Kurdish-led autonomous region, officials there told MEE; neither has an extended reduction in attacks by Iran-backed groups on US targets in the region.
Chief among the worries of officials in northeast Syria has been a surge in attacks by Turkey since 7 October, when the Israel-Palestine war erupted.
Ankara has upped its bombardment of civilian infrastructure in northeast Syria, including power stations, the region’s electric grid, medical facilities, and oil fields - which Human Rights Watch said last month have left millions powerless and without access to clean drinking water.
‘The whole region is on fire and nobody will respond to Turkey’s aggression against us when everyone is busy with Gaza. We have asked the US to rein in Turkey, but they have brushed us off,’ Mahmoud Meslat, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told MEE.” (middleeasteye.com 3/8/24)
“Qatar National Bank (QNB) and Qatar Charity (QC) are attempting to uncover the identities of confidential sources that supplied documents to lawyers representing the family of murdered US journalist Steven Sotloff, which allege the financial institutions – acting at the behest of Qatar’s royal family – wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to the ISIS judge who ordered Sotloff’s execution.
Sotloff and another US journalist, James Foley, were beheaded in 2014 by ISIS in Syria. The extremist militant group published videos of its executions online directed at US government officials.” (thecradle.co 3/15/24)
"‘The very fact that within the first 24 hours [after the Crocus City Hall attack], even before the fire was put out, the Americans started screaming that it wasn't Ukraine, I think, is a piece of incriminating evidence. I can't classify it otherwise; it is evidence in and of itself,’ the diplomat [Zakharova] said on air during a Sputnik radio broadcast. ‘The second fact to note concerns the clamor by the US that this assuredly was the work of ISIS.’
“The Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes in the predawn hours of Tuesday morning in eastern Syria, targeting Iranian assets and operatives involved in a recent plot to smuggle advanced arms to West Bank terrorists, The Times of Israel has learned.
More than 15 people were reportedly killed in the strikes in the Deir Ezzor and al-Bukamal areas, close to Syria’s border with Iraq.
The strikes targeted assets belonging to Iran’s Unit 4000, the Special Operations Division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Intelligence Organization, and the special operations unit of the IRGC’s Quds Force in Syria, known as Unit 18840, according to Israeli defense sources.” (timesofisrael.com 3/26/24)
‘I think they’ve boxed themselves into a corner, because as soon as they started screaming that it was ISIS, all those people who work in international relations, who are political scientists and experts, recalled and reminded everyone else what ISIS really is,’ the diplomat said. ‘You are behind all those ISIS-type structures, you - the United States, Great Britain - yourselves brought them into being,’ she concluded.” (tass.com 3/27/24)
“The foreign intelligence service of Russia (SVR RF) warned on 4 March that the US and NATO countries are sending ISIS fighters from Syria to Ukraine. The ISIS members, who are reportedly headed to Ukraine, underwent special training at the US army's Al-Tanf military base in Syria.
The SVR also stated that similar extremist groups are being recruited throughout West Asia and North Africa. The militants will allegedly enter Ukraine through Poland.
The SVR statement detailed the history of the secret operation they uncovered, saying in a statement: ‘At the end of 2021, the Americans released from prisons … several dozen Daesh terrorists, including citizens of Russia and CIS countries. These individuals were sent to the US-controlled Al-Tanf base, where they have undergone special training in subversive and terrorist warfare methods with a focus on the Donbass region.’” (thecradle.co 3/5/22)
That said, the US military has been ‘retooling’ erstwhile ISIS fighters who are largely unemployed nowadays after the deadly Russian-Iranian offensive in Syria to crush them. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) went on record as recently as February 13, saying that the US is recruiting the erstwhile jihadist fighters to carry out terrorist attacks on the territory of Russia and CIS countries.
According to the SVR statement, ‘Sixty such terrorists with combat experience in the Middle East were selected this year in January… they are undergoing a fast-track training course at the US base in Syria’s Al-Tanf, where they are being taught how to make and use improvised explosive devices, as well as subversive methods. Particular emphasis is paid to planning attacks on heavily guarded facilities, including foreign diplomatic missions… In the near future, there are plans to deploy militants in small groups to the territory of Russia and the CIS countries.’ The SVR noted that ‘special attention was paid to the involvement of natives of the Russian North Caucasus and Central Asia.’” (MK Bhadrakumar rt.com 3/29/24)
“Israeli warplanes carried out a large attack on the countryside of Syria’s northwestern Aleppo province early on 29 March, coinciding with attacks by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) extremist militant group, formerly known as the Nusra Front. Dozens were killed in the simultaneous attack, including Syrian soldiers and civilians.
According to security sources cited by Reuters, at least 38 people were killed. Five members of the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah were reportedly among the casualties. Al-Mayadeen’s correspondent in Damascus confirmed that the Israeli strikes were launched simultaneously with the drone attacks by extremist militants. It added that the attack hit the Jibreen and Safira areas.” (the cradle.co 3/29/24)
“On Friday, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, stated that Moscow strongly condemns Israeli strikes targeting Syria, deeming them unacceptable and provocative.
‘We strongly condemn these provocative military actions, which can lead to extremely dangerous consequences in the context of a sharp deterioration of the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone,’ the spokeswoman said in a statement while also calling Israeli actions "unacceptable.” (english.almayadeen.net 3/29/24)
“Today, at 17:00 local time, Israel bombed the Iranian embassy area in Damascus, Syria. It hit a building next to the embassy which is used for consular services as well as for accommodations for embassy staff. The target of the attack was General Mohammad Reza Zahedi (Abou Mahdi Zahedi) of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp. He as well as other IRGC personnel were killed.
Zahedi was stationed in Damascus on invitation of the Syrian government. His responsibilities included the IRGC relations with friendly forces in Lebanon as well as Syria. The attack can be seen as another attempt by the Israeli government to incite a war with Hizbullah on its northern border. The idea behind such a war is to escalate far enough to draw U.S. forces into the fight (and to leave it to them to clean up the mess).” (moonofalabama.org 4/1/24)
“Israel's goal is to ‘act everywhere, every day to prevent the force build-up of our enemies,’ Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on 2 April, in an apparent reference to the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, the day before.
As is customary, Israel did not take credit for the bombing, which killed Iranian diplomats and a top commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and his deputy.
‘We are in a multi-front war, in the offense and defense. We see evidence of this every day, including in recent days,’ he said at a meeting of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Gallant says Israel is also working ‘to make it clear to everyone who acts against us, all over the Middle East, that the price for acting against Israel will be a heavy price.’” (thecradle.co 4/2/24)
“Speaking at an international event in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Nikolay Patrushev said Washington is determined to ‘impose’ its preferred narrative regarding the [Crocus City Hall] attack.
‘Identifying the mastermind and sponsor of the monstrous crime is what is most important. The trace leads to the Ukrainian special services,’ he claimed.
‘It is well known that the Kiev regime is not independent and is fully controlled by the US. We should also take into account that ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations were created by Washington,’ the senior official added.” (rt.com 4/3/24)
“Israeli warplanes bombed Deraa in the south of Syria late on 9 April in response to a rocket attack from Syrian territory towards Israel.
‘Israeli forces missiles on a military position in Tel Al-Jabiyah in Daraa countryside, responding to an attack with missiles by Iran-backed groups and Hezbollah from Syrian territory towards the occupied Syrian Golan Heights,’ the opposition-linked war monitor, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.
In a statement, the Israeli army said its jets ‘attacked military infrastructures of the Syrian army in the Mahaja region,’ adding that it ‘attacked with artillery fire a position of the Syrian army in the south of the country’ in response to a rocket launch from Syria. According to SOHR, Israel has attacked Syria 33 times since the start of 2024.” (thecradle.co 4/9/24)
“On the night of 14 April, a large number of missiles and drones were launched into Israel. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, this attack was carried out within the framework of the right of self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, in response to attacks on Iranian facilities in the region, including the attack on the building of the consular department of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus on 1 April, which our country strongly condemned. Unfortunately, due to the position of its Western members, the UN Security Council was unable to adequately respond to the attack on the Iranian consular mission.” (Russian Foreign Ministry 4/14/24)
“Top Iranian commanders warned Israel on Sunday that the country would face a bigger attack if it retaliates against overnight drone and missile strikes, adding that Washington has been told not to back any military action from its ally.
‘Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,’ Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri told state TV, adding that Tehran warned Washington that any backing of Israeli retaliation would result in US bases being targeted.” (timesofisrael.com 4/14/24)
“On the night of 14 April, a large number of missiles and drones were launched into Israel. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, this attack was carried out within the framework of the right of self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, in response to attacks on Iranian facilities in the region, including the attack on the building of the consular department of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus on 1 April, which our country strongly condemned. Unfortunately, due to the position of its Western members, the UN Security Council was unable to adequately respond to the attack on the Iranian consular mission.” (Russian Foreign Ministry, sputnikglobe.com 4/14/24)
“A senior American official told ABC News that at least nine Iranian missiles penetrated Israeli air defenses and hit two Israeli air bases. He added that five ballistic missiles hit the Nevatim Air Base, causing damage to a C-130 transport plane, a runway, and storage facilities. The official said that four additional ballistic missiles hit the Nevatim Air Base.” (english.almaydeen.net 4/16/24)
“Amnesty International exposes in a new report the involvement of the US and the UK in detaining thousands, including British citizens, in camps and facilities controlled by the US-backed SDF in northeastern Syria, where disease, torture, and mortality rates are near-unprecedented.
The report indicates that the Western-backed SDF is accountable for widespread human rights abuses against individuals detained since the conclusion of the ground war against the Islamic State (IS) over five years ago.
Amnesty asserts that the US plays a significant role in various aspects of the detention system, which comprises a minimum of 27 underreported facilities where suspected IS affiliates are detained, including the al-Hawl and Roj camps.” (english.almayadeen.net 4/17/24)
“Israeli and US officials who spoke with the New York Times (NYT) say the leadership in Tel Aviv ‘badly misjudged the consequences’ of their attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on 1 April, which received an unprecedented response from the Islamic Republic.
‘The Israelis had badly miscalculated, thinking that Iran would not react strongly,’ NYT cites several US officials and one senior Israeli official involved in high-level discussions after the attack as saying.
According to the sources, Israel started planning for the attack two months earlier, and the war cabinet approved the plans on 22 March. However, the US was not informed until moments before the attack was launched, in what is described as ‘a relatively low-level notification.’” (thecradle.co 4/18/24)
“Citing local sources, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported that US military forces smuggled a new consignment of stolen Syrian oil to its bases in Iraq. It stated that the 45-tanker US convoy carried oil stolen from the al-Jazeera oil fields into northern Iraq through the illegal al-Mahmoudia crossing.
Back in November, a rocket strike targeted the US occupation base in the Conoco gas field, northeast of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, in response to the American aggression on the cities of al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal.” (english.almayadeen.net 4/19/24)
“At least 20 fighters from Liwa al-Quds, a Palestinian armed group supporting the Syrian army, were killed when their bus was ambushed by unknown militants in the eastern countryside of Homs Governorate in Syria, Sputnik reported on 19 April.
Sputnik’s correspondent added that the ambush was carried out by militants likely affiliated with ISIS. The militants attacked the bus with heavy machine guns and B7 artillery shells while it was traveling between the village of Al-Koum and the city of Al-Sukhnah in the eastern Badia desert near Palmyra. Several Liwa al-Quds members were also seriously injured, suggesting the death toll may rise.” (thecradle.co 4/19/24)
“Alongside Israel’s drone attack on the Iranian city of Isfahan, Israel carried out missile strikes against army targets in southern Syria, hitting air defense sites in the southern Daraa Province and Sweida Province, near the Jordanian border.
Six Israel warplanes were said to be active across the south of Syria in the course of the attacks. They went after a radar site in the area, which was connected to Syria’s comparatively advanced air defense systems.” (Jason Ditz, antiwar.com 4/19/24)
“Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Aleppo reported on Monday at dawn that four missiles struck the US military base in the al-Omar oil field and the American Kharab al-Jir base in eastern Syria was targeted with three missiles and a drone.
Our correspondent reported that the two most significant US military bases in eastern Syria were targeted less than an hour apart. The first incident occurred with explosions heard from the US base in the Green Village near the al-Omar oil field in the countryside of Deir Ezzor in the eastern part of the country. Subsequently, three explosions were heard in the vicinity of the US base at Kharab al-Jir airport north of al-Hasakah.” (english.almayadeen.net 4/22/24)
“In the summer following Israel’s 2006 (unsuccessful) war on Hizbullah, Dick Cheney sat in his office loudly bemoaning Hizbullah’s continuing strength; and worse still, that it seemed to him that Iran had been the primary beneficiary from the U.S. 2003 Iraq war.
Cheney’s guest – the then Saudi Intelligence Chief, Prince Bandar – vigorously concurred (as chronicled by John Hannah, who participated in the meeting) and, to general surprise, Prince Bandar proclaimed that Iran yet could be cut to size: Syria was the ‘weak’ link between Iran and Hizbullah that could be collapsed via an Islamist insurgency, Bandar proposed. Cheney’s initial scepticism turned to elation as Bandar said that U.S. involvement would be unnecessary: He, Prince Bandar, would orchestrate and manage the project. ‘Leave it to me’, he said.
Bandar separately told John Hannah: ‘The King knows that other than the collapse of the Islamic Republic itself, nothing would weaken Iran more than losing Syria.’
Prince Bandar’s post-2006 playing of the Sunni ‘card’ was a flop (in no small part thanks to Russia’s intervention in Syria). And Iran, has come in from the cold and is firmly anchored as a primary regional power. It is the strategic partner to Russia and China. And Gulf States today have switched focus instead to money, ‘business’ and Tech, rather than Salafist jurisprudence.
Syria, then targeted by the West and ostracised, has not only survived all that the West could ‘throw at it’ but has been warmly embraced by the Arab League and rehabilitated. And Syria is now slowly finding its way to being itself again.” (Alastair Crooke strategic-culture.su 4/22/24)
“An Israeli strike hit a building operated by Syrian security forces on the outskirts of Damascus late on Thursday, a security source in the alliance backing Syria’s government told Reuters. Eight soldiers have been injured in the airstrike, Syrian state media said.” (english.alarabiya.net 5/2/24)
“ISIS militants launched a massive attack on 3 May on several points belonging to the forces supporting the Syrian army in the Al-Sukhna desert in the Homs countryside in eastern Syria, Sputnik reported.
A Sputnik correspondent in Homs said that the Syrian army and its auxiliary forces were able to repel the attack with the help of reinforcements, killing and wounding 40 ISIS militants. At the same time, 13 members of the Syrian army's auxiliary forces were killed in the battle.
ISIS launched the attack on Syrian military outposts in the Al-Sukhna desert, which lies north of the 55-kilometer buffer area surrounding the illegal US base at Al-Tanf on the Syrian–Jordanian–Iraqi border.
The US claims it occupies the Al-Tanf base to fight ISIS. However, the Russian and Syrian governments say US forces use the 55-kilometer buffer zone around the base to harbor and train militants from ISIS and other mercenary groups, including the Syrian Revolutionary Commandos, Ahrar al-Sharqiya, and the Ahmed al-Abdo Army.” (thecradle.co 5/3/24)
“A sizable surveillance aerostat owned by the US military crashed on 15 May near the town of Rmelan in Syria's northeastern Al-Hasakah province.
Footage on social media showed the aerostat descending from the sky and, subsequently, its debris on the ground close to Rmelan, which was also near a US base. Allegedly, US fighter jets were seen flying over the vicinity during the event.
Several local sources said the spy balloon crashed due to a technical malfunction, while others indicate that unidentified culprits shot down the aerostat. The Pentagon has yet to comment.
The US initially introduced aerostats to its Syrian bases years ago, although they were considerably smaller than the one that crashed near Rmelan. The significant size of this aerostat indicates it likely carried sophisticated surveillance equipment, potentially including aerial radar systems. (thecradle.co 5/16/24)
“At least six Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli strike on the terrorist group’s headquarters in Al-Qusayr, southwest of Homs, Syria, near northern Lebanon on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The six people killed were “Iran-backed fighters” of non-Syrian nationality, according to the war monitor, which added that others were wounded.An Israeli missile hit a truck in Al-Qusayr, the Hezbollah-affiliated television station Al-Mayadeen reported.
Israel also reportedly attacked another terrorist target near Homs on Monday, amid an ongoing effort to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in the country.” (jns.org 5/20/24)
“The US and UK essentially created Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and still use them to achieve their goals, says Russia’s intelligence chief
US and UK intelligence services are attempting to leverage their long-standing ties with various terrorist groups to sow chaos in Central Asia, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, has said.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Naryshkin said the West, led by the US, was seeking to maintain its grip on global hegemony. To achieve this goal, Western countries are trying to contain the development of other nations by fomenting strife and exploiting international and sectarian tensions, he claimed.
Naryshkin noted that, despite Washington’s ‘humiliating’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, British and American intelligence services still cooperate with underground terrorist cells ‘to destabilize the situation not only in [this country], but also in Central Asia and Eurasia as a whole.’
US and UK spy agencies, he continued, essentially created such notorious terrorist organizations as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). Washington and London are still operating in countries like Syria, which has been the scene of a multi-sided civil war since 2011, and Afghanistan, the intelligence chief alleged.” (rt.com 5/24/24)
“The U.S., UK and NATO are now on Full Hybrid War mode against Russia. NATO is facilitating a massive transfer of terrorists/jihadis from several latitudes to Ukraine, with some of these, especially branded ISIS-K, instrumentalized all across the Heartland. Call it a Terror Foreign Legion – which should be regarded as the SCO’s number one enemy. Bortnikov referred to ‘the constant rotation of militants in the Syria-Iraqi and Afghan-Pakistani zones, and the emergence of new militant training camps near the southern borders of the commonwealth.’” (Pepe Escobar strategic-culture.su 5/25/24)
“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said an Israeli strike on central Syria on Wednesday killed three Syrian fighters working with Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
‘Three Syrian fighters working with the Lebanese Hezbollah group were killed in an Israeli strike targeting a military site... in the eastern countryside of Homs,’ said the Observatory.
Syria’s defense ministry and state media said another Israeli strike killed a girl in the coastal city of Baniyas and wounded 10 civilians. ‘The Israeli enemy launched an air attack from the direction of Lebanon, targeting a central site and a residential building in Baniyas city in the coastal region, killing a girl and wounding 10 civilians,” a ministry statement said.
Syrian state media earlier said the country’s air defenses intercepted Israeli targets over the center of the country on Wednesday, and a war monitor saying Israel had attacked a military site.’ (english.alarabiya.com 5/29/24)
“Soon after the 7 October Al-Aqsa Flood Palestinian resistance operation – and even before the war’s trajectory became clear and Hezbollah’s intentions were understood – terrorists in Syria began to escalate their operations. Terror attacks were recorded in northern Latakia and the western Aleppo region, where Hezbollah, Iranian advisors, and the Syrian army are concentrated, as well as along the demarcation line between areas controlled by the state and those controlled by the militants.
This escalation was almost certainly not a coincidence, given the history of similar mobilizations triggered during crucial political and military events in Syria. It is well established that Washington supports terrorist armed groups in northwest Syria to keep the Syrian army and its allies in a state of attrition, serving US and Israeli interests – most notably in the eastern part of the country where the US maintains an illegal military presence.” (Khalil Nasrallah thecradle.co 5/30/24)
“‘The Israeli enemy launched an air attack from the direction of southeastern Aleppo, targeting some sites in the vicinity of Aleppo,’ a military source told Syria’s SANA news agency. ‘The aggression led to a number of martyrs and some material losses.’
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 12 ‘pro-Iranian’ fighters were killed, a term it usually uses to describe Iraqi Shia militias that operate in Syria, although the SOHR said some of the dead were Syrian nationals. The SOHR said the attack targeted a factory in the town of Hayyan, north of Aleppo.
The Israeli attack came a few days after Israel bombed the coastal Syrian city of Baniyas, killing a girl and 10 other civilians. On the same day, Israeli strikes hit central Syria and reportedly killed five Shia fighters.” (Dave DeCamp antiwar.com 6/2/24)
“I fully anticipate that Russia will provide Islamic insurgents in Syria and Iraq, as well as the Houthis, with weapons that can hit US and NATO targets in Syria and the Red Sea, if Ukraine expands attacks in Russia with Western weapons. Putin and Lavrov are dead-ass serious.” (Larry Johnson sonar21.com 6/6/24)
“Military aircraft operated by a US-led alliance have been responsible for multiple risky encounters with Russian forces in Syria...The episode was one of nine violations of deconfliction protocols perpetrated by the terrorist coalition in just 24 hours” (Russian MOD readout on phone conversation between SecDef Austin & Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov 6/25/24)
“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday he did not rule out a possible meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to help restore bilateral relations between the neighbours. Turkey severed ties with Syria after the 2011 Syrian civil war and supported rebels looking to oust Assad.
It has carried out several cross-border military operations against militants it says threaten its national security and formed a "safe zone" in northern Syria where Turkish troops are now stationed.” (reuters.com 6/28/24)
“‘This was the force [PMF] that blocked the advancement of ISIS,’ says Al-Tamimi. ‘Iranians also played a pivotal role, as they provided advisors and weapons. Russians came to the rescue too, supplying support to the Iraqi government and the PMF. The Americans, on the other hand, were the ones who supported terror groups, feeding them with weapons and military equipment. Holders of European passports were fighting in the ranks of ISIS; money was flowing from the West,’ he added.
Ali Yahya, a political analyst and international affairs advisor based in Beirut, knows well the history of ISIS, and he agrees with the claims put forward by Al-Tamimi.
‘It is not the first time that the US is stealing victory and changing the narrative,’ he says. ‘The Red Army was the main power that eliminated Nazism, whereas Washington waited until June 1944 to open a front. Nevertheless, they claimed victory in that war, sidelining the achievements and the sacrifices of the Russians. It is true in the case of ISIS as well.’” (rt.com 6/29/24)
“The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has expressed concerns over a potential advancement in reconciliation between Damascus and Ankara.
‘The recent unrest in Afrin, Al-Bab, Al-Rai, and Azaz is a direct result of Turkey's closer ties with Damascus, which has demanded Turkish withdrawal from all Syrian territories,’ Fathullah Husseini, representative of the AANES in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, told The New Arabon 3 July.
He added that Turkiye’s promise to protect armed opposition groups on its payroll, namely the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) coalition of factions, has been undermined by talks between Damascus and Ankara.
Husseini said that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-backed Kurdish militia linked to the AANES, has ‘no military plans’ aimed at the city of Afrin in northeast Syria and is committed to agreements for ‘self-protection and anti-terrorism’ with the illegal occupying US army in the country.
‘Any Turkish–Syrian agreement on northwest Syria would primarily impact Kurds [negatively], including the AANES and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, where Turkey has intensified operations against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases,’ Husseini warned. He also condemned Damascus’ ‘limited commitment’ to talks between the AANES and the Syrian government.” (thecradle.co 7/4/24)
“The United States has no immediate plans to fully withdraw its remaining forces in Syria, explained a high-ranking State Department official in a wide-ranging interview that covered a multitude of issues at the forefront President Joe Biden’s portfolio for Syria and Kurdish-led forces in the country.
'We are planning to continue and complete our mission,’ US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (DAS) for Near Eastern Affairs Ethan A. Goldrich said on Wednesday. Goldrich, who was speaking to Rudaw in an exclusive interview, is specifically responsible for the Levant and Syria engagement.
’A pillar of our policy is to counter ISIS and prevent the resurgence of ISIS. So, the presence of [the] US military in Syria is specifically toward that effort to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and we work together with our local partners toward that end,’ he said.” (rudaw.net 7/5/24)
“A Syrian soldier was killed and three others injured in Israeli bombardment on Damascus early on 14 July. Syrian state news outlet SANA said the strikes targeted a residential building in the capital’s Kfar Sousa neighborhood and a number of army sites in the vicinity of Damascus.
‘The Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression from the direction of occupied Syrian Golan, while our Syrian Arab Army’s air defense systems intercepted the missiles launched by the Israeli enemy and downed some of them,’ a military source told the news outlet.” (thecradle.co 7/14/24)
“Over the past few days, the US-backed Kurdish militia – the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – attempted to obstruct the electoral process.
‘After arresting a number of candidates, they closed the roads leading to the sites controlled by the Syrian state in the city of Qamishli in the east of the country, while announcing their non-participation in the elections and their boycott,’ a Sputnik correspondent reported.
The correspondent reported that the SDF set up roadblocks and security belts to prevent the transfer of ballot boxes to areas under its control. This aimed to ‘prevent civilians from going to the elections … and deprive them of their constitutional democratic right.’
The SDF previously announced that it would boycott the election. ‘As we announce a boycott of the planned legislative elections, we urge the Syrian people and all national and democratic forces not to participate in them. We stress that a comprehensive political solution, based on Security Council Resolution 2254,’ the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the SDF’s political wing, said in a statement.
UN Resolution 2254 was issued in 2015 and called for an immediate ceasefire and political settlement in Syria. The resolution failed to address the large sections of Syria illegally under the control of extremist armed groups.” (thecradle.co 7/16/24)
“The first official meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is set to take place in Moscow, the Daily Sabah reported citing sources familiar with the discussions. The meeting, which is expected to occur as early as August, will be mediated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.” (english.almayadeen.net 7/22/24)
“During the two leaders' first meeting since March last year, Putin told the Syrian president [Assad] of his concern with the ‘tendency towards escalation’ in the Middle East.’ This also applies directly to Syria,’ Putin said. The Russian leader told his counterpart that ‘there are also a lot of issues’ to discuss regarding trade and economic cooperation.
Assad responded by saying that while Russia and Syria ‘have gone through very difficult tests,’ over the past decades, relations between the two countries have maintained a ‘level of trust.’
“Considering all the events that are taking place in the world as a whole and in the Eurasian region today, our meeting today seems very important to discuss all the details of the development of these events, to discuss possible prospects and scenarios,” Assad told Putin. “ (rt.com 7/25/24)
“The US base in the Conoco gas field in the province of Deir Ezzur in eastern Syria has been hit by five missiles, a Syrian military field source told Sputnik on Saturday. ‘Three missiles landed in the territory of the base at Conoco, the other two in the vicinity of the base. US helicopters took to the air after the shelling,’ the source said.” (english.almayadeen.net 7/26/24)
“Rocket salvos hit the US occupation army base at Syria's largest oil field during the early hours of 27 July, according to local sources who reported the sound of explosions in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor in the vicinity of Conoco oil field. The correspondent for Sputnik in Deir Ezzor confirmed the salvos, reportedly launched by local resistance factions, ‘achieved direct hits.’
Following the attack, US aircraft launched raids in areas adjacent to their occupation base, targeting positions of the Syrian army's auxiliary forces in the liberated regions northeast of the Al-Omar oil field. Local reports say the US raids also hit the Al-Joura neighborhood in the vicinity of the city of Deir Ezzor.
Saturday's attacks mark the second time in two days that US bases have come under attack by resistance factions, after Ain al-Asad airbase, the largest US military base in Iraq, was targeted by a rocket attack late on Thursday.” (thecradle.co 7/27/24)
“The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on 28 July that Israel is trying to ignite the region by blaming Hezbollah for the strike in the Syrian Druze town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights a day earlier.
‘As part of attempts to escalate the situation in the region, Israeli occupation entity committed a heinous crime on Saturday in Majdal Shams town and then held the Lebanese National Resistance accountable for this crime,’ the Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
‘Syria condemns the continued massacres committed by Israeli occupation entity on a daily basis and holds it responsible for the dangerous escalation of the situation in the whole region,’ it added. (thecradle.co 7/28/24)
“The Iraqi armed forces have increased security along the country’s border with Syria following the release of hundreds of ISIS fighters from prison camps controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
‘The porous nature of the Iraq–Syria border, coupled with the ongoing conflict in the region, creates ideal conditions for ISIS to regroup and launch attacks,” Ahmad al-Sharifi, a strategic expert, told Shafaq News Agency on 1 August, adding that Baghdad has increased patrols along the border region and are ‘closely monitoring the situation in northeastern Syria.’
In mid-July, authorities from the SDF-controlled Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) issued a general amnesty that has so far secured the release of over 1,500 Syrian ISIS fighters convicted of terrorism-related offenses, provided they ‘did not participate directly in combat’ against the SDF.” (thecradle.co 8/1/24)
“Iraqi forces have increased security along the country’s border with Syria following the release of hundreds of ISIS fighters from prison camps controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month.
The US-backed SDF holds thousands of ISIS fighters and their family members in around two dozen prison camps in occupied northeast Syria. These include 2,000 foreigners whose home countries have refused to repatriate them.
The release of ISIS militants has raised fears among northern Iraq’s minority communities. With the help of Iraqi Kurdistan Region leader Masoud Barzani and his security forces, the Peshmerga, ISIS massacred thousands and ethnically cleansed hundreds of thousands of non-Kurds from Sinjar and the Ninevah Plains in August 2014.” (thecradle.co 8/2/24)
“The US military is continuing to bolster its bases in the occupied Al-Hasakah province of northeastern Syria, deploying additional Apache helicopters and military equipment, according to a Syrian military source cited by Sputnik.
‘US forces have reinforced their bases with 15 Apache helicopters to improve their ability to conduct attacks,’ the source said. A Syrian military source told Sputnik that a US military plane landed at the Kharab Al-Jir base, carrying military equipment, air defense missiles, logistics materials, and 25 service members.” (english.almayadeen.net 8/3/24)
“In mid-July, authorities from the SDF-controlled Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) issued a general amnesty that has so far secured the release of over 1,500 Syrian ISIS fighters convicted of terrorism-related offenses, provided they ‘did not participate directly in combat’ against the SDF. Informed Iraqi sources speaking with The Cradle stated the US military ordered the release of the ISIS prisoners.” (thecradle.co 8/6/24)
“A coalition of Syrian Arab tribes seized several towns from US-backed Kurdish forces in the countryside of eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor governorate on 7 August.
Tribesmen launched the ‘largest’ attack on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sites since the start of the Arab tribal rebellion against the US-backed militia last year, Sputnik reported, adding that the attack took place ‘under the cover of artillery and mortar shells.’
‘Arab tribal fighters managed to damage three Hummer military vehicles in the vicinity of the American base in the Al-Omar oilfield,” Sputnik said. ‘American helicopters targeted a group of tribal forces using machine guns near the banks of the Euphrates River in the town of Dhiban, east of Deir Ezzor,’ Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported on Tuesday.
The tribal assault came a month after the SDF released hundreds of ISIS fighters from their prison camps in northern Syria. (thecradle.co 8/7/24)
“Syrian army troops shelled positions of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 8 August, responding to attacks from the Kurdish militia on its territory in the countryside of the eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor.
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) shelled SDF positions in Al-Busayrah city and the towns of Al-Sabha, Bariha, Jadid Bakara, and Al-Dahla in Deir Ezzor’s eastern countryside, Al Mayadeen reported on Thursday.
The SDF’s media center announced on 8 August that its militants targeted the Syrian army and allied forces in the Al-Zubari and Sa’lu villages of the Deir Ezzor countryside with artillery and mortar shells.
‘The SDF artillery strikes came with support and cover from the US,’ Al Mayadeen reported.” (thecradle.co 8/8/24)
“The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have intensified their siege on areas under Syrian government control in the cities of al-Hasakah and Qamishli for the second consecutive day. This escalation comes after the SDF accused Syrian security forces of orchestrating a recent attack by Arab tribes in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, on Wednesday.
The siege includes the complete closure of government-controlled areas in Al-Hasakah, Qamishli, and their surrounding regions, including the road leading to Qamishli International Airport.
The SDF has restricted the movement of vehicles and trucks, including those carrying essential supplies like fuel, flour, food, and vegetables. The blockade has raised concerns of an impending humanitarian crisis.” (english.almayadeen.net 8/8/24)
“U.S. troops in northeastern Syria were attacked by a drone, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday, although there were no injuries according to initial reports. This is the second attack in recent days against U.S. forces in the Middle East as the region braces for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies.” (usnews.com 8/9/24)
“The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched multifaceted attacks on the terrorists in the countrysides of Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama on Saturday, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. SAA units eliminated and wounded a substantial number of terrorists, destroyed their vehicles, and shot down several drones, the Syrian Ministry of Defense revealed.
Syrian forces monitored the movements of terrorists who were preparing for an attack on the positions of SAA soldiers. An armored unit operating in the direction of the western Aleppo countryside attacked terrorist headquarters in Tadel and Kafr Ammeh.” (english.almayadeen.net 8/10/24)
“An American military official told Al Mayadeen that a drone attack targeted the US occupation military base in Rmelan, Syria, yesterday, causing damage to the base.
The official reported that several US and coalition forces were treated for minor injuries, with some undergoing post-traumatic brain injury assessments, while others were evacuated to a separate location for treatment. The official confirmed that there were no serious injuries among the troops and that no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.” (english.almayadeen.net 8/11/24)
“Syria, on 10 August, called on the United States to stop bombing Syrians, stop supporting Kurdish ‘separatist militias,’ and immediately withdraw from Syrian territory.
A statement issued by the Syrian Foreign Ministry said: ‘US warplanes, with the support of the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) militia, launched several raids in Deir Ezzor, Hasakah, and Qamishli, targeting innocent civilians defending their families, villages, and properties.’
Earlier, a Syrian security source told Sputnik that US helicopters bombed several villages in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, enabling the SDF to regain the villages and towns they lost two days ago after violent battles with Syrian government-backed tribal forces.
The statement added: ‘The SDF, which is an agent of the American occupation, launched criminal attacks on our people in Deir Ezzor, Hasakah, and Qamishli, in addition to other villages in the eastern and northeastern regions. These barbaric attacks led to the martyrdom of a number of Syrian citizens, including women and children.’
“Six auxiliary troops of the Syrian Arab Army were martyred and another 14 were injured in a drone strike that targeted a military caravan in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor countryside on Sunday. The vehicle was transporting soldiers near the town of al-Doueir, Sputnik reported.
In detail, according to the Russian news agency, the vehicle was transporting the soldiers to the city of al-Bukamal, near the Syrian-Iraqi border, where the Syrian Arab Army has set up several checkpoints to guard the area against infiltration attempts by ISIS and other terrorists.” (english.almaydeen.net 8/11/24)
“The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) targeted Syrian army positions with mortar and artillery shells at dawn on 12 August in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, Al Mayadeen reported.
The Kurdish-led SDF also targeted the villages and towns of Sabikhan, Al-Bulil, and Mohsen with mortar and artillery shells while striking the town of Baqras with an armed drone. SDF snipers opened fire at anyone moving on the opposite bank of the Euphrates River, injuring several civilians.” (thecradle.co 8/12/24)
“Russian commander Andrei Serdyukov successfully mediated talks between the SDF and the Syrian Arab Army, ending the siege imposed by the US-backed group on al-Hasakah and Qamishli.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ended their seven-day siege on the cities of al-Hasakah and Qamishli, during which water, fuel, flour, food, and medicine tankers were prevented from entering, while roads were closed, obstructing the movement of vehicles to and from these areas.
Sayyouh further noted that Russian mediation successfully ended tensions in both al-Hasakah and Qamishli, amid a visit from the commander of the Russian forces in Syria to the region.” (english.almayadeen.net 8/13/24)
“US occupation forces have established prominent bases at the Al-Omar and Conoco oil fields, in a region largely inhabited by Arab communities who have long been persecuted by the SDF. When the US failed to control and co-opt these tribes into a loyal organization, it sought to instead characterize them as a threat aligned with Syrian and Iranian interests.
This narrative is consistent with the approach of the US project and its allies in the SDF, who seek to suppress any resistance movements that challenge their agenda and practices, including the theft of Syrian oil and wheat.” (the cradle.co 8/14/24)
“Colonel Ahmadreza Afshari, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, died on 15 August from wounds he sustained in a US attack on Syria recently.
Afshari ‘was martyred as a result of an injury he sustained in an airstrike in Syria,’ Mehr news agency reported on Thursday. ‘Several days ago, Afshari was transferred to Iran for medical treatment following the airstrike carried out by the coalition forces invading Syria,’ it added.” (thecradle.co 8/15/24)
“The strategic placement of US military bases in northeastern Syria is no coincidence. Extending from the Syrian–Jordanian–Iraqi border in the southwest of the country, to areas west of the Euphrates in the northeast, are 28 US installations – 24 of them US military bases. This deployment, carefully planned out with specific geostrategic objectives, is there only to serve Washington’s local, regional, and international interests.
One of the primary objectives of the illegal US presence is the looting of Syrian oil and gas resources. This not only funds the activities of their Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) proxies but also strengthens the economic blockade on Syria, exemplified by the Caesar Act sanctions imposed in June 2020.
At the time, former US envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, stated that these sanctions contributed to the collapse of the Syrian pound and hindered the Syrian government’s economic policy, noting that Damascus ‘is incapable of managing an effective economic policy and conducting money-laundering in Lebanese banks.’
The US also uses oil revenues to finance its military presence and obstruct Syria’s reconstruction efforts. For instance, in August 2020, CNN reported on a deal approved by the Trump administration allowing US firm Delta Crescent Energy LLC to develop oil fields controlled by the SDF.” (Mohamed Nader Al-Omari thecradle.co 8/16/24)
“The United States army has dispatched another convoy of weapons, fuel, and military equipment from Iraq illegally to northeastern Syria, a Syrian military source told Sputnik on Sunday.
‘US troops brought a military convoy of 40 trucks with logistical equipment, weapons, ammunition, and tanks loaded with fuel from Iraq to the [Syrian] governorate of Al-Hasakah through the Al Waleed border crossing,’ the source said.
Sputnik had reported on Saturday that a convoy of 43 trucks illegally entered Al-Hasaka in Syria, heading toward a US military occupation base in the area. The US military is continuing to bolster its occupation bases in the Al-Hasakah province and other areas in northeastern Syria.” (english.mayadeen.net 8/18/24)
“Washington has begun training its Kurdish proxy in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the use of Avenger air defense missiles, opposition-linked media outlet Syria TV reported on 19 August.
The Avenger system is a short-range air defense system designed to counter low-altitude air threats like helicopters, drones, and low-flying fixed-wing aircraft. According to Syria TV, the system was brought into the country by the US in February 2021.
‘This is a notable development that confirms the continuation of US involvement in Syria, at a time when broader US foreign policy appears to be shifting away from the [region]. However, the attacks by Iranian militias on US bases in Syria before and after the Gaza war, and the expected Iranian response and another from Hezbollah, have prompted Washington to recalculate,’ Syria TV went on to say.” (thecradle.co 8/19/24)
“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that recent negotiations to restore relations between Syria and Turkiye have not brought any results, despite the mediation efforts of several allied countries.
“Syria constantly stresses the necessity of Turkiye’s withdrawal from the lands it occupies and stop its support for terrorism,” Assad said.
Turkiye is occupying large swathes of northern Syria under the pretext of battling the US-backed Kurdish militant group, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which itself occupies large parts of north and east Syria.
Relations between the two countries collapsed due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s participation in the US, Israeli, and Gulf-backed regime change war launched against Syria in 2011.
Turkish intelligence provided weapons, funding, and training for extremist mercenaries waging war against Assad’s government in Damascus, including the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and ISIS.
After years of war, the Turkish army occupied parts of northern Syria directly during several large operations in 2016, 2018, and 2019 and continues to support Syrian mercenary groups comprised of former FSA, Nusra, and ISIS members.” (thecradle.co 8/26/24)
“The United States army has delivered a new convoy of military equipment and hardware to its occupation base in the Conoco gas field in eastern Syria, a Syrian military source told Sputnik on Sunday.
‘A US military convoy of over 30 vehicles with logistical equipment and military hardware has arrived at the US base at the Conoco gas field in the north of Deir Ezzor province,’ the source said, adding that the convoy came from the Al Hasakah province in northeastern Syria.” (english.almayadeen.net 9/1/24)
“An opinion piece published in The National Interest on Friday argued that the US should reconsider its military presence in northeast Syria due to escalating risks and diminishing strategic benefits. According to writer Alexander Langlois, unresolved tensions between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and government-aligned Arab tribes have led to repeated flare-ups, trapping locals and around 900 US troops in a prolonged conflict.
The author claims that efforts on the part of Iran and the Syrian government are covertly mobilized to ‘destabilize the region’, with the specific aim of forcing a US withdrawal by exploiting local ethnic tensions and economic grievances.” (english.almayadeen.net 9/6/24)
“The US military has transferred large amounts of weapons and military equipment, including defense systems, to its illegal bases in Syria over the past month in an attempt to prevent the recurrence of resistance attacks against its bases and soldiers, Al-Akhbar reported on 7 September.
Local sources speaking with the Lebanese newspaper revealed that ‘in the last month, the Americans brought 22 batches of weapons and equipment to the bases in Hasaka and Deir Ezzor, including 19 batches that arrived by air to the Kharab al-Jir, Al-Shaddadi, Conoco, and Al-Omar bases, and three batches that arrived by land via the illegal Al-Walid crossing with Iraq.’” (thecradle.co 9/7/24)
“‘Israeli forces targeted a position in the area of the scientific researches in Masyaf in western Hama countryside, while ambulance vehicles rushed towards the center of the area of scientific researches,’ said the opposition-linked war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OHR).
According to regional intelligence sources cited by Reuters, the strikes hit ‘a major military research center for chemical arms production located near Masyaf. It is believed to house a team of Iranian military experts involved in weapons production.” (thecradle.co 9/9/24)
“Ukraine’s intelligence is actively recruiting Islamist militants in Syria and Africa to carry out terrorist operations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at an embassy roundtable discussion to settle situation around Ukraine.
‘Now there is information that Ukrainian envoys, those of Ukrainian intelligence, are in the Idlib de-escalation zone on the territory of Syria, where they are recruiting militants of Jabhat al-Nusra, now called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (terrorist group outlawed in Russia - TASS), in order to involve them in new hideous operations planned," the Russian foreign minister said.: (tass.com 9/12/24)
“Israeli special forces carried out a raid on an Iranian weapons facility in the Masyaf area in Syria earlier this week, according to a number of unconfirmed reports on Wednesday widely reported by Hebrew media.
A series of previously reported alleged Israeli strikes hit military sites in central Syria late Sunday, killing at least 14 people, wounding 43, and sparking fires. Local Syrian media reported at the time that the strikes hit a scientific research center in Masyaf, which has long been associated with the manufacture of chemical weapons and precision missiles by the Syrian regime and Iranian forces.
However, the fresh reports were the first to claim that Israeli troops operated on the ground during the action at Masyaf, which lies about 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Israel, though only about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Syria’s western coastline.” (thetimesofisrael.com 9/12/24)
“But smashing independent Syria would have paved the way for the [US] Hegemon – and Israel’s – Holy Grail: regime change in Iran.
US occupation forces entered Syria in late 2014 under the pretext of fighting ‘terror.’ That was Obama’s OCO in action. In reality, though, Washington was using two key terror outfits – Daesh, aka ISIL, aka ISIS, and Al Qaeda, aka Jabhat al-Nusra, aka Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – to try to destroy Damascus.
That was conclusively proved by a declassified 2012 US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) document, later confirmed by General Michael Flynn, the DIA’s chief when the assessment was written: ‘I think it was a willful decision [by the Obama administration]’ when it comes to helping, not fighting, terror.
ISIS was conceived to fight both the Iraqi and Syrian armies. The terror group was an offspring of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), then renamed Islamic State in Iraq (ISI), then rebranded as ISIL, and finally ISIS, after it crossed the Syrian border in 2012. The crucial point is that both ISIS and Nusra Front (later Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) were hardcore Salafi-jihadi Al-Qaeda offshoots.” (Pepe Escobar, thecradle.co 9/14/24)
“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met on Monday with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu in Syria's capital Damascus, where the two sides' discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing international and regional security issues, according to the Syrian Presidential Office.
During the talks, al-Assad and Shoigu ‘discussed matters related to international and regional security’ and expressed a mutual desire to enhance Syrian-Russian ties, "which meets the interests of the two friendly states.’ It is noteworthy that Shoigu's last visit to Damascus was as Russia’s Defense Minister in February 2022.” (english.almayadeen.net 9/16/24)
“Syrian Arab tribes publicly rejected the US in Syria and expressed full support for Damascus and the Axis of Resistance during the Fifth Syrian Tribes and Clans Forum in the city of Homs on 14 September.
The participants in the forum, made up of the representatives of several tribes and tribal organizations, denounced ‘the illegal foreign presence in all its forms on Syrian territory and its ongoing practices, especially the theft of the country’s wealth, which belongs to the Syrian people,’ according to a joint statement.
The tribes were referring mainly to Washington’s occupation of Syrian oilfields and its looting of the country’s oil and other natural resources, carried out by the US in coordination with its Kurdish proxy, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).” (thecradle.co 9/16/24)
“Special forces from the Khimik group of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) attacked a Russian military base in Syria on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 15, according to a Kyiv Post source in military intelligence. The operation took place on the southeastern outskirts of Aleppo. Kyiv Post has obtained exclusive footage.
The base targeted by HUR special forces was used by Russian forces to manufacture and test strike UAVs, as well as to produce ‘camouflaged improvised explosive devices,’ whose warheads were stored at the site, HUR said.” (kyivpost.com 9/18/24)
“The Syrian Ministry of Health has announced its full readiness around the clock to provide medical and emergency services to those arriving from Lebanon. Emergency medical personnel are on standby 24/7 to offer immediate health responses, particularly through the emergency hotline 110.
In light of the ongoing aggression on Lebanon, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad addressed the new government, stating, ‘Our primary focus now is to stand with our brothers in Lebanon in all areas without exception or hesitation.’” (english.almayadeen.net 9/24/24)
“An Israeli airstrike has killed five Syrian soldiers stationed on the Lebanese–Syrian border, Syrian state media reported on 27 September.
‘A military source reported on Friday that the Israeli enemy launched an air strike from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan [Heights], targeting one of our military sites on the Syrian-Lebanese border, resulting in the martyrdom of five soldiers and the injury of another,’ SANA stated.” (thecradle.co 9/27/24)
“US forces at Washington’s occupation base in the Conoco oil field near eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor governorate came under heavy attack during the early hours of 29 September.
‘Intense rocket and drone bombardment targeted the headquarters of the US occupation's armored forces stationed at the Conoco gas field base in Deir Ezzor,’ Al Mayadeen’s correspondent cited field sources as saying.
‘The intense shelling on Conoco resulted in direct hits on the headquarters of the armored division,’ according to one of the sources. Sputnik’s correspondent reported the attack left casualties among the occupation troops. Local sources said the strikes were launched in response to a series of US airstrikes on Deir Ezzor’s Harabeesh neighborhood.” (thecradle.co 9/29/24)
“Some 100,000 Lebanese and Syrian nationals have fled Lebanon to Syria amid Israeli airstrikes, the United Nations refugee chief said Monday. ‘The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes – Lebanese and Syrian nationals – has reached 100,000,’ Filippo Grandi said on X, adding that ‘the outflow continues.’” (thecradle.co 9/30/24)
“Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli missile strikes near the capital, Damascus, overnight, marking the third such attack in recent nights, according to Syria's state news agency, SANA. Explosions were heard repeatedly in the area as the Israeli occupation forces targeted locations around Damascus.
The Syrian air defense systems successfully intercepted most missiles aimed at western Damascus, particularly in the direction of the Mezzeh neighborhood. However, the strikes led to casualties, with the Syrian Defense Ministry stating that three were killed and 9 others injured as a result of the Israeli aggression. Journalist Safaa Ahmad was killed in the aggression.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/1/24)
“US occupation bases in the Conoco and al-Omar oil fields in Syria's Deir Ezzor governorate have been targeted by missiles, according to a Syrian field source on Tuesday. The source reported that ‘The US base in the Conoco field was hit by more than 10 missiles. As a result of the strikes, a fire broke out in the area of the base.’ According to the source, the US facility in the al-Omar field was also targeted with missiles.” (English.almayadeen.net 10/2/24)
“Syrian and Russian air defenses confronted a suspected Israeli attack early on 3 October that reportedly hit warehouses near Russia's Hmeimim airbase in the western Latakia governorate.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported, ‘Unknown drones … carried out airstrikes targeting an ammunition warehouse near Jablah city in Latakia countryside, near the largest Russian air base in Syria, which led to the warehouse’s destruction and huge explosions heard from far away.’
SOHR said it was not clear whether the drones were launched from inside Syrian territory or from the sea. According to local reports, drones, warplanes, and warships conducted the violent attack.
Warships and warplanes were present in the sea and skies, ‘believed to be Israeli,’ SOHR added. ‘The air defenses of the [Syrian] regime and Russian forces confronting the missiles for more than 40 minutes.’ The warehouse is located near the Hmeimim airbase in western Syria. Hmeimim is the largest Russian base in the country.” (thecradle.com 10/3/24)
“The Israeli army confirmed on 4 October that two soldiers were killed and 24 others were wounded during a drone attack launched on Thursday by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
‘Two explosive-laden drones were launched from Iraq in the attack, one of which was shot down by air defenses and the second impacted an army base in the northern Golan Heights several minutes later,’ the Times of Israel reports, citing an army investigation.” (thecradle.co 10/4/24)
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that its fighters conducted three separate operations against three vital targets in the occupied Syrian Golan on Sunday. The Iraqi Resistance vowed to continue striking enemy strongholds with increasing intensity.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/6/24)
"According to the official Syrian news agency, SANA, a Syrian military source has confirmed that ‘Israel' launched an air raid from the direction of northern Lebanon, ‘targeting a number of military sites in the central region,’ noting that ‘the bombing led to material losses.’
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Damascus reported that ‘shelling targeted warehouses in the eastern and southern countrysides of Homs,’ while field sources told Al Mayadeen that sounds of explosions were heard around the city of Homs and caused by the explosion of warehouses in the eastern and southern countryside.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/7/24)
“‘Nearly at 20.15 on Tuesday, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial aggression with 3 missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting a residential building at the densely-populated Mezzah neighborhood in Damascus, claiming the lives of 7 civilians, among them women and children, injuring 11 others in initial toll and causing huge material damages to properties,’ A military source told SANA. The source added that works are underway to rescue other from under the debris.” (sana.sy 10/8/24)
“Israeli warplanes launched an aggression on Syria, Thursday overnight, striking areas in Homs and Hama, the Syrian Ministry of Defense stated. The ministry explained that the strikes targeted a car assembly plant, in the Hassia industrial area, in the countryside of Homs, and a Syrian military site in Hama.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/10/24)
“In a new documentary, Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich detailed his desire to conquer not only all Palestinian territory to the Jordan River but also the Syrian capital of Damascus and territories extending as far as Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Smotrich, the Finance Minister in the Israeli cabinet and head of the Religious Zionism party, made the comments in a recently released documentary entitled Israel: Extremists in Power.The documentary was produced by Arte Reportage, a Franco-German broadcast news magazine.” (thecradle.co 10/10/24)
“Field sources confirmed Friday to Al Mayadeen that ‘US forces stationed at the al-Tanf base, located at the Syria-Jordan-Iraq border triangle, have brought in additional weapons and equipment to the base to strengthen it and install more specialized air defense systems.’
The sources explained that the reinforcements aim to achieve two objectives: first, to protect the base from potential attacks by the Resistance, which has carried out around six attacks on US bases in Syria over the past week, and second, to assist the Israeli occupation in mitigating the increasing attacks by Iraqi resistance forces in the region.” (10/11/24)
“‘The attack by the Zionist regime on the 56-bed field hospital of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Syria, along with its medicine warehouse on October 9, 2024, and setting it on fire, while creating a serious obstacle to the provision of humanitarian services, is considered a war crime,’ stressed Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, on Friday.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/11/24)
“In a familiar strategy of backing proxy forces, the US has orchestrated a toxic alliance between Ukrainian forces and Syrian extremists to counter Russia's influence — continuing Washington's decades-long pattern of leveraging terror groups to pursue its geopolitical goals.
Decades after the end of the Cold War, the US continues to employ proxy warfare as a central strategy in its confrontations with major global rivals, particularly Russia and China. This approach enables the US to extend its influence and pursue its geopolitical objectives without direct military engagement, instead relying on third-party actors to do the heavy lifting.” (Mohamed Nader Al-Omari, thecradle.co 10/13/24)
“The Syrian and Russian air forces carried out a joint wide series of airstrikes in the Idlib and Latakia countrysides in Syria. The strikes targeted camps belonging to the terrorist Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group in the al-Bassel forests west of Idlib city, as well as the hills surrounding the towns of Sheikh Bahr and Kfar Jales, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent. Additionally, the airstrikes targeted an underground vehicle depot near the cannery factory in Idlib city.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/14/24)
“Academics, political figures, and independent tribal figures from northeast Syria are attempting to open a direct dialogue between all Kurdish parties occupying the region on the one hand and the Syrian state on the other, Sputnik reported on 15 October.
An informed Kurdish source told the Russian news agency that a delegation from the so-called National Initiative for Dialogue in Al-Jazeera has been visiting Damascus for meetings with Syrian government officials. Their aim is to bring ‘viewpoints closer together to conduct a dialogue between the Syrian state and the Kurdish parties.’
Northeast Syria, known as Al-Jazeera in Arabic, is currently occupied by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in cooperation with US troops. The US and SDF collaborated to conquer parts of Syria previously occupied by ISIS, including the country’s major oil fields, to keep them outside the sovereignty of the Syrian government.” (thecradle.co 10/15/24)
“A joint Russian-Syrian air force unit conducted airstrikes on Wednesday, for the second consecutive day, targeting positions held by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants in the Idlib and Latakia countrysides in Syria, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent. The strikes focused on military training sites, storage facilities, and an underground tunnel near the town of Binin in Jabal al-Zawiya.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/16/24)
“Resistance factions launched a rocket barrage on the evening of 14 October, targeting the US military base at the Conoco gas field in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, Al Mayadeen reported. The attack came two days after another resistance faction launched multiple rockets at the same site, Al Mayadeen’s sources said.
US troops illegally occupy the base in partnership with Kurdish proxies from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The same sources indicate that US forces at Conoco targeted the Huwayjah Sakr area and the eastern outskirts of Deir Ezzor, an area under Syrian army control, without causing any damage.” (thecradle.co 10/18/24)
“Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in an Israeli strike on a vehicle on Monday afternoon in the Mazzeh district of Damascus, Syria's Defense Ministry confirmed. The Mazzeh neighborhood, where United Nations offices are also based, has been the target of other recent Israeli strikes.
‘At approximately 17:05 pm (1417 GMT), the Israeli enemy launched an air strike targeting a civilian car’ in Mazzeh, ‘killing two civilians and injuring three,’ the Ministry said in a statement. It added that the attack caused ‘material damage to private property’ nearby.” (english.alamayadeen.net 10/21/24)
“A barrage of six rockets targeted the US occupation base at the Conoco gas field in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Tuesday. A field source told Al Mayadeen that four rockets successfully hit their targets inside the military base at the Conoco gas field in the countryside of Deir Ezzor. The source also confirmed that loud explosions were heard inside the US military base.
According to the source, the rockets primarily targeted the radar station within the Conoco gas field base. Shortly after, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the US forces conducted strikes from the Conoco gas field, targeting the seven villages east of the Euphrates River, which are under the control of the Syrian government.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/22/24)
“Turkiye conducted several airstrikes and artillery shelling across US-controlled north and east Syria late on 23 October, targeting positions held by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The attacks targeted several villages and sites in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Raqqa, and Hasakah. One of the attacks hit an SDF military outpost in the countryside of the city of Al-Malikiyah, at the Syrian–Turkish–Iraqi tri-border region. Turkish artillery also hit SDF sites in the village of Umm al-Kaif in the countryside of the town of Tal Tamr, northwest of Hasakah.
On Thursday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the attacks killed at least ‘27 members of military formations operating in SDF-controlled areas,’ three soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), and at least four civilians.
For its part, Turkiye's Ministry of National Defence said 32 targets in Syria and Iraq were ‘destroyed’ in the aerial offensive without providing details on the locations that were hit. Officials added that ‘all kinds of precautions’ were taken to prevent harm to civilians.” (the cradle.co 10/24/24)
“The Syrian occupation is coming apart at the seams: Strikes against U.S. bases in Syria have become a weekly occurrence now. The resistance movements in Syria have shown that they have the capability to put American bases under constant pressure. The U.S. will shortly lose its comfortable perch on the Conoco oil fields in Syria and with it, control of the spigot to the various anti-government militant movements in the region...and with that, control of Syria. Turkey and Russia have become confident to bomb ISIS and Kurdish proxies in Syria.” (Arch Bungle, MoonofAlabama.com 10/25/24)
“The Turkish forces have conducted airstrikes on the main headquarters of the Asayish security forces affiliated with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Amuda, a city in the al-Hasakah province in northeastern Syria, sources familiar with the matter told Al Mayadeen. The strikes resulted in both material and human losses, the sources said.
Using a combination of warplanes, drones, and artillery, Turkish forces carried out a coordinated assault on over 30 SDF sites in the cities of Qamishli, al-Malikiyah, Rmelan, al-Qahtaniyah, Amuda and their surrounding countryside in al-Hasakah, as well as Ain al-Arab, Manbij, and Tel Rifaat in Aleppo countryside, and Ain Issa and Tel Abyad in the Raqqa countryside.
The strikes have primarily focused on infrastructure, including oil fields, wells, and grain silos, in addition to SDF and Asayish headquarters, resulting in significant human and material losses.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/26/24)
“A United States base in al-Tanf, an area on the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi tri-border, was attacked on Sunday night, sources told Al Mayadeen on Sunday. Concurrently, US occupation forces at the al-Omar oil field base, in Deir Ezzor, were also targeted. Al Mayadeen's correspondent also reported that a powerful explosion was heard in the area. US military helicopters were also seen flying over the area.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/27/24)
“Al Mayadeen Net sources reported that Resistance factions launched a drone attack on the Al-Omar oil field base, the largest US military occupation base in Syria, on Monday. The sources indicated that loud sounds were heard emanating from within the international coalition base, prompting a heightened state of alert among the soldiers stationed there.” (english.almayadeen.net 10/28/24)
“Minister and war cabinet member Gideon Saar fired a warning shot today (Sunday) at Syrian leader Bashar Assad, threatening him to cease allowing Syrian territory to be used to supply Hezbollah with weapons used against the IDF and Israel. In a statement he released today, Saar said that Israel ‘missed an opportunity’ during the Syrian Civil War to ‘collapse’ Assad's regime, which was ‘saved’ by Iran and Hezbollah.
Now, he said that Syria must not be allowed ‘under any circumstances to be a conduit for weapons supply from Iran to Hezbollah.’ The New Right leader said that ‘Israel must make clear to Assad that if he chooses to harm Israeli security in this manner - he places his regime in danger.’” (jfeed.com 10/29/24)
“Syrian news agency SANA confirmed on Monday that the Israeli occupation launched an aggression against several civilian sites south of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
A military source reported that at approximately 18:05 this evening, ‘Israel’ conducted an airstrike from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting several civilian sites south of Damascus. The source noted that the attack resulted in some material damage.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Damascus confirmed hearing two explosions in the Syrian capital and reported local information indicating that the aggression targeted the agricultural areas near the Holy Shrine of Sayyida Zeinab.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/4/24)
“Days after Israeli Special Forces reportedly nabbed the Hezbollah naval chief in a daring covert operation in eastern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the capture of an operative running an Iranian spying network in Syria. The captured Syrian operative, identified as Ali Soleiman al-Assi, had ‘gathered intelligence on Israeli troops in the border area,’ The London Times reported Sunday.
Al-Assi, who has been under IDF surveillance for some time, was extracted from the terrorist-held hostile territoriality in a bid to prevent possible cross-border attacks into northern Israel, the Israeli military revealed. The operation by the IDF troops ‘to detain al-Assi prevented a future attack and led to the exposure of the operational methods of Iranian terror networks located near the Golan Heights,’ the IDF said. ‘Al-Assi was brought to Israel for investigation.’” (legalinsurrection.com 11/5/24)
“Syrian state media reported that Israeli warplanes carried out multiple air strikes on 9 November in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, injuring several soldiers and causing material damage.
‘At around 00:45 after midnight, the Israeli army launched an air aggression from the direction of southeast Aleppo, targeting a number of sites in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib,’ a military source told SANA news agency. The report added that the attack had ‘resulted in the injury of a number of soldiers and some material losses" without providing further details.’ (thecradle.co 11/9/24)
“The Russian President's Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, stated on 11 November that ISIS is becoming more active and launching increasing numbers of attacks against Syrian government forces.
‘The situation in Syria is very complicated. Extremist groups have become more active, both in the West and in the East. ISIS has become very active recently and has begun to carry out more and more attacks against government forces and pro-Iranian formations,’ Lavrentiev told reporters ahead of a new round of talks on Syria in the Kazakh city of Astana. There are ‘forces that want to destabilize’ the situation in Syria, Lavrentiev added.” (thecradle.co 11/11/24)
“Today, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed militia group’s weapons storage and logistics headquarters facility. These strikes were in response to a rocket attack on U.S. personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi. There was no damage to U.S. facilities and no injuries to U.S. or partner forces during the attack.
These strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups’ ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces who are in the region to conduct D-ISIS operations.” (@CENTCOM 11/12/24)
“Several people were killed and injured in an Israeli attack on the Syrian capital, Damascus, on 14 November, coinciding with a surge in US and Israeli attacks on the country.
‘The Israeli enemy launched an aggression on the Mazzeh and Qudsaya areas in Damascus on Thursday,’ Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Thursday afternoon, adding that 15 people were killed and 16 wounded in the attack.
Two large explosions were heard during the attack, according to Sputnik. Israeli Army Radio reported that infrastructure and a headquarters associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement were targeted.” (thecradle.co 11/14/24)
“Upon arrival, the Iranian Defense Minister stressed the important position of the Syrian Arab Republic in Iran's foreign policy, noting that the visit to Damascus came at the invitation of the Syrian Minister of Defense for meetings with political and military officials to discuss several shared issues between the two countries, particularly in the areas of defense and security, with the aim of expanding cooperation and exchanging expertise between both sides. ‘Syria has an extensive history and profound experience in combatting terrorism,’ Nasirzadeh said, adding that it was a key supporter of the Axis of Resistance in the region.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/16/24)
“Sources reported to Al Mayadeen on Tuesday that the vicinity of a US military base in al-Shaddadi, southern al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria, came under attack. The strike coincided with US forces conducting military training exercises at the al-Jebsa housing area in the town’s southern region.
In a separate development, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Damascus reported that a Syrian Army checkpoint blocked a convoy of four US military vehicles from entering the village of Tal al-Dhahab in the Qamishli countryside.
Meanwhile, a significant explosion shook the US base at the al-Omar oil field in eastern Deir Ezzor, as a rocket barrage targeted the facility, according to a Sputnik correspondent. The correspondent added that US forces attempted to intercept the rockets with ground defenses; however, plumes of smoke rose from the base, visible from a considerable distance.”
“‘Israel’ carries out yet another aggression on Syria, this time targeting Tadmor, mainly striking residential buildings and resulting in scores of fatalities and injuries. At least 36 people were killed and 50 others were injured as the Israeli enemy launched an aerial aggression from the direction of the al-Tanf area, targeting a number of buildings in the city of Tadmor in the Syrian desert, a military source revealed.” (english.almayadeen.net 11/20/24)
What is the end game for the very strange state of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria? In Northeastern Syria you have Kurds, Al Qaeda, ISIS, Turks, Iranians (IRGC), Russians & Americans all vying for the same piece of valuable geo-political real estate. Where is the United Nations?
© 2022 James B. Angell All Rights Reserved