Explainer: Syrian Transitional Government Assault on Aleppo’s Kurdish Neighborhoods

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Summary - Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods offered sanctuary to up to 200,000 Kurds, minorities and Arabs, primarily Internally Displaced People (IDPs) - Neighborhoods faced over a decade of deadly assaults and economic embargo…

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…

US Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn: US “ready to use sanctions” to prevent Turkish attack on NES

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Mr. Rayburn has just replaced James Jeffrey as the US Special Envoy for Syria following Mr. Jeffrey's retirement Rojava Information Center put questions to the U.S. State Department’s incoming Special Envoy for Syria, Joel Rayburn, during…

Translation: Reforms announced in response to Syrian Democratic Council public consultations

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The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) this year held 13 public consultations across all the contiguous regions of North and East Syria (NES). Along with ordinary civilians then Kurdish and Arabic opposition groups, Arab tribal representatives,…
cooperative grain growing

Explainer: Cooperatives in North and East Syria – developing a new economy

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Currently, North and East Syria (NES) faces enormous economic difficulties: rampant inflation, a partial embargo, war and the draining of resources by occupying Turkish forces in Sere Kaniye, Tel Abyad and Afrin. In this crisis context,…

Explainer: Why is Turkey arresting its own proxy council members in Afrin?

Thousands of Kurds have been disappeared by Turkish forces in Afrin, but arrests targeting Turkey's own political apparatus are unusual (file photo, al-Andalou) Why is Turkey arresting its own proxy council members in Afrin?Mass arrests,…

Translation: General amnesty for prisoners in North and East Syria – AANES resolution

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The Justice Council of North and East Syria has announced an amnesty for prisoners, and is working on another amnesty for Syrian residents of Hol Camp Many prisoners in North and East Syria will be released via a general amnesty or have…

Translation: Criticism and proposals from Syrian Democratic Council consultation, Raqqa

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The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has launched a series of consultations across North and East Syria. RIC researchers recently attended one such public consultation in Raqqa, summarized below, following on from another meeting in Heseke…

“Our aim is that these women open their minds” – Roj Camp management on transfers from Al-Hol

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Recently, around forty families have been transferred from Al-Hol camp to the much smaller Roj camp (with less than 2000 inhabitants as compared to around 70,000 in Al-Hol). RIC visited Roj Camp and talked to Nura Abdo, head of camp management.…

Translation: Criticism and proposals from Syrian Democratic Council public consultation

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Key stakeholders including opposition politicans and tribal leaders were invited, as well as members of the general public The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has launched a series of consultations across North and East Syria. The meetings…

Explainer: Christian Communities in North and East Syria

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Syriac Orthodox Church, Heseke Origins The Assyrian and Syriac Christian communities in North and East Syria trace their origins to the Assyrian empire, a Mesopotamian kingdom in the ancient Near East and the Levant that…

Explainer: The Religious Assembly and Academy for Democratic Islam

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The Autonomous Administration’s secular position on religion is laid out in the Social Contract, the founding document of the Democratic Federation of North and East Syria. The Social Contract states that public affairs are not to be conducted…