The Siasat Daily – Women, unwell kids smuggled in tightly closed water tanker, video goes viral

Original Article by Sana Sikander, The Siasat Daily, 26 September 2020 The video, posted online on September 11, shows Kurdish Asayesh (internal security) officers opening a compartment of a water tanker. Four women and six semi-conscious…

Update: Coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria – week ending 27 September

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Our latest weekly update on the coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria finds: Director of National Hospital in Raqqa refusing to wear face-mask in protest at shortsupplyInfamous former ISIS prison in Raqqa’s ‘black stadium’…

France24 – Syrie : des prisonnières affiliées à l’EI tentent de s’évader avec des enfants dans un camion-citerne

Original Article by Fatma Ben Hamad, France24, 22 September 2020 Dans cette vidéo diffusée le 11 septembre par une page d'informations locales sur Facebook, un camion-citerne est arrêté par des combattantes syriennes kurdes des Forces…

News Week – Donald Trump Must Talk to Russia and Syria If He Wants U.S. Out of War, Allies Say

Original Article by Tom O'Conner, News Week, 17 Sept 2020 The United States has fought in Syria for more than six years, and has been involved in the country's near-decade-long civil war for even longer. Now, ahead of a national election,…

National Interest – Rapprochement with Turkey Requires Ankara’s Respect for Religious Freedom

Original Article by Toufic Baaklini and Michael Rubin, National Interest, 09 Sept 2020 Throughout the Cold War and for a decade after, Turkey was perhaps America’s top partner in the region. U.S. presidents and secretaries of state spoke…

“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.…

Update: Coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria – week ending 20 September

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Our latest update on the coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria finds: Total cases increased by 37% (840, 1151), and fatalities increased by 13% (46, 52)Only the rate of recoveries decreased by 58%, last week there were 124 new recoveries,…

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…

Summary: UN report on war crimes, atrocities committed by Turkish and other forces in Syria

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Turkish-backed militias are found culpable of an "onslaught" of war-crimes often conducted in the presence of Turkish officers An "onslaught of violations" against civilians including "war crimes" of "hostage-taking, cruel treatment, torture,…

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…