Update December 4 – Northern Syria Offensive

Highlights - As displaced families continue to pour in to NES, the DAANES estimates that numbers of IDPs will soon reach 120,000. - Critical shortages of essential supplies, food, water, medicines and accommodation for IDPs. - SNA commits…

Update December 30 – Heavy Fighting in Manbij Countryside as NES Death Toll Tops 250

Highlights  Ground fighting between SDF and SNA concentrated in eastern Manbij countryside but SDF commander says Turkish threat to Kobane "still very high" SDF-HTS communications are limited to "field coordination" to avoid clashes…

November Sleeper Cell Report – SDF Security Operation in al-Hol Camp

SDF's "Operation Enduring Security", al-Hol camp [RIC] Key points 24 sleeper cell attacks in November, 1 down from October 4 military personnel killed and 15 injured, 4 civilians killed and 7 injured in ISIS sleeper cell attacks …

Repeat Attacks on Infrastructure – Turkey’s October 2024 Airstrike Campaign

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On the night of October 23rd, 2024, Turkey began a multi-day airstrike campaign in the region of North and East Syria (NES) that targeted essential civilian infrastructure, cutting electricity, fuel, and water supplies, for an estimated…

Update December 23 – SDF counter-offensive at the Tishreen Dam

Highlights • SDF launch counter-offensive at the Tishreen Dam, re-taking several villages between the Euphrates River and Manbij city • Dire living conditions for Shehba IDPs; UNICEF notes possibility of further large-scale displacement…

Update December 18 – Threat To Kobane Remains Despite Ceasefire

Highlights -US-mediated ceasefire announced, yet clashes on Tishreen Dam and Qereqozak Bridge continue -SNA media channels report mobilization for an attack on Kobane; NES’ political and military institutions call for international…

Interview: “The question lies in how much the HTS leaders are open for democracy” – Gherib Hasso, Democratic Union Party co-chair

Gherib Hasso - the new co-chair of the Democratic Union Party, one of the main political parties in North and East Syria - discusses options going forward for peace in Syria, prospects for dialogue with HTS and the issue of foreign forces in…

Translation: DAANES Initiative For Intra-Syrian Dialogue

On December 16th, the DAANES announced an initiative for intra-Syrian dialogue and expressed readiness for cooperation with the transitional government in Damascus. RIC's full translation of the 10-point proposal: "With the fall of…

Interview: “They were even firing indiscriminately” – IDP Hassan Hassan after the Turkish-backed SNA’s attack on Shehba

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Hassan Hassan is an English teacher and works with the NGO S.O.S. Afrin.  He is originally from Afrin and lived almost seven years in Shehba. His family and he were displaced to North and East Syria following the Turkish-backed Syrian National…

Update December 13 and 14 – Turkish-backed SNA Mobilization Geared Towards Assault on Kobane, Say SDF officials

Highlights • While a ceasefire is in place after a multi-day Turkish-backed SNA assault on the Tishreen Dam and Qaraqozak bridge (connecting SNA-controlled Manbij to SDF-controlled Kobane), SDF officials say that a fresh Turkey/SNA…

Update December 12 – SNA/Turkish strikes on Tishreen Dam

Highlights SNA/Turkish strikes on Tishreen Dam risk catastrophic structural damage to essential electricity source. Civilians in Manbij report looting, theft, violence and intimidation by the SNA in the city, with DAANES employees…