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…

Interview: “In talk there was a ceasefire. In practice we witnessed nothing like this” – YPJ Commander-in-Chief, Rohilat Afrin

As all eyes were on the HTS-led forces sweeping across Syria with Assad crumbling, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched an attack on North and East Syria (NES), seizing Shehba and Manbij from the Syrian Democratic Forces…

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…

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…

Interview: “We need dialogue. So that a better future can be built” – DAANES Executive Council co-chair on developments in Syria

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Evin Sweid, co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) talks about the developments across Syria in the past two weeks, covering HTS, potential paths ahead in the country, Turkish…

Interview – Sara Organization

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Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. RIC interviewed Arzo Tammo, the coordinator of Sara’s Qamishlo center. Sara is an organization specifically created to address violence against women, such as combating…

Interview – Zenobia Women’s Gathering

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L to R: Buthina Abod and Miyada al-Ahmed [July 2024] “We're here to be a real source of support for women, helping them understand their role in the workplace and within their families.” RIC spoke to Zenobia Women’s Gathering,…

Upcoming elections, the new Social Contract and political system changes – interview with Kobane Autonomous Administration officials.

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In December 2023, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) approved and published its much-anticipated updated Social Contract, based on “democratic, environmental, societal and women’s freedom”. Amongst…

“Research and heritage management should be led by local populations” – Vision, conservation NGO

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In December 2023, RIC interviewed Vision, a heritage and conservation NGO in Raqqa; a city whose rich cultural heritage was heavily destroyed by ISIS during the time of the so-called Caliphate. Vision coordinator, Ezzat Suleiman al-Mouh, describes…

Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg – Interview mit der Stadtverwaltung Derik

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Im Jahr 2019 wurde eine Städtepartnerschaft zwischen Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg und Derik gegründet. Seitdem wurden mehrere Projekte in Zusammenarbeit realisiert, darunter ökologische Initiativen, Dienstleistungsangebote und Austausch…

Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg – Interview with Derik Municipality

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In 2019, a city partnership between Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Derik was established. Since then, several projects have been realized in cooperation, including ecological initiatives, service provisions and information exchanges. RIC…