IRAN
************* INTERNATIONAL TALKS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM ***********
After years of tension, culminating in rounds of economic sanctions, failed talks and frustrated diplomatic efforts, an agreement was reached in the early hours of November 24, 2013 (Geneva Time Sunday November 24, and US Time on November 23, 2013) between P5+Germany and Iran on freezing or reversing the country's nuclear program in exchange for a moderate easing of economic sanctions for the next six months in the hope for achieving a broader, more comprehensive agreement after a year. P5 refers to Five Permanent Members of U.N Security Council. The agreement was reached after an 11th hour intervention by the US Secretary of State John Kerry. Under the agreement arrived at Geneva on November 24, 2013, Iran will:
* Dilute/Convert its current stockpile of an estimated 196 kg of 20% enriched uranium
* Not enrich uranium beyond 5% purity level (Before the November 24, 2013, deal, Iran possessed a total of 7,154 kg of 3.5%-5% pure uranium)
* Freeze the number of centrifuges as well as not start the centrifuges installed, but not operational yet (Before the deal, Iran had 11,000 usable centrifuges. Centrifuges are used to work with uranium ore--only 0.7% of natural uranium ore is uranium 235 isotope--to increase the percentage of uranium 235 isotope)
* Suspend work at Arak heavy water plant, where Iran is suspected to have plan to produce Plutonium
* Be subjected to enhanced UN monitoring and verification through frequent access to UN monitors to its nuclear facilities at Parchin, Fordo and Natanz.
Under the deal, Iran will receive a moderate degree of sanction relief to the tune of $7 billion over the next six months. But the bulk of the sanctions on its oil and banking sector will remain intact until a final, comprehensive agreement is reached. Most of the sanction relief will come from presidential action eschewing the action from Congress.
US President Barack Obama in a televised address on November 23, 2013 night called the agreement "an important first step toward a comprehensive solution".
How dramatic and swift this negotiated deal that has been reached at the Palace of the Nations around 3AM (Geneva Time) on November 24, 2013 looks like on the surface, there has been an arduous path of diplomacy hidden from public eye that has begun in March 2013 at Muscat and eventually has yielded to this historic agreement. The US delegation in the first secret, diplomatic meeting at Muscat was headed by Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Jake Sullivan, Vice President Joe Biden's chief foreign policy adviser. Since March 2013, there has been five such behind-the-scene meetings at Muscat, and Oman's monarch Sultan Qaboos, who harbors very good relations with both Washington and Teheran, has guided the sessions. Qaboos played a key role in seeking the release of three American hikers in 2011, two years after they had strayed into Iranian territory from Iraqi Kurdish mountainous region as they were hiking. Out of five secret sessions with top-level Iranian diplomats, the chief US negotiator Wendy Sherman joined the latest one or two sessions after Burns-Sullivan duo had created a workable framework to go forward with.
Israel after losing out the diplomatic channel on the first round after a concerted effort to persuade west not to sign a deal with Iran that will ease the economic hardship is now concentrating its effort to focus on influencing the course of the talks leading to final, comprehensive agreement. A glum Benjamin Netanyahu on November 24, 2013 called the deal a "historic mistake".
As bipartisan Congressional opposition has started to mount against the November 24, 2013, Iran deal, Obama administration counter-launched an effort to explain to American public, lawmakers and its international allies that the deal was a good balance between an aggressive stance and diplomacy to seek a peaceful solution to a very complex international problem. President Obama called out the opponents on November 25, 2013 from San Francisco during an immigration measure-related visit, and derided the "tough talk and bluster" a good political ploy, but not the "right thing to do for our security".
The interim deal, known formally as Joint Plan of Action, is complicated, involves engaged monitoring by IAEA monitors and requires rigorous adherence by Iran with the letter and spirit of the deal it has reached with P5+Germany on November 24, 2013. Both parties set up a joint commission that would meet in December to go over the details how this interim deal would become effective in January 2014. As the six-month time frame begins in January 2014, there will be a more concerted effort to come up with a comprehensive agreement by the end of 2014.
On December 7, 2013, IAEA inspectors arrived at Teheran, as part of the November 24, 2013, interim deal to begin their verification work on Arak heavy water reactor.
As part of November 24, 2013, deal reached at Geneva, Iran met with P5+1 nations on January 9 and January 10, 2014 at Geneva to resolve all outstanding issues related to the framework of the landmark agreement. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi represented the country in January 9-10, 2014, talks, while Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Policy chief, and Helga Schmid represented P5+1 nations. Briefing reporters on January 10, 2014, Araghchi said that details would now needed the final approval from all the governments: Iran, Germany, USA, China, Russia, UK and France.
Iran and six other world power (P5+Germany) signed a deal on January 12, 2014 in Paris that details the implementation mechanism of the November 24, 2013, Geneva agreement that would put a hold to Teheran's nuclear program in exchange for some relief in biting western sanctions. Under the deal arrived at Paris on January 12, 2014, the six-month clock will start ticking on January 20, 2014.
The interim agreement known formally as Joint Plan of Action took effect on January 20, 2014, and will run through for the next six months until July 20, 2014. Implementation of the JPA marked a significant victory for the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who won the 2013 elections promising to work on easing the economic strangulation caused by the western sanctions over the dispute of Iran's nuclear program, and came after all sides reported that the steps promised as part the implementation process had been fulfilled. Over the next six months, Iran and P5+Germany will strive towards reaching at a permanent, longer lasting agreement. Also, during the day (January 20, 2014), the Deputy Director of IAEA Tero Varjoranta said at Vienna that Iran was co-operative in giving access to the international inspectors. As part of Joint Plan of Action, Iran will
* Receive suspension of restrictions on petrochemicals, automotive and precious metals
* Get sanction relief and will have access to part of $4.2 billion in asset frozen in the foreign banks as part of the sanctions
* Gain partial relief from restraints on insurance for oil shipment and licenses for services and parts needed for Iran's commercial airlines
International Inspectors Visit Iranian Facilities
As part of a separate deal signed between International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yikiya Amano and Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Galehi on November 11, 2013 that called for, among others, access of Gachin Uranium mine and opening up the Arak heavy water plant to the inspectors, a three-member IAEA team on January 29, 2014 visited the Gachin Mine, a month after U.N. inspectors entered the Arak plant.
Iran to Provide Data to IAEA
As part of President Hassan Rouhani's effort to address international concerns over its nuclear program, which Teheran described as meant for peaceful purpose and west sees as a front for pursuing nuclear weapons ambition, Teheran on February 9, 2014 agreed to "provide information and explanations" of experiments on a type of detonator that the International Atomic Energy Agency first raised questions three years ago. More transparency in sharing of Iran's research data with IAEA signifies a trend of continuing thawing of relationship with the west.
Talks between Iran and West Resume
As a six-month interim agreement is set to expire on July 20, 2014, there has been rush to hammer out a permanent deal with Teheran over Iran's nuclear program over long-held skepticism and hurdles. The talks between Iran and P5+Germany resumed at Vienna on February 18, 2014, with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister and deputy nuclear negotiator Abbas Aragchi holding an eighty-minute session with the lead U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman. A day before the talks resumed, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the talks would "lead nowhere" although he won't stop them.
After three days of talks (February 18-20, 2014) at Vienna, diplomats and negotiators were hopeful of coming up with a comprehensive agreement over Iran's nuclear program as Iran and P5+Germany agreed on February 20, 2014 about a framework and timetable for a possible comprehensive agreement. Groups of experts will meet in early March and the full delegation will meet on March 17, 2014. The buoyant and bullish mood of the delegation from both sides is captured by EU Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's comment that "we had three very productive days during which we have identified all the issues we need to address to reach a comprehensive and final agreement."
U.N. Atomic Agency Confirms Iranian Compliance with Six-Month Interim Agreement
The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on February 20, 2014, confirming the compliance of Iran so far with the requirements of the six-month interim deal Teheran signed in November 2013 with P5+Germany.
Ukraine Crisis Overshadows Iranian Nuclear Talks
The two-day talks (March 18-19, 2014) at Vienna between Iran and world powers were overshadowed by the unfolding crisis in Crimea and stands taken by the main facilitators of the Iran talks, namely, USA and Russia. The tension was palpable throughout the talks, and parties strictly held to the agenda although there were surely provocations to get distracted. The head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, on March 19, 2014 made sure that the world knew that Russia had the trump card too, and it could retaliate with measures that would throw the current process of weaning Iran away from its current focus on higher degree of uranium enrichment off-track.
IAEA Certifies Iran's Progress
On April 17, 2014, International Atomic Energy Agency issued a progress report on Iran's nuclear program as part of a landmark agreement Teheran had reached with P5 + Germany in November 2013, and the report stated that at least 75 percent of Iran's high-enriched (20 percent level) Uranium had either been diluted to lower purity level or converted to oxide for reactor fuel. As Teheran is eager to get its next installment of $4.2 billion in oil revenue that was frozen under the international sanctions, the April 17, 2014, report issued by the Vienna-based international atomic body will go a long way to help Iran's cause to receive economic relief.
Iran to Limit the Capability of Heavy Water Plant
Two days after International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had already diluted three-fourth of its enriched uranium, country's Atomic Energy Organization head and Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi said on April 19, 2014 that Iran would redesign its Arak Heavy Water Plant to limit its production of Plutonium at 20 percent of originally planned.
Diplomatic Sprint Begins for the next Nine Weeks
Iran and six other nations--USA, UK, China, France, Russia and Germany--met at Vienna on May 14, 2014 for a three-day negotiation as part of a grueling nine-week run-up to July 20, 2014, deadline to come up with a "comprehensive joint plan of action".
Talks Stall at Vienna
The three-day negotiation ended at Vienna on May 16, 2014 without much headway toward finding a permanent solution to Iran's nuclear program by July 20, 2014, deadline. The major points of contention remained despite intense effort on behalf of the so-called P5 plus Germany on one side and Iran on the other. They included Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi's demand for maintaining up to 100,000 centrifuges compared to international community's insistence of only few thousands and west's focus on Iran's missile development program, to name the few of the disagreements. The talks that started on February 18, 2014 were aimed at formulating a "comprehensive joint plan of action" as part of coming up with a permanent solution to Teheran's nuclear program by July 20, 2014.
Iran Makes a Key Concession
During talks at Vienna on June 18, 2014, Iran made a key concession that if a permanent agreement were signed by July 20, 2014 as stipulated, Teheran would take a phased withdrawal of sanctions--instead of immediate withdrawal of all sanctions as had been demanded by Iranian regime all along--as acceptable. The assurance came from Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Talks Extended for Four More Months Prior to a Key Deadline
As it became increasing unlikely to reach at any solution by July 20, 2014, deadline, Iran and P5+Germany on July 18, 2014 decided to extend the negotiation deadline to November 24, 2014.
Talks Extended After Parties Fail to Reach Agreement by Deadline
As it became clear that any tangible agreement was far from possibility, Iran, USA, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany on November 24, 2014 agreed to extend the talks for seven months, with March 1, 2015 as an interim milestone to reach a political agreement and $5 billion in additional economic sanctions relief.
Ayatollah Defiant against West
A day after the nuclear talks were extended for seven more months, Iran's top religious cleric Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on November 25, 2014 that the west had tried to bring Iran to its knees, but failed. His comments at a clerics' conference reflects the difficulty that lies ahead in the negotiation process.
Iranian Religious Leader Endorses Continuation of Nuclear Talks
Iran's top religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on November 27, 2014 gave his blessing to President Hassan Rouhani's decision to extend nuclear talks with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany.
47 Republican Senators Write Open Letter Warning Iran on Any Deal with Obama
The political brinkmanship reached a new low point of decency and high point of audacity on March 9, 2015 as a freshman Senator from Arkansas, Tom Cotton, wrote a draft and 46 of his party colleagues in the U.S. Senate signed it, warning Teheran against making any deal with Obama administration as it won't survive beyond Obama's term. The open letter clearly undermines the ongoing negotiation, which has become lot more intense in recent weeks in the run-up to an end of March 2015 timeline and deals with a 10-year tentative proposal constraining Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon in less than a year's effort in exchange for lifting the economic embargo on Teheran, build between the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany on one side and Iran on the other. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, however, didn't sign the open letter. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif on March 9, 2015 called the open letter a "propaganda ploy" and didn't carry "any legal value".
Ayatollah Derides Senators' Letter
Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 12, 2015 took a shot at the American political system, calling the episode surrounding the March 9, 2015, letter co-signed by 47 U.S. Senators and sent to Iran's leaders as outcome of political decadence and decline of the "American establishment from within".
Talks Stretch into Last Minutes Sprint
The foreign ministers and diplomats of all seven nations--USA, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran--went into an all night negotiating session at Lausanne, Switzerland on March 30, 2015 to come up with an agreement framework. All seven nations are striving toward a March 31, 2015, deadline for an agreement framework. The U.S. team is being led by the Secretary of State John Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
Nuclear Talks Go on Overtime
As a key deadline passed by on March 31, 2015, Iran and six other nations extended the talks as the gaps had been narrowed significantly over the past 24 hours.
Historic Framework Agreement Reached
After an overstretched negotiation at Lausanne, the diplomats from P5, Germany and Iran on April 2, 2015 reached a landmark framework agreement that would pave the way for an intense negotiating session in order to reach a more comprehensive deal by June 30, 2015. The framework agreement included quite a few pleasant surprises for the west as it made Iran yield more concessions than many in the west had thought that it would be possible. Under the framework agreement reached on April 2, 2015, Iran will:
* Reduce the operating centrifuges by more than two-thirds from about 19,000 to 6,104 (Duration 10 years)
* Reduce the stockpiles of low-enriched uranium by 97% from 10,000 kilograms to 300 kilograms (Duration 15 years)
* Enrich uranium only to 3.67% purity level, far short of 90% needed for weapons program
* Stop producing plutonium, another ingredient for nuclear weapons program
* Allow international inspectors unfettered access to nuclear facilities, mines and mills (Duration 25 years)
Facility-by-facility Breakdown
(1) REACTOR
A. Tehran: A medical research reactor will be open to inspectors
B. Arak: Will be redesigned and stop producing plutonium
C. Bushehr: Power plant will be open to inspectors
(2) ENRICHMENT FACILITY
A. Fordo: Will not enrich uranium for 15 years, fissile materials will be removed, will work as a research center
B. Natanz: Will remove advanced centrifuges, enrich uranium only to the purity level required for medical and energy need
(3) MINING/PROCESSING FACILITY
A. Isfahan: This facility that converts uranium into a gas will be open to inspectors
B. Gachin: The mining and processing operation will be open to inspectors
C. Saghand: Iran's main source of uranium will be open to inspectors
D. Ardakan (planned): The facility that would process uranium ore into "yellowcake" for enrichment will be opened to inspectors
On the day the framework agreement was announced, Obama administration distributed a fact sheet touting the benefit of this deal, including a one-year "breakout time"--meaning that Teheran needs at least a year to produce one weapons-grade materials--instead of current 2 to 3 months for at least next 10 years, suspension of economic sanctions initially and subsequent gradual phase-out, and flexibility of many of these assumptions to be "snapped back" if needed. US President Barack Obama on April 2, 2015 hailed the framework agreement as historic, and said that the alternative of doing nothing was far worse.
World Reaction to Iran's Nuclear Framework Agreement on Predicted Line
As the details of the historic Lausanne framework agreement on the Iranian nuclear program sunk in, the players reacted more or less on the predicted line. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on April 3, 2015 pledged to honor the deal in letter and spirit. However, the unhappiness of Iran's conservatives over the framework agreement was summed up by Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of conservative daily Kayhan, who called the deal on April 3, 2015 as a downgrade from "ready-to-race horse" to one with "broken bridle". Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added his own tantrum on April 3, 2015 to the muddied political landscape insisting that the final agreement in June required Iran to recognize the existence of Israel.
Obama Drums up Support for Iran Agreement
In an expansive interview with The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, President Barack Obama said on April 5, 2015 that the historic framework agreement reached on April 2, 2015 among P5, Germany and Iran gave "once in a lifetime opportunity" for curbing Iran's nuclear program in a way that would have plenty of checks and balances.
Ayatollah Disputes the Parts of US Narrative of Framework Agreement
Disputing the western, especially the American, narrative of April 2, 2015, framework agreement, Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his silence a week later on April 9, 2015 and said that all the economic sanctions would have to be lifted on the day a final agreement was signed contrary to Washington's stand of phased withdrawal of sanctions. The supreme leader also vowed that any military site would be off-limit to foreign inspectors.
US Senate Votes to Pass a Iran's Nuclear Deal Review Bill
The US Senate on May 7, 2015 overwhelmingly approved a measure by 99-1 vote that would give Congress the authority to review the final nuclear program agreement with Iran. Under the legislation, which President Barack Obama said that he would sign, the Congress will have authority to vote on the final deal on Iran's nuclear program. If Congress votes against the final deal, President Obama is sure to veto that piece of legislation. Congress can subsequently override the presidential veto by two-third vote in each chamber, a threshold high and difficult enough to meet.
US House of Representative Passes the Iran Nuclear Deal Review Bill
Following suit in the footsteps of the US Senate, US House on May 14, 2015 passed the review bill by 400-25 margin and sent to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature. The President is expected to sign the bipartisan measure.
Iranian Parliament Restricts Inspection in Military Facilities
In the run-up to June 30, 2015, deadline, Iranian lawmakers on June 21, 2015 banned international inspections at military facilities, documents and scientists.
Deadline Extended as Iran Talks Enters the Last Sprint
The talks among Iran, USA, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China on Teheran's nuclear program entered into a crucial stage, and negotiators had been working round the clock at Vienna to build on the framework agreement announced on April 2, 2015 at Lausanne, Switzerland and reach a final agreement. As it became clear that negotiators won't meet the June 30, 2015, deadline for the final agreement, the talks were extended on June 30 for an additional week through July 7, 2015. The Obama administration is particularly walking on a tight schedule as if a final agreement is sent to Congress before July 9, 2015, it will have 30 days to review the deal. After July 9, 2015, the review period may be extended to up to 60 days.
Iran Nuclear Talks Extended
Iran-P5-Germany talks at Vienna on Iran's nuclear program was extended on July 7, 2015 for the second time in five days. The deadline for the final comprehensive nuclear agreement, originally scheduled for June 30, 2015, was extended for an additional 48 hours through July 9, 2015.
Comprehensive Agreement on Iran's Nuclear Program Reached
After months of intense negotiations that went through frequent ups and downs, the exhausted negotiators, including diplomats and officials from Iran, USA, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, emerged from the meeting venue at Vienna on July 14, 2015, all with full of smiles, joys and an air of fulfillment. The deal reached on July 14, 2015 capped 20 months of negotiations and would give Obama the biggest foreign policy victory. The agreement brought worldwide cheer as well as condemnation from various quarters. As President Barack Obama appeared at a White House press conference to give details on the agreement, his whole press conference was beamed live in Iran. Planning to launch a vigorous defense that President and his team had viewed all along as a legacy foreign policy achievement, President Obama said that the deal was not made "based on trust", but "on verification". The strongest critique offered against the deal came from Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu who called the deal as a "historic mistake" that would make Iran a "terrorist nuclear superpower". Now, Congress has 60 days to review the deal and vote on it. Beside the U.S. Congress, Iran's Supreme National Security Council and parliament have to approve the deal. The historic deal includes the following key elements:
* Uranium Enrichment
Terms of the Deal: (1) The number of centrifuges in Natanz enrichment site will be cut from nearly 20,000 to 6,104, among which 5,060 will be running (Duration: 10 Years). (2) The underground enrichment facility at Fordo will stop enriching uranium, and instead will produce medical and research isotopes as a physics and technology center(Duration: 15 Years). (3) Iran will not build any new enrichment facility(Duration: 15 Years).
* Nuclear Stockpile
Terms of the Deal: (1) Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium will be cut 98% to 300 kilograms (Duration: 15 Years). (2) A reactor in Arak will be rebuilt so that Iran can't produce weapons-grade plutonium, with spent fuel to shipped out of the country (Duration: Lifetime of reactor).
* Breakout Time
Terms of the Deal: The time for Iran to make enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb will be lengthened to at least a year instead of its current capability of 2 to 3 months (Duration: At least 10 Years).
* Inspections and Monitoring
Terms of the Deal: Inspectors will be given access to any facility at any stage based on recommendations of an arbitration panel controlled by the USA and allies. However, inspectors have to give a 24-day notification, enough time for Iran to hide evidence, according to the deal's critics (Duration: At least 15 Years).
How 24-day notification will work
Under the terms of the accord, Iran has up to 14 days to either to give access to international inspectors or satisfy their concerns in other way. If Iran and international inspectors can't agree, then the issue will be referred to an eight-member panel that consists of USA, Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany, Iran and EU. The eight-member panel has an additional week to resolve the issue.
* Sanctions
Terms of the Deal: (1) Iran's nuclear program-related sanctions will be lifted in phases after IAEA certifies that Iran is complying with the deal's requirements (Duration: Pending Iranian Compliance). (2) An arms embargo, not associated with nuclear program related sanctions, will stay in place for an additional 5 years (Duration: 5 Years). (3) Sanctions related Iran's ballistic missiles, not associated with nuclear program related sanctions, will stay in place for an additional 8 years (Duration: 8 Years). (4) Sanctions will "snap back" anytime Iran is caught violating the agreement.
Obama Invites Critics of Final Agreement to Engage in "Vigorous" Debate
Determined not to allow Republican critics in Congress to torpedo and trash one of his most legacy-setting achievement in foreign policy, President Barack Obama on July 15, 2015 steadfastly defended the final agreement on Iran's nuclear program reached a day earlier in Vienna. Addressing a lengthy news conference at the White House, President Obama presented the deal in the context of choosing the best of options. The alternative, according to the President, would be a possible war with Iran. Meanwhile, in Iran, the joyous mood continued on the streets, in college campuses, in coffee houses, and, to some extent, within Teheran's seat of power.
Obama Sends Iran Nuclear Deal to Congress, Mounts Aggressive Campaign at Home and Abroad
As Obama administration sent the Iran nuclear deal to Congress on July 19, 2015 for a 60-day review, senior officials from the administration mounted what could be construed as one of the most spirited and sustained campaign to sell the accord to American public and allies in overseas. As Defense Secretary Ash Carter left for Middle-East to assuage an aggrieved Benjamin Netanyahu and address the concerns of Sunni monarchies in the region, Secretaries of State and Energy, John Kerry and Ernest Moniz, made rounds on Sunday morning TV shows to campaign heavily for the deal.
U.N. Security Council Okays Iran Nuclear Deal; EU Follows Suit
In a sign of solid international backing, U.N. Security Council on July 20, 2015 approved the Iran nuclear agreement signed six days ago at Vienna. Iran's U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo delivered a spirited defense of his nation at the security council session, saying that his country was not interested in building nuclear weapons as they were "haram", or illegal, as per declaration from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said that the deal would give Iran an opportunity to earn credibility from the international community.
Immediately after U.N. vote, European Union Foreign Ministers, meeting at Brussels, approved the deal.
Israeli Premier not Swayed by Obama Administration's Reach-out
A visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter failed to soothe the ruffled feather of Israeli political establishment over the Iran's nuclear program deal, especially a belligerent Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Premier, taking an uncompromising stand on the deal. A meeting between Carter and Netanyahu on July 21, 2015 went nowhere in terms of narrowing the gap between the allies left alone addressing the concerns.
******* ISRAELI SPY JONATHAN POLLARD
Israeli Spy Pollard to be Paroled, Many See it a Gesture to Assuage Israelis
Former intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard will be out of prison after 30 years on November 21, 2015, according to the U.S. DOJ that has granted parole on July 28, 2015. Based on the decision's timing, political analysts and pundits see a clear link, however tenuous it is, between a restive Israeli political establishment over the Iran nuclear agreement and a herculean task of Obama administration to woo nervous lawmakers.
Pollard Released from Jail after Almost 30 Years
The former Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, who was sentenced to life in prison for giving intelligence secrets to Israel, was released from a federal prison at Butner, North Carolina in the early hours of November 20, 2015. Later in the day, Pollard appeared at a federal courthouse in New York City with his wife, Esther. Pollard had become a celebrity of sort in recent days as high-ranking politicians of Israel and the USA, including Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, advocated for his release. Although Pollard will be out jail, he will spend the next five years in the USA. Many of his supporters demanded that he be given the freedom to move to Israel immediately. Jonathan Pollard was arrested on November 21, 1985 after trying to gain asylum at the Israeli embassy in the Washington D.C. He pleaded guilty in 1986 to the charges of committing espionage. Although he said that his guilty plea was coerced, but he also expressed regret for his work, saying in 1998 that he didn't consider himself a hero.
************* INTERNATIONAL TALKS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM ***********
After years of tension, culminating in rounds of economic sanctions, failed talks and frustrated diplomatic efforts, an agreement was reached in the early hours of November 24, 2013 (Geneva Time Sunday November 24, and US Time on November 23, 2013) between P5+Germany and Iran on freezing or reversing the country's nuclear program in exchange for a moderate easing of economic sanctions for the next six months in the hope for achieving a broader, more comprehensive agreement after a year. P5 refers to Five Permanent Members of U.N Security Council. The agreement was reached after an 11th hour intervention by the US Secretary of State John Kerry. Under the agreement arrived at Geneva on November 24, 2013, Iran will:
* Dilute/Convert its current stockpile of an estimated 196 kg of 20% enriched uranium
* Not enrich uranium beyond 5% purity level (Before the November 24, 2013, deal, Iran possessed a total of 7,154 kg of 3.5%-5% pure uranium)
* Freeze the number of centrifuges as well as not start the centrifuges installed, but not operational yet (Before the deal, Iran had 11,000 usable centrifuges. Centrifuges are used to work with uranium ore--only 0.7% of natural uranium ore is uranium 235 isotope--to increase the percentage of uranium 235 isotope)
* Suspend work at Arak heavy water plant, where Iran is suspected to have plan to produce Plutonium
* Be subjected to enhanced UN monitoring and verification through frequent access to UN monitors to its nuclear facilities at Parchin, Fordo and Natanz.
Under the deal, Iran will receive a moderate degree of sanction relief to the tune of $7 billion over the next six months. But the bulk of the sanctions on its oil and banking sector will remain intact until a final, comprehensive agreement is reached. Most of the sanction relief will come from presidential action eschewing the action from Congress.
US President Barack Obama in a televised address on November 23, 2013 night called the agreement "an important first step toward a comprehensive solution".
How dramatic and swift this negotiated deal that has been reached at the Palace of the Nations around 3AM (Geneva Time) on November 24, 2013 looks like on the surface, there has been an arduous path of diplomacy hidden from public eye that has begun in March 2013 at Muscat and eventually has yielded to this historic agreement. The US delegation in the first secret, diplomatic meeting at Muscat was headed by Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Jake Sullivan, Vice President Joe Biden's chief foreign policy adviser. Since March 2013, there has been five such behind-the-scene meetings at Muscat, and Oman's monarch Sultan Qaboos, who harbors very good relations with both Washington and Teheran, has guided the sessions. Qaboos played a key role in seeking the release of three American hikers in 2011, two years after they had strayed into Iranian territory from Iraqi Kurdish mountainous region as they were hiking. Out of five secret sessions with top-level Iranian diplomats, the chief US negotiator Wendy Sherman joined the latest one or two sessions after Burns-Sullivan duo had created a workable framework to go forward with.
Israel after losing out the diplomatic channel on the first round after a concerted effort to persuade west not to sign a deal with Iran that will ease the economic hardship is now concentrating its effort to focus on influencing the course of the talks leading to final, comprehensive agreement. A glum Benjamin Netanyahu on November 24, 2013 called the deal a "historic mistake".
As bipartisan Congressional opposition has started to mount against the November 24, 2013, Iran deal, Obama administration counter-launched an effort to explain to American public, lawmakers and its international allies that the deal was a good balance between an aggressive stance and diplomacy to seek a peaceful solution to a very complex international problem. President Obama called out the opponents on November 25, 2013 from San Francisco during an immigration measure-related visit, and derided the "tough talk and bluster" a good political ploy, but not the "right thing to do for our security".
The interim deal, known formally as Joint Plan of Action, is complicated, involves engaged monitoring by IAEA monitors and requires rigorous adherence by Iran with the letter and spirit of the deal it has reached with P5+Germany on November 24, 2013. Both parties set up a joint commission that would meet in December to go over the details how this interim deal would become effective in January 2014. As the six-month time frame begins in January 2014, there will be a more concerted effort to come up with a comprehensive agreement by the end of 2014.
On December 7, 2013, IAEA inspectors arrived at Teheran, as part of the November 24, 2013, interim deal to begin their verification work on Arak heavy water reactor.
As part of November 24, 2013, deal reached at Geneva, Iran met with P5+1 nations on January 9 and January 10, 2014 at Geneva to resolve all outstanding issues related to the framework of the landmark agreement. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi represented the country in January 9-10, 2014, talks, while Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Policy chief, and Helga Schmid represented P5+1 nations. Briefing reporters on January 10, 2014, Araghchi said that details would now needed the final approval from all the governments: Iran, Germany, USA, China, Russia, UK and France.
Iran and six other world power (P5+Germany) signed a deal on January 12, 2014 in Paris that details the implementation mechanism of the November 24, 2013, Geneva agreement that would put a hold to Teheran's nuclear program in exchange for some relief in biting western sanctions. Under the deal arrived at Paris on January 12, 2014, the six-month clock will start ticking on January 20, 2014.
The interim agreement known formally as Joint Plan of Action took effect on January 20, 2014, and will run through for the next six months until July 20, 2014. Implementation of the JPA marked a significant victory for the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who won the 2013 elections promising to work on easing the economic strangulation caused by the western sanctions over the dispute of Iran's nuclear program, and came after all sides reported that the steps promised as part the implementation process had been fulfilled. Over the next six months, Iran and P5+Germany will strive towards reaching at a permanent, longer lasting agreement. Also, during the day (January 20, 2014), the Deputy Director of IAEA Tero Varjoranta said at Vienna that Iran was co-operative in giving access to the international inspectors. As part of Joint Plan of Action, Iran will
* Receive suspension of restrictions on petrochemicals, automotive and precious metals
* Get sanction relief and will have access to part of $4.2 billion in asset frozen in the foreign banks as part of the sanctions
* Gain partial relief from restraints on insurance for oil shipment and licenses for services and parts needed for Iran's commercial airlines
International Inspectors Visit Iranian Facilities
As part of a separate deal signed between International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yikiya Amano and Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Galehi on November 11, 2013 that called for, among others, access of Gachin Uranium mine and opening up the Arak heavy water plant to the inspectors, a three-member IAEA team on January 29, 2014 visited the Gachin Mine, a month after U.N. inspectors entered the Arak plant.
Iran to Provide Data to IAEA
As part of President Hassan Rouhani's effort to address international concerns over its nuclear program, which Teheran described as meant for peaceful purpose and west sees as a front for pursuing nuclear weapons ambition, Teheran on February 9, 2014 agreed to "provide information and explanations" of experiments on a type of detonator that the International Atomic Energy Agency first raised questions three years ago. More transparency in sharing of Iran's research data with IAEA signifies a trend of continuing thawing of relationship with the west.
Talks between Iran and West Resume
As a six-month interim agreement is set to expire on July 20, 2014, there has been rush to hammer out a permanent deal with Teheran over Iran's nuclear program over long-held skepticism and hurdles. The talks between Iran and P5+Germany resumed at Vienna on February 18, 2014, with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister and deputy nuclear negotiator Abbas Aragchi holding an eighty-minute session with the lead U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman. A day before the talks resumed, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the talks would "lead nowhere" although he won't stop them.
After three days of talks (February 18-20, 2014) at Vienna, diplomats and negotiators were hopeful of coming up with a comprehensive agreement over Iran's nuclear program as Iran and P5+Germany agreed on February 20, 2014 about a framework and timetable for a possible comprehensive agreement. Groups of experts will meet in early March and the full delegation will meet on March 17, 2014. The buoyant and bullish mood of the delegation from both sides is captured by EU Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's comment that "we had three very productive days during which we have identified all the issues we need to address to reach a comprehensive and final agreement."
U.N. Atomic Agency Confirms Iranian Compliance with Six-Month Interim Agreement
The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on February 20, 2014, confirming the compliance of Iran so far with the requirements of the six-month interim deal Teheran signed in November 2013 with P5+Germany.
Ukraine Crisis Overshadows Iranian Nuclear Talks
The two-day talks (March 18-19, 2014) at Vienna between Iran and world powers were overshadowed by the unfolding crisis in Crimea and stands taken by the main facilitators of the Iran talks, namely, USA and Russia. The tension was palpable throughout the talks, and parties strictly held to the agenda although there were surely provocations to get distracted. The head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, on March 19, 2014 made sure that the world knew that Russia had the trump card too, and it could retaliate with measures that would throw the current process of weaning Iran away from its current focus on higher degree of uranium enrichment off-track.
IAEA Certifies Iran's Progress
On April 17, 2014, International Atomic Energy Agency issued a progress report on Iran's nuclear program as part of a landmark agreement Teheran had reached with P5 + Germany in November 2013, and the report stated that at least 75 percent of Iran's high-enriched (20 percent level) Uranium had either been diluted to lower purity level or converted to oxide for reactor fuel. As Teheran is eager to get its next installment of $4.2 billion in oil revenue that was frozen under the international sanctions, the April 17, 2014, report issued by the Vienna-based international atomic body will go a long way to help Iran's cause to receive economic relief.
Iran to Limit the Capability of Heavy Water Plant
Two days after International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had already diluted three-fourth of its enriched uranium, country's Atomic Energy Organization head and Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi said on April 19, 2014 that Iran would redesign its Arak Heavy Water Plant to limit its production of Plutonium at 20 percent of originally planned.
Diplomatic Sprint Begins for the next Nine Weeks
Iran and six other nations--USA, UK, China, France, Russia and Germany--met at Vienna on May 14, 2014 for a three-day negotiation as part of a grueling nine-week run-up to July 20, 2014, deadline to come up with a "comprehensive joint plan of action".
Talks Stall at Vienna
The three-day negotiation ended at Vienna on May 16, 2014 without much headway toward finding a permanent solution to Iran's nuclear program by July 20, 2014, deadline. The major points of contention remained despite intense effort on behalf of the so-called P5 plus Germany on one side and Iran on the other. They included Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi's demand for maintaining up to 100,000 centrifuges compared to international community's insistence of only few thousands and west's focus on Iran's missile development program, to name the few of the disagreements. The talks that started on February 18, 2014 were aimed at formulating a "comprehensive joint plan of action" as part of coming up with a permanent solution to Teheran's nuclear program by July 20, 2014.
Iran Makes a Key Concession
During talks at Vienna on June 18, 2014, Iran made a key concession that if a permanent agreement were signed by July 20, 2014 as stipulated, Teheran would take a phased withdrawal of sanctions--instead of immediate withdrawal of all sanctions as had been demanded by Iranian regime all along--as acceptable. The assurance came from Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Talks Extended for Four More Months Prior to a Key Deadline
As it became increasing unlikely to reach at any solution by July 20, 2014, deadline, Iran and P5+Germany on July 18, 2014 decided to extend the negotiation deadline to November 24, 2014.
Talks Extended After Parties Fail to Reach Agreement by Deadline
As it became clear that any tangible agreement was far from possibility, Iran, USA, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany on November 24, 2014 agreed to extend the talks for seven months, with March 1, 2015 as an interim milestone to reach a political agreement and $5 billion in additional economic sanctions relief.
Ayatollah Defiant against West
A day after the nuclear talks were extended for seven more months, Iran's top religious cleric Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on November 25, 2014 that the west had tried to bring Iran to its knees, but failed. His comments at a clerics' conference reflects the difficulty that lies ahead in the negotiation process.
Iranian Religious Leader Endorses Continuation of Nuclear Talks
Iran's top religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on November 27, 2014 gave his blessing to President Hassan Rouhani's decision to extend nuclear talks with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany.
47 Republican Senators Write Open Letter Warning Iran on Any Deal with Obama
The political brinkmanship reached a new low point of decency and high point of audacity on March 9, 2015 as a freshman Senator from Arkansas, Tom Cotton, wrote a draft and 46 of his party colleagues in the U.S. Senate signed it, warning Teheran against making any deal with Obama administration as it won't survive beyond Obama's term. The open letter clearly undermines the ongoing negotiation, which has become lot more intense in recent weeks in the run-up to an end of March 2015 timeline and deals with a 10-year tentative proposal constraining Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon in less than a year's effort in exchange for lifting the economic embargo on Teheran, build between the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany on one side and Iran on the other. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, however, didn't sign the open letter. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif on March 9, 2015 called the open letter a "propaganda ploy" and didn't carry "any legal value".
Ayatollah Derides Senators' Letter
Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 12, 2015 took a shot at the American political system, calling the episode surrounding the March 9, 2015, letter co-signed by 47 U.S. Senators and sent to Iran's leaders as outcome of political decadence and decline of the "American establishment from within".
Talks Stretch into Last Minutes Sprint
The foreign ministers and diplomats of all seven nations--USA, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran--went into an all night negotiating session at Lausanne, Switzerland on March 30, 2015 to come up with an agreement framework. All seven nations are striving toward a March 31, 2015, deadline for an agreement framework. The U.S. team is being led by the Secretary of State John Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
Nuclear Talks Go on Overtime
As a key deadline passed by on March 31, 2015, Iran and six other nations extended the talks as the gaps had been narrowed significantly over the past 24 hours.
Historic Framework Agreement Reached
After an overstretched negotiation at Lausanne, the diplomats from P5, Germany and Iran on April 2, 2015 reached a landmark framework agreement that would pave the way for an intense negotiating session in order to reach a more comprehensive deal by June 30, 2015. The framework agreement included quite a few pleasant surprises for the west as it made Iran yield more concessions than many in the west had thought that it would be possible. Under the framework agreement reached on April 2, 2015, Iran will:
* Reduce the operating centrifuges by more than two-thirds from about 19,000 to 6,104 (Duration 10 years)
* Reduce the stockpiles of low-enriched uranium by 97% from 10,000 kilograms to 300 kilograms (Duration 15 years)
* Enrich uranium only to 3.67% purity level, far short of 90% needed for weapons program
* Stop producing plutonium, another ingredient for nuclear weapons program
* Allow international inspectors unfettered access to nuclear facilities, mines and mills (Duration 25 years)
Facility-by-facility Breakdown
(1) REACTOR
A. Tehran: A medical research reactor will be open to inspectors
B. Arak: Will be redesigned and stop producing plutonium
C. Bushehr: Power plant will be open to inspectors
(2) ENRICHMENT FACILITY
A. Fordo: Will not enrich uranium for 15 years, fissile materials will be removed, will work as a research center
B. Natanz: Will remove advanced centrifuges, enrich uranium only to the purity level required for medical and energy need
(3) MINING/PROCESSING FACILITY
A. Isfahan: This facility that converts uranium into a gas will be open to inspectors
B. Gachin: The mining and processing operation will be open to inspectors
C. Saghand: Iran's main source of uranium will be open to inspectors
D. Ardakan (planned): The facility that would process uranium ore into "yellowcake" for enrichment will be opened to inspectors
On the day the framework agreement was announced, Obama administration distributed a fact sheet touting the benefit of this deal, including a one-year "breakout time"--meaning that Teheran needs at least a year to produce one weapons-grade materials--instead of current 2 to 3 months for at least next 10 years, suspension of economic sanctions initially and subsequent gradual phase-out, and flexibility of many of these assumptions to be "snapped back" if needed. US President Barack Obama on April 2, 2015 hailed the framework agreement as historic, and said that the alternative of doing nothing was far worse.
World Reaction to Iran's Nuclear Framework Agreement on Predicted Line
As the details of the historic Lausanne framework agreement on the Iranian nuclear program sunk in, the players reacted more or less on the predicted line. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on April 3, 2015 pledged to honor the deal in letter and spirit. However, the unhappiness of Iran's conservatives over the framework agreement was summed up by Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of conservative daily Kayhan, who called the deal on April 3, 2015 as a downgrade from "ready-to-race horse" to one with "broken bridle". Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added his own tantrum on April 3, 2015 to the muddied political landscape insisting that the final agreement in June required Iran to recognize the existence of Israel.
Obama Drums up Support for Iran Agreement
In an expansive interview with The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, President Barack Obama said on April 5, 2015 that the historic framework agreement reached on April 2, 2015 among P5, Germany and Iran gave "once in a lifetime opportunity" for curbing Iran's nuclear program in a way that would have plenty of checks and balances.
Ayatollah Disputes the Parts of US Narrative of Framework Agreement
Disputing the western, especially the American, narrative of April 2, 2015, framework agreement, Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his silence a week later on April 9, 2015 and said that all the economic sanctions would have to be lifted on the day a final agreement was signed contrary to Washington's stand of phased withdrawal of sanctions. The supreme leader also vowed that any military site would be off-limit to foreign inspectors.
US Senate Votes to Pass a Iran's Nuclear Deal Review Bill
The US Senate on May 7, 2015 overwhelmingly approved a measure by 99-1 vote that would give Congress the authority to review the final nuclear program agreement with Iran. Under the legislation, which President Barack Obama said that he would sign, the Congress will have authority to vote on the final deal on Iran's nuclear program. If Congress votes against the final deal, President Obama is sure to veto that piece of legislation. Congress can subsequently override the presidential veto by two-third vote in each chamber, a threshold high and difficult enough to meet.
US House of Representative Passes the Iran Nuclear Deal Review Bill
Following suit in the footsteps of the US Senate, US House on May 14, 2015 passed the review bill by 400-25 margin and sent to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature. The President is expected to sign the bipartisan measure.
Iranian Parliament Restricts Inspection in Military Facilities
In the run-up to June 30, 2015, deadline, Iranian lawmakers on June 21, 2015 banned international inspections at military facilities, documents and scientists.
Deadline Extended as Iran Talks Enters the Last Sprint
The talks among Iran, USA, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China on Teheran's nuclear program entered into a crucial stage, and negotiators had been working round the clock at Vienna to build on the framework agreement announced on April 2, 2015 at Lausanne, Switzerland and reach a final agreement. As it became clear that negotiators won't meet the June 30, 2015, deadline for the final agreement, the talks were extended on June 30 for an additional week through July 7, 2015. The Obama administration is particularly walking on a tight schedule as if a final agreement is sent to Congress before July 9, 2015, it will have 30 days to review the deal. After July 9, 2015, the review period may be extended to up to 60 days.
Iran Nuclear Talks Extended
Iran-P5-Germany talks at Vienna on Iran's nuclear program was extended on July 7, 2015 for the second time in five days. The deadline for the final comprehensive nuclear agreement, originally scheduled for June 30, 2015, was extended for an additional 48 hours through July 9, 2015.
Comprehensive Agreement on Iran's Nuclear Program Reached
After months of intense negotiations that went through frequent ups and downs, the exhausted negotiators, including diplomats and officials from Iran, USA, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, emerged from the meeting venue at Vienna on July 14, 2015, all with full of smiles, joys and an air of fulfillment. The deal reached on July 14, 2015 capped 20 months of negotiations and would give Obama the biggest foreign policy victory. The agreement brought worldwide cheer as well as condemnation from various quarters. As President Barack Obama appeared at a White House press conference to give details on the agreement, his whole press conference was beamed live in Iran. Planning to launch a vigorous defense that President and his team had viewed all along as a legacy foreign policy achievement, President Obama said that the deal was not made "based on trust", but "on verification". The strongest critique offered against the deal came from Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu who called the deal as a "historic mistake" that would make Iran a "terrorist nuclear superpower". Now, Congress has 60 days to review the deal and vote on it. Beside the U.S. Congress, Iran's Supreme National Security Council and parliament have to approve the deal. The historic deal includes the following key elements:
* Uranium Enrichment
Terms of the Deal: (1) The number of centrifuges in Natanz enrichment site will be cut from nearly 20,000 to 6,104, among which 5,060 will be running (Duration: 10 Years). (2) The underground enrichment facility at Fordo will stop enriching uranium, and instead will produce medical and research isotopes as a physics and technology center(Duration: 15 Years). (3) Iran will not build any new enrichment facility(Duration: 15 Years).
* Nuclear Stockpile
Terms of the Deal: (1) Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium will be cut 98% to 300 kilograms (Duration: 15 Years). (2) A reactor in Arak will be rebuilt so that Iran can't produce weapons-grade plutonium, with spent fuel to shipped out of the country (Duration: Lifetime of reactor).
* Breakout Time
Terms of the Deal: The time for Iran to make enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb will be lengthened to at least a year instead of its current capability of 2 to 3 months (Duration: At least 10 Years).
* Inspections and Monitoring
Terms of the Deal: Inspectors will be given access to any facility at any stage based on recommendations of an arbitration panel controlled by the USA and allies. However, inspectors have to give a 24-day notification, enough time for Iran to hide evidence, according to the deal's critics (Duration: At least 15 Years).
How 24-day notification will work
Under the terms of the accord, Iran has up to 14 days to either to give access to international inspectors or satisfy their concerns in other way. If Iran and international inspectors can't agree, then the issue will be referred to an eight-member panel that consists of USA, Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany, Iran and EU. The eight-member panel has an additional week to resolve the issue.
* Sanctions
Terms of the Deal: (1) Iran's nuclear program-related sanctions will be lifted in phases after IAEA certifies that Iran is complying with the deal's requirements (Duration: Pending Iranian Compliance). (2) An arms embargo, not associated with nuclear program related sanctions, will stay in place for an additional 5 years (Duration: 5 Years). (3) Sanctions related Iran's ballistic missiles, not associated with nuclear program related sanctions, will stay in place for an additional 8 years (Duration: 8 Years). (4) Sanctions will "snap back" anytime Iran is caught violating the agreement.
Obama Invites Critics of Final Agreement to Engage in "Vigorous" Debate
Determined not to allow Republican critics in Congress to torpedo and trash one of his most legacy-setting achievement in foreign policy, President Barack Obama on July 15, 2015 steadfastly defended the final agreement on Iran's nuclear program reached a day earlier in Vienna. Addressing a lengthy news conference at the White House, President Obama presented the deal in the context of choosing the best of options. The alternative, according to the President, would be a possible war with Iran. Meanwhile, in Iran, the joyous mood continued on the streets, in college campuses, in coffee houses, and, to some extent, within Teheran's seat of power.
Obama Sends Iran Nuclear Deal to Congress, Mounts Aggressive Campaign at Home and Abroad
As Obama administration sent the Iran nuclear deal to Congress on July 19, 2015 for a 60-day review, senior officials from the administration mounted what could be construed as one of the most spirited and sustained campaign to sell the accord to American public and allies in overseas. As Defense Secretary Ash Carter left for Middle-East to assuage an aggrieved Benjamin Netanyahu and address the concerns of Sunni monarchies in the region, Secretaries of State and Energy, John Kerry and Ernest Moniz, made rounds on Sunday morning TV shows to campaign heavily for the deal.
U.N. Security Council Okays Iran Nuclear Deal; EU Follows Suit
In a sign of solid international backing, U.N. Security Council on July 20, 2015 approved the Iran nuclear agreement signed six days ago at Vienna. Iran's U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo delivered a spirited defense of his nation at the security council session, saying that his country was not interested in building nuclear weapons as they were "haram", or illegal, as per declaration from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said that the deal would give Iran an opportunity to earn credibility from the international community.
Immediately after U.N. vote, European Union Foreign Ministers, meeting at Brussels, approved the deal.
Israeli Premier not Swayed by Obama Administration's Reach-out
A visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter failed to soothe the ruffled feather of Israeli political establishment over the Iran's nuclear program deal, especially a belligerent Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Premier, taking an uncompromising stand on the deal. A meeting between Carter and Netanyahu on July 21, 2015 went nowhere in terms of narrowing the gap between the allies left alone addressing the concerns.
******* ISRAELI SPY JONATHAN POLLARD
Israeli Spy Pollard to be Paroled, Many See it a Gesture to Assuage Israelis
Former intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard will be out of prison after 30 years on November 21, 2015, according to the U.S. DOJ that has granted parole on July 28, 2015. Based on the decision's timing, political analysts and pundits see a clear link, however tenuous it is, between a restive Israeli political establishment over the Iran nuclear agreement and a herculean task of Obama administration to woo nervous lawmakers.
Pollard Released from Jail after Almost 30 Years
The former Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, who was sentenced to life in prison for giving intelligence secrets to Israel, was released from a federal prison at Butner, North Carolina in the early hours of November 20, 2015. Later in the day, Pollard appeared at a federal courthouse in New York City with his wife, Esther. Pollard had become a celebrity of sort in recent days as high-ranking politicians of Israel and the USA, including Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, advocated for his release. Although Pollard will be out jail, he will spend the next five years in the USA. Many of his supporters demanded that he be given the freedom to move to Israel immediately. Jonathan Pollard was arrested on November 21, 1985 after trying to gain asylum at the Israeli embassy in the Washington D.C. He pleaded guilty in 1986 to the charges of committing espionage. Although he said that his guilty plea was coerced, but he also expressed regret for his work, saying in 1998 that he didn't consider himself a hero.
Pollard Arrives at Israel
Former American Navy intelligence official Jonathan Pollard, who spent three decades behind the bar for selling military secrets to Israel, arrived with his cancer-stricken wife, Esther, at Israel on December 30, 2020, and greeted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they disembarked from a private plane chartered by the casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a strong supporter of both Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, and kissed the Israeli soil upon setting foot on the country.
******* ISRAELI SPY JONATHAN POLLARD
Agreement Not Based on Trust, but Verification, Kerry Says
Testifying before U.S. House Foreign Relations Committee on July 28, 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry went on an all-out defense for the Iran nuclear agreement, stressing that the key tenets of the accord were based on verification, not on trust.
USA's Gulf Allies Extend Careful Endorsement to Iran Nuclear Deal
Constrained by lack of alternative options, Gulf Cooperation Council at a meeting in Doha, Qatar, attended by the US Secretary of State John Kerry, on August 3, 2015 issued a statement giving a cautious endorsement to the July 14, 2015, agreement on Iran's nuclear program. The nervousness of the Sunni Gulf monarchies was palpable, with the host and Qatar's Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah summarizing the rationale behind the support as the deal was "the best option among other options".
Obama Hits Hard at the Treaty's Critics
Giving a speech at the American University on August 5, 2015, President Barack Obama launched a verbal fusillade against Republican critics of the Iran nuclear deal in Congress and, to a less extent, against Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blaming Congressional critics for "selling a fantasy" to American people, Obama put the agreement in the narrative of its adoption vs. "some form of war", a tactic critics described scare mongering. He also said that Netanyahu was just wrong on the nuclear agreement although he didn't question premier's sincerity.
Setback to Obama as Schumer Announced to Oppose the Deal
Senate's third-ranking Democrat and powerful Jewish Senator from New York Chuck Schumer's August 6, 2015, decision that he would vote with all the Senate Republicans and few Democrats to oppose the nuclear deal US and its international partners had reached with Iran had put a big question mark on the fate of the agreement.
Iran's Supreme Leader to Annul the Nuclear Deal if Sanctions not Canceled
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on September 3, 2015 that the nuclear deal Iran and six other nations had signed in July 2015 should be approved by Iran's parliament. Although the deal is expected to be passed by the parliament, a political drama may not be averted altogether as Ali Larijani, the speaker of the parliament, has said during the day. Khamenei also said that if the sanctions were suspended, instead of being lifted, Iran won't comply with the agreement. Ayatollah's remarks were read aloud by a state TV anchorman on September 3, 2015, his first official take on the agreement since it was signed in July 2015.
Senate Blocks Republican Measure against Iran Nuclear Deal
Republicans in the U.S. Senate on September 10, 2015 failed to get minimum 60 votes to move a bill aimed at scuttling the Iran nuclear deal.
House Votes to Annul the Iran Nuclear Deal
House of Representatives on September 11, 2015 voted on two measures related to Iran nuclear deal:
* Voted 269-162 to reject the Iran nuclear deal
* Voted 247-186 to suspend Presidential authority to waive, suspend, or reduce sanctions on Iran until January 21, 2017, a day after a new president would be sworn in
Second Time Senate Blocks Measure Aimed at Tossing out the Iran Nuclear Deal
Five days after Senate failed to move forward with a measure that would toss out the Iran nuclear deal, a second such measure failed to proceed on September 15, 2015 as it received only 56 votes, four shy of the required. 42 Senators voted against the measure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, is determined to bring a third measure on September 17, 2015 that would waive presidential authority to lift sanctions on Iran.
IAEA Says, Iran Has Collected Some Samples on Its Own
International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano said on September 21, 2015 that Iranians had collected, without presence of international inspectors, some of the samples and residue from its Parchin facility as part of the agency's investigation, thus raising some concerns and definitely providing fodder for conspiracy to the Iran-international community nuclear deal's opponents. However, Deputy IAEA Director-General Tero Varjoranta made it clear that there were at least 40 prior cases where individual nations were allowed to collect sample on their own.
Iran Test-fires Missile Before Nuclear Deal Approved by Parliament
Iran on October 10, 2015 carried out test of a new long-range guided ballistic missile, named as Emad, a notch more sophisticated than Shahab-3 missile, hours prior a raucous parliament debated and approved general terms of the nuclear agreement the Persian Gulf nation had reached with six western nations in July. The October 10, 2015, test-fire of Emad might have violated a U.N. Security Council resolution approved few days after the nuclear accord was reached that explicitly banned Iran's development and testing of any missile that could carry nuclear warhead.
Iranian Parliament Approves the Nuclear Deal
Two days after approving the general outlines of the nuclear agreement in early hours of October 11, 2015, Iran's parliament on October 13, 2015 approved the nuclear pact Iran had signed with the western powers after a contentious debate. The vote was 161 in favor, 59 against and 13 abstentions, respectively. Now the deal goes to 12-member Guardian Council for final approval.
Iran's Test Violates U.N. Resolution, USA's U.N. Ambassador Says
USA's Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said on October 16, 2015 that Iran's October 10, 2015, testing of a ballistic missile had violated the U.N.S.C resolution, and Washington would raise the issue at the security council.
Ayatollah's Official Endorsement of the Nuclear Agreement Announced on State TV
On October 21, 2015, a letter written by Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was read on the state TV that included Ayatollah's approval for the Iran nuclear agreement.
U.N.'s Nuclear Watchdog Closes Decade-old Investigation into Iran's Nuclear Program
As a direct benefit of the July 14, 2015, Iran nuclear accord, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on December 15, 2015 closed a decade-long investigation into Iran's covert nuclear program. The IAEA's 35-member board voted unanimously on December 15, 2015 to close the book on investigation into Iran's nuclear program. Summarizing the deliberation, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano said that his investigation couldn't "reconstruct all the details of activities conducted by Iran in the past".
Iran Hands over Enriched Uranium to Russia
Another hard proof has come along the way on December 28, 2015 what diplomacy is able to achieve as a Russian ship, the Mikhail Dudin, has departed from an Iranian port with a stockpile of enriched Uranium (20 percent purity level). The handover marked a key part of the July 14, 2015, Iran nuclear accord signed by Iran and the west.
Sanctions on Iran Lifted; American Prisoners Released
At crossroads of diplomacy and politics, a new degree of success for all was accomplished on January 16, 2016 as European Union and the USA had lifted decades-old sanctions as a reward to Iran's fulfillment of July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement. The lifting of sanctions was marked at an event at Vienna and attended by the US Secretary of State John Kerry and other diplomats from EU and Iran. Reflecting the joyous mood, Kerry said that "today marks the first day of a safer world", adding that "this evening, we are really reminded once again of diplomacy's power to tackle significant challenges". The lifting of sanctions will give Teheran an immediate access to more than $100 billion in frozen assets, mostly in Asian banks, and green signal to export oil to the international market. The U.S. President Barack Obama immediately has issued executive orders to lift some of the sanctions, while others not related to nuclear deal will remain in place. As part of the lifting of sanctions,
* Import and export of food products will begin soon between the USA and Iran as well as removal of Iranian individuals from the U.S. blacklist
* Europe to begin trade in software, gold, metals and transportation equipment
* Iran will have access to international banking system, including its previously frozen assets
* Iran will be allowed to export oil to an already glut international market
The announcement of lifting of sanctions came hours after diplomats from the west and Iran met on January 16, 2016 to review Iran's compliance with the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord and signed off the Persian Gulf nation's compliance. The head of International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, on January 16, 2016 lauded the process and said that "relations between Iran and the IAEA now enter a new phase" on January 16, 2016, "an important day for the international community". However, the day, January 16, 2016, bore the fruit of diplomacy on more than one count. Hours before the announcement of lifting of sanctions at Vienna, Iran released four Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. In exchange for the release, USA on January 16, 2016 announced to pardon, or drop charges against, seven Iranians accused or convicted of violating the U.S. sanctions. The U.S. will also drop so-called Interpol red-notices, or international arrest warrants, against some Iranian individuals.
Iran's President Hails the Agreement
On January 17, 2016, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said of the deal that had helped lift sanctions on Iran along the with the release of five jailed Americans and the subsequent flying out of four of them out of the country that there were now "new windows for engagement", and he hoped that the USA would take advantage of that.
Ayatollah Urges Caution, Calls USA "Arrogant"
In a letter written to President Hassan Rouhani on January 19, 2016, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reminded the president the huge sacrifice the country had to pay for the nuclear agreement reached with the international community. Khamenei urged abundance of caution as the administration treaded with the new of relationship with the USA as the "deceptions and breaches of promises by arrogant governments, in particular America" should not be taken lightly.
Texas Governor Asks States to Continue Iran Sanctions
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on May 31, 2016 wrote a letter asking all the state governors not to lift sanctions against Iran. Abbott's letter to state leaders reflected his rising profile among Conservatives and raised speculation about his future national ambition amid his statewide tour to promote his new book, Broken But Unbowed. In April 2016, President Barack Obama wrote a letter to all state governors to reconsider states-imposed economic sanctions on Iran in light of the international deal on Iran's nuclear program. Abbott wrote a letter on May 16, 2016 to President Obama rejecting his call to lift sanctions on Iran. In addition, Abbott asked the state legislature to strengthen the economic sanctions on Iran further.
International Financial Panel Provides Relief to Iran
At a meeting at Busan, South Korea, 37-nation Financial Action Task Force on June 24, 2016 decided to suspend money laundering-related punitive measures against Iran for a year to give Teheran the room and time to come up with steps on how to fight money laundering and choke the fund to finance terrorism. The action by FATF marked another step in gradual normalization of relationship between Teheran and outside world.
U.N.: Iran Violated Nuclear Accord
In a report issued on November 9, 2016, International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran had violated a key portion of the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord. Under the agreement, Iran's maximum permissible storage volume of heavy water is 130 metric tons. But, Teheran has exceeded that cap by 220 pounds. The report also noted that Iran would ship abroad 5 metric tons of heavy water, thus helping the nation to stay below the 130 metric tons threshold by a significant margin. The IAEA report was issued days after the agency's head, Yukiya Amano, had expressed his concern to Iranian officials.
************** IRAN SANCTIONS ACT *******
Ayatollah Threatens U.S. over Renewal of Iran Sanctions Act
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on November 23, 2016 said that the U.S. would stand in contempt of JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord is formally called, if President Barack Obama went ahead to sign the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act. The measure gives the president powers to impose sanctions on Iran if it is caught on violating the nuclear deal with the west. The House of Representatives has passed it by 419 to 1 votes, and the Senate is likely to approve the measure in coming days by similar lopsided margins. Khamenei blasted the 10-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act and admonished the White House in a prepared speech on November 23, 2016 to the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Senate Passes Iran Sanction Measure
Two weeks after the U.S. House of Representatives voted 419-1, U.S. Senate on December 1, 2016 voted 99-0 to approve a 10-year extension of Iran Sanctions Act that would allow the U.S. president to slap sanctions for any adversarial behavior on the part of Teheran. Now, the measure goes to President Barack Obama's desk.
Iran Sanction Measure Becomes Law without Presidential Signature
President Barack Obama did not sign the extension of Iran Sanctions Act, and as the December 15, 2016 deadline passed, the president let it become law without his signature. President can sign a bill, or veto it, or does nothing. If the president does nothing and if the Congress is in session, the bill becomes a law as has happened in this case. If the Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.
************** IRAN SANCTIONS ACT *******
Rouhani not to Let Trump "Tear up" the Nuclear Accord
Without naming President-elect Donald Trump, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on December 6, 2016 that his administration would try its best to preserve the nuclear deal signed last year with international community. Rouhani made the comment during an address to the students of the University of Teheran to commemorate the 1953 killing of students protesting the visit of the then-U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon. Rouhani also warned President Barack Obama against signing a recently passed Congressional measure to extend the Iran Sanctions Act, first approved in 1996 and subsequently extended several times, as that would run counter to the spirit of JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord is formally known as.
Dozens of Scientists Request Trump not to Abrogate Iran Nuclear Deal
The New York Times reported on January 2, 2017 that 37 eminent scientists, including several Nobel Laureates, wrote a letter to President-elect Donald Trump requesting him not to jettison the July 2015 nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the west as the deal formed an effective "bulwark" against any future Iranian nuclear program. The move to write to Trump was organized by the Father of Hydrogen Bomb, Richard Garwin. The group included 29 scientists who had written to Barack Obama lauding the deal in August 2015, a month after the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed.
Tillerson: Nuclear Deal Did not Stop Iran's Effort on Nuclear Program
A day after writing to House Speaker Paul Ryan, certifying Iran's compliance with the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement, JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on April 19, 2017 returned to the administration's common public posture that the deal had not put a check on Teheran's quest for working on nuclear program. The certification sent to Speaker Ryan on April 18, 2017 leaves the JCPOA implantation by letter and spirit for another three months when the administration's second certification timeline will be due.
Trump Says, Iran not Obeying Nuclear Treaty
Two days after his Secretary of State sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan certifying Iran's adherence to the international nuclear deal, President Donald Trump on April 20, 2017 made an off-the-cup comment at a press briefing at the White House with the visiting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni that Iran had violated the deal, underscoring the reigning confusion and conundrum within the administration when it came to policy issues.
U.S. to Waive Nuclear Sanctions Relief
Trump administration's first test on the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, will be most likely a subdued diplomatic protocol rather than a significant course correction. Under the agreement, U.S. has to give blessing every six months for sanctions relief waiver to Iran, and the deadline for such an waiver is coming in the third week of May 2017. Days before the deadline, the top U.S. diplomat in charge of Middle East, Stuart Jones, said on May 17, 2017 that Washington was still in the midst of forming a comprehensive Iran policy, implying that an extension of Iran agreement-related waiver was all but guaranteed. However, U.S. on May 17, 2017 announced a separate set of new sanctions to punish Iran's ballistic missile program, different from its nuclear program. The new sanctions announced on May 17, 2017 included targeting:
* Iran's key military officials
* An Iranian entity
* A Chinese network identified as a key supplier of material to Iran's ballistic missile program
Ehud Barak Admonishes against Decertification of Nuclear Deal
Issuing premonition against tearing up the Iran nuclear deal, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, a decorated soldier and himself a "hawk" on defense, on October 11, 2017 said in no uncertain terms that it would be major mistake for the U.S. President Donald Trump to "de-certify" the Iran nuclear deal.
Trump Mocks Iran Deal, Refuses to Certify
Donald Trump stopped short of putting the nail in the coffin of the Iran nuclear accord on October 13, 2017. He refused to certify the deal, and rolled the ball at Congress' court, asking the GOP-led body to establish triggers to re-impose sanctions on Teheran if Iran was caught violating the letter and spirit of the accord. However, European allies were forthcoming in criticizing Trump's move not to renew certification, and vowed to stick to the accord.
Trump Extends Accord-related Waiver, but Imposes Sanctions for Separate Weapons Program
Since refusing to certify the Iran nuclear accord on October 13, 2017, Trump administration, instead of following a confrontational path, continued to waive sanctions that had been lifted as part of the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement among Iran and six other nations. As another three-month deadline loomed, President Donald Trump on January 12, 2018 waived those sanctions again, but slapped new sanctions on 14 individuals and entities, including chief of Iran's judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli-Larijani, for their involvement in Tehran's ballistic missile programs and hard-line crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations earlier this month. Trump also threatened on January 12, 2018 that he would altogether scrap the deal until European allies reopened discussion with Iran to modify the agreement within 120 days.
Iran Says No to Renegotiation of Nuclear Deal
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter on January 13, 2018 that the 2015 nuclear agreement was a "solid multilateral agreement" that the current U.S. President Donald Trump was hell-bent on undermining. Responding to Trump's threat a day earlier, Zarif said that there was no possibility of reopening the landmark deal to negotiation.
************ Mossad's Break-in in Iranian Nuclear Facility
Trump Pulls US from Nuclear Agreement
Despite last few days of intense diplomacy and persuasive efforts by European allies and some of his key cabinet officials, President Donald Trump stuck to his own instinct and announced on May 8, 2018 that he was withdrawing USA from one of the signature legacy accomplishment of his predecessor. It's still unclear how US would treat the nom-complying European companies who would prefer to continue business with Iran once U.S. put its pre-agreement sanctions back after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.
Iran's Clerical Authorities Organize anti-U.S. Protest
Iran's hard line religious authorities on May 11, 2018 organized a nationwide protest to decry unilateral action by Trump administration three days ago to withdraw from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Protesters, large in numbers at various demonstrations across the country, carried posters and placards denouncing Trump and the USA.
Europe Asks Trump Administration for Sanctions Relief
A letter jointly written by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain as well as EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini called for meaningful exemption of U.S. punitive sanctions to protect their companies who had been doing business in Iran because the "U.S. secondary sanctions could prevent the European Union from continuing meaningful sanctions relief to Iran". The letter, addressed to the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was published by The Wall Street Journal on June 6, 2018.
Five powers Recommit to Iran Nuclear Deal
At a meeting in Vienna on July 6, 2018, foreign ministers from Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China assured their Iranian counterpart that they continued to be on board with the JCPOA, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. EU Foreign Policy Chief Frederica Mogherini said during the day that the "participants recognized that, in return for the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments, the lifting of sanctions, including the economic dividends arising from it, constitutes an essential part of the JCOPA". However, there was no denial of the fact that Trump administration's May 2018 withdrawal from the deal would likely inflict some economic harm to Iran as German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stated it, but also said that Tehran's leaving the JCOPA "would have much greater disadvantages". However, there was a palpable sense of unity at the Vienna meeting, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressing in no uncertain terms that adherence to treaty would send a "united, determined and strong signal" that they were committed to it despite Trump's decision.
U.S. Re-imposes Sanctions on Iran
Trump administration hit Iran with sanctions, lifted after Obama administration and five other nations had signed a nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015 to put a lid on the Persian Gulf nation's nuclear ambition, just before midnight on August 6, 2018. However, European nations were adamant in continuing with the deal as their national securities were also tied to it. Foreign Ministers of Britain, Germany and France issued a joint statement on August 6, 2018, saying "we are determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business in Iran". The sanctions included transactions in a range of areas such as dollar bank notes, gold, precious metals, aluminum, steel, commercial aircraft and coal. U.S. also banned the import of carpets, rugs and food from Iran. Reacting to re-imposition of U.S. sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the impact of sanctions would be felt by common people and blasting the U.S. double standard in a tweet that "U.S. hypocrisy knows no bounds" as it "wants the world to believe that it's concerned about the Iranian people". Another round of sanctions will be re-imposed on November 4, 2018. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on August 6, 2018 vowed to withstand the pain of sanctions with the unity of Iranian people. Meanwhile, Iran's new central bank chief, Abdolnaser Hemmati, said during the day that Teheran would subsidize medicine and food to ensure that the pain inflicted as minimum as possible.
Iranian Currency Plunges, Supplies Vanish from Store Shelves
Nearly a month after U.S. re-imposed sanctions on Iran, fears are rising in the nation over popular resentment as the nation's currency has hit a record low on September 5, 2018, marking a 140 percent drop in rial since the re-clamping of the sanctions, and fast disappearance of essential commodities from the shelves of nation's stores.
U.N. Court Asks Trump Administration to Pare Back Some Sanctions
The Hague-based International Court of Justice on October 3, 2018 issued a verdict that Trump administration lift some of the sanctions imposed after it had pulled out of international nuclear agreement, saying that those sanctions affected humanitarian goods, products and services and, thus, contravening the 1955 Treaty of Amity. However, reacting to ICJ's ruling during the day, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington was pulling out of treaty because Iran had brought the case to The Hague-based court "groundlessly".
U.S. Exempts Eight Nations from Punishing Sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on November 2, 2018 that eight nations, without naming them, had been for the time being exempted from U.S. sanctions for importing oil from Iran, but EU was not included. However, media identified India, Japan, China and South Korea having made to the list. Pompeo, justifying the waiver, said on November 2, 2018 that all eight nations had demonstrated the reduction in oil imports from Iran and two of them would stop imports altogether in weeks. All eight have to re-apply for waiver in six months. The second round of sanctions to go into effect November 5, 2018 will target 700 businesses, individuals and other entities involved in Iran's oil, banking, shipping, shipbuilding and insurance sectors, and aim at "fundamentally altering" Iran's behavior, according to Pompeo, of spreading "death and destruction around the world". Since U.S. withdrew from the nuclear agreement in May 2018, Iran's currency, rial, has lost more than two-third and oil exports have plunged to 1.5 million barrels daily from 2.5 million barrels.
US Senate Bans the Entry of New Iranian Envoy to UN, House Follows Suit
US Senate on April 7, 2014 voted unanimously on a measure sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, to deny the visa to newly announced ambassador to UN, Hamid Aboutalebi, who was accused of participating in hostage taking in the American Embassy in Teheran during the tumultuous days of 1979. Islamic rebels held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.
US House of Representatives in a voice vote on April 10, 2014 barred the entry of Aboutalebi to the US.
Obama Administration Refuses to Grant Visa to New Iranian Ambassador to UN
In a rare diplomatic and political step, Obama administration on April 11, 2014 announced that it had informed Teheran that it would refuse the visa application for the new Iranian Ambassador to the UN Hamid Aboutalebi.
Iran Stands Behind its Choice for UN Ambassador
A day after Obama administration said that it would reject the visa for Hamid Abotalebi, Iran on April 12, 2014 stood its ground and said that it won't name a new ambassador to the UN.
Iranian-American Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
A former US Marine, Amir Hekmati, who went to Iran to visit his ailing grandmother and was arrested in August 2011, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment by Iran's Revolutionary Court on April 12, 2014. Initially Hekmati was charged in espionage, and sentenced to death. Iran's Supreme Court annulled the death sentence in 2012 and ordered a retrial, in response to an appeal petition filed by Hekmati's lawyers. The Revolutionary Court then dropped the espionage charge, and instead, accused Hekmati of "cooperating with hostile governments". Based on the new charges of "cooperating with hostile governments", the appeals court on April 12 handed down the decade-long imprisonment.
******************* FATE OF AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST *************
Jailed Washington Post Reporter Charged
On December 6, 2014, Jason Rezaian, a dual Iranian-American citizen who works for the Washington Post as a journalist, was officially charged on crimes which remained unclear. Rezaian was arrested on July 22, 2014, and was kept under detention without any charge until December 6, 2014, judicial proceeding. Voicing his concern over the safety of Rezaian, the Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron on December 6 criticized the journalist's continued detention.
Kerry Steps in to Criticize Jailing of Washington Post Reporter
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on December 7, 2014 stepped in the detention saga of the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, asking Teheran to release the Iranian-American journalist without any delay.
Journalist Charged on Espionage
Semiofficial Fars news agency said on April 12, 2015 that the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was charged on espionage and "working against national security". On July 22, 2014, Rezaian, his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained, but all but Rezaian, were released later. Salehi, a reporter for The National newspaper in the UAE, was reportedly prohibited from leaving Iran.
Jailed Washington Post Journalist Appears in the Court for Final Hearing
Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post journalist detained since July 22, 2014, appeared at a Teheran Revolutionary Court for the fourth and last hearing on August 10, 2015. During the court appearance, his mother, Mary Rezaian, and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, were also present. Jason Rezaian's lawyer Leila Ahsan told The Associated Press that she had submitted a 20-page defense at the August 10, 2015, session. After his arrest, Rezaian had been placed in captivity in the notorious Evin Prison.
Reporter Convicted of Espionage
Iran's judiciary disclosed on October 12, 2015 that the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was guilty of espionage, a charge the venerable newspaper refuted. Within hours, the Post's Executive Editor Martin Baron slammed the verdict "an outrageous injustice".
Mother, Wife Allowed to Visit Reporter in the Prison
Iranian authorities presented the jailed Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian with a symbolic, but significant, Christmas Day gift as the reporter's mother, Mary Rezaian, and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, were allowed to visit him in Teheran's infamous Evin Prison. Mr. Rezian already spent more than 500 days under captivity, more than what 52 American diplomats had spent when American Embassy was seized Islamic Revolution sympathizers and supporters during 1979-81.
News Outlets Seek Kerry's Help to Free Rezaian
Dozens of newsrooms across the nations, including The Dallas Morning News, wrote a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on January 8, 2016, seeking his personal intervention and involvement to secure the release of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who had spent more than 500 days in Iran's Evin Prison. The letter said that "journalism is not a crime", and was signed, among others, by Mike Wilson, editor of The Dallas Morning News; Stephen Adler, President and Editor-In-Chief of Reuters News Agency; Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of The New York Times; and Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide
Jason Rezaian, Four Other Released
As a positive outcome of prowess of diplomacy, the U.S. secured the release of five Americans on January 16, 2016, the same day the international sanctions on Iran was lifted. The Americans released from Iranian jails included:
* Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post reporter, who had spent more than 500 days in Iran's Evin Prison
* Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine, who was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges, sentenced to death in 2012, and later re-sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2014 after an appeal to a higher court
* Pastor Saeed Abedini, who was detained in 2012 while visiting his family in Iran
* Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose name was revealed just on the day of the release
* U.S. student Matthew Trevithick, who was released independently of the exchange and was already on his way home.
Iran also promised to look for Robert Levison, who went missing in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission in Iran.
In exchange for the release of Jason Rezaian and others, USA has decided on January 16, 2016 to pardon, or drop charges against, seven Iranians--including six who has dual Iranian and American citizenship--for violating sanctions on Iran. Three of them were serving jails, and had received commutation or pardon. Three were awaiting trial, and the seventh defendant made plea agreement. All seven are free to stay in the USA. Another American-Iranian businessman, Siamak Namazi, was not part of the exchange.
Americans Flown out of Iran
A day after their release, the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini were flown out of the middle-east on January 17, 2016 to a U.S. base in Germany for medical check-up, but not without resolving a minor hiccup and a major drama over Iranian stance that Rezaian's wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and mother, Mary Rezaian, stayed back. Eventually both of them allowed to fly out of Iran on January 17, 2016 with Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini. The prisoner, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose presence in Iranian jail was not reported until the prisoner swap was announced on January 16, 2016, chose to stay back at Teheran.
In Washington D.C., President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 praised the diplomacy that led to freeing of 10 sailors within 24 hours after few phone calls by John Kerry and the latest release of Americans, including the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.
$180 million Awarded to Journalist
A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, on November 23, 2019 hit Iran with $180 million penalty for imprisoning The Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian for 544 days and torturing him.
******************* FATE OF AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST *************
Two Revolutionary Guards Officials Die in US Airstrike in Tikrit, Iran Says
Iran's Revolutionary Guard on March 30, 2015 said that its two high-ranking officials who were coordinating Iraqi government-Shiite militia push to seize Tikrit were killed in an American airstrike on March 23, 2015. The announcement was yet another proof in the depth of involvement of Iran's military in assisting Iraqi security forces against ISIL. Ali Yazdani and Hadi Jafari were accorded martyrs' funerals on March 29, 2015. However, the U.S. Central Command on March 30, 2015 categorically denied that Ali Yazdani and Hadi Jafari were killed in U.S. airstrike as there was no airstrike between March 22 and March 24.
Iran to Let Females Watch Games in Stadium
In a small wind of change that has started to blow stronger in recent days, Iranian authorities on April 4, 2015 announced that it would reverse a ban on women to watch sports at a stadium. However, women spectators will, most likely, sit in separate areas than men and still be barred from sports such as wrestling, boxing and swimming where sportspeople are scantily dressed.
Iran Rips Saudi Arabia for Airstrikes in Yemen
Iran's Revolutionary Guard's head, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, on April 27, 2015 launched a blistering attack on Saudi Arabia for what he described "following in Israel's footsteps" by its airstrikes in Yemen. He used the word "treacherous" to describe Saudi Arabia.
Iran Called out for Human Right Abuse
The U.S. State Department in an annual report issued on June 25, 2015 called out Iran, among others including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam and Cuba, for human rights abuses.
Another American Detained in Iran
A fourth American, Siamak Namazi, is reported to have been detained in October 2015 by Iranian authorities. Namazi hailed from a respectable Iranian family, and his father was governor of a oil-rich Iranian province, Khuzestan. In addition to Namazi, three other Americans are now known to be in Iranian custodies. They are the Washinton Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former Marine Amir Hekmati and a pastor from Boise, Idaho, Saeed Abedini.
American Embassy Hostages in Iran to be Compensated
Compensation package to each, or the estates, of 53 Americans held hostage for 444 days at the U.S. embassy in Teheran by the Revolutionary Guards since November 4, 1979 was embedded in the omnibus spending bill that was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 18, 2015. The compensation package will be valued at up to $4.4 million for each family, or its estate. The money for the compensation package will primarily come from an unexpected source: this year, Paris-based BNP Paribas was forced to pay a penalty of $9 billion for violating sanctions against Iran, Sudan and Cuba. As per the law that was part of the omnibus spending bill and signed by President Obama on December 18, 2015, each of the 53 hostages is entitled to up to $100,000 for each day of captivity. All but one hostage were freed from the embassy on January 20, 1981, with the only hostage who had illnesses freed earlier. Out of 53 hostages, 36 are still alive.
In addition to American diplomats and citizens who were held hostage, the compensation package will also cover victims of other state-sponsored terrorist attacks such as 1998 embassy bombings in East Africa.
************************ IRAN'S DECEMBER 2015 ROCKET TEST ******************
U.S. Slams Iran for Rocket Test
In a test that's unrelated to the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement between Iran and the west, Iranian Navy fired several rockets in the Strait of Hormuz on December 26, 2015. During the time of test, USS Harry S. Truman, a second U.S. destroyer, Bulkeley, and a French frigate, Provence, were in the strait waters. NBC first broke the news of Iranian rocket test on December 29, 2015, and reported that one of the rockets had landed within 1,500 yards on the right side of U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman. U.S. 5th Fleet issued a statement on December 30, 2015, calling the Iranian test as "unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law".
Iran Denounces U.S. Threat to Impose Sanctions
As Washington was mulling over crafting a unified response, including some possible sanctions, Iran took a hardline a day after Obama administration disclosed that Iran had carried out several rocket tests, including at least one of them landing within 1,500 yards of a U.S. destroyer in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran countered that none of its unguided rockets had landed within 1,500 yards of USS Harry S. Truman, and called the U.S. propaganda a "psychological warfare". The official Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA, said on December 31, 2015 that country's president, Hassan Rouhani, had denounced US sanctions threat and instructed his defense minister, Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan, to accelerate production of rockets both in terms of number and variety in the coming days.
U.S. Navy Releases Video of Iranian Rocket Tests
U.S. Navy on January 9, 2016 released a 45-second video shot by a crew in a Seahawk helicopter showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels launching rockets in the Strait of Hormuz, close to a U.S. destroyer. The release of the video showing the December 26, 2015, Iranian rocket test came as a response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
US Imposes Minor Sanctions for Iranian Rocket Test
A day after international sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement plus the release of four Americans, including the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, from Iranian jails as part of prisoner exchange, President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 announced at the White House imposition of modest sanctions on Iran for two missile tests, one in October 2015 and the second one in November 2015. The announcement of minor sanctions came on the same day hours after Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini, Rezaian's wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and mother, Mary Rezaian, were flown out of Iran.
************************ IRAN'S DECEMBER 2015 ROCKET TEST ******************
******************** U.S.-Iran Tension over Captured U.S. Sailors *********************
Ten U.S. Sailors Seized in Persian Gulf
Ten American sailors were seized in Iranian waters on January 12, 2016 as they were heading from Kuwait to Bahrain in two U.S. Navy Patrol boats. It was not clear how they had veered into the Iranian waters, close to an Iranian Naval base on the Farsi Island. The semiofficial Fars news agency said that the pair of patrol boats were "snooping", and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy captured the boats and their crew members. Pentagon and the State Department said that the patrol boats were afflicted by mechanical problems, and the boats lost all the contacts. As soon as the news of capture of 10 U.S. sailors spread, diplomacy went on full swing between the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, both of whom had nurtured a good relationship since the early days of the international talks on Iran's nuclear program that had led to the historic July 14, 2015, deal and the upcoming release of more than $100 billion in frozen Iranian asset in the coming weekend.
Diplomacy Pays off as Iran Lets 10 U.S. Sailors Go
Within 24 hours of beginning of a possible hostage crisis, diplomacy and a warmer relationship between Iran and the USA helped save the day for ten U.S. sailors. They were released on January 13, 2016 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy. The release marked a milestone, however small it might be, for improved diplomatic engagement between the nations in general and the two foreign ministers, John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif, in particular.
Nothing Taken from the Boats
After a brief accounting of the inventory of the two besieged boats, authorities found all the equipment, weapons, ammunition and communication gears intact. The boats were escorted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy on January 12, 2016 to Farsi Island, and both the boats along with their 10 crew members were released after 15 hours of high drama, diplomacy and dialogue between USA and Iran.
Navy Investigation Faults Sailors on Multiple Fronts
A U.S. Navy investigation into a January 2016 incident in which two Navy boats, Riverine Command Boats 802 and 805, sailing from Kuwait to Bahrain were seized at gunpoint as they had veered into the Iranian waters brought to the light some embarrassing lacunae in military behaviors and ethics displayed by the ten sailors, who had spent hours under Iranian detention until they were released following a high-decibel diplomatic drama between Washington and Teheran. The report released on June 30, 2016 not only faulted the sailors for showing lack of professional judgment, it also took them to the task for showing no curiosity about simple things such as route planning and matching the chartered path with the planned path.
******************** U.S.-Iran Tension over Captured U.S. Sailors *********************
U.S. Pays $1.3 billion in Held for Almost Four Decade
The day three Americans, including the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, were flown out of Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 announced a settlement to the long held Iranian money meant to purchase arms as part of an agreement reached during the era of Shah. The original amount of $400 million paid by Iran for the arms that had never been supplied because of overthrow of Shah regime has ballooned to $1.3 billion over the past 37 years. As Iran had obtained the money, critics likened it to quid pro quo in response to hostage release.
************ ROUHANI'S FOUR-DAY VISIT TO ITALY AND FRANCE ****************
Iran's President Greeted by Italy's Leader
Beginning his four-day state visit to Italy and France, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived at Rome on January 25, 2016, and warmly greeted by the Italian premier Matteo Renzi, who had described the Iran nuclear deal as "a first step for a new season of peace and prosperity, not just in Iran, but in all the region".
Iran's President Meets Pope
In the midst of his trip to Italy and France to firm up trade, commerce and business deals, Italy's President Hassan Rouhani went to Vatican City on January 26, 2016 to have a 40-minute meeting with Pope Francis, who lent a strong moral support for the nuclear deal between Iran and the west. The Vatican issued a statement in the aftermath of the meeting, stressing "the importance on interreligious dialogue" to achieve peace and stability.
France Sends an Ambivalent Signal to Iran's President, World
On January 27, 2016, French President Francois Hollande warmly received Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In Paris, both countries announced opening of a new era with billions of dollars of new business deals, but at the same time, French authorities gave mixed signal by asking the European Union to consider new sanctions against Teheran for its recent missile tests.
Iran's President Wins Big by Signing Tens of Billions of Dollars Trade Deals
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on January 28, 2016 wrapped up a historic four-day visit (January 25-28, 2016) to Italy and France with a thunder and triumph as the total trade deals signed in Italy and France totaled $18 billion and $32.8 billion, respectively, including $25 billion agreement to buy 118 aircraft from Airbus. Rouhani, who led a 120-member delegation of political and business leaders in the four-day trip, won some of rich caches of deals, including:
* Joint production of 200,000 cars a year by French automaker Peugeot-Citron and Iranian automaker Iran Khodro, at a plant near Teheran
* A joint venture between Iran's railway system and French state-owned rail company SNCF
Striking an optimistic tone, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said other agreements in agriculture, health and environment to follow
However, Rouhani's visit was not without quite a few political bumps as a French-based Iranian exile group, People's Mujahedeen of Iran, held protest against Rouhani's visit on January 28, 2016. Also, 61 lawmakers wrote a letter to President Francois Hollande condemning Iran's policy that was pushing middle-east to "chaos".
************ ROUHANI'S FOUR-DAY VISIT TO ITALY AND FRANCE ****************
Affluent Iranians Flock to Voting Booths
The Iranian parliamentary elections held February 26, 2016 were a case of two contrasting scenarios. On one hand, educated and affluent Iranians in major cities have flocked to the polling stations in drove, and according to political pundits, may tilt the balance of the next parliament in favor of reformers. On the other end of the political spectrum, the enthusiasm was not palpable in rural and conservative parts of the country. In addition to parliamentary polls, elections were held on February 26, 2016 simultaneously to elect an Assembly of Experts, a body entrusted with choosing the next Ayatollah.
Moderates, Reformists Making Electoral Gain
As more than 30 million Iranians voted in February 26, 2016, two-pronged polls to elect a 290-seat parliament and 88-member Assembly of Experts, the vote returns as of February 28, 2016 showed a clear winning streak for the reformists and moderates. Voter turnout for the both contests were more than 60 percent. All 30 parliamentary seats from Teheran were bagged by the reformists and moderates. In the Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran, one of the conservatives, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, 81, often called as the spiritual father figure of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, failed to exceed a threshold and make it this time. The top vote-getter in Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran was former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who issued a statement that "no one is able to resist against the will of the majority of the people and whoever people don't want has to step aside". Iranian President Hassan Rouhani came third in the Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran, and thanked the voters for "showing their power once again".
Bush Administration's Diplomat Admits Secret Talks with Iran
Providing a confidential political insight into the working of George W. Bush administration with respect to USA's relations with Iran, Zalmay Khalilzad, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the U.N., wrote in his book, The Envoy, to be published this month (March 2016), that Bush administration officials had secretly engaged with Iran to ensure that there was no fire on American aircraft if strayed into Iranian sky during 2003 Iraq invasion. Bush administration's primary point of contact was the then-Iranian ambassador to U.N., Mohammad Javad Zarif, now the country's famous diplomat, a key architect of the Iran nuclear deal with the west and an Iranian statesman with whom the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry established deep personal and diplomatic rapport. The secret talks between Bush administration officials and Iranian diplomats began before the Iraq invasion and lasted after the fall of Baghdad in April 2003.
Iran Launches Several Ballistic Missiles
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on March 8, 2016 launched ballistic missiles from a number of silos at various locations, setting the stage for a new diplomatic confrontation with west. Although deeply embarrassing to the Obama administration, the latest act of Teheran might not constitute violation of any U.N. resolution if the missiles launched didn't have nuclear warhead capability. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' aerospace division, said after the launches that the missiles had flight capability between 185 and 1,250 miles.
Iran Launches Two More Missiles with Provocative Sentences Emblazoned
A day after launching several ballistic missiles, Iran on March 9, 2016 launched two more ballistic missiles with a provocative sentence, Israel must be wiped out, emblazoned on the missiles on a day when the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel in an official visit.
Iran Decries U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
The April 20, 2016, 6-2 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that a 2012 law passed by the U.S. Congress that had aimed at forcing Teheran to pay nearly $2 billion in compensation to victims of Iranian terrorism such as the 1983 Beirut bombing at a Marine corps barrack was within the limits of its legislative authority had rattled Iran and raised questions about the future of recent improved relations between two longtime nemesis. On April 21, 2016, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari called the ruling the mockery of international law that "amounts to appropriation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's property".
Iran Receives Missile Defense System from Russia
As a direct benefit of the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement between Iran and the international community, Iran is reaping significant defense and military leverage as it has received in recent days at least one S-300 air defense missile system from Russia. Iranian Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan sain on May 10, 2016 that at least one such system had been deployed in Khatam al-Anbiya base. The remaining systems are to be delivered and deployed by the year's end. In 2007, Russia agreed to deliver five S-300 air defense missile systems, compared functionally to the U.S. Patriot surface-to-air missile system, for $800 million, but suspended the deal in 2010 under objections from the USA and Israel.
Hardliner to Head Ayatollah Selection Panel
A long-time hardliner and conservative, 89-year-old Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who had been part of Iranian power structure since 1979 Islamic Revolution was chosen on May 24, 2016 to lead the Assembly of Experts. The 89-year-old Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati earned notoriety for seeking the death sentences of the protesters who were demonstrating against the disputed presidential polls in 2009 and asking Iraqis in 2003 to become suicide bombers in their campaign against the U.S. forces.
Iran Disapproves This Year's Hajj Pilgrimage
Iran's state TV read a statement on May 29, 2016 from the country's Hajj and Pilgrimage organization that Teheran was ending state sponsorship of this year's pilgrimage to Mecca as Saudi officials had refused to agree with a visiting Iranian delegation on security issues stemming from last year's stampede that had killed hundreds of Iranian pilgrims. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah accused the Iranian delegation of stubbornness. The latest tension in bilateral relations came amid allegation that Riyadh had carried out cyberattacks against Iran.
Game of Brinkmanship by GOP Reps Leads Nowhere
Three members GOP House of Representatives who had voted against the Iran deal applied for visa in February 2016 to visit Iran to oversee that country's electoral process, meet with "American hostages" and have a look at three nuclear facilities. It was a no brainer that their visa application would be denied. Iran's Foreign Ministry on June 7, 2016 released a letter, refusing the request of Rep. Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey, Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas and Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York. The letter explained the refusal of their visa request, which was "completely inappropriate" and had "no relevance to [your] official function.
American Company to Resume Business with Iran
After days of talks, Chicago-based Boeing announced on June 21, 2016 that it had arrived at a preliminary agreement with the officials of Iran's civil aviation agency to manufacture and deliver several dozens of airplanes to once-pariah nation. If the agreement goes through, Boeing will become the first major U.S. corporation to do business worth billions of dollars with Iran.
Former Iranian Scientist Hanged to Death
A mysterious disappearance of a young Iranian nuclear scientist while in pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia seven years ago and his subsequent return to Iran the next year has shed little new light whether Shahram Amiri has been an American agent or kidnapped by America as many in Iran have alleged. However, to the Iranian authorities the case was not that complex, and the conclusion was drawn to its finality on August 7, 2016 with his execution in a gallows. Amiri was only 32 when he had disappeared after he had gone to Medina, Islam's second-sacred site, in 2009. Iranian authorities at that time accused Americans of kidnapping Amiri, but insiders in Iranian intelligence had always doubt on that allegation as Shahram Amiri was never close to the higher echelon of the Iranian nuclear program and almost unknown to the inner circle of the father of the Iranian nuclear program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Amiri was later reported to be in Washington and have benn interrogated by U.S. intelligence officials. Amiri was rumored to have settled in Tucson, Arizona within days of his interview with U.S. intelligence officials under the protection and cover of U.S. intelligence. However, Shahram Amiri began to miss his son, Amir Hossein, soon, and reportedly made a video cam that was broadcast by the Iranian TV in which Amiri was seen telling that he had been kidnapped in Medina "in a joint operation" by Saudi intelligence and CIA. The CIA made its own video of Amiri soon after that in which Amiri was seen, in a comfortable setting, saying that "I am free here" and "I assure everyone that I am quite safe". Soon the diplomatic tug-of-war went full swing with Iran producing a third video of Shahram Amiri that was a replica narrative of the first video. Shahram Amiri arrived at Teheran Airport on July 15, 2010. Since then a trial was launched against him, and initial sentence of 10 years was imposed only to be upgraded last month to death penalty.
U.S. Admits giving Hush Money to Iran
The U.S. State Department on August 18, 2016 conceded that the timing of the release of the first of three instalments of a total of nearly $1.7 billion in frozen Iranian assets had deliberately been chosen to maximize the possibility of safe return of American prisoners in Iran. A plane loaded with $400 million in cash was waiting on the tarmac of Teheran International Airport on January 17, 2016 until four prisoners, including journalist Jason Rezaian, had left Iran. The State Department said that the action was aimed at retaining the "maximum leverage" with Teheran. The transfer of $1.7 billion, although condemned by Iran deal critics, was itself not an illegal act as this money belonged to Iran who had paid for arms purchase in late 70s which Teheran had never received.
A Canadian-Iranian Professor Released
An eminent Canadian-Iranian professor, Homa Hoodfar,who had been arrested in June 2016 while on a mission to do research on the state of Iranian women, was released on September 26, 2016. After her arrest in June 2016, Iranian authorities accused Hoodfar of bringing her "feminist" agenda to the Persian nation. Homa Hoodfar was known to have an authoritative knowledge about the plight of women in the Middle-East, and had collaborated with the Britain-based Women Living Under the Islamic Law. Hours after Hoodfar's release that came days after Canadian and Iranian officials held negotiations on the sidelines of the U.N. annual session at New York to discuss on possible re-opening of respective embassies, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Oman, Italy and Switzerland for their help.
Iranian Official Estimates 1,000 Killed in Syrian Conflict
The head of a foundation that provides aid to Iranians killed in Syrian conflict, Mohammed al-Shahidi, said on November 23, 2016 that at least 1,000 Iranians had been killed in five-year Syrian conflict.
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An Aide to Ayatollah Khomeini, Re-Christened as a Pragmatist
Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani passed away on January 8, 2017, apparently after suffering a stroke. He was 82. Rafsanjani was a public figure who had attracted both vile and been a source of valor to many, and later in his political life, he had found himself mostly with reformists. Rafsanjani was born in a wealthy pistachio merchant family in southeastern Iran, and he later went to Qom to study Shiite Islam with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had led the 1979 Islamic Revolution against Shah. After Khomeini's death in 1989, he led the country's post-war (with Iraq) reconstruction as president. Rafsanjani lent his unabashed support to moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Thousands Attend Rafsanjani's Burial
A cortege carried the body of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani through crowd-choked streets of Teheran to the cemetery on January 10, 2017. Tens of thousands of Iranians bid him a tearful goodbye. Rafsanjani was laid to rest beside Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
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Iran Test-fires Missile, First in Trump Era
Testing the resolve of Trump administration, Iran has conducted a missile test, according to the US and Israeli officials who divulged it on January 30, 2017. The missile flew about 600 miles. It's not clear whether Iran has violated any U.N. Security Council resolutions, but definitely Teheran's action is provocative.
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Iran Opens Election Registration Process
Iran on April 11, 2017 opened the election registration for candidates for the upcoming May 19, 2017, presidential polls. A record number of 126 prospective candidates ranging in age from 18 to 79 had filed applications on the very first day. Iran's Guardian Council will vet all the candidates and announce a final list by April 27, 2017.
Former President Joins the Fray
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had pushed Iran to the brink of international isolationism through his combative anti-west, anti-Israeli tirade, on April 12, 2017 registered unexpectedly as the candidate in the upcoming May 19, 2017, presidential polls.
President Joins in
President Hassan Rouhani on April 14, 2017 registered as candidate.
Heavy Voter Turnout Reported
Youths and middle-class voters flocked in drove on May 19, 2017, brightening the chances for re-election of moderate President Hassan Rouhani over his conservative rival Ebrahim Raisi.
Rouhani Trounces Opposition Candidates
Backed by higher turnout in middle-class areas, President Hassan Rouhani swept the May 19, 2017, presidential polls. According to the official tally released on May 20, 2017, more than 70 percent of 56 million eligible voters cast their ballots. Rouhani won 23 million, or 57 percent, while his key conservative challenger Ebrahim Raisi won 15.7 million, or 38.5 percent.
Reformists Sweep Local Polls too
In a double whammy, conservatives were egged on their face in the May 19, 2017, polls not only at the presidential level, but also at local levels too. Reformist candidates swept all 21 seats in Teheran City Council polls, ensuring the all but certain removal of the Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who had challenged Hassan Rouhani in the presidential polls. Reformists scored key victories in Mashhad, home turf of Rouhani's primary electoral challenger Ebrahim Raisi, Teheran's satellite city of Karaj, Yazd and Zahedan.
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Media Mogul Assassinated in Istanbul
An Iranian media group director who was living in exile in Turkey was killed on April 30, 2017 as Saeed Karimian and his Kuwaiti business partner were inside a luxury sedan that was passing through a posh neighborhood of Istanbul when another car blocked them and unknown assailants had sprayed bullets, killing both of them. The Persian-language media company GEM Group owns at least 20 satellite channels, broadcasting programs in Farsi, Arabic and Azeri, and has offices in London, Istanbul and Dubai. Last year, Karimian was sentenced in absentia to six-year imprisonment for "spreading propaganda". The National Council of Resistance in Iran, an umbrella group of dissidents, blamed that the Iranian government was behind the assassination.
Filmmaker Released Early
An award-winning Iranian film-maker, Keywan Karimi, was released early on April 30, 2017 after serving five months of a year-long sentence handed down to him for his film Writing on the City that had covered political graffiti from 1979 Islamic Revolution to 2009 contested Presidential polls. After his release from Teheran's Evin Prison, Karimi said in a Skype call that international pressure was responsible for his release and avoiding an additional 223 lashes. Keywan Karimi is best known for his 2013 documentary The Adventure of the Married Couple, based on a story written by an Italian author, Italo Calvino, that was encompassed on spouses who took turns in opposing shifts to help sustain their family, with husband working at a mannequin store and wife at a bottle factory.
Rocket Launch Most Sophisticated
Iran on July 27, 2017 launched a two-stage Simorgh rocket, sending a 550-pound satellite to space. Simorgh was first unveiled in 2010 that replaced an earlier version, known as the Safir, used to launch satellites to space on earlier occasions. In 2013, it sent a monkey to space. Reacting to July 27, 2017, launch of Simorgh rocket, the U.S. State Department called it "provocative".
Near-Confrontation between U.S. and Iranian Vessels in Persian Gulf Twice in a Week
In a high-tidal brinkmanship in the oil-rich Persian Gulf, U.S. naval vessels and Iranian Revolutionary naval ships came perilously close to conflict on two incidents in a span of three days. The first incident took place on July 25, 2017 as a U.S. Navy patrol boat fired warning shots at an Iranian vessel to ward it off. Three days later, July 28, 2017, a U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, and an accompanying ship sailed close to an Iranian offshore oil platform guarded by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. After firing warning shots against Iranian vessels, U.S. ships left the area.
Iran to Strengthen Missile Defense in Response to U.S. Threat
Responding to Trump administration's sanctions in August 2017 against Iran's missile program and Trump's personal tirade against the Persian Gulf nation, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on September 22, 2017 called Trump an "embarrassment to the United States". He also vowed to strengthen Iran's missile defense program at a Iranian Revolutionary Guard parade to mark the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. Iran's military during the day unveiled a new ballistic missile, 1250-mile range Khoramshahr.
Iran Faces Winter of Turmoil
As a result of Iranian government of President Hassan Rouhani's decision to allow the Iranian currency to fall the past half year, inflation began to shot up and by December 2017 jumped to as high as 40 percent. As the populace was becoming restive with daily commodities sparse and expensive as well as the high expectation of better life that was dreamt of after the nuclear deal had been signed in 2015 coming to crash down, it needed a spark for a protest to erupt. On December 28, 2017, the city of Mashhad in the country's northeast became the symbol of that spark as hundreds of protesters descended on the city's streets to demonstrate against the Rouhani government for the economic woes. It was not lost to the political observers that Mashhad was the hometown of Rouhani's vanquished rival Ebrahim Raisi in Iran's May 17, 2017, presidential polls.
On December 29, 2017, protest spread to Teheran and scores of protesters were reported to have been arrested for illegal assembly. The protests are being organized over social media.
Largest anti-Regime Demonstration in more than Eight Years to Hit Iran
In the largest ever anti-government demonstration since the summer of 2009, thousands of protesters, fuelled by calls on social media, took to streets across Iran to make their voices heard over rising prices of basic necessities and President Hassan Rouhani's failure to deliver positive results as promised in the aftermath of 2015 nuclear accord. On the third day of the protest on December 30, 2017, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Teheran University. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet in support of the anti-regime demonstration fed the fodder to the Islamic regime to denounce the protest as instigated by the U.S. and Israel. During the day, pro-regime supporters held demonstrations too across Iran.
Trump's Tweets Complicate the Iran Situation as Rouhani Calls for Calm
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani opened his mouth on the fourth day of nationwide anti-government demonstration that had killed so far two protesters with dozens detained by the security forces as he called for calm on December 31, 2017 and acknowledged that people had right to protest. However, Rouhani asked the protesters not to resort to violence, and blasted U.S. President Donald Trump, who had tweeted during the day that the Iranians "are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered", for feeling "sorry for the people of Iran" when, in actual, he "is against the Iranian nation from head to toe". Meanwhile, the government on December 31, 2017 blocked access to Instagram video and photo sharing app as well as telegram messaging app.
Protesters Defy Rouhani's Call for Calm, Protests Expand
January 1, 2018, the fifth day of anti-government protest, marked an intensified and expansive day of protest in Teheran and other places as protests spread to new areas. Since the anti-government protest erupted in the second-largest city of Mashhad on December 28, 2017, at least 12 people were reported killed in clashes with security forces. A day earlier, December 31, 2017, scores of demonstrators tried to attack police stations, military posts and a seminary. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump continued his tweet attack on Iranian regime on January 1, 2018, saying that "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration".
Trump Administration Blasts Iranian Regime
Trump administration on January 2, 2018 went in full force to denounce Islamist government for suppressing open communication as the nationwide protest that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017 entered into sixth day.
Massive Pro-regime Demonstrations Organized
To counter the anti-regime protest that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, pro-government groups on January 3, 2018 held massive rallies at different parts of the country, focusing on U.S. and Israeli conspiracy behind the recent unrest in the country. Lauding the January 3, 2018, pro-regime rallies, the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, said during the day that the rallies earlier in the day were the beginning of the end to "the sedition".
Teheran Points to External Subversion
Iranian leaders on January 4, 2018 launched a multipronged attack on the eight-day nationwide protest against the regime that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, with the state prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri accusing the trifecta of nations--U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia--over the state television of trying to "subvert the Iranian government". Montazeri identified the CIA point-man for Iran, Michael D'Andrea, as the chief designer of the unrest with the intention of creating a revolt to undermine the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Mohammad Jafar Montazeri accused Saudi Arabia of funding the anti-government protest as part of the American design to oust the present regime. The allegation may strike a chord with the older Iranians with the memory of a 1953 CIA-engineered coup that had ousted the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mosssadegh.
Protests Fade as Hundreds Languish in Jail
Nationwide protests that had initially erupted in the city of Mashhad on December 28, 2017 and spread to other parts of the Persian Gulf nation within days is on the wane on January 7, 2018 while hundreds of protesters have remained locked up in jails. Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard castigated Saudi Arabia, USA, Israel, an exiled Iranian group, Mujahedeen-e-Khaleq, and pro-monarchy exiled Iranians as chief sponsors of unrest in a posting on its website during the day.
Renowned Iranian-Canadian Dies in Evin Prison
A well-known and respected Canadian-Iranian professor, Kavous Syed Emami, who had been arrested on January 24, 2018, was reported to have committed suicide in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison on February 9, 2018. Emami founded one of the Persian nation's most respected non-governmental organizations, Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Kavous Syed Emami was arrested on January 24, 2018 along with a group of other foreign nationals of Iranian origin or dual citizens, including Iranian-American businessman Morad Tahbaz.
Five Security Officers Die in a Sect Violence
Violence erupted on February 19, 2018 night involving a Sufi sect, Gonabadi dervish, as many of the followers went to a Tehran police station to protest against the arrest of some of the members. The peaceful demonstration was marred as a man drove a vehicle onto a row of riot police personnel, killing three police officials. Separately, another vehicular onslaught killed a fourth security officer, a member of paramilitary unit Basij, while a fifth member of security forces was stabbed to death. The attack on security forces by the dervish members set off a crackdown overnight and the next day throughout Tehran, leading to the arrest of at least 300 sect members.
Teheran Mayor Resigns over Female Dance
Teheran Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi fell on March 14, 2018 victim to a situation where he happened to be at a wrong place, at a wrong time. Ali Najafi resigned after an uproar over his attendance at a celebration where half a dozen Iranian girls danced and threw rose pedals on him.
Nine Iranians Indicted for Data Theft
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, on March 23, 2018 issued indictment against nine Iranians who had worked at the Iran-based Mabna Institute and stole technology, trade secret, innovation and intellectual properties from the U.S. universities, government agencies and think-tanks. Mabna Institute is the government contractor, and specialized in working with the country's Revolutionary Guards.
Iranian Head Banker Slapped with Sanctions
U.S. government on May 15, 2018 slapped sanctions on Valiollah Seif, head of the central bank in Iran, for funneling money to Hezbollah through Iraq's al-Bilad Islamic Bank. Although this sanction is separate from the sanctions which have been lifted as part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, this reflects Trump administration's broader middle-east policy of tightening the noose around Iran in the region.
Headscarf Removal Punishment Meted out
Iranian regime seemed to leave no stone unturned in clamping down on violation to moral code of conduct as reflected in jailing the human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh for defending the women charged on publicly removing headscarves and another writer-author figure in the city of Mashhad, Farhad Jafari, 12 days ago for standing in defense of women who had publicly removed headscarves. Attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh's husband Reza Khandan said on June 13, 2018 that Iranian state agents arrived at their house and took his wife to Evin Prison, apparently for five years of imprisonment sentence.
Trump Launches Scorched-Earth Attack on Iran via Tweet
What has become a trend of the president is to ricochet from world hot spot to another with a doctrine that leads to claims of matchless strength, suffer no slight and counter-punch harder than you are hit--at least in tweets. This tough-guy rhetoric has become a defining characteristic of his overseas affairs, with very modest results to show. The latest of this trend came on late July 22, 2018 when he used all caps to threaten Iran with a blistering tweet: "CONSERQUENCES OF THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE" in response to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's speech earlier in the day at Teheran when he told diplomats that Americans "must understand that war with Iran is the mother of all wars and peace with Iran is the mother of all peace".
Trump Hints for Unconditional Talks, Iran says NO unless U.S. Rejoins the Nuclear Accord
On July 30, 2018, President Donald Trump said that he would hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani without preconditions. But, a day later, July 31, 2018, an Iranian official and adviser to president, Hamid Aboutalebi, said that without U.S. rejoining the JCPOA, "respecting the Iranian nation's rights" and "reducing hostilities", it was not possible to have talks with an uncertain administration.
U.S. Names Special Envoy to Maximize Pressure on Iran
Trump administration in a bid to tighten the noose around the neck of Tehran and extract maximum mileage out of punitive sanctions on August 16, 2018 named a veteran State Department policy planning official, Brian Hook, as a special envoy for Iran.
25 Killed in Attack on a Military Parade in Iran
In one of the most audacious attacks on the Revolutionary Guards, gunmen on September 22, 2018 opened fire on a military parade in the southwest of the country, killing 25 and wounding 60. The attack took place in the city of Ahvaz, capital of Sunni-heavy Khuzestan Province, as numerous civilians--including women and children--were enjoying a Saturday watching military parade. In the last count, eight Revolutionary Guards personnel were killed. Islamic State and hitherto a sleepy Sunni-dominated group, Ahwazi Democratic Popular Front, claimed responsibility for the attack that involved four gunmen wearing Iranian military uniforms, two of whom were killed and two captured. A spokesman for Ahwazi Democratic Popular Front told a London-based TV that the attack was in response to "oppression and brutality" of Iran's theocracy. Iranian reaction to the attack was fast and furious, with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeting: "Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their U.S. masters accountable for such attacks", indirectly implying Saudi Arabia and UAE. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the "hard-hearted mercenaries who open fire on children, women and innocent people". If Islamic State turns out to have carried out the September 22, 2018, Ahvaz attack, it will mark the second major attack in as many years targeting Shiite theocracy. ISIL carried out the 2017 attacks on parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei that had killed at least 18 people.
Iranian President Blames "Small Mercenary Countries" for the Attack
A day after the September 22, 2018, Ahvaz attack and before leaving for New York City to attend the U.N. General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held unknown Arab countries responsible for the attack on a military parade in the southwest of the country that had killed 25 and wounded 60. Meanwhile, during the day, Iran's foreign ministry summoned ambassadors from Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands to urge their respective governments to stop providing havens to Arab nationalists who used their soil to propagate anti-Iranian vitriol. On a separate note, Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the UAE envoy to lodge strong complaint of what Tehran had depicted as "irresponsible and insulting statements" of an Emirati adviser.
British-Iranian Citizen Released from Iranian Prison
A British academic of Iranian descent, Abbas Edalat, a professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at London's Imperial College, detained on April 15, 2018 while visiting Tehran to visit his family members and attend a conference, returned home, according to The New York Time's December 25, 2018, report.
Iran's Effort to Launch Second Satellite Reported
Colorado-based DigitalGlobe on February 6, 2019 reported that Iran had launched a second satellite, Dosti, or Friendship, but couldn't tell if it was a successful launch. In January 2019, Iran's failed attempt to put another satellite, Payam, or Message, rankled the west, especially the U.S. as Washington accused Teheran of violating the international restriction on its missile technology.
Suicide Bomb Targets Bus, Killing 27 Revolutionary Guards
A suicide bomber on February 13, 2019 inflicted significant damage to a bus carrying Revolution Guards personnel in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan Province, killing at least 27 soldiers.
U.N. Security Council, U.S. Condemn the Blast
U.N. Security Council on February 14, 2019 unanimously condemned the "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" a day earlier in the restive Sistan and Baluchistan Province that had killed at least 27 Revolutionary Guard members. An al-Qaeda-linked group, Jaish al-Adl, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
Iran Test-fires Submarine-launched Cruise Missile
Iran on February 24, 2019 test-fired a cruise missile from a submarine during a war drill in the Strait of Hormuz as part of what Adm. Hamzeh Ali Kaviani had been quoted by semi-official Fars news agency as an endeavor of "our chain of defensive power underwater".
Iranian Foreign Minister Quits
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on February 25, 2019 announced that he would step down soon and offered his "apology" for not continuing his job. Mohammad Javad Zarif was one of the key architects of the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement that Trump administration had withdrawn the U.S. from, leading to widespread speculation that Iranian foreign minister's days were numbered.
Hardliner, Former Presidential Candidate Appointed as Justice Minister
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on March 7, 2019 appointed a hardliner as country's justice minister. Ebrahim Raisi was defeated in 2017 presidential election by the incumbent, Hassan Rouhani, and was being rumored as being one of the successors to the job of aging Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi replaces outgoing Justice Minister Sadegh Amoli Larijani, another ultra-conservative and brother of the Speaker Ali Larijani, who took the job of head of the Iran's Expediency Council, a body responsible for mediating any policy difference between the Guardian Council and the country's parliament.
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Iran's President Visits Neighboring Iraq
As Trump administration renewed efforts to isolate Teheran on the international stage, Iraq defied its benefactor's political wish by hosting lavishly Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, and cementing trade deals worth billions of dollars. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived at Baghdad on March 11, 2019 for a two-day state visit, first for President Rouhani, who called Iraq as his "second homeland". Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had recently announced that he would step down, was on hand too. Many of the trade deals signed during Rouhani's visit will boost the bilateral trade from $12 billion to $20 billion.
Rouhani Caps his Visit with a Meeting with Ayatollah Sistani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani concluded his high-profile, highly elevated Iraq trip, his first official trip to the Shiite-majority nation, on March 13, 2019 by paying a homage to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. The meeting came after a phalanx of trade and economic deals signed by both countries' leaders to solidify the bilateral partnership in defiance of U.S. effort to isolate Teheran in the region.
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Iran Nearing a Satellite Launch
The Associated Press on August 18, 2019 quoted a fellow researcher of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of the International Studies in Monterey, California, Fabian Hinz, that Iran was preparing to launch a satellite, third time this year after failing to put one in the orbit in earlier two unsuccessful efforts, from the Khomeini Space Center in the country's Semnan Province.
Iran Burns in anti-government Protest with Fuel Subsidy Reduced
Dozens of cities erupted in violence on November 15, 2019 after the government had taken drastic steps to reduce fuel subsidy. Thousands of demonstrators participated in spontaneous demonstrations across the nation, burning vehicles, offices and other targets.
Violence spread further on November 16, 2019, and scores of demonstrators were reported killed or wounded as government deployed troops to put down the demonstration.
Iran Blocks Internet as the Supreme Leaders Warns the Demonstrators
Two days after anti-government protest erupted in various cities and cascaded into a full-blown rebellion in the most part of the country, Iranian authorities on November 17, 2019 shut down internet access to its 80 million people. Hundreds of people were reported killed in government crackdown. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on November 17, 2019 justified reduction in subsidy, leading to 50 percent rise in fuel prices, and called the demonstrators "thugs".
Amnesty International Reports More than 100 Deaths in Anti-government Protest
Amnesty International said on November 19, 2019 that it could get information from various sources about 106 deaths that took place since the November 15, 2019, eruption in the latest anti-government protest sparked by the Hassan Rouhani regime's decision to reduce fuel subsidy, leading to 50 percent rise in fuel prices. Authorities effectively cut all internet access on November 17, 2019, making it almost impossible for the outside world to know the scale of violence and crackdown. Meanwhile, the U.N. on November 19, 2019 condemned the use of live ammunition.
Iran Blames it All on the U.S.
A hardline Iranian newspaper, Kayhan, on November 20, 2019 ran a piece written by its editor-in-chief, Hossein Shariatmadari, that accused the U.S., France, Israel and Saudi Arabia of fomenting the violence that had erupted on November 15, 2019.
Revolutionary Guards Commander Threatens Enemies
Addressing tens of thousands of pro-government activists at the Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Revolutionary Guards Commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami on November 25, 2019 took aim at the foreign powers, and threatened them to destroy if "you cross our red line".
Amnesty International on late November 25, 2019 gave the latest update of the casualty numbers in the anti-government protest that had erupted on November 15, 2019, and upped the number to at least 143. Amnesty International's research and advocacy director for Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther, during the day condemned Iran's "appalling assault on human life".
Ayatollah Blames USA for Fuel Price Unrest
In a searing speech addressing the Revolutionary Guard's fearsome Basij force on November 27, 2019, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the "conspiracy" hatched by the U.S. that had triggered the violent anti-government protest on November 15, 2019 over government's action to reduce subsidy that had led to fuel prices to spike as high as 50%.
After anti-government protest had erupted on November 15, 2019 and quickly spread to many areas in the country, the local law enforcement agencies had tough time in containing the violence until the Basij force, an all-volunteer security force, had arrived at the most violence-plagued cities and brutally put down the unrest. At least 143 people were killed, according to Amnesty International.
Amnesty Ups the Estimate of People Killed in the Uprising
Amnesty International on December 2, 2019 has issued a revised estimate increasing the number of people it now says has been killed since the November 15, 2019, eruption of anti-government violent protest to at least 208.
Iran Labels Protesters as Rioters
Iranian state media on December 3, 2019 acknowledged for the first time that violent protest that had erupted since November 15, 2019 had led to deaths, but justified the crackdown as the "rioters" had taken to unprecedented violence to attack "sensitive or military centers".
American Released in a Prisoner Swap
An American scholar jailed in Iran for the past three years was released on December 7, 2019 in exchange for an Iranian stem cell researcher. The prisoner swap has been handled by the Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, which looks after the American interest in Iran. Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student, was arrested in Iran in 2016 while conducting research and sentenced in 2017 to 10-year prison term. Xiyue Wang spent in the notorious Evin Prison. Xiyue Wang was swapped for Iranian stem cell researcher Massoud Soleimani who had been arrested last year on charges of sanctions violations. Talks of Xiyue Wang's release began when Robert O'Brien was the State Department's hostage crisis envoy. Robert O'Brien later took over the job of National Security Adviser, and the prisoner talks continued under Brian Hook, special envoy for Iran.
Hardliners Dominate Iran's Parliamentary Polls
Hardliners apparently are winning majority of the seats in February 21, 2020, parliamentary election. Tehran's 30 parliamentary seats returned an overwhelming number of conservatives led by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, expected to be the next speaker of 290-member parliament.
Iran Launches a Satellite to Orbit Earth
Iran took its broadside against U.S. straight to the space on April 22, 2020 as it launched a satellite, Noor, to encircle earth on a lower orbit, raising speculation that after Donald Trump had withdrawn from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Tehran was on full swing to develop its missile program to new levels and resume its nuclear program. Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division used a mobile launcher to put Noor in the orbit.
Prisoner Swap amid Coronavirus, Bilateral Tension
An underreported prisoner swap was a welcome news for bilateral Iran-U.S. relationship, which had all but plunged into a nadir, in which a former U.S. military service member, Michael White, was released in exchange for freedom of an Iranian scientist, Majid Taheri, from American captivity. White was serving a 10-year sentence for insulting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and had been arrested in 2018. White's family members and President Trump made the news public on June 4, 2020.
Fire at a Nuclear Site Reported
A fire and related damages were reported on July 2, 2020 at Natanz nuclear facility where Iran had built nuclear research operation deep inside of the mountains. Initially Iranian officials were dismissive of the damages and whether any foreign power--Israel or U.S.--was behind the fire.
Israel Indirectly Claims Responsibility for Natanz Fire
Days after a rapidly spreading fire had damaged some advanced centrifuges before it was extinguished, it became clear to Iranian authorities that the fire could be a sabotage to hurt its nuclear program. That line of thought was further strengthened on July 6, 2020 as Israel launched a spy satellite to space and vowed to stop any adversary from developing nuclear weapons. A day earlier, July 5, 2020, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi noted that it was Israel's long-term strategy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapon.
Iran Reportedly Has Arrested A Top Dissenter
Iran's state TV on August 1, 2020 broadcast a picture of a blindfolded, arrested man, accusing him of planning a mosque bombing in 2008 that had killed more than dozen. Iran identified the man as 65-year-old Iranian-American Jamshid Sharmad, leader of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, a Glendora, California-based Iranian dissenters' organization. Iran accused the group's militant wing, Tondar, or Thunder, of orchestrating the 2008 bombing of Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Shiraj. Iran also blamed Tondar, or Thunder, for 2010 bombing of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei mausoleum that had wounded several people.
Arms Moratorium Measure Backed by U.S. Defeated by Security Council
An arms embargo on Iran set to expire on August 18, 2020 will expire as an extension was not approved by the U.N. Security council. The U.S. backed measure on August 14, 2020 received only two yes votes--from the U.S. and Dominican Republic--far less than 9 needed.
Iranian Wrestler Executed
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's and other western leaders' pleas to spare the life of Navid Afkari, Iranian authorities in Shiraz, Iran went ahead on September 12, 2020 to carry out the death sentence against the regionally famous wrestler and executed in the city's Adelabad prison. Afkari and his brothers were reported to have participated in the anti-government unrest in 2018, and the wrestler was accused of stabbing a water supply company employee, Hassan Torkaman, to death.
******* ISRAELI SPY JONATHAN POLLARD
Agreement Not Based on Trust, but Verification, Kerry Says
Testifying before U.S. House Foreign Relations Committee on July 28, 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry went on an all-out defense for the Iran nuclear agreement, stressing that the key tenets of the accord were based on verification, not on trust.
USA's Gulf Allies Extend Careful Endorsement to Iran Nuclear Deal
Constrained by lack of alternative options, Gulf Cooperation Council at a meeting in Doha, Qatar, attended by the US Secretary of State John Kerry, on August 3, 2015 issued a statement giving a cautious endorsement to the July 14, 2015, agreement on Iran's nuclear program. The nervousness of the Sunni Gulf monarchies was palpable, with the host and Qatar's Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah summarizing the rationale behind the support as the deal was "the best option among other options".
Obama Hits Hard at the Treaty's Critics
Giving a speech at the American University on August 5, 2015, President Barack Obama launched a verbal fusillade against Republican critics of the Iran nuclear deal in Congress and, to a less extent, against Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blaming Congressional critics for "selling a fantasy" to American people, Obama put the agreement in the narrative of its adoption vs. "some form of war", a tactic critics described scare mongering. He also said that Netanyahu was just wrong on the nuclear agreement although he didn't question premier's sincerity.
Setback to Obama as Schumer Announced to Oppose the Deal
Senate's third-ranking Democrat and powerful Jewish Senator from New York Chuck Schumer's August 6, 2015, decision that he would vote with all the Senate Republicans and few Democrats to oppose the nuclear deal US and its international partners had reached with Iran had put a big question mark on the fate of the agreement.
Iran's Supreme Leader to Annul the Nuclear Deal if Sanctions not Canceled
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on September 3, 2015 that the nuclear deal Iran and six other nations had signed in July 2015 should be approved by Iran's parliament. Although the deal is expected to be passed by the parliament, a political drama may not be averted altogether as Ali Larijani, the speaker of the parliament, has said during the day. Khamenei also said that if the sanctions were suspended, instead of being lifted, Iran won't comply with the agreement. Ayatollah's remarks were read aloud by a state TV anchorman on September 3, 2015, his first official take on the agreement since it was signed in July 2015.
Senate Blocks Republican Measure against Iran Nuclear Deal
Republicans in the U.S. Senate on September 10, 2015 failed to get minimum 60 votes to move a bill aimed at scuttling the Iran nuclear deal.
House Votes to Annul the Iran Nuclear Deal
House of Representatives on September 11, 2015 voted on two measures related to Iran nuclear deal:
* Voted 269-162 to reject the Iran nuclear deal
* Voted 247-186 to suspend Presidential authority to waive, suspend, or reduce sanctions on Iran until January 21, 2017, a day after a new president would be sworn in
Second Time Senate Blocks Measure Aimed at Tossing out the Iran Nuclear Deal
Five days after Senate failed to move forward with a measure that would toss out the Iran nuclear deal, a second such measure failed to proceed on September 15, 2015 as it received only 56 votes, four shy of the required. 42 Senators voted against the measure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, is determined to bring a third measure on September 17, 2015 that would waive presidential authority to lift sanctions on Iran.
IAEA Says, Iran Has Collected Some Samples on Its Own
International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano said on September 21, 2015 that Iranians had collected, without presence of international inspectors, some of the samples and residue from its Parchin facility as part of the agency's investigation, thus raising some concerns and definitely providing fodder for conspiracy to the Iran-international community nuclear deal's opponents. However, Deputy IAEA Director-General Tero Varjoranta made it clear that there were at least 40 prior cases where individual nations were allowed to collect sample on their own.
Iran Test-fires Missile Before Nuclear Deal Approved by Parliament
Iran on October 10, 2015 carried out test of a new long-range guided ballistic missile, named as Emad, a notch more sophisticated than Shahab-3 missile, hours prior a raucous parliament debated and approved general terms of the nuclear agreement the Persian Gulf nation had reached with six western nations in July. The October 10, 2015, test-fire of Emad might have violated a U.N. Security Council resolution approved few days after the nuclear accord was reached that explicitly banned Iran's development and testing of any missile that could carry nuclear warhead.
Iranian Parliament Approves the Nuclear Deal
Two days after approving the general outlines of the nuclear agreement in early hours of October 11, 2015, Iran's parliament on October 13, 2015 approved the nuclear pact Iran had signed with the western powers after a contentious debate. The vote was 161 in favor, 59 against and 13 abstentions, respectively. Now the deal goes to 12-member Guardian Council for final approval.
Iran's Test Violates U.N. Resolution, USA's U.N. Ambassador Says
USA's Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said on October 16, 2015 that Iran's October 10, 2015, testing of a ballistic missile had violated the U.N.S.C resolution, and Washington would raise the issue at the security council.
Ayatollah's Official Endorsement of the Nuclear Agreement Announced on State TV
On October 21, 2015, a letter written by Iran's supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was read on the state TV that included Ayatollah's approval for the Iran nuclear agreement.
U.N.'s Nuclear Watchdog Closes Decade-old Investigation into Iran's Nuclear Program
As a direct benefit of the July 14, 2015, Iran nuclear accord, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on December 15, 2015 closed a decade-long investigation into Iran's covert nuclear program. The IAEA's 35-member board voted unanimously on December 15, 2015 to close the book on investigation into Iran's nuclear program. Summarizing the deliberation, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano said that his investigation couldn't "reconstruct all the details of activities conducted by Iran in the past".
Iran Hands over Enriched Uranium to Russia
Another hard proof has come along the way on December 28, 2015 what diplomacy is able to achieve as a Russian ship, the Mikhail Dudin, has departed from an Iranian port with a stockpile of enriched Uranium (20 percent purity level). The handover marked a key part of the July 14, 2015, Iran nuclear accord signed by Iran and the west.
Sanctions on Iran Lifted; American Prisoners Released
At crossroads of diplomacy and politics, a new degree of success for all was accomplished on January 16, 2016 as European Union and the USA had lifted decades-old sanctions as a reward to Iran's fulfillment of July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement. The lifting of sanctions was marked at an event at Vienna and attended by the US Secretary of State John Kerry and other diplomats from EU and Iran. Reflecting the joyous mood, Kerry said that "today marks the first day of a safer world", adding that "this evening, we are really reminded once again of diplomacy's power to tackle significant challenges". The lifting of sanctions will give Teheran an immediate access to more than $100 billion in frozen assets, mostly in Asian banks, and green signal to export oil to the international market. The U.S. President Barack Obama immediately has issued executive orders to lift some of the sanctions, while others not related to nuclear deal will remain in place. As part of the lifting of sanctions,
* Import and export of food products will begin soon between the USA and Iran as well as removal of Iranian individuals from the U.S. blacklist
* Europe to begin trade in software, gold, metals and transportation equipment
* Iran will have access to international banking system, including its previously frozen assets
* Iran will be allowed to export oil to an already glut international market
The announcement of lifting of sanctions came hours after diplomats from the west and Iran met on January 16, 2016 to review Iran's compliance with the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord and signed off the Persian Gulf nation's compliance. The head of International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, on January 16, 2016 lauded the process and said that "relations between Iran and the IAEA now enter a new phase" on January 16, 2016, "an important day for the international community". However, the day, January 16, 2016, bore the fruit of diplomacy on more than one count. Hours before the announcement of lifting of sanctions at Vienna, Iran released four Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. In exchange for the release, USA on January 16, 2016 announced to pardon, or drop charges against, seven Iranians accused or convicted of violating the U.S. sanctions. The U.S. will also drop so-called Interpol red-notices, or international arrest warrants, against some Iranian individuals.
Iran's President Hails the Agreement
On January 17, 2016, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said of the deal that had helped lift sanctions on Iran along the with the release of five jailed Americans and the subsequent flying out of four of them out of the country that there were now "new windows for engagement", and he hoped that the USA would take advantage of that.
Ayatollah Urges Caution, Calls USA "Arrogant"
In a letter written to President Hassan Rouhani on January 19, 2016, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reminded the president the huge sacrifice the country had to pay for the nuclear agreement reached with the international community. Khamenei urged abundance of caution as the administration treaded with the new of relationship with the USA as the "deceptions and breaches of promises by arrogant governments, in particular America" should not be taken lightly.
Texas Governor Asks States to Continue Iran Sanctions
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on May 31, 2016 wrote a letter asking all the state governors not to lift sanctions against Iran. Abbott's letter to state leaders reflected his rising profile among Conservatives and raised speculation about his future national ambition amid his statewide tour to promote his new book, Broken But Unbowed. In April 2016, President Barack Obama wrote a letter to all state governors to reconsider states-imposed economic sanctions on Iran in light of the international deal on Iran's nuclear program. Abbott wrote a letter on May 16, 2016 to President Obama rejecting his call to lift sanctions on Iran. In addition, Abbott asked the state legislature to strengthen the economic sanctions on Iran further.
International Financial Panel Provides Relief to Iran
At a meeting at Busan, South Korea, 37-nation Financial Action Task Force on June 24, 2016 decided to suspend money laundering-related punitive measures against Iran for a year to give Teheran the room and time to come up with steps on how to fight money laundering and choke the fund to finance terrorism. The action by FATF marked another step in gradual normalization of relationship between Teheran and outside world.
U.N.: Iran Violated Nuclear Accord
In a report issued on November 9, 2016, International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran had violated a key portion of the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord. Under the agreement, Iran's maximum permissible storage volume of heavy water is 130 metric tons. But, Teheran has exceeded that cap by 220 pounds. The report also noted that Iran would ship abroad 5 metric tons of heavy water, thus helping the nation to stay below the 130 metric tons threshold by a significant margin. The IAEA report was issued days after the agency's head, Yukiya Amano, had expressed his concern to Iranian officials.
************** IRAN SANCTIONS ACT *******
Ayatollah Threatens U.S. over Renewal of Iran Sanctions Act
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on November 23, 2016 said that the U.S. would stand in contempt of JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord is formally called, if President Barack Obama went ahead to sign the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act. The measure gives the president powers to impose sanctions on Iran if it is caught on violating the nuclear deal with the west. The House of Representatives has passed it by 419 to 1 votes, and the Senate is likely to approve the measure in coming days by similar lopsided margins. Khamenei blasted the 10-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act and admonished the White House in a prepared speech on November 23, 2016 to the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Senate Passes Iran Sanction Measure
Two weeks after the U.S. House of Representatives voted 419-1, U.S. Senate on December 1, 2016 voted 99-0 to approve a 10-year extension of Iran Sanctions Act that would allow the U.S. president to slap sanctions for any adversarial behavior on the part of Teheran. Now, the measure goes to President Barack Obama's desk.
Iran Sanction Measure Becomes Law without Presidential Signature
President Barack Obama did not sign the extension of Iran Sanctions Act, and as the December 15, 2016 deadline passed, the president let it become law without his signature. President can sign a bill, or veto it, or does nothing. If the president does nothing and if the Congress is in session, the bill becomes a law as has happened in this case. If the Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.
************** IRAN SANCTIONS ACT *******
Rouhani not to Let Trump "Tear up" the Nuclear Accord
Without naming President-elect Donald Trump, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on December 6, 2016 that his administration would try its best to preserve the nuclear deal signed last year with international community. Rouhani made the comment during an address to the students of the University of Teheran to commemorate the 1953 killing of students protesting the visit of the then-U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon. Rouhani also warned President Barack Obama against signing a recently passed Congressional measure to extend the Iran Sanctions Act, first approved in 1996 and subsequently extended several times, as that would run counter to the spirit of JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the July 14, 2015, nuclear accord is formally known as.
Dozens of Scientists Request Trump not to Abrogate Iran Nuclear Deal
The New York Times reported on January 2, 2017 that 37 eminent scientists, including several Nobel Laureates, wrote a letter to President-elect Donald Trump requesting him not to jettison the July 2015 nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the west as the deal formed an effective "bulwark" against any future Iranian nuclear program. The move to write to Trump was organized by the Father of Hydrogen Bomb, Richard Garwin. The group included 29 scientists who had written to Barack Obama lauding the deal in August 2015, a month after the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed.
Tillerson: Nuclear Deal Did not Stop Iran's Effort on Nuclear Program
A day after writing to House Speaker Paul Ryan, certifying Iran's compliance with the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement, JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on April 19, 2017 returned to the administration's common public posture that the deal had not put a check on Teheran's quest for working on nuclear program. The certification sent to Speaker Ryan on April 18, 2017 leaves the JCPOA implantation by letter and spirit for another three months when the administration's second certification timeline will be due.
Trump Says, Iran not Obeying Nuclear Treaty
Two days after his Secretary of State sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan certifying Iran's adherence to the international nuclear deal, President Donald Trump on April 20, 2017 made an off-the-cup comment at a press briefing at the White House with the visiting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni that Iran had violated the deal, underscoring the reigning confusion and conundrum within the administration when it came to policy issues.
U.S. to Waive Nuclear Sanctions Relief
Trump administration's first test on the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, will be most likely a subdued diplomatic protocol rather than a significant course correction. Under the agreement, U.S. has to give blessing every six months for sanctions relief waiver to Iran, and the deadline for such an waiver is coming in the third week of May 2017. Days before the deadline, the top U.S. diplomat in charge of Middle East, Stuart Jones, said on May 17, 2017 that Washington was still in the midst of forming a comprehensive Iran policy, implying that an extension of Iran agreement-related waiver was all but guaranteed. However, U.S. on May 17, 2017 announced a separate set of new sanctions to punish Iran's ballistic missile program, different from its nuclear program. The new sanctions announced on May 17, 2017 included targeting:
* Iran's key military officials
* An Iranian entity
* A Chinese network identified as a key supplier of material to Iran's ballistic missile program
Ehud Barak Admonishes against Decertification of Nuclear Deal
Issuing premonition against tearing up the Iran nuclear deal, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, a decorated soldier and himself a "hawk" on defense, on October 11, 2017 said in no uncertain terms that it would be major mistake for the U.S. President Donald Trump to "de-certify" the Iran nuclear deal.
Trump Mocks Iran Deal, Refuses to Certify
Donald Trump stopped short of putting the nail in the coffin of the Iran nuclear accord on October 13, 2017. He refused to certify the deal, and rolled the ball at Congress' court, asking the GOP-led body to establish triggers to re-impose sanctions on Teheran if Iran was caught violating the letter and spirit of the accord. However, European allies were forthcoming in criticizing Trump's move not to renew certification, and vowed to stick to the accord.
Trump Extends Accord-related Waiver, but Imposes Sanctions for Separate Weapons Program
Since refusing to certify the Iran nuclear accord on October 13, 2017, Trump administration, instead of following a confrontational path, continued to waive sanctions that had been lifted as part of the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement among Iran and six other nations. As another three-month deadline loomed, President Donald Trump on January 12, 2018 waived those sanctions again, but slapped new sanctions on 14 individuals and entities, including chief of Iran's judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli-Larijani, for their involvement in Tehran's ballistic missile programs and hard-line crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations earlier this month. Trump also threatened on January 12, 2018 that he would altogether scrap the deal until European allies reopened discussion with Iran to modify the agreement within 120 days.
Iran Says No to Renegotiation of Nuclear Deal
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter on January 13, 2018 that the 2015 nuclear agreement was a "solid multilateral agreement" that the current U.S. President Donald Trump was hell-bent on undermining. Responding to Trump's threat a day earlier, Zarif said that there was no possibility of reopening the landmark deal to negotiation.
************ Mossad's Break-in in Iranian Nuclear Facility
Netanyahu Brags about Intel Agency, Blasts Iran for Befooling the World
In a presentation on April 30, 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed a voluminous set of records that had been seized from a Teheran warehouse in a covert Mossad mission in January 2018 to cast doubt on the very assumption of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or JCPOA. Netanyahu stressed during the day that Iran all along had been cheating the international community by furtively working on its nuclear program and deceived inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Refuting the deceit allegation hurled by Netanyahu, a top Iranian negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal, Abbas Araghchi, called the Israeli prime minister's action "a very childish and even a ridiculous play". The New York Times reported on April 30, 2018 that Mossad had been surveilling the targeted warehouse since February 2016 and broke into it one night in January 2018 to seize the document.
************ Mossad's Break-in in Iranian Nuclear FacilityTrump Pulls US from Nuclear Agreement
Despite last few days of intense diplomacy and persuasive efforts by European allies and some of his key cabinet officials, President Donald Trump stuck to his own instinct and announced on May 8, 2018 that he was withdrawing USA from one of the signature legacy accomplishment of his predecessor. It's still unclear how US would treat the nom-complying European companies who would prefer to continue business with Iran once U.S. put its pre-agreement sanctions back after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.
Iran's Clerical Authorities Organize anti-U.S. Protest
Iran's hard line religious authorities on May 11, 2018 organized a nationwide protest to decry unilateral action by Trump administration three days ago to withdraw from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Protesters, large in numbers at various demonstrations across the country, carried posters and placards denouncing Trump and the USA.
German Chancellor Criticizes U.S. Pullout of Iran Deal at a Prestigious Peace Award Ceremony
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on May 12, 2018 that the May 8, 2018, U.S. decision to pull out of 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal had made handling and addressing the overall middle-east imbroglio all the more difficult. Her sharp-tongued comment came during an event at Assisi's Basilica in Italy where she was conferred the prestigious St. Francis Lamp Peace Prize during the day.
European Officials Meet Iranian Foreign Minister to Salvage Iran Deal
European Union foreign policy chief, Frederica Mogherini, and foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany on May 15, 2018 met with their Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to talk on a strategy and a working plan--which would be discussed over the next two days (May 16-17, 2018) at an EU summit in Sofia, Bulgaria--to salvage the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or JCPOA, in view of the U.S. withdrawal decision. The meeting took place on the same day Washington announced JCPOA-unrelated sanctions on the head of Iranian Central Bank for funding Hezbollah operation.
European Officials Meet Iranian Foreign Minister to Salvage Iran Deal
European Union foreign policy chief, Frederica Mogherini, and foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany on May 15, 2018 met with their Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to talk on a strategy and a working plan--which would be discussed over the next two days (May 16-17, 2018) at an EU summit in Sofia, Bulgaria--to salvage the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or JCPOA, in view of the U.S. withdrawal decision. The meeting took place on the same day Washington announced JCPOA-unrelated sanctions on the head of Iranian Central Bank for funding Hezbollah operation.
******* SOFIA SUMMIT ON U.S. WITHDRAWL FROM IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
EU Summit to Formulate Strategy to Deal with Trump's Iran Deal Withdrawal Challenges
European Union leaders are meeting at a summit in Sofia, Bulgaria May 16-17, 2018 to develop a comprehensive joint strategy by the 28-nation bloc to deal with the fallout of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. The leaders are personally aghast at Donald Trump's perceived irresponsible action to withdraw USA out of the deal that had put a lid on Teheran's nuclear program. Now, the European leaders are concerned over what would happen to many of their large corporations had taken the opportunity of the 2015 landmark agreement, made concerted decision to invest in Iran and, now suddenly, faced with the possibility of U.S. sanctions. Reflecting the frustration, EU Council President Donald Tusk on May 16, 2018 slammed Trump in a blistering criticism and said that "who needs enemies" when they had Trump as their allies. Tusk also called Trump's action "capricious".
EU to Defy Trump on Iran Deal, Agrees to Work on Shielding Companies
Meeting for the second day at the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, 28-nation European Union leaders on May 17, 2018 bristled at the Trump administration's rash and unilateral action of withdrawing U.S. from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. A day after EU Council President Donald Tusk's blistering attack on Trump, it was the turn of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to turn the heat on Trump on May 17, 2018. Assuring the European companies that had business stakes in Iran, Jean-Claude Juncker told the leaders in no uncertain terms that "we have a duty to protect our European companies". The key outcome of the Sofia Summit was a coming to the terms for all the participant nations that they had an obligation to collectively work on legal, political and diplomatic measures that would protect their companies from any adverse U.S. action in view of its recent withdrawal from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement.
******* SOFIA SUMMIT ON U.S. WITHDRAWL FROM IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
Europe Asks Trump Administration for Sanctions Relief
A letter jointly written by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain as well as EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini called for meaningful exemption of U.S. punitive sanctions to protect their companies who had been doing business in Iran because the "U.S. secondary sanctions could prevent the European Union from continuing meaningful sanctions relief to Iran". The letter, addressed to the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was published by The Wall Street Journal on June 6, 2018.
Five powers Recommit to Iran Nuclear Deal
At a meeting in Vienna on July 6, 2018, foreign ministers from Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China assured their Iranian counterpart that they continued to be on board with the JCPOA, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. EU Foreign Policy Chief Frederica Mogherini said during the day that the "participants recognized that, in return for the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments, the lifting of sanctions, including the economic dividends arising from it, constitutes an essential part of the JCOPA". However, there was no denial of the fact that Trump administration's May 2018 withdrawal from the deal would likely inflict some economic harm to Iran as German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stated it, but also said that Tehran's leaving the JCOPA "would have much greater disadvantages". However, there was a palpable sense of unity at the Vienna meeting, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressing in no uncertain terms that adherence to treaty would send a "united, determined and strong signal" that they were committed to it despite Trump's decision.
U.S. Re-imposes Sanctions on Iran
Trump administration hit Iran with sanctions, lifted after Obama administration and five other nations had signed a nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015 to put a lid on the Persian Gulf nation's nuclear ambition, just before midnight on August 6, 2018. However, European nations were adamant in continuing with the deal as their national securities were also tied to it. Foreign Ministers of Britain, Germany and France issued a joint statement on August 6, 2018, saying "we are determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business in Iran". The sanctions included transactions in a range of areas such as dollar bank notes, gold, precious metals, aluminum, steel, commercial aircraft and coal. U.S. also banned the import of carpets, rugs and food from Iran. Reacting to re-imposition of U.S. sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the impact of sanctions would be felt by common people and blasting the U.S. double standard in a tweet that "U.S. hypocrisy knows no bounds" as it "wants the world to believe that it's concerned about the Iranian people". Another round of sanctions will be re-imposed on November 4, 2018. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on August 6, 2018 vowed to withstand the pain of sanctions with the unity of Iranian people. Meanwhile, Iran's new central bank chief, Abdolnaser Hemmati, said during the day that Teheran would subsidize medicine and food to ensure that the pain inflicted as minimum as possible.
Iranian Currency Plunges, Supplies Vanish from Store Shelves
Nearly a month after U.S. re-imposed sanctions on Iran, fears are rising in the nation over popular resentment as the nation's currency has hit a record low on September 5, 2018, marking a 140 percent drop in rial since the re-clamping of the sanctions, and fast disappearance of essential commodities from the shelves of nation's stores.
U.N. Court Asks Trump Administration to Pare Back Some Sanctions
The Hague-based International Court of Justice on October 3, 2018 issued a verdict that Trump administration lift some of the sanctions imposed after it had pulled out of international nuclear agreement, saying that those sanctions affected humanitarian goods, products and services and, thus, contravening the 1955 Treaty of Amity. However, reacting to ICJ's ruling during the day, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington was pulling out of treaty because Iran had brought the case to The Hague-based court "groundlessly".
U.S. Exempts Eight Nations from Punishing Sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on November 2, 2018 that eight nations, without naming them, had been for the time being exempted from U.S. sanctions for importing oil from Iran, but EU was not included. However, media identified India, Japan, China and South Korea having made to the list. Pompeo, justifying the waiver, said on November 2, 2018 that all eight nations had demonstrated the reduction in oil imports from Iran and two of them would stop imports altogether in weeks. All eight have to re-apply for waiver in six months. The second round of sanctions to go into effect November 5, 2018 will target 700 businesses, individuals and other entities involved in Iran's oil, banking, shipping, shipbuilding and insurance sectors, and aim at "fundamentally altering" Iran's behavior, according to Pompeo, of spreading "death and destruction around the world". Since U.S. withdrew from the nuclear agreement in May 2018, Iran's currency, rial, has lost more than two-third and oil exports have plunged to 1.5 million barrels daily from 2.5 million barrels.
Nuclear Watchdog Gives Iran the Certificate
The international nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency, on November 12, 2018 distributed a quarterly report among the member states, certifying that Iran had complied with the 2015 nuclear agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, the deal that Trump had withdrawn from.
EU Defies U.S., Sticks to Iran Nuclear Deal
A day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence used a conference on middle-east at Warsaw to severely criticize Europe not to follow U.S. in re-imposing sanctions, E.U foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini on February 15, 2019 used a prestigious international security conference in Munich to convey a tough message, voicing unwavering support for Iran nuclear deal that "we believe" in fostering a climate "fundamental and crucial for our security".
IAEA Certifies Iran's Compliance in Quarterly Report
U.N. nuclear watchdog on February 22, 2019 issued a quarterly report on Iran's compliance with 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, and just like every other quarterly report before, IAEA certified that Teheran had complied with the landmark accord this quarter too.
U.S. not to Extend Waivers for Allies
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on April 22, 2019 that Trump administration would the waiver and exemption for allies such as India, Japan and Italy come May 1, 2019 to import Iranian oil without any penalty. The sanctions re-imposed since Trump administration had withdrawn from the Iran Nuclear Accord hurt Teheran $10 billion in lost revenue and damaged Iranian economy. Now, with the exemption and waiver set to expire on May 1, 2019, Iranian economy will suffer additional bout of sanctions. In November 2018, U.S. gave eight nations, including India, China, Turkey, Japan and South Korea, a six-month waiver to prepare for weaning off from the Iranian oil imports.
U.S. to Send Aircraft Carrier to Persian Gulf to Mitigate Unspecified Iranian Threat
The episode from the beginning was cloaked with secrecy as the new Central Command chief, Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, on May 5, 2019 submitted request for sending reinforcement to Persian Gulf as the tension with Iran was rising. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton began drumming up support for military buildup in the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on May 6, 2019 approved the request and ordered USS Abraham Lincoln and its associated escort ships to the region. However, the military buildup was not explained by any White House officials attributable to any specific threat.
Iran to Jettison Parts of the Nuclear Deal
A year after withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal and days after sending an aircraft carrier to the region in the backdrop of heightened tension in Persian Gulf, Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, on May 8, 2019 announced that Teheran would stockpile additional Uranium instead of shipping them abroad, begin developing its Arak heavy water reactor and consider restarting highly enriched [bomb-grade] Uranium until EU cooperated in easing the sanctions regime imposed by Trump administration. President Hassan Rouhani, who delivered his speech in a nationally televised address, gave Europe a 60-day timeline until July 8, 2019 to come up with an action plan. Although Rouhani said that Iran's move would not violate the basic tenets of 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, but it would increase pressure on European nations. The May 8, 2019, announcement by President Hassan Rouhani in a nationally televised address came three days after White House National Security Adviser John Bolton said that U.S. was ordering USS Abraham Lincoln, an accompanying ship and several bombers to the region because of the unspecified Iranian threats. Talking to reporters at Moscow, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused Europeans on May 8, 2019 of bowing to U.S. pressure.
Meanwhile, Trump administration is drumming up the so-called "maximum pressure campaign". The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said that the "maximum pressure campaign" was working. The value of Iran's currency has fallen to record low, its annual inflation rate has quadrupled and foreign investment has all but dried up. French Defense Minister Florence Parly raised the alarm in the wake of any possibility for Iran to leave the nuclear agreement, telling BMFTV on May 8, 2019, "nothing would be worse than Iran leaving the deal".
EU Asks Iran to Respect the Deal
The EU on May 9, 2019 urged Tehran to respect the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, expressing "great concern" for the "statement made by Iran" a day earlier to stockpile additional Uranium, begin developing Arak heavy water reactor and consider resuming bomb-grade Uranium.
Iran Says No One Will Call Trump
Days after President Trump said that Iran call him to resolve the brewing tension, Iranian officials on May 12, 2019 rejected the offer with disdain. The head of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Affairs Commission, Heshmatollah Falahatpishe, going as far as saying that any conflict with Iran "will bring about their defeat to such an extent" that U.S. would not dare to have a war "as part of the U.S. strategy". Heshmatollah Falahatpishe's speech on the parliament floor on May 12, 2019 came on the same day as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had repeated Trump's offer for a chat with Iranian officials.
EU Defies U.S., Sticks to Iran Nuclear Deal
A day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence used a conference on middle-east at Warsaw to severely criticize Europe not to follow U.S. in re-imposing sanctions, E.U foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini on February 15, 2019 used a prestigious international security conference in Munich to convey a tough message, voicing unwavering support for Iran nuclear deal that "we believe" in fostering a climate "fundamental and crucial for our security".
IAEA Certifies Iran's Compliance in Quarterly Report
U.N. nuclear watchdog on February 22, 2019 issued a quarterly report on Iran's compliance with 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, and just like every other quarterly report before, IAEA certified that Teheran had complied with the landmark accord this quarter too.
U.S. not to Extend Waivers for Allies
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on April 22, 2019 that Trump administration would the waiver and exemption for allies such as India, Japan and Italy come May 1, 2019 to import Iranian oil without any penalty. The sanctions re-imposed since Trump administration had withdrawn from the Iran Nuclear Accord hurt Teheran $10 billion in lost revenue and damaged Iranian economy. Now, with the exemption and waiver set to expire on May 1, 2019, Iranian economy will suffer additional bout of sanctions. In November 2018, U.S. gave eight nations, including India, China, Turkey, Japan and South Korea, a six-month waiver to prepare for weaning off from the Iranian oil imports.
U.S. to Send Aircraft Carrier to Persian Gulf to Mitigate Unspecified Iranian Threat
The episode from the beginning was cloaked with secrecy as the new Central Command chief, Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, on May 5, 2019 submitted request for sending reinforcement to Persian Gulf as the tension with Iran was rising. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton began drumming up support for military buildup in the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on May 6, 2019 approved the request and ordered USS Abraham Lincoln and its associated escort ships to the region. However, the military buildup was not explained by any White House officials attributable to any specific threat.
Iran to Jettison Parts of the Nuclear Deal
A year after withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal and days after sending an aircraft carrier to the region in the backdrop of heightened tension in Persian Gulf, Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, on May 8, 2019 announced that Teheran would stockpile additional Uranium instead of shipping them abroad, begin developing its Arak heavy water reactor and consider restarting highly enriched [bomb-grade] Uranium until EU cooperated in easing the sanctions regime imposed by Trump administration. President Hassan Rouhani, who delivered his speech in a nationally televised address, gave Europe a 60-day timeline until July 8, 2019 to come up with an action plan. Although Rouhani said that Iran's move would not violate the basic tenets of 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, but it would increase pressure on European nations. The May 8, 2019, announcement by President Hassan Rouhani in a nationally televised address came three days after White House National Security Adviser John Bolton said that U.S. was ordering USS Abraham Lincoln, an accompanying ship and several bombers to the region because of the unspecified Iranian threats. Talking to reporters at Moscow, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused Europeans on May 8, 2019 of bowing to U.S. pressure.
Meanwhile, Trump administration is drumming up the so-called "maximum pressure campaign". The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said that the "maximum pressure campaign" was working. The value of Iran's currency has fallen to record low, its annual inflation rate has quadrupled and foreign investment has all but dried up. French Defense Minister Florence Parly raised the alarm in the wake of any possibility for Iran to leave the nuclear agreement, telling BMFTV on May 8, 2019, "nothing would be worse than Iran leaving the deal".
EU Asks Iran to Respect the Deal
The EU on May 9, 2019 urged Tehran to respect the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, expressing "great concern" for the "statement made by Iran" a day earlier to stockpile additional Uranium, begin developing Arak heavy water reactor and consider resuming bomb-grade Uranium.
Iran Says No One Will Call Trump
Days after President Trump said that Iran call him to resolve the brewing tension, Iranian officials on May 12, 2019 rejected the offer with disdain. The head of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Affairs Commission, Heshmatollah Falahatpishe, going as far as saying that any conflict with Iran "will bring about their defeat to such an extent" that U.S. would not dare to have a war "as part of the U.S. strategy". Heshmatollah Falahatpishe's speech on the parliament floor on May 12, 2019 came on the same day as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had repeated Trump's offer for a chat with Iranian officials.
Iran Reported to have Quadrupled Uranium Enrichment Capacity
The Associated Press reported on May 20, 2019 that Teheran had quadrupled the Uranium enrichment capacity in recent days in the backdrop of rising U.S.-Iran tension. As Iran gave the EU a deadline of July 7, 2019 to work on mending the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in the aftermath of U.S. withdrawal from the accord and subsequent re-imposition of financial sanctions on Teheran that had choked the Persian Gulf nation's economy, the latest news that Iran had increased its Uranium enrichment capacity to the 3.67%, a limit set by the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, would add fuel to the fire.
Iran's Supreme Leader Calls out President, Foreign Minister for Harsh Criticism
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on May 21, 2019 had some harsh things to say against country's president and foreign minister, who had resigned, but his resignation was rejected by the country's president. Khamenei called out President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an unusual manner to stress that he had deep difference with them in implementing the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord.
Quarterly Report Affirms Iranian Adherence, but also Notes Uptick
An IAEA quarterly report on Iran's compliance with the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, distributed among member nations on May 31, 2019 cleared Iran of any potential violations. However, the report also stated that Iran had installed "up to 33" IR-6 centrifuges in its Natanz facility. IR-6 centrifuges are more advanced, and under JCPOA, Iran can have a maximum of 30 IR-6 in place within 8-and-half years of the 2015 deal, implying a timeline of up to 2023. However, that provision is vague. Under the deal, Iran can retain 5,060 older model IR-1 centrifuges. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization head, Ali Akbar Salehi, said last month that Iran had installed 20 IR-6 in the underground Natanz facility. According to experts, IR-6 can enrich Uranium 10 times faster than IR-1.
Iran Breaches Low-grade Uranium Cap
Iran on July 1, 2019 announced that it had stockpiled more than 660 pounds of 3.67% pure Uranium, thus breaching the [660-pound] threshold. Later in the day a spokesman for International Atomic Energy Agency, Frederik Dahl, confirmed the breach. Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif defended his country's action, but also held hope of reversing the process if Europe could find a way to provide relief to Iran after Trump administration had re-imposed much of the pre-accord sanction regime.
French President Asks more Time After Ayatollah's Aide says that Iran Ready for More Enrichment
In a video posted on July 5, 2019, a key adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs said that Iran would increase the Uranium enrichment as it saw no initiative from Europe to help the Persian Gulf nation minimize its suffering from punitive sanctions that Trump administration had recently re-imposed. Hours after Ali Akbar Velayati's video message, French President Emmanuel Macron had held phone conversation for more than an hour with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on July 6, 2019 and expressed "strong concern about new weakening" of the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. Macron asked another seven days through July 15, 2019 to explore ways to prevent unraveling of the landmark nuclear accord. What's concerning is that Ali Akbar Velayati has, in the video message, called for enrichment to rise to 5% level. At present, only Bushehr Nuclear power plant imports fuel from Russia that's enriched to about 5% level.
Tehran Announces Accord Breach
A trio of Iranian officials--Behrouz Kamalvandi, an official of Iran's atomic agency; Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi; and Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei--addressing a high-profile press conference at Tehran, announced on July 7, 2019 that the country would increase the Uranium enrichment and breach the cap of 3.67% set by the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in a matter of hours.
KEY FACTS OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
* Iran's Nuclear Facilities
Natanz, in Iran's central Isfahan Province, is the country's primary nuclear facility. It's located underground.
Iran opened Bushehr Nuclear Power plant in 2011 with Russia's help. It reconfigured one heavy-water plant in Arak so that it couldn't produce plutonium, under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. Under the deal, Iran had put concrete in the Arak plant's calandria, or core, as part of redesign.
Iran also agreed, under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, to convert the Fordo enrichment center, deep inside the mountain, into a research facility.
Iran also operates a 50-year-old Tehran research reactor
* Iran's Nuclear enrichment
Iran can enrich Uranium up to 3.67% under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. For nuclear weapons, the enrichment grade has to be 90%. However, scientists have said for long time that once enrichment hits 20% purity, it's matter of when, not if, the 90% purity will be achieved.
* Iran's Uranium Stockpile
Iran can retain at most 661 pounds of low grade Uranium (not more than 3.67% purity) under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. It's compared to 22,046 pounds of higher grade, enriched Uranium stockpile it once has possessed.
*Iran's Centrifuges
Iran can operate a maximum of 5,060 older-model IR-1 centrifuges under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. However, Iran has technical capabilities to build and operate IR-2M, IR-4 and IR-6 centrifuges at Natanz. According to the scientists, IR-2M and IR-4 can enrich Uranium five times faster than IR-1, while IR-6 can do at 10 times faster.
Iran Declares Higher Enrichment of Uranium
As the 60-day, July 8, 2019, deadline set for Europe to help relieve U.S. sanctions pressure on Iran passed without any significant move from European leaders other than French President Emmanuel Macron's request to seek an additional seven days through July 15, 2019 in the aftermath of an hours-long telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, Iran acknowledged and publicly announced on July 8, 2019 that it had ramped up enrichment amount to 4.5%, higher than 3.67% cap stipulated in the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, but much lower than 90% required for nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, U.S. asked for an emergency session of IAEA for July 10, 2019 to take stock of Iran's breach.
Firework Flies in the IAEA Special Session with U.S. Facing Heat
If the U.S. goal at the July 10, 2019, emergency session asked by Washington to assess the situation stemming from Iran's July 8, 2019, declaration that Tehran had enriched Uranium to 4.5% is to isolate Iran and ratchet up pressure on Tehran, it has failed miserably as it's the U.S.' top diplomat to IAEA, Jackie Wolcott, who has faced pointed questions and grilling, especially from Russian ambassador to IAEA, Mikhail Ulyanov, who has blasted U.S. policy as dual because, on one hand, it withdraws from the accord and, on the other hand, it expects Iran to comply with it.
Race to Rescue Iran Nuclear Deal
Diplomats from the parties to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement barring the United States met at Vienna on July 28, 2019 to salvage the landmark deal from unravelling as tension between Iran and the west had been running high in recent weeks. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Aragchi, expressed optimism at the conclusion of the meeting and added that "the atmosphere was constructive, and the discussion were good". The head of the Chinese delegation, Fu Cong, expressed hope for saving the deal. All participants, including Russia, Germany, France, U.K. and the EU, voiced strong opposition to any unilateral move to undermine the agreement. China also expressed its desire to set up a barter-type system that EU had set up to allow its corporations to do business with their Iranian counterparts and still skirt the U.S. sanctions.
Iran Further Veers off the Deal
Iran's Atomic Energy Organization's spokesperson, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said on September 7, 2019 that Iran had activated a series of more advanced centrifuges that would hasten the enrichment process.
Iran Veers Further away from Accord
Almost two months after September 7, 2019, activation of more advanced centrifuges, Iran on November 4, 2019 sharpened the political weapon by ratcheting up the nuclear game plan as the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, turned on the switch of 30 additional IR-6 centrifuges at the underground facility of Natanz. With the September 7, 2019, and November 4, 2019, actions, Iran is now running 60 IR-6 centrifuges that can run 10 times faster than IR-1 centrifuges. Under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Tehran is allowed to keep 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges operational. Salehi also has said that Iran now has a prototype of more advanced IR-9 centrifuge that can run 50 times faster than IR-1 centrifuge. Ali Akbar Salehi's announcement came on the 40th anniversary of U.S. Embassy takeover.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Ayatollah's Inner Circle
On the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran, Trump administration on November 4, 2019 announced sanctions against influential members of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's ruling orbit, including his second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, new head of Iran's judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, and Ayatollah's Chief of Staff Mohamad Mohammadi Golpayegani. In addition to Treasury Department's sanctions, the State Department announced a $20 million reward for clues abour Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who had disappeared during a visit to Kish Island in 2007. The $20 million reward is in addition to $5 million already offered by the FBI.
Iranian President Announces Moves to Further Walk off the 2015 Nuclear Agreement
Everyday Iran is taking steps--large and small--to devour from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement that undermines the very objectives of Trump administration that it has put forward behind pulling out of the accord in the first place: to prevent Iran's nuclear program. A day after activating 30 additional IR-6 centrifuges in Natanz, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on November 5, 2019 that Tehran would soon convert Fordo facility, deep inside a mountain 15 miles northeast of Shiite holy city of Qom, into an active nuclear facility from a research site. As part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Iran emptied out Fordo's 1,044 centrifuges and the facility had become a research institution. Now, under the November 5, 2019, announcement, uranium gas will be injected into 1,044 centrifuges to jumpstart their operation.
Uranium Injected into Centrifuges at Fordo Facility
Iranian authorities brought 4,400 pounds of Uranium Hexafluoride gas into Fordo facility on November 6, 2019 as part of injection of the gas into 1,044 centrifuges and turning them on. IAEA inspectors were present on hand.
Iran not to Limit Its Enrichment Activity if It Wishes
Days after killing of Quds Force's top commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. drone strike, Iran had been ever more defiant. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told an audience of nation's bankers on January 16, 2020 that Tehran would not adhere to any cap in enrichment.
Pompeo Extends Several Iran Sanctions-related Waivers
In the light of a devastating COVID-19 pandemic that had taken a significant toll on Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 31, 2020 extended several waivers related to 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, allowing EU nations, China and Russia continue participating in Iran's civilian nuclear program.
Pompeo Pushes a U.N. Draft to Extend Arms Embargo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared virtually at a U.N. Security Council meeting on June 30, 2020, and pushed for a draft resolution to extend arms embargo on Iran as part of U.N. Resolution 2231. U.N. Resolution 2231 was passed in 2015 by the U.N. Security Council to endorse the Iran Nuclear Accord, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, and as part of the agreement, there was an embargo on arms sales to Tehran. However, the embargo is set to appear on October 18, 2020, and thus the Trump administration's rush to extend the embargo.
U.N. Security Council Rejects U.S. Effort to Re-impose Arms Embargo on Iran
The president of U.N. Security Council informed the member nations on August 25, 2020 that a proposed "snapback" pushed by the U.S. didn't have backing of enough Security Council members to renew arms embargo on Iran scheduled to expire on October 18, 2020. Dian Triyansyah Djani of Indonesia, which holds the rotating presidency now, has informed the member nations that he has sought out the support of the member nations after U.S. has moved on August 20, 2020 to introduce the embargo measure. Most of the nations, according to Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triyansyah Djani, don't agree that U.S. has even right to demand a "snapback" provision as Donald Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft blasted the U.N. Security Council's inaction against the "largest state sponsor of terrorism".
Iran, IAEA Agree to Inspection in Two Sites
Iran and IAEA on August 26, 2020 issued a joint statement after the visit of agency's new chief to Tehran that Iran would open the access of two sites to the international inspectors to verify whether there were any nuclear activities or nuclear stockpiles there. After assuming the helms of affairs, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi homed in in ensuring the compliance of Iran with the nuclear agreement that it had signed in 2015. In a March 2020 report, IAEA said that there were three Iranian sites, not under the purview of 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, that might have "undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities". In its June 2020 report, IAEA said that one site had undergone "extreme sanitization and leveling" that had made verification all but impossible. On August 26, 2020, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called his meeting with Rafael Grossi productive, and afterward, the joint statement was issued to confirm that Tehran had agreed to allow international inspectors to visit other two sites.
Quarterly Report Affirms Iranian Adherence, but also Notes Uptick
An IAEA quarterly report on Iran's compliance with the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, distributed among member nations on May 31, 2019 cleared Iran of any potential violations. However, the report also stated that Iran had installed "up to 33" IR-6 centrifuges in its Natanz facility. IR-6 centrifuges are more advanced, and under JCPOA, Iran can have a maximum of 30 IR-6 in place within 8-and-half years of the 2015 deal, implying a timeline of up to 2023. However, that provision is vague. Under the deal, Iran can retain 5,060 older model IR-1 centrifuges. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization head, Ali Akbar Salehi, said last month that Iran had installed 20 IR-6 in the underground Natanz facility. According to experts, IR-6 can enrich Uranium 10 times faster than IR-1.
Iran Breaches Low-grade Uranium Cap
Iran on July 1, 2019 announced that it had stockpiled more than 660 pounds of 3.67% pure Uranium, thus breaching the [660-pound] threshold. Later in the day a spokesman for International Atomic Energy Agency, Frederik Dahl, confirmed the breach. Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif defended his country's action, but also held hope of reversing the process if Europe could find a way to provide relief to Iran after Trump administration had re-imposed much of the pre-accord sanction regime.
French President Asks more Time After Ayatollah's Aide says that Iran Ready for More Enrichment
In a video posted on July 5, 2019, a key adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs said that Iran would increase the Uranium enrichment as it saw no initiative from Europe to help the Persian Gulf nation minimize its suffering from punitive sanctions that Trump administration had recently re-imposed. Hours after Ali Akbar Velayati's video message, French President Emmanuel Macron had held phone conversation for more than an hour with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on July 6, 2019 and expressed "strong concern about new weakening" of the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. Macron asked another seven days through July 15, 2019 to explore ways to prevent unraveling of the landmark nuclear accord. What's concerning is that Ali Akbar Velayati has, in the video message, called for enrichment to rise to 5% level. At present, only Bushehr Nuclear power plant imports fuel from Russia that's enriched to about 5% level.
Tehran Announces Accord Breach
A trio of Iranian officials--Behrouz Kamalvandi, an official of Iran's atomic agency; Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi; and Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei--addressing a high-profile press conference at Tehran, announced on July 7, 2019 that the country would increase the Uranium enrichment and breach the cap of 3.67% set by the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in a matter of hours.
KEY FACTS OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
* Iran's Nuclear Facilities
Natanz, in Iran's central Isfahan Province, is the country's primary nuclear facility. It's located underground.
Iran opened Bushehr Nuclear Power plant in 2011 with Russia's help. It reconfigured one heavy-water plant in Arak so that it couldn't produce plutonium, under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. Under the deal, Iran had put concrete in the Arak plant's calandria, or core, as part of redesign.
Iran also agreed, under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, to convert the Fordo enrichment center, deep inside the mountain, into a research facility.
Iran also operates a 50-year-old Tehran research reactor
* Iran's Nuclear enrichment
Iran can enrich Uranium up to 3.67% under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. For nuclear weapons, the enrichment grade has to be 90%. However, scientists have said for long time that once enrichment hits 20% purity, it's matter of when, not if, the 90% purity will be achieved.
* Iran's Uranium Stockpile
Iran can retain at most 661 pounds of low grade Uranium (not more than 3.67% purity) under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. It's compared to 22,046 pounds of higher grade, enriched Uranium stockpile it once has possessed.
*Iran's Centrifuges
Iran can operate a maximum of 5,060 older-model IR-1 centrifuges under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement. However, Iran has technical capabilities to build and operate IR-2M, IR-4 and IR-6 centrifuges at Natanz. According to the scientists, IR-2M and IR-4 can enrich Uranium five times faster than IR-1, while IR-6 can do at 10 times faster.
Iran Declares Higher Enrichment of Uranium
As the 60-day, July 8, 2019, deadline set for Europe to help relieve U.S. sanctions pressure on Iran passed without any significant move from European leaders other than French President Emmanuel Macron's request to seek an additional seven days through July 15, 2019 in the aftermath of an hours-long telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, Iran acknowledged and publicly announced on July 8, 2019 that it had ramped up enrichment amount to 4.5%, higher than 3.67% cap stipulated in the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, but much lower than 90% required for nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, U.S. asked for an emergency session of IAEA for July 10, 2019 to take stock of Iran's breach.
Firework Flies in the IAEA Special Session with U.S. Facing Heat
If the U.S. goal at the July 10, 2019, emergency session asked by Washington to assess the situation stemming from Iran's July 8, 2019, declaration that Tehran had enriched Uranium to 4.5% is to isolate Iran and ratchet up pressure on Tehran, it has failed miserably as it's the U.S.' top diplomat to IAEA, Jackie Wolcott, who has faced pointed questions and grilling, especially from Russian ambassador to IAEA, Mikhail Ulyanov, who has blasted U.S. policy as dual because, on one hand, it withdraws from the accord and, on the other hand, it expects Iran to comply with it.
Race to Rescue Iran Nuclear Deal
Diplomats from the parties to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement barring the United States met at Vienna on July 28, 2019 to salvage the landmark deal from unravelling as tension between Iran and the west had been running high in recent weeks. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Aragchi, expressed optimism at the conclusion of the meeting and added that "the atmosphere was constructive, and the discussion were good". The head of the Chinese delegation, Fu Cong, expressed hope for saving the deal. All participants, including Russia, Germany, France, U.K. and the EU, voiced strong opposition to any unilateral move to undermine the agreement. China also expressed its desire to set up a barter-type system that EU had set up to allow its corporations to do business with their Iranian counterparts and still skirt the U.S. sanctions.
Iran Further Veers off the Deal
Iran's Atomic Energy Organization's spokesperson, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said on September 7, 2019 that Iran had activated a series of more advanced centrifuges that would hasten the enrichment process.
Iran Veers Further away from Accord
Almost two months after September 7, 2019, activation of more advanced centrifuges, Iran on November 4, 2019 sharpened the political weapon by ratcheting up the nuclear game plan as the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, turned on the switch of 30 additional IR-6 centrifuges at the underground facility of Natanz. With the September 7, 2019, and November 4, 2019, actions, Iran is now running 60 IR-6 centrifuges that can run 10 times faster than IR-1 centrifuges. Under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Tehran is allowed to keep 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges operational. Salehi also has said that Iran now has a prototype of more advanced IR-9 centrifuge that can run 50 times faster than IR-1 centrifuge. Ali Akbar Salehi's announcement came on the 40th anniversary of U.S. Embassy takeover.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Ayatollah's Inner Circle
On the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran, Trump administration on November 4, 2019 announced sanctions against influential members of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's ruling orbit, including his second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, new head of Iran's judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, and Ayatollah's Chief of Staff Mohamad Mohammadi Golpayegani. In addition to Treasury Department's sanctions, the State Department announced a $20 million reward for clues abour Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who had disappeared during a visit to Kish Island in 2007. The $20 million reward is in addition to $5 million already offered by the FBI.
Iranian President Announces Moves to Further Walk off the 2015 Nuclear Agreement
Everyday Iran is taking steps--large and small--to devour from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement that undermines the very objectives of Trump administration that it has put forward behind pulling out of the accord in the first place: to prevent Iran's nuclear program. A day after activating 30 additional IR-6 centrifuges in Natanz, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on November 5, 2019 that Tehran would soon convert Fordo facility, deep inside a mountain 15 miles northeast of Shiite holy city of Qom, into an active nuclear facility from a research site. As part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Iran emptied out Fordo's 1,044 centrifuges and the facility had become a research institution. Now, under the November 5, 2019, announcement, uranium gas will be injected into 1,044 centrifuges to jumpstart their operation.
Uranium Injected into Centrifuges at Fordo Facility
Iranian authorities brought 4,400 pounds of Uranium Hexafluoride gas into Fordo facility on November 6, 2019 as part of injection of the gas into 1,044 centrifuges and turning them on. IAEA inspectors were present on hand.
Iran not to Limit Its Enrichment Activity if It Wishes
Days after killing of Quds Force's top commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. drone strike, Iran had been ever more defiant. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told an audience of nation's bankers on January 16, 2020 that Tehran would not adhere to any cap in enrichment.
Pompeo Extends Several Iran Sanctions-related Waivers
In the light of a devastating COVID-19 pandemic that had taken a significant toll on Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 31, 2020 extended several waivers related to 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, allowing EU nations, China and Russia continue participating in Iran's civilian nuclear program.
Pompeo Pushes a U.N. Draft to Extend Arms Embargo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared virtually at a U.N. Security Council meeting on June 30, 2020, and pushed for a draft resolution to extend arms embargo on Iran as part of U.N. Resolution 2231. U.N. Resolution 2231 was passed in 2015 by the U.N. Security Council to endorse the Iran Nuclear Accord, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, and as part of the agreement, there was an embargo on arms sales to Tehran. However, the embargo is set to appear on October 18, 2020, and thus the Trump administration's rush to extend the embargo.
U.N. Security Council Rejects U.S. Effort to Re-impose Arms Embargo on Iran
The president of U.N. Security Council informed the member nations on August 25, 2020 that a proposed "snapback" pushed by the U.S. didn't have backing of enough Security Council members to renew arms embargo on Iran scheduled to expire on October 18, 2020. Dian Triyansyah Djani of Indonesia, which holds the rotating presidency now, has informed the member nations that he has sought out the support of the member nations after U.S. has moved on August 20, 2020 to introduce the embargo measure. Most of the nations, according to Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triyansyah Djani, don't agree that U.S. has even right to demand a "snapback" provision as Donald Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft blasted the U.N. Security Council's inaction against the "largest state sponsor of terrorism".
Iran, IAEA Agree to Inspection in Two Sites
Iran and IAEA on August 26, 2020 issued a joint statement after the visit of agency's new chief to Tehran that Iran would open the access of two sites to the international inspectors to verify whether there were any nuclear activities or nuclear stockpiles there. After assuming the helms of affairs, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi homed in in ensuring the compliance of Iran with the nuclear agreement that it had signed in 2015. In a March 2020 report, IAEA said that there were three Iranian sites, not under the purview of 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, that might have "undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities". In its June 2020 report, IAEA said that one site had undergone "extreme sanitization and leveling" that had made verification all but impossible. On August 26, 2020, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called his meeting with Rafael Grossi productive, and afterward, the joint statement was issued to confirm that Tehran had agreed to allow international inspectors to visit other two sites.
U.N.
Chief Opposes U.S. Effort to Restore “Snapback” on Iran
U.N.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on September 20, 2020 that, although U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo had announced a day earlier that sanctions against Iran had been
restored as part of the “snapback” provision that JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action] participant could leverage, Washington didn’t have
authority to use the so called “snapback” provision as U.N.
Resolution 2231 that had ratified the JCPOA, or Iran Nuclear Agreement,
only applied to the participant nation and as U.S. had withdrawn from the
agreement, it lost its right to leverage the “snapback” provision. A
month ago, U.S. had notified that it would leverage the “snapback” tool
to re-impose sanctions against Iran as the original participant of the JCPOA to
punish Tehran for continuous violation to the Iran Nuclear Agreement.
Trump Issues Order to Restore “Snapback” Sanctions
On September 21, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump issued
an order to restore the so called “snapback” sanctions on Iran. Many of the
world’s nations, including U.S. allies as well as other signatory nations of JCPOA
[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] agreement, don’t agree with Trump
administration that U.S. has authority to trigger a “snapback” as Washington
has already withdrawn from the landmark agreement in 2018.
Nuclear
Watchdog Reports Iran Violating JCPOA
International
Atomic Energy Agency on November 11, 2020 issued a report to member nations, highlighting
Iran’s violation of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action, or JCPOA on both areas of amount of low-enriched uranium
and degree of purity of uranium. The Associated Press has seen the
report that has pointed out that Tehran has possessed 5,385.7 pounds of
low-enriched uranium as of November 2, 2020 compared to 4,644.6 pounds
of low-enriched uranium as of August 25, 2020. Under the JCPOA,
Iran is allowed to have only 661 pounds of uranium with maximum level of
purity of 3.67%. The quarterly IAEA report also stated that Iran had
enriched uranium to 4.5% purity level.
Trump
Probes about a Possible Military Strike in Iran
A
day after International Atomic Energy Agency reported violation to 2015
Iran Nuclear Agreement, or JCPOA, by Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump
probed his cabinet officials about feasibility of carrying out an attack in
Iran. His top aides dissuaded him from carrying out such attack. The New
York Times reported on November 16, 2020 that Vice President Mike Pence,
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and Joint
Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley attended the November 12, 2020,
meeting.
Iran to Increase Enrichment to 20% Level
Iran's head of civilian Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, on January 2, 2021 said that his country would increase the Uranium enrichment to 20% level as soon as possible. That will be steps away from making a nuclear weapon. Although the move is considered as a ploy to pressure Europe and incoming Biden administration for sanctions relief, this will increase tension between Iran and Israel. In December 2020, Iranian parliament approved increasing the refinement at the Fordo Nuclear Facility to 20% level.
Supreme Leader Demands Lifting of Sanctions before Resuming Nuclear Accord Compliance
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei on February 7, 2021 asked the U.S. to lift sanctions before his country took any step to begin complying with the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord. This is the first official comment by Iran's spiritual head on the 2015 nuclear agreement, or JCPOA, since Biden has become president. However, Biden administration wants Iran first to comply with various provisions of the 2015 agreement before lifting the sanctions that have been imposed by Trump administration. In an interview with the CBS Evening News taped on February 5, 2021, but broadcast on February 7, 2021, President Joe Biden clearly set the expectation straight, prodding Tehran to return to compliance as the first step.
Iran may Pursue Nuclear Weapons Program if Sanctions not Lifted, Minister Says
Two days after U.S. President Joe Biden said in a recorded program on the CBS Evening News that Iran had to make the first step by returning to the umbrella of 2015 nuclear agreement for getting sanctions relief, Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said, according to the Iranian state TV, on February 9, 2021 that U.S. should first lift the sanctions and not push Tehran like "a cat is cornered" as that might force Iran to pursue the nuclear weapons program. The February 9, 2021, statement by Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi marked the first time that an Iranian government official dropped a hint of pursuing nuclear weapons program. Iran's official line has been to continue the nuclear program, with or without the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, for peaceful purposes such as medical research and energy development since Ayatollah Ali Khamanei's 1990s fatwa forbidding the weapons program.
Iran to Give Limited Access to IAEA Inspectors
Iran is ramping up its pressure to win sanctions relief from the west. As part of that effort, Tehran will offer "less access" to IAEA inspectors, according to the agency's director general, Rafael Grossi. The head of International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, went to Tehran for a hastily arranged visit on February 21, 2021 to sign a "technical understanding" that would allow the IAEA inspectors to have access to Iranian nuclear facilities for the next three months. Upon return to Vienna, Grossi told correspondents that there would not be any constraints on the number of inspectors on the ground. Instead, it would be the "types of activities", Grossi added. Rafael Grossi expressed hope during conversation with reporters after arriving at Viena from Teheran on February 21, 2021 after an hours-long visit for "political consultation" to start by all concerned parties by taking advantage of a more favorable situation provided by the "technical understanding". The constraint in activities was explained by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif even before the meeting with IAEA chief during a TV interview. Zarif said that IAEA inspectors would not have access to footage from its cameras placed in the nuclear facilities. The cameras have been placed in 18 nuclear facilities and nine other locations as part of the "Additional Protocol", a key component of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, also known as JCPOA. The importance of theses images can not be underestimated as they are some of the key operational determinators of international community's surveillance regime for Iran's nuclear facilities. In 2017, International Atomic Energy Agency said in reference to the cameras installed as part of the "Additional Protocol" that the agency "collects and analyzes hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by its sophisticated surveillance cameras".
Iran Begins Access Restriction as IAEA Shares a Damning Report with the West
As per a recently enacted Iranian law, Tehran on February 23, 2021 has begun a moratorium on thousands of images that IAEA's sophisticated cameras do capture daily at more than two dozens nuclear facilities and other strategic locations, thus depriving the international inspectors a valuable real-time monitoring tool. The restriction went effective on the same day that a report prepared by International Atomic Energy Agency was issued, highlighting, to much of chagrin to the west, an accelerated pace of Iran's nuclear program. According to the IAEA report, Iran as of February 16, 2021 has added an additional 38.8 pounds of Uranium to its stockpile that is enriched up to 20% purity level. The report also estimates that Tehran's total Uranium stockpile is 6,542 pounds compared to 5,385 pounds reported on November 2, 2020.
Nuclear Facility Blackout Called "Nuclear Terrorism" as U.S-Iran Talks Continue
What could be another subversive act against one of the key nuclear facilities in Iran in the backdrop of ongoing negotiation aimed at creating conditions to pave the way for both the U.S. and Iran to join the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], a blackout was reported in the Natanz facility on April 11, 2021. As hours passed by, there was convergence of opinion on what might have happened at Natanz. The chief of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, told the state TV that international community needed to confront and condemn the "nuclear terrorism", an indirect reference to Israel.
Iran Holds Israel Responsible for Attack on Natanz
As negotiators from Iran and the U.S. are to resume talks related to resuscitating the JCPOA on April 13, 2021, the session can become clouded and undermined by the April 11, 2021, power outage at Iran's Natanz nuclear facilities which Iran has described as "nuclear terrorism" and may have significantly destroyed the facility's nuclear capabilities. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on April 12, 2021 blamed Israel for orchestrating the outage.
Iran to Enrich Uranium at a Much Higher Level
In response to what Tehran has called "nuclear terrorism" employed to orchestrate power outage at Iran's underground Natanz facility, Iran will increase uranium enrichment activity to 60%, an alarming step towards weapons grade purity level that raises the stakes for western nations, according to Abbas Araghchi, an Iranian nuclear negotiator who has said it in Vienna on April 13, 2021, where Araghchi is to begin informal talks with the U.S. officials later in the night.
Iran’s
Supreme Leader Blasts Offer in Talks “Not Worth Looking at”
Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on April 14, 2021 blasted the
latest offer that was put forth by the U.S. and its allies in the negotiation
at Vienna as “not worth looking at”. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s dismissal came on
a hectic day as Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, vowed to “cut off both
of your hands”, referring to April 11, 2021, attack that had destroyed IR-1
centrifuges at its main Natanz facility. Rouhani vowed to replace
the destroyed centrifuges with more advanced IR-6 centrifuges and ramp
up the Uranium refinement to 60% purity.
Iran Nuclear Talks in Vienna Described "Constructive"; Iran, Saudis Meet too
The ongoing talks to corrall both U.S. and Iran into JCPOA umbrella seem to have been going on in constructive and conducive atmosphere contrary to public fulmination by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Iranian leaders. The talks began in Vienna on April 9, 2021, and were almost derailed by April 11, 2021, attack on the Natanz nuclear facility that Tehran had blamed on Israel. Describing the direction of the talks, involving U.S., Iran, EU, Russia and China, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the Fox News on April 18, 2021 that the talks so far were "constructive" and were heading for a possible compromise of "compliance for compliance" basis. A day ago, April 17, 2021, the lead negotiator and deputy foreign minister of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, sounded optimistic and said that as days were passing by, there was a growing sense of "new undersanding" among the parties.
Meanwhile, on the very day that nuclear talks began in Vienna on April 9, 2021, a delegation from Iran met with its counterpart from Saudi Arabia in Baghdad, trying to address underlying bilateral and regional issues and lowering the tension in the region, Financial Times reported on April 18, 2021.
Leak of Foreign Minister's Interview May Undermine Nuclear Talks
An interview designed to have been stored for future generation as part of artifacts overseen by an Iranian think tank related to Iranian presidency has been leaked and aired by a London-based, Farsi-language TV channel, Iran International, on April 26, 2021. The interview was given by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to an UAE-based journalist. In the interview, Mohammad Javad Zarif uttered that Russia and China "can always enjoy maximum benefits through us". Zarif added at one point that Russia wanted to ruin the nuclear agreement, known as JCPOA, potentially antagonizing Kremlin and complicating an already complex political air. The interview, seven hours of duration, also revealed that Javad Zarif didn't not harbor a near-total positive view of most Iranian political leaders on Former Quds Force Commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who had been assassinated by the U.S. in January 2020, saying that "I have sacrified diplomacy for the battlefield more than the price" paid by the ones on the battlefield for diplomacy. Mohammad Javad Zarif's candid assessment may undermine Iran's standing in the nuclear talks now underway in Vienna as well as bring a new level of uncertainty in Iran's domestic politics.
Nuclear Talks Resume in Vienna
A day after an intended secret interview meant for the posterity was publicly leaked, talks resumed in Vienna on April 27, 2021 to persuade U.S. and Iran back to JCPOA. Asked about the allegation that had surfaced in the leaked interview in which Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Russia had intention of ruining the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or JCPOA, Russia's lead delegate to Vienna talks, Mikhyl Uliyanov, said that his motto was to be "guided by the unity of purpose", tactfully avoiding the question.
Talks Going Well, Russian Rep Says
Germany, France, U.K., Russia and China concluded their latest talks (April 27-May 1) on May 1, 2021, and Russian lead negotiator Mikhail Ulyanov expressed "cautious and growing optimism" for bringing both the USA and Iran back to the JCPOA's framework. JCPOA member states are planning to reconvene in the latter part of May 2, 2021, week.
Fourth-round of Closed-Door Talks to Begin amidst Doubt Expressed by U.S. Official
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on May 6, 2021 told the NBC News in Kyiv, where he was on an official visit, that he didn't know if Tehran "is actually prepared to make the decisions necessary to return to full compliance" as the fourth-round of talks were to resume starting May 7, 2021 in Vienna, where existing JCOPA member states would play the role of interlocutor between the Iranian and American officials.
Fourth-Round of Talks Begin; Russian Negotiator Optimistic
Fourth-round of indirect talks between U.S. and Iran began at Vienna on May 7, 2021, with Russia, China, France, Germany and U.K. playing the role of intermediaries. According to lead Russian negotiator, Mikhail Ulyanov, participants are optimistic in bringing the USA and Iran together.
IAEA Reports Iran Enriching Uranium at 60% Purity Level
International Atomic Energy Agency on May 12, 2021 reported that Iran was now enriching uranium up to 60% level of purity, confirming Tehran's resolve to carry out enrichment at a more lethal scale that it threatened to achieve as a response to a cyberattack on its Natanz facility in April 2021.
Talks Resume amidst Optimism for Reaching a Deal for U.S to Return to Nuclear Agreement
E.U. official Enrique Mora chaired a meeting on May 19, 2021 at Vienna, involving Germany, U.K., Russia, China, France and Iran related to the evolving proposal of bringing both the U.S. and Iran back to 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The talks that had begun in early April 2021 resumed on May 19, 2021 after days of pause and were tentatively planned by the parties to reconvene in Vienna again the next week. After the day-long negotiation, which U.S. had not participated, but maintained a presence in Vienna to get and give feedback, Eurupean Union official Enrique Mora exuded confidence while chatting with reporters, saying that "we have made substantial progress". Russian chief delegate to Vienna talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, tweeted that "good or significant progress was made". Iran's chief negotiator to Vienna talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, expressed confidence even before the beginning of the talks. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin during the day that he couldn't share much publicly now, but had reason for optimism.
Iran’s
Parliament Okays Ending “Additional Protocol” for Surveillance Images
Iranian
parliament’s speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, told the lawmakers on May
23, 2021 morning that the confidential agreement known as “Additional
Protocol”, under which Iranian authorities were preserving the images captured
by the International Atomic Energy Agency-installed surveillance cameras
at Iran’s nuclear facilities, had ended on May 21, 2021, thus opening up an
avenue of political rift that could disbalance the negotiation process underway
since early April 2021 at Vienna to bring Washington and Tehran to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The
negotiation at Vienna is being reported to have made some good progress in
recent days. Iran’s parliament in December 2020 passed a bill to end
part of the U.N. inspection regime by February 2021 if Tehran didn’t win
from Europe a significant relief from sanctions in oil and banking sectors. In February
2021, IAEA inked a three-month deal with Iran to preserve the surveillance
images from the IAEA cameras installed in Iran’s nuclear facilities. That deal
has expired on May 21, 2021 under the Gregorian calendar and is to
expire on May 24, 2021 under the Persian calendar.
Iran, IAEA Sign a 1-month Surveillance Deal
On May 24, 2021, Iran and International Atomic Energy Agency signed a 1-month agreement to continue with preserving the images being obtained by IAEA monitoring cameras installed at the country's nuclear facilities. The one-month deal adds the urgency and political necessity for speeding up the ongoing negotiation to bring the U.S. and Iran back to 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The surveillance images are part of the so called "Additional Protocol", a confidential agreement, that allows IAEA to obtain and analyze images from a series of surveillance cameras. The last minute, May 24, 2021, deal between Iran and IAEA came after a meeting between IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, at Vienna. Grossi later told the reporters that the last-minute deal was helpful as it would avert any destruction to the images obtained by the surveillance cameras, but challenges abounded as IAEA was yet to access those images for analysis. Iran's chief delegate to IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, tweeted too, extolling the last-minute deal.
Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Begin amidst Optimism
World powers on May 25, 2021 began the fifth round of nuclear talks at Vienna, a day after IAEA and Iran had agreed to extend the surveillance of Iranian nuclear facilities for another month, amidst optimism that it might be the last round of talks. Although the U.S. is not directly participating in the Vienna talks that has begun in early April 2021, there is a U.S. delegation in Vienna led by Biden's chief point-person for Iran, Rob Malley, who has, in a tweet, described the previous round as "constructive".
IAEA Doesn't have Access to Monitoring Data
In a confidential report distributed among the member nations on May 31, 2021, International Atomic Energy Agency lamented over the lack of access to data pertaining to Iran's nuclear program since February 23, 2021, saying that it didn't have "access to the data from its online enrichment monitors and electronic seals".
Mossad
Chief Acknowledges Attacks against Iran’s Nuclear Targets
The
Associated Press
reported June 11, 2021 that Mossad’s outgoing head, Yossi Cohen,
acknowledged that Israeli spy agencies were behind a debilitating attack
against Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility as well as assassination of a prominent
Iranian scientist.
Sixth Round of Talks Concluded with High Note
Diplomats from Russia, China, Germany, France, U.K. and Iran on June 20, 2021 concluded sixth round of talks at Vienna aimed at bringing both Tehran and Washington into JCPOA. Enrique Mora, the European Union official who chaired the sixth round of meeting, noted that "we are closer to a deal, but not there yet" and all parties needed to get back to their capitals for further consultation. According to Mora, diplomatic languages had been finalized, but needed political backing from the political stakeholders. Although U.S. didn't participate in the talks, there was a U.S. delegation present at Vienna for consultation. Russian lead representative to the Vienna talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, sounded optimistic, saying that the next round of talks might yield a deal. The conclusion of the sixth round of talks coincided with the election of Ebrahim Raisi, a conservative protege of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the new president of Iran.
Trio Raises "Grave Concern" over Iran's Uranium Enrichment
After the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report early in the week, detailing that Iran had, for the first time, produced Uranium at least at 20% purity level and amped up the production capacity up to 60% purity level, the foreign ministries of Germany, U.K. and France on August 19, 2021 issued a joint statement, expressing "grave concern".
Iran to Allow Recording Activities to Resume at Its Nuclear Facilities
Iran on September 12, 2021 agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to install memory cards in surveillance cameras at Iran's nuclear facilities and resume filming. The agreement was reached between Mohammad Eslami, the chief of Atomic Energy Agency of Iran, and IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi at a meeting in Tehran. However, it is not yet finalized whether Iran will hand over the new or existing images to IAEA. Before turning the cameras off earlier, Iranian authorities had all the images at their disposal, but refused to share them with international inspectors. However, Grossi told reporters at Vienna after returning from Tehran that he was hopeful and the "reconstruction and the coming together of the jigsaw puzzle will come when there is an agreement at JCPOA level".
Iran's New Foreign Minister Wants to Return to Nuclear Negotiation "Very Soon"
The U.N. General Assembly gave an effective platform to Iran's new administration's top diplomat to provide insight to the rest of the world into how the new regime wanted to approach rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. On September 24, 2021, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossain Amir Abdollah told the correspondents at the United Nations that his country wanted to return to the nuclear negotiation "very soon", but complained about Biden administration's lack of "an iota of positive action".
Four World Powers Urge Tehran to "Conclude Our Negotiations" and Return to Nuclear Deal
On the sidelines of G-20 Summit at Rome, leaders of the U.S., Germany, France and U.K. met on October 30, 2021 to discuss Iran's recent actions, including refining uranium at a higher purity level, and how to get Tehran into the framework of the treaty. In the aftermath of the session attended by President Joe Biden, President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Angela Merkel, a joint communique was issued that called upon Tehran to desist from "provocative nuclear steps". The communique was laser-focused on pointing out Tehran's missteps and expressed the leaders' "grave and growing concern". It asked the country's new president, Ebrahim Raisi, to "seize this opportunity and return to a good faith effort to conclude our negotiations as a matter of urgency". The talks have been in suspended mode since June 2021 amidst Ebrahim Raisi's election victory and subsequently becoming the president of the Persian Gulf nation.
************* INTERNATIONAL TALKS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM ***********
US Senate Bans the Entry of New Iranian Envoy to UN, House Follows Suit
US Senate on April 7, 2014 voted unanimously on a measure sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, to deny the visa to newly announced ambassador to UN, Hamid Aboutalebi, who was accused of participating in hostage taking in the American Embassy in Teheran during the tumultuous days of 1979. Islamic rebels held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.
US House of Representatives in a voice vote on April 10, 2014 barred the entry of Aboutalebi to the US.
Obama Administration Refuses to Grant Visa to New Iranian Ambassador to UN
In a rare diplomatic and political step, Obama administration on April 11, 2014 announced that it had informed Teheran that it would refuse the visa application for the new Iranian Ambassador to the UN Hamid Aboutalebi.
Iran Stands Behind its Choice for UN Ambassador
A day after Obama administration said that it would reject the visa for Hamid Abotalebi, Iran on April 12, 2014 stood its ground and said that it won't name a new ambassador to the UN.
Iranian-American Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
A former US Marine, Amir Hekmati, who went to Iran to visit his ailing grandmother and was arrested in August 2011, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment by Iran's Revolutionary Court on April 12, 2014. Initially Hekmati was charged in espionage, and sentenced to death. Iran's Supreme Court annulled the death sentence in 2012 and ordered a retrial, in response to an appeal petition filed by Hekmati's lawyers. The Revolutionary Court then dropped the espionage charge, and instead, accused Hekmati of "cooperating with hostile governments". Based on the new charges of "cooperating with hostile governments", the appeals court on April 12 handed down the decade-long imprisonment.
******************* FATE OF AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST *************
Jailed Washington Post Reporter Charged
On December 6, 2014, Jason Rezaian, a dual Iranian-American citizen who works for the Washington Post as a journalist, was officially charged on crimes which remained unclear. Rezaian was arrested on July 22, 2014, and was kept under detention without any charge until December 6, 2014, judicial proceeding. Voicing his concern over the safety of Rezaian, the Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron on December 6 criticized the journalist's continued detention.
Kerry Steps in to Criticize Jailing of Washington Post Reporter
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on December 7, 2014 stepped in the detention saga of the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, asking Teheran to release the Iranian-American journalist without any delay.
Journalist Charged on Espionage
Semiofficial Fars news agency said on April 12, 2015 that the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was charged on espionage and "working against national security". On July 22, 2014, Rezaian, his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained, but all but Rezaian, were released later. Salehi, a reporter for The National newspaper in the UAE, was reportedly prohibited from leaving Iran.
Jailed Washington Post Journalist Appears in the Court for Final Hearing
Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post journalist detained since July 22, 2014, appeared at a Teheran Revolutionary Court for the fourth and last hearing on August 10, 2015. During the court appearance, his mother, Mary Rezaian, and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, were also present. Jason Rezaian's lawyer Leila Ahsan told The Associated Press that she had submitted a 20-page defense at the August 10, 2015, session. After his arrest, Rezaian had been placed in captivity in the notorious Evin Prison.
Reporter Convicted of Espionage
Iran's judiciary disclosed on October 12, 2015 that the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was guilty of espionage, a charge the venerable newspaper refuted. Within hours, the Post's Executive Editor Martin Baron slammed the verdict "an outrageous injustice".
Mother, Wife Allowed to Visit Reporter in the Prison
Iranian authorities presented the jailed Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian with a symbolic, but significant, Christmas Day gift as the reporter's mother, Mary Rezaian, and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, were allowed to visit him in Teheran's infamous Evin Prison. Mr. Rezian already spent more than 500 days under captivity, more than what 52 American diplomats had spent when American Embassy was seized Islamic Revolution sympathizers and supporters during 1979-81.
News Outlets Seek Kerry's Help to Free Rezaian
Dozens of newsrooms across the nations, including The Dallas Morning News, wrote a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on January 8, 2016, seeking his personal intervention and involvement to secure the release of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who had spent more than 500 days in Iran's Evin Prison. The letter said that "journalism is not a crime", and was signed, among others, by Mike Wilson, editor of The Dallas Morning News; Stephen Adler, President and Editor-In-Chief of Reuters News Agency; Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of The New York Times; and Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide
Jason Rezaian, Four Other Released
As a positive outcome of prowess of diplomacy, the U.S. secured the release of five Americans on January 16, 2016, the same day the international sanctions on Iran was lifted. The Americans released from Iranian jails included:
* Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post reporter, who had spent more than 500 days in Iran's Evin Prison
* Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine, who was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges, sentenced to death in 2012, and later re-sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2014 after an appeal to a higher court
* Pastor Saeed Abedini, who was detained in 2012 while visiting his family in Iran
* Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose name was revealed just on the day of the release
* U.S. student Matthew Trevithick, who was released independently of the exchange and was already on his way home.
Iran also promised to look for Robert Levison, who went missing in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission in Iran.
In exchange for the release of Jason Rezaian and others, USA has decided on January 16, 2016 to pardon, or drop charges against, seven Iranians--including six who has dual Iranian and American citizenship--for violating sanctions on Iran. Three of them were serving jails, and had received commutation or pardon. Three were awaiting trial, and the seventh defendant made plea agreement. All seven are free to stay in the USA. Another American-Iranian businessman, Siamak Namazi, was not part of the exchange.
Americans Flown out of Iran
A day after their release, the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini were flown out of the middle-east on January 17, 2016 to a U.S. base in Germany for medical check-up, but not without resolving a minor hiccup and a major drama over Iranian stance that Rezaian's wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and mother, Mary Rezaian, stayed back. Eventually both of them allowed to fly out of Iran on January 17, 2016 with Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini. The prisoner, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose presence in Iranian jail was not reported until the prisoner swap was announced on January 16, 2016, chose to stay back at Teheran.
In Washington D.C., President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 praised the diplomacy that led to freeing of 10 sailors within 24 hours after few phone calls by John Kerry and the latest release of Americans, including the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.
$180 million Awarded to Journalist
A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, on November 23, 2019 hit Iran with $180 million penalty for imprisoning The Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian for 544 days and torturing him.
******************* FATE OF AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST *************
Two Revolutionary Guards Officials Die in US Airstrike in Tikrit, Iran Says
Iran's Revolutionary Guard on March 30, 2015 said that its two high-ranking officials who were coordinating Iraqi government-Shiite militia push to seize Tikrit were killed in an American airstrike on March 23, 2015. The announcement was yet another proof in the depth of involvement of Iran's military in assisting Iraqi security forces against ISIL. Ali Yazdani and Hadi Jafari were accorded martyrs' funerals on March 29, 2015. However, the U.S. Central Command on March 30, 2015 categorically denied that Ali Yazdani and Hadi Jafari were killed in U.S. airstrike as there was no airstrike between March 22 and March 24.
Iran to Let Females Watch Games in Stadium
In a small wind of change that has started to blow stronger in recent days, Iranian authorities on April 4, 2015 announced that it would reverse a ban on women to watch sports at a stadium. However, women spectators will, most likely, sit in separate areas than men and still be barred from sports such as wrestling, boxing and swimming where sportspeople are scantily dressed.
Iran Rips Saudi Arabia for Airstrikes in Yemen
Iran's Revolutionary Guard's head, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, on April 27, 2015 launched a blistering attack on Saudi Arabia for what he described "following in Israel's footsteps" by its airstrikes in Yemen. He used the word "treacherous" to describe Saudi Arabia.
Iran Called out for Human Right Abuse
The U.S. State Department in an annual report issued on June 25, 2015 called out Iran, among others including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam and Cuba, for human rights abuses.
Another American Detained in Iran
A fourth American, Siamak Namazi, is reported to have been detained in October 2015 by Iranian authorities. Namazi hailed from a respectable Iranian family, and his father was governor of a oil-rich Iranian province, Khuzestan. In addition to Namazi, three other Americans are now known to be in Iranian custodies. They are the Washinton Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former Marine Amir Hekmati and a pastor from Boise, Idaho, Saeed Abedini.
American Embassy Hostages in Iran to be Compensated
Compensation package to each, or the estates, of 53 Americans held hostage for 444 days at the U.S. embassy in Teheran by the Revolutionary Guards since November 4, 1979 was embedded in the omnibus spending bill that was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 18, 2015. The compensation package will be valued at up to $4.4 million for each family, or its estate. The money for the compensation package will primarily come from an unexpected source: this year, Paris-based BNP Paribas was forced to pay a penalty of $9 billion for violating sanctions against Iran, Sudan and Cuba. As per the law that was part of the omnibus spending bill and signed by President Obama on December 18, 2015, each of the 53 hostages is entitled to up to $100,000 for each day of captivity. All but one hostage were freed from the embassy on January 20, 1981, with the only hostage who had illnesses freed earlier. Out of 53 hostages, 36 are still alive.
In addition to American diplomats and citizens who were held hostage, the compensation package will also cover victims of other state-sponsored terrorist attacks such as 1998 embassy bombings in East Africa.
************************ IRAN'S DECEMBER 2015 ROCKET TEST ******************
U.S. Slams Iran for Rocket Test
In a test that's unrelated to the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement between Iran and the west, Iranian Navy fired several rockets in the Strait of Hormuz on December 26, 2015. During the time of test, USS Harry S. Truman, a second U.S. destroyer, Bulkeley, and a French frigate, Provence, were in the strait waters. NBC first broke the news of Iranian rocket test on December 29, 2015, and reported that one of the rockets had landed within 1,500 yards on the right side of U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman. U.S. 5th Fleet issued a statement on December 30, 2015, calling the Iranian test as "unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law".
Iran Denounces U.S. Threat to Impose Sanctions
As Washington was mulling over crafting a unified response, including some possible sanctions, Iran took a hardline a day after Obama administration disclosed that Iran had carried out several rocket tests, including at least one of them landing within 1,500 yards of a U.S. destroyer in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran countered that none of its unguided rockets had landed within 1,500 yards of USS Harry S. Truman, and called the U.S. propaganda a "psychological warfare". The official Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA, said on December 31, 2015 that country's president, Hassan Rouhani, had denounced US sanctions threat and instructed his defense minister, Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan, to accelerate production of rockets both in terms of number and variety in the coming days.
U.S. Navy Releases Video of Iranian Rocket Tests
U.S. Navy on January 9, 2016 released a 45-second video shot by a crew in a Seahawk helicopter showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels launching rockets in the Strait of Hormuz, close to a U.S. destroyer. The release of the video showing the December 26, 2015, Iranian rocket test came as a response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
US Imposes Minor Sanctions for Iranian Rocket Test
A day after international sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement plus the release of four Americans, including the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, from Iranian jails as part of prisoner exchange, President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 announced at the White House imposition of modest sanctions on Iran for two missile tests, one in October 2015 and the second one in November 2015. The announcement of minor sanctions came on the same day hours after Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini, Rezaian's wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and mother, Mary Rezaian, were flown out of Iran.
************************ IRAN'S DECEMBER 2015 ROCKET TEST ******************
******************** U.S.-Iran Tension over Captured U.S. Sailors *********************
Ten U.S. Sailors Seized in Persian Gulf
Ten American sailors were seized in Iranian waters on January 12, 2016 as they were heading from Kuwait to Bahrain in two U.S. Navy Patrol boats. It was not clear how they had veered into the Iranian waters, close to an Iranian Naval base on the Farsi Island. The semiofficial Fars news agency said that the pair of patrol boats were "snooping", and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy captured the boats and their crew members. Pentagon and the State Department said that the patrol boats were afflicted by mechanical problems, and the boats lost all the contacts. As soon as the news of capture of 10 U.S. sailors spread, diplomacy went on full swing between the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, both of whom had nurtured a good relationship since the early days of the international talks on Iran's nuclear program that had led to the historic July 14, 2015, deal and the upcoming release of more than $100 billion in frozen Iranian asset in the coming weekend.
Diplomacy Pays off as Iran Lets 10 U.S. Sailors Go
Within 24 hours of beginning of a possible hostage crisis, diplomacy and a warmer relationship between Iran and the USA helped save the day for ten U.S. sailors. They were released on January 13, 2016 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy. The release marked a milestone, however small it might be, for improved diplomatic engagement between the nations in general and the two foreign ministers, John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif, in particular.
Nothing Taken from the Boats
After a brief accounting of the inventory of the two besieged boats, authorities found all the equipment, weapons, ammunition and communication gears intact. The boats were escorted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy on January 12, 2016 to Farsi Island, and both the boats along with their 10 crew members were released after 15 hours of high drama, diplomacy and dialogue between USA and Iran.
Navy Investigation Faults Sailors on Multiple Fronts
A U.S. Navy investigation into a January 2016 incident in which two Navy boats, Riverine Command Boats 802 and 805, sailing from Kuwait to Bahrain were seized at gunpoint as they had veered into the Iranian waters brought to the light some embarrassing lacunae in military behaviors and ethics displayed by the ten sailors, who had spent hours under Iranian detention until they were released following a high-decibel diplomatic drama between Washington and Teheran. The report released on June 30, 2016 not only faulted the sailors for showing lack of professional judgment, it also took them to the task for showing no curiosity about simple things such as route planning and matching the chartered path with the planned path.
******************** U.S.-Iran Tension over Captured U.S. Sailors *********************
U.S. Pays $1.3 billion in Held for Almost Four Decade
The day three Americans, including the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, were flown out of Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama on January 17, 2016 announced a settlement to the long held Iranian money meant to purchase arms as part of an agreement reached during the era of Shah. The original amount of $400 million paid by Iran for the arms that had never been supplied because of overthrow of Shah regime has ballooned to $1.3 billion over the past 37 years. As Iran had obtained the money, critics likened it to quid pro quo in response to hostage release.
************ ROUHANI'S FOUR-DAY VISIT TO ITALY AND FRANCE ****************
Iran's President Greeted by Italy's Leader
Beginning his four-day state visit to Italy and France, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived at Rome on January 25, 2016, and warmly greeted by the Italian premier Matteo Renzi, who had described the Iran nuclear deal as "a first step for a new season of peace and prosperity, not just in Iran, but in all the region".
Iran's President Meets Pope
In the midst of his trip to Italy and France to firm up trade, commerce and business deals, Italy's President Hassan Rouhani went to Vatican City on January 26, 2016 to have a 40-minute meeting with Pope Francis, who lent a strong moral support for the nuclear deal between Iran and the west. The Vatican issued a statement in the aftermath of the meeting, stressing "the importance on interreligious dialogue" to achieve peace and stability.
France Sends an Ambivalent Signal to Iran's President, World
On January 27, 2016, French President Francois Hollande warmly received Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In Paris, both countries announced opening of a new era with billions of dollars of new business deals, but at the same time, French authorities gave mixed signal by asking the European Union to consider new sanctions against Teheran for its recent missile tests.
Iran's President Wins Big by Signing Tens of Billions of Dollars Trade Deals
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on January 28, 2016 wrapped up a historic four-day visit (January 25-28, 2016) to Italy and France with a thunder and triumph as the total trade deals signed in Italy and France totaled $18 billion and $32.8 billion, respectively, including $25 billion agreement to buy 118 aircraft from Airbus. Rouhani, who led a 120-member delegation of political and business leaders in the four-day trip, won some of rich caches of deals, including:
* Joint production of 200,000 cars a year by French automaker Peugeot-Citron and Iranian automaker Iran Khodro, at a plant near Teheran
* A joint venture between Iran's railway system and French state-owned rail company SNCF
Striking an optimistic tone, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said other agreements in agriculture, health and environment to follow
However, Rouhani's visit was not without quite a few political bumps as a French-based Iranian exile group, People's Mujahedeen of Iran, held protest against Rouhani's visit on January 28, 2016. Also, 61 lawmakers wrote a letter to President Francois Hollande condemning Iran's policy that was pushing middle-east to "chaos".
************ ROUHANI'S FOUR-DAY VISIT TO ITALY AND FRANCE ****************
Affluent Iranians Flock to Voting Booths
The Iranian parliamentary elections held February 26, 2016 were a case of two contrasting scenarios. On one hand, educated and affluent Iranians in major cities have flocked to the polling stations in drove, and according to political pundits, may tilt the balance of the next parliament in favor of reformers. On the other end of the political spectrum, the enthusiasm was not palpable in rural and conservative parts of the country. In addition to parliamentary polls, elections were held on February 26, 2016 simultaneously to elect an Assembly of Experts, a body entrusted with choosing the next Ayatollah.
Moderates, Reformists Making Electoral Gain
As more than 30 million Iranians voted in February 26, 2016, two-pronged polls to elect a 290-seat parliament and 88-member Assembly of Experts, the vote returns as of February 28, 2016 showed a clear winning streak for the reformists and moderates. Voter turnout for the both contests were more than 60 percent. All 30 parliamentary seats from Teheran were bagged by the reformists and moderates. In the Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran, one of the conservatives, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, 81, often called as the spiritual father figure of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, failed to exceed a threshold and make it this time. The top vote-getter in Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran was former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who issued a statement that "no one is able to resist against the will of the majority of the people and whoever people don't want has to step aside". Iranian President Hassan Rouhani came third in the Assembly of Experts elections from Teheran, and thanked the voters for "showing their power once again".
Bush Administration's Diplomat Admits Secret Talks with Iran
Providing a confidential political insight into the working of George W. Bush administration with respect to USA's relations with Iran, Zalmay Khalilzad, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the U.N., wrote in his book, The Envoy, to be published this month (March 2016), that Bush administration officials had secretly engaged with Iran to ensure that there was no fire on American aircraft if strayed into Iranian sky during 2003 Iraq invasion. Bush administration's primary point of contact was the then-Iranian ambassador to U.N., Mohammad Javad Zarif, now the country's famous diplomat, a key architect of the Iran nuclear deal with the west and an Iranian statesman with whom the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry established deep personal and diplomatic rapport. The secret talks between Bush administration officials and Iranian diplomats began before the Iraq invasion and lasted after the fall of Baghdad in April 2003.
Iran Launches Several Ballistic Missiles
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on March 8, 2016 launched ballistic missiles from a number of silos at various locations, setting the stage for a new diplomatic confrontation with west. Although deeply embarrassing to the Obama administration, the latest act of Teheran might not constitute violation of any U.N. resolution if the missiles launched didn't have nuclear warhead capability. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' aerospace division, said after the launches that the missiles had flight capability between 185 and 1,250 miles.
Iran Launches Two More Missiles with Provocative Sentences Emblazoned
A day after launching several ballistic missiles, Iran on March 9, 2016 launched two more ballistic missiles with a provocative sentence, Israel must be wiped out, emblazoned on the missiles on a day when the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel in an official visit.
Iran Decries U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
The April 20, 2016, 6-2 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that a 2012 law passed by the U.S. Congress that had aimed at forcing Teheran to pay nearly $2 billion in compensation to victims of Iranian terrorism such as the 1983 Beirut bombing at a Marine corps barrack was within the limits of its legislative authority had rattled Iran and raised questions about the future of recent improved relations between two longtime nemesis. On April 21, 2016, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari called the ruling the mockery of international law that "amounts to appropriation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's property".
Iran Receives Missile Defense System from Russia
As a direct benefit of the July 14, 2015, nuclear agreement between Iran and the international community, Iran is reaping significant defense and military leverage as it has received in recent days at least one S-300 air defense missile system from Russia. Iranian Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan sain on May 10, 2016 that at least one such system had been deployed in Khatam al-Anbiya base. The remaining systems are to be delivered and deployed by the year's end. In 2007, Russia agreed to deliver five S-300 air defense missile systems, compared functionally to the U.S. Patriot surface-to-air missile system, for $800 million, but suspended the deal in 2010 under objections from the USA and Israel.
Hardliner to Head Ayatollah Selection Panel
A long-time hardliner and conservative, 89-year-old Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who had been part of Iranian power structure since 1979 Islamic Revolution was chosen on May 24, 2016 to lead the Assembly of Experts. The 89-year-old Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati earned notoriety for seeking the death sentences of the protesters who were demonstrating against the disputed presidential polls in 2009 and asking Iraqis in 2003 to become suicide bombers in their campaign against the U.S. forces.
Iran Disapproves This Year's Hajj Pilgrimage
Iran's state TV read a statement on May 29, 2016 from the country's Hajj and Pilgrimage organization that Teheran was ending state sponsorship of this year's pilgrimage to Mecca as Saudi officials had refused to agree with a visiting Iranian delegation on security issues stemming from last year's stampede that had killed hundreds of Iranian pilgrims. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah accused the Iranian delegation of stubbornness. The latest tension in bilateral relations came amid allegation that Riyadh had carried out cyberattacks against Iran.
Game of Brinkmanship by GOP Reps Leads Nowhere
Three members GOP House of Representatives who had voted against the Iran deal applied for visa in February 2016 to visit Iran to oversee that country's electoral process, meet with "American hostages" and have a look at three nuclear facilities. It was a no brainer that their visa application would be denied. Iran's Foreign Ministry on June 7, 2016 released a letter, refusing the request of Rep. Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey, Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas and Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York. The letter explained the refusal of their visa request, which was "completely inappropriate" and had "no relevance to [your] official function.
American Company to Resume Business with Iran
After days of talks, Chicago-based Boeing announced on June 21, 2016 that it had arrived at a preliminary agreement with the officials of Iran's civil aviation agency to manufacture and deliver several dozens of airplanes to once-pariah nation. If the agreement goes through, Boeing will become the first major U.S. corporation to do business worth billions of dollars with Iran.
Former Iranian Scientist Hanged to Death
A mysterious disappearance of a young Iranian nuclear scientist while in pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia seven years ago and his subsequent return to Iran the next year has shed little new light whether Shahram Amiri has been an American agent or kidnapped by America as many in Iran have alleged. However, to the Iranian authorities the case was not that complex, and the conclusion was drawn to its finality on August 7, 2016 with his execution in a gallows. Amiri was only 32 when he had disappeared after he had gone to Medina, Islam's second-sacred site, in 2009. Iranian authorities at that time accused Americans of kidnapping Amiri, but insiders in Iranian intelligence had always doubt on that allegation as Shahram Amiri was never close to the higher echelon of the Iranian nuclear program and almost unknown to the inner circle of the father of the Iranian nuclear program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Amiri was later reported to be in Washington and have benn interrogated by U.S. intelligence officials. Amiri was rumored to have settled in Tucson, Arizona within days of his interview with U.S. intelligence officials under the protection and cover of U.S. intelligence. However, Shahram Amiri began to miss his son, Amir Hossein, soon, and reportedly made a video cam that was broadcast by the Iranian TV in which Amiri was seen telling that he had been kidnapped in Medina "in a joint operation" by Saudi intelligence and CIA. The CIA made its own video of Amiri soon after that in which Amiri was seen, in a comfortable setting, saying that "I am free here" and "I assure everyone that I am quite safe". Soon the diplomatic tug-of-war went full swing with Iran producing a third video of Shahram Amiri that was a replica narrative of the first video. Shahram Amiri arrived at Teheran Airport on July 15, 2010. Since then a trial was launched against him, and initial sentence of 10 years was imposed only to be upgraded last month to death penalty.
U.S. Admits giving Hush Money to Iran
The U.S. State Department on August 18, 2016 conceded that the timing of the release of the first of three instalments of a total of nearly $1.7 billion in frozen Iranian assets had deliberately been chosen to maximize the possibility of safe return of American prisoners in Iran. A plane loaded with $400 million in cash was waiting on the tarmac of Teheran International Airport on January 17, 2016 until four prisoners, including journalist Jason Rezaian, had left Iran. The State Department said that the action was aimed at retaining the "maximum leverage" with Teheran. The transfer of $1.7 billion, although condemned by Iran deal critics, was itself not an illegal act as this money belonged to Iran who had paid for arms purchase in late 70s which Teheran had never received.
A Canadian-Iranian Professor Released
An eminent Canadian-Iranian professor, Homa Hoodfar,who had been arrested in June 2016 while on a mission to do research on the state of Iranian women, was released on September 26, 2016. After her arrest in June 2016, Iranian authorities accused Hoodfar of bringing her "feminist" agenda to the Persian nation. Homa Hoodfar was known to have an authoritative knowledge about the plight of women in the Middle-East, and had collaborated with the Britain-based Women Living Under the Islamic Law. Hours after Hoodfar's release that came days after Canadian and Iranian officials held negotiations on the sidelines of the U.N. annual session at New York to discuss on possible re-opening of respective embassies, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Oman, Italy and Switzerland for their help.
Iranian Official Estimates 1,000 Killed in Syrian Conflict
The head of a foundation that provides aid to Iranians killed in Syrian conflict, Mohammed al-Shahidi, said on November 23, 2016 that at least 1,000 Iranians had been killed in five-year Syrian conflict.
*********************************** RAFSANJANI ******************************
An Aide to Ayatollah Khomeini, Re-Christened as a Pragmatist
Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani passed away on January 8, 2017, apparently after suffering a stroke. He was 82. Rafsanjani was a public figure who had attracted both vile and been a source of valor to many, and later in his political life, he had found himself mostly with reformists. Rafsanjani was born in a wealthy pistachio merchant family in southeastern Iran, and he later went to Qom to study Shiite Islam with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had led the 1979 Islamic Revolution against Shah. After Khomeini's death in 1989, he led the country's post-war (with Iraq) reconstruction as president. Rafsanjani lent his unabashed support to moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Thousands Attend Rafsanjani's Burial
A cortege carried the body of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani through crowd-choked streets of Teheran to the cemetery on January 10, 2017. Tens of thousands of Iranians bid him a tearful goodbye. Rafsanjani was laid to rest beside Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
*********************************** RAFSANJANI ******************************
Iran Test-fires Missile, First in Trump Era
Testing the resolve of Trump administration, Iran has conducted a missile test, according to the US and Israeli officials who divulged it on January 30, 2017. The missile flew about 600 miles. It's not clear whether Iran has violated any U.N. Security Council resolutions, but definitely Teheran's action is provocative.
********************** IRANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2017 ******************
Iran Opens Election Registration Process
Iran on April 11, 2017 opened the election registration for candidates for the upcoming May 19, 2017, presidential polls. A record number of 126 prospective candidates ranging in age from 18 to 79 had filed applications on the very first day. Iran's Guardian Council will vet all the candidates and announce a final list by April 27, 2017.
Former President Joins the Fray
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had pushed Iran to the brink of international isolationism through his combative anti-west, anti-Israeli tirade, on April 12, 2017 registered unexpectedly as the candidate in the upcoming May 19, 2017, presidential polls.
President Joins in
President Hassan Rouhani on April 14, 2017 registered as candidate.
Heavy Voter Turnout Reported
Youths and middle-class voters flocked in drove on May 19, 2017, brightening the chances for re-election of moderate President Hassan Rouhani over his conservative rival Ebrahim Raisi.
Rouhani Trounces Opposition Candidates
Backed by higher turnout in middle-class areas, President Hassan Rouhani swept the May 19, 2017, presidential polls. According to the official tally released on May 20, 2017, more than 70 percent of 56 million eligible voters cast their ballots. Rouhani won 23 million, or 57 percent, while his key conservative challenger Ebrahim Raisi won 15.7 million, or 38.5 percent.
Reformists Sweep Local Polls too
In a double whammy, conservatives were egged on their face in the May 19, 2017, polls not only at the presidential level, but also at local levels too. Reformist candidates swept all 21 seats in Teheran City Council polls, ensuring the all but certain removal of the Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who had challenged Hassan Rouhani in the presidential polls. Reformists scored key victories in Mashhad, home turf of Rouhani's primary electoral challenger Ebrahim Raisi, Teheran's satellite city of Karaj, Yazd and Zahedan.
********************** IRANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2017 ******************
Media Mogul Assassinated in Istanbul
An Iranian media group director who was living in exile in Turkey was killed on April 30, 2017 as Saeed Karimian and his Kuwaiti business partner were inside a luxury sedan that was passing through a posh neighborhood of Istanbul when another car blocked them and unknown assailants had sprayed bullets, killing both of them. The Persian-language media company GEM Group owns at least 20 satellite channels, broadcasting programs in Farsi, Arabic and Azeri, and has offices in London, Istanbul and Dubai. Last year, Karimian was sentenced in absentia to six-year imprisonment for "spreading propaganda". The National Council of Resistance in Iran, an umbrella group of dissidents, blamed that the Iranian government was behind the assassination.
Filmmaker Released Early
An award-winning Iranian film-maker, Keywan Karimi, was released early on April 30, 2017 after serving five months of a year-long sentence handed down to him for his film Writing on the City that had covered political graffiti from 1979 Islamic Revolution to 2009 contested Presidential polls. After his release from Teheran's Evin Prison, Karimi said in a Skype call that international pressure was responsible for his release and avoiding an additional 223 lashes. Keywan Karimi is best known for his 2013 documentary The Adventure of the Married Couple, based on a story written by an Italian author, Italo Calvino, that was encompassed on spouses who took turns in opposing shifts to help sustain their family, with husband working at a mannequin store and wife at a bottle factory.
Rocket Launch Most Sophisticated
Iran on July 27, 2017 launched a two-stage Simorgh rocket, sending a 550-pound satellite to space. Simorgh was first unveiled in 2010 that replaced an earlier version, known as the Safir, used to launch satellites to space on earlier occasions. In 2013, it sent a monkey to space. Reacting to July 27, 2017, launch of Simorgh rocket, the U.S. State Department called it "provocative".
Near-Confrontation between U.S. and Iranian Vessels in Persian Gulf Twice in a Week
In a high-tidal brinkmanship in the oil-rich Persian Gulf, U.S. naval vessels and Iranian Revolutionary naval ships came perilously close to conflict on two incidents in a span of three days. The first incident took place on July 25, 2017 as a U.S. Navy patrol boat fired warning shots at an Iranian vessel to ward it off. Three days later, July 28, 2017, a U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, and an accompanying ship sailed close to an Iranian offshore oil platform guarded by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. After firing warning shots against Iranian vessels, U.S. ships left the area.
Iran to Strengthen Missile Defense in Response to U.S. Threat
Responding to Trump administration's sanctions in August 2017 against Iran's missile program and Trump's personal tirade against the Persian Gulf nation, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on September 22, 2017 called Trump an "embarrassment to the United States". He also vowed to strengthen Iran's missile defense program at a Iranian Revolutionary Guard parade to mark the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. Iran's military during the day unveiled a new ballistic missile, 1250-mile range Khoramshahr.
Iran Faces Winter of Turmoil
As a result of Iranian government of President Hassan Rouhani's decision to allow the Iranian currency to fall the past half year, inflation began to shot up and by December 2017 jumped to as high as 40 percent. As the populace was becoming restive with daily commodities sparse and expensive as well as the high expectation of better life that was dreamt of after the nuclear deal had been signed in 2015 coming to crash down, it needed a spark for a protest to erupt. On December 28, 2017, the city of Mashhad in the country's northeast became the symbol of that spark as hundreds of protesters descended on the city's streets to demonstrate against the Rouhani government for the economic woes. It was not lost to the political observers that Mashhad was the hometown of Rouhani's vanquished rival Ebrahim Raisi in Iran's May 17, 2017, presidential polls.
On December 29, 2017, protest spread to Teheran and scores of protesters were reported to have been arrested for illegal assembly. The protests are being organized over social media.
Largest anti-Regime Demonstration in more than Eight Years to Hit Iran
In the largest ever anti-government demonstration since the summer of 2009, thousands of protesters, fuelled by calls on social media, took to streets across Iran to make their voices heard over rising prices of basic necessities and President Hassan Rouhani's failure to deliver positive results as promised in the aftermath of 2015 nuclear accord. On the third day of the protest on December 30, 2017, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Teheran University. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet in support of the anti-regime demonstration fed the fodder to the Islamic regime to denounce the protest as instigated by the U.S. and Israel. During the day, pro-regime supporters held demonstrations too across Iran.
Trump's Tweets Complicate the Iran Situation as Rouhani Calls for Calm
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani opened his mouth on the fourth day of nationwide anti-government demonstration that had killed so far two protesters with dozens detained by the security forces as he called for calm on December 31, 2017 and acknowledged that people had right to protest. However, Rouhani asked the protesters not to resort to violence, and blasted U.S. President Donald Trump, who had tweeted during the day that the Iranians "are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered", for feeling "sorry for the people of Iran" when, in actual, he "is against the Iranian nation from head to toe". Meanwhile, the government on December 31, 2017 blocked access to Instagram video and photo sharing app as well as telegram messaging app.
Protesters Defy Rouhani's Call for Calm, Protests Expand
January 1, 2018, the fifth day of anti-government protest, marked an intensified and expansive day of protest in Teheran and other places as protests spread to new areas. Since the anti-government protest erupted in the second-largest city of Mashhad on December 28, 2017, at least 12 people were reported killed in clashes with security forces. A day earlier, December 31, 2017, scores of demonstrators tried to attack police stations, military posts and a seminary. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump continued his tweet attack on Iranian regime on January 1, 2018, saying that "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration".
Trump Administration Blasts Iranian Regime
Trump administration on January 2, 2018 went in full force to denounce Islamist government for suppressing open communication as the nationwide protest that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017 entered into sixth day.
Massive Pro-regime Demonstrations Organized
To counter the anti-regime protest that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, pro-government groups on January 3, 2018 held massive rallies at different parts of the country, focusing on U.S. and Israeli conspiracy behind the recent unrest in the country. Lauding the January 3, 2018, pro-regime rallies, the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, said during the day that the rallies earlier in the day were the beginning of the end to "the sedition".
Teheran Points to External Subversion
Iranian leaders on January 4, 2018 launched a multipronged attack on the eight-day nationwide protest against the regime that had erupted in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, with the state prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri accusing the trifecta of nations--U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia--over the state television of trying to "subvert the Iranian government". Montazeri identified the CIA point-man for Iran, Michael D'Andrea, as the chief designer of the unrest with the intention of creating a revolt to undermine the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Mohammad Jafar Montazeri accused Saudi Arabia of funding the anti-government protest as part of the American design to oust the present regime. The allegation may strike a chord with the older Iranians with the memory of a 1953 CIA-engineered coup that had ousted the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mosssadegh.
Protests Fade as Hundreds Languish in Jail
Nationwide protests that had initially erupted in the city of Mashhad on December 28, 2017 and spread to other parts of the Persian Gulf nation within days is on the wane on January 7, 2018 while hundreds of protesters have remained locked up in jails. Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard castigated Saudi Arabia, USA, Israel, an exiled Iranian group, Mujahedeen-e-Khaleq, and pro-monarchy exiled Iranians as chief sponsors of unrest in a posting on its website during the day.
Renowned Iranian-Canadian Dies in Evin Prison
A well-known and respected Canadian-Iranian professor, Kavous Syed Emami, who had been arrested on January 24, 2018, was reported to have committed suicide in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison on February 9, 2018. Emami founded one of the Persian nation's most respected non-governmental organizations, Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Kavous Syed Emami was arrested on January 24, 2018 along with a group of other foreign nationals of Iranian origin or dual citizens, including Iranian-American businessman Morad Tahbaz.
Five Security Officers Die in a Sect Violence
Violence erupted on February 19, 2018 night involving a Sufi sect, Gonabadi dervish, as many of the followers went to a Tehran police station to protest against the arrest of some of the members. The peaceful demonstration was marred as a man drove a vehicle onto a row of riot police personnel, killing three police officials. Separately, another vehicular onslaught killed a fourth security officer, a member of paramilitary unit Basij, while a fifth member of security forces was stabbed to death. The attack on security forces by the dervish members set off a crackdown overnight and the next day throughout Tehran, leading to the arrest of at least 300 sect members.
Teheran Mayor Resigns over Female Dance
Teheran Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi fell on March 14, 2018 victim to a situation where he happened to be at a wrong place, at a wrong time. Ali Najafi resigned after an uproar over his attendance at a celebration where half a dozen Iranian girls danced and threw rose pedals on him.
Nine Iranians Indicted for Data Theft
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, on March 23, 2018 issued indictment against nine Iranians who had worked at the Iran-based Mabna Institute and stole technology, trade secret, innovation and intellectual properties from the U.S. universities, government agencies and think-tanks. Mabna Institute is the government contractor, and specialized in working with the country's Revolutionary Guards.
Iranian Head Banker Slapped with Sanctions
U.S. government on May 15, 2018 slapped sanctions on Valiollah Seif, head of the central bank in Iran, for funneling money to Hezbollah through Iraq's al-Bilad Islamic Bank. Although this sanction is separate from the sanctions which have been lifted as part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, this reflects Trump administration's broader middle-east policy of tightening the noose around Iran in the region.
Headscarf Removal Punishment Meted out
Iranian regime seemed to leave no stone unturned in clamping down on violation to moral code of conduct as reflected in jailing the human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh for defending the women charged on publicly removing headscarves and another writer-author figure in the city of Mashhad, Farhad Jafari, 12 days ago for standing in defense of women who had publicly removed headscarves. Attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh's husband Reza Khandan said on June 13, 2018 that Iranian state agents arrived at their house and took his wife to Evin Prison, apparently for five years of imprisonment sentence.
Trump Launches Scorched-Earth Attack on Iran via Tweet
What has become a trend of the president is to ricochet from world hot spot to another with a doctrine that leads to claims of matchless strength, suffer no slight and counter-punch harder than you are hit--at least in tweets. This tough-guy rhetoric has become a defining characteristic of his overseas affairs, with very modest results to show. The latest of this trend came on late July 22, 2018 when he used all caps to threaten Iran with a blistering tweet: "CONSERQUENCES OF THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE" in response to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's speech earlier in the day at Teheran when he told diplomats that Americans "must understand that war with Iran is the mother of all wars and peace with Iran is the mother of all peace".
Trump Hints for Unconditional Talks, Iran says NO unless U.S. Rejoins the Nuclear Accord
On July 30, 2018, President Donald Trump said that he would hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani without preconditions. But, a day later, July 31, 2018, an Iranian official and adviser to president, Hamid Aboutalebi, said that without U.S. rejoining the JCPOA, "respecting the Iranian nation's rights" and "reducing hostilities", it was not possible to have talks with an uncertain administration.
U.S. Names Special Envoy to Maximize Pressure on Iran
Trump administration in a bid to tighten the noose around the neck of Tehran and extract maximum mileage out of punitive sanctions on August 16, 2018 named a veteran State Department policy planning official, Brian Hook, as a special envoy for Iran.
25 Killed in Attack on a Military Parade in Iran
In one of the most audacious attacks on the Revolutionary Guards, gunmen on September 22, 2018 opened fire on a military parade in the southwest of the country, killing 25 and wounding 60. The attack took place in the city of Ahvaz, capital of Sunni-heavy Khuzestan Province, as numerous civilians--including women and children--were enjoying a Saturday watching military parade. In the last count, eight Revolutionary Guards personnel were killed. Islamic State and hitherto a sleepy Sunni-dominated group, Ahwazi Democratic Popular Front, claimed responsibility for the attack that involved four gunmen wearing Iranian military uniforms, two of whom were killed and two captured. A spokesman for Ahwazi Democratic Popular Front told a London-based TV that the attack was in response to "oppression and brutality" of Iran's theocracy. Iranian reaction to the attack was fast and furious, with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeting: "Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their U.S. masters accountable for such attacks", indirectly implying Saudi Arabia and UAE. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the "hard-hearted mercenaries who open fire on children, women and innocent people". If Islamic State turns out to have carried out the September 22, 2018, Ahvaz attack, it will mark the second major attack in as many years targeting Shiite theocracy. ISIL carried out the 2017 attacks on parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei that had killed at least 18 people.
Iranian President Blames "Small Mercenary Countries" for the Attack
A day after the September 22, 2018, Ahvaz attack and before leaving for New York City to attend the U.N. General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held unknown Arab countries responsible for the attack on a military parade in the southwest of the country that had killed 25 and wounded 60. Meanwhile, during the day, Iran's foreign ministry summoned ambassadors from Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands to urge their respective governments to stop providing havens to Arab nationalists who used their soil to propagate anti-Iranian vitriol. On a separate note, Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the UAE envoy to lodge strong complaint of what Tehran had depicted as "irresponsible and insulting statements" of an Emirati adviser.
British-Iranian Citizen Released from Iranian Prison
A British academic of Iranian descent, Abbas Edalat, a professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at London's Imperial College, detained on April 15, 2018 while visiting Tehran to visit his family members and attend a conference, returned home, according to The New York Time's December 25, 2018, report.
Iran's Effort to Launch Second Satellite Reported
Colorado-based DigitalGlobe on February 6, 2019 reported that Iran had launched a second satellite, Dosti, or Friendship, but couldn't tell if it was a successful launch. In January 2019, Iran's failed attempt to put another satellite, Payam, or Message, rankled the west, especially the U.S. as Washington accused Teheran of violating the international restriction on its missile technology.
Suicide Bomb Targets Bus, Killing 27 Revolutionary Guards
A suicide bomber on February 13, 2019 inflicted significant damage to a bus carrying Revolution Guards personnel in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan Province, killing at least 27 soldiers.
U.N. Security Council, U.S. Condemn the Blast
U.N. Security Council on February 14, 2019 unanimously condemned the "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" a day earlier in the restive Sistan and Baluchistan Province that had killed at least 27 Revolutionary Guard members. An al-Qaeda-linked group, Jaish al-Adl, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
Iran Test-fires Submarine-launched Cruise Missile
Iran on February 24, 2019 test-fired a cruise missile from a submarine during a war drill in the Strait of Hormuz as part of what Adm. Hamzeh Ali Kaviani had been quoted by semi-official Fars news agency as an endeavor of "our chain of defensive power underwater".
Iranian Foreign Minister Quits
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on February 25, 2019 announced that he would step down soon and offered his "apology" for not continuing his job. Mohammad Javad Zarif was one of the key architects of the landmark 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement that Trump administration had withdrawn the U.S. from, leading to widespread speculation that Iranian foreign minister's days were numbered.
Hardliner, Former Presidential Candidate Appointed as Justice Minister
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on March 7, 2019 appointed a hardliner as country's justice minister. Ebrahim Raisi was defeated in 2017 presidential election by the incumbent, Hassan Rouhani, and was being rumored as being one of the successors to the job of aging Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi replaces outgoing Justice Minister Sadegh Amoli Larijani, another ultra-conservative and brother of the Speaker Ali Larijani, who took the job of head of the Iran's Expediency Council, a body responsible for mediating any policy difference between the Guardian Council and the country's parliament.
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Iran's President Visits Neighboring Iraq
As Trump administration renewed efforts to isolate Teheran on the international stage, Iraq defied its benefactor's political wish by hosting lavishly Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, and cementing trade deals worth billions of dollars. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived at Baghdad on March 11, 2019 for a two-day state visit, first for President Rouhani, who called Iraq as his "second homeland". Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had recently announced that he would step down, was on hand too. Many of the trade deals signed during Rouhani's visit will boost the bilateral trade from $12 billion to $20 billion.
Rouhani Caps his Visit with a Meeting with Ayatollah Sistani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani concluded his high-profile, highly elevated Iraq trip, his first official trip to the Shiite-majority nation, on March 13, 2019 by paying a homage to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. The meeting came after a phalanx of trade and economic deals signed by both countries' leaders to solidify the bilateral partnership in defiance of U.S. effort to isolate Teheran in the region.
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U.S. Declares Iran's Revolutionary Guard a Terrorist Outfit
In what could be a potential self-inflicted diplomatic wound, U.S. on April 8, 2019 designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. President Donald Trump announced the measure, saying in an unflattering term that "IRGC actively participates in, finances and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft". The state department designation left Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies in quandary as they are now barred from communicating with any foreign contacts such as Iraqis and Lebanese who deal with IRGC, thus depriving U.S. military and intelligence community a key conduit of information in the region.
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Iran Says No One Will Call Trump
Days after President Trump said that Iran call him to resolve the brewing tension, Iranian officials on May 12, 2019 rejected the offer with disdain. The head of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Affairs Commission, Heshmatollah Falahatpishe, going as far as saying that any conflict with Iran "will bring about their defeat to such an extent" that U.S. would not dare to have a war "as part of the U.S. strategy". Heshmatollah Falahatpishe's speech on the parliament floor on May 12, 2019 came on the same day as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had repeated Trump's offer for a chat with Iranian officials.
Pompeo Crashes into EU Ministers' Meeting to Trumpet U.S.' Iran Policy
Uninvited and unexpected, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo displayed brazenly undiplomatic behavior by crashing into foreign ministerial meeting on May 13, 2019 at Brussels and stressing on Trump administration's "Maximum Pressure" policy. However, the reciprocity was anything but from the European side, with even America's closest ally, Britain, doubting about the usefulness of so called "Maximum Pressure" policy. British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt expressed fear of any unintentional escalation, and EU Foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini talked about a different kind of "maximum", i.e. that of a "maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation on the military side". U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, though struck a conciliatory note, saying that "we agree on much more than we disagree".
Damage to Four Oil Vessels Reported off the Coast of UAE Reported
The Associated Press on May 13, 2019 reported significant damage to four oil ships off the coast of United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf waters. Although no evidence was available who was behind the attack off the UAE port of Fujairah, western officials blamed Iran for the attacks on the four ships. U.S. is sending an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region for unspecified threats in the region.
Drone Attack on a Saudi Pipeline
Saudi authorities on May 14, 2019 said that a drone from an unknown source attacked and damaged an oil pipeline stretching east-west through the desert kingdom. Authorities blamed that the drone might have been operated by Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.
U.S. Orders Withdrawal of Nonessential Personnel from Iraq
Upping the ante on the recent escalation in the middle east, Trump administration on May 15, 2019 took the unexplained step of ordering all non-essential personnel to be withdrawn from Iraq. This came on the heels of unspecified attacks that damaged four oil vessels--two of them Saudi oil vessels--off the coast of UAE, a drone attack on the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia and sending of a U.S. aircraft carrier with accompanying ships and B-52 bombers to the region.
British Commander Refutes Iran's Increased Activities Charges
A senior British military official, Maj. Gen. Chris Gorka, on May 15, 2019 took an unusual step of releasing a video statement from Baghdad's Green Zone to refute the U.S. allegation that Iran had increased its anti-coalition activities in the recent days. To the contrary, Maj. Gen. Gorka said that "there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria". U.S. Central Command later in the day refuted Gen. Gorka's statement by its own statement that said "identified credible threats" from Iran.
Saudi Arabia Blames Iran for Pipeline Damage, Calls for American Surgical Strikes
Saudi authorities on May 16, 2019 blamed Teheran for a drone attack that shut down an oil pipeline for the past two days. A palace-linked English language newspaper, Arab News, on May 16, 2019 called for U.S. "surgical strikes" against Iran, saying that "it's clear that the [U.S. ] sanctions are not sending the right messages".
Rocket Attack Near U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Blamed on Iran
A rocket was launched on May 19, 2019 that landed in the secure Green Zone in Baghdad, close to the U.S. Embassy, leading to allegation and speculation of Iranian-backed rebel groups behind the attack.
Iran Reported to have Quadrupled Uranium Enrichment Capacity
The Associated Press reported on May 20, 2019 that Teheran had quadrupled the Uranium enrichment capacity in recent days in the backdrop of rising U.S.-Iran tension. As Iran gave the EU a deadline of July 7, 2019 to work on mending the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in the aftermath of U.S. withdrawal from the accord and subsequent re-imposition of financial sanctions on Teheran that had choked the Persian Gulf nation's economy, the latest news that Iran had increased its Uranium enrichment capacity to the 3.67%, a limit set by the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, would add fuel to the fire.
Iran's Supreme Leader Calls out President, Foreign Minister for Harsh Criticism
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on May 21, 2019 had some harsh things to say against country's president and foreign minister, who had resigned, but his resignation was rejected by the country's president. Khamenei called out President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an unusual manner to stress that he had deep difference with them in implementing the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord.
At an unrelated event, Iranian military's supreme commander, Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, on May 21, 2019 blamed Saudi Arabia and USA for damaging four oil vessels off the coast of UAE on May 12, 2019 and a rocket attack near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone a week later.
Trump Sends 1,500 Additional Troops to Middle East
As Central Command chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie sought for additional U.S. troops in the region to prevent any ambitious effort by Iran, Pentagon on May 24, 2019 announced that $1,500 additioan troops were in the way to the region.
This Year, Iran Marks the "Jerusalem Day" Big and Bold
Amid rising tension in the region, Iranians on May 31, 2019 held Al-Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, in the most visible way one could remember in recent years, burning effigies of President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu on the streets of Teheran and beyond. Iran has been observing the Al-Quds Day, last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan, since 1979 Islamic Revolution. Many high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, attended the main rally in Teheran, and mocked the so called "Deal of the Century" peace plan that Trump administration planned to unveil at a two-day (June 25-26, 2019) Bahrain conference.
In Iraq, tens of thousands of protesters participated in the Al-Quds Day on May 31, 2019 at the main rally in Central Baghdad where Iran-backed Badr Party leader Moin al-Kazemi gave a fiery speech to denounce "Trump's decision to annex Jerusalem and consider it the capital of Israel".
In Syria, hundreds of Palestinian refugees and Syrians, waving Palestinian flags, participated in a march from Damascus' Hamidiyeh Bazaar to Umayyad Mosque.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Standing Beside German Official, Issues Threat to U.S.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on June 10, 2019 told reporters in Tehran that "whoever starts a war with us will not be the one who finishes it" and the U.S. "cannot expect to stay safe" if it carried out attack on Iran. It's not the strident anti-American statement that befuddled diplomats, it's an Iranian diplomat, credited for his balanced words and thoughtful statements, standing alongside a visiting foreign dignitary, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, made this threat that indirectly undermined the goal of a visiting European diplomat to defuse tension in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
Japan's Premier Warns against "Accidental "Conflict"
After meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and hours after a Houthi attack on a regional airport in the Abha region in Saudi Arabia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose historic visit to Iran had been overshadowed by regional tension and U.S.-Iran escalation, had a plain advice to all concerned parties. Addressing the reporters on June 12, 2019, he called for maximum restraint instead of "maximum pressure" policy pursued by Trump administration to de-escalate the volatile situation and avoid any "accidental conflict".
Two Tankers Explode, U.S. Blames Iran
Explosions hit two tankers--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous-- in the Gulf of Oman in the early hours of June 13, 2019, and crews from both the tankers were rescued. Hours after U.S. released a grainy photo, accusing Tehran of using magnetic limpet mines to attack the tankers. Tehran vehemently denied the allegation lobbed by the U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The blasts remind similar attacks on four vessels off the port of Fujairah in UAE a month ago. MT Front Altair, carrying naphtha from the UAE, sought help after its flammable cargo caught fire, and a short time later, Japanese tanker Kokuka Courageous, carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, radioed for help. USS Bainbridge, which was in the vicinity, picked up 21 crew members from the Kokuka Courageous, where the crew stayed overnight before returning to their vessel following morning on June 14, 2019 to help it being towed. The 23 crew members of the MT Front Altair--11 Russians, 11 Filipinos and one Georgian--were brought to the Iranian port city of Jask before moving them to Bandar Abbas.
Trump Rejects Iran's Denial, but Is Open to Talks
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 14, 2019 rejected Iran's denial of limpet mine attack a day earlier against two oil tankers--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman, but nonetheless expressed hope for talks, while Iranian authorities accused Washington of upping the ante of "Iranophobic campaign". The June 13, 2019, incident reminds the memory of so called "Tanker War" that had plagued the Persian Gulf 30 years ago.
The roots of "Tanker War" even went prior to that; in 1984, Iraq under Saddam Hussein targeted Iranian shipping in the Persian Gulf, and later mounted a devastating attack against Iran's Kharg Island, a key tanker-loading terminal. By the end of Iraq-Iran War, Iran took shots at 280 of Iran's vessels while Iran targeted Iraq's 168, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. Iran began to attack shipping in the Persian Gulf using mines as early as 1987. U.S. captured Iranian ship Ajr, and seized mines, in 1987. In 1988, USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine, and nearly sank, leading to a daylong naval battle between Iran and the U.S.. The naval battle, dubbed as the Operation Praying Mantis, damaged six Iranian vessels and two oil rigs. Several months later, USS Vincennes chased Iranian vessels into Iranian waters and mistook an Iranian commercial flight as F-14 warplane. The mistaken strike killed all 290 people in that ill-fated flight.
U.S. Credibility under Scanner
A day after an Iran Air flight flew 23-crew personnel of MT Front Altair from Bandar Abbas to Dubai, two of America's allies--Japan and Germany--asked Washington on June 16, 2019 to provide more substantive proof of linking Iran to June 13, 2019, explosion of two vessels--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman.
To Trump, Attacks on Oil Tankers very Minor
U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview with the Time magazine on June 17, 2019 called the alleged attacks on two commercial vessels--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman"very minor", and added that Washington might not even go to war to protect the oil shipment route in Persian Gulf.
U.S. Drone Hit; Trump, Mulling to Attack Iran, Pulls Back
A day of high-pitched tension played out on June 20, 2019 in the Persian Gulf as in the early morning Iran had used a missile from its venerable Sevom Khordad missile system to hit a U.S. drone, an RQ-4A Global Hawk with 131-foot wingspan, at the height of 55,000 feet, accusing the drone had crossed into the Iranian airspace. However, U.S. said that the drone was over the international waters. Later in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Congressional leaders in the White House. However, after deciding to carry out airstrikes against targets in Iran, Trump pulled back at the eleventh hour after he had been informed that there would be high number of civilian collateral casualties. President Trump added on June 20, 2019 that it could be a mistake by a single, rogue Iranian military officer.
Trump Dials down Rhetoric; Thanks Iran for not Targeting Manned Aircraft
As back-and-forth and accusations-counter-accusations continued following the strike of an unmanned U.S. drone, an RQ-4A Global Hawk, second downing of U.S. unmanned drone in the region days after Houti rebels in Yemen struck a U.S. drone, leading to its destruction, there was a concerted effort by European allies to dial down the escalatory rhetoric and political climate. U.S. President Donald Trump himself led the de-escalatory campaign, saying to reporters on June 22, 2019 before heading to Camp David for the weekend retreat that "lets make Iran great again". President Trump also thanked Iran for not targeting a military plane nearby at the time of June 20, 2019, downing of RQ-4A Global Hawk with 38 crew members. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on June 22, 2019 released the coordinates of the RQ-4A drone when it had been struck by a missile, clearly showing that "there can be no doubt where the vessel was when it was brought down".
Meanwhile, Britain on June 22, 2019 announced that it would send its envoy for the region, Andrew Murrison, to Tehran what the British Foreign Office said as a measure for "urgent de-escalation in the region".
Unrelated U.S. Cyberattacks Cripples Iranian Command and Control System
First reported by the Yahoo News and then followed up by The Washington News in one of its June 22, 2019, article, U.S. President Donald Trump, although pulled back from carrying out airstrikes on June 20, 2019, gave approval to U.S. Cyber Command to launch cyberattack against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Command and Control system late June 20, 2019. The cyberattack, in planning for months, was reported to have crippled many infrastructure assets related to Iran's Revolutionary Guard's command and control systems. Later on June 22, 2019, Department of Homeland Security issued a warning for the U.S. industry to protect its critical infrastructure against any possible Iranian cyberattack.
Britain Seizes Iranian Ship for Violating EU Sanctions on Syria
British Royal Marines on July 4, 2019 seized an Iranian ship, Grace 1, for allegedly trying to bring oil to a refinery in Syria in an apparent violation of EU sanctions on Bashar Assad regime. British Royal Marines brought Grace 1 to Gibraltar, a U.K.-administered island just off the southern tip of Spain. Britain accused Tehran of sending oil to Baniyas Refinery in Syria in a gross violation of EU sanctions. Iran's state-owned IRNA called the British action as "an illegal seizure of an Iranian tanker".
Tension Rises as Crew Members Questioned
A day after authorities in Gibraltar, a British-administered island off the southern tip of Spain, seized an Iranian tanker, Grace I, en route a Syrian oil refinery at Baniyas, investigators on July 5, 2019 questioned the 28-member crew of the vessel. The crew is composed of Indians, Pakistanis and Ukrainians. During the day, rhetoric heated up in Iran as former Revolutionary Guard commander, Mohsen Rezaei, said that Iran should seek revenge for British action.
Iran Demands Grace I's Immediate Release
Iranian Foreign Ministry on July 12, 2019 issued a statement demanding immediate release of Grace I seized by British Navy at Gibraltar on July 4, 2019.
U.S. Shoots down an Iranian Drone
U.S. President Donald Trump on July 18, 2019 said that the aircraft carrier USS Boxer's crew had shot down an Iranian drone earlier in the day as it came dangerously close to the aircraft carrier near the Strait of Hormuz, condemning the Iranian action "provocative and hostile". Iran denied that it had lost any drone.
Iran Seizes British-flagged Tanker
Iran on July 19, 2019 ratcheted up tension in a region that could afford it the least by seizing a British-flagged oil tanker, Stena Impero, and briefly stopping a second tanker before letting it sail through the Strait of Hormuz, a key sea navigational route through which world's one-fifth oil passes through. The tanker and its 23 crew members of various nationalities were reported to be hauled to an Iranian port by Revolutionary Guards vessels. The tit-for-tat tanker seizure marked the latest twist in escalation in tension in the region and came 15 days after British Royal Navy had seized an Iranian oil tanker en route Syria, in violation of EU sanctions, in Gibralatar on July 4, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump called the seizure of British tanker as an evidence of Iran being a "trouble, nothing but trouble". The company that owns the tanker, Stena Bulk, said that it was not able to contact with the Stena Impero crewmembers, and the chief executive of the British Chamber of Shipping, Bob Sanguinetti, asked for global move not to let this severe escalation tension get out of hand. The seizure of Stena Impero occurred hours after a Gibraltar court ruled on July 19, 2019 to allow the authorities to continue holding the Iranian-flagged Grace I for an additional 30 days. The second ship, Liberian-flagged Mesdar, was briefly halted in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway at the mouth of Persian Gulf through which world's one-fifth oil passes daily, on July 19, 2019 before allowing it to continue its voyage.
Iran Releases Video of Tanker's Seizure
Iran on July 20, 2019 posted a video online that showed seizing operation of the British-flagged Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier. The Stena Impero and its crewmembers are being held at Bandar Abbas.
Iran Claims to have Detained 17 CIA Spies
Without divulging details, Iran announced on July 22, 2019 that it had detained 17 CIA spies and sentenced some of them to death.
Gibraltar Frees Iranian Oil Tanker Grace I
On August 15, 2019, British territory of Gibraltar released Iranian oil supertanker Grace I over the objection of the U.S. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said that U.S. could pursue case to seize the supertanker. The supertanker with 2.1 million barrels of crude was under siege since July 4, 2019.
Gibraltar Rejects U.S. Demand for Continuing the Tanker Siege; Name Changed for the Tanker
Gibraltar authorities on August 18, 2019 rejected the latest U.S. pressure for not letting the Iranian supertanker with 2.1 million barrels of crude begin sailing on the ground that the owner and operator of the vessel was tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps., a banned entity under the U.S. law. Gibraltar has balked the U.S. pressure as the Revolutionary Guard is not banned under European laws. Meanwhile, on August 18, 2019, Panamanian-flagged vessel changed its name from Grace I to Adrian Darya I and hoisted Iranian flag.
Iran Releases British Tanker's Crew Members
Iran on September 5, 2019 released seven crew members of Stena Impero.
Iran Accused of Attacking Largest Oil Facility
The Persian Gulf tension that had been escalating since Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement had suddenly climbed to an epic proportion, at least on its appearance, with drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq oil processing facility, world's largest oil processing facility, and the Khurais oil field. The attacks were immediately blamed by Saudi Arabia and the west on Iran, but Houthis had claimed the September 14, 2019, attacks that had sparked a massive fire at the facility and stoppage of work, leading to millions of crude output, according to the Saudi Aramco, to be taken out of the world energy market. Abqaiq facility processes up to 7 million barrels of crude a day, and Khurais produces about 1 million barrels of Saudi's 9.65 million of barrels of crude. U.S. President Donald Trump called the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin-Salman and assured all help against Iranian aggression. Tehran denied any role in September 14, 2019, drone attacks on Abqaiq oil processing facility and Khurais Oil Field.
Trump's "Locked and Loaded" Tweet Slammed
Iran criticized President Donald Trump's September 15, 2019, tweet that U.S. had been "locked and loaded depending on verification" although without naming Iran. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was much less discrete, saying that Iran was responsible for drone attacks on Abqaiq Facility and Khurais Oil Field in Saudi Arabia. The attack took out 5.7 million barrels of crude output, or 5% of the global oil supply, according to Reuters. Also, during the day, to cushion against a potential 5% drop in global oil output, President Donald Trump authorized the release of oil from the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. At present, there are four sites where SPR is stored.
Iran Releases the Tanker
Iran on September 27, 2019 released Stena Impero, and the tanker had left Bandar Abbas for Dubai.
Missiles Hit Iranian Oil Tanker at Red Sea
The pair of missile strikes on an Iranian oil tanker, Sabiti, off the Saudi coast in the Red Sea on October 11, 2019 damaged parts of the vessel, but it was not serious and the tanker was expected to dock at one of Iranian ports in 10 days. However, the incident irked Iranian officials as evidenced by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, vowing on October 12, 2019 that the "vicious behavior in international waterways will not go without a response".
Damage to Four Oil Vessels Reported off the Coast of UAE Reported
The Associated Press on May 13, 2019 reported significant damage to four oil ships off the coast of United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf waters. Although no evidence was available who was behind the attack off the UAE port of Fujairah, western officials blamed Iran for the attacks on the four ships. U.S. is sending an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region for unspecified threats in the region.
Drone Attack on a Saudi Pipeline
Saudi authorities on May 14, 2019 said that a drone from an unknown source attacked and damaged an oil pipeline stretching east-west through the desert kingdom. Authorities blamed that the drone might have been operated by Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.
U.S. Orders Withdrawal of Nonessential Personnel from Iraq
Upping the ante on the recent escalation in the middle east, Trump administration on May 15, 2019 took the unexplained step of ordering all non-essential personnel to be withdrawn from Iraq. This came on the heels of unspecified attacks that damaged four oil vessels--two of them Saudi oil vessels--off the coast of UAE, a drone attack on the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia and sending of a U.S. aircraft carrier with accompanying ships and B-52 bombers to the region.
British Commander Refutes Iran's Increased Activities Charges
A senior British military official, Maj. Gen. Chris Gorka, on May 15, 2019 took an unusual step of releasing a video statement from Baghdad's Green Zone to refute the U.S. allegation that Iran had increased its anti-coalition activities in the recent days. To the contrary, Maj. Gen. Gorka said that "there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria". U.S. Central Command later in the day refuted Gen. Gorka's statement by its own statement that said "identified credible threats" from Iran.
Saudi Arabia Blames Iran for Pipeline Damage, Calls for American Surgical Strikes
Saudi authorities on May 16, 2019 blamed Teheran for a drone attack that shut down an oil pipeline for the past two days. A palace-linked English language newspaper, Arab News, on May 16, 2019 called for U.S. "surgical strikes" against Iran, saying that "it's clear that the [U.S. ] sanctions are not sending the right messages".
Rocket Attack Near U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Blamed on Iran
A rocket was launched on May 19, 2019 that landed in the secure Green Zone in Baghdad, close to the U.S. Embassy, leading to allegation and speculation of Iranian-backed rebel groups behind the attack.
Iran Reported to have Quadrupled Uranium Enrichment Capacity
The Associated Press reported on May 20, 2019 that Teheran had quadrupled the Uranium enrichment capacity in recent days in the backdrop of rising U.S.-Iran tension. As Iran gave the EU a deadline of July 7, 2019 to work on mending the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in the aftermath of U.S. withdrawal from the accord and subsequent re-imposition of financial sanctions on Teheran that had choked the Persian Gulf nation's economy, the latest news that Iran had increased its Uranium enrichment capacity to the 3.67%, a limit set by the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, would add fuel to the fire.
Iran's Supreme Leader Calls out President, Foreign Minister for Harsh Criticism
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on May 21, 2019 had some harsh things to say against country's president and foreign minister, who had resigned, but his resignation was rejected by the country's president. Khamenei called out President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an unusual manner to stress that he had deep difference with them in implementing the 2015 Iran Nuclear Accord.
At an unrelated event, Iranian military's supreme commander, Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, on May 21, 2019 blamed Saudi Arabia and USA for damaging four oil vessels off the coast of UAE on May 12, 2019 and a rocket attack near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone a week later.
Trump Sends 1,500 Additional Troops to Middle East
As Central Command chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie sought for additional U.S. troops in the region to prevent any ambitious effort by Iran, Pentagon on May 24, 2019 announced that $1,500 additioan troops were in the way to the region.
This Year, Iran Marks the "Jerusalem Day" Big and Bold
Amid rising tension in the region, Iranians on May 31, 2019 held Al-Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, in the most visible way one could remember in recent years, burning effigies of President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu on the streets of Teheran and beyond. Iran has been observing the Al-Quds Day, last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan, since 1979 Islamic Revolution. Many high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, attended the main rally in Teheran, and mocked the so called "Deal of the Century" peace plan that Trump administration planned to unveil at a two-day (June 25-26, 2019) Bahrain conference.
In Iraq, tens of thousands of protesters participated in the Al-Quds Day on May 31, 2019 at the main rally in Central Baghdad where Iran-backed Badr Party leader Moin al-Kazemi gave a fiery speech to denounce "Trump's decision to annex Jerusalem and consider it the capital of Israel".
In Syria, hundreds of Palestinian refugees and Syrians, waving Palestinian flags, participated in a march from Damascus' Hamidiyeh Bazaar to Umayyad Mosque.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Standing Beside German Official, Issues Threat to U.S.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on June 10, 2019 told reporters in Tehran that "whoever starts a war with us will not be the one who finishes it" and the U.S. "cannot expect to stay safe" if it carried out attack on Iran. It's not the strident anti-American statement that befuddled diplomats, it's an Iranian diplomat, credited for his balanced words and thoughtful statements, standing alongside a visiting foreign dignitary, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, made this threat that indirectly undermined the goal of a visiting European diplomat to defuse tension in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
Japan's Premier Warns against "Accidental "Conflict"
After meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and hours after a Houthi attack on a regional airport in the Abha region in Saudi Arabia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose historic visit to Iran had been overshadowed by regional tension and U.S.-Iran escalation, had a plain advice to all concerned parties. Addressing the reporters on June 12, 2019, he called for maximum restraint instead of "maximum pressure" policy pursued by Trump administration to de-escalate the volatile situation and avoid any "accidental conflict".
Two Tankers Explode, U.S. Blames Iran
Explosions hit two tankers--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous-- in the Gulf of Oman in the early hours of June 13, 2019, and crews from both the tankers were rescued. Hours after U.S. released a grainy photo, accusing Tehran of using magnetic limpet mines to attack the tankers. Tehran vehemently denied the allegation lobbed by the U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The blasts remind similar attacks on four vessels off the port of Fujairah in UAE a month ago. MT Front Altair, carrying naphtha from the UAE, sought help after its flammable cargo caught fire, and a short time later, Japanese tanker Kokuka Courageous, carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, radioed for help. USS Bainbridge, which was in the vicinity, picked up 21 crew members from the Kokuka Courageous, where the crew stayed overnight before returning to their vessel following morning on June 14, 2019 to help it being towed. The 23 crew members of the MT Front Altair--11 Russians, 11 Filipinos and one Georgian--were brought to the Iranian port city of Jask before moving them to Bandar Abbas.
Trump Rejects Iran's Denial, but Is Open to Talks
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 14, 2019 rejected Iran's denial of limpet mine attack a day earlier against two oil tankers--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman, but nonetheless expressed hope for talks, while Iranian authorities accused Washington of upping the ante of "Iranophobic campaign". The June 13, 2019, incident reminds the memory of so called "Tanker War" that had plagued the Persian Gulf 30 years ago.
The roots of "Tanker War" even went prior to that; in 1984, Iraq under Saddam Hussein targeted Iranian shipping in the Persian Gulf, and later mounted a devastating attack against Iran's Kharg Island, a key tanker-loading terminal. By the end of Iraq-Iran War, Iran took shots at 280 of Iran's vessels while Iran targeted Iraq's 168, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. Iran began to attack shipping in the Persian Gulf using mines as early as 1987. U.S. captured Iranian ship Ajr, and seized mines, in 1987. In 1988, USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine, and nearly sank, leading to a daylong naval battle between Iran and the U.S.. The naval battle, dubbed as the Operation Praying Mantis, damaged six Iranian vessels and two oil rigs. Several months later, USS Vincennes chased Iranian vessels into Iranian waters and mistook an Iranian commercial flight as F-14 warplane. The mistaken strike killed all 290 people in that ill-fated flight.
U.S. Credibility under Scanner
A day after an Iran Air flight flew 23-crew personnel of MT Front Altair from Bandar Abbas to Dubai, two of America's allies--Japan and Germany--asked Washington on June 16, 2019 to provide more substantive proof of linking Iran to June 13, 2019, explosion of two vessels--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman.
To Trump, Attacks on Oil Tankers very Minor
U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview with the Time magazine on June 17, 2019 called the alleged attacks on two commercial vessels--Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and a Japanese company-operated vessel, Kokuka Courageous--in the Gulf of Oman"very minor", and added that Washington might not even go to war to protect the oil shipment route in Persian Gulf.
U.S. Drone Hit; Trump, Mulling to Attack Iran, Pulls Back
A day of high-pitched tension played out on June 20, 2019 in the Persian Gulf as in the early morning Iran had used a missile from its venerable Sevom Khordad missile system to hit a U.S. drone, an RQ-4A Global Hawk with 131-foot wingspan, at the height of 55,000 feet, accusing the drone had crossed into the Iranian airspace. However, U.S. said that the drone was over the international waters. Later in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Congressional leaders in the White House. However, after deciding to carry out airstrikes against targets in Iran, Trump pulled back at the eleventh hour after he had been informed that there would be high number of civilian collateral casualties. President Trump added on June 20, 2019 that it could be a mistake by a single, rogue Iranian military officer.
Trump Dials down Rhetoric; Thanks Iran for not Targeting Manned Aircraft
As back-and-forth and accusations-counter-accusations continued following the strike of an unmanned U.S. drone, an RQ-4A Global Hawk, second downing of U.S. unmanned drone in the region days after Houti rebels in Yemen struck a U.S. drone, leading to its destruction, there was a concerted effort by European allies to dial down the escalatory rhetoric and political climate. U.S. President Donald Trump himself led the de-escalatory campaign, saying to reporters on June 22, 2019 before heading to Camp David for the weekend retreat that "lets make Iran great again". President Trump also thanked Iran for not targeting a military plane nearby at the time of June 20, 2019, downing of RQ-4A Global Hawk with 38 crew members. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on June 22, 2019 released the coordinates of the RQ-4A drone when it had been struck by a missile, clearly showing that "there can be no doubt where the vessel was when it was brought down".
Meanwhile, Britain on June 22, 2019 announced that it would send its envoy for the region, Andrew Murrison, to Tehran what the British Foreign Office said as a measure for "urgent de-escalation in the region".
Unrelated U.S. Cyberattacks Cripples Iranian Command and Control System
First reported by the Yahoo News and then followed up by The Washington News in one of its June 22, 2019, article, U.S. President Donald Trump, although pulled back from carrying out airstrikes on June 20, 2019, gave approval to U.S. Cyber Command to launch cyberattack against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Command and Control system late June 20, 2019. The cyberattack, in planning for months, was reported to have crippled many infrastructure assets related to Iran's Revolutionary Guard's command and control systems. Later on June 22, 2019, Department of Homeland Security issued a warning for the U.S. industry to protect its critical infrastructure against any possible Iranian cyberattack.
Britain Seizes Iranian Ship for Violating EU Sanctions on Syria
British Royal Marines on July 4, 2019 seized an Iranian ship, Grace 1, for allegedly trying to bring oil to a refinery in Syria in an apparent violation of EU sanctions on Bashar Assad regime. British Royal Marines brought Grace 1 to Gibraltar, a U.K.-administered island just off the southern tip of Spain. Britain accused Tehran of sending oil to Baniyas Refinery in Syria in a gross violation of EU sanctions. Iran's state-owned IRNA called the British action as "an illegal seizure of an Iranian tanker".
Tension Rises as Crew Members Questioned
A day after authorities in Gibraltar, a British-administered island off the southern tip of Spain, seized an Iranian tanker, Grace I, en route a Syrian oil refinery at Baniyas, investigators on July 5, 2019 questioned the 28-member crew of the vessel. The crew is composed of Indians, Pakistanis and Ukrainians. During the day, rhetoric heated up in Iran as former Revolutionary Guard commander, Mohsen Rezaei, said that Iran should seek revenge for British action.
Iran Demands Grace I's Immediate Release
Iranian Foreign Ministry on July 12, 2019 issued a statement demanding immediate release of Grace I seized by British Navy at Gibraltar on July 4, 2019.
U.S. Shoots down an Iranian Drone
U.S. President Donald Trump on July 18, 2019 said that the aircraft carrier USS Boxer's crew had shot down an Iranian drone earlier in the day as it came dangerously close to the aircraft carrier near the Strait of Hormuz, condemning the Iranian action "provocative and hostile". Iran denied that it had lost any drone.
Iran Seizes British-flagged Tanker
Iran on July 19, 2019 ratcheted up tension in a region that could afford it the least by seizing a British-flagged oil tanker, Stena Impero, and briefly stopping a second tanker before letting it sail through the Strait of Hormuz, a key sea navigational route through which world's one-fifth oil passes through. The tanker and its 23 crew members of various nationalities were reported to be hauled to an Iranian port by Revolutionary Guards vessels. The tit-for-tat tanker seizure marked the latest twist in escalation in tension in the region and came 15 days after British Royal Navy had seized an Iranian oil tanker en route Syria, in violation of EU sanctions, in Gibralatar on July 4, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump called the seizure of British tanker as an evidence of Iran being a "trouble, nothing but trouble". The company that owns the tanker, Stena Bulk, said that it was not able to contact with the Stena Impero crewmembers, and the chief executive of the British Chamber of Shipping, Bob Sanguinetti, asked for global move not to let this severe escalation tension get out of hand. The seizure of Stena Impero occurred hours after a Gibraltar court ruled on July 19, 2019 to allow the authorities to continue holding the Iranian-flagged Grace I for an additional 30 days. The second ship, Liberian-flagged Mesdar, was briefly halted in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway at the mouth of Persian Gulf through which world's one-fifth oil passes daily, on July 19, 2019 before allowing it to continue its voyage.
Iran Releases Video of Tanker's Seizure
Iran on July 20, 2019 posted a video online that showed seizing operation of the British-flagged Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier. The Stena Impero and its crewmembers are being held at Bandar Abbas.
Iran Claims to have Detained 17 CIA Spies
Without divulging details, Iran announced on July 22, 2019 that it had detained 17 CIA spies and sentenced some of them to death.
Gibraltar Frees Iranian Oil Tanker Grace I
On August 15, 2019, British territory of Gibraltar released Iranian oil supertanker Grace I over the objection of the U.S. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said that U.S. could pursue case to seize the supertanker. The supertanker with 2.1 million barrels of crude was under siege since July 4, 2019.
Gibraltar Rejects U.S. Demand for Continuing the Tanker Siege; Name Changed for the Tanker
Gibraltar authorities on August 18, 2019 rejected the latest U.S. pressure for not letting the Iranian supertanker with 2.1 million barrels of crude begin sailing on the ground that the owner and operator of the vessel was tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps., a banned entity under the U.S. law. Gibraltar has balked the U.S. pressure as the Revolutionary Guard is not banned under European laws. Meanwhile, on August 18, 2019, Panamanian-flagged vessel changed its name from Grace I to Adrian Darya I and hoisted Iranian flag.
Iran Releases British Tanker's Crew Members
Iran on September 5, 2019 released seven crew members of Stena Impero.
Iran Accused of Attacking Largest Oil Facility
The Persian Gulf tension that had been escalating since Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement had suddenly climbed to an epic proportion, at least on its appearance, with drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq oil processing facility, world's largest oil processing facility, and the Khurais oil field. The attacks were immediately blamed by Saudi Arabia and the west on Iran, but Houthis had claimed the September 14, 2019, attacks that had sparked a massive fire at the facility and stoppage of work, leading to millions of crude output, according to the Saudi Aramco, to be taken out of the world energy market. Abqaiq facility processes up to 7 million barrels of crude a day, and Khurais produces about 1 million barrels of Saudi's 9.65 million of barrels of crude. U.S. President Donald Trump called the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin-Salman and assured all help against Iranian aggression. Tehran denied any role in September 14, 2019, drone attacks on Abqaiq oil processing facility and Khurais Oil Field.
Trump's "Locked and Loaded" Tweet Slammed
Iran criticized President Donald Trump's September 15, 2019, tweet that U.S. had been "locked and loaded depending on verification" although without naming Iran. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was much less discrete, saying that Iran was responsible for drone attacks on Abqaiq Facility and Khurais Oil Field in Saudi Arabia. The attack took out 5.7 million barrels of crude output, or 5% of the global oil supply, according to Reuters. Also, during the day, to cushion against a potential 5% drop in global oil output, President Donald Trump authorized the release of oil from the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. At present, there are four sites where SPR is stored.
Iran Releases the Tanker
Iran on September 27, 2019 released Stena Impero, and the tanker had left Bandar Abbas for Dubai.
Missiles Hit Iranian Oil Tanker at Red Sea
The pair of missile strikes on an Iranian oil tanker, Sabiti, off the Saudi coast in the Red Sea on October 11, 2019 damaged parts of the vessel, but it was not serious and the tanker was expected to dock at one of Iranian ports in 10 days. However, the incident irked Iranian officials as evidenced by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, vowing on October 12, 2019 that the "vicious behavior in international waterways will not go without a response".
*********************************** IRAN-U.S. TENSION **************************
The Associated Press on August 18, 2019 quoted a fellow researcher of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of the International Studies in Monterey, California, Fabian Hinz, that Iran was preparing to launch a satellite, third time this year after failing to put one in the orbit in earlier two unsuccessful efforts, from the Khomeini Space Center in the country's Semnan Province.
Iran Burns in anti-government Protest with Fuel Subsidy Reduced
Dozens of cities erupted in violence on November 15, 2019 after the government had taken drastic steps to reduce fuel subsidy. Thousands of demonstrators participated in spontaneous demonstrations across the nation, burning vehicles, offices and other targets.
Violence spread further on November 16, 2019, and scores of demonstrators were reported killed or wounded as government deployed troops to put down the demonstration.
Iran Blocks Internet as the Supreme Leaders Warns the Demonstrators
Two days after anti-government protest erupted in various cities and cascaded into a full-blown rebellion in the most part of the country, Iranian authorities on November 17, 2019 shut down internet access to its 80 million people. Hundreds of people were reported killed in government crackdown. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on November 17, 2019 justified reduction in subsidy, leading to 50 percent rise in fuel prices, and called the demonstrators "thugs".
Amnesty International Reports More than 100 Deaths in Anti-government Protest
Amnesty International said on November 19, 2019 that it could get information from various sources about 106 deaths that took place since the November 15, 2019, eruption in the latest anti-government protest sparked by the Hassan Rouhani regime's decision to reduce fuel subsidy, leading to 50 percent rise in fuel prices. Authorities effectively cut all internet access on November 17, 2019, making it almost impossible for the outside world to know the scale of violence and crackdown. Meanwhile, the U.N. on November 19, 2019 condemned the use of live ammunition.
Iran Blames it All on the U.S.
A hardline Iranian newspaper, Kayhan, on November 20, 2019 ran a piece written by its editor-in-chief, Hossein Shariatmadari, that accused the U.S., France, Israel and Saudi Arabia of fomenting the violence that had erupted on November 15, 2019.
Revolutionary Guards Commander Threatens Enemies
Addressing tens of thousands of pro-government activists at the Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Revolutionary Guards Commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami on November 25, 2019 took aim at the foreign powers, and threatened them to destroy if "you cross our red line".
Amnesty International on late November 25, 2019 gave the latest update of the casualty numbers in the anti-government protest that had erupted on November 15, 2019, and upped the number to at least 143. Amnesty International's research and advocacy director for Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther, during the day condemned Iran's "appalling assault on human life".
Ayatollah Blames USA for Fuel Price Unrest
In a searing speech addressing the Revolutionary Guard's fearsome Basij force on November 27, 2019, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the "conspiracy" hatched by the U.S. that had triggered the violent anti-government protest on November 15, 2019 over government's action to reduce subsidy that had led to fuel prices to spike as high as 50%.
After anti-government protest had erupted on November 15, 2019 and quickly spread to many areas in the country, the local law enforcement agencies had tough time in containing the violence until the Basij force, an all-volunteer security force, had arrived at the most violence-plagued cities and brutally put down the unrest. At least 143 people were killed, according to Amnesty International.
Amnesty Ups the Estimate of People Killed in the Uprising
Amnesty International on December 2, 2019 has issued a revised estimate increasing the number of people it now says has been killed since the November 15, 2019, eruption of anti-government violent protest to at least 208.
Iran Labels Protesters as Rioters
Iranian state media on December 3, 2019 acknowledged for the first time that violent protest that had erupted since November 15, 2019 had led to deaths, but justified the crackdown as the "rioters" had taken to unprecedented violence to attack "sensitive or military centers".
American Released in a Prisoner Swap
An American scholar jailed in Iran for the past three years was released on December 7, 2019 in exchange for an Iranian stem cell researcher. The prisoner swap has been handled by the Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, which looks after the American interest in Iran. Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student, was arrested in Iran in 2016 while conducting research and sentenced in 2017 to 10-year prison term. Xiyue Wang spent in the notorious Evin Prison. Xiyue Wang was swapped for Iranian stem cell researcher Massoud Soleimani who had been arrested last year on charges of sanctions violations. Talks of Xiyue Wang's release began when Robert O'Brien was the State Department's hostage crisis envoy. Robert O'Brien later took over the job of National Security Adviser, and the prisoner talks continued under Brian Hook, special envoy for Iran.
Hardliners Dominate Iran's Parliamentary Polls
Hardliners apparently are winning majority of the seats in February 21, 2020, parliamentary election. Tehran's 30 parliamentary seats returned an overwhelming number of conservatives led by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, expected to be the next speaker of 290-member parliament.
Iran Launches a Satellite to Orbit Earth
Iran took its broadside against U.S. straight to the space on April 22, 2020 as it launched a satellite, Noor, to encircle earth on a lower orbit, raising speculation that after Donald Trump had withdrawn from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Tehran was on full swing to develop its missile program to new levels and resume its nuclear program. Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division used a mobile launcher to put Noor in the orbit.
Prisoner Swap amid Coronavirus, Bilateral Tension
An underreported prisoner swap was a welcome news for bilateral Iran-U.S. relationship, which had all but plunged into a nadir, in which a former U.S. military service member, Michael White, was released in exchange for freedom of an Iranian scientist, Majid Taheri, from American captivity. White was serving a 10-year sentence for insulting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and had been arrested in 2018. White's family members and President Trump made the news public on June 4, 2020.
Fire at a Nuclear Site Reported
A fire and related damages were reported on July 2, 2020 at Natanz nuclear facility where Iran had built nuclear research operation deep inside of the mountains. Initially Iranian officials were dismissive of the damages and whether any foreign power--Israel or U.S.--was behind the fire.
Israel Indirectly Claims Responsibility for Natanz Fire
Days after a rapidly spreading fire had damaged some advanced centrifuges before it was extinguished, it became clear to Iranian authorities that the fire could be a sabotage to hurt its nuclear program. That line of thought was further strengthened on July 6, 2020 as Israel launched a spy satellite to space and vowed to stop any adversary from developing nuclear weapons. A day earlier, July 5, 2020, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi noted that it was Israel's long-term strategy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapon.
Iran Reportedly Has Arrested A Top Dissenter
Iran's state TV on August 1, 2020 broadcast a picture of a blindfolded, arrested man, accusing him of planning a mosque bombing in 2008 that had killed more than dozen. Iran identified the man as 65-year-old Iranian-American Jamshid Sharmad, leader of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, a Glendora, California-based Iranian dissenters' organization. Iran accused the group's militant wing, Tondar, or Thunder, of orchestrating the 2008 bombing of Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Shiraj. Iran also blamed Tondar, or Thunder, for 2010 bombing of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei mausoleum that had wounded several people.
Arms Moratorium Measure Backed by U.S. Defeated by Security Council
An arms embargo on Iran set to expire on August 18, 2020 will expire as an extension was not approved by the U.N. Security council. The U.S. backed measure on August 14, 2020 received only two yes votes--from the U.S. and Dominican Republic--far less than 9 needed.
Iranian Wrestler Executed
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's and other western leaders' pleas to spare the life of Navid Afkari, Iranian authorities in Shiraz, Iran went ahead on September 12, 2020 to carry out the death sentence against the regionally famous wrestler and executed in the city's Adelabad prison. Afkari and his brothers were reported to have participated in the anti-government unrest in 2018, and the wrestler was accused of stabbing a water supply company employee, Hassan Torkaman, to death.
Iran’s
Top Nuclear Scientist Assassinated
One
of the pioneering Iranian scientists at the heart of the country’s military nuclear
program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated on November 27, 2020
east of Tehran. Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, called
the death of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh as a “state terror” and implicated
Israel for the nuclear scientist’s death. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh led Iran’s
military nuclear program aimed at developing as
many as six nuclear bombs until
the program was disbanded in 2003. His role in the current nuclear program
of the country is unclear, but still his death marks a clear blow to prestige
and psyche of Iran’s nuclear program. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh led the Amad Plan,
the super-secretive Iranian military nuclear program, that got disbanded in
2003 under western pressure. After Amad Plan was disbanded, most of the
scientists and SMEs in the Amad Plan joined the successor organizations.
In June 2020, a U.S. State Department report has stated that
former employees of the Amad Plan are now working in “weaponization-relevant
dual-use technical activities”, implying the program can be geared toward
transforming into a weapons program on a short notice. The high-profile role of
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was also known in great details after Israeli
operatives stole and smuggled Iran’s nuclear program documents in 2018.
During a high-level presentation in 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu referred Mohsen Fakhrizadeh as a “shadow man”. In 2007,
Fakhrizadeh was one of eight Iranian researchers slapped with sanctions by the
U.N. for his ties to “nuclear or ballistic” program. On November 27, 2020, Mohsen
Fakhrizadeh, also known as Robert Oppenheimer of Iran, was killed as
his car came under ambush in a small city, Absard, east of the capital. In
the early 2010s, at least four Iranian researchers tied to the country’s
nuclear program were assassinated. Iran’s intelligence officials accused Israel
and U.S. for those killings.
A
day after Iran’s father-figure of nuclear program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh,
former head and architect of Amad Plan, a super-secret Iranian military
nuclear program to build as many as six nuclear bombs that had been shut down
in 2003 under western pressure, had been assassinated in the east of the
capital, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on November 28, 2020 said that
it was the handiwork of “usurper Zionist regime” to cause “turmoil” in the
region as Trump administration and “our enemies are passing through anxious
weeks” before the change in administration in Washington and end of so called “maximalist
policy” of pressure. Iran’s president was emphatic that the country’s civilian nuclear
program would not be hindered by the killing of the “Oppenheimer” of Iran. Iran’s
highest spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed on November 28,
2020 “a definitive punishment for perpetrators”. Iran’s hardline Kayhan
newspaper called for an “eye for an eye” hit-back.
Israeli
government remains mum over the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, but
anyone has little doubt that it has been carried out by Israel. European Union
on November 28, 2020 issued a statement, calling the killing of Mohsen
Kakhrizadeh as “a criminal act” and asked all parties in the region “to
remain calm and exercise maximum restraint”. It’s all the more shocking for
many international diplomats that, instead of extinguishing the fire, U.S.
President Donald Trump has ignited a new one as he has retweeted hours
after the November 27, 2020, killing a post tweeted by Israeli
veteran journalist Yossi Melman that says the killing of the top Iranian
scientist as “a major psychological and professional blow for Iran”. Yossi
Melman, author of Spies Against Armageddon, a history of Israeli
subversive activities, said in an interview that he would be surprised that it
was an Israeli operation.
Meanwhile,
details emerged during the day about the ambush a day earlier at a village, Absard,
east of Tehran. A decrepit truck loaded with wood blew up near the Mohsen
Fakhrizadeh’s vehicle and, as his vehicle stopped, at least five gunmen
emerged and rained the scientist’s vehicle with rapid-fire bullets.
Father
of Iranian Nuclear Program Might have been Killed by Remote, Official Says
There
was a new information that might change the current narrative of what or who
had killed Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on November 27, 2020 outside Tehran.
At Mohsen’s funeral on November 30, 2020 in Tehran, Iran’s Supreme National
Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani said that a satellite-operated
remote electronic device had killed Mohsen Fakrizadeh, undercutting the
initial reports that an explosion followed by firing by five or six gunmen took
the life of “Oppenheimer” of Iran. Mohsen Fakrizadeh led the AMAD Plan,
country’s military nuclear program, which, according to IAEA, had disbanded in 2003.
U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed it four years later in 2007.
Iranian
Exiled Protest Organizer Executed
An
Iranian freelance journalist who had led, among others, the massive protest in
Iran in late 2017 and early 2018, leading to widespread unrest
and inspiring Iranians to take to streets in an unprecedented uprising against
the Iranian regime was executed on December 12, 2020. Ruhollah Zam,
47, lived in exile in Paris and was part of a core group of exiled
opposition leaders who had used their social media prowess to organize the
massive anti-government demonstration in late 2017 and early 2018.
Ruhollah Zam founded the AmadNews website and a channel in Telegram
to urge the Iranian people to take to streets in late 2017. In recent
months, Ruhollah Zam had been tricked by Iranian intelligence to visit
Iraq where he had been kidnapped from and brought into Iran. In June 2020,
an Iranian court handed him down a death sentence for “corruption on Earth”, a
charge often associated with effort to overthrow the government. Ruhollah
Zam was hanged to death on December 12, 2020. Ruhollah’s execution
has a chilling effect on exile-led international diplomatic and political drive
against the Iranian regime. French Foreign Ministry issued a statement hours
after the execution, calling it a “barbarous and unacceptable act".
Trump
Administration Officially Holds Iran for Disappearance, Death of Former FBI
Agent
Trump
administration on December 14, 2020 labeled two Iranian intelligence officials—Ahmad
Khazai and Mohamad Baseri—as primary culprits involved in kidnapping and death
of former FBI agent, Robert Levinson, who had been missing for more than a
decade.
Iran
Ups the Double Antes
In
a show of defiance and challenge to the outgoing Trump administration, Iran on January
4, 2021 ratcheted up escalatory pressures on two fronts. Tehran resumed its
enrichment activity at the Fordo Nuclear Facility with the goal to
attain 25% [enrichment] that would take the Persian Gulf nation at the
doorstep of becoming a nuclear power. On the same day, Revolutionary Guards
vessels intercepted a South Korea-flagged tanker, en route from Saudi
Arabian port of Jubail to UAE port of Fujairah, and escorted the MT
Hankuk Chemi to Iranian port of Bandar-e-Abbas. The seizure of MT
Hankuk Chemi came as negotiation over release of billion of dollars of
frozen Iranian asset was heating up between Tehran and Seoul.
Iran Releases the South Korean Ship
As indirect negotiation between the USA and Iran is in effect in Vienna, Tehran has displayed a bit of good gesture on April 9, 2021 by freeing the South Korean tanker MT Hankuk Chemi. Iran claimed that it had seized the South Korean tanker in January 2021 and escorted it to Bandar Abbas because the tanker was violating the environmental rules in the Persian Gulf. However, political observers believed at that time that the underlying motive might be different. Tehran wanted to pressure Seoul to release $7 billion in frozen asset as Biden administration was about to begin its term. The ongoing indirect talks in Vienna that may stretch for weeks include, among many agenda items, the release of money frozen after Trump administration's 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA and subsequent re-imposition of sanctions.
Warning Shots Fired to Deter Aggressive Iranian Maneuvers
A U.S. Navy ship, Cyclone-class USS Firebolt, fired warning shots on April 26, 2021 night in the international waters of the northern Persian Gulf as three of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' vessels came dangerously in close proximity--as close as 68 yards--of the U.S. patrol ship. After repeated "warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and loud hailer devices", USS Firebolt fired "warning shots and Iranian vessels moved away to a safe distance", according to a spokesperson of the U.S. 5th Fleet, Comdr. Rebecca Rebarich, who described the incident on April 28, 2021. Last time a U.S. patrol ship fired warning shots against Iranian vessels was in July 2017, when USS Thunderbolt had fired to warn an Iranian vessel in the Persian Gulf.
Deal over Prisoner Swap Rumored, Denied
Iran's state TV has spilled the beans first on May 2, 2021 that there is now a deal reached to swap four U.S. prisoners in Iranian jails in exchange for four Iranian prisoners in America and release of $7 billion in frozen Iranian assets. Immediately disclaimers of a deal came from the U.S. State Department, White House Chief of Staff and Iran's ambassador to the U.N., Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. State Department spokesman Ned Price said later on May 2, 2021 that the reports of a "prisoner swap deal" broadcast by Iran's state TV "are not true". White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said on May 2, 2021 during an appearance at CBS' Face the Nation that "unfortunately, that report is untrue". Ambassador Majid Takht-e Ravanchi also disputed that any deal had been reached, saying, instead, that "it's not confirmed". There are four known Americans now languishing in Iranian jails: Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, environmentalist Morad Tahbaz and Iranian-American businessman Emad Shagri.
Separately, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab denied on May 2, 2021 Iranian State TV claim of a deal to free British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in exchange for $552 million. Raab called the continued detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as illegal. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an employee of Thompson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 as she was about to return to the U.K. after visiting her family in Iran. She was sentenced for five-year jail sentence on charges of trying to overthrow the Iranian regime, an allegation that Nazanin and her backers always denied. Last week, before she was about to be released, she was given another year in jail term for participating in an anti-Iran demonstration in 2009 outside the London Embassy of the Islamic Republic.
U.S., U.K. Foreign Ministers Deny the Prisoner Swap Deal
After a face-to-face meeting in London, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his British counterpart, Dominic Raab, on May 3, 2021, appearing before the reporters, forcefully denied the Iranian State TV report of a prisoner swap deal beween Tehran on one side and U.S. and U.K. on the other side. Blinken was in London to attend the first in-person G-7 foreign ministerial level meeting, set to begin on May 4, 2021, since the pandemic had erupted in early 2020.
Largest Iranian Warship Catches Fire, Sinks
In one of the dramatic maritime accidents, Iran's largest warship, 679-foot Kharga, sank in Sea of Oman on June 2, 2021. The vessel, often used to resupply other ships at sea and for training purpose, was reported to have caught fire around 2:25AM local time. Iranian authorities tried to extinguish the fire, and about 400 sailors and trainees were evacuated. The ship sank near the port city of Jask, close to the Strait of Hormuz.
************************************ 2021 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ***********************
Conservative Theocrat Set to Win Presidential Election
It is no more a matter of if, but by what margin, Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is going to win the June 18, 2021, presidential election. That Raisi, all set to replace term-limited President Hassan Rouhani, is under U.S. sanctions will complicate the U.S. dealing with Tehran and make things far more difficult for both U.S. and Iran to return to the JCPOA, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. His three opponents, all lightweights, include the former central bank head Abdolnasser Hemmati, who is a moderate.
Raisi
Rules out Stopping Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program, Meeting Biden
In
what is shaping up to be a vexed political and diplomatic issue for the west,
Iran’s president elect on June 21, 2021 told a bevy of press corps in
his first press conference after winning a landslide with 62% of 28.9
million votes in the June 18, 2021, presidential election, which had seen
the lowest ever voter turnout, that he would not meet with U.S. President
Joe Biden. President-elect Ebrahim Raisi also categorically rejected any
suggestion to stop the country’s ballistic missile program.
Raisi Sworn in amidst Plunging Economy
Hardline protege of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, was on August 5, 2021 sworn in as Iran's president. Although Raisi won the election in a landsliding margin, the voter turnout was the lowest ever. As Raisi becomes the official head of the state, Iran is facing a massive inflation, critical food shortage, a burgeoning economic meltdown, a restive world and a hostile Middle-East.
************************************ 2021 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ***********************
U.S., U.K. Join Israel in Condemning Alleged Iranian Attack on an Oil Tanker
Three days after a July 29, 2021, drone attack on an oil container near Oman in the Arabian Sea, U.K. and U.S. on August 1, 2021 joined Israel in condemning the attack that had killed a Briton and a Romanian, and blamed Iran for the attack. British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab called the attack on Mercer Street as "unlawful and callous" and said that it was working with allies on a coordinated response. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on August 1, 2021 called the attack as the latest evidence of Iran's "belligerent behavior". Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in the aftermath of a cabinet meeting on August 1, 2021 that "we know, at any rate, how to convey the message" to Iran, which had vehemently denied its role in the July 29, 2021 attack. The U.S. Navy said that the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald reagan and an accompanying guided missile destroyer, USS Mitscher, had escorted Mercer Street to a safe port in the region. Media sources identified the safe port as Fujairah in UAE.
U.S.
Imposes Sanctions on Two Iranian Military Leaders, Two Entities for Drone Activities
As
Iran expanded its drone manufacturing capabilities and began to export them to Syria,
Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Ethiopia, concerns had mounted in the west about
this specific source of security threat outside the domain of 2015 Iran
Nuclear Agreement. Few days ago, Iranian-manufactured drones were used to
attack a small U.S. military base in Syria close to Iraq-Jordan border. On October
29, 2021, U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against two
Revolutionary Guards commanders—Brigadier-General Saeed Aghajani and
Brigadier-General Abdollah Mehrabi—responsible for overseeing Iran’s
military drone program as well as two firms, Kimia Part Sivian Co. and
Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Co., respectively, along with latter’s managing
director. In the accompanying statement, the U.S. Treasury said that “Iran’s
proliferation of UAVs across the region threatens international peace and
stability".
LEBANON
In what is being viewed as a regional spill-over of Syrian civil war into neighboring Lebanon, a powerful car bomb exploded in downtown Beirut on December 27, 2013, killing seven people, including former Finance Minister Mohammed Chatah, and wounding at least 70 people. The scene was reminiscent of February 2005 car bombing that had killed Rafik Hariri, a regional tragedy that triggered the birth of March 14 protest movement and ended 29-year military presence in Lebanon. Rafik Hariri's son, Saad, quickly issued statement on December 27 blaming Syrian government or its Lebanese ally Hezbollah for the attack. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Six days after a car bomb exploded in the heart of Beirut killing a leader, former Finance Minister Mohammed Chatah, of the Future bloc, a powerful car bomb exploded on January 2, 2014 south of Beirut, a dominant Hezbollah area, killing at least 5 people. As the effect of ongoing Syrian civil war on its neighboring nations is being felt more and more every day, Lebanon is taking the most of the brunt, and the country is at crossroads of denigrating into chaos along ethnic lines. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
On January 4, 2014, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for January 2, 2014, car bomb in a Hebollah-dominated area south of Beirut that had killed 5 people. This is the first time a rebel group fighting in Syrian civil war brought the violence to Lebanese soil.
The Special Tribunal on Lebanon opened its hearing on January 16, 2014 in the outskirts of the Hague, the Netherlands to try four Hezbollah leaders--Assad Hassan Sabra, Salim Jamal Ayyash, Hussein Hassan Oneissi and Mustafa Amine Badreddine--in absentia. Four were implicated in February 14, 2005 car bombing in Beirut that had killed Lebanese leader Rafik Hariri and 22 others.
Meanwhile, in continuing spillover of violence, rockets rained down into Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on January 17, 2014, killing at least 8 people and wounding 20, a day after Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for a car bomb at a Shiite-dominated town, Hermel, that had killed three people on January 16, 2014.
Yet as another sign of cross-border escalation of Syrian Civil War, a car bomb exploded on February 1, 2014 at a northeastern Lebanese town, Hermel, where most of the residents are Shiite, killing at least three people.
Car Bomb Kills Five in Beirut as Spillover continues from Syria's Civil War
In a grim reminder of potential of Syria's ongoing civil war in drawing its neighbors into a conflagration, a car bomb exploded near the Kuwaiti embassy and Iranian cultural center in Beirut on February 19, 2014, killing at least 5 people and wounding dozens. A pro-Sunni group, Abdullah Azzam Brigade, claimed responsibility for bombing at Beirut's Bir Hassan neighborhood and warned that further violence was inevitable unless "Iran and its party in Lebabon" withdrew from Syria.
A Key Border Town Captured by Regime
In a devastating blow to rebels, Syrian troops bolstered by battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters seized the strategic town of Yabroud in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders on March 16, 2014, leading to thousands of civilians as well as rebel fighters to flee the region to the Sunni-dominated town of Arsal on the Lebanese side of the border. Meanwhile, on March 17, 2014, Lebanese government sent soldiers to the borders to check the flow of people to Arsal.
Lebanese Military Seizes a Key Northern Town from Rival Militias
Lebanese security force on April 1, 2014 swept through the northern city of Tripoli, ousting the rival militia members who had been waging a proxy war in support for and opposition to Bashar Assad regime.
Syrian Refugees to Lebanon Cross 1 million Mark
In a grim reminder of the toll of the Syrian civil war on the neighboring countries and their socio-economic pictures for years to come, the number of Syrian refugees who had registered with the U.N. in Lebanon exceeded 1 million mark, almost reflecting one-in-five people now who reside in the tiny nation, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who released a statement marking this cruel milestone on April 3, 2014 and reminding the world of the need and support that this vulnerable group of people required in the days to come.
Lebanese President Leaves Office without a Successor
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman left his office on May 24, 2014, the last day of his six-year term, without a successor that reflected the failure of the political process and fracture of loyalty among various factions to choose a leader to ascend to presidency.
Civil War in Syria Hits Lebanon with a Bang
As if there was no boundaries or borders in the face of a raging civil war in Syria, the latest escalation struck Syria's neighbor Lebanon with August 1, 2014, arrest of a senior Nusra Front leader, Imad Ahmad Jomaa, a Syrian, who went to Lebanon to seek treatment. The following day, August 2, 2014, a large number of Syrian rebels descended on the Lebanese border town of Arsal, and traded fire with the security forces, killing at least 10 Lebanese soldiers and seizing dozens. The captured Lebanese soldiers were seen on a video posting to be held captive on a pick-up truck. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam, referring to the attack on Arsal, called the incident as a "flagrant aggression against the state of Lebanon", and vowed to "deal with the developments with estreme firmness and strength".
Islamic State Leader's Daughter and Her Mother Reported to be Held in Lebanon
Reports from Lebanon on December 2, 2014 indicated that ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's daughter, and her mother, reported to be Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi, were detained by Lebanese authorities. The veracity of the report is yet to be established.
Lebanon Shuts the Door on Refugees Fleeing Syrian Civil War
In an act of desperation, Lebanese authorities on January 5, 2015 issued strict visa regulations for future Syrian refugees, making it much harder for people to seek refuge in the country. The stricter visa rule was prompted as more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees had fled to Lebanon since the Syrian uprising had begun in March 2011 as a peaceful anti-Bashar Assad protest, but quickly devolved into a battlefield quagmire with no end in sight, costing more than 200,000 lives, forcing 3 millions out of the country and displacing additional tens of millions of people internally. The new visa rule will have four categories--tourism, medical care, business and education--and put strict limit on duration of stay. As of now, Lebanese borders remained porous at best, and people enter the country with any paperwork. Out of 1.5 million Syrian refugees, an approximate quarter of Lebanese population, 1.1 million refugees have registered with U.N. agencies so far.
Hezbollah Strike Kills Two Israelis
In the worst flare-up since 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, Hezbollah militants fired missiles on January 28, 2015, destroying Israeli military vehicles and killing two Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military vehicles were part of a convoy that was traveling along a disputed tract of land at the northern tip of Israel adjacent to Golan Heights and Lebanese borders near Mount Dov and Chebaa Farms. In response, Israel fired back, killing a U.N. peacekeeper, Cpl. Francisco Javier Soria Toledo. Spain's UN Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi later in the day had some harsh words for Israel in the death of Cpl. Soria Toledo. Hezbollah defended its action as a natural response to January 18, 2015, Israeli airstrikes within Syria that had killed 6 Hezbollah militants and one Iranian general.
Double Suicide Bombings at Beirut Kill 43
Back-to-back suicide bombings claimed by ISIL tore through a shopping district in Shiite-dominated southern Beirut at the evening bustling time on November 12, 2015, killing at least 43 people. The body of a third suicide bomber, with suicide belt remaining intact, was also found from the shopping plaza at Bourj al-Barajneh neighborhood. The area includes a Palestinian refugee camp that had taken many Syrian refugees. Prime Minister Tammam Salam condemned the twin suicide bombing, and announced November 13, 2015 as a day of mourning. All schools will remain closed that day.
Lebanese Minister Quits in Protest against Hezbollah
Protesting against undue influence of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah on the government's policies that was causing harm to relations with Arab neighbors, Lebanese Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on February 21, 2016 resigned from the cabinet. The resignation of the longtime critic of Hezbollah came two days after Saudi Arabia put a hold on $4 billion in aid to equip and support Lebanese security forces.
Hezbollah Designated Terrorist Group by Saudi-led Coalition
Gulf Cooperation Council, an regional umbrella group of mostly Sunni monarchies such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and UAE, on March 2, 2016 designated Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah a terrorist group. According to a statement issued by GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani, Hezbollah had carried out terrorist activities within member states. Twelve days ago, Saudi Arabia had cut off $4 billion in aid to Lebanese security forces. GCC's formal terrorist designation of Hezbollah, its leaders and affiliates came hours after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah blasted Saudi Arabia in televised speech, accusing Riyadh of carrying out car bombings in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq as well as massacring Yemenis.
Former Lebanese Minister Sentenced to Prison on Terrorism Charges
Reflecting the deep mistrust, fissures and tension in the country's religiously riven political landscape, a Lebanese court on April 8, 2016 sentenced a pro-Assad former Lebanese minister to 13 years of imprisonment. Former Information Minister Michel Samaha was arrested in 2012 on the charges of smuggling explosives to Syria to aid groups loyal to President Bashar Assad. Michel Samaha's trial was one full of political grandstanding and exposed the deep division in the Lebanese society over religion, ethnicity and political loyalty.
A Senior Commander's Death Sheds Light on Hezbollah's Deep Involvement
A senior Hezbollah commander, Mustafa Badreddine, 55, died of a massive explosion near Damascus airport on May 12, 2016, and the initial suspicion fell on either Israel or two Sunni extremist groups--ISIL and Nusra Front. His death once more underscored a deepening bond and durable military alliance among Shiite Hezbollah, Iran and Bashar Assad regime. His body was buried the following day, May 13, 2016, at a southern suburb in Beirut with a sea of people biding a tearful farewell to the Shiite commander. Reiterating the resolve of the group, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Kassem said on May 13, 2016 that his group was undeterred. Mustafa Badreddine was accused of carrying out U.S. and French embassy bombings in Kuwait in 1983 that had killed five people. Sentenced to death, Badreddine fled Kuwait in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's invasion of the tiny emirate in 1990. He was one of four defendants who were tried in absentia in the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri in Lebanon.
Hezbollah Vows to Take Avenge of Its Commander's Death
Hezbollah on May 14, 2016 said that Mustafa Badreddine was killed on late May 12, 2016 near the Damascus airport in insurgent shelling, and vowed that its fight against takfiri groups, Sunni extremist groups, would continue.
Lebanese Parliament Chooses a Christian as President
Lebanon's parliament on October 31, 2016 voted to elect a Hezbollah ally and former General Michel Aoun, 81, as the president of the country, thus bringing back the same balance of power that had been a norm of post-Civil War Lebanon with premiership going to a Sunni and presidency to a Christian. The office of presidency has been vacant for more than two years, and a deal to have Aoun, a Maronite Christian, to assume presidency is seen a step in the right direction. The first congratulatory call Aoun received came from Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani. Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah phoned Aoun during the day to congratulate.
Hariri May Become Premier
As part of the deal that has helped the Lebanese parliament voting Michel Aoun for presidency, left vacant since May 2014, Lebanon's pro-Sunni political leader Saad Hariri is likely to become Prime Minister. As a reciprocity, Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement is backing Hariri for premier, according to Free Patriot leader Gebran Bassil. Saad Hariri was the country's prime minister between late 2009 and 2011, when his government was brought down by Hezbollah. Hariri left Lebanon and lived in exile until he returned early this year.
Lebanese Premier Steps down Unexpectedly from Overseas
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on November 4, 2017 announced his unexpected resignation in a televised address from Saudi capital in Riyadh, fueling allegation that he was pressured by Saudi Arabia. Hariri blamed Hezbollah and its patron Iran for regional instability.
Saudi Arabia Orders Its Citizens out of Lebanon
As the lingering doubt over Saad Hariri's unexpected November 4, 2017, resignation announcement from Saudi soil, allegedly under the duress of Kingdom, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, grew more mysterious, Saudi Arabia on November 9, 2017 ordered its citizens to get out of Lebanon as soon as possible, precipitating a possible diplomatic crisis in the already turbulent region.
Lebanese Premier Denies that He Has Been Held Hostage
Saad Hariri, whose unexpected November 4, 2017, resignation from the Saudi soil had plunged the middle-east into another chaotic political situation and complaint of Saudi role to put pressure on Hariri, told a pro-Saudi talk-show host Paula Yacoubian in an interview aired on November 12, 2017 that he had not been held hostage by Saudi authorities and he would return to Lebanon soon. Hariri flew to Riyadh on November 3, 2017 in an unannounced visit that had raised eyebrows and stoked the rumor of foul play in the region.
Lebanese Leader Headed for France
After an uncertain two-week period during which he announced from the Saudi soil that he was stepping down as premier because of intervention by Iran and its ally Hezbollah, stoking fear that he might have been held hostage by Saudi Arabia as a pawn for a showdown with the kingdom's regional foe Iran, Saad Hariri on early November 18, 2017 headed for France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Lebanese Leader to Return Home
Saad Hariri on November 18, 2017 met with French President Emmanuel Macron at Paris, and facing reporters, told that he would return to Lebanon next week to be there in time to mark Lebanon's Independence Day.
Hariri Returns to Lebanon
Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who had announced his resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, 2017, but Lebanon's President Michel Aoun rejected to accept the resignation untile delivered personally, returned to Lebanon on late November 21, 2017, and straight went to his father's grave. Hariri is likely to join President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the November 22, 2017, Independence Day parade.
Lebanon Bans Spielberg's "The Post"
Lebanon's Censorship Committee of the General Security Directorate, censoring and review arm of the government for movies and TV content, on January 15, 2018 decided to ban the filming of Steven Spielberg's The Post scheduled to debut on January 18, 2018 because of Arab League's policy of restricting promotion of individuals with connection with Israel.
Lebanon Goes to Parliamentary Polls after Nine Years Amidst Voter Apathy
Portending not so good sign for parliamentary democracy, 49 percent of voters cast their votes on May 6, 2018 to elect a 128-seat National Assembly. Lebanese Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk's estimate of 49 percent was five percent lower than 54 percent voter turnout in the last parliamentary polls in 2009. Minor scuffle broke out between rival political parties outside several polling stations in this coastal country of 4.5 million people. About 1 million Syrian refugees had arrived at the country since a bloody civil war had begun in neighboring Syria in 2011, creating political instability and social tension. This, combined with economic stagnation and endemic corruption, was enough to generate widespread voter apathy. President Michel Aoun tried his best to prod Lebanese voters to cast their ballot by addressing the nation an hour before the polls closed as well as taking to twitter to urge the voters that "you should exercise your right to vote". Also, this year's election was noteworthy for a different reason as Lebanon's large expatriate community was given the right for the first time to vote in 39 countries in the past week. Some 583 candidates were in the fray for the election in the 128-member parliament.
Hezbollah Makes Huge Gain
Lebanese Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk on May 7, 2018 declared the results of the polls held a day earlier to elect a 128-member National Assembly, barring only Akkar District in northern Lebanon where there were some issues on tallying process. Hezbollah and its allies of Shiite Amal Movement, led by parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, and Christian Free Patriotic Movement (MPF), founded by President Michel Aoun, won the maximum number of seats. Hezbollah's press office said that it along with its allies had won 71 seats. Aoun's son-in-law Jubran Bassil, Lebanon's foreign minister and leader of MPF, said that country's predominant Christian party had won 29 seats, and vowed to maintain a "strategic alliance" with Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah moved past partisan interest in a TV address, calling the polls a "national historic achievement" in light that they had been at least held. The biggest loser in this year's parliamentary polls was Saad Hariri's Future Movement political party that had lost one-third of its seats to win only 21 seats from 33 seats in 2009. Despite Lebanese political framework's overwhelming bent toward sectarianism, few independents made electoral gains. One of them was a TV anchorwoman and fiercely independent Paula Yacoubian.
Anti-Government Protest Forces Hariri's Resignation
Two-week anti-government protest fueled by campaigns on social media and participated mostly by disgruntled youths over endemic corruption, soaring unemployment and lack of opportunities and deficiency in basic government services is taking worse turn by the day as protesters are resorting to militant tactics. On October 29, 2019, Hezbollah activists and supporters of Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri's Shiite Amal movement supporters ransacked protest camps and beat up unarmed protesters. During the day, Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned too, creating a political uncertainty at a delicate time in Lebanese history.
Rival Rallies Held in Lebanon
Two rival rallies were held in Beirut on November 3, 2019 days after Prime Minister Saad Hariri had resigned on October 29, 2019. One rally was held near the presidential palace where President Michel Aoun urged tens of thousands of cheering supporters to be vigilant and against any game plan to pit one demonstration against another. A second demonstration was held by the pro-democracy activists who hailed the resignation of Saad Hariri, but demanded reforms in government.
Clashes Break Peaceful Protest as Negotiation Deadlocked
Since October 17, 2019, eruption of anti-government protest, fueled by social media and participated mostly by young people, the near-daily stage-ins, demonstrations and rallies remained more or less peaceful, with government exercising restraint. Peaceful demonstrations even forced Saad Hariri to resign on October 29, 2019, creating political vacuum and national instability. However, demonstrations remained peaceful. But not anymore. On November 25, 2019, Hezbollah cadres beat mercilessly the protesters in Beirut, giving the nation warning what's awaiting if protest didn't subside.
Protesters Surround Finance Ministry Building, Hold Noisy Protest
Lebanese protesters undaunted by the Hezbollah threat surrounded the Finance Ministry building on November 29, 2019 where a meeting involving the country's finance minister, economy minister and central bank head was being held, and demanded the resignation of all government officials.
Fury Runs among Protesters after a Pro-Hezbollah Politician Named Premier
Thousands of protesters blocked roads and organized sit-ins on December 22, 2019 after the former education minister Hassan Diab was named as the prime minister, displaying their unhappiness over naming an establishment politician and a pro-Hezbollah leader as the head of the government. There has been an avalanche of political bargaining and jockeying among powerhouses in Lebanon's politics after October 29, 2019, resignation of Saad Hariri as the premier. Protesters are holding daily protests in Beirut and other Lebanese cities since October 17, 2019 against lack of job opportunities, government malfunction and cronyism. Last week U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale visited Beirut for two days to hold talks with Lebanese officials to emphasize on putting "aside partisan interests" and supporting "formation of a government committed to and capable of undertaking meaningful, sustainable reforms".
Second Day Violence Rocks Lebanon
Back-to-back violence on December 14, 2019 and December 15, 2019, pitting security forces and anti-government protesters, sparked new concern about the Lebanese security situation. December 14-15, 2019 marked the most violent-filled two-day streak in anti-government demonstration.
Third Day of Violence with Little Twist of Who Protesters Are
After two days of violence December 14 and December 15, in which anti-government protesters became violent as the security forces began cracking down, violence returned to Beirut's streets on December 16, 2019, but this time it was dominated by Hezbollah activists and protesters tied to Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri after video circulated showing a man insulting Shiite figures. Militants belonging to Hezbollah and Amal Movement fought pitched battle against the security forces. The violence occurred hours after President Michel Aoun postponed binding consultations with the key parliamentary blocs to name a premier. Underlining the uncertainty, the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, said that political uncertainty in the midst of an economic meltdown was recipe for "a risky hazard both for the politicians" and people.
More than 350 Injured in Beirut Violence
Anti-government protest movement took a violent turn on January 18, 2020 and security forces applied force to quell the protesters in Beirut. At least 377 protesters were injured. The January 18, 2020, pitched battle lasted for nine hours. Lebanese Interior Minister Raya El Hassan condemned violence unleashed by protesters. However, Human Rights Watch dismissed the government allegation as HRW's Deputy Middle East Director Michael Page said that there was absolutely no "justification for the brutal use of force by Lebanon's riot police against largely peaceful demonstrators in downtown Beirut".
Violence Continues for the Second Day in Beirut as Government Formation Process Stalled
The violence that had erupted January 18, 2020 spilled over to the next day as the anti-government demonstrators were back on Beirut streets and security forces took a harsher stance. At least 114 protesters were injured on January 19, 2020. Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab met with President Michel Aoun on January 19, 2020. People at large are livid over government action to impose capital control to prevent run on nation's banks.
Protest Erupts as the New Lebanese Government Settles down
As a new government led by Hassan Diab got into its first cabinet meeting on January 22, 2020, protesters continued their anti-government demonstration, stressing that Hassan Diab was a stooge of Hezbollah.
Lebanon to Default on Eurobond
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on March 7, 2020 gave a grim preview of where the economy was headed in a televised address as the nation would seek to restructure $1.2 billion Eurobond set to mature on March 9, 2020. The Lebanese currency has already lost 60% of its value, and its debt of $90 billion made it of one of highest debt-to-GDP ratio at 170%. This year alone (2020), at least $4.6 billion in debt is due to mature.
Lebanese-American on Trial Escaped from U.S. Embassy
Underlying complicity and worse, active planning, a Lebanese-American accused of torturing prisoners at a camp run by an Israel-backed militia group during the heights of Civil War had escaped from the country, inviting strong criticism from the Lebanese government. Country's foreign minister on March 20, 2020 summoned U.S. ambassador to demand an explanation how Amer Fakhoury had left the country. Amer was released from the jail on March 19, 2020 on the ground of expiry of statute of limitation, and he sought refuge at the U.S. embassy. However, a military tribunal opposed the release, and he was ordered to stay in the country.
Violence Erupts in Tripoli amid a Coronavirus Lockdown
As the economic spine of Lebanon is all but broken, first due to age-old fiscal mismanagement and then followed by a nationwide lockdown to prevent novel coronavirus, violence returns to Lebanon's second-largest city, Tripoli. After a protester was killed by security forces on April 27, 2020, hundreds of protesters, many of them wearing face masks, came out on streets on April 28, 2020, set at least two banks ablaze.
Massive Blast Shatters Beirut
A devastating explosion equivalent to 3.5-magnitude earthquake on August 4, 2020 flattened scores of buildings, destroyed most of the port areas, shook buildings far and beyond and sent dense plumes of smoke over Beirut and beyond. Lebanese Interior Minister Mohamad Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared that the explosion had been caused by detonation of more than 2,700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate stored at one of numerous warehouses at the port. The stockpiles were seized from a cargo ship in 2014, and had been stored at the warehouse since then. At least 70 people were killed, a number sure to rise several times in the coming hours.
French President Visits Beirut
The president of Lebanon's former colonial ruler, President Emmanuel Macron of France, visited Beirut on August 6, 2020 to console a nation utterly devastated by explosion at a port warehouse that contained 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpile. The scale of explosion was so large that it reverberated through out Lebanon and booming sound was heard as far as Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. As many as 130 people were reported dead as of August 6, 2020 and climbing.
Lebanese Cabinet Resigns
After weekend clashes, Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab on August 10, 2020 addressed the nation on TV and announced his resignation, thus bringing down the months-old government and leading to what could be a tortuous negotiation process to form the next government. Protests mounted after August 4, 2020, massive explosion, suspected to have been caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpiled at a warehouse in Beirut Port since 2014, killed more than 160 people and wounded at least 6,000 as well as decimating large parts of the capital Beirut. Protests had intensified in the weekend (August 7-9, 2020) with violence spilling on the streets. Pressure for government reform also came from French Minister Emmanuel Macron who had visited Beirut within days and embraced by protesters.
U.N. Warns Severe Food Crisis; A New Premier Named
Four former prime ministers on August 30, 2020 named a unanimous choice of their respective blocs after consultation and hours after Hezbollah Supreme Leader Hassan Nasrallah promised to cooperate in forming a government and "getting the country out of vacuum". Under a long-held peace agreement, the premiership goes to Sunni bloc. Naming the premier designate, Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on August 30, 2020 that the Lebanese ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, would lead the country's political system to "save Lebanon from what it's suffering from". Naming of Adib comes a day before French President Emmanuel Macron is set to begin his two-day visit to Lebanon in a trip focused on rebuilding of Port Beirut and other parts of the capital after the August 4, 2020, explosion has killed more than 190 people, wounded at least 6,000 and destroyed large parts of Beirut, a clear plan to get the country rid of endemic corruption and economic malaise.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia said on August 30, 2020 that half the country might face food insecurity by the end of the year as the inflation was running at an alarming rate of as high as 50%.
Lebanon to Default on Eurobond
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on March 7, 2020 gave a grim preview of where the economy was headed in a televised address as the nation would seek to restructure $1.2 billion Eurobond set to mature on March 9, 2020. The Lebanese currency has already lost 60% of its value, and its debt of $90 billion made it of one of highest debt-to-GDP ratio at 170%. This year alone (2020), at least $4.6 billion in debt is due to mature.
Lebanese-American on Trial Escaped from U.S. Embassy
Underlying complicity and worse, active planning, a Lebanese-American accused of torturing prisoners at a camp run by an Israel-backed militia group during the heights of Civil War had escaped from the country, inviting strong criticism from the Lebanese government. Country's foreign minister on March 20, 2020 summoned U.S. ambassador to demand an explanation how Amer Fakhoury had left the country. Amer was released from the jail on March 19, 2020 on the ground of expiry of statute of limitation, and he sought refuge at the U.S. embassy. However, a military tribunal opposed the release, and he was ordered to stay in the country.
Violence Erupts in Tripoli amid a Coronavirus Lockdown
As the economic spine of Lebanon is all but broken, first due to age-old fiscal mismanagement and then followed by a nationwide lockdown to prevent novel coronavirus, violence returns to Lebanon's second-largest city, Tripoli. After a protester was killed by security forces on April 27, 2020, hundreds of protesters, many of them wearing face masks, came out on streets on April 28, 2020, set at least two banks ablaze.
Massive Blast Shatters Beirut
A devastating explosion equivalent to 3.5-magnitude earthquake on August 4, 2020 flattened scores of buildings, destroyed most of the port areas, shook buildings far and beyond and sent dense plumes of smoke over Beirut and beyond. Lebanese Interior Minister Mohamad Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared that the explosion had been caused by detonation of more than 2,700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate stored at one of numerous warehouses at the port. The stockpiles were seized from a cargo ship in 2014, and had been stored at the warehouse since then. At least 70 people were killed, a number sure to rise several times in the coming hours.
French President Visits Beirut
The president of Lebanon's former colonial ruler, President Emmanuel Macron of France, visited Beirut on August 6, 2020 to console a nation utterly devastated by explosion at a port warehouse that contained 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpile. The scale of explosion was so large that it reverberated through out Lebanon and booming sound was heard as far as Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. As many as 130 people were reported dead as of August 6, 2020 and climbing.
Lebanese Cabinet Resigns
After weekend clashes, Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab on August 10, 2020 addressed the nation on TV and announced his resignation, thus bringing down the months-old government and leading to what could be a tortuous negotiation process to form the next government. Protests mounted after August 4, 2020, massive explosion, suspected to have been caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpiled at a warehouse in Beirut Port since 2014, killed more than 160 people and wounded at least 6,000 as well as decimating large parts of the capital Beirut. Protests had intensified in the weekend (August 7-9, 2020) with violence spilling on the streets. Pressure for government reform also came from French Minister Emmanuel Macron who had visited Beirut within days and embraced by protesters.
U.N. Warns Severe Food Crisis; A New Premier Named
Four former prime ministers on August 30, 2020 named a unanimous choice of their respective blocs after consultation and hours after Hezbollah Supreme Leader Hassan Nasrallah promised to cooperate in forming a government and "getting the country out of vacuum". Under a long-held peace agreement, the premiership goes to Sunni bloc. Naming the premier designate, Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on August 30, 2020 that the Lebanese ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, would lead the country's political system to "save Lebanon from what it's suffering from". Naming of Adib comes a day before French President Emmanuel Macron is set to begin his two-day visit to Lebanon in a trip focused on rebuilding of Port Beirut and other parts of the capital after the August 4, 2020, explosion has killed more than 190 people, wounded at least 6,000 and destroyed large parts of Beirut, a clear plan to get the country rid of endemic corruption and economic malaise.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia said on August 30, 2020 that half the country might face food insecurity by the end of the year as the inflation was running at an alarming rate of as high as 50%.
Lebanese
Mark the First Anniversary of Uprising
Thousands
of Lebanese poured onto streets of Beirut, Sidon, Tripoli and other cities on
October 17, 2020 to mark the beginning
of months-long protest movement that didn’t have any political color or
organized political leadership, but was able to shake the ethnicity-filled
political apparatus of Lebanon. This year’s enthusiasm was no doubt far less
than last year’s amidst political instability, a punishing global pandemic that
had hit Lebanon hard and an almost-collapsing economy. Many participated in the
one-year anniversary, pledging to keep the spirit of resistance alive.
Violence Erupts in Hezbollah Protest
A protest rally organized by Hezbollah and its Amal allies on October 14, 2021 against the judge investigating the August 4, 2020, explosion at the port that had killed at least 215 people and deepened the problems of the country already, by then, beset by hyperinflation, currency collapse, a free-fall of economy and deterioating political landscape. Hezbollah and its allies accused the Judge Tarek Bitar of unnecessarily ensnaring the Shiite politicians. Gunfire erupted during the protest, but it was not sure who had opened the gunfire. Shiite militias returned in kind using semi-automatic guns and RPGs. At least six people were killed in the melee at Beirut on October 15, 2021.
SYRIA
After months of delay, UN announced on November 25, 2013 that Syrian government and opposition would hold talks in Geneva on January 22, 2014 in an effort to end the Syrian Civil War that had killed more than 100,000 and displaced about 9 million Syrians since it had begun in March 2011. The protest began in a very innocuous way as students in the Syrian city of Daraa, emboldened by the Arab Spring protests that had ousted just weeks ago two long-time dictators in Tunisia and Egypt wrote anti-Assad graffiti on school walls. An ensuing protest in Daraa saw the first bloodshed of the protest movement on March 18, 2011 as four protesters were killed in the clashes with security forces. After the official announcement from Geneva, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon chimed in at New York with a message of hope and optimism for breaking out of the diplomatic gridlock that had engulfed the Syrian crisis from the very beginning. The UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, didn't elaborate on the agenda or the list of participants in the January 22, 2014, session. However, outcome of Geneva II, as the talks are being called after the first round has been held in June 2012, will depend on the composition of opposition representation and content of the agenda.
However, the prospect of any meaningful outcome from Geneva II Talks is considered moot as the nominal head of western-backed Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idris, has vowed to continue fighting against Bashar Assad regime despite the announcement of January 22, 2014, Geneva talks. Idris' comment on fighting came during an interview with Al-Jazeera on November 26, 2013, the same day the titular head of opposition Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad al-Jarba, said at Cairo that he was not sure that opposition would even participate in the Geneva II Talks.
On December 16, 2013, UN made a special appeal of raising $6.5 billion to help displaced Syrian refugees, who had been in dire strait because of a raging civil war and biting winter and snowstorm that had plagued middle-east severely this winter, and their host countries, mainly Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq. According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 120,000 Syrians flee the civil war per month, and close to 9 million people have been already uprooted. Out of that, 2.3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring nations, while 6.5 million refugees have been internally displaced. Meanwhile, UNSG Ban Ki-moon said on December 16, 2013 that to have a conducive discussion at Geneva next month between government and opposition negotiators, the "cessation" of hostilities should take hold immediately. The hostilities started to take more of sectarian color in recent years after a March 18, 2011, crackdown by security forces on a peaceful demonstration killed four people in Daraa, touching off months of nationwide protests against the Assad regime that stayed peaceful and secular until Islamists dominated the rebel ranks and more foreigners joined the ranks of Islamic rebel groups.
Meanwhile, the aerial attack on the rebel-held positions of Aleppo continued for the third day on December 17 (the aerial strikes began on December 15, 2013), killing so far at least 100 people.
Meanwhile, a four-person Commission of Inquiry appointed by Navi Pillay, UN Commissioner for Human Rights that started its work in September 2011 on "forced disappearance" issued a scathing report on December 19, 2013 blaming the Syrian regime for continuing a "campaign of terror". The panel issued its reports based on interviews of Syrian refugees and others, but the panel didn't visit the country to probe. In Damascus, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mikdad blasted the report, calling the world body's role as "disgraceful".
On December 20, 2013, UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi gave a preview of participants in January 22, 2014, Syria talks that would be held at Montreux, Switzerland. Beside the negotiators from the Bashar Assad regime and opposition, negotiators from 25 other countries will attend the talks. Despite being advocated by the UN, Syria's regional ally Iran has been excluded from the talks at the behest of US.
According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (and reported by The Dallas Morning News), Syrian rebels on December 21, 2013 captured a key hospital, Kindi Hospital, on the outskirt of Aleppo. The Syrian Civil War is now in its third year, with no end in sights, death toll already crossed 120,000 and displaying more symptoms of attracting its neighbors into vortex of regional instability.
On December 22, 2013, Syrian regime pummeled rebel-held positions in Aleppo for the eighth consecutive day since its aerial mission began on December 15, 2013 to weaken the rebel positions as much as possible in the run-up to the January talks in Switzerland. So far in eight-day (December 15-22, 2013) aerial bombardment, at least 200 people were killed (according to The Dallas Morning News).
On December 23, 2013, Syrian aircraft expanded its bombing campaign from the rebel-held areas of Aleppo to a (Turkish-Syrian) border town, Azaz, that had killed more than 45 people. (Source: The Dallas Morning News).
On December 24, 2013, two Syrian Activists groups said that Syrian planes continued their strikes for the tenth straight day against the rebel-held areas of Aleppo. According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 15 people were killed in the aerial strikes against Aleppo's Sukkari neighborhood, while the Aleppo Media Center put the death toll at 33. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
In a growing rivalry between Syrian rebels and al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, residents in the opposition-held cities in the north and north-east are being held hostage almost on regular basis. On January 3, 2014, fighting broke out in the Idlib province, and rebels allied with Islamic Front and Mujahedin Army, an umbrella group that includes western-backed Free Syrian Army, were locked in a bitter fight to oust Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from the Idlib provincial town of Atareb.
On January 4, 2014, the fighting between homegrown rebels and al-Qaeda-linked rebels spread to more areas in Idlib and Aleppo.
The first batch of most dangerous chemicals in Syria's arsenal were removed on January 7, 2014 in a Danish ship off the port of Latakia escorted by vessels from Russia, China, Denmark and Norway, seven days after the original timeline because of delay caused by intensifying civil war, growing rebel-on-rebel violence and adverse winter weather across Syria. Dutch diplomat Sigrid Kaag coordinated the shipment endeavor on behalf of OPCW and the UN.
The rebel-on-rebel war in northern Syria reached at an alarming stage with potential to draw the region into a virulence of sectarian warfare that already began to take its poisonous roots in Lebanon and Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on January 8, 2014 that at least 385 people had been killed in the past five days in fighting between Free Syrian Army, Islamic Front and other rebel groups on one side and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on the other side. On January 8, 2014, rebels from Free Syrian Army and Islamic Front ousted fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from Aleppo Eye Hospital that al-Qaeda-linked fighters converted into a base. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
In an interview with BBC on January 15, 2014, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad said that western intelligence officials secretly met with their Syrian counterparts in Damascus in recent months as their governments continued the public rebuke of the Bashar Assad regime. If Mekdad's assertion was true, it meant that western intelligence agencies had grown concerned over radicalization of the Syrian rebel forces. A report carried by The Wall Street Journal mentioned UK, Germany, France and Spain as the European nations which sent their officials to Damascus for secret discussion. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Also on January 15, 2014, a donor conference in Kuwait City pledged $2.4 billion for helping the besieged and displaced Syrians due to ongoing civil war. The host of the conference, Kuwait's Emir Sheik Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, pledged $500 million, significantly topping its pledge of $300 million last year. U.S Secretary of State John Kerry pledged $380 million in humanitarian aid, raising the total U.S. pledge to a whopping $1.7 billion.
On January 16, 2014, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that her office had received plethora of complaints of executions and torture committed by the rebels of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from provinces of Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa. Meanwhile, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on January 16, 2014 issued its estimate of death toll since internecine fighting broke out among the rebel groups since January 3, 2014. The observatory blamed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant for most of 1,069 deaths.
Days before the Syrian peace talks start at Montreux in Switzerland, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on January 17, 2014 floated the proposal of cease-fire in the city of Aleppo as a gesture to opposition and exchange a list of prisoners for release in exchange for freedom of people kidnapped by rebel forces. The proposal for the cease-fire in Aleppo came from the Syrian foreign minister as he was visiting Moscow to hold discussion with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Meanwhile, in continuing spillover of violence, rockets rained down into Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on January 17, 2014, killing at least 8 people and wounding 20, a day after Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for a car bomb at a Shiite-dominated town, Hermel, that had killed three people on January 16, 2014.
Meeting at Silivri, west of Istanbul, Syrian National Coalition, the western-backed opposition group, on January 18, 2014 voted to participate in the upcoming peace talks in Montreux, Switzerland. However, one-third of the leadership team of the Syrian National Coalition stayed away from voting.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on January 19, 2014 rankled Washington and rattled the Syrian opposition by unilaterally extending an invitation to Iran to join the Syrian peace talks slated to start in Montreux on January 22, 2014. The last minute surprise by Ban shocked political establishment across the region as Iran had on many occasions in the past refused to approve the terms of so-called Geneva Communique issued in 2012. The main element of Geneva Communique includes a provision of establishing "by mutual consent" a transitional body to govern Syria. Ban's logic for extending the invitation to Iran was that he had talked to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had agreed in principle to the Geneva Communique issued in June 2012. The UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is also a strong proponent of involving Syria in the peace talks scheduled to open on January 22, 2014 and to be attended by more than 30 nations. However, Syrian National Coalition made it clear that it would stay away from the peace talks if Iran attended.
On January 20, 2014, US and its Arab allies salvaged the peace talks that had begun to unravel before even starting by persuading the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to drop Iran from the peace talks. The peace talks will start on January 22, 2014 at Montreux, and move to Geneva on January 24, 2014 where both the opposition and the Syrian regime negotiators will meet. If there is any possibility of breakthrough--and the chance of that happening is very slim--it will happen in Geneva, not at Montreux.
On January 22, 2014, a peace conference on Syria opened at Montreux, Switzerland with fiery speeches from all sides, dimming the prospect that any tangible outcome was even possible to think for. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, taking the podium, made it clear on January 22, 2014 that the premise of the peace talks was to defeat "terrorism", referring to rebels fighting against the Assad regime, and diplomacy and terrorism couldn't go hand in hand. U.S. Secretary of State, addressing the delegates from more than 30 countries, said that Assad should have no place in the transitional government. Syrian National Coalition leader Ahmad al-Jarba said in no unwavering terms that the peace talks in Switzerland to be successful, the only outcome possible would have to have a transitional government with no Assad. On the same day, January 22, 2014, the peace talks opened at Montreux, seven international aid and rights groups, including Amnesty International, Care USA and World Vision, issued a statement that painted grimmest of pictures on the Syrian civil war that had killed more than 130,000 people, displaced 9 million people and sent 2.3 million refugees to neighboring countries. The statement called the situation as the one that "defies the basic norms of a civilized world".
After taking a pause on January 23, 2014, the Syrian talks moved to Geneva from nearby Montreux on January 24, 2014. The U.N-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi shuttled between rooms for parlance with the government and opposition negotiators to bring the parties together for a common agenda.
On January 25, 2014, opposition and regime negotiators held their first face-to-face talks at the UN headquarters in Geneva. The talks were mediated by the veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi. The talks centered around a more modest goal of how to provide relief and humanitarian supplies to the people of the besieged city of Homs instead of focusing on more contentious political issues such as formation of a transitional government.
After two-days of talks between Syrian opposition and government negotiators at Geneva, a narrow, tenuous agreement was reached on January 26, 2014 that called for evacuation of women and children from the besieged city of Homs before relief convoys entered the city. However, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad was categorical on January 26, 2014 as the narrow deal was being wrapped up that his government had no desire to hand over the "keys to Damascus" to the opposition.
U.S. to Resume Aid to Syrian Rebels
On January 27, 2014, the U.S. said that it would resume non-lethal aid to Syrian opposition more than a month after the U.S. stopped the aid in response to al-Qaeda-linked militants' capture of warehouses. A day later, January 28, 2014, Syrian government negotiators were so enraged that envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had to call off the negotiating session early, creating uncertainty over the prospect of an agreement to resolve impasse over relied aid to Homs.
US Blames Regime for Slow Compliance with Chemical Weapons Dismantlement
As the Syrian peace talks in Geneva entered the sixth day on January 30, 2014, U.S. accused the Bashar Assad regime of deliberately falling behind the timeline by turning over only 4% of the most dangerous chemical weapons to be shipped out of the country. "The effort to remove chemical agents and key precursor chemicals from Syria has seriously languished and stalled", the U.S. representative Robert Mikulak told OPCW on January 30, 2014.
Peace Talks in Geneva Wraps Up
Little gains were achieved from the week-long peace talks (January 25-31, 2014) at Geneva between the opposition and Syrian regime negotiators mediated by veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, with only exception of a narrow deal that would help women and children to be evacuated from the city of Homs. The talks never made any headway of the thorny subject of formation of any transition government. Brahimi set February 10, 2014 as the date of resumption of negotiation amid a worsening situation on ground where millions of Syrians remained hungry and vulnerable, government troops shelling rebel stronghold with barrage of artilleries, including dropping of barrel bombs in parts of Aleppo and intensifying bickering between rebels tied to al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on one side and Islamists and secular rebels on the other side.
Syrian Fighting Rages
A day after the first session (January 25-31, 2014) of Syrian peace talks was wrapped up, Syrian helicopters upped the ante on the rebels holed up in parts of Aleppo, especially in neighborhoods of Karam Tarrad and Karam Qaser, with helicopters indiscriminately dropping barrel bombs on February 1, 2014 that had killed at least 23 people. In Aleppo's Al-Bab area, at least 13 people were killed, according to an activist group, Aleppo Media Center. Also, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least seven people were killed on February 1, 2014 as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant used twin car bombs to target a rival Islamic rebel group near Aleppo. Meanwhile, as another sign of cross-border escalation of Syrian Civil War, a car bomb exploded on February 1, 2014 at a northeastern Lebanese town, Hermel, where most of the residents are Shiite, killing at least three people.
Syrian Attacks on Opposition Strongholds Continue
Syrian government continued punishing airstrikes on February 2, 2014 with war planes hitting targets in Aleppo with missiles and military helicopters dropping barrel bombs. On February 2, 2014, Syrian government launched a targeted assault on 15 rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 36 people, including 17 children, according to activist groups.
One of the most disheartening elements while blogging about Syria is that independent bloggers get unconfirmed, but totally contrasting reports, from the Syrian official media on one side and the western media and activist groups on the others.
Even Al-Qaeda Breaks Ties to Syrian Rebel Group
In its February 4, 2014, edition, The Dallas Morning News reported that al-Qaeda's central leader Ayman al-Zawahiri distanced his group from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and instead, threw his support to a rival group, Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front. Even when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was created in the spring of 2013 by merging the Syrian and Iraqi franchises of al-Qaeda and being led subsequently by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the former branch, al-Zawahiri didn't approve the merger as it was deemed a direct challenge to his central authority. With February 3, 2014, announcement as reported by February 4, 2014, edition of The Dallas Morning News, Zawahiri put the last nail in the coffin of any hope for re-conciliation. Meanwhile, Syrian aircraft expanded its aerial strikes in Aleppo on February 3, 2014, killing at least 18 people. Also, during the day (February 3, 2014), Saudi King issued a decree that made it clear that any Saudi citizen joining any foreign war without Kingdom's permission would receive severe punishment of various spans of jail terms. Saudi King Abdullah's February 3, 2014, decree is seen by political analysts as a mitigation steps to further radicalizing and involving of Saudi youths in Syrian Civil War.
U.N. Issues Scathing Report on the Plight of Syrian Children
On February 5, 2014, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon submitted a report to the U.N. Security Council that took government forces as well as rebels to the tasks for widespread abuse, torture, discrimination, neglect and hunger of untold number of Syrian children.
Homs Evacuation Begins
On February 7, 2014, 83 elderly men, children and women were evacuated from the besieged parts of Homs as part of an agreement to evacuate vulnerable people from the city of Homs and provide relief supply to the city. On February 8, 2014, U.N. and Red Crescent of Syria brought trucks-load of relief and medicines to the besieged parts of Homs despite occasional shelling and roadside bombs. Also, on February 7, 2014, Syrian regime okayed its delegation's participation in the next round of Geneva talks scheduled to begin on February 10, 2014. If the next round of talks are to be meaningful, they have to yield a broader solution than the so-called Homs agreement that helped about 700 people--mostly elderly, women and children--to be evacuated from besieged parts of Homs and provide food and medicine supply to the people who had remained inside the city during a tenuous three-day cease-fire (February 7-9, 2014). People who were evacuated from the besieged parts of Homs portrayed a grim situation within the city, with parents looking for food for their hungry kids, some barely hanging on weeds and grass and some just dying off hunger.
Homs Truce Extended amid Resumption of Geneva Talks
As the peace talks between government negotiators and western-backed opposition resumed on February 10, 2014 at Geneva, a three-day truce (February 7-9, 2014) was extended for an additional three days (February 10-12, 2014) in country's third-largest city, Homs, in order to evacuate more elderly, women and children and send relief supplies to besieged parts of the city. U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos on February 10, 2014 blamed both government and rebels for hindering the evacuation and relief effort in Homs. According to Amos, around 800 elderly, women and children were evacuated over the past four days (February 7-10, 2014) from besieged parts of Homs. The evacuation process--which the government had exempted for all men of 15 to 55 years of ages on ground that many armed rebels would sneak out of the city--as well as providing relief supplies to the besieged parts have been limping since the beginning as the relief convoys have encountered sniper fires, volleys of artillery fire and barrage of shelling. Meanwhile, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on February 10, 2014 reported another gruesome perpetration by al-Qaeda-linked militants when they overran an Alawite village and systematically executed more than two dozen civilians. Meanwhile, in the distant safety of Geneva, the diplomacy seemed to be stuck in the mud on the opening day (February 10, 2014) of the resumption of peace talks as, if there was an air of reconciliation that had been generated at the end of last round, even that had evaporated by now. U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi shuttled between two teams at the U.N headquarters in Geneva as they refused to hold face-to-face talks, a sign of regress from where the delegations left on January 31, 2014.
U.N. Envoy Seeks Help from Russia and U.S. as Syria Talks Hit Impasse at Geneva
As the second round of talks that began on February 10, 2014 turned out to be a non-starter for U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, he turned over to two powers with leverage on February 13, 2014. Brahimi on February 13, 2014 met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman at Geneva in en effort to resuscitate the talks between Syrian government negotiators and western-backed opposition and revive the fledging peace process from the abyss of failure. Meanwhile, the governor of Homs, Talal al-Barazi, informed the Reuters that the six-day cease-fire that had expired on February 12, 2014 was extended for an additional three days through February 15, 2014 to facilitate evacuation of elderly, women and children and provide relief supplies to the besieged parts of Homs.
Syria Talks Hit Impasse as Bomb Kills Dozens in Rebel-held Territory
A day after U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi sought the help of Russia and U.S. in prodding the both sides to have constructive engagement, the talks in Geneva between Syrian government and opposition backed by west hit an impasse on February 14, 2014 with opposition blaming the government for "belligerence" and Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad returning the volley with accusation that the opposition was pursuing an "unrealistic agenda". From the very outset of the Geneva talks, Syrian government and opposition were at the opposite ends of even the meeting agenda, with opposition insisting all along that the purpose of the Geneva talks was to find a way to form a transition government while the Syrian government negotiator stressing that the emphasis of the talks were on how to defeat "terrorism". However, in recent days, opposition has been slowly softening its stand on Bashar Assad's role in a transition government. On February 12, 2014, opposition delegation submitted its postwar vision to Brahimi, and it omitted any reference to Assad.
Meanwhile, on ground, there was no let up of violence. A car bomb blew up outside a mosque, Ammar bin Yasser Mosque, at the village of Yadouda in the southern Daraa province on February 14, 2014 as scores of faithful were filing out of the mosque after Friday prayer, killing at least 29 people and injuring dozens. Meanwhile, fierce fighting was raging between the Syrian government forces backed by Hezbollah and rebel forces in the strategic town of Yabroud in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders. Yabroud is the last strategic town in the region that provides a supply route from Lebanon to besieged rebels in the interior, and its fall to government had will inflict a major blow to the rebels.
Syrian Opposition Replaces Military Commander
Being marginalized in the battlefield by more potent Islamic fighters and mowed by an ever-aggressive regime forces, the pro-western opposition army on February 17, 2014 replaced Gen. Salim Idris, criticized by many in opposition as largely ineffective, by Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir, a commander from the southern province of Quneitra on the border of Israel-occupied Golan Heights. Brig. Gen. al-Bashir defected to opposition in 2012, and lost his son Talal in fighting against the government troops in Quneitra. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at Jakarta on February 17, 2014 that Syrian regime was stonewalling the talks in Geneva, leading to a stalemate.
Syria's Pro-west Opposition Further Fractures amid Spillover of Violence to Lebanon
Two days after opposition Syrian National Coalition replaced Gen. Salim Idris as the head of Supreme Military Council, Gen. Idris on February 19, 2014 quit Supreme Military Council as well as breaking off relations with its political leadership in Syrian National Coalition. Fifteen other military commanders also accompanied Gen. Idris in deserting pro-west coalition and its military unit.
Meanwhile, in a grim reminder of potential of Syria's ongoing civil war in drawing its neighbors into a conflagration, a car bomb exploded near the Kuwaiti embassy and Iranian cultural center in Beirut on February 19, 2014, killing at least 5 people and wounding dozens. A pro-Sunni group, Abdullah Azzam Brigade, claimed responsibility for bombing at Beirut's Bir Hassan neighborhood and warned that further violence was inevitable unless "Iran and its party in Lebabon" withdrew from Syria.
UN Resolution Demands Co-operation of Assad
In a bonhomie of sort among the west and China-Russia axis in the U.N. Security Council, the august body on February 22, 2014 unanimously voted for a resolution to demand for Assad regime to stop attacks on civilians, provide access to besieged areas to outside aids and open the access from neighboring countries for international relief effort. After vetoing three other resolutions, Russia and China agreed to approve after the resolution also demanded for opposition fighters to cease their own human rights violations, condemned terrorism and dropped any reference to trial of any regime leader at the International Criminal Court. The resolution calls for U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to report back to Security Council within 30 days.
Ambush Kills More Than 150 Rebels; Opposition Coalition Demands Inquiry
A security assault, according to government account, but disputed by opposition as a Hezbollah-backed ambush, on February 26, 2014 at the Damascus suburb of Ghouta killed at least 150 rebels. Many of the rebels, according to state news agency, were tied to al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 175 people were killed.
On February 27, 2014, the opposition Syrian National Coalition demanded an impartial inquiry into February 26, 2014, ambush that had killed 175, saying that the people killed in the ambush were civilians.
Extremist Group Retreats from North of Aleppo
Heeding the warning from al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, another Jihadist group, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, withdrew from areas north of Aleppo, including the border town of Azaz, on February 28, 2014, three days after the warning was issued, and moved its militants to the northeastern city of Raqqa, first major city to fall under rebel control.
Rights Panel Concludes Syrian Regime's Use of Sarin
In a scathing report issued on March 5, 2014 by a human rights experts panel chaired by the Brazilian scholar Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Syrian regime was implicated to the August 21, 2013, sarin gas attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta that had allegedly killed, according to the U.S. estimate, at least 1,400 people. The report also confirmed the use of sarin gas in the March 19, 2013, attack on the village of Khan al Assal, near Aleppo. However, the report didn't implicate directly the government for that attack. The report was also unsparing in its critique for the failure of five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
A Key Border Town Captured by Regime
In a devastating blow to rebels, Syrian troops bolstered by battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters seized the strategic town of Yabroud in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders on March 16, 2014, leading to thousands of civilians as well as rebel fighters to flee the region to the Sunni-dominated town of Arsal on the Lebanese side of the border. Meanwhile, on March 17, 2014, Lebanese government sent soldiers to the borders to check the flow of people to Arsal.
Administration Orders Suspension of Syrian Embassy and Consular Work in the USA
After Syrian government announced stopping consular services to Syrians who live in the USA, the Obama administration on March 18, 2014 ordered Syrian Embassy in Washington and consular services in Troy, Michigan and Houston, Texas to suspend all consular and embassy works and all non-US legal residents to be withdrawn. The order was issued by the US special envoy to Syria Daniel Rubenstein, who had issued a statement, saying that it was "unacceptable for individuals appointed" by Bashar Assad regime "to conduct diplomatic or consular operation in the United States." The hardening of stand came weeks after the second round of Geneva talks between the government and Syrian National Coalition had collapsed.
Syrian Troops Captures a Historic Castle
In a continuing sweep of the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders, Syrian troops on March 20, 2014 seized the 12th century castle of Crac des Chevaliers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was seized by the rebels in 2012 and withstood assault from that might have caused some degree of structural harm to the fortress. Syrian troops also captured the town of Hosn, at the foot of the castle, from the militants of Jund al-Sham Islamic group. Also, the OPCW and UN joint mission reported on March 20, 2014 another batch of chemicals shipped out of Syria, accounting for nearly half of chemical agents removed from the country already.
Syrian Death Toll Touches 150,000
The death toll from the last three years' Syrian civil war crossed the symbolic, but expected, threshold of 150,000, according to an estimate provided on April 1, 2014 by London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The U.N. in late July 2013 reported the death toll having crossed 100,000, and stopped providing any estimate in January 2014 due to lack of confidence in the data collected from inside Syria. Meanwhile, Lebanese security force on April 1, 2014 swept through the northern city of Tripoli, ousting the rival militia members who had been waging a proxy war in support for and opposition to Bashar Assad regime.
Syrian Refugees to Lebanon Cross 1 million Mark
In a grim reminder of the toll of the Syrian civil war on the neighboring countries and their socio-economic pictures for years to come, the number of Syrian refugees who had registered with the U.N. in Lebanon exceeded 1 million mark, almost reflecting one-in-five people now who reside in the tiny nation, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who released a statement marking this cruel milestone on April 3, 2014 and reminding the world of the need and support that this vulnerable group of people required in the days to come.
Revered Christian Priest Assassinated in Syria
A revered Christian priest who had dedicated a significant part of his life to serve common Syrians in the besieged city of Homs was killed by a masked gunman on April 7, 2014. Rev. Frans van der Lugt, a Jesuit priest of Dutch origin, gave succor and support to thousands of displaced Syrians in the order's homes and religious places during three years of civil war, was killed by the gunman at the monastery of Bustan al-Diwan.
Twin Car Bombs Kill 25 in Homs; Last Citadel of Rebels in a Key Region Fell to Assad Troops
On April 9, 2014, twin car bombs exploded on a commercial street in the government-held areas of Homs, killing at least 25 people and wounding more than 100. The second car bomb inflicted heavier damage as people and rescuers came to the aid of the victims of the first car explosion. Meanwhile, backed by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the government troops on April 9, 2014 captured the last major city, Rankous, in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders, thus cutting off a strategic supply route for the isolated rebels.
Poison Gas Alleged to be Used in a Rebel-Held Village; US Official Calls the Attack Unsubstantiated
Rebels and Bashar Assad regime on April 12, 2014 accused each other of using poison gas in the village of Kfar Zeita in the central Hama province on April 11, 2014. On April 13, 2014, US Ambassador to UN Samantha Powers, appearing in ABC's This Week, said that US would pursue to know the full truth about the incident although at that moment the incident remained unsubstantiated.
Syrian Regime Takes Back Last Rebel Bastion in a Key Region; Hezbollah Mourns Deaths of its Three Correspondents
In a growing sign of consolidation of regime authority and assertiveness, Syrian soldiers backed by Hezbollah on April 15, 2014 seized the last bastion of rebels in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders as the Christian village of Maaloula fell out of rebel hands. Meanwhile, Hezbollah was morning the loss of three journalists tied to its Al-Manar news channel after a convoy of militants came under fire on April 14, 2014, killing the three journalists: Hamza al-Haj Hassan, cameraman Mohammad Mantash, and sound technician Halim Allaw.
Syria Announces Presidential Poll Dates
Encouraged by the recent battlefield victories and regular viciousness of rebel-on-rebel attacks, Syrian regime on April 21, 2014 announced poll dates for presidential elections. Syrian Parliament Speaker Mohammad al-Laham on April 21 announced that presidential polls would be held on June 3, 2014. President Bashar Assad is expected to run and win in the presidential polls as there will not be a formidable opposition challenger because of restrictive nature of the country's new constitution adopted in 2012 that bars any candidate who has lived abroad in the past 10 years. Also, the new constitution requires a potential candidate to garner support from at least 35 lawmakers before being qualified to run.
Bashar Assad Announces Presidential Run
President Bashar Assad on April 28, 2014 announced that he would run for the upcoming presidential polls.
Violence Returns to Homs, Baghdad and Aleppo
A day after Bashar Assad announced his plan to run for another seven-year term as president, minutes-apart twin car bombs exploded on April 29, 2014 in the government controlled parts of Homs, killing 40 and wounding 116. Also on April 29, 2014, a mortar hit a school at Shiite neighborhood of Damascus, Shaghour, killing 14 people, most of them were students. A day later on April 30, 2014, a Syrian warplane launched a missile strike at school in Aleppo where an art exhibition was about to start, killing at least 19 people, including at least 10 students.
Barrel Bombs Kill 33 in Aleppo
On May 1, 2014, three crude barrel bombs were dropped from a helicopter on a rebel-held neighborhood, Hillok, of Aleppo, killing at least 33 people. Also fierce fighting raged on May 1, 2014 at a strategic town between Damascus and Lebanon borders that had remained the last bastion of rebellion in all too important Qalamoun mountainous region. At least 14 rebels were killed overnight in the fight at Zabadani.
Cease-fire Reached at Homs
In a face-saving deal for a beleaguered rebel movement, a cease-fire agreement was reached on May 2, 2014 to evacuate the isolated and exasperated fighters from the rebel-held parts of Homs.
Two will Contest against Assad in Polls
Syria's Supreme Constitutional Court on May 4, 2014 rejected the candidature of 21 contestants in the June 3, 2014, presidential polls. As President Bashar Assad seeks a third seven-year terms, he will face challenge from two other candidates--Abdullah al-Nouri, 54, and Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar, 43, respectively. In the past, presidents were elected through referendum where voters were asked either to vote yes or no for a single candidate, either Bashar Assad, or his father, Hafez, before his death in 2000.
Homs Cease-fire Agreement Reached; Opposition Leader Visits US
The city that symbolized with the beginning of uprising against the Bashar Assad regime in 2011 finally fell with a May 7, 2014, agreement in which more than 2,000 rebels, who had holed up in few of the neighborhoods in the Old City, would be allowed to evacuate in exchange for total government control. These were the remnants of the rebels who stayed put even after a similar evacuation of women and children from the city in January. The rebels were allowed on May 7, 2014 to leave the city in buses headed to two rebel-held towns--Talbiseh and al-Dar al-Kabira, respectively--in the north.
Also, far from the battleground in Homs, Syrian National Coalition leader Ahmad al-Jarba was in Washington on May 7, 2014, seeking for US help for secular rebel groups. al-Jarba on May 7, 2014 introduced himself to the American audience with a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington. He will meet with members of Congress, US Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama over the next few days to press for more direct help from the US. He will ask for anti-aircraft missiles and assure Washington that they wouldn't fall in rogue hands. On May 5, 2014, the U.S. State Department upgraded the diplomatic status of Syrian National Coalition led by Ahmad al-Jarba, and pledged an additional $27 million in non-lethal assistance.
Rebels Blow up a Historic Hotel; Homs Agreement in Jeopardy
On May 8, 2014, rebels blew up Carlton Hotel in Aleppo which was being used by Syrian military as a temporary base, killing at least 14 soldiers. Rebels from Islamic Front, an amalgamation of Islamists as well as recent deserters of Free Syrian Army soldiers, took responsibility for using an underneath tunnel and placing explosives to trigger havoc. Meanwhile, an agreement that was put in place a day earlier to evacuate rebel fighters from the besieged parts of Homs was in jeopardy on May 8, 2014 as rebels from Islamic Front blockaded an aid convoy from moving into two pro-government villages--Nubol and Zahra--in Aleppo, an arrangement that was part of the Homs agreement. On May 7, 2014, nearly 1,000 rebels left the Old City of Homs. Also, on May 8, 2014, the head of the OPCW mission in Syria, Sigrid Kaag, said that remaining 8 percent of dangerous chemicals were in the dangerous and inaccessible parts of Damascus.
Logjam over Homs Agreement Resolved; Homs under Total Government Control
As the blockade against humanitarian aid destined for two pro-government villages--Nubol and Zahra--was lifted, the last of rebels were evacuated from the besieged old city of Homs on May 9, 2014. With the departure of the last 300 or so battle-hardened rebels, Homs, known as the Capital of Syrian Revolution, fell to the control of Bashar Assad regime. The switch of the city reflected a broader shift in the outcome of the more than three-year-old civil war, which had killed more than 150,000 people, that had lately swung in favor of the regime in a lopsided way amid fragmentation of rebellion, forceful aggression by the regime force bolstered by Hezbollah militants against weaker rebel targets and failure of international community to take a unified stand behind a largely nonfunctional secular opposition.
French Foreign Minister Accuses Syria of using Chlorine; UN Envoy Quits
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on May 13, 2014 accused Syria of using chlorine against its people in recent days. He made the accusation in Washington, and coincided with a Human Rights Watch report that charged Damascus to use chlorine in barrel bombs as many as three times in recent weeks. Although industrial usage of chlorine is exempt from the current stockpiles of chemical weapons which are being shipped out of the country, its use as a weapon is banned as Syria is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Meanwhile, diplomacy received a severe jolt on May 13 as Arab League-UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi called it quits, saying the country was in "such a bad state" that any solution was "nearly impossible".
Car Bomb Kills 43 at a Rebel-held Border Crossing
A massive car bomb exploded on May 15, 2014 at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing at the northern border with Syria, killing at least 43 people, according to Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and Local Coordination Committees.
Human Rights Group Cites Death Toll over 160,000
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported May 19, 2014 the latest estimate of casualty in Syrian Civil War since its inception in March 2011. According to the estimate, 162,402 people had died due to civil war, including 53,978 civilians.
Syrian Government Seizes a Northern Prison; Russia and China Veto a Security Council Measure
In a symbolic victory, government forces began consolidating their recent gains in central Syria, areas surrounding the capital, Damascus, and Qalamoun mountainous region by expanding its campaign to the south and north in the run-up to June 3, 2014, presidential polls in order to bring more areas under government control so that more people would participate in the elections. As part of that campaign, government forces scored a symbolic victory on May 22, 2014 by ousting the rebels from Islamic Front who had laid a siege on the Aleppo Central Prison over the past two years. Diplomatically Damascus won another round on May 22, 2014 as China and Russia vetoed a UNSC measure that was aimed at referring Syria to International Criminal Court.
Mortar Attack at a Campaign Tent Kills 39
A mortar attack at a pro-Assad election campaign tent in the southern city of Daraa on May 22, 2014 killed 39 people and wounded 205 people, attracting a strong condemnation from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Daraa Governor Kaled al-Hannus.
Overseas Voting Begins for Syrian Elections
Expatriates lined up to vote in Syrian presidential elections on May 28, 2014 from Brazil to Amman to Beirut to Iraq to Iran to Sweden. In many polling places, long queues of voters were witnessed.
Suicide Bomber Identified as American
In a ominous sign of growing involvement of westerners in the Syrian Civil War and the possibility of many of them returning home with radicalized mindset, a suicide bomber who carried out an attack in Idlib province on May 25, 2014 was identified by CNN on May 29, 2014 as a Florida young man Moner Mohammad Abusallah.
Elections in Syria give Assad another Seven-Year Term
In the first ever multicandidate polls, Bashar Assad won handily on June 3, 2014 for another seven-year term. The polls, derided by the opposition and called "sham" by the west, were held only in government-held areas, where tens of thousands of people participated in the process. Also, turnouts were significant in several overseas cities that had hosted polling arrangement. Two little known candidates, Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri, put up a token presence in the polls against Assad.
Former Ambassador Critical of U.S. Policies
Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, who had surprised the international community by appearing at an opposition rally in Hama early in the uprising and his forceful diplomacy flaying the government heavy-handedness, said in a June 3, 2014, interview with PBS News Hour that Obama administration was slow in responding to the crisis in Syria and always behind the curve. Ford also contended during the interview that he had stepped down from his post in February 2014 as he could "no longer defend the policy in public".
Official Result Hands out An Overwhelming Victory to Assad
On June 4, 2014,the official tally showed a whopping 88.7 percent popular vote that was received by President Bashar Assad in his bid for another 7-year term.
Rebel Leader Forebodes Disaster Looming
Free Syrian Army head Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir on July 5, 2014 warned west that a looming disaster would happen in Syria if his fighters didn't get military aid from the west.
Regime Close to Regain of the Largest City
Tightening the noose around a feeble resistance in Aleppo, Syrian military made significant headway in the city on July 9, 2014 as rebels rampaged a Hama village, Khatab, killing 14 people after accusing the villagers of collaborating with the regime.
Assad Inaugurated for a Third Seven-Year Term
Bashar Assad on July 15, 2014 was inaugurated as President for the third term.
A Key Syrian Military Base Falls to Islamic State Rebels
As part of an effort to expand and consolidate the caliphate declared by Islamic State, the militants began a concerted attempt to seize the lone government holdout in Raqqa province by encircling Division 17, a military base, on July 23, 2014. After a fierce 24-hour fighting, rebels of the Islamic State were able to overrun the base by July 24, 2014, evening. Scores of government soldiers were captured and summarily executed. Islamic State rebels now control vast swath of territory on both sides of Iraq-Syria border, forming the foundation of a proto state and declaring a caliphate.
Civil War in Syria Hits Lebanon with a Bang
As if there was no boundaries or borders in the face of a raging civil war in Syria, the latest escalation struck Syria's neighbor Lebanon with August 1, 2014, arrest of a senior Nusra Front leader, Imad Ahmad Jomaa, a Syrian, who went to Lebanon to seek treatment. The following day, August 2, 2014, a large number of Syrian rebels descended on the Lebanese border town of Arsal, and traded fire with the security forces, killing at least 10 Lebanese soldiers and seizing dozens. The captured Lebanese soldiers were seen on a video posting to be held captive on a pick-up truck. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam, referring to the attack on Arsal, called the incident as a "flagrant aggression against the state of Lebanon", and vowed to "deal with the developments with estreme firmness and strength".
Dempsey Calls for Strikes against Islamic Militants within Syria
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said on August 21, 2014 that Islamic State won't be dismantled without going after the group within Syria, espousing a broader aerial campaign against the group than the one with narrowly tailored scope the Obama administration was pursuing since August 8, 2014.
Video Shows Beheading of an American Journalist
According to a video uploaded on August 19, 2014, Islamic State beheaded an American journalist, James Foley, who was last seen in Binesh, Syria and had disappeared on November 22, 2012, for what it had described as revenge for US airstrikes against the group. The masked militant who beheaded the American journalist seemed to be of British origin as evident from his accent. He also warned that the fate of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, depended on the next move of President Obama. Foley was a freelance journalist for Boston-based online publication GlobalPost as well as Agence France-Presse.
Syrian Army-Islamic State Clash over Control of a Key Airbase
Syrian Army repelled the onslaught of Islamic State attack to seize an airbase in Raqqa province, a province where the Islamic insurgents had swept through during the initial months of the Syrian uprising. Islamic State militants launched a concerted attack on Tabqa Airbase on August 20, 2014, and after two days of fighting and dozens of deaths, the Syrian army seemed to have continued their hold on the airbase on August 21, 2014.
Islamic Insurgents Seize a Key Airbase
After days of intense fighting that had killed hundreds on the both sides, Islamic State rebels on August 24, 2014 were able to seize the Tabqa Airbase from the control of government troops, wiping out the remaining trace of resistance in the Raqqa province. More than 150 soldiers were captured by the rebels.
Al-Qaida-linked Group Releases the American Journalist
An al-Qaeda-allied militant group in Syria, Nusra Front, on August 24, 2014 released an American freelance journalist, Peter Theo Curtis, to U.N. officials on the Syrian side of Golan Heights. Theo Curtis was kidnapped from near the Syria-Turkey borders in October 2012.
Syrian Troops Executed by Islamic State Rebels
Three days after seizing control over the Tabqa Airbase, Islamic State rebels on August 27, 2014 executed about 160 Syrian soldiers.
Fijian Peacekeepers Captured
After fierce fighting, al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front seized the only border crossing point in Golan Heights, Quneitra Crossing Point, on August 27, 2014. A day later, August 28, 2014, Nusra Front rebels captured 45 Fijian peacekeepers who were part of the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force in charge of Israel-Syria borders in Golan Heights.
3 Million Syrians Fled
U.N. on August 29, 2014 issued its latest estimate that 3 million Syrians had fled the country since the conflict had erupted in the spring of 2011. An additional 6.5 million Syrians were displaced. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said on August 29 that the Syrian crisis was the "biggest humanitarian emergency of our era", and the world had yet to respond to the crisis accordingly. Donor nations contributed more than $4.1 billion since 2012, but the agency said that it needed an additional $2 billion by the end of the year.
Filipino Peacekeepers Facing Attacks Flee UN Bases
After taking 45 Fijian peacekeepers captive, Syrian rebels led by Nusra Front launched attacks on two more U.N. bases in Golan Heights manned by Filipino soldiers and laid siege on them on August 28, 2014, demanding that the peacekeepers surrender. On August 30, 2014, more than 70 Filipino soldiers who were manning the U.N. bases were able to flee although they were outnumbered.
Second American Journalist Beheaded
A second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, 31, captured last year in northern Syria, was seen on a video to have been beheaded by a masked Islamic State militant, who had proclaimed, addressing Barack Obama, that he was back and "our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people". The gruesome video surfaced on September 2, 2014. The video showed a British hostage, David Cawthorne Haynes, just like the Foley video had also shown Sotloff during James Foley's beheading.
Obama Makes Case for "Sustained and Comprehensive" Campaign Against Islamic State
Days after saying that his administration didn't have any strategy against Islamic State in Syria, American public on September 10, 2014 saw a different Barack Obama, a president who had understood that he could no longer avoid his legacy not being touched by regional war. Addressing the American public in a televised national address, President Obama on September 10, 2014 called for "sustained and comprehensive" counterterrorism strategy to reverse the advance of Islamic State rebels, expand USA's air campaign to strike Islamic State's positions within Syria and form a broad-based international coalition to take on the militants. However, President Obama once again ruled out any possibility to send ground troops for combat role. Instead, Obama administration would work towards arming, assisting and training the pro-western rebel groups in Syria and Kurdish forces and Iraqi security forces in Iraq.
US Struggles to Form a Regional Coalition
Two days after President Barack Obama addressed American people in a primetime TV address espousing sustained and comprehensive campaign against the Islamic State, Washington struggled to form a cohesive regional coalition, especially with Turkey, on September 12, 2014. Turkey had been in a bind as Islamic State was holding 49 Turkish hostages since June when they had swept through northern Iraqi town of Mosul and seized Turks from the consulate there. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, coming out of a session with his Turkish couterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at Ankara, essentially admitted the dilemma Turkey was facing. Meanwhile, in a show of support for the new Iraqi government headed by Haider al-Abadi, French President Francois Hollande flew to Baghdad on September 12, 2014, and vowed to support the fight against Islamic State. France took a more aggressive stand in fighting against Islamic State by supplying arms to Kurdish fighters and deciding to host an international conference in Paris on a strategy to counter Islamic State on September 15, 2014. Although both France and USA have overall same strategic goal to degrade and dismantle Islamic State, two major areas of difference have emerged in recent days:
* France believes that US announcement of going after Islamic State in Syria with an air campaign will help Bashar Assad regime
* France favors inviting Iran to September 15, 2014, Paris conference, but couldn't do so because of US opposition to inviting Iran
Islamic State Beheads Third Westerner, This Time a Briton
A gruesome video on September 13, 2014 showed horrific beheading of a British aid worker, David Haines, who was kidnapped in March 2013 near the Atmeh Refugee Camp along the Turkish border in the Syrian province of Idlib. The butcher seemed to be the same masked man with heavy eastern London accent, blaming the British premier David Cameron for joining the US to bomb Islamic State positions in Iraq and holding him responsible for Haines' killing. The video ends with the picture of another British hostage, Alan Henning, as the next target for beheading.
House Approves Funding to Arm Syrian Rebels
GOP-controlled House of Representatives grudgingly on September 17, 2014 voted for a measure asked by President Barack Obama to provide money to fund delivery of arms and training to Syrian rebels. The aid of $500 million to rebels will come from the Pentagon budget. The vote in the House was bipartisan, with 273 favoring the measure and 156 opposing it. The measure was tagged with a broader budget bill that would fund the federal government through December 2014. So, the funding of Syrian rebels will again be an issue and another debate may loom large during the Holidays in a lame-duck Congress. The Senate will take the measure on September 18, 2014.
Senate Approves Plan to Train Syrian Rebels
Following in the footstep of US House of Representatives, the US Senate on September 18, 2014 voted 78-22 to approve funding to train Syrian rebels. Meanwhile, in a chilling reminder, a video of a British photojournalist, John Cantlie, as the next beheading target of Islamic State surfaced during the day. Cantlie, who contributed to The Sunday Times, The Sun and The Sunday Telegraph, came to Syria in November 2012, and was subsequently kidnapped.
Tens of Thousands Fleeing Northeastern Syria
As marauding rebels tied to Islamic State were moving in to the areas near Kobani, a strategic town near Turkish border, on September 20, 2014, more than 60,000 Syrian refugees, mainly Kurds in the region, began to flee toward Turkey. Kurdish fighters from both Turkey and Iraq began to rush toward Kobani to reinforce the resistance against the Islamic State.
49 Turkish Hostages Freed
Under mysterious circumstances, 46 Turkish and 3 Iraqi hostages seized by Islamic State rebels on June 11, 2014 from Turkish consulate in Mosul were freed unharmed on September 20, 2014, and all of them had returned to Ankara safely.
US Aerial Strikes in Syria Begins
In the early morning hours of September 23, 2014 (September 22 7:30 PM Dallas Time), US expanded the air campaign against Islamic State by striking targets in Syria for the first time. US used warplanes and missiles launched off the U.S. Navy ships to hit targets such as weapons supplies, depots, barracks and buildings used by militants in and around the militants' de facto capital, Raqqa. Five Arab countries--Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--joined the USA's aerial campaign in Syria.
Looming Refugee Crisis in the Backdrop of Fierce Fighting Near Turkey Borders
As US and five Arab allies carried out torrent of aerial bombings and missile strikes, a separate, but related fighting, intensified on September 22, 2014 near Kobani, a strategic border town, as Islamic State rebels continued their push to take over the town, forcing some 130,000 people to flee to Turkey. Heart-wrenching scenes of adults carrying their children as well as stuffed bags hung from their shoulders crossing the torn barbed fence on the borders forebode the upcoming refugee crisis in Turkey. Underlining the tension, Turkish Deputy Premier Numan Kurtulmus warned on September 22, 2014 that the waves of refugees crossing the Syria-Turkish borders would exceed "by hundreds of thousands". He also called the crisis as man-made.
US Airstrikes Hit Targets of Two Different Groups
US airstrikes in Syria that began in the early hours of September 23, 2014 targeted two different groups in Syrian battlefield. One was the obvious choice: Islamic State, but the second target was a more obscure, but equally--if not more--dangerous group: Khorasan group, a group allied with al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front. Khorasan group was alleged by western intelligence to have set their target on the west. The first wave of airstrikes by US Tomahawk missiles targeted Khorasan positions near Aleppo, while aerial bombings by five Arab five Arab countries--Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--targeted Islamic State positions in Northeastern and Eastern Syria.
US, Allies Strike Oil Refineries in Eastern Syria
A day after wave of airstrikes by the USA and five Arab allies --Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--targeting Islamic State-controlled weapons storage sites, depots, command centers and infrastructures, US drones and warplanes aided by fighter jets from Saudi Arabia and UAE on September 24, 2014 struck oil refineries controlled by Islamic State in eastern Syria as part of a campaign to deprive the militant group of illicit oil revenue.
French Tourist Beheaded by Algerian Terrorist Group
Meanwhile, an Islamic State-linked Algerian terrorist group, Soldiers of the Caliphate, on September 24, 2014 decapitated a French mountaineering guide from Nice, Herve Gourdel, 55. Gourdel was kidnepped during the weekend (September 20-21) after Islamic State followers called on its supporters to kidnap Europeans to take revenge against west's bombing campaign against the group in Iraq and Syria.
US Coalition against Islamic State Grows
On September 26, 2014, three European nations--Britain, Denmark and Belgium--joined US air campaign against Islamic State, but limited their campaign only in Iraq. British lawmakers on September 26, 2014 voted to join the coalition against Islamic State.
Kurdish Fighters Ask for Urgent Help at Besieged Town
Outgunned and outarmed Kurdish fighters at the northern Syrian town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, on September 27, 2014 asked for urgent help from the west to prevent Islamic State militants from overrunning the town. Meanwhile the influx of about 150,000 refugees from Kobani and surrounding areas into Turkey in recent weeks had strained the civic infrastructure almost to the edge of crumbling.
Obama Acknowledges: US Has Underestimated Islamic State
In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes broadcast on September 28, 2014, President Barack Obama acknowledged that US intelligence had underestimated the potency of Islamic State and overestimated the capability of Iraqi security forces at the beginning. However, he stuck to his ground on not forcefully intervening in Syria earlier, dismissing the criticism that his inaction had led to the rapid rise of Islamic State and eventual declaration of an Islamic Caliphate across vast swath of eastern parts of Syria and northern and western parts of Iraq.
British Aid Worker Beheaded
A video surfaced on October 3, 2014 showed gruesome beheading of a British aid worker, Alan Henning, 47, kidnapped last year in Syria as he was driving an ambulance to provide lifesaving drugs. The video, continuing the trend shown earlier with the previous beheadings, also showed an American, Peter Kassig, as the next beheading target.
Islamic State Fighters Arrive at the Fringe of the Key Town
On October 6, 2014, heavily armed Islamic State fighters entered into the outer periphery of Kobani after surrounding it from three sides.
Kobani on the Brink of Collapse; Turkey Rules out Ground Invasion
Days after the US Vice President Joe Biden apologized for his comments that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had admitted that his country might have inadvertently helped Islamic State rebels to gain powers and control over vast stretch of Iraq and Syria, the siege of Kobani brought fore the division between the city's Kurdish defenders and Turkey. While Turkey is focused on ousting Bashar Assad, Washington's primary goal in Syria is to contain and reverse the progress by the Islamic State. Turkey ruled out any unilateral action against the Islamic State unless its move was part of larger objective of removing Assad.
Turkey Tests US Coalition's Credibility by Bombing Kurdish Rebels
As the fight for Kobani, a Syrian border town abutting Turkey that had become to symbolize Kurdish resistance and endurance against days of shelling by a superior and well-armed Islamic State rebels, raged on, Turkish war planes struck Kurdish rebel positions within its borders on October 13, 2014 in what many thought an indirect repudiation of the US-led international coalition's focus on degrading and defeating ISIL. The Syrian Kurdish group that was fighting valiantly against ISIL in the city of Kobani, YPG, or People's Protection Units, is thought to have strong link to Turkey's Kurdistan People's Party, or PKK, a group labeled as terrorist outfit by both Turkey and the USA. This also marked the first Turkish offensive against the Kurdish rebels since the peace negotiation had begun two years ago. Meanwhile, on October 14, 2014, President Barack Obama met with military chiefs from more than 20 nations at Washington in a show of unity against the ISIL.
US Airdrops Arms, Supplies in Besieged Town
In a more direct help to fighting Syrian Kurds, US C-130 planes on October 19, 2014 airdropped arms, ammunition and medical supplies in Kobani.
Turkey to Allow Iraqi Kurds to Enter Kobani through Its Territory
In a major concession, Turkey agreed to allow Iraq's Kurdish force, peshmerga, use its territory to enter Kobani to reinforce the resistance of city's Kurdish fighters against ISIL. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's announcement on October 20, 2014 brought a sense of relief to the US-led international coalition and joy to a besieged Kurdish force in the northern city.
Kobani Toll Reported to be 553 by Activist Group
A Britain-based, Syrian activist group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on October 23, 2014 reported that the death toll from the month-long fighting that had begun on September 23, 2014 for control of Syrian border city of Kobani reached as high as 553, including 32 civilians.
Syria's Neighbors Seek International Help
Syria's neighboring nations reeling under the impact of overwhelming refugee burden on October 28, 2014 asked help from leaders of more than 40 nations at a meeting at Berlin. Making the case for his country, Lebanese PM Tammam Salam said that his country of 4.5 million population had provided refuge to 1.1 million Syrians who had fled the civil war. Turkey's Deputy PM Naci Koru said that his country had already spent $4 billion to help the refugees and received only $250 million from other nations. U.S. pledged an additional $10 million in assistance, thus bringing total US aid to at least $2.9 billion. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who hosted the conference, said that the focus would be recalibrated on improving sanitation, education system, school supplies and public health system.
Iraqi Kurds Leaves for Battlefiled in Northern Syria
About 150 peshmerga left northern Iraq on October 28, 2014 for Turkey to join the resistance at Kobani. The departing peshmerga fighters were accorded a hero's welcome by scores of Kurds lined on the streets. The departure of peshmerga for Turkey came six days after the October 22, 2014, move by lawmakers of the Kurdish regional parliament in Iraq to approve sending Kurdish paramilitary forces across the border to defend the besieged town of Kobani.
Iraqi Kurdish Paramilitary Force Enters the Besieged Town from Turkey
About 150 heavily armed peshmerga troops entered Kobani on October 31, 2014 from the Turkish border town of Suruc, across the border off Kobani. The convoy of more than 10 vehicles carried heavy weaponry, supplies, ammunition and Kurdish flag. Syrian government criticized peshmerga's entry into battlefield, blasting the Turkish government for violating Syria's sovereignty.
Syrian Air Force Now Pummels Islamic State Positions
Syrian Air Force on November 8, 2014 carried out airstrikes against the Islamic State positions at the Aleppo town of al-Bab, killing at least 21 and wounding more than 100. Syrian helicopters and warplanes participated in the airstrikes and aerial bombing of al-Bab, and according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the town. U.S. officials said that Syrian airstrikes took place without any coordination with western coalition that was striking almost daily in the north and east of Syria as well as north and west of Iraq as part of strategic goal to "degrade and destroy" the Islamic militants.
Islamic State's Massive War Crimes Reported
A U.N. panel on November 14, 2014 implicated ISIL for carrying of war crimes of "massive scale" against captured soldiers, civilians and other combatants. The conclusion was drawn by the U.N. International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Syria based on more than 300 interviews. The Brazilian chairman of the commission, Paulo Pinheiro, called the testimonials shocking.
Obama Characterizes Recent Beheading as Act of "Pure Evil"
President Barack Obama on November 16, 2014 confirmed the beheading of Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger, who had disappeared from a Syrian checkpoint on October 1, 2013. Video footage of Kassig's death circulated during the day. President Obama called the killing of Abdul-Rahman Kassig an act of "pure evil", implying that ISIL didn't even spare a fellow Muslim. Kassig converted into Islam under captivity.
Syrian Airstrike against ISIL Stronghold Kills 60
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on November 25, 2014 that Syrian government-launched airstrike against the so-called capital of Islamic Caliphate killed at least 60 people during the day. The observatory said that death toll in Raqqa included 36 civilians.
U.N. Humanitarian Chief Asks Extension of Aid Mandate
Portraying a grim picture during winter months, U.N. humanitarian agency chief Valerie Amos on November 25, 2014 pressed the U.N. Security Council to extend the relief mandate that was issued on July 14, 2014 and meant to last for six months beyond the January expiry date as the number of people in dire need of aid in Syria jumped to more than 12 million from the last estimate (July 2014) of 10.8 million.
Dozens of Militant Groups Form Coalition
In a tilt toward extremity, 72 militant groups met at Gaziantep, Turkey for a three-day session (November 27-29, 2014), and formed an umbrella organization formally called the Revolutionary Command Council. On November 29, 2014, a retired judge, Kais al-Shaiek, was chosen to lead the council. The newly formed council will not replace Syrian National Coalition, according to al-Shaiek, but will have people who have skin in the game instead of exiles who are predominant in the Syrian National Coalition.
Syrian Government Fends off Attack on Airbase
Syrian government soldiers appeared to have repelled an intensified attack by ISIL fighters on the sole airbase in the country's east that's still under the government control. The attack launched on December 4, 2014 against the airbase just outside the city of Deir el-Zour was a concerted push by ISIL fighters to consolidate a vast stretch of eastern Syria by wiping out the pockets of resistance. However, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 6, 2014 that Assad's forces had put up strong resistance, and were successful in keeping the ISIL militants abeyance.
Israel Bombs Two Targets within Syria
The Syrian armed forces' General Command on December 7, 2014 condemned Israeli airstrikes against two weapons depot at Damascus and Dimas, northwest of the Syrian capital along a highway that connects Damascus and Lebanese frontiers. Israel didn't confirm or deny the charge of the Syrian government.
Jordanian Pilot Seized after F-16 Plane Downed
A F-16 plane was downed on December 24, 2014 in the de facto capital of so-called caliphate of the Islamic State, Raqqa, and a video showed a pilot, identified by the Jordanian military as the 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, surrounded by cheering gunmen on the ground.
Jordan Warns Militants Not to Harm the Seized Pilot
Jordan's parliament took the unusual step on December 25, 2014 in issuing a stern warning to the captors of Jordanian Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh that there would be grave consequence if any harm was done to him.
2014 Bloodiest Year Ever in Syrian Civil War
According to a Britain-based human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the cumulative death toll in the country's civil war crossed 200,000. The rights group said on January 1, 2015 that 76,021 died in 2014, 73,447 in 2013, 49,294 in 2012 and 7,841 in 2011, respectively. The figures are the conservative estimate, and actual death toll could be lot higher. Although there is no official tally of number of wounded in the civil war, it could be north of 1 million easily, according to Elizabeth Hoff, WHO's Syria representative.
Lebanon Shuts the Door on Refugees Fleeing Syrian Civil War
In an act of desperation, Lebanese authorities on January 5, 2015 issued strict visa regulations for future Syrian refugees, making it much harder for people to seek refuge in the country. The stricter visa rule was prompted as more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees had fled to Lebanon since the Syrian uprising had begun in March 2011 as a peaceful anti-Bashar Assad protest, but quickly devolved into a battlefield quagmire with no end in sight, costing more than 200,000 lives, forcing 3 millions out of the country and displacing additional tens of millions of people internally. The new visa rule will have four categories--tourism, medical care, business and education--and put strict limit on duration of stay. As of now, Lebanese borders remained porous at best, and people enter the country with any paperwork. Out of 1.5 million Syrian refugees, an approximate quarter of Lebanese population, 1.1 million refugees have registered with U.N. agencies so far.
Al-Qaeda-tied Rebels Release Two Italian Hostages
Italian government on January 15, 2015 announced that two of its female aid workers were released by Nusra Front, but didn't divulge any details. Greta Ramelli and Vanessa Marzullo were abducted last year from a relief camp in northern Syria.
Islamic State Demands $200 Million
A video showing a masked militant standing between two Japanese hostages and demanding $200 million in ransom surfaced on January 20, 2015. The Japanese duo--journalist Kenji Goto Jogo and self-styled military consultant Haruna Yukawa--were thought to be kept captive in Syria. The militant, speaking in fluent British English, pronounced a 72-hour countdown and said that the ransom demand was in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's January 17, 2015, announcement at Cairo to give $200 million in non-military aid to the refugees displaced by Islamic State advances in Iraq and Syria.
Muslims in Japan Pray for Hostages
As previously given 72-hour deadline for $200 million in ransom passed, prayers were offered on January 23, 2015 at Tokyo's biggest mosque for the two Japanese hostages--journalist Kenji Goto Jogo and self-styled military consultant Haruna Yukawa--held by ISIL.
One of the Japanese Hostages Decapitated
An image circulated on January 24, 2015 showed the decapitated body of Haruna Yukawa. The image outraged Japanese PM Shinzo Abe as well as the US President Barack Obama, who, traveling in India, blasted the "brutal murder" of Yukawa.
Islamic State Fighters Leave a Key Northern City
Faced with continuous aerial strikes since September by the US-led coalition and a ferocious resistance on ground bolstered by arrival of peshmerga, ISIL fighters called it a day and left Kobani on January 26, 2015.
New Twist in Hostage Crisis Saga, Now ISIL Demands Prisoner Swap
An audio message was released on January 27, 2015 in which a kidnapped Japanese journalist was heard calling for the release of an al-Qaeda-linked Iraqi prisoner, Sajida al-Rishawi, awaiting for death penalty in Jordanian jail in exchange for his life and the life of a Jordanian pilot, 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, held hostage by the Islamic State. In the audio message, Kenji Goto also expressed fear that he had only 24 hours left.
Jordan Offers Prisoner Swap
In a precedent-setting move that might not bode well for anti-ISIL international coalition, Jordan buffeted by strong domestic demand for freedom a captive pilot on January 28, 2015 offered a swap in which Amman would free the al-Qaeda-tied prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange for freedom of the pilot, Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh.
Hostage Crisis Hits a Snag after Jordan Demands Proof of Pilot's Life
On January 30, 2015, Jordan demanded that ISIL prove that its Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh was alive before it would release the Iraqi prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi. Rishawi was implicated in 2005 triple bombing in Amman that had killed 60 people in the worst terrorist attack in Jordan. Rishawi's suicide belt didn't go off because of malfunction and she was quickly nabbed.
Japanese Journalist Decapitated by Islamic State
The days-long drama involving a captive Jordanian pilot, a Japanese journalist kept hostage since October 2014 and an Iraqi al-Qaeda activist in death row in Jordan came to partial end on January 31, 2015 as an online video surfaced that showed the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto. An outraged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reacted: "I feel indignation over this immoral and heinous act of terrorism". Abe also vowed to provide humanitarian help to countries that bore the brunt of ISIL onslaught.
Jordan Seethes over Pilot's Killing, Executes Two Extremists
Jordanians were pulverized on February 3, 2015 by the gory video that showed the captive Jordanian pilot, 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, taken to a cage and set it aflame. The brutal killing of the pilot by burning him alive evoked outrage from common Jordanians, many of whom were leery to the Kingdom's joining of the US-led air coalition against ISIL. Jordanian government demanded past week that the militants show the proof that the pilot was alive before it could consider releasing an al-Qaeda-linked Iraqi female prisoner as demanded by them. Kaseabeh's killing ignited national anger and international outrage at ISIL, and Jordan moved quickly to avenge the death by hanging two Islamic extremists--Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouly--in the early hours of February 4, 2015. Karbouly was sent to death row in 2008 for plotting to kill Jordanians in Iraq.
Islamic State Says that American Hostage Kayla Mueller Dead in Jordanian Airstrike
Islamic State said on February 6, 2015 that American aide worker Kayla Mueller, who was kidnapped on August 3, 2013 on her way back to Turkey from a day-long trip to Aleppo, had been killed in Jordanian airstrike. The militant group said that she was killed as the building at a place in northern Syria crumbled under the impact of Jordanian air campaign.
U.S. and Turkey Sign Deal to Jointly Train Syrian Rebels
After months of deliberations, USA and Turkey on February 19, 2015 signed an agreement to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight against ISIL and other Islamic extremists. The deal was signed at Ankara by the US Ambassador to Turkey John Bass and Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridum Sinirlioglu, and came a day after Pentagon publicly announced that it had screened about 1,200 moderate Syrian rebels to train in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. US Congress already passed a bill authorizing $500 million to train about 5,000 Syrian rebels over the next year. Although USA's primary goal is to train and arm a Syrian rebel force that's strong enough to take on the growing threat of ISIL, Turkey has made it clear that the western-backed rebel force will also fight against the Bashar Assad government. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on February 17, 2015 that he very much expected the rebel troops to fight the government forces as much as ISIL militants.
Turkish Security Enters Syria to Evacuate its Soldiers, Retrieve the Remains of a Historical Figure
Turkey sent 572 troops, 39 tanks, 57 armored vehicles and 100 other vehicles on late night February 21, 2015 into Syria for what looked like a rescue mission that involved the retrieval of remains of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, from a historical tomb 20 miles south of Turkish-Syrian borders and evacuate Turkish guards entrapped there for days as ISIL militants had expanded their reach into surrounding areas. Under a 1921 treaty between Turkey and France, the then-ruler of Syria, the land on which the tomb has stood is considered to be part of Turkish territory. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on February 22, 2015 that before launching the rescue mission, Ankara had notified Damascus, and the operation was carried out peacefully. A new tomb to place the remains of Suleyman Shah will be built close to Syrian borders, just 200 yards from the borders inside Syria. The Syrian government on February 22, 2015 issued a hard-hitting statement denouncing the "flagrant aggression" of Turkish forces in its territory as Ankara had merely notified Damascus and didn't even wait to receive Syrian government's permission prior to sending its troops and tanks across the borders. Syria also called attention of the international community to the apparent peaceful nature of the operation--ISIL militants had not fought against Turkish soldiers during the recovery and rescue mission--as a testament to the Islamic State being actually a puppet of Turkey.
Islamic State Militants Kidnap Hundreds of Christians in Syria's Northeast
ISIL militants on February 23, 2015 raided a cluster of villages along the Khabur River in Hassakeh province in northeastern Syria. The province, especially the area along the Khabur River raided by ISIL militants, has a sizable number of Assyrian Christian population. Militants kidnapped between 70 and 100 Assyrian Christians, many of them were women or girls.
Christians Taken to a ISIL-held Town
Hundreds of Assyrian Christians, including several dozens women and girls, kidnapped from a cluster of villages along the Khabur River on February 23, 2015 were taken to a town, Shaddadeh, currently held by the ISIL militants, south of the city of Hassakeh, according to press release on February 25, 2015 by both the Syrian official news agency SANA and Stockholm-based Assyrian Network for Human Rights in Syria. SANA also quoted Greek Catholic Church patriarch Gregory III Laham as saying that the Islamic State militants had destroyed one of the oldest churches in Syria, church in Tal Hurmiz in Hassakeh province that abuts Iraq and Turkey and has a diverse group of people ranging from Arabs and Kurds to Armenian and Assyrian Christians. As ISIL militants had moved captive Assyrian Christians to Shaddadeh, a fierce fight had ensued along Khabur River between Islamic State militants on one side and People's Protection Unit, or YPG, a Kurdish militia based in Northeast Syria, and a Christian militia group called the Syriac Military Council on the other side.
Kurds Oust Islamic State from a Key City in Northeastern Syria
Kurdish fighters won a second decisive victory after capturing Kobani on February 27, 2015 by ousting ISIL fighters from the city of Tel Hamees in the Hassakeh province, only days after Islamic State militants kidnapped hundreds of Assyrian Christians from a cluster of villages along the Khabur River.
Syria Accused of Attacking with Chlorine Gas
Two venerable activist groups--Local Coordination Committees and Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights--said on March 17, 2015 that Syrian helicopters had dropped barrel bombs that contained "chlorine gas" on an opposition-controlled village, Sarmin, in Idlib province a day earlier. The western-backed, main opposition group, Syrian National Coalition, also accused the Bashar Assad regime of launching chlorine attack on its people. The government, as usual, denied the accusation. The renewed allegation of chlorine attack took place days after a U.S.-sponsored measure that condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria without assigning blame to any party was approved by the U.N. Security Council.
***************************** U.N. ON SYRIA *********************************
Ahmet Uzumcu, Director-General of Organization for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said on December 8, 2013 as he was receiving this year's Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the organization that although the overall timeline for removing all of the toxic gases and nerve agents out of Syria by mid-2014 still held true, some of the interim timelines such as removing most of the weapons by December 31, 2013 off the Syria's Mediterranean Coasts for at-sea destruction on the US vessels and a second-tier of arsenals by February 5, 2014 might miss by few days.
On December 17, 2013, 41-nation executive council of OPCW reviewed the chemical weapons dismantlement plan during a meeting at The Hague, Netherlands, and asked Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu to report back January 7, 2014 (according to December 18, 2013, edition of The Dallas Morning News). There are several phases of the plan as described by The Dallas Morning News:
(1) Bulks of chemical materials have been consolidated in Homs and Damascus
(2) Danish and Norwegian ships waiting in Cyprus will receive the stockpiles at the port of Latakia
(3) The chemicals will be transferred to the USS Cape Ray from the Nordic vessels at an unknown port in Italy
(4) The chemicals will be destroyed at sea aboard the USS Cape Ray
(5) The Nordic frigates will return to Latakia to receive less toxic chemicals, which will be destroyed by the private companies.
Syrian Weapons Collection Picks Up
The U.N.-OPCW coordinator Sigrid Kaag on March 4, 2014 gave an update on the progress of Syrian chemical arms handover at the port of Latakia. Under the international agreement brokered by the USA and Russia, Syria had to hand over its most dangerous toxic chemicals, also known as Priority 1 Chemical Agents, by December 31, 2013 and all other chemical agents by February 6, 2014 to meet the timeline of decommissioning all the toxic substances by the end of June 2014. However, none of the early timelines were met, and the weapons collection picked up only in the recent weeks. According to Kaag's update, Syria delivered two consignments of chemical agents last week, and is scheduled to hand over a third consignment this week. With these three consignments, according to Sigrid Kaag, Syria will have delivered a third of 1,200 tons of toxic chemicals, including 23 percent of priority 1 chemical agents.
Syria Has Remnants of Chemical Materials
Although Syria missed an April 27, 2014, deadline, second such miss after missing an earlier deadline in February, the country had already shipped or destroyed 92.5 percent of the arsenal, according to OPCW mission coordinator Sigrid Kaag.
Syria Ridden of Chemical Weapons
Director-General of OPCW Ahmet Uzumcu on June 23, 2014 confirmed that Syria had turned over all its chemical weapons inventory to U.N., and called Damascus' cooperation in the endeavor as "satisfactory". U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was in Baghdad on June 23, hailed the event as significant although he warned Damascus against using Chlorine gas, which might have been used in recent weeks.
Security Council Measure to Ship Aids to Civilians in Rebel-held Areas
In a rare action of unity on Syria, the U.N. Security Council voted on July 14, 2014 to approve a measure that would authorize shipping of aids supplies to rebel-held areas through four border checkpoints. Syrian regime earlier opposed the measure on the ground that the shipments might also include arms and ammunition for rebel fighters. Under the measure, international observers will inspect what are to be loaded in relief convoy. However, the measure passed on July 14, 2014 lacks the mandate of Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, meaning that there is no enforcement teeth in the measure.
U.N. Warns Massacre Looming at the Key Syria-Turkey Border Town
The U.N. Special envoy to Turkey, Staffan de Mistura, on October 10, 2014 warned the world that the fate of Srebrenica awaited for Kobani, a border city in the northern Syria that was laid siege by a marauding Islamic State rebel movement from three sides, unless there were active help for the Kurdish fighters within the city. Mistura also asked Turkey to allow the movement of Kurdish fighters and arms through the borders to bolster the defense of Kobani.
Social Media-Led Effort Raises Humanitarian Relief Fund
An ominous warning by the UN agency World Food Program in early December that the program would run out of money and be unable to provide food, medicine and other necessities to the suffering Syrians amid the onset of bitter cold led to a campaign on the social media under the hashtag "#ADollarALifeline" and Aloe Blacc's song "I Need a Dollar" that went wild and raised more than $80 million from individuals, organizations as well as countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands and the European Union. WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin on December 9, 2014 issued a statement, expressing special gratitude to the individuals for the outpouring support.
U.N. Seeks $8.4 billion for 2015
Acknowledging the uphill task to provide support to nearly 3.2 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, United Nations on December 18, 2014 said that various U.N. agencies were seeking $8.4 billion in health, education, housing and jobs in 2015 for the Syrians living in the neighboring nations.
U.N. Admits Assad's Need to Find Syrian Solution
Juliette Touma, a spokeswoman for the special U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on February 13, 2015 that Syrian President Bashar Assad would have a to play a crucial role if there was any possibility for finding solution to the Syrian crisis although Mistura still respected Geneva Communique that called for establishing a transitional government.
UN Security Council Decries Situation at Refugee Camp
UN Security Council arranged a teleconference with the international body's representative for Palestinian refugees, Pierre Krahenbuhl, on April 6, 2015 to receive a brief over the deplorable conditions at Yarmouk refugee camp. The Security Council called for lifesaving assistance and evacuation of Palestinian refugees.
The Syrian Refugees in Exile Largest in a Generation, U.N Says
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres on July 9, 2015 issued a press release, saying that 4 million Syrians who had fled the country since the civil war had erupted more than four years ago were the largest group of people externally displaced since 4.6 million people had been displaced in Afghanistan's civil war since 1992. The report also said that at least 7.6 million Syrians were internally displaced. The refugee agency said that it would need $5.5 billion in aid in 2015 to fulfill its mission this year. Only one-fourth was available as of now.
U.N. Security Council to ID those Responsible for Chemical Attacks
In a unanimous show of support, the U.N. Security Council on August 7, 2015 voted for a resolution that would establish an investigative panel aimed at identifying those, on the both sides of the Syrian Civil War, responsible for chemical attacks, including Chlorine gas attack on the Syrian people.
UNESCO Chief Decries Destruction of Antique Treasures
UNESCO chief Irina Bokova on August 21, 2015 called the wide-spread destruction of centuries-old historic sites in Syria and Iraq worst loss since World War II, and called for international community to choke off trade in plundered relics. Also, on August 21, 2015, ISIL militants razed a centuries-old monastery near the city of Qaryatain in Homs province. The bulldozing of St. Elian Monastery came as a rude shock to historians.
U.N. Condemns Latest Assaults on Civilians
U.N. on February 8, 2016 called the days-old massive offensive by Syrian regime--backed by pro-Damascus militia and Hezbollah fighters on the ground as well as a blistering air assault by Russian aircraft from the sky--in and around Aleppo "inhuman" and tantamount to "extermination". The offensive led to mass exodus toward the Turkish borders, closed by Ankara since February 5, 2016, in the north.
U.N. Report Cites Rampant War Crimes
A U.N. report issued on February 22, 2016 by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the war in Syria chronicled multiple accounts of deliberately targeting medical facilities by both the government forces and rebels that constituted clear evidence of "rampant" and gross "war crimes". The February 22, 2016, report was the commission's eleventh report, and each report portrayed a progressively worse human rights scenario. The report described slave markets for girls and women by the ISIL militants.
Security Council Demands an End to Attacks on Hospitals
U.N. Security Council on May 3, 2016 adopted a resolution unanimously demanding an absolute end to attacks on hospitals and health facilities in Syria by all sides. The resolution was passed the same day a rebel rocket hit an Aleppo maternity hospital and six days after April 27, 2016, government airstrikes on Al-Quds Hospital in Aleppo.
U.N. Security Council to Ask Access to 34 Besieged Areas
The U.N. Security Council on June 3, 2016 said that it would ask the Syrian government to give unfettered access to UN aid agencies to 34 areas to provide relief supplies to more than 1.1 million people. According to Stephen O' Brien, the U.N. humanitarian chief, that the Bashar Assad regime continued to deny access to some areas where the need was acute. So far, Damascus gave full access to 23 areas, partial access to 6 and denied access to 5, according to a U.N. spokeswoman, Amanda Pitt.
U.N.: ISIL Committing Genocide
A U.N. panel on June 16, 2016 issued a scathing and scary report on ISIL's campaign of brutalities, barbarism and brazenness in Iraq and Syria that were tantamount to genocide. The report, issued at Geneva, described mass killings of Yazidi men and boys as well as enslavement of Yazidi girls and women. The panel estimated that at least 5,000 Yazidi men and boys were killed by ISIL fighters since sweeping their region in northwest Iraq two years ago. At least 3,200 Yazidi women and girl are still being held by ISIL militants.
U.N. Security Council Hits Impasse over Syria
As death toll mounted steadily since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement after airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo, Competing proposals floated around at the U.N. Security Council. On October 8, 2016, Russia vetoed a French draft that called for an immediate end to bombing campaign in Aleppo. A competing proposal introduced by Moscow that called for separation of moderate rebel groups from the terrorist outfits, but fell short of a pause to bombing failed to receive nine votes in the U.N.S.C.
U.N. Panel: Assad Uses Chemical Weapons
A U.N. panel created to inquire into possible chemical attacks sent its report to the U.N. Security Council in the third week of October 2016, detailing attacks on rebel-held areas by government using chemical weapons at least three times in 2014 and 2015.
Top U.N. Human Rights Official Blasts the Aleppo Siege
The High Commissioner for the U.N. human rights, Zied Ra'ad al-Hussein, on October 21, 2016 severely criticized the strangulating siege of Aleppo in a video presentation to the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva. Hours later, the 47-member council voted 24-7 for a measure calling for an end to fighting in Aleppo that had erupted after the collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement on September 19, 2016. Also, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during the day the formation of a panel to inquire into the September 19, 2016, airstrikes against a 31-vehicle U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo that had led to the collapse of a fragile cessation of fighting enabled by a U.S-Russia agreement. The panel will be led by a veteran peacekeeper, Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha of India.
A Draft Calling for Pause in Fighting Blocked at the U.N. Security Council
A U.N. Security Council effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster in eastern Aleppo was handed a diplomatic defeat as Russia and China on December 5, 2016 blocked a draft that called for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate evacuation and aid shipment.
France to Sponsor a Measure for U.N. Monitoring of Aleppo Evacuation
France on December 16, 2016 announced that it would sponsor a resolution at the U.N. Security Council in an effort to deploy U.N. monitors to oversee the Aleppo evacuation process. The chance of the resolution to be approved in this form is close to nil as Russia will surely veto it.
U.N. Security Council Approves the Amended French Resolution
A day after Russia and France agreed on a framework of U.N. monitoring of the evacuation called for by an earlier Turkey-Russia deal, the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016 approved the amended version of a French resolution that would allow U.N. to observe the evacuation process after consultations with the "interested parties" and report back to the Council. The December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution does not have the teeth of an earlier French draft, rejected by Moscow, that would put the overall evacuation process under the U.N. supervision. The amended French resolution, though allows U.N. involvement, has fallen far short of international community's expectation as regime, or pro-regime militia, or in that matter, even rebels can refuse the U.N. monitors from boarding the evacuation buses. The France-sponsored U.N. Security Council Resolution approved on December 19, 2016 agreement expands the Turkey-Russia evacuation deal to cover two more rebel-held, regime-sieged villages near the Lebanese borders, Zabadani and Madaya in addition to rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province. Now, there are three key questions pertinent to the implementation of the December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution:
* How fast the U.N. monitors are to be deployed?
* Will Russia and Turkey prod the respective parties to hold the deal?
* Are there enough monitors to observe the evacuation process?
U.N. Does not Officially Endorse, but Back the Turkey-Russian Truce
Since Turkey and Russia had exclusively worked on their own to finalize a truce in Syria that went into effect on December 30, 2016, U.N. Security Council on December 31, 2016 treaded carefully not to officially endorse the agreement, but back it with caveat that a "rapid, safe and unhindered" access to humanitarian relief operation must be opened up. The Security Council also lent its support for peace talks scheduled at Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017 and following it up with more talks in Geneva in February 2017.
U.N. Ties Assad Regime to Disruption in Water Supply
U.N. Commission of Inquiry issued a report on March 14, 2017, tying the government offensive on a strategic village northwest of Damascus that included a spring which was the main source of water to 5.5 million residents in Damascus. Government airstrikes on the rebel positions around al-Feijeh spring in the Barada Valley in late December 2016 were blamed by the U.N. report as the primary culprit for the supply disruption although the Assad regime accused rebels of depriving Damascus' residents of water supply. The supply was restored in February 2017.
U.N. Envoy Wraps up the Latest Talks, Will not Announce a New Start Date
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on March 31, 2017 concluded a very staggered negotiation between Syrian regime and the opposition at Geneva. Expressing his frustration over the very minutely "incremental" progress, Mistura said on March 31, 2017 that he would first apprise the U.N. Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General on the fifth round of talks (March 24-31, 2017) before announcing a new start date for the sixth round.
Russia Vetoes the Latest U.N. Security Council Resolution on Syria
In New York City, U.S. and other western nations tabled a motion at the U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2017 only to see it vetoed by Russia, eighth such veto in the six-year Syrian Civil War. The motion condemned in no uncertain terms the Syrian President Bashar Assad's role in April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86 people.
U.S. Airstrikes Taking Toll on Civilians, U.N. Commission Says
In the battle for Raqqa, increased involvement of U.S. assisting Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighters by providing air support with airstrikes took an enormous toll on the province's civilian population in general and Raqqa City's civilians in particular, according to Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Briefing reporters on June 14, 2017, Pinheiro said that intensification of airstrikes had "resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes". According to the commission, more than 300 people were killed in airstrikes between March 1, 2017 and May 31, 2017 in Raqqa province.
U.N. Reports more Returns by Displaced Syrians This Year
The U.N. migration agency, International Organization for Migration, reported on August 11, 2017 that 602,759 displaced Syrians had returned homes between January 1 and July 31 this year compared to 685,000 for all of last year. On the same note, IOM also stressed that about 809,000 Syrians had been displaced this year alone.
U.S. Alleges Chlorine Attack
U.S. envoy to the U.N., Nikki Haley, on January 23, 2018 accused Bashar Assad regime of launching rockets filled with Chlorine gas on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb that the regime had been trying to seize for the past five years. Haley also held Russia responsible for the January 22, 2018, chlorine attack. If confirmed, this will mark the first such chemical attack since Russia vetoed two months ago to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism, a U.N. panel in charge of overseeing investigation into chemical attack.
OPCW Report Accuses Assad Regime of Using Chemical Weapon
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons blamed the Syrian regime in a report issued on April 8, 2020 that Syrian forces had used sarin gas and chlorine gas in March 2017 in the central town of Latamneh. In 2018, after international outcries erupted over Syrian regime's on and off use of chemical weapons, an Investigation and Identification Team has been set up in 2018 by OPCW to especially look into this allegation, and April 8, 2020, report marked the vindication of what rights groups had been saying all along. OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said during the day that the report was shared with the secretary general of the United Nations, and it's now the responsibility of the international community to hold Syria accountable. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Berlin would push steps against Damascus both at the U.N Security Council and OPCW. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the OPCW report "is the latest in a large and growing body of evidence" of Damascus' abuse of power and violation of all international norms.
Assad Denies Chlorine Attack Allegation
Syrian President Bashar Assad, appearing in CBS News, said on March 27, 2015 that the accusation of his government's culpability in using Chlorine gas in an attack on March 16, 2015 in Idlib province was a total lie and malicious.
Al-Qaeda-linked Militant Group Seizes a Key Northwestern City
In a major blow to Syrian army and Bashar Assad's grip of power, a coalition of Islamic radicals led by Nusra Front, al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, on March 28, 2015 swept through the provincial capital, Idlib, of Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. The fall of Idlib marked the second provincial capital that was conceded by the government troops. Long ago, Islamic State ousted government troops from Raqqa, capital of the namesake province, and declared the city as the capital of Islamic State caliphate, stretching from a vast area in eastern Syria across the borders into western and northern heartlands in Iraq. Before seizing Idlib, the provincial capital, Nusra Front seized a surrounding areas in the province for months.
Turkey Closes Borders with Syria
A day after al-Qaeda-led Nusra Front seized Idlib, the provincial capital of northwestern Idlib province, Turkey on March 29, 2015 totally shut down the partially open two border crossings, Oncupinar and Cilvegozu in Hatay province. Earlier this month on March 9, 2015, Turkey closed those crossings, only to partially open days later to let humanitarian relief enter into Syria, but remained closed to Syrian refugees trying to enter into Turkey, host to more than 2 million Syrian refugees.
ISIL Threatens Damascus
In the deepest foray toward Damascus, ISIL militants on April 1, 2015 seized half of a sprawling Palestinian refugee camp, Yarmouk, just south of the capital. According to reports, an anti-Bashar Assad Palestinian faction, Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis, was locked in a fierce fighting with ISIL militants on the streets of Yarmouk. According to pro-Assad Palestinian group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine--General Command, ISIL had received from and coordinated with al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front on Yarmouk campaign. If ISIL-Nusra Front nexus alleged by PFLP-GC turns out to be true, it will mark a new turn in Syrian civil war as the two most potent anti-Assad militant groups who have turned their guns on one another have now joined hands to oust the Syrian leader.
ISIL Seizes Palestinian Camp, Butchers People
ISIL militants on April 4, 2015 seized most of the sprawling Yarmouk refugee camp, site to at least 160,000 Palestinians during its heyday that had made it the third-largest concentration of Palestinians after West Bank and Gaza, after annihilating most of the Palestinian resistance. Reports immediately poured in that ISIL militants had begun executing, decapitating and torturing many of the 18,000 people who had stayed put in the refugee camp. Many deplore the mass scale exodus that took place from Yarmouk in the backdrop of Syrian civil war as the second Nakba, or Catastrophe, a term that came to symbolize Palestinians' forced displacement in 1948.
Thousands of Palestinians Flee Refugee Camp
A day after ISIL militants, with the help from Nusra Front, seized the sprawling Yarmouk Refugee Camp at the outskirt of Damascus, thousands of Palestinians on April 5, 2015 were forced to flee the camp and seek shelters at different parts of Damascus. Highlighting the plight of Palestinians in Yarmouk, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on April 5, 2015 decried the situation in Syria and said that Palestinian leadership in Damascus was asked to help out their brethren with aid and assistance. In Gaza, Hamas held demonstrations on April 5, 2015 to denounce ISIL.
Hardline Islamists Close to Victory in a Second Idlib City
Within a month of March 28, 2015, capture of the city of Idlib, Nusra Front-led Islamic rebels were on April 23, 2015 poised to take over a second important city, Jisr al-Shughour, in the province of Idlib. The fall of Jisr al-Shughour will deal a body blow to the Bashar Assad regime.
A Loose Alliance of Rebels Seizes the Key Syrian City
An unlikely alliance of Nusra Front, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda, an Islamic radical group Ahrar al-Sham and western-backed Free Syrian Army on April 25, 2015 seized the city of Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib's second-largest city, opening a new frontier that stretched west to the government-controlled coastal areas. The victory of Jisr al-Shughour and surrounding areas give the rebels a large swath of areas in the north, north-west and west that has virtually isolated the Mediterranean coastal areas still under government control
Israel Carries out Airstrike in Syria
In the seventh airstrike since the civil war had begun in Syria more than four years ago, Israeli Air Force on April 25, 2015 struck Syrian and Hezbollah military targets near the town of Qateyfah in the Qalamoun Mountains. The reports of airstrike were broadcast by Arab media, but neither admitted nor denied by Syria and Israel.
Israel Launches Second Attack in Two Days in Syria
Israeli military said on April 26, 2015 that it had to attack Syrian Army from the air in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as the army personnel were carrying weapons. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that four Syrian soldiers were killed in the airstrike.
Rebels Seize a Key Military Base
Consolidating on their success in seizing the provincial capital city of Idlib, Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib's second-largest city, and a vast swath of rural areas in Idlib, rebels on April 27, 2015 took another prize at the northwestern tip of the province and seized a military base at the town of Ariha.
US Investigating Reports of Civilian Deaths in Airstrikes
The U.S. Military said on May 2, 2015 that it was looking into reports by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that US-led airstrikes on April 29 and April 30, 2015 near Kobani had killed 52 civilians, including 7 children and 9 women.
American Commandos Kill ISIL Leader who Oversees Oil Operation
In the first ever ground raid, US Delta Forces commandos carried out one of the most daring raids in Eastern Syria on May 16, 2015, killing so-called ISIL emir of oil, Abu Sayyaf, and about dozen other militants. The commandos took Sayyaf's wife in custody, and rescued a Yazidi woman enslaved in the compound where the raid was carried out.
*********************************** BATTLE FOR PALMYRA *********************
ISIL Seizes Centuries-old Historic Site
Islamic State militants, consolidating on their days-old gains over large swath of areas on the outskirt of the historic city of Palmyra, swept through the remaining parts of the city on May 22, 2015 that hosts more than 2,000-years-old spectacular archaeological sites.
ISIL Militants Blow up Two Historic Mausoleums
As ISIL was in the run in recent days, its militants were hell-bent to inflict damage to the sites it considered heretics. On June 24, 2015, Syria's antiquities minister Maamoun Abdulkarim said that ISIL militants had destroyed two tombs in the historic city of Palmyra. One tomb was that of Mohammad Bin Ali, a descendent of Imam Ali, and the second tomb was that of a Sufi scholar Nizar Abu Bahaa Eddine.
ISIL Blows up a Historic Temple
Raising consternation for archeologists, historians and academics, ISIL on August 23, 2015 razed a 2,000-year-old temple at the colonnade-filled historic city of Palmyra. ISIL militants booby-trapped Baalshamin Temple, or temple of Lord of the Heavens, for days before blowing it up on August 23, 2015. Now, ISIL is reported to be readying to destroy another millennial-old temple, Temple of Bel, nearby. The U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, on August 24, 2015 called the destruction of Temple of Baalshamin as a war crime. The destruction of Baalshamin Temple took place days after ISIL militants carried out beheading of an antiquities scholar, who had dedicated his entire life to research and scholastic findings on Palmyra ruins.
A Second Temple Blown up
Doubling down on its campaign of destruction of Syria's ancient heritage, a second temple that was part of colonnade-filled city of Palmyra, Temple of Bel, was blasted and seriously damaged by ISIL militants on August 30, 2015. The attack on the 2,000-year-old temple came a week after Temple of Baalshamin was blown up and a world renowned archeologist, Khaled al-Assad, who had dedicated his whole life to the research in Palmyra, was beheaded by Islamic State extremists.
ISIL's Orgy of Destruction of History Continues
After razing the two-millennial-old Temple of Bel and Temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, ISIL militants blew up three iconic tower tombs of colonnade-filled ancient city of Palmyra, said Maamoon Abdulkarim, Syria's head of Antiquities and Museum Department, on September 4, 2015. The three tower tombs--Tower of Elahel, Tower of Iamliku and Tower of Atenaten--which had adorned the so-called Valley of the Tombs, had been destroyed between August 27, 2015 and September 2, 2015.
Syrian Army Launches Offensive to Retake Palmyra
After an almost six-month Russian air campaign that had reversed the battlefield equation in favor of Syrian President Bashar Assad, an emboldened Damascus on March 18, 2016 launched a concerted push to uproot ISIL militants from the historic city of Palmyra. Although Russia's surprising announcement on March 14, 2016 to withdraw from Syria was seen more of a vindication of Assad's upper hands in the fight with rebels, Russia was not sitting on the sidelines in the Palmyra offensive. In stead, it was providing an air cover to approaching Syrian soldiers.
Palmyra: ISIL's Grips Losing Fast
The ancient city of Palmyra and its surroundings now await the fate of when, not if, they will be recaptured by Syrian regime. Syrian army, backed by Hezbollah fighters and Russian airstrikes, on March 23, 2016 moved closer to the city, just little over a mile outside, and positioned on the high grounds overlooking the U.N. World Heritage site.
Syrian Army Advances in Palmyra
Syrian and Russian airstrikes hit at least 56 targets of Palmyra on March 25, 2016 as regime fighters were locked in a fierce battle in and around Palmyra, making steady advance to the inevitable outcome of getting the city and historic site rid of ISIL.
Syrian Army Recaptures Palmyra
After days of fierce fighting and incessant airstrikes by Russia, ISIL militants were forced to flee from Palmyra on March 27, 2016. By the nightfall on March 27, 2016, Syrian Army and pro-government militia were in effective control over the modern day Palmyra as well as historic sites few miles off the residential neighborhoods. The recapture of Palmyra, also known as the "bride of the desert", led to sigh of big relief for antiquities experts and historians as they now would be able to go there and assess the scale of damage and destruction inflicted upon the U.N. World Heritage Site by ISIL militants.
ISIL Returns to Palmyra in Surprise Attacks
As world's attention was riveted on Aleppo and military assets of the pro-government forces were deployed to fight out that strategically more important battle, ISIL militants launched surprise attacks on the historic city of Palmyra from three sides on December 10, 2016. After several hours of fierce fighting, ISIL seized control over many parts of Palmyra and, by December 11, 2016, Syrian troops had deserted all of their defensive positions.
ISIL Advances on a Key Airbase
A day after exerting near complete control over the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, ISIL fighters on December 12, 2016 closed in on a nearby strategic airbase, Tiyas Airbase, and engaged Syrian soldiers in heavy fighting. Meanwhile, at a EU foreign ministerial level meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized Russia and Syria for not sufficiently paying attention to the security and defense of Palmyra.
ISIL Gets Its Hands on Weapons Left by Military
As Syrian military personnel left its posts and barracks in and around Palmyra, reports emerged on December 13, 2016 that ISIL militants had seized all the sophisticated Russian weaponry and defense equipment left by the retreating troops.
Indirectly Aided by the U.S., Assad Recaptures Historic City
A group of odd bedfellows lent their military might to Assad regime to help recapture Palmyra from the clutches of ISIL on March 2, 2017, three months after the extremist group shocked the world by seizing the ancient city littered with historic tombs and overarching promenades. Syrian soldiers received multi-pronged help this time from a host of anti-ISIL operation that included US airstrikes, Russian offensive, Hezbollah and Iranian fighters on the ground.
*********************************** BATTLE FOR PALMYRA *********************
Kurdish Fight-back in Northeastern Syria Leaves ISIL on the Run
A concerted and spirited fight-back by Syrian Kurdish militant group, YPG, or People's Protection Units, in the country's northeast helped oust ISIL fighters from at least 200 towns and villages since the beginning of the May 2015. The latest gains came on June 13, 2015 as the YPG fighters were reported to be approaching the city of Tal Abayad. If Tal Abayad falls, it will deal a significant logistical blow to ISIL as the city served as a strategic link between the ISIL capital of Raqqa and Turkish borders.
Kurdish Fighters Rout ISIL from a Key Town
Syrian-Kurd militia group YPG, or People's Protection Units, after laying a days-old siege, on June 16, 2015 ousted ISIL from the strategic town of Tal Abayad, dealing a psychological blow to the so-called invincibility of the Islamic extremist group and wreaking a war-field havoc to severely constrain the extremist group's logistical options by cutting off a key route to Turkish borders that, in the past, worked as a strategic conduit of supplies and fighters bound for the so-called Islamic Caliphate capital of Raqqa.
Kurdish Fighters Up the Ante on ISIL; Frees More Areas
Days after capturing the strategic city of Tal Abayad, a logistical link between the ISIL's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa and the Syria-Turkish borders used to move in fighters and supplies, Kurdish militant group YPG, or People's Protection Units, pressed ahead to liberate more areas, culminating in the siege of town of Ein Issa on June 23, 2015. Ein Issa's capture by YPG bodes well for the fight against ISIL as the town sits just 30 miles north of Raqqa. Lauding the recent successes by Kurdish fighters against ISIL, the White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on June 23, 2015 that the results showed the positive outcome when American airpower was matched by a "willing" and "effective" combat partners on the ground.
ISIL's Folly with Kobani Fails
ISIL militants, dressed in YPG uniforms and raising flags of Free Syrian Army, launched a surprise attack on Kobani on June 25, 2015 to recapture the border town. However, a spirited pushback by YPG helped defeat the ISIL aggression to seize the border town. By nightfall, all ISIL attackers were killed and Kobani remained safe at the hand of Kurdish fighters. Kurds took Turkey to the task for its complicity with ISIL. The surprise attack on Kobani was part of the two attacks launched during the day by ISIL. Another attack took place in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, capital of the province with the same name. Hassakeh was controlled by Kurds in the north and Syrian security forces in the southern part of the town. In advance of ISIL march toward Hassakeh, Syrian security forces made a sudden withdrawal from their positions, paving the way for ISIL to seize the southern parts of Hassakeh.
Massacre in Kobani Reported
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based rights group, on June 26, 2015 reported ISIL-orchestrated massacre in Kobani a day earlier as the Islamic militant group had launched surprise attack, but handily beaten back by the Syrian-Kurdish militia group YPG, or People's Protection Units. According to Observatory, ISIL militants went house to house, and executed in cold blood more than 200, including children and women. Dozens of ISIL militants, dressed in YPG uniform and raising the flags for Free Syrian Army, launched a surprise attack in the early hours of June 25, 2015 to take control of Kobani. However, a spirited resistance by YPG fighters beat back the ISIL militants, and by the nightfall of June 25, 2015 Kobani was cleared of ISIL. 54 ISIL fighters and 16 YPG resistance personnel were killed in the June 25, 2015, failed bid by ISIL to seize Kobani, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
ISIL Tries to Seize A Key City
Repeating its Kobani strategy in which dozens of ISIL militants launched a surprise attack on June 25, 2015 to seize the town of Kobani, the militant group mounted another surprise attack on June 30, 2015, this time to take Tal Abayad, which Syrian-Kurdish militant group YPG, or People's Protection Units, cleared of ISIL fighters on June 16, 2015, but failed in the similar manner as in Kobani. However, the pair of sudden attacks on Kobani and Tal Abayad, a key strategic link to bring in supplies and soldiers from Turkish frontier to the so-called capital of Islamic caliphate, Raqqa, in a gap of mere 5 days shows the resilience and realignment of its battlefield strategy.
A Key Al-Qaeda-Tied Leader in Syria Killed
Pentagon on July 21, 2015 announced that a key commander of the Khorasan Group, an al-Qaeda offshoot, was killed in the U.S. airstrike. The commander, Muhsin al-Fadhli, was reported to have been killed on July 8, 2015.
Spanish Journalists Missing
An association of Spanish journalists said on July 21, 2015 that three of their brethren were missing in Syria. Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre went to northern city of Aleppo to cover Syrian Civil War.
Israeli Drone Strike Kills 3
An Israeli drone struck on July 29, 2015 in southern Syria, killing three people. As usual, Israel remained mum on the drone strike although Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, run by Hezbollah, reported that the drone strike targeted a van carrying the pro-Assad militia group Syrian National Defense Committees members.
U.S.-backed Rebels Abducted by al-Qaeda-linked Group
In a blow to already faltering and failing U.S. effort to train Syrian rebels to take on ISIL, an al-Qaeda-linked group, Nusra Front, abducted the leader and several members of Division 30 from the northern Syrian countryside in Aleppo province. A statement attributed to Division 30 and issued on July 30, 2015 demanded an unconditional release of Col. Nadim al-Hassan, the leader of the U.S.-trained group, and other members.
U.S.-backed Rebel Group Came under Attack for the Second Day
A day after a senior leader, Col. Nadim al-Hassan, and several fighters of Division 30 were abducted by al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, the U.S.-trained group's encampment at the town of Azaz in Aleppo province, close to Turkish borders, came under a brutal attack on July 31, 2015 by the al-Qaeda-tied group. The fighters tied to Division 30 called in the airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition, and the coalition lent its support by providing much needed airstrikes to repel the extremists' attack on the camp.
Airstrike to Defend U.S.-Backed Rebels Marks Shift in Strategy
The July 31, 2015, U.S. airstrikes called in by the besieged rebels of Division 30, a rebel group trained and backed by the USA, marked the expansion of US involvement in Syria that might indirectly help President Bashar Assad. Although President Obama asked Assad to step down, the recent U.S. action and plan suggest that the primary mission was to defeat, degrade and destroy ISIL, not oust Assad from the power.
ISIL Captures a Town Southwest of Archeological Ruins
ISIL seized Qaryatain, a town of 40,000 Sunni and Christian Syrians southwest of Palmyra, on August 6, 2015 in the biggest ever advance toward Damascus. Qaryatain is located in the center of a triangular region connecting Homs, Palmyra and Damascus, making it a strategic prize in Syrian civil war. The attack on Qaryatain began on August 5, 2015 with three suicide bombers targeting army checkpoints, leading to a fierce fight that lasted overnight with the town's eventual change in hand.
Christians, Sunni Muslims Seized from the Fallen City
A day after ISIL seized the city of Qaryatain in Homs province, the extremist group was on August 7, 2015 reported to have seized about 170 Sunnis and 60 Christians.
Syria Releases Noted Rights Activist
Recognizing that secular opposition was no longer its top threat, Bashar Assad regime on August 10, 2015 released an internationally renowned and respected human rights activist after more than three years of imprisonment. Mazen Darwish was the Director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom when he was arrested in February 2012 along with a pair of his aides in government crackdown on dissents. Darwish and his two aides had been languishing in jail amid Syrian uprising that had erupted as a peaceful civil disobedience against the government taking a dive into abyss of civil and sectarian war with no end in sight. His two aides were released last month. Although Darwish has been released from jail on August 10, 2015, he has to appear in court for a hearing on August 30, 2015.
Syrian Airstrikes Kill at least 20 in Damascus Suburb
Syrian aircraft continued its week-long air campaign against rebel positions in Douma, a suburb of Damascus, and killed at least 20 people on August 22, 2015 after hitting a marketplace. On August 16, 2015, Syrian airstrike struck a vegetable market in Douma, killing at least 100 people, one of the deadliest days in more than four years of Syrian Civil War.
***************************** RUSSIAN MILITARY BUILD-UP IN SYRIA ************
Kerry Expresses Reservation over Russia's Military Build-up in Syria
As Russia had sent advanced military team and dozens of pre-fabricated housing units to a Syrian airbase near Latakia as a show of support and bolstering the defense for a teetering Assad regime, USA became alarmed with the turn of the events. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on September 5, 2015 called his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and expressed Washington's deep reservation.
Russia Using Iranian, Iraqi Airspace to Bring Supplies, Soldiers
After Bulgaria, a NATO member, refused to let Russia use its airspace, Moscow persuaded Iran and Iraq to use their airspace to ship in supplies to Russia's new airbase near Latakia. Russia planned to use the airbase to strike against ISIL targets in support of Bashar Assad regime. Russian flights used Iranian and Iraqi airspace on September 14, 2015.
US, Russian Defense Chief Talk about Coordination
As Russia was increasing its presence in Syria in support of beleaguered President Bashar Assad to beat back a recalcitrant insurgency, US found itself in a Catch-22 situation. On September 18, 2015, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter called his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu to discuss on coordination to avert any possible collision between US-led coalition air campaign and any Russian air campaign.
Russia Continues Syrian Build-up
Russian military continued building up its presence of military hardware, trainers and personnel at the airbase it had recently set up near the western city of Latakia. During the weekend of September 18-20, 2015, Russia deployed dozens of Su-24 Fencer and Su-25 Frogfoot planes. The planes are protected by two and possibly three SA-22 surface-to-air, anti-aircraft batteries.
Russia Opens New Chapter in Syria by Bombing Rebel Targets
Russian warplanes on September 30, 2015 pummeled rebel targets in Syria aimed at degrading both ISIL and other rebel factions while propping up the Bashar Assad regime. Meanwhile, Syrian National Coalition head Khaled Khoja said at the United Nations in New York on September 30, 2015 that the Russian airstrikes had killed 36 civilians, including five children.
Russia Continues Second Day of Airstrikes
Russia sent 50 aircraft on about 30 sorties in the sky over Syria on October 1, 2015, hitting targets of ISIL in northeastern and eastern Syria as well as other militant groups in central Syria.
Russia Hits ISIL Targets; Obama Says Russian Action to Lead to Quagmire
As Russia continued its third day of air campaign on October 2, 2015, it struck Raqqa, the self-style capital of Islamic State caliphate, and hit 7 targets in the city. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said on October 2, 2015 at a White House news conference that Russian air campaign would only lead to "a quagmire".
U.S.-Led Coalition Plans Major Arms Assistance
In the context of Russian air campaign in Syria that had begun on September 30, 2015, Obama administration changed its tack in Syria, and on October 4, 2015 approved a pair of military measures to blunt the ISIL. For the first time, Obama administration will provide rebels armament to fight against ISIL instead of pursuing a faltering training program for select, vetted rebel group. The Arab fighters, numbering 3,000 to 5,000, will join the approximate 20,000 Kurdish fighters to put up resistance against ISIL militants. A second measure will allow U.S. to use more air sorties from an airbase in Turkey.
Saudi Clerics Call Russia's Intervention in Syria a Christian Crusade
Describing Russia's air campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015 as a Christian crusade against Sunni Muslims, Saudi Arabia's 53 clerics on October 5, 2015 denounced and condemned Russia's "immersion" and intervention in Syria on behalf of Bashar Assad. Russia's intervention made special U.N. envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura's diplomatic effort more difficult as 41 rebel factions opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a statement on October 5, 2015, saying that it was much more difficult now to seek diplomatic solution after Moscow intervened in Syria on behalf of Assad.
Syrian Ground Forces Join in as Russia Shows Firepower
A week after Russia launched its air campaign in Syria, Syrian ground forces on October 7, 2015 launched offensive against rebels in central Syria as Russian cruise missiles launched from warships on the Caspian Sea had traversed 900 miles over Iran and Iraq to strike Raqqa, Aleppo and Idlib province. The military objectives of the Syrian ground forces were aimed at pushing out the rebels first from Hama province, and then push forward to Idlib province.
Russian Air-Syrian Ground Offensives Continue for the Second Day
The coordinated air offensive led by Russia and ground offensive led by the Syrian Army along with the associated pro-government militia continued in full swing on the second day on October 8, 2015. Syrian Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub declared sweeping goals for the ground offensive at a press briefing on October 8, saying that the government wanted to regain lost territories in the central and western Syria.
Putin Rationalizes Russian Intervention as Catalyst for Kick-starting the Political Process
In an interview with the state TV, Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 11, 2015 justified Moscow's air campaign in Syria on the ground that it would create a level playing field for both government and rebels, thus giving both sides incentives to engage in the political process. Meanwhile, government troops backed by Russian airstrikes were making steady progress during the day against rebels in central Syria.
Mortar Hits near Russian Embassy; al-Qaeda Calls for Attacks within Russia
As thousands of pro-government demonstrators assembled in front of the Russian embassy in Damascus to show their support for Russian airstrikes in Syria, two mortar shells struck the ground near the embassy on October 13, 2015. The casualty figures were not known by the end of the day. Responding to the mortar attack, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called it "an act of terrorism" as he was preparing to meet the Special U.N. Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. Meanwhile, head of Nusra Front, Syrian franchise of al-Qaeda, on October 13, 2015 called for attacks within Russia for what Abu Mohammed al-Jolani described as Moscow's anti-Muslim oppression in Syria.
Syrian Military Advances along a Key Highway
Assisted by Russian airstrikes, Syrian Army on October 15, 2015 made a concerted progress in taking control over towns and villages along a key highway between Homs and Hama, thus breaking the stranglehold of a strategic corridor. Syrian army's advance was made possible by at least 33 airstrikes by Russian war planes over the past 24 hours.
Russia, USA Sign MOU to Follow Rules in Sky over Syria
On October 20, 2015, Russian and American defense ministry officials signed a memorandum of understanding at Moscow to ensure that warplanes flown by dueling powers over Syria would avert near-collision incidents experienced quite a few times in the past. Under the MOU, there will be a line of communication to remain open and operational to facilitate free flow of information and share each other's plan.
Assad Meets with Putin at Moscow
In a show of confidence, Syrian President Bashar Assad flew to Moscow and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 20, 2015. The meeting lasted until the early hours of October 21, 2015. This marked the first overseas trip of Assad since the civil war had erupted in 2011.
Flashpoint in Relations as Turkey Shots down a Russian Airplane
Syrian theater saw its first military brinkmanship between nations instead of warring groups on November 24, 2015 as Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Mediterranean coast, marking the first time in almost half-a-century a NATO member nation had fired hostile shot at Russian plane. Ankara said that Russia flouted its sovereignty, and despite repeated warnings, Russian jet stayed in Turkish airspace, an accusation Moscow rejected. Two pilots ejected from the Russian warplane, but landed in the rebel territory. They were killed by Syrian rebels so was another Russian airman who was aboard an MI-8 helicopter for a search-and-rescue mission of the two pilots from the downed Su-24 jet when the helicopter took fire from rebels, leading to the airman's death. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II at the Black Sea port of Sochi called the Turkish action as "stab in the back". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, scheduled to visit Turkey on November 25, 2015, cancelled his trip to Turkey. Turkey after the incident called an emergency meeting of NATO, but had refrained to invoke a "collective military response" clause. U.S. President Barack Obama defended Turkish action of defending its airspace, but asked both Russia and Turkey to "step back" and de-escalate. According to NATO, Russian Su-24 warplane was flying over the Hatay region inside Turkey when it was struck by F-16s.
Russia to Send Missiles to Syria
Bolstering its defense in Syria in response to downing of a Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 fighter jets a day earlier, Russia on November 25, 2015 announced that it would send S-400 ground-to-air missiles to Syria to station 30 miles south of Turkish borders. Kremlin also announced that it was moving a missile-carrying cruiser, Moskva, closer to Latakia region. Meanwhile, Russian special operation troops bearing on an area near Turkish borders in five MI-8 helicopters made a dramatic rescue of one of the pilots, Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin, under darkness in early hours of November 25, 2015. On November 24, 2015, when Su-24 was fired by air-to-air missiles, both Murakhtin and the second pilot, Lt. Col. Oleg Peshkov, along with a Russian airman aboard a search-and-rescue helicopter that had gone afterwards to the region where Su-24 pilots had ejected were reported to have been shot dead by Syrian rebels. Apparently, Murakhtin was alive and under captivity of the rebels. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on November 25, 2015 that his country wanted to pursue "peace, dialogue and diplomacy" in the wake of the incident, but defended Ankara's right to defend the country's sovereignty. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu chimed in on November 25, 2015, saying that Russia was "a friend and neighbor", but criticized Russian air attacks in recent days against areas inhabited by Bayirbucak Turkmen, people with strong links with Turks.
History of the Region where Russian Warplane Was Fired
The history in a coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea where Russian warplane had crashed on November 24, 2015 after being fired by air-to-air missiles by Turkish F-16s is controversial and convoluted. Present day Turkey's Hatay region that had protruded deep inside Syrian territory along the Mediterranean Sea was claimed by both Syria and Turkey, and Moscow had historically sided with Damascus. Hatay region symbolizes the melting pot of ethnic fusion among Turks, Arabs and Christians, and the biblical city of Antioch is located in Hatay. After the World War I, the League of Nations granted the province to Syria's colonial ruler France. Ethnic Turks in Hatay region seceded in 1938, and the next year, the province joined Turkey. Adjacent areas in Syria are inhabited predominantly by Bayirbucak Turkmen, who nurture strong family, cultural and social bonds with fellow Turks in Hatay region. It's the regular Russian airstrikes against Bayirbucak Turkmen that has irked Turkey the most as Turkey's president said very candidly on November 25, 2015 that "we have our relatives, our kin" who were getting attacked by Russian air campaign.
Turkish President Seeks Meeting with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on November 27, 2015 sought a meeting with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of Paris Climate Conference in an effort to defuse and resolve a tense diplomatic situation stemming from November 24, 2015, downing of a Russian Su-24 warplane. In order to ratchet down the rhetoric, Erdogan also backed off his earlier statement that faced with the situation today, Turkey would take the same measure. However, Erdogan also asked Vladimir Putin not to "play with fire". Meanwhile, in a toughening diplomatic measure, Russia will cancel all visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the punitive measures on November 27, 2015.
Russia Imposes Sanctions on Turkey over Downing of Its Plane
Angered by November 24, 2015, downing of Russian Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 jets, Kremlin shot back on November 28, 2015 with a host of sanctions against Turkey despite a mellowing down of political tone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed regret and said that he wished that it hadn't occurred. The sanctions, published on the Kremlin website, include:
* A ban on some Turkish imports
* Cancellation of extension of contracts of Turkish laborers in Russia effective January 1, 2016
* Cancellation of visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016
Putin Ratchets up Anti-Turkey Rhetoric
Russian President Vladimir Putin upped the ante against Turkey and its president on December 3, 2015, nine days after Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane in northern Syria. Addressing his annual speech on the state of federation, Putin lampooned Turkish political establishment saying that Allah decided to "punish Turkey's ruling clique by depriving it of sense and reason". Putin also alleged that the family of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made illicit money from oil trade with ISIL.
Russia to Expand its Presence in Syria, Use a Second Airbase
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 3, 2015 that Russia had been expanding in recent days its military presence in Syrian war theater by rushing supplies and equipment to and starting on construction at Shaayrat Air Base, about 25 miles southeast of Syrian central city of Homs. Russia is currently using Basel al-Assad Airbase, also known as Hemeimeem, in the coastal province of Latakia, to run its air campaign.
Russia Unleashes Ferocious Strikes in Syria
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on December 8, 2015 gave a detailed account of a full-fledged Russian air campaign in Syria. Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the submerged Rostov-on-Don submarines in Mediterranean Sea to strike targets in Raqqa, ISIL's nominal capital of the Islamic Caliphate. Also, Tu-22 bombers took off a Russian base to carry out 60 sorties over the past three days to hit munition depot, a factory, manufacturing mortar rounds and oil facilities controlled by "terrorists". Shoigu's account was part of his briefing to President Vladimir Putin at Russian parliament.
Putin Says that Russia Has Supported Syrian Opposition
Russian President Vladimir Putin, famous for his off-the-cup statements and exaggeration, said on December 11, 2015 during an address to Defense Ministry officials in Kremlin that Russia had not only provided support to Syrian troops, but also to more than 5,000 FSA (Free Syrian Army) troops with air support as well as with "weapons, ammunitions and supplies" in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Aleppo and Raqqa. Although Putin was unequivocal in his comment about help provided to FSA, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified few hours later that Moscow had not provided any armament to FSA, only air cover.
Free Syrian Army Denies Russian Help
Free Syrian Army on December 12, 2015 denied that it had received any help from Russia as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier.
Russian Airstrike Kills 10 at a Rebel-held Town
Russian air campaign continued to take heavy toll as Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 12, 2015 that Russian airstrike during the day at the northern town of Atareb, under rebel control, had killed 10 people.
Russian Airstrikes Target Bootlegged Fuel Market in Rebel-held Towns
Britain-based Syrian human rights group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 15, 2015 that Russian warplanes targeted fuel markets at two rebel-held towns in northern Syria earlier in the day. Airstrikes at a fuel market in the town of Maaret al-Naasan killed 16 people, wounded dozens and destroyed scores of tanker trucks. The town is known as a sprawling bazaar of illicit fuel trade shipped from ISIL-controlled areas. Separate airstrikes on the town of Maskaneh in the northern Syria killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens more, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Maskaneh at the time of attack was under the control of ISIL.
Airstrike Kills a Rebel Commander
A well-known rebel commander, Zahran Alloush, was killed in an airstrike on December 25, 2015 at a Damascus suburb. Zahran Alloush was a commander of the rebel group Army of Islam that had sent delegation to the just concluded Riyadh meeting as part of carrying out the groundwork and building a unifying platform for the rebels in the run-up to the international peace talks on the future of Syria. Local activists said that Russian airstrike had killed Zahran Alloush. Alloush was a controversial figure, and though he had commandeered thousands of militants at the doorstep of Damascus, he had earned enemy from among government, rebels and some of the general population. Zahran Alloush was killed as he was meeting with other rebel leaders at the Army of Islam headquarters. Beside Alloush, among those who were killed in the airstrike were leaders from Army of Islam, ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Rahman groups.
Opposition Mourn the Death of Rebel Commanders
Two contrary pictures emerged in Syria on December 26, 2015, a day after an Army of Islam commander, Zahran Alloush, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike. On one side most of the opposition and rebel groups decried the assassination and mourned the death of Alloush, government supporters and ISIL found much common ground to celebrate. Alloush's assassination will cripple, even temporarily, rebels' position and strengthen government's hands before the international talks scheduled to begin January 25, 2016 at Geneva. Reflecting the mood, a senior member of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition, Anas al-Abdeh, said on December 26, 2015 that the assassination of Zahran Alloush "makes a mockery of all talks of political settlement" and undermined the "negotiations before they begin". A senior member of the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham group, Labib Nahhas, went even further by accusing "Putin's regime" of carrying out the campaign of "extermination" of rebels before the start of international talks.
Meanwhile, on the ground, equations are expected to change in many of the Damascus suburbs, especially in Ghouta, in the light of Zahran Alloush's death. To minimize any potential adverse impact that might be caused by the death of Alloush, the Army of Islam swiftly named a field commander, Essam al-Buwayadhani, also known as Abu Hammam, as Alloush's successor.
U.S. General: Russian Airstrikes Strengthen Assad's Hands
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. said at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, providing Bashar Assad much-needed boost against the opposition.
Russian Air Strikes Make a Difference on the Ground
Validating the statement of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, the Syrian forces and pro-government militias were on the offensive lately, and supported by Russian air campaign, captured on January 24, 2016 a strategic town, Rabia, in the northwestern mountain range of Jabal al-Turkoman. The Syrian forces were now focused on seizing the surrounding villages on the mountain range. Eleven days earlier, government forces captured another strategic town, Salma, on a neighboring mountain, Jabal al-Akrad. Days before the beginning of the international talks on Syrian war, originally scheduled to begin on January 25, 2016, but now pushed further, concerted advance of the Syrian forces will tip the balance of power in favor of the Bashar Assad regime and the government negotiators will bargain at the talks from the power of strength.
A Strategic Town in Southern Syria Taken over by Syrian Troops
Backed by a concerted Russian air campaign, Syrian troops and pro-government militias on January 26, 2016 seized a key town in southern Syria, Sheik Miskeen, that acted as a strategic conduit for western-backed Syrian rebels linking Jordanian borders to Damascus and its surrounding areas.
A Massive Offensive Planned
As the talks in Geneva were limping along, Syrian President Bashar Assad's army, backed by foot-soldiers from Hezbollah and pro-government militias along with a concerted air support from Russia, on February 2, 2016 was at the beginning of launching a major offensive to oust rebel fighters from long-held rebel areas of Aleppo and Homs.
Government Offensive Backed by Russian Airstrikes Keeps the Rebels Reeling
A major government offensive backed by Russian airstrikes launched on February 2, 2016 upended all equations on the ground, forcing the rebels to be on survival mode and retreat from areas in and around of Aleppo. A day after the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, declared a pause to peace talks, government offensive on February 4, 2016 intensified both in severity and size, resulting in the capture of several villages in the surrounding countryside and cutting off of a key supply route between Aleppo and Turkish border in the north. Meanwhile tens of thousands of Syrians were reportedly fleeing Aleppo and surrounding areas toward Turkish borders. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was attending a donor conference on Syria at London, said on February 4, 2016 that at least 70,000 Syrian civilians were desperately heading toward the Turkish borders to escape the offensive.
Mass Exodus from Aleppo and Surrounding Areas as Turkey Closes Its Borders
Approximately 35,000 Syrians had massed near Turkish borders as of February 7, 2016, five days after a blistering offensive was launched by Syrian government backed by Russian air campaign and pro-government militia. Meanwhile, Turkish borders remained closed for the third day in a row, creating an inhuman situation on the ground on the Syrian side of the border with tens of thousands of refugees in a limbo amidst a cold winter. The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis said on February 6, 2016 that Turkish authorities would provide food and other relief supplies to tens of thousands of Syrians within Syria, but would continue to close the borders with the exception of some "extraordinary crisis". Turkey closed the borders on February 5, 2016. Turkish Deputy premier Numan Kurtulmus told the CNN-Turk TV on February 7, 2016 that his country had already taken 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians, and reached the capacity. However, Turkey would keep accepting additional refugees, Kurtulmus added, as they had nowhere to go.
Coordinates of the Medical Facility not Given to Syria or Russia
The February 15, 2016, airstrikes on a medical facility at the Syrian town of Maaret al-Numan that had killed at least 25 people became an immediate point of contention between Russia and Syrian regime on one side and international community on the other hand. The medical facility, run by the Doctors Without Borders, or MSF by its French acronym, was hit four times. The question that arose in the immediate aftermath was whether Russia, or Syrian regime, knew about it. MSF International President Joanne Liu said at Geneva on February 18, 2016 that upon recommendation from the MSF staff members, the group didn't provide either Syrian government, or Russia, any information about this medical facility as the Syrian government seemed to be absolutely indifferent to such vital information in past incidents.
Russia to Withdraw from Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 14, 2016 surprised the world by his announcement that Russian troops and bombers would immediately begin withdrawing from Syria. Putin's announcement came after almost a six-month-long aerial campaign that had not only helped the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad to survive the fierce rebellion, but reversed the tide of fighting in favor of Damascus and help government to gain new grounds beside consolidating the ones already under control. Beside achieving its military objectives, Russia also wants its most trusted ally in the region, Bashar Assad, to take the talks that had resumed at Geneva during the day under the mediation of Staffan de Mistura, U.N. envoy for Syria, more seriously and make necessary political concessions. Withdrawal of Russia from Syrian theater may be a subtle message by Putin to Assad to engage in talks instead of counting on Moscow to militarily find a solution. Putin's decision was announced in presence of his two chief lieutenants, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Putin Calls Russia's Military Intervention a Success, Vows to Return if Needed
Three days after surprising the world by announcement of Russia's immediate withdrawal from Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin told on March 17, 2016 that he would re-deploy in Syria if necessary. Putin's comments came during an address to officers from Russian military at Kremlin's ornate St. George's Hall where many of the participants in the Syrian offensive were awarded for valor. Putin called the Russian mission a success and Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose hands had been strengthened militarily by Russian intervention, now willing to make necessary political compromise in the ongoing talks at Geneva. Also, Putin exuded confidence that a soon-to-be launched offensive against ISIL would liberate the U.N. World Heritage city of Palmyra.
Alleged Russian Airstrike Kills Dozens
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 25, 2016 that airstrikes launched by Russia earlier in the day had hit a mosque at a village, Qourieh, in Deir el-Zour province, killing at least 46 people, including 31 civilians. Qourieh, like most areas of the Deir el-Zour province, is controlled by ISIL. Russia denied that it had carried the airstrikes in Qourieh on June 25, 2016.
Russian Copter Shot down in Aleppo
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by rebels in Idlib province on August 1, 2016, killing 3 crew members and 2 military officers amid a bitter fight in Aleppo between regime forces and its allies on one hand and rebels on the other. Rebels were mounting an all-out attack to break the siege of government on the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. Russian military announced that at least 800 militants were killed. Regarding the Russian copter crash, Moscow said that the Mi-8 helicopter delivered the humanitarian aid in Aleppo and was on its way back to Hemeimeem Airbase when it was shot down.
***************************** RUSSIAN MILITARY BUILD-UP IN SYRIA ************
France Expands Its Air Campaign to Syria
French President Francois Hollande said on September 7, 2015 that his country would no longer limit its air campaign against ISIL in Iraq only, would expand airstrikes to areas in Syria to degrade and defeat the Islamic State. A year ago, France joined the U.S.-led coalition against ISIL in Iraq. Hollande's September 7, 2015, announcement deepened the French involvement in the region as ISIL made steady progress in Syria, effectively controlling almost half of Iraq and Syria.
British Premier Justifies Drone Attack to Kill Two Britons in Syria
British Prime Minister David Cameron on September 7, 2015 told lawmakers in the House of Commons that a British drone carried out an attack in Raqqa, so-called capital of ISIL caliphate, on August 21, 2015. The attack killed three ISIL militants, including two Britons. Cameron justified the killing as they were plotting attack on British targets.
Government Loses Effective Control of Almost All of the Second Province
After the Assad regime ceded the control of Raqqa province in its entirety in early 2014, the government on September 9, 2015 made a hasty retreat from an airbase in Idlib province, leading to an almost complete sweep of the province by al-Qaeda-linked Syrian affiliate, Nusra Front. Abu Zuhour Airbase was the only major strategic area the government had retained in Idlib province. The government security forces withdrew from the airbase leaving equipment and military gears behind. Now, the Bashar Assad regime controls 12 of country's 14 provinces.
Islamic State Holds Norwegian, Chinese Hostages
ISIL on September 9, 2015 said that it was holding two foreigners: 48-year-old Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad of Norway and 50-year-old Chinese Fan Jinghui. However, it's not clear how, when and where two foreigners were kidnapped. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg confirmed on September 9, 2015 in Oslo that one of his countryman of age late 40s was kidnapped in Syria.
Government Soldiers Oust ISIL Militants from a Central Oil Field
Bashar Assad regime's security forces on September 9, 2015 retook the Jazal Oil Field in central Homs province from ISIL.
Commander's Report to Senate Implies Absolute Failure for the U.S. Mission to Train Rebels
The U.S. Central Command head Gen. Lloyd Austin on September 16, 2015 appeared at the Capitol Hill and gave a failing report to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on a $500 million program to train, equip and ready a 5,000-strong rebel force in Syria to take on ISIL. According to Gen. Austin's estimate, only 5 or 6 dedicated fighters were currently in Syria as part of the program after 54 fighters from the program were kidnapped in late July.
Syrian Aircraft Attacks ISIL-held Areas
Syrian Air Force on September 18, 2015 launched massive air attack on areas in Palmyra held by ISIL militants, killing dozens of them.
Rebels Surround the Last Bastion of Government in Idlib
A coalition of rebels, known as Jaysh al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest, on September 18, 2015 launched a last-ditch attack to seize the two villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib where pro-government Shiite militia had put up a valiant resistance. The remainder of Idlib already fell into rebel hands early September, becoming the second province to be out of government control.
56 Government Soldiers Killed
In a similar template of what ISIL do with the captives, Nusra Front had carried out execution of 56 Syrian soldiers seized as Abu Zuhour Airbase in Idlib province fell on September 9, 2015, according to a statement issued on September 19, 2015 by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
France Launches First Airstrikes in Syria
20 days after French President Francois Hollande announced that his country would expand the air campaign against ISIL from Iraq to Syria, French warplanes on September 27, 2015 bombed the ISIL targets in eastern Syria.
France Launches Inquiry against Assad Regime
In a swipe against the Russian intervention in Syria on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad, France announced an inquiry into human rights abuses committed by Assad regime on the same day Russia launched airstrikes in Syria. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said of the launch of the inquiry to Agence France Presse on September 30, 2015.
******************** INTERNATIONAL TALKS TO SEEK PEACE *******************
17 Nations Meet in Vienna to Launch New Peace Talks
Diplomats from 17 nations, including players on both sides of the Syrian civil war such as the USA, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia and Iran, met at Vienna during three-day (October 29-31, 2015) talks in a bid to launch new peace negotiation. However, the fate of Bashar Assad in any future political process remained uncertain as there was no agreement among the nations about his future. John Kerry attended the conference. The talks were held under the auspices of 17-nation International Syria Support Group.
Second Round of Talks to Convene at Vienna
As a sequel to the first round of latest talks in late October, involving 17 nations, US, Russia and other nations will meet at Vienna on November 14, 2015 to pick up the thread where they have left last time amid a loose Russian proposal taking shape. The second round to be held by 17-nation International Syria Support Group is likely to take up the Russian proposal for further discussion. The Russian proposal calls for
* A new constitution to be drafted within 18 months
* A referendum on this new constitution
* Early presidential elections
However, the Russian proposal is silent on the fate of Bashar Assad in transitional administration, and Obama administration seemed not to make an issue out of it. Another uncertain component of the current international diplomatic push is the exclusion of both the Syrian government and rebel negotiators from the negotiation process. However, both sides' primary benefactors, Iran and Syria, are present in the negotiation process this time.
20 Nations and Organizations Agree on a Russian-initiated Plan
Twenty nations met at Vienna on November 14, 2015 at a foreign ministerial session, and agreed on a peace plan floated by Kremlin. Countries supporting opposing sides in Syrian civil war such as Iran and Saudi Arabia set aside their difference to agree on this plan because situation had changed in the past 24 hours after November 13, 2015, Paris attacks which were in the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's words the "most vile, horrendous, outrageous, unacceptable acts on the planet". According to the Russian-floated plan released by the U.N. on behalf of 19 parties,
* Negotiation will start around January 1, 2016 between government of Bashar Assad and rebels
* U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, will select who will sit in the negotiation
* Within six months of the negotiation, a transition administration consisting of "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian" parties will be formed
* The transition administration, in turn, will set a mechanism and schedule for drafting a new constitution
* New elections will be held within 18 months under the new constitution
Syrian Rebels Try to Unite at the Behest of Saudis
Saudi Arabia is hosting a two-day (December 9-10, 2015) meeting at the Saudi capital of Riyadh in order to unite the disparate Syrian rebel groups under one banner to participate in international peace talks scheduled to begin early 2016 as part of a plan chalked by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group.
Riyadh Talks Aimed at Uniting Rebel Factions Result in Rival Bickering and Walkout
On the second day of talks at Riyadh to unite all rebel factions under one umbrella, discord and disagreement was in open display on December 10, 2015, with the Saudi-backed ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham walking out of the talks. Ahrar al-Sham, active in northern parts of Syria and many of its leaders with ties to al-Qaeda, issued a statement later in the day, reasoning its withdrawal for the failure of Riyadh conference to "confirm the Muslim identity of our people". The conference agreed on a framework that would guide the proposed talks with other stakeholders of the Syrian conflict. The conference has also established a 32-member "Supreme Council", which will later choose 15 representatives to participate in the international talks to be held early 2016.
Riyadh Conference Blames Iran for Syrian, Yemeni Mess
The two-day Riyadh Conference ended on December 10, 2015 with a pointing finger blaming Iran for instability in Syria and Yemen. Addressing the reporters later, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that Iran was playing "a negative role in most regional issues."
U.S. Drops Demand for Assad's Ouster
Underscoring long-anticipated shift in stand on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's future, U.S. now agreed with Russia that the it's up to the Syrian people to decide on the future of the Syrian leader. This was all the more clear and official after the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 15, 2015 at Kremlin. Addressing the reporters after the meeting, Kerry, standing beside Putin, said that the USA and "our partners are not seeking so-called regime change", a total reversal of position from summer 2011 when President Barack Obama first demanded that "Assad must go" to when White House softened its stand somewhat to clarify that Assad didn't need to leave on "day one" to eventual no regime change line.
New Date for International Talks Announced
The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, announced on December 26, 2015 that the new round of international talks aimed at ending the civil war in Syria would begin on January 25, 2016.
Launch Date for Talks Delayed
As the date for opening of the international talks on Syria approached, it was evident that opposition was not even sure whom to send to Geneva for talks. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on January 25, 2016 that the negotiation was likely to begin on January 29, 2016 and he would send invitation the next day (January 26, 2016). Mr. de Mistura also hoped that this would not be Geneva 3, reflecting on the failure of the previous two rounds of talks in 2012 and 2014. The first phase of talks will focus on a comprehensive cease-fire and providing relief to besieged towns, according to de Mistura.
Invitations Sent for Syria Talks
The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on January 26, 2016 sent invitations to opposition, government and other negotiators for the Geneva talks scheduled to begin on January 29, 2016. Rival negotiators will seat in separate rooms, will not talk to each other, and instead, exchange ideas and proposals through Staffan de Mistura. The negotiation agenda will include, among others, a nationwide cease-fire and access to besieged towns and villages for food and supplies. Also stepped in on January 26, 2016 was the U.N. humanitarian aid coordinator, Yacoub El Hillo, who demanded that food and medicines be allowed to enter the besieged areas, and all attacks on hospitals and schools must stop.
Talks off a Rocky Start
As scheduled, talks began on January 29, 2016, but with a disappointing possibility of outcome as government negotiators were the ones present at Geneva U.N. headquarters engaged with the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. The negotiators for the opposition, under the auspices of High Negotiations Committee, didn't even show up at the beginning session, refusing to attend the talks until the government siege on 15 rebel-held towns were lifted and humanitarian aid was allowed to flow in. The government negotiators are being led by Bashar al-Jaafari, the country's ambassador to the U.N. and the leader of the government negotiating team in the second round of Geneva Talks that had ended in a failure in January 2014.
Opposition Threatens to Walk out of Peace Talks
Salem al-Mislet, the chief spokesman of the High Negotiation Committee, the umbrella group of the Syrian opposition entrusted to join the talks in Geneva, said on January 30, 2016 that the opposition would pull out of the talks if the bombardment and continuous siege of rebel-held towns didn't end. About two dozens members of the opposition arrived at Geneva on January 30, 2016 after missing out the opening session a day earlier.
Rebels Talk with U.N. Envoy, Kerry Asks All to Seize the Opportunity
For the first time since the Geneva Talks were opened on January 29, 2016, opposition delegation held talks with U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on January 31, 2016. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on January 31, 2016 at the Washington D.C. that all parties in Geneva negotiation should seize the opportunity that was provided to usher in an era of reconciliation. Meanwhile, during the day, in an effort to scuttle the Geneva Talks, a car bomb followed by two suicide bombings exploded near a Shiite mosque in the south of Damascus that had killed at least 45 people.
Peace Talks Officially Opens
The U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, Staffan de Mistura, achieved a minor diplomatic success by bringing the opposition and regime negotiators to the U.N. headquarters at Geneva and holding talks with them separately on February 1, 2016. The envoy later in the day said that the Geneva Talks had officially opened. However, the public comments made by the spokesperson of the High Negotiation Committee, the umbrella organization of Syrian opposition for Geneva Talks, didn't auger well about the future direction of the talks. Salem al-Mislet, the spokesman, called the Russian President a "new Hitler" in Moscow, who was supporting another Hitler in Damascus. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama's envoy to the U.S.-backed coalition of opposition fighters, who were fighting against ISIL, had concluded a two-day visit to Syria on February 1, 2016, first time a U.S. official paid visit to Syria after Washington had launched airstrikes in 2014.
Peace Talks at the Brink as Russia Amps up Bombing
Amid a coordinated assault in and around the rebel strongholds north of Aleppo that all but foretold an impending push by Bashar Assad regime to seize vast tracts of areas in Aleppo from the rebel control, the talks at Geneva on February 2, 2016 got clouded and uncertain. The opposition didn't even attend the afternoon session of separate talks with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, and instead, held a roadshow outside the U.N. complex to draw attention of the people to the plight of Syrian people under Assad's rule. Meanwhile, the chief government negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari said on February 2, 2016 that opposition should condemn January 31, 2016, bombing near a revered Shiite shrine, Sayeda Zeinab shrine. Bashar al-Jaafari also said that it was premature that the Geneva Talks had officially opened as announced by Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis. According to al-Jaafari, the talks were in preparatory stage.
U.N. Suspends Syria Talks
Two days after declaring that the official talks had opened, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, Staffan de Mistura, on February 3, 2016 declared the talks at an impasse and that he was suspending the talks until February 25, 2016. After informing his boss, the U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, de Mistura told the reporters that it was now time for a pause.
Aid Convoy Reaches a Besieged Town
A day after U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, declared a pause to peace talks, at least one positive development took place on February 4, 2016 when aid convoys had reached the town of Moadhamiyeh, one of the 18 towns currently choked either by government or rebel forces, to the relief of its about 50,000 residents.
"Cessation of Hostilities" Agreed at Munich Conference
A conference at Munich on February 11, 2016 reached at a pact to cease the unstoppable fighting in Syria. The conference was held at Munich under the auspices of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) formed in November 2015 at the urging of John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State. It was the fourth such gathering of the group that included nations such as USA, Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia who had backed the opposing sides of the Syrian civil war. Neither Bashar Assad regime, nor the western-backed rebels, were present at the Munich Conference. Participants were cautiously optimistic that cessation of hostilities would be effective in a week's timeframe. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was hesitant to call the pact a "cease-fire". Instead he favored calling it "cessation of hostilities". Kerry's Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who along with Kerry was instrumental to pushing the cessation of hostilities agreement at Munich Conference, called the pact the first step in the direction of a "cease-fire". However, February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities will not be extended to apply ISIL, Nusra Front and other terrorist groups. Under the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities agreed at the Munich Conference,
* Russia will take the responsibility for humanitarian airdrops
* Two committees will be formed from ISSG nations to facilitate cessation of hostilities
* Cessation of hostilities will begin within a week
Syrian Opposition Support Munich Pact Despite Reservations
Syrian rebels-led High Negotiation Committee on February 12, 2016 begrudgingly welcomed the cessation of hostilities announced a day earlier at the Munich Conference of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG). However, its spokesman, Salem al-Mislet, added that the action on the ground had to be matched with the words of the agreement. Also, a seven-day window for the cessation of hostilities has particularly drawn fire from the Syrian opposition as they see it as a license for Russia and Syrian government to continue their offensives until the eleventh hour. A 10-day-old ferocious regime and Russian joint offensive continued on February 12, 2016 in and around the rebel-held areas of Aleppo, underscoring the fear and frustration expressed by Syrian opposition over this seven-day window.
Cessation of Hostilities Pact Faces New Challenge
Two days after a cessation of hostilities pact was announced at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), its implementation remained in doubt as the government troops tightened their grips around the rebel-held parts of Aleppo on February 13, 2016 with the help from non-stop Russian airstrikes. Russia itself was not sure how effective the cessation of hostilities would take hold in Syria. When asked by reporters at the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put the chance 49 percent. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister added an element of uncertainty to the Syrian situation on the ground as Mevlut Cavusolglu was quoted on February 13, 2016 by the Yeni Safak newspaper that Turkey was considering to send joint ground troops with Saudi Arabia to fight against ISIL militants in Syria.
Russia Faces Biting Criticism at Munich Security Conference
Russia was a common target for staunch criticism during the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2016. U.S. Senator John McCain assailed the cessation of hostilities pact reached at the behest of Russia and the USA at a meeting of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) on February 11, 2016 at Munich. The pact, according to the senator, gives Bashar Assad regime and its backer Russia the time to continue attacking rebel-held areas and consolidate territorial gain. Another round of criticism came from the powerful chairman of foreign affairs committee of German Parliament, Norbert Rottgen, a respected German politician and supporter of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who went as far as implying that the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact would strengthen the hands of Russians.
Cessation of Hostilities Finalized by Syrian Government and the U.N.
The February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) was finalized by the U.N. and the Syrian government on February 16, 2016, providing a rare window of opportunity for the international community to push forward with a still evolving roadmap to reach an eventual truce.
Relief Convoy Rumbling Slowly to the Target Areas
As a positive consequence of the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), a convoy of 115 trucks loaded with food and supplies on February 17, 2016 began to move towards the western towns of Madaya and Zabadani, northwestern towns of Fouaa and Kfarya, and the Damascus suburb of Moadhamiyeh.
U.N. Claims to Have Delivered Aid to 80,000 People
U.N. on February 18, 2016 said that it had delivered supplies and aid to about 80,000 people in the five besieged towns--western towns of Madaya and Zabadani, northwestern towns of Fouaa and Kfarya, and the Damascus suburb of Moadhamiyeh.
Deadline for End of Hostilities Pass; Opposition Imposes Conditions for Truce
The deadline for the end of fighting as part of the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), passed on February 19, 2016 without even a slightest drop in fighting. Meanwhile, meeting at Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on February 20, 2016, the opposition under the auspices of Saudi-backed High Negotiation Committee discussed on a possible truce. The High Negotiation Committee later issued a statement, demanding lifting siege on all rebel-held towns and releasing all political prisoners as conditions for a meaningful truce. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir added that Saudi Arabia was seriously considering whether to provide surface-to-air missiles to Syrian rebels as a game-changing strategy on the ground.
Explosions Kill 120 as Russia and USA Work towards a New Deadline for Cessation of Hostilities
A series of explosions rocked the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood of Damascus on February 21, 2016, killing at least 62 people and wounding dozens, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However, the state-owned SANA news agency reported that more than 83 people were killed and at least 170 wounded. Also, during the day, twin car bombs wreaked havoc in the central city of Homs. According to SOHR, 57 people, including 11 women, were killed. Syrian Foreign Ministry said that at least 46 people were killed in the Homs bombings. ISIL claimed responsibility for February 21, 2016, bombings both in Damascus and Homs. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on February 21, 2016 contacted with his Russian counterpart during his visit in Jordan, and hashed out details to have the cessation of hostilities to take effect in the next few days.
U.S., Russia Hash out Cessation of Hostilities Details
After President Barack Obama called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on February 22, 2016 to drive home the point of working together to put into effect a cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), diplomats of the both nations agreed later in the day for the warring parties to observe the cessation of hostilities effective February 27, 2016.
Both Sides Extend Conditional Support to the New Timeline as Fighting Rages
Bashar Assad regime as well as rebel groups said on February 23, 2016 that they would conditionally observe a new timeline agreed between Russia and the USA a day earlier for the beginning of cessation of hostilities. However, the statements of support from the Syrian Foreign Ministry and High Negotiation Committee failed to exude much confidence in finding a common ground, left alone anything close to the peace process. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground was quite the opposite as the ISIL militants seized during the day a key strategic town in eastern Aleppo province, Khanaser, effectively choking off a supply route between Damascus and government-held areas of Aleppo. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 35 Syrian troops and 16 ISIL fighters were killed in the Khanaser fighting. Meanwhile, Syria's official SANA news agency reported on February 23, 2016 that 44 trucks of relief supplies had entered during the day into two Damascus suburbs, Moadamiyeh and Kafr Batna, respectively. The relief operation was coordinated by Syrian Arab Red Crescent. According to Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the shipments would help 20,000 people in Moadamiyeh and 10,000 people in Kafr Batna.
Assad Regime Schedules Parliamentary Polls
Syrian government on February 23, 2016 announced that the parliamentary polls would be held on April 13, 2016, without giving any specifics such as how it would hold the exercise in rebel-held areas.
Putin Makes Calls, Pushes for Truce amid Turkey's New Demand
As the recently agreed timeline for cessation of hostilities neared, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to switch his role in Syrian crisis from the one of Syrian regime's protectorate and patron to the one of global statesman. On February 24, 2016, Putin called Saudi Arabia's King Salman, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, extracting commitment from each for a cessation of hostilities scheduled to take effect on February 27, 2016. President Bashar Assad called the deal "an important step towards political settlement", and "confirmed the Syrian government's readiness to facilitate the cease-fire's implementation". However, not all the events of the day were positive as Turkey played the role of a political spoiler as the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called for adding the Kurdish militant group, People's Protection Unit, or YPG, to ISIL and Nusra Front who were kept abeyance of the cessation of hostilities.
U.N. Envoy Optimistic of Resuming Talks
As a key deadline for cessation of hostilities neared, U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, although kept his fingers crossed, expressed optimism on February 25, 2016 for resuming talks, suspended three weeks ago, in near future. Meanwhile, roughly 48 hours before the cessation of hostilities went into effect, all sides were intensifying their efforts to consolidate their positions on the ground. Syrian government continued its intense push in parts of Aleppo, ousting rebels from long-held rebel areas, and recaptured a strategic city, Khanaser, in eastern Aleppo that was a key link between Damascus and Aleppo. ISIL captured Khanaser two days ago, but its hold on the city was fragile as government soldiers backed by Russian airstrikes took the city back barely after 48 hours. Meanwhile, Mr. Jan Egeland, the senior advisor to Staffan de Mistura, U.N. special envoy for Syria, said on February 25, 2016 that recent aid convoys were able to distribute food and relief supplies among 110,000 people in 17 seized locations.
Cessation of Hostilities Begins with High Hope; Talks Resumption Date Set
Contrary to last time, cessation of hostilities took effect at 12:01 AM (local time) on February 27, 2016 as cities and towns in the vast swath of the country taking a pause from uninterrupted gun-fires, continuous shelling and aerial bombardment. Both the Syrian regime and Saudi Arabia-based High Negotiation Committee, a conglomerate of 100 Syrian opposition and rebel groups, expressed conditional support for the cessation of hostilities pact reached by Russia and the USA. Syrian government made it clear that the military campaign against the terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and ISIL would not stop, while the High Negotiation Committee said that it would support the cessation of hostilities, but siege on more than a dozen rebel-held towns must be lifted. Meanwhile, the special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 26, 2016 has scheduled resumption of talks at Geneva between Bashar Assad regime and the High Negotiation Committee for March 7, 2016 if the cessation of hostilities largely holds between now and then.
U.N. Security Council Okays Pact for Cessation of Hostilities
On February 26, 2016, the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved the cessation of hostilities deal that was first reached on February 11, 2016 at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG)--but then flouted--and subsequently agreed by Russia and the USA on February 22, 2016 to put it into effect.
As Guns Fall Largely Silent, Relief Efforts Expand
Once unimaginable, February 27, 2016 turned out to be a remarkable day in the history of 5-year Syrian civil war with a full-day pause to fighting in the vast swath of Syria amid scattered skirmishes. Russian Defense Ministry also said during the day that no Russian warplanes flew over Syria. Reflecting the optimism on all sides, U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 27, 2016 set a new date, March 7, 2016, for resuming the talks between the parties at Geneva.
Sporadic Violence Continues amid Cessation of Hostilities
As the cessation of hostilities was by and large observed on the second full day on February 28, 2016, allegations and counter-allegations of violations flew unchecked. Russia alleged that a northern town held by Kurdish militia was fired upon from the Turkish side of the border. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that warplanes hit villages of Daret Azzeh and Qobtan al-Jabal in the Aleppo province. Meanwhile, adding another layer of complexity to an already complex political and diplomatic situation, the leader of High Negotiation Committee, Riad Hijab, said on February 28, 2016 that Russia, Iran and Syrian government continued to violate with cessation of hostilities, drawing the attention of the U.N., and it would be difficult to resume negotiation on March 7, 2016 as proposed by the U.N. special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura.
Mortars, Rockets Hit Aleppo Despite Cessation of Hostilities
Although a tenuous--and mostly compliant--cessation of hostilities was continuing to take hold in Syria, Nusra Front, Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda, not covered by the truce, on March 6, 2016 launched a barrage of rocket and mortar attacks on a government-held area in Aleppo, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 40. According to official SANA news agency, "terrorists" attacked the Kurdish-dominated Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 70 mortars and rockets were fired by Nusra Front and, among dead, included nine civilians, including four children.
Syrian Talks Slip as Rebel Leader Expresses Doubt
The talks between Syrian government and rebels, scheduled to resume on March 7, 2016 at Geneva, was delayed as the leader of High Negotiation Committee, Riad Hijab, said on March 7, 2016 that rebels might not be able to join the talks as no political prisoners were released so far by Syrian regime as well as the slow progress in distributing the relief in besieged areas.
Talks to Resume a Week Later than Scheduled
The reconciliation talks between Syrian government and High Negotiation Committee, an umbrella group of all rebel factions, will now resume on March 14, 2016 at Geneva, a week later than originally scheduled by the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
Talks Adjourned for the Weekend
After five days of talks (March 14-18, 2016) at Geneva, the talks were adjourned on March 18, 2016 for the weekend.
Indirect Talks in Jeopardy
After a gap the indirect talks that had resumed on April 13, 2016 might be headed to a breakdown after the opposition's High Negotiation Committee took strong exception on April 16, 2016 to one of the "ideas" floated by Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syria, that would retain Bashar Assad's role in the transitional government. Syrian opposition is adamant that Assad should have no role in the transitional government.
Opposition to Suspend Talks at Geneva
As government assaults and siege on rebel-held towns and cities had intensified in recent days, the High Negotiation Committee was feeling the heat from the grassroots to suspend talks, and on April 18, 2016, HNC announced that it would not participate in Geneva talks.
Talks Hit a Snag Amid Fighting
The so-called Geneva talks neared the brink on April 22, 2016 as the government offensive in Aleppo and other areas had intensified. At least 18 people were killed in an airstrike during the day in a rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault issued an all-too-common warning of Syria's political future sliding into a "danger zone" without providing a pathway for a solution. However, at Geneva, the Syrian government's envoy to the peace talks, Bashar Ja'afari, made a defiant tone on April 22, 2016, calling the High Negotiation Committee's complaint nothing more than "crocodile's tears".
Syrian Airstrike Kills at least 18
Syrian aircraft on April 22, 2016 launched a vicious assault on the rebel-held Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood in Aleppo, killing at least 18 people and underscoring the difficulties faced by the international community to make the warring parties adhere to a fragile cessation of hostilities, leave alone any progress on political front.
Airstrikes, Shelling Kill 26 in Aleppo
The bitter fighting between government forces and rebels defying the so-called cessation of hostilities continued for the third straight day on April 24, 2016 in Aleppo. The rebel shelling of the government-held parts of Aleppo killed 10 people on April 24, 2016, including two young siblings. Meanwhile, the (Bashar) Assad regime carried out another bout of punishing airstrikes against rebel positions in Aleppo, killing at least 16.
Peace Talks at a Standstill amid Intensifying of the Fighting
The fight over Aleppo between rebel and government troops continued for the fourth straight day on April 25, 2016, with shelling taking at least 20 lives. An additional eight people were killed during the day as a car bomb exploded at a military checkpoint near a holy Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.
Aleppo Conflict Poses Threat to Geneva Talks
The diplomats and negotiators at Geneva talks, already at the moribund state, were getting worried by the day as the conflict in Aleppo got worse in terms of human toll on April 26, 2016 as airstrikes killed at least 15 people in rebel-held areas.
Aleppo Conflict Intensifies Amid Negotiators in Geneva Ringing Alarm Bells
The airstrikes and counter-shelling took their heavy tolls on the residents of Aleppo on April 27 and April 28, 2016 as brinkmanship on the both sides was let loose by shameless disregard for human life. An airstrike on Al-Quds hospital in the rebel-held territory on April 27, 2016 night killed at least 27 people, including three children and six staff members. The hospital was run by the Doctors Without Borders, and its location should have been known to the government. Then, on the following day, April 28, 2016, the government planes launched another volley of airstrikes on the rebel-held portions in Aleppo, killing at least 20 people. Not to be left behind in displaying utter irresponsibility, the rebels adopted tit-for-tat tactic on April 28, 2016, shelling government-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 14 people, mostly civilians. Underscoring the graveness of the situation, the U.N. special advisor for Syria, Jan Egeland, lamented during the day in the sidelines of whatever talks still being held at Geneva that "I could not in any way express how high stakes are for the next hours and days".
Attacks and Counterattacks Jeopardize Lives, Geneva Talks
Eight days after the recent escalation had erupted over the control of Aleppo, regime airstrikes on April 29, 2016 killed 10 people, while the rebel shelling on Malla Khan Mosque in the government-held territory had taken lives of 15 people. At least 200 people on both sides were killed in Aleppo since the latest escalation had erupted on April 22, 2016. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that one of the dead in April 27, 2016, airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital included one of the last remaining pediatricians in Aleppo, Dr. Muhammad Waseem Maaz.
Diplomacy in Full Swing to Sustain Cessation of Hostilities in Aleppo
As the often-violated, fragile cessation of hostilities was put to the "test" in recent weeks over an intense fighting in and around Aleppo, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed the international community to exert diplomatic muscle to sustain it (cessation of hostilities) in Aleppo. On May 2, 2016, Kerry met with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syria, at Geneva, and spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss on extending the cessation of hostilities to Aleppo. Mistura will travel to Moscow on May 3, 2016 to talk more on it with Lavrov.
Lavrov, U.N. Envoy Talk over Aleppo
The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2016 met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at Moscow to ensure that the "cessation of hostilities is brought back on track".
Deal on Restoration of Cessation of Hostilities in Aleppo Reached
Late May 3, 2016 hectic diplomatic activities at distant centers of powers such as Moscow, Washington and Geneva went into full swing, yielding a deal to restore cessation of hostilities in and around Aleppo. Under the deal, the cessation of hostilities will take effect at 12:01 AM on May 4, 2016.
Cessation of Hostilities Fruitless in Stopping Fighting
As the cessation of hostilities was officially restored in and around Aleppo on May 4, 2016, nothing apparently changed on ground. Militants from Nusra Front, a group not covered by cessation of hostilities, launched attacks on May 5, 2016 on government and allied militia positions south of Aleppo. Meanwhile, an airstrike later on May 5, 2016 killed at least 28 people at a refugee camp in Idlib province, setting ablaze tents and structures at the refugee camp. Addressing reporters at Washington D.C., White House press secretary Josh Earnest on May 5, 2016 condemned the airstrike on the refugee camp and said that there was absolutely no excuse. Also, on May 5, 2016, twin suicide bombings in the central Homs province killed at least 10 people, and ISIL apparently seized a natural gas field, Shaer gas field, in the same province from Syrian troops.
Efforts to Extend Cessation of Hostilities Nationwide
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with western officials at Paris on May 9, 2016 to push forward on twin issues of extending the so-called cessation of hostilities observed locally in a piecemeal manner to a broader, nationwide compliance by all concerned parties and resuscitating the stalled reconciliation talks in Geneva.
Rebel Coalition Issues Ultimatum
On May 22, 2016, a coalition of 30 rebel factions issued a strongly worded ultimatum to Bashar Assad regime to desist from attacking rebel strongholds in and around Damascus or, else, the late February 2016 cessation of hostilities stood dissolved.
Aid Reaches for the First Time in Years at Capital Suburb
As the talks at Geneva were ground to a virtual halt, international aid agencies were encountering herculean tasks of distributing supplies in the hard-hit areas. However, on June 1, 2016, an aid convoy carrying relief supplies reached at the Darayya suburb of Damascus for the first time since 2012. The convoy of the U.N. and ICRC took advantage of a 48-hour pause in airstrikes announced by Russia.
Envoy Receives Regime's Approval for Relief Supplies
The U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia, and hoped that the supplies would be distributed before the end of June 2016.
Relief Convoy Enters the Besieged Town in Homs Province
After receiving permission earlier in the week from Assad regime to provide relief to 15 of 19 besieged areas--although the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia--a 31-truck convoy with relief supplies entered the town of Houla in Homs province on June 11, 2016.
Russian Foreign Minister Decries U.N. Inaction
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 12, 2016 had some harsh words for the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, for not giving a diplomatic push through negotiation and instead waiting for U.S. and Russia to come up with a political transition plan. The indirect talks between Syrian rebels and government broke down in April 2016.
U.N. Security Council Resolution Revives Hope for Peace Talks
After a French-sponsored resolution was approved by the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016, allowing the U.N. to deploy monitors to observe the evacuation process as called for by a Turkey-Russia deal, U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, did not waste any time to give a serious push to re-start the talks for a political settlement and called for negotiation between the government and opposition to begin on February 8, 2017.
*********** ASTANA TALKS
Turkey Drops the Demand for Assad's Ouster
For the first time, Ankara is okay with Bashar Assad continuing as president of Syria as part of a peace deal, a change in heart that was made mainly possible by increasing bonhomie between Russia and Turkey. On January 20, 2017, three days prior to launch of Turkey-Russia-initiated talks at Astana, Kazakhstan, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek's indicated at the World Economic Forum at Davos that Ankara might be willing to go forward with a peace plan that envisioned Bashar Assad to stay in power, a marked difference of Ankara's stand from even few weeks' ago.
Talks Get in Rocky Start
Talks between rebel and government representatives began on January 23, 2017 at one of the coldest capitals of the world, Astana in Kazakhstan. From the very beginning, the tone and trajectory of talks went off-chart, with opposition branding the regime of Bashar Assad as a "terrorist regime". After opening session, parties split up and held separate talks with the mediators led by Staffan de Mistura, U.N. envoy for Syria. The lead opposition negotiator, Mohammad Alloush, characterized Assad a "terrorist", and called for Lebanese Hezbollah group and militants from Iran to be put under a "global terrorist organization" list, according to a video leaked by opposition delegates. On the other hand, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari lumped all opposition groups as a bunch of "terrorists". The U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan George Krol also attended January 23, 2017, session.
Talks Conclude with Minimal Sign of Progress
The two-day (January 23-24, 2017) talks between government and rebel sides concluded on January 24, 2017 in the second-coldest capital of the world (the first place recognition goes to Mongolian capital Ulan Bator). The talks were symbolically important, but yielded little in terms of substance other than re-iterating the parties' commitment to a fragile truce that had shakily held its ground since December 30, 2016 and creating a military mechanism based in Astana to monitor the truce on ground.
Russia Presents De-escalation Zone Proposals to Rebels in Astana Talk s
Russian representatives in early May 2017 presented a proposal to rebel representatives at the Astana Talks for "safe", or "de-escalation", zones in Syria to defuse tension, but the rebels chose to suspend participating in the talks. According to The Associated Press, the four "de-escalation zones" are Idlib and Homs provinces as well as Eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and an area in the south of the country. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2017 asked the rebels to join the Astana Talks. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at Sochi on May 3, 2017, and backed the "de-escalation zone" proposal.
Turkey, Russia, Iran Sign De-escalation Zones Creation Agreement
Turkey, Russia and Iran on May 4, 2017 signed a deal at Astana that would create four "de-escalation zones" in Syria.
The "De-escalation Zone" Deal Goes into Effect
The agreement signed at Astana by Turkey, Iran and Russia on May 4, 2017 went into effect in the early hours of May 6, 2017.
*********** ASTANA TALKS
First Face-to-Face Meet between Opposition and Regime in Three Years
The special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 23, 2017 convened first face-to-face talks in 3 years between opposition and regime officials at Geneva to cobble together a deal that would "end to this conflict".
Attack in Homs Dampens the Negotiation Climate
A well-coordinated spree of attacks on security offices in the central city of Homs on February 25, 2017 immediately attracted the parties in the Geneva talks--now on the third day--into a vortex of allegation and counter-allegation. It all began as gunmen stormed the security offices. As security forces responded with gunfire, the attackers blew themselves up, killing at least 32. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar al-Ja'afari demanded that opposition unequivocally condemn the barbaric attack. Opposition's lead negotiator Nasr al-Hariri condemned the attack, but blamed Assad regimes as the primary sponsor of "terrorism". U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, condemned the Homs attack too. Al-Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee claimed responsibility for the attack.
Progress Reported in Nine-day Talks
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on March 3, 2017 that the latest round of talks held in Geneva that had begun February 23, 2017 and continued through the day had made progress in establishing a "clear agenda". He had added counterterrorism and security to the agenda items for the next round of talks scheduled to begin later this month.
Opposition not to Seek Assad's Ouster as a Pre-Condition of Talks for the First Time
Since the Syrian Civil War erupted in 2011 that had so far killed more than 400,000, Syrian opposition leaders showed quite a bit flexibility for the first time over the issue whether Syrian President Bashar Assad should step down. Meeting at Riyadh days before U.N.-mediated talks, opposition on November 23, 2017 issued a communique that lent full support to 2012 Geneva Declaration, which called for establishing a transitional government with full executive authority, but stopped short of demanding Bashar Assad's ouster as a pre-condition for U.N.-mediated talks, a healthy departure from the past. A day before, November 22, 2017, the host of opposition talks, Saudi Arabia, said that an international consensus was building to arrive at a political settlement. Sounding optimistically, Syrian National Council leader Ahmed Ramadan said on November 23, 2017 that although "we set our negotiation goals", "we did not put down conditions".
********* EIGHTH ROUND OF SYRIA PEACE TALKS
Assad's Team Absent on the Opening Day of U.N.-mediated Talks
U.N. Special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura opened the eighth round of peace talks at Geneva on November 28, 2017, but government negotiators were conspicuous by their absence. Assad regime said that they would join the talks on November 29, 2017.
********* EIGHTH ROUND OF SYRIA PEACE TALKS
******************** INTERNATIONAL TALKS TO SEEK PEACE *******************
U.S. to Send up to 50 Special Operations Troops
On October 30, 2015, the White House announced that it would send up to 50 special operations personnel to Syria to assist and advise Syrian and Kurd resistance fighters in their fight against ISIL.
USA Pledges $100 Million in Aid to rebels
A day after announcing to send up to 50 specials ops forces to Syria, Washington on October 31, 2015 said that it would provide an additional $100 million in aid to Syrian rebels. The aid announced by Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken brought the total aid pledge to $500 million.
Investigators Conclude the Use of Toxin by Opposition Forces
In a report released on November 6, 2015, the investigators with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that they had come to the definite conclusion that mustard gas, a toxic agent, was used by rebels on August 21, 2015 in the village of Marea, north of Aleppo. ISIL was widely suspected to have used the chemical weapon. After the government stockpile of chemical weapons were procured and destroyed by OPCW, Bashar Assad regime was accused of using chlorine gas against rebel-held areas, but the use of chemical weapons such as mustard gas brought fore the fear of new escalation in the Syrian battlefield.
Assyrian Christians Freed
Stockholm-based Assyrian Human Rights Network said on November 7, 2015 that more than 200 Assyrian Christians had been released from ISIL captivity. According to the network, most of the captives freed hailed from the Assyrian village of Tal Tamr in the northeastern Hassakeh province. They were kidnapped in February 2015. The network also said that negotiation was continuing to secure the release of an additional 124 captives.
Jihadi John Might be Dead
The U.S.-led coalition spokesman Col. Steve Warren said on November 13, 2015 that the masked, British-accented Jihadi John, 27-year-old British born Mohammed Emwazi, who had carried out video-taped beheadings might have been killed in November 12, 2015, airstrike near Raqqa.
France Pounds Syrian City
On November 15, 2015, France launched an all-out war on ISIL, with waves of strikes against the group's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa. French Defense Ministry said that the airstrike had begun 7:50PM Paris time and targeted command posts along with the jihadist group's recruitment center in Raqqa. Although Francois Hollande's administration had been bombing the ISIL targets in Iraq since September 2014, it had begun airstrikes in Syria just seven weeks ago and carried out fewer than half-a-dozen bombings so far. However, that's sure to change in coming days as the focus of the airstrikes will be equal, if not more, on Syria as on Iraq in the aftermath of November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris.
Obama-Putin Meet on the Sidelines of Climate Talks
On November 30, 2015, US President Barack Obama met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of climate talks near Paris, and discussed on ways to formulate a list of participants from Syrian rebel groups in the international talks to end civil strife in Syria. Obama also stressed on de-escalating tension between Russia and Turkey over downing of a Russian warplane.
**************************************** HOMS TRUCE (2015) *********************
Rebels to Evacuate Completely out of Homs
A deal was reached on December 1, 2015 that called for rebels to leave the last opposition-controlled neighborhood in the third largest city of Syria, clearing way for Homs to fall under total government control, according to Homs Governor Talal Barrazi. After a similar deal in May 2014 that cleared other areas and neighborhoods of rebels, only Waer neighborhood remained the last bastion of opposition. Anti-Bashar Assad movement began in Homs in early 2011 as a peaceful protest, but soon descended into chaos and civil strife that had killed so far more than 250,000.
Rebels Begin to Pull out of Homs Neighborhood
Eight days after a local deal was arrived, rebels on December 9, 2015 began to pull out of Waer neighborhood along with some civilians. With the latest pullout, Homs will be completely under the government control. Most of the rebels, allied to Nusra Front, are reluctant to comply with the truce, and as part of the "local deal", they are being evacuated to the country's north. There are some armed factions of rebels, mostly those of Free Syrian Army, who had agreed to observe the truce, and are allowed to stay in Waer neighborhood as part of the deal.
Relief Enters the Besieged Neighborhood
After the completion of withdrawal of hundreds of rebels and their families from the Waer neighborhood, U.N. relief supplies were sent in to Waer neighborhood on December 12, 2015.
Bomb Explodes in Government-Held Section of Homs
The day relief supplies were sent in a truck convoy to Waer neighborhood, a car bomb exploded in a government-held neighborhood of Homs. Homs Governor Talal Barrazi said that most of the 16 dead in December 12, 2015, explosion near a hospital at Hom's Zahra neighborhood were women and children. Beside killing 16 people, the car bomb at Zahra neighborhood also injured more than 100.
Assad Regime Announces Complete Control over Homs
Bashar Assad government on May 21, 2017 announced for the first time since the uprising had erupted more than six years ago that the regime now had complete control over the country's third-largest city, Homs.
**************************************** HOMS TRUCE (2015) *********************
U.S. Investigating Civilian Deaths in Airstrikes
U.S. Central Command said on December 7, 2015 that it would look into reports that coalition airstrikes had killed at least 36 civilians, including 20 children, at a village, Al Khan, in Hassakah province in eastern Syria. The village, located near the town of Al Hawl, that was freed by Syrian Kurdish fighters from the clasp of ISIL on November 13, 2015, includes mud-and-brick houses and has less than 100 residents.
Assad Regime Reverses the Outcome on Ground
Aided by a ferocious air campaign by Russia and buffeted on the battlefield by Lebanese Hezbollah militants on one hand and Iranian Revolutionary Guards troops on the other, Bashar Assad regime made steady progress in recent weeks. Some of their key recent successes included:
* Removal of rebel siege on an Aleppo airbase at Kweiras in November 2015
* Capture of a military airbase near Damascus on December 14, 2015
* Capture of a strategic mountain in the northwest on December 16, 2015, tightening the noose around rebel-held areas in Latakia
Explosion Kills at least 17 Rebels
Just a Day after December 25, 2015, killing of one of the top Syrian rebel commanders, Zahran Alloush, a remote-controlled explosion shook a farmhouse, where several rebel commanders were in the midst of a meeting, on late December 26, 2015, killing 17 people. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the alleged explosion took place in the village of Kfar Shams in Daraa province.
U.S. Defense Chief Touts Administration's Decision to Send Special Ops as Contributing to Success
Addressing about 200 soldiers at the home of Army's 101st Airborne Division, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on January 13, 2016 that Obama administration's decision (in late October 2015) to send U.S. Special Ops to Syria had already borne fruit as they had assisted the local Kurd fighters to take back the strategically located Tishreen Dam in late December 2015 from ISIL siege.
Relief Convoy Enters Rebel-held Town, Two Pro-Government Villages
As widespread starvation was reported from the months-long siege by government forces on the rebel-held town of Madaya, a humanitarian crisis began to loom large. In response, U.N. agencies reached a deal with warring parties in recent days so that trucks with supplies and food could be sent to the besieged town of Madaya to avert a full-blown humanitarian disaster. On January 14, 2016, a convoy of 44 trucks from the U.N. World Food Program, International Committee for Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent had headed from Damascus to rebel-held town of Madaya. Simultaneously, another convoy of 17 trucks had left for two government-held villages, Foua and Kfarya in Idlib province, that had just the reverse experience of Madaya with rebels, in this case, laying a choke-off siege. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, intervening in the issue, said on January 14, 2016 that the responsible parties for deliberate starvation should be brought under justice.
Massacre Reported to Have Been Carried out by ISIL
On defensive on several fronts in Iraq and Syria, ISIL militants are growing more desperate, dastardly and barbaric by the day, and the latest evidence of that came on January 16, 2016 in the outskirts of the capital, Deir el-Zour, of the eastern Syrian province of the same name. Most of the capital is under control of ISIL, with only the outlying areas have presence of government troops and pro-government militia. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on January 16, 2016 that at least 135 people--including 80 military personnel and pro-Damascus militia along with the rest civilians--were killed by ISIL militants earlier in the day in the northern part of the capital. The northern neighborhood of Baghaliyeh witnessed the horror of the ISIL orgy, according to the observatory. Syrian official news agency SANA reported "a massacre" committed by ISIL, and the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV reported that ISIL killed more than 280 people and threw many of the bodies into the Euphrates River in addition to taking more than 400 hostage.
U.S. General: Russian Airstrikes Strengthen Assad's Hands
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. said at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, providing Bashar Assad much-needed boost against the opposition.
Bombings in Homs Kill 20
Multiple bombings at a government-run checkpoint in Homs on January 26, 2016 killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 100.
Dutch to Join U.S.-led Coalition in Syria
On January 29, 2016, Dutch government announced its involvement in anti-ISIL air campaign coalition, led by the U.S., from Iraq to Syria.
ISIL Claims to Carry out Attacks near Shiite Mosque
As the members of High Negotiation Committee, umbrella group for Syrian opposition, met for the first time with U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, at Geneva, a car bomb exploded on January 31, 2016 near a Shiite mosque, Sayeda Zeinab shrine, in the south of Damascus, and two suicide bombers blew up as rescuers came to the scene after the first blast, killing at least 45 people. Sayeda Zeinab shrine played a crucial role in recruiting Shiite fighters from Lebanon, Iraq and Iran to prop up the regime of Bashar Assad.
U.S. Envoy to Opposition Coalition Fighters Visits Syria
Reports emerged during the day that Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama's envoy to the U.S.-backed coalition of opposition fighters, who were fighting against ISIL, had concluded a two-day visit to Syria on February 1, 2016, first time a U.S. official paid visit to Syria after Washington had launched airstrikes in 2014.
A Massive Offensive Planned
As the talks in Geneva were limping along, Syrian President Bashar Assad's army, backed by foot-soldiers from Hezbollah and pro-government militias along with a concerted air support from Russia, on February 2, 2016 was at the beginning of launching a major offensive to oust rebel fighters from long-held rebel areas of Aleppo and Homs.
Aid Conference Gets $10 billion in Pledge for Syria
An aid conference was held at London on February 4, 2016, a day after the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called for a pause to the peace talks, in which nations pledged to raise $10 billion to help Syrians in the midst of a 5-year civil war that had thrown the nation into the grip of economic, social and religious meltdown of an unprecedented proportion. USA pledged at London conference $900 million in new aid, bringing the total aid for Syria to $5.1 billion as of date. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at London that out of $900 million pledged, $600 million would go to U.N. and other agencies for providing relief, shelter, food and medicine. Britain pledged $1.8 billion over the next four years, and Germany $2.8 billion by 2018, including $1.2 billion this year alone. Hailing the scale of pledge at London conference, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on February 4, 2016 that not so much money in humanitarian aid was ever raised in U.N. history in a single day.
Saudi Arabia to Send Ground Troops to Syria
A Saudi military official, Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Asiri, said on February 4, 2016 that Saudi Arabia was willing and ready to contribute to ground forces to fight against ISIL in Syria. Last year, UAE made a similar offer for ground troops in Syria.
UAE Joins Saudi Arabia to Offer Ground Troops to Syria
Three days after Saudi Arabia offered to send ground troops to Syria to fight against ISIL, United Arab Emirates on February 7, 2016 renewed its offer, first issued last year, to send troops to Syria to fight against ISIL.
Explosions Kill 120 as Russia and USA Work towards a New Deadline for Cessation of Hostilities
A series of explosions rocked the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood of Damascus on February 21, 2016, killing at least 62 people and wounding dozens, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However, the state-owned SANA news agency reported that more than 83 people were killed and at least 170 wounded. Also, during the day, twin car bombs wreaked havoc in the central city of Homs. According to SOHR, 57 people, including 11 women, were killed. Syrian Foreign Ministry said that at least 46 people were killed in the Homs bombings. ISIL claimed responsibility for February 21, 2016, bombings both in Damascus and Homs. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on February 21, 2016 contacted with his Russian counterpart during his visit in Jordan, and hashed out details to have the cessation of hostilities to take effect in the next few days.
******** KURDISH EFFORT ON AUTONOMOUS REGION IN NORTHERN SYRIA *****
Kurds Meet to Advance the Push to Crate Autonomous Region
In a bold political push, Kurdish groups are meeting in a conference that has begun on March 16, 2016 at the town of Rmeilan in the northern Syrian province of Hassakeh to discuss on establishing an autonomous Kurdish federal region in the north Syria. The meeting may last several days, leading to an announcement of a Kurdish federal region.
Kurds Announce Creation of Kurdish Federal Region
The support for creating an autonomous Kurdish region in the northern parts of Syria was so strong among the participants of Rmeilan conference that it took only two days to arrive at a conclusive decision to create an autonomous Kurdish federal region in the country's north. On March 17, 2016, announcement came that Kurds would establish Rojava (Syrian Kurdish Region) and North Syria. The name of the autonomous region, Rojava and North Syria, reflects the aspiration and assimilation of disparate groups and tribes that will be backbone of a secular region. One of the top leaders of the Rojava and North Syria, Salih Muslim, also said during an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer journalist Trudy Rubin during her latest trip to the region that Rojava would make naysayers wrong through its embrace of secular character. Syrian President Bashar Assad and his arch nemesis, Turkey, as well as the USA condemned the formation of Rojava and North Syria.
Damascus, Kurds to Begin Talks
A Damascus-backed group, Syrian Democratic Front, sent a delegation on June 6, 2018 to autonomous Kurdish enclave in northeastern Syria to begin talks with U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Council on political reconciliation days after a "road map" had emerged from a Washington meeting between Mike Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart on withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from the northern city of Manbij and joint patrol by soldiers from NATO allies to guarantee the city's security.
Talks Are Afoot to Begin Peace Drive
Syrian Democratic Council, political umbrella of U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that controlled vast areas of Syria and played a crucial role in ousting ISIL from several strongholds such as Raqqa, said on July 29, 2018 that its representatives had held talks with Syrian government officials in Damascus and agreed to form committees to continue with negotiations to ensure "an end to violence". In May 2018, Syrian President Bashar Assad threatened to uproot pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Council from the semiautonomous region in the country's northeast until Kurds sat down with government for re-conciliation. Since then, relations got better as Kurds saw value in negotiating with Assad as they were getting squeezed by Turkey. The July 29, 2018, statement issued by Syrian Democratic Council also expressed hope for a roadmap that would eventually lead to a "democratic decentralized Syria".
******** KURDISH EFFORT ON AUTONOMOUS REGION IN NORTHERN SYRIA *****
U.S. Officially Labels ISIL as Committing Genocide
In a symbolic, but significant, move the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on March 17, 2016 officially designated ISIL as a group that had been committing genocide in Iraq and Syria through "eliminating those who do not subscribe its perverse ideology". Kerry's genocide designation came on the eve of a deadline set by Congress for Obama administration to find out whether ISIL was committing genocide. Kerry's announcement came three days after a March 14, 2016, unanimous resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn ISIL's brutal campaign to eradicate minorities in areas under its control.
Captured Japanese Journalist Appears in the Video
A Japanese journalist, Junpei Yasuda, captured and held hostage since last year, appeared in a video circulated on March 17, 2016 where he was seen as pleading for his life, but without any inkling of who were holding him or what was their demand.
ISIL's Deputy Leader Killed
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on March 25, 2016 that a U.S. special operations ground offensive took out Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, a top lieutenant of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head of the militant group, a day earlier within Syria, not divulging the exact location or timing.
Syrian Forces Takes Back Key Centerpiece of a Triangular Region
A week after taking back the historic city of Palmyra, Syrian ground forces on April 3, 2016 retook a strategic city, Qaryatain, that lies at the center of triangular arc connecting Damascus, Homs and Palmyra. ISIL militants who controlled Qaryatain since August 2015 withdrew from the heart of the city instead of putting up a fight.
American Adventurer Freed from Syria
An American freelance photographer, Kevin Patrick Dawes, who had disappeared near the border with Turkey almost four years ago was released by Syrian authorities, according to an April 8, 2016, report carried by The New York Times.
Egyptian Militant Killed in Syria
An Egyptian militant who was implicated in 1997 Luxor attack carried out by the then-one of the dreaded militant groups, Gamaa Islamiya, that had killed 58 foreign tourists, was killed by a drone strike in Syria's Idlib province on April 5, 2016. The death of Rifai Ahmad Taha was disclosed by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on April 8, 2016.
ISIL Releases 300 Workers 48 Hours after Abduction
ISIL, which was losing territories at significant rates both in Iraq and Syria, seized a cement factory at the town of Dumeir, northeast of Damascus, on April 7, 2016. ISIL militants, attacking soft targets in recent weeks after getting a drubbing in the battlefield, overwhelmed the security at the al-Badia Cement Company on April 7, 2016 and kidnapped 300 employees along with about 30 security personnel. Feeling an increased churn in its rank and heat over cruelty meted out to civilians at random, the militants on April 9, 2016 released about 300 workers, but not before showing their true color by killing four Druz employees. ISIL militants also didn't release cement factory's security personnel on April 9, 2016.
Syrian Planes Bomb Town, Kill Dozens
The residents of Maarat al-Noaman took a principled stand by recently staging daily protest against both government brutality as well as terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIL and Nusra Front. After 38 days of straight protests, residents of Maarat al-Noaman had to pay a very high price as the government planes bombed the protest gathering on April 19, 2016, killing at least 37 people and wounding dozens. The attack on Maarat al-Noaman and a second town, Kafr Nabl, took place a day after Syrian opposition groups announced that they would suspend their participation at Geneva talks.
Syrian Airstrike Kills at least 18
Syrian aircraft on April 22, 2016 launched a vicious assault on the rebel-held Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood in Aleppo, killing at least 18 people and underscoring the difficulties faced by the international community to make the warring parties adhere to a fragile cessation of hostilities, leave alone any progress on political front.
Airstrikes, Shelling Kill 26 in Aleppo
The bitter fighting between government forces and rebels defying the so-called cessation of hostilities continued for the third straight day on April 24, 2016 in Aleppo. The rebel shelling of the government-held parts of Aleppo killed 10 people on April 24, 2016, including two young siblings. Meanwhile, the (Bashar) Assad regime carried out another bout of punishing airstrikes against rebel positions in Aleppo, killing at least 16.
Obama to Expand U.S. Special Forces Personnel
President Barack Obama is to announce on April 25, 2016 that the number of U.S. special forces to Syria will be ramped up by 250 troops from its current level of 50 that has been ordered on October 30, 2015 to 300.
Obama Announces Troops Boost in Syria
Underscoring the stake to fight against ISIL, President Barack Obama, standing beside European leaders such as David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande, announced on April 25, 2016 the fivefold increase of troops in Syria from 50 to 300. The venue of the troops surge announcement was deliberate as President made it at Hanover, Germany in the midst of a summit. President Obama, who in recent days had rattled leaders from the Middle East and Europe by calling them the so-called "free riders", made an indirect reference on April 25, 2016 in his address as he said that "sometimes Europe has been complacent about its own defense" and implored the European leaders to contribute more troops to fight the ISIL. The troop surge will include special operations forces who will assist the local security as well as logistics and maintenance personnel.
Peace Talks at a Standstill amid Intensifying of the Fighting
The fight over Aleppo between rebel and government troops continued for the fourth straight day on April 25, 2016, with shelling taking at least 20 lives. An additional eight people were killed during the day as a car bomb exploded at a military checkpoint near a holy Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.
Aleppo Conflict Poses Threat to Geneva Talks
The diplomats and negotiators at Geneva talks, already at the moribund state, were getting worried by the day as the conflict in Aleppo got worse in terms of human toll on April 26, 2016 as airstrikes killed at least 15 people in rebel-held areas.
Aleppo Conflict Intensifies Amid Negotiators in Geneva Ringing Alarm Bells
The airstrikes and counter-shelling took their heavy tolls on the residents of Aleppo on April 27 and April 28, 2016 as brinkmanship on the both sides was let loose by shameless disregard for human life. An airstrike on Al-Quds hospital in the rebel-held territory on April 27, 2016 night killed at least 27 people, including three children and six staff members. The hospital was run by the Doctors Without Borders, and its location should have been known to the government. Then, on the following day, April 28, 2016, the government planes launched another volley of airstrikes on the rebel-held portions in Aleppo, killing at least 20 people. Not to be left behind in displaying utter irresponsibility, the rebels adopted tit-for-tat tactic on April 28, 2016, shelling government-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 14 people, mostly civilians. Underscoring the graveness of the situation, the U.N. special advisor for Syria, Jan Egeland, lamented during the day in the sidelines of whatever talks still being held at Geneva that "I could not in any way express how high stakes are for the next hours and days".
Attacks and Counterattacks Jeopardize Lives, Geneva Talks
Eight days after the recent escalation had erupted over the control of Aleppo, regime airstrikes on April 29, 2016 killed 10 people, while the rebel shelling on Malla Khan Mosque in the government-held territory had taken lives of 15 people. At least 200 people on both sides were killed in Aleppo since the latest escalation had erupted on April 22, 2016. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that one of the dead in April 27, 2016, airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital included one of the last remaining pediatricians in Aleppo, Dr. Muhammad Waseem Maaz.
A Second Hospital Attacked within a Week
Six days after an airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital in rebel-held territory of Aleppo had killed 27 people, a rocket was fired the rebel-held positions on a maternity hospital, Dubeet Hospital, in the government-held Muhafaza neighborhood in Aleppo on May 3, 2016, killing four people. The intense fighting during the day killed an additional at least 16 more people in and around Aleppo. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based organization, about 200 people were killed in the last 12 days since the latest conflagration in Aleppo had erupted on April 22, 2016.
Cessation of Hostilities Fruitless in Stopping Fighting
As the cessation of hostilities was officially restored in and around Aleppo on May 4, 2016, nothing apparently changed on ground. Militants from Nusra Front, a group not covered by cessation of hostilities, launched attacks on May 5, 2016 on government and allied militia positions south of Aleppo. Meanwhile, an airstrike later on May 5, 2016 killed at least 28 people at a refugee camp in Idlib province, setting ablaze tents and structures at the refugee camp. Addressing reporters at Washington D.C., White House press secretary Josh Earnest on May 5, 2016 condemned the airstrike on the refugee camp and said that there was absolutely no excuse. Also, on May 5, 2016, twin suicide bombings in the central Homs province killed at least 10 people, and ISIL apparently seized a natural gas field, Shaer gas field, in the same province from Syrian troops.
Russia, Syria Deny Airstrike on a Refugee Camp, Rebels Capture a Village in Aleppo
A day after an airstrike killed 28 people at the Sarmada Refugee Camp in Idlib province, both Syrian and Russian officials on May 6, 2016 denied that any refugee camp was attacked. Meanwhile, after a fierce fight, a coalition of militant groups, including Nusra Front, seized a strategic village, Khan Touman, in Aleppo province from the government control on May 6, 2016. Since May 5, 2016, 73 fighters--43 on the rebel side and 30 government soldiers--were killed in the battle over the village, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Three Spanish Journalists Released
The office of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy issued a statement on May 7, 2016 making public that three Spanish journalists--Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre--were released from captivity. All three had disappeared from the northern city of Aleppo on July 12, 2015, and Spanish government had been working in league with Turkish and Qatar's governments since then to secure their release. The incident was reminiscent of three other journalists who were released in March 2014 after held hostage for months by the rebels.
A Senior Commander's Death Sheds Light on Hezbollah's Deep Involvement
A senior Hezbollah commander, Mustafa Badreddine, 55, died of a massive explosion near Damascus airport on May 12, 2016, and the initial suspicion fell on either Israel or two Sunni extremist groups--ISIL and Nusra Front. His death once more underscored a deepening bond and durable military alliance among Shiite Hezbollah, Iran and Bashar Assad regime. His body was buried the following day, May 13, 2016, at a southern suburb in Beirut with a sea of people biding a tearful farewell to the Shiite commander. Reiterating the resolve of the group, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Kassem said on May 13, 2016 that his group was undeterred. Mustafa Badreddine was accused of carrying out U.S. and French embassy bombings in Kuwait in 1983 that had killed five people. Sentenced to death, Badreddine fled Kuwait in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's invasion of the tiny emirate in 1990. He was one of four defendants who were tried in absentia in the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri in Lebanon.
Hezbollah Vows to Take Avenge of Its Commander's Death
Hezbollah on May 14, 2016 said that Mustafa Badreddine was killed on late May 12, 2016 near the Damascus airport in insurgent shelling, and vowed that its fight against takfiri groups, Sunni extremist groups, would continue.
Russia Building Military Base Near Heritage Site
A U.S.-based heritage organization and a Syrian antiquities official said on May 17, 2016 that Russian military was in the midst of a construction spree to build a military base near the World Heritage Site of Palmyra. Based on the evidence obtained from satellite imagery and an analytics company, DigitalGlobe, the American School of Oriental Research's Cultural Heritage Initiative posted pictures of Russian construction activity near Palmyra. Separately, Maamoun Abdulkarim, head of the Antiquities and Museums Department in Damascus, said that the Russian and Syrian forces were building a permanent presence near Palmyra to protect the centuries-old artifacts and architectural remains from ISIL attacks.
Attacks Strike Assad Strongholds in Coastal Areas
A series of explosions rocked the western Syria's coastal heartland of Alawites on May 23, 2016, killing at least 80 people. A car bomb and three suicide bombers struck at the emergency entrance of the Jableh National Hospital in the city of Jableh. Shortly afterward, a car bomb followed by suicide bombers wreaked havoc at a bus terminus and a gas station in a second city, Tartus. Combined death toll reported by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stood more than 145, far higher than government's figure of 80. The coastal area was so far immune from the campaign of bombings and violence that had become emblematic for the rest of Syria. However, many of the displaced from Syria's more than 5 years of civil war, sought shelter in the coastal region. In the immediate aftermath of attacks in Jableh and Tartus, backlash had begun, with mobs attacking a sprawling refugee camp in Tartus, al-Karnak camp, and partially burning it down.
Toll Rises in Two Coastal Cities
A day after nine bombings had hit the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus, authorities on May 24, 2016 began to piece all the information together and wrap their heads around the brutal carnage that had left a trail of devastation in its wake. Meanwhile, coffins of some 160 people killed in May 23, 2016, attacks on Jableh and Tartus began to make their journey to burial places. Meanwhile, ISIL had claimed hours after the carnage that it was behind the May 23, 2016, attacks on Jableh and Tartus.
U.S. Admits Wrongdoing in Special Ops Wearing Kurdish Badge
In response to Turkish condemnation of a recent photo that appeared and went viral showing the U.S. Special Operation forces alongside Kurdish fighters in Raqqa province wearing the logos of Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, and its female wing, YPJ, the U.S. military on May 27, 2016 made a rare admission of wrongdoing as the Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said that the act was "unauthorized".
ISIL Fighters Seize Half a Dozen Villages in Northern Syria
While on retreat under the assault of Syrian forces and Iraqi forces, ISIL were trying to expand its reach by launching attacks in areas under rebel control in northern parts of Aleppo province. On May 27, 2016, ISIL fighters seized six villages, and tightened the noose around the rebel-held town of Azaz. Beside, ISIL cut off a supply route to another rebel-held town, Marea. At least 165,000 people had become newly displaced because of ISIL's latest spree of attacks.
Aid Reaches for the First Time in Years at Capital Suburb
As the talks at Geneva were ground to a virtual halt, international aid agencies were encountering herculean tasks of distributing supplies in the hard-hit areas. However, on June 1, 2016, an aid convoy carrying relief supplies reached at the Darayya suburb of Damascus for the first time since 2012. The convoy of the U.N. and ICRC took advantage of a 48-hour pause in airstrikes announced by Russia.
U.S.-backed Forces Make Progress
U.S.-backed Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) on June 3, 2016 captured at least 4 villages from ISIL fighters, and tightened the noose around a key city, Manbij, a strategic link in a supply route between Turkey and Raqqa, self-declared capital of the so-called ISIL caliphate. According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Local Coordination Committees, 28 villages near Manbij were now under the control of Kurdish fighters. SDF launched the latest assault on May 30, 2016 aided by U.S.-led airstrikes.
ISIL Faces Three-Pronged Attacks in Syria
ISIL fighters were pushed to a wall on the battlefront in northern Syria as Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces on June 4, 2016 launched a ferocious attack to seize Manbij, a strategic link in a supply route between Turkey and Raqqa, self-declared capital of the so-called ISIL caliphate. The latest push to liberate Manbij was launched on June 1, 2016 by Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. After launching the campaign on June 1, 2016, Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces had seized several dozens of villages around and near Manbij before the final stretch to capture the strategic town. ISIL fighters were also engaged in severe fighting on a second front at another city, Marea, 40 miles west of Manbij. As the U.S.-backed rebels, including Kurdish fighters, were on the offensive against ISIL, the Syrian forces, aided by Russian, airstrikes were breathing on the shoulder of ISIL's power structure in Raqqa as Bashar Assad's forces were making strides from the south to enter Raqqa.
Al-Qaeda-linked Militant Group Heavily Shells Parts of Aleppo
Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front on June 4, 2016 shelled government-held parts of Aleppo, killing 22 people and wounding 23.
Russia to Ramp up Air Support in Aleppo
In response to Nusra Front's brutal counter-offensive in Aleppo, including the June 4, 2016, shelling that had killed 22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on June 6, 2016 that his country would ramp up airstrikes to help Syrian forces neutralize rebel attacks in Aleppo.
Assad Vows to Take Back Territories from Terrorists
Speaking in the Syrian parliament after a long time, President Bashar Assad on June 7, 2016 vowed to "liberate" all territories lost to terrorists just like Palmyra and bury the dream of "butcher" Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the "graveyard of Aleppo".
Civilians Fleeing Besieged City; Three Hospitals Shelled in Aleppo
Thousands of civilians were fleeing the besieged city of Manbij as Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) encircled the city on June 8, 2016, 10th day of the campaign. About 300 U.S. special forces were reported to have been embedded with the SDF troops in the battlefield. At least 70 villages and farms surrounding Manbij were taken from the ISIL control over the past ten days, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Separately from the battle over Manbij, fighting elsewhere in Aleppo continued on June 8, 2016, with three hospitals in the rebel-held areas of Aleppo coming under attack. A UNICEF-run hospital, Al-Hakim Hospital, one of very few facilities still offering pediatric services, was shelled. Reacting to targeting of a hospital, UNICEF's regional director, Peter Salama, questioned the international community's conscience when "babies have to be taken out incubators because of attacks on hospitals". The Spokesman of the U.S. State Department, Mark Toner, condemned the "unconscionable" attack by the regime on hospitals. A second hospital, Bayan Hospital, in the rebel-held Shaar neighborhood, came under attack too on June 8, 2016.
Envoy Receives Regime's Approval for Relief Supplies
The U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia, and hoped that the supplies would be distributed before the end of June 2016.
Relief Convoy Enters the Besieged Town in Homs Province
After receiving permission earlier in the week from Assad regime to provide relief to 15 of 19 besieged areas--although the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia--a 31-truck convoy with relief supplies entered the town of Houla in Homs province on June 11, 2016.
Suicide Attacks Kill a Dozen near Syrian Capital
A twin suicide attacks, involving a suicide bomber and a truck bomb, killed at least 12 people and wounded 55 at the Shiite-dominated Sayyida Zeinab, just south of Damascus, on June 11, 2016. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated the death toll much higher at 20. Reacting to the attacks, Syrian Prime minister Wael al-Halqi told official Syrian Arab News Agency that "brutal massacre" at Sayyida Zeinab was committed in connivance with Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
*********** DIPLOMATIC DISSENSION OVER OBAMA'S SYRIA POLICY ************
Dozens of U.S. Diplomats Protest Obama's Syria Policy
More than 50 U.S. diplomats stationed all around the world filed a strong protest in recent days against President Barack Obama's policy of inaction and dilemma in Syria. The diplomats had used the State Department's so-called "dissent channel", established in the Vietnam era to provide dissenting diplomats a conduit to express their opinions, to air their differences. The diplomats urged the administration to take a tougher line against the Bashar Assad regime, including launching airstrikes against the regime targets for repeated violations of cease-fires. The New York Times published the memo in its June 16, 2016, edition.
*********** DIPLOMATIC DISSENSION OVER OBAMA'S SYRIA POLICY ************
Syrian Kurds Fleeing ISIL-held Areas
As Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, soldiers entered into Manbij and engaged in a fierce battle in the city center with ISIL militants in recent days, the ISIL took a defensive posture in al-Bab, a neighboring city and an ISIL stronghold that was under direct threat now from SDF, and other areas in Aleppo. Hundreds of Kurdish civilians were kidnapped by ISIL to use them as human shield. Tens of thousands of other Syrian Kurds had fled the battle zone for SDF-controlled areas. The political arm of SDF, Syrian Democratic Council, or SDC, issued a statement on June 25, 2016, calling on the world to help the SDF "prevent the occurrence of a catastrophe or a massacre".
Alleged Russian Airstrike Kills Dozens
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 25, 2016 that airstrikes launched by Russia earlier in the day had hit a mosque at a village, Qourieh, in Deir el-Zour province, killing at least 46 people, including 31 civilians. Qourieh, like most areas of the Deir el-Zour province, is controlled by ISIL. Russia denied that it had carried the airstrikes in Qourieh on June 25, 2016.
Weapons Stolen from the Secret CIA Training Program
A joint investigation by Al-Jazeera and The New York Times made public June 26, 2016 brought to the public knowledge the degree of lack of oversight of a secret arming program meant for western-backed Syrian rebels. According to the investigation report, the weapons shipped by the CIA and Saudi Arabia to the training sites in Jordan were not accounted properly, and some of the weapons were stolen and had made their way to the arms black market in Jordan.
A Key Aleppo Road Closed due to Fighting
A new set of complexities arose out of intensified fighting in northeastern parts of Aleppo on July 7, 2016 as a key passageway, Castello Road, for transporting relief and aid to rebel-held neighborhoods was closed. Castello Road was lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people who were left inside the rebel-held parts of Aleppo, and the road's closure would surely deteriorate an already existing humanitarian crisis. Expressing frustration, the U.N. voiced deep concern on July 12, 2016.
Russian Foreign Minister Decries U.N. Inaction
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 12, 2016 had some harsh words for the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, for not giving a diplomatic push through negotiation and instead waiting for U.S. and Russia to come up with a political transition plan. The indirect talks between Syrian rebels and government broke down in April 2016.
************************ U.S.-RUSSIA AGREEMENT ON SYRIA *********************
Kerry Submits Limited Military Alliance Proposal to Putin
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on July 14, 2016 submitted an eight-page proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a state visit to Russia aimed at sharing intelligence, military strategies and counterterrorism tactics to contain and defeat extremist forces, including Islamic State, in Syria. Although this sort of alliance is the call of the day if Islamic State is to be defeated, it may not sit well with the Syrian rebel groups as they may see this alliance as Washington cozying up with Assad regime.
U.S., Russia Agree to Push for a Cease-fire
On July 15, 2016, U.S. and Russia agreed on a framework, an eight-page proposal submitted by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry a day earlier to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to make a renewed push for a cease-fire, unitedly work for a political transition plan and intensify the fight against extremist groups operating in Syria, namely Nusra Front and ISIL. However, neither John Kerry nor his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who had both appeared at a Moscow press conference, divulged the agreement details.
Aleppo Cease-fire Talks near Conclusion
After days of talks between U.S. and Russian negotiators, hope for a cease-fire deal in the divided city of Aleppo is getting new lease of life as Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said in remarks carried by Rossiya 24 TV on August 15, 2016 that "step by step, we are nearing an arrangement", especially "about Aleppo".
Agreement Reached on Syria
After months of negotiations between Russia and the USA, negotiators on September 9, 2016 reached an agreement on cessation of violence in Aleppo and besieged areas and ensuring aid supplies to people entrapped by the raging conflict that had created the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. The agreement was publicly announced in Geneva by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the early hours of September 10, 2016 local time. Under the agreement, violence and attacks by warring parties will stop effective September 12, 2016 and U.N. and other relief agencies will be allowed to provide humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of besieged people in Aleppo and other Syrian cities. If the cessation of hostilities holds for an initial period of seven days, U.S. and Russia will establish a Joint Implementation Center to share information on Nusra Front and ISIL so that both nations may effectively target militants from these two groups. Now, the challenge to both Moscow and Washington is significant, but not impossible: Russia needs to dissuade its ally Bashar Assad from attacking the rebel-held parts of Aleppo and other areas, and U.S. has to do the same for the western-backed rebel groups which are skeptical of any accord that keeps Assad in power.
Violence Intensifies on the Eve of Russia-U.S. Agreement to Go into Effect
In an act of political brinkmanship with military ruthlessness, warring sides tried to maximize their respective territorial gains by doubling down on the scale of violence on September 10, 2016, hours after an agreement was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at Geneva. A barrage of airstrikes were launched on rebel-held parts of Aleppo and Idlib by the Syrian regime, killing at least 90 people. On the other end, Syrian rebels launched attacks in the southern Quneitra province.
Cessation of Violence Goes into Effect
As expected, the cessation of violence called for by the September 9, 2016, Russia-U.S. agreement went into effect in Aleppo and other areas of Syria on September 12, 2016 at 7PM local time.
First Crack in Truce Appears after U.S. Airstrikes
Five days after a cessation of violence went into effect in Aleppo and other Syrian cities, a U.S. airstrikes in Deir al-Zour on September 17, 2016 killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers. Although Pentagon called the incident an accidental mistake, Syrian government called it deliberate.
Aid Convoy Hit by Airstrikes as Truce Collapses
A U.N. aid convoy was hit by airstrikes on September 19, 2016 in western parts of Aleppo City, killing at least 32 people, including 12 in the convoy. Earlier in the day, Syrian regime announced the end of cessation of violence that had gone into effect on September 12, 2016 as part of a U.S.-Russia agreement. The airstrikes on September 19, 2016, targeted against the U.N. convoy, were reported to be carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime.
Aid Shipment Suspended after the Airstrikes
More information poured in on September 20, 2016 about the late September 19, 2016, airstrikes on a Syrian Arab Crescent convoy that had killed dozens in the rebel-held town of Uram al-Kubra. First a warehouse was targeted, and minutes after a 31-truck convoy carrying about 100 tons of food, medicine and baby formula was targeted. At least 18 trucks were decimated. On September 20, 2016, U.N. suspended the aid delivery, and ICRC called the attack "a flagrant violation of international law".
Kerry Struggles to Revive the Deal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on September 21, 2016 pushed hard to resuscitate the crumbling agreement that U.S. and Russia had reached just days ago and now at the brink of collapsing after an alleged Russian airstrike on September 19, 2016 had hit a U.N. relief convoy and killed scores of people. Kerry's new proposal was to ground all the aircraft in "key areas" in Syria. Kerry's Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who was also present in the U.N. Security Council meeting where Kerry put forward the proposal, was yet to respond to it.
U.N. Resumes Aid Delivery
Three days after suspending its aid operation for three days since an alleged airstrike on a relief convoy destroyed tons of supplies and killed scores of people, U.N. on September 22, 2016 resumed aid deliveries to selected areas. A 25-truck convoy left Damascus for Moadamiya, according to a U.N. special adviser for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland, a suburb of capital where about 40,000 people were living in dire conditions. Egeland also said at Geneva that trucks were getting loaded and ready to deliver aid to other affected areas.
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
A day after faint hopes emerged for resuscitating a fragile deal between U.S.-Russia with U.N. resuming aid supplies to Moadamiya, optimism came to a screeching halt on September 23, 2016 as Russian and Syrian warplanes pummeled eastern parts of Aleppo city and neighboring villages in the province of same name. The ferocity of airstrikes was so severe and sustained that they took out water supplies to almost 2 million people, knocked out power lines, left neighborhood after neighborhood to piles of debris and destruction, and untold degree of human toll. The estimate of death toll in September 23, 2016, airstrikes ranged from 72 to 100. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, John Kerry met with Sergey Lavrov during the day for a last bid effort to revive the faltering agreement that helped to put the civil conflict to a near pause for a week before its breakdown.
U.N Chief Condemns "Chilling" Escalation in Aleppo
Bashar Assad's forces aided by Russian air campaign and Hezbollah fighters on September 24, 2016 doubled down on the disaster brought upon the residents of rebel-held parts of Aleppo as government forces captured during the day a Palestinian refugee camp, Handarat Camp, from the rebels. A day after up to 100 people might have been killed, at least 52 people, including 11 children and six women, were killed on September 24, 2016 in continuing offensive by Assad regime and Russian forces. Reacting to a looming humanitarian catastrophe in rebel-held parts of Aleppo, U.N.S.G. Ban Ki-moon on September 24, 2016 called the latest offensive as a "chilling" escalation. Frustrated by a lack of diplomatic progress, Secretary of State John Kerry said at Tufts University that the situation in Aleppo was "beyond the pale".
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
As a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement had collapsed after the September 19, 2016, airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy, it was free for all in terms of unmitigated attacks on civilians in Aleppo by the both warring parties. However, the scale of destruction inflicted by Russian and Syrian airstrikes made the regime-Russia offensive one of the most gruesome and grotesque in the Syrian Civil War. On September 26, 2016, airstrikes targeted against rebel-held neighborhoods involved heavy-duty bombs.
Pro-Regime Fighters Seize a Rebel-held Neighborhood in Aleppo
Eight days after a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement collapsed after a U.N. aid convoy had been hit by airstrikes, fighters loyal to Bashar Assad on September 27, 2016 seized a rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood, Farafra, near the city's medieval citadel while the pro-government airstrikes raged parts of rebel-held Sha'ar and Mashhad neighborhoods.
Ban Calls Aleppo Worse than "Slaughterhouse", U.S. Threatens to Stop Talks with Russia
Since a fragile cessation of violence deal collapsed on September 19, 2016, Assad regime and Russia had carried out relentless attacks on rebel-held areas, especially the rebel-held neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo where an estimated 275,000 civilians were thought to be trapped in. Responding to the looming humanitarian disaster, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on September 28, 2016 called the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo worse than a "slaughterhouse". Meanwhile, expressing the U.S. frustration of Russian action in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during the day told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov over phone that Washington would have to halt talks with Russia if Moscow continued with its campaign to stifle the people of rebel-held eastern Aleppo.
Russia Pooh-Poohs Kerry's Threat
Dismissing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's threat to halt talks with Moscow in a bid to resuscitate the September 9, 2016, U.S.-Russia agreement, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on September 29, 2016 that Moscow had no plan to slow down its offensive in Aleppo. Ryabkov added that his country had offered more than once to have a 48-hour pause in fighting in Aleppo so that humanitarian aid could flow. However, Washington was fixated, according to Ryabkov, on a seven-day pause for reasons only "they know". Meanwhile, the situation in eastern Aleppo was nearing to a point of "human catastrophe" situation, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator Stephen O'Brien told the U.N. Security Council on September 29, 2016. Separately at Geneva, the deputy U.N. special envoy for Syria, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, said during the day that only 35 doctors had been left behind in the rebel-controlled parts of eastern Aleppo to serve nearly 275,000 people entrapped there.
Main Hospital in Aleppo's Rebel Area Bombed for the Second Time
The M10 Hospital, the biggest hospital in the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, was bombed on October 1, 2016 by aircraft for the second time in a week.
U.S. Abandons Talks with Russia, Moscow Reneges on a Key Arms Control Act
As the barrage of airstrikes on the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo continued unabated, U.S. on October 3, 2016 announced that it was immediately suspending talks with Russia on Syrian war. Russia has responded in kind: abrogating its responsibility in a key arms-control act that calls for disposing of 34 tons of Plutonium by both nations.
Russia Criticized for Turning a Blind Eye on Assad's Excesses
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on October 4, 2016 at Brussels just before attending a conference on Afghanistan that Russia's role in Syria was deplorable as Moscow had decided to turn a blind eye on Assad regime's "Chlorine gas and barrel bombs against his own people".
Russia Deploys Missiles a Day after Washington Suspends Talks
Russian Defense Ministry said on October 4, 2016 that it had deployed a battery of S-300 air defense missiles to protect the assets and personnel of Tartus, its only existing airbase outside the former Soviet Republic nations, and its navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea.
More than 300 Civilians Killed since Collapse of U.S.-Russia Agreement
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on October 5, 2016 that 316 civilians had been accounted to have been killed by the joint Syrian-Russian campaign in the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russian agreement.
U.N. Envoys Calls for a New Truce
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on October 6, 2016 called for a new truce in Syria that would not only bring peace to Aleppo, where a fragile U.S.-Russia deal had collapsed on September 19, 2016, but also other Syrian cities. The diplomat, speaking to reporters at Geneva, asked the fighters of Nusra Front, now renamed Levant Conquest Front, numbering about 900 to leave the eastern parts of Aleppo to spare about 275,000 civilians from Russian-Syrian airstrikes.
Kerry Slams Russia
A day after the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called for a new Syria truce to replace a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement that had collapsed on September 19, 2016, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on October 7, 2016 condemned Russia's brutal campaign in Syria, especially targeting hospitals in rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Referring to the latest airstrikes overnight on a hospital that had killed 20 people, Kerry, alongside the visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, said at Washington D.C. that Russia's action amounted to "targeted strategy to terrorize" Syrian opposition.
U.N. Security Council Hits Impasse amid Aleppo Descending into "Terribly Dire" Situation
As death toll mounted steadily since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement after airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo, Competing proposals floated around at the U.N. Security Council. On October 8, 2016, Russia vetoed a French draft that called for an immediate end to bombing campaign in Aleppo. A competing proposal introduced by Moscow that called for separation of moderate rebel groups from the terrorist outfits, but fell short of a pause to bombing failed to receive nine votes in the U.N.S.C. During the day, UNICEF's Syria representative Hanaa Singer called the Aleppo situation "terribly dire" and called for immediate halt to bombing and shelling.
Pro-Assad Forces Seizes a Rebel District in Eastern Aleppo
On October 8, 2016, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that pro-government fighters seized Aleppo's northeastern district of al-Awijeh.
Airstrikes, Anti-Government Violence in Full Swing after Collapse of Truce
Since a U.S.-Russia truce floundered since September 19, 2016, violence and counter-violence engulfed Aleppo and other parts of Syria with increased intensity, and hundreds of civilians were killed in rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Hospitals, health clinics and pediatric facilities were struck with barrage of airstrikes with no regard for wartime law, leave alone any respect for human lives. In the rebel-held parts of Aleppo, less than 50 doctors had been left to take care about 275,000 civilians entrapped there. In the backdrop of such humanitarian disaster, continuous airstrikes by pro-regime forces and shelling by rebels don't make much of a headline grabbing news. On October 11, 2016, airstrikes on the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo killed at least 14 people. However, it's not always Bashar Assad regime and Russia to always blame for although they carry out the most of the attacks targeting rebel-held areas. On October 11, 2016, rockets fired by rebels hit government-controlled areas of Daraa, where Syrian uprising had begun in March 2011 with peaceful anti-government demonstration, hitting a school and killing six people, including children.
Putin Calls West's Stand on Syria as Blackmail; Airstrikes Kill at least 41
Addressing an investors' conference at Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 12, 2016 condemned west's recent politics of "blackmail" and reiterated Russian resolve not to give in to such tactic. Putin was referring to U.S. suspension of talks with Russia and a French draft at the U.N. Security Council for stopping all attacks in Aleppo. U.S. suspended talks on October 3, 2016, and five days later, Russia vetoed the French draft at the U.N. Security Council. Meanwhile, a ferocious series of Russian-Syrian airstrikes on October 12, 2016 killed at least 41 people in the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo, including a marketplace that was raged to the ground.
358 Civilians Killed since the Collapse of Truce, Human Rights Group Estimates
A respected Britain-based human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, issued a report on October 12, 2016, estimating that 358 civilians were killed since a U.S.-Russia agreement had collapsed on September 19, 2016.
Russia's Humanitarian Pause Begins, but There is No Taker
Russia on October 20, 2016 began a unilateral "humanitarian pause" to allow civilians and rebels to leave the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Even the special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, personally offered protection to hundreds of radical fighters tied to former Nusra Front if they left Aleppo for rebel-held Idlib in the hope that regime would leave alone thousands of other rebels to stay back in the rebel-held eastern Aleppo.
Pro-Government Fighters Gain Ground in Aleppo, Rebels Struck in Idlib
After days of fighting, pro-regime soldiers on October 24, 2016 made inroads in the southern periphery of Aleppo, taking the strategic hilltop of Bazo. Meanwhile, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees reported on October 24, 2016 that airstrikes had hit Idlib towns of Kfar Takharim and Khan Sheikhoun earlier in the day, killing at least 13 people.
Rebels Launch Offensive in Aleppo
Pushed against a wall, Aleppo's rebel outfits on October 28, 2016 launched what could be described as a "do-or-die" battle by shelling more than 150 rockets against government-held western Aleppo. The rocket attacks killed at least 15 people.
Offensives, Counteroffensives Wreck Nerve in Aleppo
Forty days after the September 19, 2016, collapse of the U.S.-Russia agreement, the curse of violence engulfed the city of Aleppo, once the industrial hub of Syria, with untold degree of misery and macabre looming large to a varying extent over every nook and corner of the city. On October 29, 2016, a day after rebels loyal to various groups such as Fatah al-Sham, Ajnad al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham launched surprise attacks on government-held positions in western Aleppo, rebel fighters entered the village Minian, just west of Aleppo, and engaged with government and pro-government fighters in Zahraa neighborhood in western Aleppo. The rebel attack on western Aleppo was to help repel a months-long pro-regime chokehold on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo. However, Syrian government, instead of backing down, mounted a terrifying streak of airstrikes on eastern Aleppo on October 29, 2016.
Third Day of Rebel Counteroffensive Takes Grim Toll
After launching a counteroffensive on the government-held western Aleppo on October 28, 2016 on the pretext of loosening the regime chokehold on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, rebels had resorted to indiscriminate shelling of the government-held areas, targeting civilian positions at random. On the third day of the counteroffensive, seven people, including three children, were killed in the rebel shelling, according to the state-run TV news. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported during the day that at least 41 civilians, including 16 children, had been killed in the three-day (October 28-30, 2016) rebel counteroffensive. Addressing to the latest counteroffensive on government-held areas, the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on October 30, 2016 said that there was absolutely no justification for such indiscriminate assault on civilians by rebels to break months-long regime siege of eastern Aleppo and it constituted the ground for possible "war crimes".
Russia to Open a Pair of Corridors for Aleppo Rebels to Leave
Moscow, observing a unilateral pause in airstrikes on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo since October 20, 2016, announced on November 2, 2016 that it would open two humanitarian corridors out of rebel-held eastern Aleppo between 9AM and 7PM on November 4, 2016 to facilitate movement by armed rebels to leave Aleppo for rebel-held territories. Additional corridors were already open for civilians to leave for government-held areas. Since Russia's unilateral pause in airstrikes on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo on October 20, 2016, there were few takers of Russian offer to move out of eastern Aleppo.
Syrian Rebels Launch Another Wave of Attacks on Western Aleppo
A day before Russia-initiated opening of a pair of humanitarian corridors for 10 hours (9AM to 7PM) on the pretext of allowing armed rebels to leave eastern Aleppo, Syrian rebels escalated the battle over Aleppo on November 3, 2016 by launching a fresh wave of attacks on the government-held areas of western Aleppo, killing 12 civilians and wounding 200 more. Rebels have been pounding, in varying intensities, the government positions in western Aleppo since October 28, 2016 to loosen a strangulating siege by pro-regime forces against the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo since July 17, 2016.
Russia's Safe Corridors Fails to Entice Rebels, Civilians amid an Attack on Russian Soldiers
The so-called and much publicized opening of two safe corridors by Russia in eastern Aleppo during a 10-hour humanitarian pause from 9:00AM to 7:00PM on November 4, 2016 had no tangible effect as rebels had stayed away from using those safe corridors as well as thousands of civilians who had been already permitted to use other existing humanitarian corridors, but chose not to. To the contrary, a mortar landed near one of the safe corridors designated for rebels, and wounded two Russian soldiers.
Monitoring Group Blames Rebel Counteroffensive for 74 Civilian Deaths
A Britain-based Syrian human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported on November 5, 2016 that 74 civilians had been killed since rebels had launched a counteroffensive on the government-held areas of western Aleppo on October 28, 2016. The observatory also stated that Russia never stopped bombing rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo although announcing on October 18, 2016 a unilateral pause on airstrikes with much fanfare and claiming to have begun the pause two days later on October 20, 2016. According to the observatory, the joint Russia-Syrian airstrikes had killed at least 400 civilians and wounded more than 2,000 since the October 18, 2016, unilateral declaration.
Russia, Rebels Trade Charges over Possible Use of Chemical Weapons
On November 11, 2016, western-backed rebels and Russia accused each other of carrying out chemical attacks on civilians in parts of Aleppo. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov during the day asked the U.N. agency in charge of securing Syria's chemical weapons, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to send observers immediately to the recently seized areas in southwestern Aleppo to inquire into what pro-regime fighters had found a cache of unexploded ordnance and explosives containing chlorine and white phosphorous. The pro-western Syrian National Coalition countered the allegation, stating that the munitions were similar to what pro-regime forces had used earlier against the rebel-held neighborhoods.
Rebel Offensive on Government-held Western Aleppo Comes to Cropper
The ferocious counteroffensive launched on October 28, 2016 by rebel fighters on the government-held western Aleppo as part of a strategy to break a punitive, months-long siege since July 17, 2016 imposed by the Assad regime, Russia, Hezbollah and fighters from Iraq and Iran on the rebel-controlled eastern Aleppo came to nearing a crushing defeat on November 12, 2016 as government soldiers and their allies were able to regain control of two districts, Al-Assad and Minyan, west of Aleppo. Reflecting the failure of 16-day rebel offensive on the government-controlled western Aleppo, the chief of Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdurrahman, said on November 12, 2016 that "the epic battle for Aleppo has failed". The Observatory also issued an estimate of the tolls in the 12-day (October 28-November 12, 2016) rebel-launched offensive: 508 killed that included 90 foreign fighters, 152 on the government side and scores of civilians. The Observatory further broke down the casualty on the regime side--83 Syrian soldiers, 28 Hezbollah fighters and 41 from Iraq and Iran.
********** RENEWED ALEPPO OFFENSIVE
"A Big Operation" Launched by Russia to Vanquish Rebels in Eastern Aleppo
In an operation that might be the final blow to the rebel fighters in the eastern Aleppo and push to help Bashar Assad regime to extend authority to all of the northern city, Russia on November 15, 2016 launched multi-pronged air attacks on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo. Media reports also confirmed that Syrian aircraft also joined the Russian campaign to pound the rebel-held areas. Russian jets took of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and hit rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Idlib and Homs provinces. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on November 15, 2016 called the offensive launched earlier in the day "a big operation to deliver massive strikes" against ISIL and Nusra Front. Shoigu gave an update of the operation to President Vladimir Putin at Sochi.
Russia Denies Air Attack on Rebel-held Aleppo
A day after a renewed push was launched to vanquish rebels from the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, Russia said on November 16, 2016 that it was carrying out airstrikes in rebel-held areas of Idlib and Homs provinces, not the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo City, leaving western military analysts to believe the untrustworthy narrative that it was only Bashar Assad's air force that had been behind the renewed and more intensified air campaign launched on November 15, 2016 targeting the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo.
Heavy Casualties on the Fifth Day of the Renewed Offensive
Syrian Civil Defense Force, also known as White Helmets, reported on November 19, 2016 that at least 60 people had been killed during the day in heavy bombardment by the Bashar Assad's forces and allied militia. Meanwhile, the renewed government offensive launched on November 15, 2016 became so deadlier and intensified that the White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice on November 19, 2016 condemned the regime's "heinous actions" in the "strongest terms".
Merkel Condemns Russia, Regime for Targeting Hospitals
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on November 23, 2016 condemned Russia and Syrian government for carrying out attacks on hospitals and medical facilities at will that had killed hundreds of civilians and crippled basic medical services in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Addressing the German parliament, Merkel also called for criminal prosecution of these "very regrettable" offenses.
First Neighborhood to Fall Re-captured by Regime Forces
Since the launch of an intensified offensive to get Aleppo ridden of rebels on November 15, 2016, Syrian forces have not only shown an increasing volley of all-round firepower, but also a methodical push to bring more neighborhoods under the military control. On November 26, 2016, Syrian government announced that its soldiers now had the full control of the Hanano, a neighborhood that fell first to Rebels' control in 2012. Meanwhile, the death toll in the 12-day offensive rose to 357 people, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Pro-Assad Forces Sweep Rebel-held Neighborhoods in Eastern Aleppo
Soon after capturing Hanano neighborhood on November 26, 2016, pro-regime offensive that began with full force and intensity on November 15, 2016 became more lethal, with rebel-held neighborhoods being reduced to rubble one by one and thousands of civilians were forced to flee with whatever personal belongings they could carry. In addition to Hezbollah fighters, Iraq's and Iran's Shiite militia fighters joined hands to decimate the rebels in eastern Aleppo. Since the November 26, 2016, capture of Hanano neighborhood, pro-Assad fighters seized several additional neighborhoods in once-held eastern Aleppo in the following 48 hours.
U.N. Official Warns of Looming Disaster in Eastern Aleppo
Reiterating the disaster awaiting eastern Aleppo, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O' Brien said on November 29, 2016 that Syrian air force was dropping leaflets in rapidly shrinking rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo to warn residents to leave as soon as possible. At least 16,000 residents had left the rebel-held neighborhoods during the past few days, according to O'Brien. At least 20 civilians were killed in renewed airstrikes on November 29, 2016, according to reports by the opposition activist groups.
Syrian Army's Ultimatum to Rebels: Leave or Die
Since the launch of a scorched-earth offensive since November 15, 2016, Syrian government of Bashar Assad was able to break loose the rebel resistance in eastern Aleppo, and now victory for the regime was all but assured. On December 4, 2016, Syrian Army gave a clear ultimatum to rebels still holed in the rapidly shrinking rebel-held neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo to get out or get ready to be annihilated. Meanwhile, airstrikes in Idlib province on December 4, 2016 killed at least 50 people.
Two Russian Nurses Killed in Rebel Shelling; Russia, China Block a Truce Draft
As their area continued to shrink by hours, rebels grew more desperate and resorted to shelling at random targets. On December 5, 2016, rebel shelling in government-controlled western Aleppo killed 2 Russian nurses and 8 civilians. Meanwhile, a Russian warplane, en route to an aircraft carrier, crashed in Mediterranean, but its pilot was reported to have ejected safely. Meanwhile, a U.N. Security Council effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster in eastern Aleppo was handed a diplomatic defeat as Russia and China on December 5, 2016 blocked a draft that called for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate evacuation and aid shipment.
Assad's Forces Seize Most of Once Rebel-Held Aleppo, Russia Doubles Down on Threat
Three weeks after the November 15, 2016, launch of renewed offensive, pro-government forces controlled three-quarter of what was once rebel stronghold of eastern Aleppo. On December 6, 2016, pro-regime forces seized al-Shaar neighborhood, thus further pushing rebels to a narrow sliver of neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meanwhile issued the most ominous threat on December 6, 2016 that rebels would face sure "annihilation" if they refused to leave Aleppo.
Rebels Faces Inevitable Defeat in Few Days
As more areas of once rebel-held eastern Aleppo fell under the ferocious attack of Bashar Assad's army and pro-regime militia on December 7, 2016, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that at least 730 people were killed and 80,000 had fled since the November 15, 2016, launch of renewed offensive by pro-government forces to seize Eastern Aleppo.
Assad's Forces Suspend Offensive, Russia Says, to Help Civilians Evacuate
After a meeting with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry in Germany, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on December 8, 2016 that Syrian government suspended offensive in the rebel-held Eastern Aleppo effective December 8, 2016 to pave the way for about 8,000 civilians to get out of the area. Lavrov also added that a meeting would be held among international partners at Geneva either on December 9 or December 10 to chalk up with an exit strategy for rebels who had been holed up in small sliver of areas in Eastern Aleppo. During the day, a U.N. official, Jan Egeland, said at Geneva that Bashar Assad regime had given the U.N. go-ahead to bring relief and aid to hitherto rebel-held Eastern Aleppo.
Civilians Continue Fleeing Eastern Aleppo
Apparently taking advantage of a lull in fighting, thousands of residents fled the rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo. However, Syrian opposition leaders disputed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's December 8, 2016, comments that Syrian government had suspended offensive in Aleppo. On December 11, 2016, at least 4,000 residents of the embattled enclave left for Western Aleppo in government-arranged buses, bringing the total number of civilians who had left the shattered neighborhoods of once rebel-held Eastern Aleppo to 70,000 to date since the renewed offensive had begun on November 15, 2016.
98% of Rebel-held Eastern Aleppo Under Government Control
State media on December 12, 2016 reported that 98 percent of once rebel-held areas in Eastern Aleppo was seized by the government forces and allied militia, thus cornering the rebels into a few neighborhood-included areas. Bashar Assad regime, wielding upper hand now, is yet to respond to a rebel proposal for a truce to help civilians to be evacuated and determine the fate of Aleppo, meaning rebels now implicitly acknowledge the imminent defeat. Meanwhile, EU Foreign policy chief Frederica Moghirini told a gathering of EU foreign ministers on December 12, 2016 that emphasis should be now focused on providing humanitarian help to besieged people of Aleppo.
Rebels Surrender, Truce Agreed, Assad Re-establishes Authorities over All of Aleppo
Not even a month passed since the renewed launch of blistering attacks began on November 15, 2016. Rebel-held Eastern Aleppo was reduced to rubble. Streets had been forlorn. An air of feel of absolute desperation descended on the streets and neighborhoods of Eastern Aleppo as the resistance by the rebels had all but disappeared in the face of punishing military campaign carried out by Bashar Assad regime. On December 13, 2016, rebels agreed to effectively surrender, leading to the beginning of a truce on the government terms. As rebels agreed to surrender, Russia confirmed that all the military action in Aleppo had stopped, but not before pro-government forces had massacred 82 civilians in four neighborhoods--Bustan al-Qasr, Al Fardous, Al Kallaseh and Al Saleheen--which hitherto were under rebel control, according to the U.N. Russia's announcement of the end to military action in Aleppo came from the Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin.
Final Phase of Evacuation
On December 21, 2016, chartered buses evacuated rebels and civilians as part of the last phase of evacuation from Eastern Aleppo. Most of the rebels were headed to Idlib province, while the civilians were headed to government shelters. During the day, a snow storm has blanketed Aleppo. As the Aleppo evacuation progressed, the fight for al-Bab spiked up with Turkey and Turkish-backed fighters trying to seize the key northern Syrian town from ISIL.
Pro-Government Syrians Celebrate Regime Victory in Aleppo
On December 22, 2016, thousands of pro-regime supporters were in celebratory mood in Western Aleppo as the government authority was re-established over all of Aleppo during the day after the last batch of rebel fighters had left the city, marking a significant victory for Bashar Assad and end of a remarkable resistance by the armed rebel groups that had controlled eastern parts of the city since 2012. Observing the government victory, President Bashar Assad said during the day that it was "a victory not only for Syria", but also for Russia and Iran.
********** RENEWED ALEPPO OFFENSIVE
U.S.-led Coalition Airstrikes Investigation Report
The inquiry into September 17, 2016, accidental airstrikes on mistaken targets in Deir al-Zour province that had killed 62 Syrian soldiers and unraveled a U.S-Russia-sponsored truce in Aleppo shed light on wrong intelligence assessment and degree of a combination of human errors that had led to strikes by US, British, Danish and Australian F-16s, F-18s, and A-10 on Syrian military assets. Summarizing the findings of the report, Air Force Brigadier General Richard "Tex" Coe, the lead investigator, said on November 29, 2016 that coalition strikes pounded Syrian military assets on that fateful day by dropping 34 precision-guided munitions and firing 380 rounds of 30 mm canon fire.
********** TURKEY-RUSSIA DEAL ON EVACUATION OF BESIEGED
Russia, Turkey Agree on a Ceasefire and Evacuation Deal
Sidelining the warring parties and the USA, Ankara and Moscow on late December 13, 2016 agreed on a deal aimed at ceasing fighting in Aleppo and evacuating the rebel fighters. The deal was supposed to take effect at dawn on December 14, 2016, but was reported to have been flouted by the government side within hours.
Hundreds Evacuated amid a Fragile Truce
Amidst scattered reports of violations of truce reached by Turkey and Russia on December 13, 2016, hundreds of civilians were evacuated from former rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo on December 15, 2016 by government-operated buses. Hailing the evacuation and government victory in Aleppo, Syrian President Bashar Assad on December 15, 2016 compared the outcome with historic occasions such as rebirth of Jesus and break-up of Soviet Union.
Truce Collapses amid New Demands by Pro-Government Fighters
A day after convoy of buses and ambulances transported civilians from once rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo, pro-government militants on December 16, 2016 prevented evacuation from going forward, demanding that Aleppo evacuation to be simultaneously carried out with the evacuation of civilians from two pro-government villages in the rebel-held Idlib province. The evacuation from Idlib villages of Foua and Kfarya--was not part of December 13, 2016, Russia-Turkey agreement. Meanwhile, France disclosed on December 16, 2016 that it would sponsor a resolution at the U.N. Security Council to put U.N. monitors on the ground to oversee Aleppo evacuation, a measure sure to draw support from the USA, but a definite veto by Moscow.
France, Russia Agree on a U.N. Measure to Hasten Evacuation
The revival of an evacuation deal agreed last week, but collapsed two days ago, between Turkey and Russia saw the day of light on December 18, 2016 as Russia and France during the day agreed on an amended French resolution to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016. Under the (amended) deal, U.N. will observe the evacuation process from both rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province after consulting with the "interested parties", implying both the regime and rebels having power to block the U.N. monitors to accompany the evacuation buses. Although the evacuation of about 2,000 mostly Shiites from Foua and Kfrarya was not part of the original Turkey-Russia deal, it was included under Iranian pressure. As France and Russia agreed on the diplomatic side of the issue, situation on ground got worse as rebel fighters torched six government buses sent to Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province to resume evacuation. Although some degree of normalcy in resumption was restored during the day in Aleppo evacuation. As far as French-sponsored amended U.N. measure was concerned, French Ambassador to the U.N., Francois Delattre, led his country's negotiating team in a long meeting on December 18, 2016 with Russian team led by Delattre's Russian counterpart, Vitaly Churkin, and agreed on a deal that would dilute and downgrade the U.N. monitoring role as envisioned in the original deal of supervising the evacuation process to that of observing the evacuation process.
U.N. Security Council Approves the Amended French Resolution
A day after Russia and France agreed on a framework of U.N. monitoring of the evacuation called for by an earlier Turkey-Russia deal, the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016 approved the amended version of a French resolution that would allow U.N. to observe the evacuation process after consultations with the "interested parties" and report back to the Council. The December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution does not have the teeth of an earlier French draft, rejected by Moscow, that would put the overall evacuation process under the U.N. supervision. The amended French resolution, though allows U.N. involvement, has fallen far short of international community's expectation as regime, or pro-regime militia, or in that matter, even rebels can refuse the U.N. monitors from boarding the evacuation buses. The France-sponsored U.N. Security Council Resolution approved on December 19, 2016 agreement expands the Turkey-Russia evacuation deal to cover two more rebel-held, regime-sieged villages near the Lebanese borders, Zabadani and Madaya in addition to rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province. Now, there are three key questions pertinent to the implementation of the December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution:
* How fast the U.N. monitors are to be deployed?
* Will Russia and Turkey prod the respective parties to hold the deal?
* Are there enough monitors to observe the evacuation process?
A New Trio of Political Axis Forming without US and U.N.
As a follow-up to the December 13, 2016, evacuation deal crafted by Russia and Turkey, foreign ministers from both nations and their Iranian counterpart met at Moscow on December 20, 2016 to discuss on opening a path to a political solution to the Syrian Civil War. This time neither USA nor U.N. was invited, and Russia planned to go ahead by forging a new alliance with fellow NATO member nation Turkey on the grounds that directly working with Turkey on an evacuation deal, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, would yield faster results than "fruitless get-togethers with the U.S." On December 20, 2016, Russia and Turkey reinforced that bond by including Iran and extending their focus beyond evacuation to seeking a pathway for political solution. Doubling down on the joint U.S.-Russian diplomacy, Lavrov criticized the International Syria Support Group that he and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had led since 2015 for producing just "important documents", but never taking any meaningful action. The newly minted Turkish-Russian bonhomie was palpable on December 20, 2016 during and after foreign ministerial level meeting at Moscow among Turkey, Russia and Iran. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lavished praised on Russian role for evacuation of more than 37,500 people from Eastern Aleppo.
********** TURKEY-RUSSIA DEAL ON EVACUATION OF BESIEGED
********** RUSSIA-TURKEY TRUCE DEAL
Russia, Turkey Sign Truce and Other Agreements
After days of talks in the post-implementation of a successful evacuation from Aleppo, Russia and Turkey on December 29, 2016 signed three sets of agreements:
* A truce scheduled to go into effect at 12:01 AM local Syrian time on December 30, 2016
* A truce monitoring mechanism to be enforced by Russia and Turkey
* A statement of readiness to support peace talks
From the Russia-Turkey truce talks, not only Syrian government and Syrian rebel groups were excluded, but US and UN were also not invited. Iran often joined the sessions as a stakeholder. On December 29, 2016, Syrian military issued a statement lauding the "comprehensive cessation of hostilities" and noted that it had been possible because of government's recent military victory in Aleppo and beyond. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showcased deal as a reflection of a brewing diplomatic love with Moscow and described the Turkish-Russian deal of having the potential to offer a "historic opportunity". However, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not so sure, only uttering that the truce was at best a "fragile" one.
Fighting Continues amid a Shaky Truce
As a fragile truce sponsored by Turkey and Russia and signed by 13 rebel groups went into effect on December 30, 2016, Bashar Assad regime was in no mood to step back from the continuing offensives in areas where rebels remained a potent force. On the first full day of the truce, regime aircraft dropped barrel bombs on Wadi Barada, a countryside controlled by rebel groups west of Damascus.
U.N. Does not Officially Endorse, but Back the Turkey-Russian Truce
Since Turkey and Russia had exclusively worked on their own to finalize a truce in Syria that went into effect on December 30, 2016, U.N. Security Council on December 31, 2016 treaded carefully not to officially endorse the agreement, but back it with caveat that a "rapid, safe and unhindered" access to humanitarian relief operation must be opened up. The Security Council also lent its support for peace talks scheduled at Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017 and following it up with more talks in Geneva in February 2017.
Assad's Forces on the Offensive
Hardly five days had passed since a Russian-Turkish truce had taken hold on December 30, 2016, Syrian forces on January 3, 2017 began to pound rebel-held Barada Valley that included the village of Ain el-Fijeh, source of water supply to 70 percent of Damascus residents. Syrian also carried out airstrikes on the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta.
Turkey Warns Syria of Violating Truce
Turkey on January 4, 2017 warned Syria for continuing offensive around Damascus, including Barada Valley and Eastern Ghouta, in violation to a Russian-Turkish cease-fire that went into effect on December 30, 2016. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on January 4, 2017 that preparatory meetings between Russian and Turkish diplomats would be held in Turkey in the run-up to Astana Talks scheduled to begin on January 23, 2017.
Syrian Government Takes Control Damascus Water Source
After weeks of fighting in defiance of a fragile Turkey-Russia truce that had gone into effect on December 30, 2016, Syrian forces were in the upper hand over the rebel forces in the Barada Valley,site of a key water source to Damascus' nearly 5 million residents. Syrian forces dropped barrel bombs and fired artilleries on regular basis on the villages in and around the valley. On January 28, 2017, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, Syrian security forces moved into the main village , Ain el-Fijeh, actual location of the reservoir, and were securing the water source. Meanwhile, about 1,200 rebel fighters are expected to surrender and evacuated within days. After Aleppo, the victory in Barada Valley marked another milestone to to Bashar Assad's growing list of military wins.
********** RUSSIA-TURKEY TRUCE DEAL
************************ U.S.-RUSSIA AGREEMENT ON SYRIA *********************
Syrian Troops Lays Siege on a Key Road to Rebel Areas
Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah fighters and Russian warplanes buzzing overhead on July 17, 2016 cut off the access to a key road, Castello Road, that's one of the few accessible pathway to rebel-held areas of Aleppo and lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people living in these areas. If the siege continues for several more days, a humanitarian crisis may loom large.
**************** SYRIA-RUSSIA PLAN ON SAFE CORRIDOR IN ALEPPO ************
Safe Corridor Proposed by Syria and Russia
As Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters had laid a siege on a key artery to and from the rebel-held areas of Aleppo for approximately past two weeks, Russia and Syria on July 28, 2016 announced simultaneously at Moscow and Damascus, respectively, a safe corridor plan for civilians and insurgents. According to the joint plan, which has been announced without consent with, much less of approval from, the United Nations, three passageways will be opened from the rebel-held parts of Aleppo for the civilians and a fourth will be opened for insurgents willing to lay down arms. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the plan a "large-scale humanitarian" operation, but opposition immediately called it a trap and passageway to Bashar Assad's jails. Hours after the plan had been unveiled at Moscow and Damascus, Kremlin might have realized that the plan would go nowhere without backing of the U.N. and scrambled to find a way out of this diplomatic mess. Late on July 28, 2016, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted the Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov that Moscow would work in conjunction and collaboration with the U.N. to implement the plan.
U.N. Rejects Russian-Syrian Plan of Safe Corridors
U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on July 29, 2016 that neither he nor anyone else in the UN was consulted about the safe corridors plan outlined a day earlier in Moscow and Damascus, and he snubbed the plan altogether, saying the onus of creating such passageways fell only within jurisdiction of United Nations.
Civilians Flee Rebel-held Parts of Aleppo
Some hundreds of civilians on July 30, 2016 fled the rebel-held parts of Aleppo through the government-established passageways. The government has set up six shelters to house about 3,000 people, a tiny fraction of more than 300,000 civilians entrapped in the rebel-held region of Aleppo.
Only 169 Civilians Left Rebel-held Areas amid Regime-Rebel Clashes
Rebels on July 31, 2016 launched a determined push against the government soldiers and Hezbollah militia as Russian government estimated that, as of July 30, 2016, only 169 civilians had left the rebel-held areas of Aleppo, a paltry figure given than some 300,000 civilians were living in the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. The government had laid a siege on a key road Castello Road, a strategic artery connecting the rebel-held parts of Aleppo with the outside world, since July 17, 2016.
Russian Copter Shot down in Aleppo
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by rebels in Idlib province on August 1, 2016, killing 3 crew members and 2 military officers amid a bitter fight in Aleppo between regime forces and its allies on one hand and rebels on the other. Rebels were mounting an all-out attack to break the siege of government on the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. Russian military announced that at least 800 militants were killed. Regarding the Russian copter crash, Moscow said that the Mi-8 helicopter delivered the humanitarian aid in Aleppo and was on its way back to Hemeimeem Airbase when it was shot down.
**************** SYRIA-RUSSIA PLAN ON SAFE CORRIDOR IN ALEPPO ************
Nusra Front to Change Its Name
In an apparent tactical step to take it out of U.S. and Russian wrath, Nusra Front on July 28, 2016 announced that it would severe ties with al-Qaeda, drop its name and reorganize itself under the Levant Conquest Front.
Rebels Capture Parts of Military College
In a swift and serious blow to the near invincibility of government offensive, the newly created Levant Conquest Front from the remnants of al-Qaeda-tied Nusra Front on August 5, 2016 captured parts of military college at Aleppo and put up stiff fight against the regime forces who had laid a devastating siege on rebel-held parts of Aleppo since July 17, 2016.
Rebels Put up Stiff Fight, Opens a Passage for the Rebel-held Areas
After three days of fighting that had seen the Aleppo's military college to fall under rebel control on the very first day, rebels, especially from the Levant Conquest Front, pressed ahead on August 7, 2016 to seize control of several adjoining areas and were successful in opening a passageway to the rebel-held areas in the east.
Airstrikes Kill 18 in Aleppo Province
Government airstrikes hit opposition-held areas in Aleppo province, including the only hospital for woman and children at the city of Kafr Hamra, killing at least 18 people on August 12, 2016.
Manbij Captured by Kurds
After weeks of intense fighting, Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG, on August 14, 2016 declared all of Manbij to be free and ridden of ISIL. Euphoria erupted in the streets of Manbij, with women taking off their veils, men shaving off their long beards and youths making anti-ISIL chants.
Russia Reported to have Used Iranian Base for Syrian Air Campaign
Russian fighter planes took off an Iranian military base, near Hamadan in the country's northwest, on August 16, 2016 to carry out airstrikes in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir el-Zour. Iranian soil has never been used by any foreign powers to launch attacks on other nations since World War II, including the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi era (1941-79) that had enjoyed political and diplomatic bonhomie with the west. Using the Iranian soil to launch attacks in Syria, if sustained on continuous basis, is likely to be a game changer not only in terms of military upper hand in Syria, but also In terms of geo-political advantage. According to Russian Defense Ministry statement issued on August 16, 2016, long-range Tu-22M3 and Sukhoi-34 fighter jets took off the Hamadan airbase, flew over the Iraqi airspace, blasted the ISIL-held areas in Syria and returned safely to Russia. According to the statement, there was no Russian personnel, or equipment, that had stayed back in Iranian soil. Existing Russian airbases in Syria are too small to handle long-range fighter jets, and the current strategy to fly long-range fighter jets thousands of miles back and forth between Syria and Russia for air campaign is not economically viable for the long run. As part of a "de-conflict" agreement between Russia and the USA to avoid any accidental collision, U.S. was notified beforehand about Russian flight plan across Iraq.
****TURKISH AND TURKEY-BACKED REBEL OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN SYRIA****
Turkey Steps up its Stakes in Syria
Sensing a rising profile of Syrian Kurds which had made significant advances in the west of Euphrates River, including the August 14, 2016, capture of Manbij from ISIL, Turkey could not sit back as Ankara was as fearful of an assertive Kurdish push towards the west as ISIL menace. Turkey jumped into bandwagon on August 24, 2016 by sending troops, tanks and weapons to bolster rebels to oust ISIL fighters from the northern Syrian town of Jarabulus. U.S. fighter jets assisted Turkish and rebel advance on Jarabulus. U.S. role has become bit trickier with two of its allies--Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG and Turkey--are bitter nemesis. Turkey has also demanded that Kurdish soldiers withdraw from areas west of Euphrates River, a demand the visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden finds reasonable. Speaking on August 24, 2016 at a news conference at Ankara after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Biden said that Kurdish partners had been told to "move back across the river".
Turkey Sends more Tanks, Troops to Syria; Kurds Reportedly Withdrawn to the East of the River
A day after it helped pro-Turkish rebels capture the former ISIL citadel of Jarabulus, Turkey on August 25, 2016 sent dozens more tanks and hundreds more troops as part of withdrawal of People's Protection Unit, or YPG from the areas west of Euphrates River, including the prized town of Manbij. YPG announced later in the day on August 25, 2016 that it had withdrawn from Manbij and other areas west of Euphrates River.
Turkey-Backed Rebels Push out Kurdish Fighters
Rebels backed and aided by Turkey that had helped conquer Jarablus from ISIL were now training their guns on Syrian Kurdish fighters, reliable U.S. allies, who were still in the west of Euphrates River. Although YPG announced on August 25, 2016 that its fighters had completed withdrawal from the west of Euphrates River, Turkey-backed rebels had fought against them in several villages west of the river on August 28, 2016. At least 35 civilians caught in the middle were killed.
U.S. Asks Allies to De-Escalate
As Turkey and Turkish-backed rebels are now training guns on Kurdish fighters instead of ISIL, U.S. is growing impatient and irritated by its NATO ally. On August 29, 2016, U.S. asked both sides to de-engage from the conflict and resume their fight against ISIL. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter told Ankara to put its focus back on ISIL. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on August 29, 2016, in response to U.S. call for both sides to stand down, that it would continue fighting unless both ISIL and Kurdish terrorists ceased to be a threat.
Turkish-backed Rebels, Kurds Cease Fighting; French President Takes Turkey to the Task
Prodded by the U.S. and European allies, fighting between the two western allies in Syrian War theater stopped on August 30, 2016. The pro-Kurdish Jarablus Military Council issued a statement during the day, expressing its commitment to a cease-fire in north-central Syria after a lengthy consultation with the western coalition. Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande on August 30, 2016 criticized Turkey harshly for fighting against Kurdish fighters instead of ISIL.
Turkey's Deepening Military Involvement Raises Eyebrows
That Turkey upped the military and territorial stakes in Syria against ISIL and Kurds raises renewed concern over Ankara's move and motive in Syrian affair. The latest such move came on September 3, 2016 as Turkey sent at least two dozens tanks and armored personnel carriers along with more than 200 soldiers to Syria through the Turkish border town of Elbeyli, across the now-pro-Turkish rebel-held Syrian town of al-Rai, to beef up a military offensive to clear the areas between al-Rai and Jarablus of ISIL militants. Two columns of pro-Ankara rebel fighters are now heading eastward from al-Rai and westward from Jarablus to have a complete sweep in the region in the middle in order to deprive Kurdish fighters from YPG any opportunity for military action against ISIL. Although Turkey's apparent fight is directed against ISIL, its long-term goal is to ensure that north-eastern Syria doesn't fall under Kurdish control.
A Pair of Turkish Troops Killed
As usually happens in any ground offensive, Turkey has suffered in loss of life of two of its soldiers in northern Syria on September 6, 2016 as ISIL mounted a counteroffensive against Turkish ground forces and their rebel allies.
Turkey Ups Its Battle against Kurdish Fighters
Complicating the efforts of the U.S., Turkey seems intent on fighting more intensely against the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters than the ISIL militants. Turkey considers Syrian Kurds as an extension of its own Kurdish insurgency. On October 20, 2016, Turkey's state-run news agency said that Turkey had adopted to shelling against the Kurdish targets in Aleppo province in recent days and killed about 200 Kurdish fighters.
Turkish-backed Rebels, Kurds Fight in Northern Syria
Two ISIL foes seem to be at each other throats instead of focusing their energy on defeating the Sunni militant group. The fighting between the Kurdish-led and Turkish-backed fighters is intense in the countryside that lies between al-Bab, now under the control of ISIL, and Manbij, which Kurdish-led fighters now control although they have promised to withdraw to the east of Euphrates River. Kurdish sources said on November 23, 2016 that eight civilians had been killed in shelling in the countryside between Manbij and al-Bab, on the same day Kurdish-backed fighters entered the town of Arima near al-Bab.
Three Turkish Soldiers Killed in Airstrikes
For the first time since Turkey threw its hat militarily in Syrian civil war, it lost three of its soldiers in November 24, 2016, airstrikes in northern Syria. However, which forces had carried out the airstrikes were much of debate and contention, with Turkey blaming Syrian government and Syrian government along with a respected human rights group pointed finger at ISIL although the militant group was not known to have possessed any aircraft. As Turkish troops were heading to the ISIL-held town of Al-Bab, airstrikes hit the Turkish troops. Speaking with Hurriyet newspaper, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim accused the Bashar Assad regime of carrying out the airstrikes and reiterated that the attacks would not go unanswered. However, both Syria and Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that ISIL had carried out the airstrikes.
Turkey Announces Another Soldier's Death
Turkey on November 26, 2016 said that another soldier had been killed in its operation against ISIL in northern Syria, raising the death toll of Turkish soldiers this week alone to 5.
Fighting for al-Bab Intensifies with ISIL Launching Counterattacks
On December 21, 2016, ISIL staged at least three suicide attacks to thwart Turkish soldiers and Turkey-backed rebels, who had been hell-bent to seize the northern strategic town of al-Bab from the militant group. Turkish authorities reported that 10 Turkish soldiers had been killed, raising Turkey's military death toll to 35 since Turkey launched its campaign in August 2016.
Russia Joins Turkey in Pounding ISIL Targets
After a December 30, 2016, truce and following diplomatic initiatives to bring Syrian warring parties to bring to the negotiating table, Russia and Turkey cemented their relationship further on January 18, 2017 by conducting joint air raid in and around northern Syrian city of al-Bab to pound the ISIL targets. What marked also a significant diplomatic coup on the part of Russia, according to Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian military's General Command, was the indirect support and involvement of Syrian government, a known nemesis of Turkey, in the January 18, 2017, joint raid on ISIL-held town of al-Bab. In the joint air raid, nine Russian and eight Turkish warplanes took participation.
Turkish-backed Rebels Seize Key Northern Town from ISIL
Turkey-backed rebels on February 23, 2017 seized the key northern town of al-Bab from ISIL after a grueling fight since Turkey entered the fray in August 2016. It took longer than expected, and after dozens of combatant and hundreds of civilian deaths, for Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army to establish complete control over the town on February 23, 2017.
Two Car Bombs Kill more than 60 near the Liberated Town
Barely 24 hours had passed since the northern town of al-Bab had been ridden of the deadly clutch of ISIL, a car bomb exploded near a security office operated by Turkey-backed Syrian opposition on February 24, 2017, killing at least 60 people. Most of the people killed in the car bomb at the village of Sousian, 6 miles north of al-Bab, were civilians who had gone to opposition-run security office to get clearance to enter al-Bab. At least six of the dead included opposition fighters, according to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim. Hours later, a second car bomb killed at least eight people at the same village, according to activist groups. Meanwhile, Turkey's military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar claimed on February 24, 2017 that Turkey had achieved the goals set out at the beginning of intervention.
****TURKISH AND TURKEY-BACKED REBEL OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN SYRIA****
Local Truce at Daraya: Insurgents and Residents Leave
As part of a local truce arrived in the late hours of August 25, 2016, at least 700 insurgents and 4,000 civilians had been escorted out of rebel-held neighborhoods of Daraya beginning in the morning of August 26, 2016. U.N. was not involved in the negotiation. The armed insurgents were given a passageway on their way to the rebel-held areas of Idlib, while thousands of civilians were transported to government-run camps at Kisweh, south of Daraya.
A Major Catch in Syrian Battlefield Taken out
ISIL's chief propagandist and one of the prolific recruiters, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, 39, a Syrian, was killed in a "precision air strike" by a U.S. drone on August 30, 2016 near al-Bab, Syria.
Russia Claims to have Killed ISIL Propaganda-in-chief
A day after Pentagon announced that a U.S. airstrike had taken out Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on August 31, 2016 saying that a Russian airstrike had killed al-Adnani near Aleppo.
Local Truce at Moadamiyeh: Government Authority Returned
A week after a similar local deal helped bring peace and government presence to Daraya, an agreement was reached on September 1, 2016 over the contested Damascus suburb of Moadamiyeh. that had come under the world's radar three years ago when Syrian government had used Sarin there in 2013. Under the Moadamiyeh deal, government authority and control are to be returned to the suburb of 28,000 residents while approximately 200 rebels who have refused to surrender are to be provided a safe passage to rebel-controlled areas of Idlib and Aleppo.
Multiple Suicide Bombings Kill Four Dozens in Northeastern Syria
Pushed out of vast territories and strategic roadways leading to Turkey, ISIL has been suffering with dwindling supplies and pipeline of foreign fighters. To add to its growing woes, Turkey has now turned against ISIL in order to protect its own interest against a resurgent Kurdish militancy that is determined to crush ISIL and expand its control over large parts of northern Syria, thus posing a geo-political challenge to Ankara. As is the case for any militancy that's on defensive, ISIL has turned its focus on guerilla-style attacks against soft targets, and carried out six suicide bombings and one remote-controlled bombing against Syrian military targets and Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria on September 5, 2016, killing at least 48 people.
Chlorine Gas Attack in Aleppo Alleged against Syrian Regime
Syrian government was accused of dropping bombs containing Chlorine gas in rebel-held parts of Aleppo on September 6, 2016. People were reported of gasping for breath that was symptomatic for Chlorine attack.
Regime Denies of Chlorine Attack, Tightens the Noose around Several Aleppo Areas
Two days after a reported Chlorine gas bomb attack on rebel-held parts of Aleppo that had reportedly killed two people and injured at least 70, Syrian government on September 8, 2016 denied any role. Meanwhile, Syrian troops and allied militia, including Hezbollah fighters, re-captured military training facilities that rebels had seized just days ago as well as capturing several neighborhoods, including Ramouseh neighborhood, once controlled by the rebels.
U.N. Resumes Aid Delivery
Three days after suspending its aid operation for three days since an alleged airstrike on a relief convoy destroyed tons of supplies and killed scores of people, U.N. on September 22, 2016 resumed aid deliveries to selected areas. A 25-truck convoy left Damascus for Moadamiya, according to a U.N. special adviser for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland, a suburb of capital where about 40,000 people were living in dire conditions. Egeland also said at Geneva that trucks were getting loaded and ready to deliver aid to other affected areas. (Also see U.S.-Russia Agreement section)
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
A day after faint hopes emerged for resuscitating a fragile deal between U.S.-Russia with U.N. resuming aid supplies to Moadamiya, optimism came to a screeching halt on September 23, 2016 as Russian and Syrian warplanes pummeled eastern parts of Aleppo city and neighboring villages in the province of same name. The ferocity of airstrikes was so severe and sustained that they took out water supplies to almost 2 million people, knocked out power lines, left neighborhood after neighborhood to piles of debris and destruction, and untold degree of human toll. The estimate of death toll in September 23, 2016, airstrikes ranged from 72 to 100. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, John Kerry met with Sergey Lavrov during the day for a last bid effort to revive the faltering agreement that helped to put the civil conflict to a near pause for a week before its breakdown. (Also see U.S.-Russia Agreement section)
Russia to Stay put in Syria Indefinitely
Russia's lower house of parliament, or Duma, on October 7, 2016 voted unanimously to keep Russian troops in Syria indefinitely to help Bashar Assad regime. Duma's vote engendered international suspicion about Russia's long-term objective in Syria. For the near future, the airbase at Hemeimeem in Alawite-dominated Latakia province will continue to host Russian troops and support Russian military operation in Syria. An August 2015 agreement between Damascus and Moscow allowed Russia to use the airbase to launch attacks on rebel positions across Syria, reversing the situation on ground in favor of Assad regime from a state of helplessness to the one of ever-expanding military control for the most parts of Syria within a year. In addition to Hemeimeem airbase, Russia has a naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, only such base outside the former Soviet Union.
Top U.N. Human Rights Official Blasts the Aleppo Siege
The High Commissioner for the U.N. human rights, Zied Ra'ad al-Hussein, on October 21, 2016 severely criticized the strangulating siege of Aleppo in a video presentation to the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva. Hours later, the 47-member council voted 24-7 for a measure calling for an end to fighting in Aleppo that had erupted after the collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement on September 19, 2016. Also, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during the day the formation of a panel to inquire into the September 19, 2016, airstrikes against a 31-vehicle U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo that had led to the collapse of a fragile cessation of fighting enabled by a U.S-Russia agreement. The panel will be led by a veteran peacekeeper, Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha of India (Also see the U.N. on Syria section).
Assad Should Stay in Power
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 22, 2016 at Moscow, stating in an unwavering term that Syrian President Bashar Assad should stay in power as the alternative would be a far worse: Nusra Front. Peskov's statement came during a televised interview, and was thought to have reflected the current thinking of Kremlin that saw a consolidated role of Russia in Assad's Syria.
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Kurds Launch Offensive to Oust ISIL from Raqqa
A Kurdish-led offensive was officially launched on November 6, 2016 to rid Raqqa, Islamic State's de-facto capital, of ISIL. At a press conference at the northeastern city of Ein Issa on November 6, 2016, Cihan Ahmed, a spokeswoman of Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, announced that about 30,000 Kurdish and Arab fighters would take part in the liberation of Raqqa, a city of 200,000 residents where at least 5,000 ISIL fighters had been holed in. The USA, France and Britain will provide air support to the SDF-led offensive.
Syrian Kurds, Aided by Coalition Support, Encircling Raqqa
In what could be the beginning of a drawn-out urban fight to oust the ISIL from the so-called capital of its own caliphate, SDF fighters on November 7, 2016 began to approach Raqqa from different directions. As Syrian Kurdish fighters have jumped on the ambitious campaign, dubbed as "Euphrates Rage", to oust ISIL militants from Raqqa, U.S.-led coalition is providing the air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF.
Turkey, SDF at Odds over Raqqa
Complicating the situation for USA, Turkish government added its own political tantrum on November 8, 2016 demanding that the role of pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, should be limited to only encircling the capital of ISIL caliphate. Only Turkish forces, according to Ankara, will enter the city of Raqqa. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu went ahead to the extent by saying during the day that the U.S. Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told the Turkish officials during a recent visit that SDF soldiers--consisted of Kurds, Turkmen and Arab fighters--would only encircle the city, not enter it. At present, Turkey-backed fighters are approaching toward al-Bab, an ISIL stronghold in northern Syria.
At least 20 Civilians Killed in Airstrikes
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on November 8, 2016 the first civilian collateral damage in Kurdish-led Euphrates Rage to liberate Raqqa. The U.S-led airstrikes to provide help to SDF fighters had killed at least 20 civilians in the village of Heisha, near Raqqa, according to the Britain-based Observatory.
Kurds Make Progress on Raqqa Offensive
Pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces fighters on November 10, 2016 made further advance on Raqqa, and encircled the capital of ISIL caliphate from the northern side. SDF as of the end of the day seized 17 villages, thus rupturing a vital northern lifeline to ISIL militants holed up in the city.
First U.S. Death in Syria
A special operations force soldier was killed on November 24, 2016 in northern Syria, marking the first American casualty in Syrian civil war. At least 300 U.S. special forces personnel are deployed in northern Syria in a mission to help recruit, train, advise and assist Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen in fight against ISIL.
Three ISIL Leaders Killed
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on December 13, 2016 that three top ISIL leaders, including two--Salah Gourmat and Sammy Djedou--involved in planning of the November 2015 Paris attack had been killed in coalition airstrikes on December 4, 2016. Salah Gourmat and Sammy Djedou along with Walid Hamman, the third ISIL leader, who was convicted in absentia in Belgium for a failed terrorist attack in 2015, were killed in the December 4, 2016, airstrike.
Marines from Amphibian Units Deployed to Help Raqqa Offensive
The Washington Post reported on March 9, 2017 that ground forces from an amphibian task force, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were deployed to support the rebel offensive to oust ISIL fighters from Raqqa. The ground forces are being equipped with M777 Howitzers. The ground forces unit, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, will be part of a supportive team to help push rebel effort to liberate the self-styled capital of Islamic Caliphate.
Airstrike Kills at least 17
A U.S.-led coalition launched an airstrike on a village south of Raqqa on early March 12, 2017, killing at least 17. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 19 deaths in the March 12, 2017, airstrike that had hit a school in the village of Kasrat, while an activist group, Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, reported 17 deaths. Many of the people killed fled the violence in Aleppo.
Coalition Airstrike Kills Dozens of Civilians
Just days after a faulty U.S. airstrike had allegedly hit a mosque in northwestern Aleppo, killing 49 people, another errant airstrike hit a school at the town of Mansoura, south of Raqqa, on late March 21, 2017, killing at least 33 civilians. Those civilians were reported to have taken shelter at the school.
U.S. Ferries Kurdish Fighters behind Enemy Line
As part of a much more pro-active stand under Trump administration, U.S. military ferried YPG fighters on March 22, 2017 behind the enemy lines in Raqqa.
Kurdish Fighters Seize a Key Airbase
Four days after U.S. ferried fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces behind enemy lines, Kurdish-dominated militant group on March 26, 2017 seized a key airbase, Tabqa Airbase, 28 miles west of Raqqa, achieving the first major milestone in the weeks-long offensive against ISIL.
U.S. Careful about Protecting Infrastructure
In the midst of allegation that U.S.-led coalition had hit the Tabqa Dam, the coalition on March 27, 2017 said on Twitter that all measures were being taken to protect the dam, and to the best of knowledge, "the dam has not been structurally damaged".
Russian General: U.S. Coalition Hit a Key Dam
Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said on March 28, 2017 that U.S.-led coalition had, in fact, struck the Tabqa Dam and destroyed four bridges over the Euphrates River. Rudskoi accused the coalition of trying to "destroy the critical infrastructure in Syria and complicate post-war re-construction as much as possible".
Errant U.S. Airstrike Kills 18 Allied Fighters
The U.S. Central Command reported on April 13, 2017 that two days ago, April 11, 2017, U.S. aircraft had responded to a request from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and launched an airstrike south of Tabqa, near the ISIL's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa, killing at least 18 SDF fighters. The U.S. Central Command held erroneous coordinates provided by the U.S.-allied SDF for friendly attack.
Trump Administration to Arm Syrian Kurds
In a sign of further escalation with a fellow NATO member nation, Pentagon on May 9, 2017 announced that Trump administration would not only provide "advisory" support to YPG fighters in their battle against ISIL to capture Raqqa, but also give them heavy arms. The latest U.S. stand may put the Trump administration at the crosshairs of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish government, which tagged YPG the "terrorist" label.
All-out Campaign to Oust ISIL from Raqqa Begins
U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, launched on June 6, 2017 what came to be known as a wide and all-out battle for Raqqa.
U.S. Airstrikes Taking Toll on Civilians, U.N. Commission Says
In the battle for Raqqa, increased involvement of U.S. assisting Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighters by providing air support with airstrikes took an enormous toll on the province's civilian population in general and Raqqa City's civilians in particular, according to Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Briefing reporters on June 14, 2017, Pinheiro said that intensification of airstrikes had "resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes". According to the commission, more than 300 people were killed in airstrikes between March 1, 2017 and May 31, 2017 in Raqqa province.
Two Americans Killed in Raqqa Battle
Two Americans, Nicholas Warden, 29, and Robert Grodt, 28, who had been fighting the ISIS alongside YPG, or the Kurdish People's Protection Units, were killed last week along with a British man, Luke Rutter. A press statement to acknowledge their deaths was issued on July 11, 2017 by YPG.
Two Frontiers Link up at Raqqa
In one of the most strategic victories since a wide and all-out battle for Raqqa was launched on June 6, 2017, two fighting frontiers of Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, one zeroing on from the city's west and another from the east, linked up on August 11, 2017 for the final push to destroy remainder of ISIL presence in the city. As of August 11, 2017, U.S.-supported SDF captured 50 percent of Raqqa. Reflecting the positive mood stemming from the east-west link-up by SDF units in Raqqa, U.S. envoy to the international coalition against ISIL, Brett McGurk, tweeted during the day that it was "milestone" in the fight against ISIL.
Raqqa Victory Officially Declared
The U.S. State Department on October 20, 2017 issued a statement, declaring a complete victory of Raqqa by allied Kurdish fighters and congratulating the "Syrian people and Syrian Democratic Forces".
Amnesty Holds U.S.-led Coalition for Unnecessary Civilian Deaths in Raqqa Liberation
Amnesty International on June 5, 2018 issued a damning report against what it called U.S.-led coalition's lack of much needed caution to avoid scores of unnecessary civilian deaths during months-long Raqqa Liberation campaign in 2017. Amnesty's June 5, 2018, report, titled "War of Annihilation", was unsparing in what it stated as "so many civilians are killed in attack after attack" by coalition forces. U.S. Army Colonel Sean Ryan responded that Amnesty's conclusion was "grossly inaccurate".
More than 1,600 Civilians Killed in U.S. Offensive in Raqqa
Amnesty International and London-based Airwars on April 25, 2019 issued a comprehensive report that undercut the U.S. estimate released in March 2019 that its four-year campaign against ISIL in Syria and Iraq had killed 1,257 civilians. The rights groups' report estimated that U.S. campaign in Raqqa itself had killed more than 1,600 civilians.
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Russia, Rebels Trade Charges over Possible Use of Chemical Weapons
On November 11, 2016, western-backed rebels and Russia accused each other of carrying out chemical attacks on civilians in parts of Aleppo. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov during the day asked the U.N. agency in charge of securing Syria's chemical weapons, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to send observers immediately to the recently seized areas in southwestern Aleppo to inquire into what pro-regime fighters had found a cache of unexploded ordnance and explosives containing chlorine and white phosphorous. The pro-western Syrian National Coalition countered the allegation, stating that the munitions were similar to what pro-regime forces had used earlier against the rebel-held neighborhoods.
Trump "a Natural Ally", Says Assad
In an interview with the Portugal's public broadcaster, RTP, Syrian President Bashar Assad on November 16, 2016 expressed optimism with the election of Donald Trump and called the billionaire businessman as "a natural ally" of Syria.
Iranian Official Estimates 1,000 Killed in Syrian Conflict
The head of a foundation that provides aid to Iranians killed in Syrian conflict, Mohammed al-Shahidi, said on November 23, 2016 that at least 1,000 Iranians had been killed in five-year Syrian conflict.
First U.S. Death in Syria
A special operations force soldier was killed on November 24, 2016 in northern Syria, marking the first American casualty in Syrian civil war. At least 300 U.S. special forces personnel are deployed in northern Syria in a mission to help recruit, train, advise and assist Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen in fight against ISIL.
Local Truce at Damascus Suburbs Reported
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on November 26, 2016 reported that a local truce had been struck to evacuate rebel fighters from two Damascus neighborhoods, Tal and Khan al-Shih, to rebel-controlled areas of Idlib province.
Government in No Mood to Let up in Airstrikes on Other Rebel-held Areas
Two days after establishing complete control over all of Aleppo, Bashar Assad regime turned its eyes on other rebel-held towns in Aleppo province. As part of that campaign, airstrikes pummeled the town of Atareb on December 24, 2016, killing five people.
With Assad's Hands Strengthened, Rebels in Internecine Battle
Syrian rebels, now cornered and boxed-in in the Idlib province, instead of consolidating their positions, are locked in increasing infighting, with the latest flare-up in Idlib on January 23, 2017. Three days later, on January 26, 2017, Ahrar al-Sham, a militant group, led a merger of a number rebel outfits, including three that had partcipated in Astana peace talks (January 23-24, 2017). Two days later, on January 28, 2017, Syria's al-Qaeda-linked affiliate, Fatah al-Sham Front, formed a second coalition, called the Levant Liberation Committee, to take on the Ahrar al-Sham-led coalition. Levant Liberation Committee included formidable militant group Nour el-Din el-Zinki.
Russia to Scale back Syrian Operation
After intervening in the Syrian Civil War and reversing its tide in favor of Bashar Assad that had forced a splintered rebel force to a wall on its back, Moscow announced on January 6, 2017 that it was now time to scale back its presence in Syrian war theater. Russia's only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, will leave the Mediterranean soon.
Blast Kills at least 48 at a Border Town near Turkey
A rigged tanker exploded early afternoon on January 7, 2017 near the courthouse of the rebel-held town of Azaz, just across the border of the Turkish town of Kilis, killing at least 48 people and wounding more than 100. The blast was so strong that many neighborhoods around the courthouse shook up with shards of metals, broken glasses and twisted furniture seen all around. The local hospital of Azaz was not able to cope up with the sheer number of injured, leading ambulances and public vehicles to transport the wounded across the border to Kilis. A week-long cease-fire backed by Russia and Turkey has been holding, although tenuously, in the most part, and henceforth, the attack inside a rebel-held town has been all the more a source of surprise and puzzle.
Special Ops Take out a Key ISIL Commander
In the waning days of Obama administration, U.S. Special Operations Forces carried out a swift ground raid, killing a top commander of ISIL. Pentagon reported the clandestine ground operation a day later on January 9, 2017. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Special Ops sweep on January 8, 2017 focused on the village of al-Kubar in Deir el-Zour province, and ended up with killing about 25 fighters.
ISIL Launches Co-ordinated Attacks on the Capital of an Eastern Province
ISIL militants, though on the retreat in vast slices of Iraq and Syria, proved themselves to be real resilient and ready to shock military opponents by sudden and surprise attacks. On January 14, 2017, one such sudden attack was launched by ISIL militants from all sides to corner and defeat government soldiers who had been defending the capital, Deir el-Zour, of the erstwhile rebel-held province with the same name since 2014.
B-52, Drones Pound Rebel-held Province, more than 100 Al-Qaeda Militants Killed
Barely 24 hours before leaving office, Obama administration carried out a punishing airstrikes in parts of rebel-held Idlib province, targeting al-Qaeda-linked militants and killing at least 100 of them. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis disclosed the airstrikes on January 20, 2017. A day before, a B-52 and several drones rained blows against the militants in Idlib province.
Russia Signs a Base Expansion Agreement with Syria, Turkey not to Press for Assad's Ouster
Three days before a Russia-Turkey-backed peace negotiation to begin, Russia clinched two victories on January 20, 2017: one on its ever-expanding military footprint in Syria and the second one on nudging Turkey to drop its demand that Assad, for any peace deal to take hold, quit powers.
The first one came on expanding the naval base on the Mediterranean that would help 11 warships to berth simultaneously at the port. According to Russian news agency, Tass, the deal to double the size of Tartus naval base will have a 49-year lease that can be automatically renewed for an additional 25 years. Tass also reported that a similar agreement was signed too on the Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia. Khmeimim Air Base was built in 2015 in the run-up to launching an air campaign that had tilted the Syrian Civil War in favor of Bashar Assad.
The second highlight of the day was Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek's indication at the World Economic Forum at Davos that Ankara might be willing to go forward with a peace plan that envisioned Bashar Assad to stay in power, a marked difference of Ankara's stand from even few weeks' ago.
Airstrikes Kill 26 in Rebel-held City
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on February 7, 2017 that airstrikes on the city of Idlib had killed 26 people, including 10 civilians, earlier in the day. However, it was not clear whether it was Russian, or Syrian, or U.S. airstrikes that had hit Idlib.
Syrian Government Used Chlorine in Aleppo, Human Rights Group Says
Human Rights Watch disclosed on February 13, 2017 that the Syrian government had used chlorine at least eight times to attack rebel-held Aleppo late last year, thus uncovering that the Bashar Assad regime had not really stopped using chemical agents, if needed, for military purpose after a damning October 2016 report by a U.N. panel that had accused Damascus of using chemical weapons at least three times in 2014 and 2015.
Pushed to a Corner, Armed Rebels Now Taking on Each Other
After months of punishing military blows and near-desertion by their international backers, the armed Syrian rebel outfits are baying for each others' blood in an increasing show of violent internecine battles over control for a narrow patch of northwestern Syria. The recent spurt of clashes were reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based human rights observatory, on February 14, 2017 that at least 69 fighters had been killed in a two-day burst of fighting in Northwestern Syria between Al-Qaeda-led coalition known as Levant Liberation Committee and another extremist group, Jund al-Aqsa. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 39 fighters of Levant Liberation Committee, which had seized six villages from Jund al-Aqsa, and 30 fighters of Jund al-Aqsa had been killed in fighting.
Fighting Flares up in Southern Syria despite a Fragile Truce
Amid a truce that itself remained on life support since going into effective on December 30, 2016, opposition fighters and government forces clashed on February 15, 2017 for the fourth straight day in the southern city of Daraa, few miles north of Jordanian borders. At least 25 people had been reported killed.
Four Russian Soldiers Killed in Roadside Bomb
Russian Defense Ministry announced on February 20, 2017 that four of its service personnel had been killed on February 16, 2017 as a roadside bomb targeted a convoy of Syrian soldiers near an airbase in western Syria. Russians used the Tiyas Airbase to launch attacks on ISIL in and around Palmyra.
Iraqi Warplanes Enter Syrian Airspace to Attack ISIL
For the first time, Iraq's warplanes on February 24, 2017 made incursions into Syrian airspace and extended bombings against ISIL targets from the Iraqi border city of Husseibah to Boukamal, the Syrian city across the border. The cross-border attack was approved by the Syrian government and operated from a joint military command center at Baghdad run by Syria, Iran, Iraq and Russia, according to Brigadier General Tahseen Ibrahim. Commenting on the cross-border raid, Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed not to spare any stone unturned in order to finish off ISIL.
Attack in Homs Dampens the Negotiation Climate
A well-coordinated spree of attacks on security offices in the central city of Homs on February 25, 2017 immediately attracted the parties in the Geneva talks--now on the third day--into a vortex of allegation and counter-allegation. It all began as gunmen stormed the security offices. As security forces responded with gunfire, the attackers blew themselves up, killing at least 32. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar al-Ja'afari demanded that opposition unequivocally condemn the barbaric attack. Opposition's lead negotiator Nasr al-Hariri condemned the attack, but blamed Assad regimes as the primary sponsor of "terrorism". U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, condemned the Homs attack too. Al-Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee claimed responsibility for the attack.
Twin Blasts Kill at least 40 at Shiite Pilgrimage Site
Two explosions deliberately targeted a Shiite revered cemetery at Bab al-Saghir neighborhood of Damascus killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 100 on March 11, 2017. There were dozens of buses standing on the roads near the cemetery, and they had brought Iraqi pilgrims here that had turned into a disaster for many. U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Ali al-Za'tari condemned the attacks, saying this was nothing but terrorism as they had killed and maimed innocent civilians.
Al-Qaeda-linked Group Claims Responsibility for Damascus Bombing
A day after explosions struck a Shiite cemetery at Damascus, an umbrella group led by al-Qaeda-linked Fatah al-Sham claimed on March 12, 2017 that two of its soldiers had carried out the suicide attacks to send a "message to Iran and its militias". The March 11, 2017, attack claimed to have been carried out by Abu Omar and Abu Aisha tied to the umbrella group, Levant Liberation Committee, killed 74, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Suicide Attacks in the Capital Kill at least 39
Suicide attacks on March 15, 2017 killed at least 39 in Damascus, representing a bloody marking of sixth anniversary of the beginning of the country's civil war.
Airstrike on a Mosque in Rebel-held Area Kills at least 35
A day after suicide attacks killed at least 39 in Damascus, an airstrike on a mosque in the countryside of Jeeneh in northwest Aleppo killed at least 35 people on March 16, 2017. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated the death toll at least 42 as opposed to at least 35 estimated by the Syrian Civil Defense volunteers, also known as White Helmets.
U.S. Disputes that It has Struck a Mosque
A day after a U.S. airstrike killed at least 40 people in Jeeneh area of northwestern Aleppo, blames were hurled back and forth between the parties. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on March 17, 2017 alleged that the strike was actually on a mosque, Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque, and called it a "massacre". U.S. Central Command spokesman U.S. Army Major Josh Jacques said that "we targeted an al-Qaeda gathering across the street" from the mosque.
Death Toll from Mosque Bombing Goes up
The latest estimate of death toll from the March 16, 2017, airstrike on the Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque, at the village of Al Jeeneh now stood at 49, according to wire reports on March 22, 2017.
Waves of Airstrikes Hit Rebel-held Areas
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Local Coordination Committees reported on March 25, 2017 that Russian and Syrian aircraft had carried out varied degree of airstrikes over the past 24 hours in rebel-held Idlib province and rebel-controlled areas of Hama and Damascus suburbia. U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called the airstrikes a gross violation to December 30, 2016, agreement among Turkey, Iran and Russia. Speaking after a meeting with Mistura at Geneva, the head of the main opposition, Nasr al-Hariri, during the day lashed out against the Assad regime for letting loose its "killing machines".
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Syria Attacks Rebel Town with Poison Gas; West Reacts with Fury
The April 4, 2017, early hour attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun drew swift condemnation from around the world. Dozens of people had been killed as Syrian warplanes dropped bombs filled in poison gas, with many--including children and women--gasping for breath, choking and foaming at the mouth. The health department of the town in the province of Idlib said that at least 69 people had been killed. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement, calling that the situation "can not be ignored by the civilized world". But, quickly blamed predecessor Barack Obama's "weakness and irresolution" as a contributing factor too. British Prime Minister Theresa May, condemning the Khan Sheihoun attack, said during the day that "there can be no future for Assad in a stable Syria which is representative of all Syrian people". U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the attack "brutal unabashed barbarism". Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the chemical attack on the Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun. In 2012, the then-U.S. President Barack Obama said that if Bashar Assad launched chemical attack, it would cross a "red line". In August 2013, Syrian forces shelled the rebel-held Damascus enclaves with Sarin, killing at least 1,000. Subsequently, under a deal pushed by Russia and the USA, Syrian regime surrendered all stockpiles of chemical weapons--including Sarin and VX--to an international chemical arms watchdog. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that more than 95 percent of regime's arsenal had been eliminated, including more than 600 tons of Sarin and Mustard agents.
Attack Crosses "a Lot of Red Lines" for Trump
A day after Syrian regime allegedly attacked the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun, killing at least 86 people, U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 5, 2017 that the attack had crossed a "lot of red lines", implying a more aggressive and engaged stand in Syria. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley during a special U.N.S.C. meeting warned that U.S. could take unilateral action if the U.N. body hesitated to take action. However, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, disputed any Syrian role in Khan Sheikhoun attack.
U.S. Launches Missile Attacks to Target Assad's Key Airbase
In a shift from Obama administration's avoid-the-direct-confrontation approach, Trump administration on April 6, 2017 responded the Bashar Assad regime's alleged Sarin attack on a rebel-held town, Khan Sheikhoun, in Idlib province two days ago more muscularly. President Donald Trump ordered attacks on a airbase in Homs, Shayrat, from where regime's planes that had dropped Sarin-filled bombs had taken off. 59 Tomahawk missiles had been fired on April 6, 2017 from two Navy destroyers--USS Porter and USS Ross--in the eastern Mediterranean in order to inflict crippling damage to the infrastructure of the Shayrat Airbase. The U.S. response may deepen Washington's involvement in one the most vexing civil wars of the present time and uproot the existing balance of political equilibrium. Reacting to the Tomahawk attacks on the Shayrat Airbase, Syrian State TV called it an "aggression", while the Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, said that the consequences for this adventurous assaults fell on the parties "who initiated such doubtful and tragic enterprise".
U.S. Strikes Fray Relationship with Russia
A day after U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk missiles targeting Syria's one of the key airbases in Homs, Shayrat, the Office of Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a caustic statement on April 7, 2017, calling the attack a flagrant violation of the international law and a "significant blow" to the U.S.-Russia relationship. Russian military during the day announced that it was suspending an "information sharing" agreement with Americans on coordinating air campaign and avoiding accidental collision. However, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hit back, saying that either "Russia has been complicit or Russia has been simply incompetent in its ability" to oversee a 2013 agreement that required Syria to hand over all chemical weapons to the international monitors.
Iranian President Calls for Impartial Inquiry as Syrian Warplanes Return to Bomb the Town
Days after a sarin attack on a rebel-held Idlib town, that had killed at least 86 people and triggered Trump administration's response to launch a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles on the Shayrat Air Base in Homs, killing 9 people at the base, Syrian warplanes returned to sky over the ghost town of Khan Sheikhoun and dropped bombs on April 8, 2017. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the April 8, 2017, bombing of Khan Sheikhoun killed one woman and wounded seven other people. Meanwhile, during the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for an impartial investigation, not the one led by the USA, into who had carried out the April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun.
White House Tears Russia for Backing Assad; Turkey Reports Traces of Chemical Agents
Trump White House on April 11, 2017 launched political and diplomatic fusillade on two fronts on Russia a week after Assad regime's Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun had killed at least 86 people. First, White House accused Russia and its President Vladimir Putin of a significant cover-up to give Bashar Assad regime a breathing space. Second, National Security Council issued a four-page declassified report that scotched Russian allegation that rebels had to blame for April 4, 2017, chemical attack. Meanwhile, Turkish Health Ministry on April 11, 2017 reported that traces of Sarin had been found in the bodies of victims.
White House Doubles Down on Russia in Syrian Chemical Attack
White House on April 12, 2017 mounted a concerted diplomatic effort at the Washington, New York and Moscow to isolate Russia for not chastising, left alone leaving, Assad regime over the April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86. In the White House, a rechristened Donald Trump, hard to say how long president's new anti-Russian tone would last, on April 12, 2017 embraced NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and called the military alliance as an effective and vital force for peace. Addressing the press conference alongside NATO chief, Trump condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for staying put with Bashar Assad in the wake of chemical attack on a rebel-held town. In New York City, U.S. and other western nations tabled a motion at the U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2017 only to see it vetoed by Russia, eighth such veto in the six-year Syrian Civil War. The motion condemned in no uncertain terms the Syrian President Bashar Assad's role in April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86 people. While the diplomatic ratcheting continued publicly, Washington sent its top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, to Moscow on April 12, 2017 to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in an effort to find ways to peace out of Syrian quagmire. Tillerson met with both Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 12, 2017.
Assad: U.S. Fabricated on Chemical Attack
Nine days after the April 4, 2017, alleged Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86, Syrian President Bashar Assad broke his silence and alleged that U.S. had fabricated the evidence to use it as a pretext to attack on Syria. During an interview with Agence France-Presse that was published on April 13, 2017, Assad defended his government and reiterated that his regime had not used, nor ever would use a prohibited weapon.
U.N. Disarmament Chief Finds Sarin in the Site Attacked by Regime
U.N. new disarmament chief, Izumi Nakamitsu, on May 23, 2017 submitted a report to the U.N. Security Council, saying that his investigators had found traces of chemical agent Sarin collected from the site that was attacked by Bashar Assad regime on April 4, 2017 with suspected chemical weapons, leading to tough U.S. responses.
U.N. Panel: Assad Used Sarin in April
A U.N. panel, Joint Investigative Mechanism, on October 26, 2017 issued a report confirming what the world already knew that Assad's regime had dropped Sarin bomb April 4, 2017 on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86. A second finding by the Joint Investigative Mechanism, created in 2015 as a result of a U.N. Security Council resolution, concluded that ISIL had used Sulphur mustard poison in Um Hosh in Aleppo Province on September 16, 2016.
***************** ALLEGED CHEMICAL ATTACK BY ASSAD REGIME *************
Trump Administration to Arm Syrian Kurds
In a sign of further escalation with a fellow NATO member nation, Pentagon on May 9, 2017 announced that Trump administration would not only provide "advisory" support to YPG fighters in their battle against ISIL to capture Raqqa, but also give them heavy arms. The latest U.S. stand may put the Trump administration at the crosshairs of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish government, which tagged YPG the "terrorist" label.
U.S. Attacks Pro-Government Convoy
U.S. launched an airstrike on May 18, 2017 on a convoy of pro-government militia that was heading toward a base near the Jordanian borders. After repeated warning by the U.S. military against moving toward the base, used by the U.S. to train anti-Bashar Assad rebels, the militia convoy failed to heed and came under attack.
Russia Condemns the U.S. Strike on Pro-Government Convoy
A day after U.S. struck a convoy that, according to the U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, reportedly was carrying Iranian militia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on May 19, 2017 condemned the airstrike as the latest flagrant "violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic". Lavrov was quoted in Cyprus by the Russian state media Taas.
******* Local Truce: Evacuation from Four Towns
In the latest act of siege-suffer-subjugate-surrender model, residents were forced to evacuate from the four towns that had been held hostage for months by the rival sides. On April 14, 2017, at least 7,000 people were evacuated from four towns--two inhabited by pro-rebel residents and the other two inhabited the regime loyalists. Two pro-regime towns were all in Idlib province: Foua and Kefarya. Rebels laid a siege on Foua and Kefarya since May 2015, and government-initiated airdrop of supplies helped mostly Shiite residents of both towns to survive the ordeal. The residents from Foua and Kefarya will be evacuated to and settled in Aleppo. Residents were also evacuated from the pro-regime militia-surrounded western towns of Zabadani and Madaya. The evacuation was brokered by Syria and Iran on one side, and Qatar on the other.
About 100 Killed in Blast during Evacuation
As hundreds of besieged residents from the rebel-surrounded town of Foua were being evacuated to Aleppo, a bomb targeted the convoy of buses on April 15, 2017, killing at least 100 civilians, including many children.
Evacuation from Four Besieged Towns on Hold
A day after an explosion targeting the convoy carrying besieged residents of Foua to Aleppo killed more than 120 people, the authorities on April 16, 2017 put the scheduled evacuation on hold due to security concerns. The evacuation process began on April 14, 2017, and was supposed to help about 3,000 residents--mostly Shiite civilians--evacuate from two besieged towns in Idlib--Foua and Kefarya--to Aleppo and about 200 rebel fighters from the two western towns of Zabadani and Madaya bordering Lebanon. The UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake issued a statement on April 16, 2017, calling the April 15, 2017, explosion that had targeted the evacuees from Foua as "a new horror that must break the heart of anyone who has one".
******* Local Truce: Evacuation from Four Towns
U.S. Airstrike Kills at least 10
A U.S.-led coalition airstrike hit a town, Boukamal, near the border with Iraq on April 17, 2017, killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens. The town was being controlled by ISIL militants.
Missiles Knock out Hospital
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on April 22, 2017 that missiles launched from the ground had hit a hospital in Abdin village in the rebel-held Idlib Province, inflicting significant damage, but without giving any casualty figure.
Airstrikes Hit Center for First Responders
On April 29, 2017, Airstrikes struck a building housing the first responders, or the White Helmets, at the rebel-held town of Kfar Zeita in Hama province, killing eight first responders, underscoring the degree of insecurity faced even by the first responders.
Turkey Vows to Strike Kurdish Fighters in Iraq, Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan doubled down on April 30, 2017 to up the ante on the Kurdish fighters who had been locked in fierce battles with ISIL in Iraq and Syria. Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, a reliable U.S. ally was a prime target of Erdogan and often blamed for harboring close ties to PKK. Last week, Turkish warplanes have struck positions of YPG, a Syrian-Kurdish-dominated guerrilla group that forms the backbone of SDF, killing at least 20 fighters.
************************* DEESCALATION/SAFE ZONES AGREEMENT *************
Trump, Putin Talk Syria over Phone
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 2, 2017 talked over phone for the first time since the U.S. airstrikes in Syria, underscoring the importance of strategic co-operation between the former Cold War-era rivals. According to the White House statement, they had talked about a potential cease-fire and creation of the so-called "safe zones", or "de-escalation zones".
Turkey's, Russia's Presidents Back De-escalation Zones
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly backed a proposal of four "de-escalation zones" at a meeting in Sochi on May 3, 2017. Russian representatives in early May 2017 presented a proposal to rebel representatives at the Astana Talks for "safe", or "de-escalation", zones in Syria to defuse tension, but the rebels chose to suspend participating in the talks. According to The Associated Press, the four "de-escalation zones" are Idlib and Homs provinces as well as Eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and an area in the south of the country. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2017 asked the rebels to join the Astana Talks.
Syria against Foreign Armed Monitors to Enforce the Deal
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on May 8, 2017 made it simple and straight that although the Assad regime had conditionally backed the creation of so-called four safe, or de-escalation, zones, it would not allow any foreign armed monitors barring Russian "military police", who were already on ground, to be deployed on Syrian soil to enforce the agreement reached last week at Astana among Russia, Turkey and Iran. Al-Moallem also doubted whether the latest truce would hold, saying that it was "premature" to tell if it would be successful.
One of the Proposed Safe Zones Unravels in Violence
Since June 2, 2017, the fighting erupted in parts of Daraa, a key part of the de-escalation zones worked out by Iran, Turkey and Russia. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 31 fighters on both sides were killed as of June 4, 2017. It was sketchy how the flare-up had begun, but local activists blamed government for sending about 200 militia to Manshiyeh in Daraa that had provoked the violence.
Syrian warplane Downed by the USA for the First Time
For the first time since Syria's Civil War had erupted in 2011, a U.S. F/A-18 jet shot down a Syrian airplane, a SU-22 plane, on June 18, 2017 just south of Tabqah after the Syrian plane dropped bombs targeting the U.S.-supported rebel forces on the ground. On June 19, 2017, Russian Defense Ministry suspended the hotline that was used to coordinate flying plan for both nations' military aircraft in the Syrian airspace. Russian Defense Ministry also called the downing of Syrian plane as a "military aggression", and said that any plane detected on the west of Euphrates River was a natural target. Russia earlier in the Spring suspended the hotline after U.S. launched dozens of Tomahawks on Syrian targets, but resumed it shortly.
U.S. Downs an Armed Drone
Two days after a U.S. F/A-18 jet downed a Syrian SU-22 plane, a U.S. F-15E jet on June 20, 2017 shot down an Iranian armed drone in the de-conflict zone in Southeast near the town of Al Tanf.
Russia, U.S. to Collaborate in Enforcing Cease-fire in "Southwest" De-Escalation Zone
For the first time, U.S. on July 7, 2017 agreed to collaborate with Russia to prop up an agreement in creating and maintaining cease-fire in the four "de-escalation zones" negotiated by Turkey, Russia and Iran in Astana. The collaboration in the southwest Syria was agreed by President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during the G-20 summit at Hamburg, Germany. The cease-fire will go into effect on July 9, 2017 noon time. According to the deal, Russian military police will monitor the cease-fire.
Cease-fire Begins in Three Provinces in the Southwest
Two days after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed at Hamburg, Germany on the sidelines of the G-20 summit to a deal enforcing a cease-fire in the country's southwest corridor, or de-escalation zone, the cease-fire took effect on July 9, 2017 in the provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida.
Indirect Talks Start a Day after Cease-fire Went into Effect
A day after a Russia-U.S.-negotiated cease-fire went into force in the country's southwest sector, indirect negotiation among U.N. Special Representative Staffan de Mistura, Assad regime and opposition began at the U.N. office in Geneva on July 10, 2017.
************************* DEESCALATION/SAFE ZONES AGREEMENT *************
U.S. Suggests a Border Force by Kurds
U.S.-led coalition on January 14, 2018 confirmed that it was training recruits to man the northern borders of Syria with Turkey. Most of the estimated 30,000 recruits, according to The Washington Post, will come from the Syrian Kurds-dominated SDF, an American proxy in the battle against ISIL. Bulk of SDF fighters are made up of YPG, a Syrian-Kurdish group that Ankara had viewed as terrorist for its link to PKK.
Erdogan Blasts U.S. Border Force Plan
Turkish authorities were seething after getting to know U.S. plan to create a 30,000-strong force, mostly of Syrian-Kurdish fighters, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the first parting shot at Washington on January 15, 2018, vowing to "drown this terrorist force before it is born".
Syria Warns Turkey against Afrin Invasion
Syria on January 18, 2018 warned its northern neighbor from taking any adventurous action in northern Syrian region of Afrin as it would strike any warplane that would violate the country's sovereignty in the sky. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad said at Damascus during the day that an operation in Afrin would be "no picnic" for Turkey.
During the day, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildrim called on the U.S. to abandon the idea of creating a border force with soldiers from Syrian Democratic Forces.
Imminent Afrin Offensive Strains Relations between NATO Allies
As the Afrin offensive by Turkey to flush out SDF rebels from the northern Syrian region was anything but a matter of time, hand-wringing was palpable as Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said on January 19, 2018 that it was not possible now for Ankara to backtrack on the potential offensive as the U.S. itself was scurrying for a course-correction on its previous stand of creating a border force by SDF rebels.
Turkey Launches Afrin Offensive with Volleys of Airstrikes
Turkey on January 20, 2018 launched a no-hold-barred offensive against SDF fighters in Afrin with a two-pronged attack: one in the air, flying about 72 fighter jets to strike more than 100 targets on the ground, including an airbase, and the second one involving fighters with the Turkey-allied rebel groups, including Free Syrian Army, on the ground. The day Turkey launched the Afrin offensive, its officials were busy in raising the decibel of war talks. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressing a conference of his political party, Justice and development Party, at Kutahya said on January 20, 2018 that his country's operation in Afrin "will annihilate the terror corridor up to the Iraqi border". Country's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, taking to Twitter, promised to respect the Syria's territorial integrity and pull back the troops once the Afrin operations were over. The Afrin offensive is codenamed Operation Olive Branch.
Turkey Pushes Deeper in Afrin
On the third day of the Afrin offensive, Turkish ground troops and allied militia fought on multiple front in Afrin on January 22, 2018 in order to create a 20-mile deep "secure zone" on the Syrian side. The ground and air offensive has been in full swing throughout Afrin since the start of the operation on January 20, 2018. During the day, fighting even expanded to the country's northeast, raising fear for a regional escalation and additional humanitarian catastrophe. NATO on January 22, 2018 issued a statement backing Turkey's right for "self-defense", but also called for proportional response. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that Turkey had "legitimate security concerns" and diplomatic efforts were underway to diffuse the tension.
Tension Rises between NATO Allies over Afrin Offensive
The bilateral relations between Turkey and the USA deteriorated further after Turkey's January 20, 2018, launch of Afrin Offensive with the U.S. strongly denouncing the Ankara's move to focus on degrading the Syrian Kurdish forces, a trusted ally of Washington in fight against ISIL, instead of ISIL. On January 24, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which Trump expressed about "destructive and false rhetoric coming from Turkey". On January 25, 2018, Trump's homeland security adviser, Tom Bossert, took turns as he told an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that Turkey should stop campaign in Afrin and instead train its sight on destroying ISIL. Turkish premier, Binali Yildrim, shot back with a blistering criticism of Washington's "astounding and unacceptable" behavior of supporting "armed entities that target our borders".
Turkey Experiences Heaviest Loss in Afrin
Two weeks after launching offensive in Afrin region in northern Syria on January 20, 2018 against SDF forces that included YPG, Turkish forces were dealt with most fatal blow on the battlefield on February 3, 2018 as seven soldiers were reported killed and a tank was destroyed by the ferocious resistance of SDF fighters. London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on February 4, 2018 that two of Turkish tanks and 19 Turkish soldiers and allied militia had been killed a day earlier.
Erdogan Asks U.S. to Leave Manbij; U.S. Vows to Fight ISIL
As Turkey's Afrin offensive entered its third week, more knives emerged on the diplomatic front that would test the bonds between two NATO allies--USA and Turkey. On February 6, 2018, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized U.S. for supporting the Syrian Democratic Front, or SDF--mostly consisted of YPG--and asked the U.S. troops to leave the town of Manbij.
A day later, February 7, 2018, the top U.S. commander in charge of fighting ISIL, Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, visited U.S. troops who were stationed in Manbij and vowed to solidify the fight against ISIL.
Turkey Suffers the Worst Setback in Afrin
Since the January 20, 2018, launch of Operation Olive Branch, Turkish Air Force and ground troops as well as Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, including the ones from Free Syrian Army, have been engaged in a stubborn fight with Syrian Democratic Forces that have put up a valiant fight. February 10, 2018 marked the deadliest day for Turkey as one of its fighter jets was shot down, killing two pilots, and 11 of its soldiers were killed, raising the total death toll of Turks to at least 28 since January 20, 2018, launch of Operation Olive Branch.
Turkey Warns Syrian Regime if It Tries to Protect Kurds in Afrin
Hours after Syrian media announced an imminent movement of troops into Afrin to oppose "Turkish aggression", Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on February 19, 2018 issued stern warning to anyone who would try to protect Kurdish fighters linked to People's Protection Unit, or YPG, in Afrin.
Syrian Army Reported to Enter the Enclave
Syrian Kurds fighting against Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters said on February 20, 2018 that regime's forced had entered Afrin to help Kurds put up effective resistance against Turkish offensive that had by now strangulated the northern enclave from the surrounding mountains.
Turkish Forces, Allies Tighten Noose around Afrin
Turkish military, paramilitary and allied Syrian rebel fighters surrounded Afrin almost from all corners, according to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim who said on March 3, 2018 in the central Konya Province that Turkey would clear "all areas near our borders of terror nests". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fierce fight between Turkey-backed forces and YPG fighters.
Afrin Faces Catastrophe as Turkey and Allies are About to Seize the Region
Turkish troops and its Syrian allies had zeroed in the main town in Afrin region, and the town of the same name of the region was reported on March 12, 2018 to be at the verge of falling to the Turkish troops anytime. At least 800,000 civilians in the Afrin region face a humanitarian crisis, and tens of thousands of people have fled the region to areas controlled by Syrian government.
Mass Exodus Choke the Roads out of Afrin
Syria's Al-Ikhbariya TV reported on March 13, 2018 that long convoys of vehicles were rushing out of the main town, Afrin, of the besieged Afrin region as Operation Olive Branch, launched on January20, 2018, had entered into the final phase. Turkey said during the day that its troops and allied fighters had encircled the town of Afrin.
Turkey Accused of Indiscriminate Shelling
Syrian Kurds on March 14, 2018 accused Turkey of shelling the city of Afrin earlier in the day, killing at least 7 civilians.
Turkish Airstrikes, Ground Fighting Kill Three Dozen
It was a day of heavy toll on March 16, 2018 as Turkish airstrikes killed nine people at Afrin's main hospital while a fierce ground offensive in the northern region killed at least 27 more.
Turkey and Allied Fighters Seize the City of Afrin
Turkish military and allied Syrian fighters on March 18, 2018 seized the city of Afrin as remnant of Syrian-Kurd fighters fled the city.
Turkish President Vows to Destroy "Terror Corridor"
Not content with the capture of Afrin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 19, 2018 went a step further and vowed to push eastward to destroy the "terror corridor" of Syrian Kurdish fighters. He also urged the U.S. to reconsider its alliance with Syrian Democratic Force, or SDF, of which People's Protection Unit, or YPG was a part.
UNICEF Estimate Puts the Number of People Trapped at 100,000
UNICEF on March 20, 2018 said that some 100,000 people had been entrapped in the northern region of Afrin, including about 50,000 children. Two days ago, Turkey and its allies seized the main city, Afrin, of the region. UNICEF was not able to deliver relief supplies since March 15, 2018.
Turkey's Official Agency Declares "Total Control"
Turkey's official news agency on March 24, 2018 announced "total control" over Afrin, marking a milestone in Ankara's quest to get rid the region of YPG.
************* U.S.-Turkey Agreement on Manbij
Pompeo, Turkish Counterpart Reach Deal for Withdrawal of Kurdish Fighters from a Key City
After months of back-and-forth, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, reached an agreement at Washington D.C. on June 4, 2018 that would withdraw Kurdish fighters from Manbij and a joint U.S.-Turkish patrol would take over the security of the city. Pompeo told correspondents on June 5, 2018 that the "road map" was meant for the "phase after ISIS".
************* U.S.-Turkey Agreement on Manbij
Eight Killed in Car Bomb in Afrin
Eight people were killed on December 16, 2018 in car bomb blast near the office of one of the Turkey-allied Islamist rebel groups, killing eight and wounding about 24.
************************************ AFRIN CONFLICT ***************************
Thousands Leave Northern Rural Homs
Days after early May 2018 deal, following the model of other local truces that employed siege-surround-starve-surrender strategy, about 27,000 civilians, rebels and their families left the rural areas in northern Homs countryside, and the government on May 15, 2018 announced that it was almost there taking complete control of the besieged nation's largest state.
Military Establish Road Link among Three Key Cities for the First Time
After routing rebels from the northern countryside of Homs and southern Hama, Syrian military on May 16, 2018 established a vital triangular road link among three key cities--Homs, Aleppo and Damascus--for the first time since the civil war had erupted in 2011. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said during the day that at least 34,500 people had left northern Homs countryside and southern Hama alone in the last few days.
************* Local Truce in Northern Homs Countryside
Senior Military Leader Sought by German Prosecutor's Office
In the first ever incident of going after a Syrian regime leader by a foreign government using the universal jurisdiction principle, Germany's chief prosecutor's office on June 8, 2018 filed charges against Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate head, Jamil Hassan, in the country's Federal Court of Justice and sought his arrest. The charges included running a web of secret prisons where Intel directorate was accused of conducting torture and human rights abuses.
******************* Syrian Offensive near Jordan and Golan Heights
Syrian Offensive Displaces more than 160,000
Syrian government backed by Russia and Iran launched ferocious assault on one the last rebel fortresses near the country's border with Jordan and Golan Heights. Since the June 19, 2018, launch of the offensive in the Daraa province, at least 116 people were killed as of end of June 2018, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and more than 160,000 people had been displaced, creating a humanitarian catastrophic situation in the region. Jordan, which is currently hosting more than 600,000 registered Syrian refugees, has closed its borders to prevent further influx of Syrian refugees and overwhelming its already teetering social infrastructure.
Syrian Troops Capture a Key Trade Point
Syrian forces, backed by Russian airstrikes and Iranian forces, on July 6, 2018 dealt a severe a blow to rebels in its fight to cleanse the southern Daraa province and Quneitra region, close to Israel-occupied Golan Heights, by capturing the crossing of Naseeb, a key trade corridor for Syria with Jordan and other Gulf nations. After rebels seized the Naseeb Border Crossing in 2015, a major lifeline of trade revenue for Syria had been cut off. With July 6, 2018, re-capture of this vital trade crossing, Syrian military is now in a position to redouble its effort to clear the vast area in southern Daraa and nearby Quneitra region of rebels. Since the beginning of June 19, 2018, government offensive in Daraa, at least 330,000 people were displaced from their homes, and hundreds of thousands had massed along the closed borders with Jordan.
Government Hoists National Flag at the Heart of Daraa
For the first time in 7 years, Syrian national flag was hoisted at the heart of the cradle of Syria's civil uprising as soldiers after laying siege on Daraa on July 9, 2018 took over complete control of the city by the end of July 12, 2018. The two-star national flag was seen fluttering near Omari Mosque in Daraa. Omari Mosque came to be known as the birthplace of Syrian civil uprising that had killed at least 400,000, wounded more than a million and displaced tens of millions of people. Since the government forces launched the latest campaign on June 19, 2018 to clear a broad swath of southwest corridor bordering Jordan and Quneitra region Golan Heights, more than 330,000 people had been displaced. Daraa Governor Mohamad al-Hanous said on July 12, 2018 that Syrian soldiers now controlled 80 percent of the city of Daraa. Under the surrender terms, rebels and their families will be allowed to leave the region for country's northwest.
Syria Adopts Scorched-Earth Policy to Liberate Remaining Areas
Six days after recapturing the cradle of Syrian rebellion, Syrian authorities is now hellbent to liberate remaining areas from the clutches of rebel dominance in the Quneitra region. On July 18, 2018, Syrian aircraft carried out what could be one of the most intense bombing runs, with more than 350 missiles raining down on the rebel-held town of Nawa and surrounding areas that killed at least dozen people and wounded more than 100.
Syrian Rebels Agree to Surrender in the Last Pocket of Resistance
The resistance in Quneitra is all but over as rebels in the remaining pockets of the province on July 19, 2018 agreed to surrender and leave the region, another victory in Bashar Assad's strategy of siege-starve-surrender.
Syria Blasts Israeli Operation to Help Evacuate "White Helmet" Responders
A daring Israeli operation backed by U.S., Britain and Canada on July 21, 2018 to help create a passageway for besieged personnel of Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group, or "White Helmets", and their families to Jordan through Israel and, eventually, destined to western nations came under withering criticism from Damascus as Syrian government on July 23, 2018 called evacuation as "criminal process". Israeli special forces helped about 400 White Helmets and their family members to leave Quneitra Province on July 21, 2018 in a secret operation. Germany on July 23, 2018 said that it would give asylum to eight White Helmets and 39 family members, a day after German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer , who had dusted up storm recently over his strident anti-migrant rhetoric, said that giving shelter to rescue workers "is a humanitarian obligation", adding that more than 250 White Helmets had been killed since 2013.
******************* Syrian Offensive near Jordan and Golan Heights
30 among 54 Killed in Alleged U.S.-led Airstrike Reported to be Civilians
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency on July 13, 2018 reported that U.S.-led coalition struck the villages of Baghouz and Sousa, and killed scores of civilians. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that airstrikes had killed at least 54 people, including 26 Islamic State fighters and remaining civilians.
Two American Citizens Detained
Two Americans linked to Islamic State was detained, according to a report carried by The Associated Press and The New York Times on July 19, 2018. One was trying to flee the Middle Euphrates River Valley and nabbed by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. Another American, thought to be the wife of an ISIL operative, was also detained in Syria. U.S. will bring Ibrahim Musaibli, from Dearborn in Michigan, and Samantha Elhassani of Indiana to stand trial in the U.S.
Israel Shots Down a Syrian Sukhoi Warplane
For the second time since Syrian Civil War had begun in 2011, Israel on July 24, 2018 had shot down a Syrian Sukhoi 24 warplane by firing two Patriot surface-to-air missiles. The first time that Israel shot down a Syrian plane it was in 2014. The plane had crashed on the Syrian side of Golan Heights. One crew member was reported to have been killed, while the fate of the second one was not known. The Sukhoi 24 took off from a base near Palmyra and veered into Israeli airspace when Israeli missiles were launched. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the breach of Israeli airspace as "a gross violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement with Syria".
************************** DRUZE CITY UNDER ISIL WRATH *********************
Druze City Targeted by ISIL for Mayhem
A southern Syrian city of predominantly Druze population and surrounding villages were transformed into a large valley of death as ISIL insurgents mounted a multi-pronged, simultaneous attacks on the city of Sweida and surrounding areas in the early hours of July 25, 2018. By the end of the day, at least 216 people were killed, and several hundreds injured. Sweida was spared the violence for the large part of Syrian Civil War, but that had changed on July 25, 2018. At least 18 people, including 14 women, were reported missing.
Syrian Soldiers Rescue 19 Hostages
Syrian soldiers on November 8, 2018 rescued 19 women and children after a swift operation against ISIL captors in the Hamima area east of historic city of Palmyra. The rescued 19 were part of 30 hostages kidnapped by ISIL attackers who had swept through the Druze town of Sweida in southern part of Syria on July 25, 2018. Out of 30, five were killed in captivity and six were released in October 2018 as part of a prisoner swap with the government.
************************** DRUZE CITY UNDER ISIL WRATH *********************
Al-Qaeda-linked Leader Vows to Fight
The leader of al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, vowed on August 22, 2018 that his fighters would battle to the death against Syrian troops to protect Idlib. Syrian government sent reinforcement to the borders of Idlib in anticipation of an assault to recapture the only area still under rebel control.
Iran, Syria Agree to Work Closely
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami's two-day official trip to Damascus (August 26-27, 2018) was showcased as strengthening of bonds between two strategic allies in the region and a rebuff to Israeli threat that it won't tolerate Iranian presence in Syria. Iran's defense minister told reporters on August 26, 2018 that no "third party can affect the presence of Iranian advisers in Syria". During the day, Hatami held a high-level meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, at Damascus.
Iran, Syria Sign Deal on Re-building Syrian Military
On August 27, 2018, Syrian and Iranian officials signed a deal at a state reception in the honor of visiting Iranian defense minister, Amir Hatami, that would involve Iran more closely with Syrian military establishment, by bringing Iranian fund and technology to rebuild Syrian military.
Trump Reverses Course, U.S. now to Extend Its Limited Mission in Syria
The Washington Post reported on September 6, 2018 that Trump administration now favored the extension of limited number of U.S. Special Ops troops indefinitely, reversing the president's stand five months ago--at a Ohio rally on March 29, 2018--"to get out of" Syria and bring U.S. troops back home.
Putin Clears Syria of Downing of Russian Plane
A friendly fire on September 17, 2018 brought down a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 surveillance plane that had killed all 15 Russian service personnel. Syria mistook the Russian plane as Israel's, leading to the anti-aircraft barrage. On September 18, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not hold Syria responsible as Israeli Defense Forces did, and instead blamed a "chain of tragic accidental circumstances".
Russia to Supply Syria with Missile Defense
Russia on September 24, 2018 announced that it would supply Damascus with sophisticated S-300 air missile defense system to avert in future accidental attack such as September 17, 2018, downing of a Russian Ilyushin II-20 surveillance plane that had killed 15 Russian soldiers. The supply was on hold before, but things had "changed, and it's not our fault", Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on TV, justifying the delivery of S-300 in the next few weeks. In the aftermath of the Russian S-300 delivery announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Putin assured Netanyahu that the deployment of S-300 was primarily aimed at providing safety to Russian personnel in Syria. However, U.S. did not take the September 24, 2018, Sergei Shoigu's S-300 shipment announcement lightly as U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton called it a "serious escalation".
Assad Offers Amnesty to Deserters
As part of his reconciliation after wiping out the rebellion from all but Idlib province of Syria, President Bashar Assad on October 9, 2018 issued a broad-based amnesty to the army deserters and draft dodgers both in Syria and in exile, raising the possibility that hundreds of thousands might return to their communities one day. The amnesty will cover for those who surrender within four months if they are in Syria and six months if outside. However, the amnesty will not be applied to those who have risen up and fought against the government. Syria has mandatory military draft of young men for two years and 18 months if they have college degrees, and failure leads to serious sanctions, including jail and fines. People granted amnesty are still required to serve remainder of their time in military.
Russia-Germany-France-Turkey Meet to Find Common Ground on Syria
Leaders from three NATO nations and Russia met at Istanbul on October 27, 2018 to discuss possible ways to forge a deal that would bring a devastating civil war to an end. At the end of day-long summit, there was no measurable progress other than a jointly released statement that called for "an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process". Also the statement lent support to convening a committee by the end of the year to work on constitutional reform as a prelude to U.N.-backed free and fair election.
Washington Seeks Help from Moscow, Teheran on Reporter
A former Marine and Georgetown law student turned a freelance journalist kidnapped in August 2012 in Syria has underlined the length of danger most reporters face while reporting the ground conditions in Syria. Now, the fate of Austin Tice, 37, is being raised by Trump administration as there are reports that Tice may be alive and remains captive. On November 13, 2018, Trump administration's special envoy on hostage, Robert O'Brien, said at an event at the National Press Club that Washington had reached out to Iran and Russia to seek the release of Austin Tice. About 20 American hostages are currently being held in different theaters of the world.
U.S. Airstrikes against Last Pockets of ISIL Kill more than 40
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' head Rami Abdurrahman said on November 17, 2018 that U.S. airstrikes on the last of ISIL pockets in the eastern Syrian desert along the Iraq-Syria borders had killed at least 43 people, including 17 children and 12 women. Although a coalition statement denied any "civilian casualties", the observatory said that early morning November 17, 2018, airstrikes targeted the Abu al-Hassan village, near the border town of Hajin, and killed a disproportionate number of civilians. Syrian Democratic Forces launched the Hajin offensive on September 10, 2018.
Syrian Kurds Oust ISIL from Hajin
Hajin fell to SDF on December 14, 2018.
Sudan's President First Arab League Leader to Visit Syria
After Syria's expulsion from Arab League in the aftermath of eruption of Syrian Civil War in 2011, first head of state from Arab League to visit Damascus was Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, who was received with much fanfare at Damascus airport on December 16, 2018 by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
******* TRUMP'S SUDDEN DECISION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM SYRIA *******
Trump's Surprising Decision to Pull U.S. Troops from Syria Shocks Allies
In a decision--all in done over a tweet message--that blindsided friends and foe alike, President Donald Trump ordered on December 19, 2018 to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria immediately, declaring that "we have defeated ISIS in Syria". The reaction to the announcement was swift, with his traditional allies was taken aback. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of the strong Trump backers, didn't mince words when he called the decision that "blindsided" him and many more would lead to "disaster" in Syria and help "ISIS and Iran".
Defense Secretary Mattis Resigns in Protest to President's Syria Pullout Decision
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often known as the cool head in the chaotic White House, on December 20, 2018 announced his resignation, imploring in his resignation letter that "you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours". His resignation letter tells it all: Mattis has taken strong exception to Trump's decision--both in timing, substance and style--to pull nearly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria who have been a bulwark to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their quest to defeat ISIL in Syria. Meanwhile, Mattis' resignation will bring alarm to world capitals spanning from Brussels to Beijing. Jim Mattis has decided to leave Pentagon by the end of February 2019.
Kurds Call Trump's Move Betrayal, Putin Welcomes Trump's Withdrawal Decision
In a stinging rebuke, Syria's Kurds in the country's northeast called Donald Trump's abrupt decision a day earlier to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops a betrayal. Chiming in in the debate, Iraq's former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, himself a Kurd, said on December 20, 2018 that Trump's decision would have repercussion beyond Syria's border. The biggest beneficiaries of the Trump's decision, according to Syria watchers, will be Iran, Turkey and Russia. Turkey has already begun planning to attack Kurd's positions in northern and northeastern Syria as Ankara sees YPG as an extension of PKK. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Trump's decision, saying that U.S. should not be in Syria at the first place.
Turkey Delays Offensives against Kurds
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on December 21, 2018 said that Ankara would delay offensive against Kurds in northeastern Syria, but it would definitely happen, as talks with the U.S. continued.
U.S. Envoy to anti-ISIL Coalition Steps down
Following the footstep of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the U.S. envoy to anti-ISIL coalition, Brett McGurk, stepped down on December 22, 2018. Brett McGurk is scheduled to leave the job by mid-February 2019 to start a 1-year stint at Stanford University in March 2019. Instead, he will leave on December 31, 2018, according to his resignation letter sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump Advances Mattis' Exit Timetable
President Donald Trump on December 23, 2018 accelerated the departure process of Jim Mattis by shifting the timetable two more months. He has appointed Patrick Shanahan, Deputy Defense Secretary and a former Boeing company executive, as acting defense chief. Mattis will be leaving now on December 31, 2018 instead of originally planned by the end of February 2019. Trump's December 23, 2018, move marked a shameful lowball hit against a highly respected military general.
Turkey Massing Troops near Border
Finding a possible opening to oust its Kurdish nemesis from northern Syria in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's December 19, 2018, decision to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, Turkey sent reinforcement to the border town of Kilis, Turkey for invasion into northern Syria and target Manbij. A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish, said on December 23, 2018 that Turkish troops had crossed into Syria and were now advancing toward the Kurdish-held city. During the day, Donald Trump held a telephone talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, their second such talk in ten days. After their first talk over phone, Donald Trump made the surprising announcement of troops pullout from Syria.
Turkey Vows Offensive against Kurds; Working with Washington on Troops Pullout
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated on December 25, 2018 that Ankara was working with Washington on U.S. troops pullout from Syria, but determined to launch attack on Kurds. Causoglu also said that both NATO allies were working on Kurdish pullout from Manbij to the east of Euphrates Valley, which under a June 2018 deal should have happened by now, but the delay had angered Turkey.
Syrian Soldiers Nearing Manbij
As U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that about 2,000 U.S. troops would withdraw from Syria after what the president called the defeat of ISIL and Turkish-led rebel forces zeroing on the key Kurds-held city of Manbij, it was apparent that YPG-led forces, now in charge of Manbij, would seek the protection of Bashar Assad from an all-out assault by Turkey and allied rebel forces. Damascus announced on December 28, 2018 that Syrian Arab Army had entered Manbij and hoisted national flag at the center of the city. Both Turkey and U.S. Army contested that claim.
Trump Revises Troops Drawdown Timetable in a Twitter Message
U.S. President Donald Trump on December 31, 2018 pulled another surprise by revising the timeline of withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria in a tweet. He has elongated the timeline from 30 days to 120 days. Trump also complained that he was unfairly criticized by retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal who questioned president's temperament, fitness and preparedness. In recent days, even his former Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly said that his former boss had a habit of taking impulsive decisions. Although nobody surely knows what has led to Trump's change in heart, one theory is that during his recent whirlwind Iraq visit, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, Lt. Gen. Paul LaCamera, has implored the president to slow the drawdown of troops from Syria on the ground of logistical challenges.
Bolton Warns against Quick Troops Drawdown
Talking to reporters during a visit to Israel, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on January 6, 2019 said that a quick troops drawdown might endanger partners and allies in the region and the "timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement". Bolton's comment is the most pointed one that differ from president's own timeline of "immediate withdrawal" announced on December 19, 2018 first and then extending it to 120 days 12 days later.
U.S. Begins Syria Pullout
U.S. on January 11, 2019 began the process of troops pullout from Syria, the same day an al-Qaeda-linked group forced Turkey-backed rebels to capitulate in the northwestern province of Idlib. The American pullout from the northeastern part of the country began with heavy equipment and other hardware being shuffled and prepared to be shipped out. 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria was critical in Kurdish Syrian forces' concerted battlefield wins against ISIL after Obama administration began Syria airstrikes in 2014 and followed up with troop deployment to train and assist the Syrian Kurdish forces. Now, as the drawdown of U.S. forces has begun, the three-year-old ground mission of the U.S. forces will come to an end in the coming months, raising possibility of Turkish assault on Syrian Kurds and return of ISIL to Syria.
Syrian Kurd Leader Meets with Trump at a FundraiserA syrian Kurdish leader, Ilham Ahmed, Co-chairman of the Syrian Democratic Council, was invited to a Washington fundraiser on January 28, 2019, and briefly met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
******* TRUMP'S SUDDEN DECISION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM SYRIA *******
U.S. Drone Strike Reported to Have Taken out Two Hardcore al-Qaeda-linked Leaders in Syria
The Associated Press reported on June 14, 2020 that a drone strike on a vehicle in northwestern province of Idlib killed one Yemeni and one Jordanian leaders tied to Horas al-Din, a far more radical breakaway faction of the largest rebel group in Idlib, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a loosely affiliated al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said during the day that it was a U.S. drone strike that took out Horas al-Din's general military commander, Qassam al-Urduni, a Jordanian, Bilal al-Sanaani, a Yemeni, and commander of the desert army of Horas al-Din, or "Guardians of Religion".
Third Parliamentary Election Since Civil War's Start Held
Election to 250-seat Syrian parliament was held in government-controlled areas in Syria on July 19, 2020. Northwestern province of Idlib and parts of Northeastern Syria under Kurdish control were excluded from the poll. A thorough healthcare protective measure was applied to most of the voting places as coronavirus was razing the region.
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Eastern Turkey in the province of Van near Iran border on October 23, 2011, killing at least 138. As of October 24, 2011, the death toll stood as high as 279. The 7.2-magnitude earthquake and subsequent more than 200 aftershocks devastated two main cities--Van and Ercis--and surrounding villages in the province of Van. On October 23, PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the afflicted region, while Deputy PM Bulent Arinic visted the region on October 24. On October 25, 2011, Turkey agreed to take aid even from its nemesis, Israel, as death toll rose to 459 and desperation and desolation of the earthquake-plagued region hit the nerve of the Turkish nation.
SYRIA
After months of delay, UN announced on November 25, 2013 that Syrian government and opposition would hold talks in Geneva on January 22, 2014 in an effort to end the Syrian Civil War that had killed more than 100,000 and displaced about 9 million Syrians since it had begun in March 2011. The protest began in a very innocuous way as students in the Syrian city of Daraa, emboldened by the Arab Spring protests that had ousted just weeks ago two long-time dictators in Tunisia and Egypt wrote anti-Assad graffiti on school walls. An ensuing protest in Daraa saw the first bloodshed of the protest movement on March 18, 2011 as four protesters were killed in the clashes with security forces. After the official announcement from Geneva, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon chimed in at New York with a message of hope and optimism for breaking out of the diplomatic gridlock that had engulfed the Syrian crisis from the very beginning. The UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, didn't elaborate on the agenda or the list of participants in the January 22, 2014, session. However, outcome of Geneva II, as the talks are being called after the first round has been held in June 2012, will depend on the composition of opposition representation and content of the agenda.
However, the prospect of any meaningful outcome from Geneva II Talks is considered moot as the nominal head of western-backed Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idris, has vowed to continue fighting against Bashar Assad regime despite the announcement of January 22, 2014, Geneva talks. Idris' comment on fighting came during an interview with Al-Jazeera on November 26, 2013, the same day the titular head of opposition Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad al-Jarba, said at Cairo that he was not sure that opposition would even participate in the Geneva II Talks.
On December 16, 2013, UN made a special appeal of raising $6.5 billion to help displaced Syrian refugees, who had been in dire strait because of a raging civil war and biting winter and snowstorm that had plagued middle-east severely this winter, and their host countries, mainly Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq. According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 120,000 Syrians flee the civil war per month, and close to 9 million people have been already uprooted. Out of that, 2.3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring nations, while 6.5 million refugees have been internally displaced. Meanwhile, UNSG Ban Ki-moon said on December 16, 2013 that to have a conducive discussion at Geneva next month between government and opposition negotiators, the "cessation" of hostilities should take hold immediately. The hostilities started to take more of sectarian color in recent years after a March 18, 2011, crackdown by security forces on a peaceful demonstration killed four people in Daraa, touching off months of nationwide protests against the Assad regime that stayed peaceful and secular until Islamists dominated the rebel ranks and more foreigners joined the ranks of Islamic rebel groups.
Meanwhile, the aerial attack on the rebel-held positions of Aleppo continued for the third day on December 17 (the aerial strikes began on December 15, 2013), killing so far at least 100 people.
Meanwhile, a four-person Commission of Inquiry appointed by Navi Pillay, UN Commissioner for Human Rights that started its work in September 2011 on "forced disappearance" issued a scathing report on December 19, 2013 blaming the Syrian regime for continuing a "campaign of terror". The panel issued its reports based on interviews of Syrian refugees and others, but the panel didn't visit the country to probe. In Damascus, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mikdad blasted the report, calling the world body's role as "disgraceful".
On December 20, 2013, UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi gave a preview of participants in January 22, 2014, Syria talks that would be held at Montreux, Switzerland. Beside the negotiators from the Bashar Assad regime and opposition, negotiators from 25 other countries will attend the talks. Despite being advocated by the UN, Syria's regional ally Iran has been excluded from the talks at the behest of US.
According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (and reported by The Dallas Morning News), Syrian rebels on December 21, 2013 captured a key hospital, Kindi Hospital, on the outskirt of Aleppo. The Syrian Civil War is now in its third year, with no end in sights, death toll already crossed 120,000 and displaying more symptoms of attracting its neighbors into vortex of regional instability.
On December 22, 2013, Syrian regime pummeled rebel-held positions in Aleppo for the eighth consecutive day since its aerial mission began on December 15, 2013 to weaken the rebel positions as much as possible in the run-up to the January talks in Switzerland. So far in eight-day (December 15-22, 2013) aerial bombardment, at least 200 people were killed (according to The Dallas Morning News).
On December 23, 2013, Syrian aircraft expanded its bombing campaign from the rebel-held areas of Aleppo to a (Turkish-Syrian) border town, Azaz, that had killed more than 45 people. (Source: The Dallas Morning News).
On December 24, 2013, two Syrian Activists groups said that Syrian planes continued their strikes for the tenth straight day against the rebel-held areas of Aleppo. According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 15 people were killed in the aerial strikes against Aleppo's Sukkari neighborhood, while the Aleppo Media Center put the death toll at 33. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
In a growing rivalry between Syrian rebels and al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, residents in the opposition-held cities in the north and north-east are being held hostage almost on regular basis. On January 3, 2014, fighting broke out in the Idlib province, and rebels allied with Islamic Front and Mujahedin Army, an umbrella group that includes western-backed Free Syrian Army, were locked in a bitter fight to oust Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from the Idlib provincial town of Atareb.
On January 4, 2014, the fighting between homegrown rebels and al-Qaeda-linked rebels spread to more areas in Idlib and Aleppo.
The first batch of most dangerous chemicals in Syria's arsenal were removed on January 7, 2014 in a Danish ship off the port of Latakia escorted by vessels from Russia, China, Denmark and Norway, seven days after the original timeline because of delay caused by intensifying civil war, growing rebel-on-rebel violence and adverse winter weather across Syria. Dutch diplomat Sigrid Kaag coordinated the shipment endeavor on behalf of OPCW and the UN.
The rebel-on-rebel war in northern Syria reached at an alarming stage with potential to draw the region into a virulence of sectarian warfare that already began to take its poisonous roots in Lebanon and Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on January 8, 2014 that at least 385 people had been killed in the past five days in fighting between Free Syrian Army, Islamic Front and other rebel groups on one side and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on the other side. On January 8, 2014, rebels from Free Syrian Army and Islamic Front ousted fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from Aleppo Eye Hospital that al-Qaeda-linked fighters converted into a base. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
In an interview with BBC on January 15, 2014, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad said that western intelligence officials secretly met with their Syrian counterparts in Damascus in recent months as their governments continued the public rebuke of the Bashar Assad regime. If Mekdad's assertion was true, it meant that western intelligence agencies had grown concerned over radicalization of the Syrian rebel forces. A report carried by The Wall Street Journal mentioned UK, Germany, France and Spain as the European nations which sent their officials to Damascus for secret discussion. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Also on January 15, 2014, a donor conference in Kuwait City pledged $2.4 billion for helping the besieged and displaced Syrians due to ongoing civil war. The host of the conference, Kuwait's Emir Sheik Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, pledged $500 million, significantly topping its pledge of $300 million last year. U.S Secretary of State John Kerry pledged $380 million in humanitarian aid, raising the total U.S. pledge to a whopping $1.7 billion.
On January 16, 2014, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that her office had received plethora of complaints of executions and torture committed by the rebels of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from provinces of Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa. Meanwhile, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on January 16, 2014 issued its estimate of death toll since internecine fighting broke out among the rebel groups since January 3, 2014. The observatory blamed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant for most of 1,069 deaths.
Days before the Syrian peace talks start at Montreux in Switzerland, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on January 17, 2014 floated the proposal of cease-fire in the city of Aleppo as a gesture to opposition and exchange a list of prisoners for release in exchange for freedom of people kidnapped by rebel forces. The proposal for the cease-fire in Aleppo came from the Syrian foreign minister as he was visiting Moscow to hold discussion with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Meanwhile, in continuing spillover of violence, rockets rained down into Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on January 17, 2014, killing at least 8 people and wounding 20, a day after Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for a car bomb at a Shiite-dominated town, Hermel, that had killed three people on January 16, 2014.
Meeting at Silivri, west of Istanbul, Syrian National Coalition, the western-backed opposition group, on January 18, 2014 voted to participate in the upcoming peace talks in Montreux, Switzerland. However, one-third of the leadership team of the Syrian National Coalition stayed away from voting.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on January 19, 2014 rankled Washington and rattled the Syrian opposition by unilaterally extending an invitation to Iran to join the Syrian peace talks slated to start in Montreux on January 22, 2014. The last minute surprise by Ban shocked political establishment across the region as Iran had on many occasions in the past refused to approve the terms of so-called Geneva Communique issued in 2012. The main element of Geneva Communique includes a provision of establishing "by mutual consent" a transitional body to govern Syria. Ban's logic for extending the invitation to Iran was that he had talked to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had agreed in principle to the Geneva Communique issued in June 2012. The UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is also a strong proponent of involving Syria in the peace talks scheduled to open on January 22, 2014 and to be attended by more than 30 nations. However, Syrian National Coalition made it clear that it would stay away from the peace talks if Iran attended.
On January 20, 2014, US and its Arab allies salvaged the peace talks that had begun to unravel before even starting by persuading the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to drop Iran from the peace talks. The peace talks will start on January 22, 2014 at Montreux, and move to Geneva on January 24, 2014 where both the opposition and the Syrian regime negotiators will meet. If there is any possibility of breakthrough--and the chance of that happening is very slim--it will happen in Geneva, not at Montreux.
On January 22, 2014, a peace conference on Syria opened at Montreux, Switzerland with fiery speeches from all sides, dimming the prospect that any tangible outcome was even possible to think for. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, taking the podium, made it clear on January 22, 2014 that the premise of the peace talks was to defeat "terrorism", referring to rebels fighting against the Assad regime, and diplomacy and terrorism couldn't go hand in hand. U.S. Secretary of State, addressing the delegates from more than 30 countries, said that Assad should have no place in the transitional government. Syrian National Coalition leader Ahmad al-Jarba said in no unwavering terms that the peace talks in Switzerland to be successful, the only outcome possible would have to have a transitional government with no Assad. On the same day, January 22, 2014, the peace talks opened at Montreux, seven international aid and rights groups, including Amnesty International, Care USA and World Vision, issued a statement that painted grimmest of pictures on the Syrian civil war that had killed more than 130,000 people, displaced 9 million people and sent 2.3 million refugees to neighboring countries. The statement called the situation as the one that "defies the basic norms of a civilized world".
After taking a pause on January 23, 2014, the Syrian talks moved to Geneva from nearby Montreux on January 24, 2014. The U.N-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi shuttled between rooms for parlance with the government and opposition negotiators to bring the parties together for a common agenda.
On January 25, 2014, opposition and regime negotiators held their first face-to-face talks at the UN headquarters in Geneva. The talks were mediated by the veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi. The talks centered around a more modest goal of how to provide relief and humanitarian supplies to the people of the besieged city of Homs instead of focusing on more contentious political issues such as formation of a transitional government.
After two-days of talks between Syrian opposition and government negotiators at Geneva, a narrow, tenuous agreement was reached on January 26, 2014 that called for evacuation of women and children from the besieged city of Homs before relief convoys entered the city. However, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad was categorical on January 26, 2014 as the narrow deal was being wrapped up that his government had no desire to hand over the "keys to Damascus" to the opposition.
U.S. to Resume Aid to Syrian Rebels
On January 27, 2014, the U.S. said that it would resume non-lethal aid to Syrian opposition more than a month after the U.S. stopped the aid in response to al-Qaeda-linked militants' capture of warehouses. A day later, January 28, 2014, Syrian government negotiators were so enraged that envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had to call off the negotiating session early, creating uncertainty over the prospect of an agreement to resolve impasse over relied aid to Homs.
US Blames Regime for Slow Compliance with Chemical Weapons Dismantlement
As the Syrian peace talks in Geneva entered the sixth day on January 30, 2014, U.S. accused the Bashar Assad regime of deliberately falling behind the timeline by turning over only 4% of the most dangerous chemical weapons to be shipped out of the country. "The effort to remove chemical agents and key precursor chemicals from Syria has seriously languished and stalled", the U.S. representative Robert Mikulak told OPCW on January 30, 2014.
Peace Talks in Geneva Wraps Up
Little gains were achieved from the week-long peace talks (January 25-31, 2014) at Geneva between the opposition and Syrian regime negotiators mediated by veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, with only exception of a narrow deal that would help women and children to be evacuated from the city of Homs. The talks never made any headway of the thorny subject of formation of any transition government. Brahimi set February 10, 2014 as the date of resumption of negotiation amid a worsening situation on ground where millions of Syrians remained hungry and vulnerable, government troops shelling rebel stronghold with barrage of artilleries, including dropping of barrel bombs in parts of Aleppo and intensifying bickering between rebels tied to al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on one side and Islamists and secular rebels on the other side.
Syrian Fighting Rages
A day after the first session (January 25-31, 2014) of Syrian peace talks was wrapped up, Syrian helicopters upped the ante on the rebels holed up in parts of Aleppo, especially in neighborhoods of Karam Tarrad and Karam Qaser, with helicopters indiscriminately dropping barrel bombs on February 1, 2014 that had killed at least 23 people. In Aleppo's Al-Bab area, at least 13 people were killed, according to an activist group, Aleppo Media Center. Also, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least seven people were killed on February 1, 2014 as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant used twin car bombs to target a rival Islamic rebel group near Aleppo. Meanwhile, as another sign of cross-border escalation of Syrian Civil War, a car bomb exploded on February 1, 2014 at a northeastern Lebanese town, Hermel, where most of the residents are Shiite, killing at least three people.
Syrian Attacks on Opposition Strongholds Continue
Syrian government continued punishing airstrikes on February 2, 2014 with war planes hitting targets in Aleppo with missiles and military helicopters dropping barrel bombs. On February 2, 2014, Syrian government launched a targeted assault on 15 rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 36 people, including 17 children, according to activist groups.
One of the most disheartening elements while blogging about Syria is that independent bloggers get unconfirmed, but totally contrasting reports, from the Syrian official media on one side and the western media and activist groups on the others.
Even Al-Qaeda Breaks Ties to Syrian Rebel Group
In its February 4, 2014, edition, The Dallas Morning News reported that al-Qaeda's central leader Ayman al-Zawahiri distanced his group from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and instead, threw his support to a rival group, Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front. Even when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was created in the spring of 2013 by merging the Syrian and Iraqi franchises of al-Qaeda and being led subsequently by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the former branch, al-Zawahiri didn't approve the merger as it was deemed a direct challenge to his central authority. With February 3, 2014, announcement as reported by February 4, 2014, edition of The Dallas Morning News, Zawahiri put the last nail in the coffin of any hope for re-conciliation. Meanwhile, Syrian aircraft expanded its aerial strikes in Aleppo on February 3, 2014, killing at least 18 people. Also, during the day (February 3, 2014), Saudi King issued a decree that made it clear that any Saudi citizen joining any foreign war without Kingdom's permission would receive severe punishment of various spans of jail terms. Saudi King Abdullah's February 3, 2014, decree is seen by political analysts as a mitigation steps to further radicalizing and involving of Saudi youths in Syrian Civil War.
U.N. Issues Scathing Report on the Plight of Syrian Children
On February 5, 2014, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon submitted a report to the U.N. Security Council that took government forces as well as rebels to the tasks for widespread abuse, torture, discrimination, neglect and hunger of untold number of Syrian children.
Homs Evacuation Begins
On February 7, 2014, 83 elderly men, children and women were evacuated from the besieged parts of Homs as part of an agreement to evacuate vulnerable people from the city of Homs and provide relief supply to the city. On February 8, 2014, U.N. and Red Crescent of Syria brought trucks-load of relief and medicines to the besieged parts of Homs despite occasional shelling and roadside bombs. Also, on February 7, 2014, Syrian regime okayed its delegation's participation in the next round of Geneva talks scheduled to begin on February 10, 2014. If the next round of talks are to be meaningful, they have to yield a broader solution than the so-called Homs agreement that helped about 700 people--mostly elderly, women and children--to be evacuated from besieged parts of Homs and provide food and medicine supply to the people who had remained inside the city during a tenuous three-day cease-fire (February 7-9, 2014). People who were evacuated from the besieged parts of Homs portrayed a grim situation within the city, with parents looking for food for their hungry kids, some barely hanging on weeds and grass and some just dying off hunger.
Homs Truce Extended amid Resumption of Geneva Talks
As the peace talks between government negotiators and western-backed opposition resumed on February 10, 2014 at Geneva, a three-day truce (February 7-9, 2014) was extended for an additional three days (February 10-12, 2014) in country's third-largest city, Homs, in order to evacuate more elderly, women and children and send relief supplies to besieged parts of the city. U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos on February 10, 2014 blamed both government and rebels for hindering the evacuation and relief effort in Homs. According to Amos, around 800 elderly, women and children were evacuated over the past four days (February 7-10, 2014) from besieged parts of Homs. The evacuation process--which the government had exempted for all men of 15 to 55 years of ages on ground that many armed rebels would sneak out of the city--as well as providing relief supplies to the besieged parts have been limping since the beginning as the relief convoys have encountered sniper fires, volleys of artillery fire and barrage of shelling. Meanwhile, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on February 10, 2014 reported another gruesome perpetration by al-Qaeda-linked militants when they overran an Alawite village and systematically executed more than two dozen civilians. Meanwhile, in the distant safety of Geneva, the diplomacy seemed to be stuck in the mud on the opening day (February 10, 2014) of the resumption of peace talks as, if there was an air of reconciliation that had been generated at the end of last round, even that had evaporated by now. U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi shuttled between two teams at the U.N headquarters in Geneva as they refused to hold face-to-face talks, a sign of regress from where the delegations left on January 31, 2014.
U.N. Envoy Seeks Help from Russia and U.S. as Syria Talks Hit Impasse at Geneva
As the second round of talks that began on February 10, 2014 turned out to be a non-starter for U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, he turned over to two powers with leverage on February 13, 2014. Brahimi on February 13, 2014 met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman at Geneva in en effort to resuscitate the talks between Syrian government negotiators and western-backed opposition and revive the fledging peace process from the abyss of failure. Meanwhile, the governor of Homs, Talal al-Barazi, informed the Reuters that the six-day cease-fire that had expired on February 12, 2014 was extended for an additional three days through February 15, 2014 to facilitate evacuation of elderly, women and children and provide relief supplies to the besieged parts of Homs.
Syria Talks Hit Impasse as Bomb Kills Dozens in Rebel-held Territory
A day after U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi sought the help of Russia and U.S. in prodding the both sides to have constructive engagement, the talks in Geneva between Syrian government and opposition backed by west hit an impasse on February 14, 2014 with opposition blaming the government for "belligerence" and Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad returning the volley with accusation that the opposition was pursuing an "unrealistic agenda". From the very outset of the Geneva talks, Syrian government and opposition were at the opposite ends of even the meeting agenda, with opposition insisting all along that the purpose of the Geneva talks was to find a way to form a transition government while the Syrian government negotiator stressing that the emphasis of the talks were on how to defeat "terrorism". However, in recent days, opposition has been slowly softening its stand on Bashar Assad's role in a transition government. On February 12, 2014, opposition delegation submitted its postwar vision to Brahimi, and it omitted any reference to Assad.
Meanwhile, on ground, there was no let up of violence. A car bomb blew up outside a mosque, Ammar bin Yasser Mosque, at the village of Yadouda in the southern Daraa province on February 14, 2014 as scores of faithful were filing out of the mosque after Friday prayer, killing at least 29 people and injuring dozens. Meanwhile, fierce fighting was raging between the Syrian government forces backed by Hezbollah and rebel forces in the strategic town of Yabroud in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders. Yabroud is the last strategic town in the region that provides a supply route from Lebanon to besieged rebels in the interior, and its fall to government had will inflict a major blow to the rebels.
Syrian Opposition Replaces Military Commander
Being marginalized in the battlefield by more potent Islamic fighters and mowed by an ever-aggressive regime forces, the pro-western opposition army on February 17, 2014 replaced Gen. Salim Idris, criticized by many in opposition as largely ineffective, by Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir, a commander from the southern province of Quneitra on the border of Israel-occupied Golan Heights. Brig. Gen. al-Bashir defected to opposition in 2012, and lost his son Talal in fighting against the government troops in Quneitra. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at Jakarta on February 17, 2014 that Syrian regime was stonewalling the talks in Geneva, leading to a stalemate.
Syria's Pro-west Opposition Further Fractures amid Spillover of Violence to Lebanon
Two days after opposition Syrian National Coalition replaced Gen. Salim Idris as the head of Supreme Military Council, Gen. Idris on February 19, 2014 quit Supreme Military Council as well as breaking off relations with its political leadership in Syrian National Coalition. Fifteen other military commanders also accompanied Gen. Idris in deserting pro-west coalition and its military unit.
Meanwhile, in a grim reminder of potential of Syria's ongoing civil war in drawing its neighbors into a conflagration, a car bomb exploded near the Kuwaiti embassy and Iranian cultural center in Beirut on February 19, 2014, killing at least 5 people and wounding dozens. A pro-Sunni group, Abdullah Azzam Brigade, claimed responsibility for bombing at Beirut's Bir Hassan neighborhood and warned that further violence was inevitable unless "Iran and its party in Lebabon" withdrew from Syria.
UN Resolution Demands Co-operation of Assad
In a bonhomie of sort among the west and China-Russia axis in the U.N. Security Council, the august body on February 22, 2014 unanimously voted for a resolution to demand for Assad regime to stop attacks on civilians, provide access to besieged areas to outside aids and open the access from neighboring countries for international relief effort. After vetoing three other resolutions, Russia and China agreed to approve after the resolution also demanded for opposition fighters to cease their own human rights violations, condemned terrorism and dropped any reference to trial of any regime leader at the International Criminal Court. The resolution calls for U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to report back to Security Council within 30 days.
Ambush Kills More Than 150 Rebels; Opposition Coalition Demands Inquiry
A security assault, according to government account, but disputed by opposition as a Hezbollah-backed ambush, on February 26, 2014 at the Damascus suburb of Ghouta killed at least 150 rebels. Many of the rebels, according to state news agency, were tied to al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 175 people were killed.
On February 27, 2014, the opposition Syrian National Coalition demanded an impartial inquiry into February 26, 2014, ambush that had killed 175, saying that the people killed in the ambush were civilians.
Extremist Group Retreats from North of Aleppo
Heeding the warning from al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, another Jihadist group, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, withdrew from areas north of Aleppo, including the border town of Azaz, on February 28, 2014, three days after the warning was issued, and moved its militants to the northeastern city of Raqqa, first major city to fall under rebel control.
Rights Panel Concludes Syrian Regime's Use of Sarin
In a scathing report issued on March 5, 2014 by a human rights experts panel chaired by the Brazilian scholar Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Syrian regime was implicated to the August 21, 2013, sarin gas attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta that had allegedly killed, according to the U.S. estimate, at least 1,400 people. The report also confirmed the use of sarin gas in the March 19, 2013, attack on the village of Khan al Assal, near Aleppo. However, the report didn't implicate directly the government for that attack. The report was also unsparing in its critique for the failure of five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
A Key Border Town Captured by Regime
In a devastating blow to rebels, Syrian troops bolstered by battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters seized the strategic town of Yabroud in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders on March 16, 2014, leading to thousands of civilians as well as rebel fighters to flee the region to the Sunni-dominated town of Arsal on the Lebanese side of the border. Meanwhile, on March 17, 2014, Lebanese government sent soldiers to the borders to check the flow of people to Arsal.
Administration Orders Suspension of Syrian Embassy and Consular Work in the USA
After Syrian government announced stopping consular services to Syrians who live in the USA, the Obama administration on March 18, 2014 ordered Syrian Embassy in Washington and consular services in Troy, Michigan and Houston, Texas to suspend all consular and embassy works and all non-US legal residents to be withdrawn. The order was issued by the US special envoy to Syria Daniel Rubenstein, who had issued a statement, saying that it was "unacceptable for individuals appointed" by Bashar Assad regime "to conduct diplomatic or consular operation in the United States." The hardening of stand came weeks after the second round of Geneva talks between the government and Syrian National Coalition had collapsed.
Syrian Troops Captures a Historic Castle
In a continuing sweep of the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders, Syrian troops on March 20, 2014 seized the 12th century castle of Crac des Chevaliers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was seized by the rebels in 2012 and withstood assault from that might have caused some degree of structural harm to the fortress. Syrian troops also captured the town of Hosn, at the foot of the castle, from the militants of Jund al-Sham Islamic group. Also, the OPCW and UN joint mission reported on March 20, 2014 another batch of chemicals shipped out of Syria, accounting for nearly half of chemical agents removed from the country already.
Syrian Death Toll Touches 150,000
The death toll from the last three years' Syrian civil war crossed the symbolic, but expected, threshold of 150,000, according to an estimate provided on April 1, 2014 by London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The U.N. in late July 2013 reported the death toll having crossed 100,000, and stopped providing any estimate in January 2014 due to lack of confidence in the data collected from inside Syria. Meanwhile, Lebanese security force on April 1, 2014 swept through the northern city of Tripoli, ousting the rival militia members who had been waging a proxy war in support for and opposition to Bashar Assad regime.
Syrian Refugees to Lebanon Cross 1 million Mark
In a grim reminder of the toll of the Syrian civil war on the neighboring countries and their socio-economic pictures for years to come, the number of Syrian refugees who had registered with the U.N. in Lebanon exceeded 1 million mark, almost reflecting one-in-five people now who reside in the tiny nation, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who released a statement marking this cruel milestone on April 3, 2014 and reminding the world of the need and support that this vulnerable group of people required in the days to come.
Revered Christian Priest Assassinated in Syria
A revered Christian priest who had dedicated a significant part of his life to serve common Syrians in the besieged city of Homs was killed by a masked gunman on April 7, 2014. Rev. Frans van der Lugt, a Jesuit priest of Dutch origin, gave succor and support to thousands of displaced Syrians in the order's homes and religious places during three years of civil war, was killed by the gunman at the monastery of Bustan al-Diwan.
Twin Car Bombs Kill 25 in Homs; Last Citadel of Rebels in a Key Region Fell to Assad Troops
On April 9, 2014, twin car bombs exploded on a commercial street in the government-held areas of Homs, killing at least 25 people and wounding more than 100. The second car bomb inflicted heavier damage as people and rescuers came to the aid of the victims of the first car explosion. Meanwhile, backed by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the government troops on April 9, 2014 captured the last major city, Rankous, in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders, thus cutting off a strategic supply route for the isolated rebels.
Poison Gas Alleged to be Used in a Rebel-Held Village; US Official Calls the Attack Unsubstantiated
Rebels and Bashar Assad regime on April 12, 2014 accused each other of using poison gas in the village of Kfar Zeita in the central Hama province on April 11, 2014. On April 13, 2014, US Ambassador to UN Samantha Powers, appearing in ABC's This Week, said that US would pursue to know the full truth about the incident although at that moment the incident remained unsubstantiated.
Syrian Regime Takes Back Last Rebel Bastion in a Key Region; Hezbollah Mourns Deaths of its Three Correspondents
In a growing sign of consolidation of regime authority and assertiveness, Syrian soldiers backed by Hezbollah on April 15, 2014 seized the last bastion of rebels in the mountainous Qalamoun region near Lebanon borders as the Christian village of Maaloula fell out of rebel hands. Meanwhile, Hezbollah was morning the loss of three journalists tied to its Al-Manar news channel after a convoy of militants came under fire on April 14, 2014, killing the three journalists: Hamza al-Haj Hassan, cameraman Mohammad Mantash, and sound technician Halim Allaw.
Syria Announces Presidential Poll Dates
Encouraged by the recent battlefield victories and regular viciousness of rebel-on-rebel attacks, Syrian regime on April 21, 2014 announced poll dates for presidential elections. Syrian Parliament Speaker Mohammad al-Laham on April 21 announced that presidential polls would be held on June 3, 2014. President Bashar Assad is expected to run and win in the presidential polls as there will not be a formidable opposition challenger because of restrictive nature of the country's new constitution adopted in 2012 that bars any candidate who has lived abroad in the past 10 years. Also, the new constitution requires a potential candidate to garner support from at least 35 lawmakers before being qualified to run.
Bashar Assad Announces Presidential Run
President Bashar Assad on April 28, 2014 announced that he would run for the upcoming presidential polls.
Violence Returns to Homs, Baghdad and Aleppo
A day after Bashar Assad announced his plan to run for another seven-year term as president, minutes-apart twin car bombs exploded on April 29, 2014 in the government controlled parts of Homs, killing 40 and wounding 116. Also on April 29, 2014, a mortar hit a school at Shiite neighborhood of Damascus, Shaghour, killing 14 people, most of them were students. A day later on April 30, 2014, a Syrian warplane launched a missile strike at school in Aleppo where an art exhibition was about to start, killing at least 19 people, including at least 10 students.
Barrel Bombs Kill 33 in Aleppo
On May 1, 2014, three crude barrel bombs were dropped from a helicopter on a rebel-held neighborhood, Hillok, of Aleppo, killing at least 33 people. Also fierce fighting raged on May 1, 2014 at a strategic town between Damascus and Lebanon borders that had remained the last bastion of rebellion in all too important Qalamoun mountainous region. At least 14 rebels were killed overnight in the fight at Zabadani.
Cease-fire Reached at Homs
In a face-saving deal for a beleaguered rebel movement, a cease-fire agreement was reached on May 2, 2014 to evacuate the isolated and exasperated fighters from the rebel-held parts of Homs.
Two will Contest against Assad in Polls
Syria's Supreme Constitutional Court on May 4, 2014 rejected the candidature of 21 contestants in the June 3, 2014, presidential polls. As President Bashar Assad seeks a third seven-year terms, he will face challenge from two other candidates--Abdullah al-Nouri, 54, and Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar, 43, respectively. In the past, presidents were elected through referendum where voters were asked either to vote yes or no for a single candidate, either Bashar Assad, or his father, Hafez, before his death in 2000.
Homs Cease-fire Agreement Reached; Opposition Leader Visits US
The city that symbolized with the beginning of uprising against the Bashar Assad regime in 2011 finally fell with a May 7, 2014, agreement in which more than 2,000 rebels, who had holed up in few of the neighborhoods in the Old City, would be allowed to evacuate in exchange for total government control. These were the remnants of the rebels who stayed put even after a similar evacuation of women and children from the city in January. The rebels were allowed on May 7, 2014 to leave the city in buses headed to two rebel-held towns--Talbiseh and al-Dar al-Kabira, respectively--in the north.
Also, far from the battleground in Homs, Syrian National Coalition leader Ahmad al-Jarba was in Washington on May 7, 2014, seeking for US help for secular rebel groups. al-Jarba on May 7, 2014 introduced himself to the American audience with a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington. He will meet with members of Congress, US Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama over the next few days to press for more direct help from the US. He will ask for anti-aircraft missiles and assure Washington that they wouldn't fall in rogue hands. On May 5, 2014, the U.S. State Department upgraded the diplomatic status of Syrian National Coalition led by Ahmad al-Jarba, and pledged an additional $27 million in non-lethal assistance.
Rebels Blow up a Historic Hotel; Homs Agreement in Jeopardy
On May 8, 2014, rebels blew up Carlton Hotel in Aleppo which was being used by Syrian military as a temporary base, killing at least 14 soldiers. Rebels from Islamic Front, an amalgamation of Islamists as well as recent deserters of Free Syrian Army soldiers, took responsibility for using an underneath tunnel and placing explosives to trigger havoc. Meanwhile, an agreement that was put in place a day earlier to evacuate rebel fighters from the besieged parts of Homs was in jeopardy on May 8, 2014 as rebels from Islamic Front blockaded an aid convoy from moving into two pro-government villages--Nubol and Zahra--in Aleppo, an arrangement that was part of the Homs agreement. On May 7, 2014, nearly 1,000 rebels left the Old City of Homs. Also, on May 8, 2014, the head of the OPCW mission in Syria, Sigrid Kaag, said that remaining 8 percent of dangerous chemicals were in the dangerous and inaccessible parts of Damascus.
Logjam over Homs Agreement Resolved; Homs under Total Government Control
As the blockade against humanitarian aid destined for two pro-government villages--Nubol and Zahra--was lifted, the last of rebels were evacuated from the besieged old city of Homs on May 9, 2014. With the departure of the last 300 or so battle-hardened rebels, Homs, known as the Capital of Syrian Revolution, fell to the control of Bashar Assad regime. The switch of the city reflected a broader shift in the outcome of the more than three-year-old civil war, which had killed more than 150,000 people, that had lately swung in favor of the regime in a lopsided way amid fragmentation of rebellion, forceful aggression by the regime force bolstered by Hezbollah militants against weaker rebel targets and failure of international community to take a unified stand behind a largely nonfunctional secular opposition.
French Foreign Minister Accuses Syria of using Chlorine; UN Envoy Quits
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on May 13, 2014 accused Syria of using chlorine against its people in recent days. He made the accusation in Washington, and coincided with a Human Rights Watch report that charged Damascus to use chlorine in barrel bombs as many as three times in recent weeks. Although industrial usage of chlorine is exempt from the current stockpiles of chemical weapons which are being shipped out of the country, its use as a weapon is banned as Syria is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Meanwhile, diplomacy received a severe jolt on May 13 as Arab League-UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi called it quits, saying the country was in "such a bad state" that any solution was "nearly impossible".
Car Bomb Kills 43 at a Rebel-held Border Crossing
A massive car bomb exploded on May 15, 2014 at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing at the northern border with Syria, killing at least 43 people, according to Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and Local Coordination Committees.
Human Rights Group Cites Death Toll over 160,000
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported May 19, 2014 the latest estimate of casualty in Syrian Civil War since its inception in March 2011. According to the estimate, 162,402 people had died due to civil war, including 53,978 civilians.
Syrian Government Seizes a Northern Prison; Russia and China Veto a Security Council Measure
In a symbolic victory, government forces began consolidating their recent gains in central Syria, areas surrounding the capital, Damascus, and Qalamoun mountainous region by expanding its campaign to the south and north in the run-up to June 3, 2014, presidential polls in order to bring more areas under government control so that more people would participate in the elections. As part of that campaign, government forces scored a symbolic victory on May 22, 2014 by ousting the rebels from Islamic Front who had laid a siege on the Aleppo Central Prison over the past two years. Diplomatically Damascus won another round on May 22, 2014 as China and Russia vetoed a UNSC measure that was aimed at referring Syria to International Criminal Court.
Mortar Attack at a Campaign Tent Kills 39
A mortar attack at a pro-Assad election campaign tent in the southern city of Daraa on May 22, 2014 killed 39 people and wounded 205 people, attracting a strong condemnation from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Daraa Governor Kaled al-Hannus.
Overseas Voting Begins for Syrian Elections
Expatriates lined up to vote in Syrian presidential elections on May 28, 2014 from Brazil to Amman to Beirut to Iraq to Iran to Sweden. In many polling places, long queues of voters were witnessed.
Suicide Bomber Identified as American
In a ominous sign of growing involvement of westerners in the Syrian Civil War and the possibility of many of them returning home with radicalized mindset, a suicide bomber who carried out an attack in Idlib province on May 25, 2014 was identified by CNN on May 29, 2014 as a Florida young man Moner Mohammad Abusallah.
Elections in Syria give Assad another Seven-Year Term
In the first ever multicandidate polls, Bashar Assad won handily on June 3, 2014 for another seven-year term. The polls, derided by the opposition and called "sham" by the west, were held only in government-held areas, where tens of thousands of people participated in the process. Also, turnouts were significant in several overseas cities that had hosted polling arrangement. Two little known candidates, Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri, put up a token presence in the polls against Assad.
Former Ambassador Critical of U.S. Policies
Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, who had surprised the international community by appearing at an opposition rally in Hama early in the uprising and his forceful diplomacy flaying the government heavy-handedness, said in a June 3, 2014, interview with PBS News Hour that Obama administration was slow in responding to the crisis in Syria and always behind the curve. Ford also contended during the interview that he had stepped down from his post in February 2014 as he could "no longer defend the policy in public".
Official Result Hands out An Overwhelming Victory to Assad
On June 4, 2014,the official tally showed a whopping 88.7 percent popular vote that was received by President Bashar Assad in his bid for another 7-year term.
Rebel Leader Forebodes Disaster Looming
Free Syrian Army head Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir on July 5, 2014 warned west that a looming disaster would happen in Syria if his fighters didn't get military aid from the west.
Regime Close to Regain of the Largest City
Tightening the noose around a feeble resistance in Aleppo, Syrian military made significant headway in the city on July 9, 2014 as rebels rampaged a Hama village, Khatab, killing 14 people after accusing the villagers of collaborating with the regime.
Assad Inaugurated for a Third Seven-Year Term
Bashar Assad on July 15, 2014 was inaugurated as President for the third term.
A Key Syrian Military Base Falls to Islamic State Rebels
As part of an effort to expand and consolidate the caliphate declared by Islamic State, the militants began a concerted attempt to seize the lone government holdout in Raqqa province by encircling Division 17, a military base, on July 23, 2014. After a fierce 24-hour fighting, rebels of the Islamic State were able to overrun the base by July 24, 2014, evening. Scores of government soldiers were captured and summarily executed. Islamic State rebels now control vast swath of territory on both sides of Iraq-Syria border, forming the foundation of a proto state and declaring a caliphate.
Civil War in Syria Hits Lebanon with a Bang
As if there was no boundaries or borders in the face of a raging civil war in Syria, the latest escalation struck Syria's neighbor Lebanon with August 1, 2014, arrest of a senior Nusra Front leader, Imad Ahmad Jomaa, a Syrian, who went to Lebanon to seek treatment. The following day, August 2, 2014, a large number of Syrian rebels descended on the Lebanese border town of Arsal, and traded fire with the security forces, killing at least 10 Lebanese soldiers and seizing dozens. The captured Lebanese soldiers were seen on a video posting to be held captive on a pick-up truck. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam, referring to the attack on Arsal, called the incident as a "flagrant aggression against the state of Lebanon", and vowed to "deal with the developments with estreme firmness and strength".
Dempsey Calls for Strikes against Islamic Militants within Syria
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said on August 21, 2014 that Islamic State won't be dismantled without going after the group within Syria, espousing a broader aerial campaign against the group than the one with narrowly tailored scope the Obama administration was pursuing since August 8, 2014.
Video Shows Beheading of an American Journalist
According to a video uploaded on August 19, 2014, Islamic State beheaded an American journalist, James Foley, who was last seen in Binesh, Syria and had disappeared on November 22, 2012, for what it had described as revenge for US airstrikes against the group. The masked militant who beheaded the American journalist seemed to be of British origin as evident from his accent. He also warned that the fate of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, depended on the next move of President Obama. Foley was a freelance journalist for Boston-based online publication GlobalPost as well as Agence France-Presse.
Syrian Army-Islamic State Clash over Control of a Key Airbase
Syrian Army repelled the onslaught of Islamic State attack to seize an airbase in Raqqa province, a province where the Islamic insurgents had swept through during the initial months of the Syrian uprising. Islamic State militants launched a concerted attack on Tabqa Airbase on August 20, 2014, and after two days of fighting and dozens of deaths, the Syrian army seemed to have continued their hold on the airbase on August 21, 2014.
Islamic Insurgents Seize a Key Airbase
After days of intense fighting that had killed hundreds on the both sides, Islamic State rebels on August 24, 2014 were able to seize the Tabqa Airbase from the control of government troops, wiping out the remaining trace of resistance in the Raqqa province. More than 150 soldiers were captured by the rebels.
Al-Qaida-linked Group Releases the American Journalist
An al-Qaeda-allied militant group in Syria, Nusra Front, on August 24, 2014 released an American freelance journalist, Peter Theo Curtis, to U.N. officials on the Syrian side of Golan Heights. Theo Curtis was kidnapped from near the Syria-Turkey borders in October 2012.
Syrian Troops Executed by Islamic State Rebels
Three days after seizing control over the Tabqa Airbase, Islamic State rebels on August 27, 2014 executed about 160 Syrian soldiers.
Fijian Peacekeepers Captured
After fierce fighting, al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front seized the only border crossing point in Golan Heights, Quneitra Crossing Point, on August 27, 2014. A day later, August 28, 2014, Nusra Front rebels captured 45 Fijian peacekeepers who were part of the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force in charge of Israel-Syria borders in Golan Heights.
3 Million Syrians Fled
U.N. on August 29, 2014 issued its latest estimate that 3 million Syrians had fled the country since the conflict had erupted in the spring of 2011. An additional 6.5 million Syrians were displaced. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said on August 29 that the Syrian crisis was the "biggest humanitarian emergency of our era", and the world had yet to respond to the crisis accordingly. Donor nations contributed more than $4.1 billion since 2012, but the agency said that it needed an additional $2 billion by the end of the year.
Filipino Peacekeepers Facing Attacks Flee UN Bases
After taking 45 Fijian peacekeepers captive, Syrian rebels led by Nusra Front launched attacks on two more U.N. bases in Golan Heights manned by Filipino soldiers and laid siege on them on August 28, 2014, demanding that the peacekeepers surrender. On August 30, 2014, more than 70 Filipino soldiers who were manning the U.N. bases were able to flee although they were outnumbered.
Second American Journalist Beheaded
A second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, 31, captured last year in northern Syria, was seen on a video to have been beheaded by a masked Islamic State militant, who had proclaimed, addressing Barack Obama, that he was back and "our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people". The gruesome video surfaced on September 2, 2014. The video showed a British hostage, David Cawthorne Haynes, just like the Foley video had also shown Sotloff during James Foley's beheading.
Obama Makes Case for "Sustained and Comprehensive" Campaign Against Islamic State
Days after saying that his administration didn't have any strategy against Islamic State in Syria, American public on September 10, 2014 saw a different Barack Obama, a president who had understood that he could no longer avoid his legacy not being touched by regional war. Addressing the American public in a televised national address, President Obama on September 10, 2014 called for "sustained and comprehensive" counterterrorism strategy to reverse the advance of Islamic State rebels, expand USA's air campaign to strike Islamic State's positions within Syria and form a broad-based international coalition to take on the militants. However, President Obama once again ruled out any possibility to send ground troops for combat role. Instead, Obama administration would work towards arming, assisting and training the pro-western rebel groups in Syria and Kurdish forces and Iraqi security forces in Iraq.
US Struggles to Form a Regional Coalition
Two days after President Barack Obama addressed American people in a primetime TV address espousing sustained and comprehensive campaign against the Islamic State, Washington struggled to form a cohesive regional coalition, especially with Turkey, on September 12, 2014. Turkey had been in a bind as Islamic State was holding 49 Turkish hostages since June when they had swept through northern Iraqi town of Mosul and seized Turks from the consulate there. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, coming out of a session with his Turkish couterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at Ankara, essentially admitted the dilemma Turkey was facing. Meanwhile, in a show of support for the new Iraqi government headed by Haider al-Abadi, French President Francois Hollande flew to Baghdad on September 12, 2014, and vowed to support the fight against Islamic State. France took a more aggressive stand in fighting against Islamic State by supplying arms to Kurdish fighters and deciding to host an international conference in Paris on a strategy to counter Islamic State on September 15, 2014. Although both France and USA have overall same strategic goal to degrade and dismantle Islamic State, two major areas of difference have emerged in recent days:
* France believes that US announcement of going after Islamic State in Syria with an air campaign will help Bashar Assad regime
* France favors inviting Iran to September 15, 2014, Paris conference, but couldn't do so because of US opposition to inviting Iran
Islamic State Beheads Third Westerner, This Time a Briton
A gruesome video on September 13, 2014 showed horrific beheading of a British aid worker, David Haines, who was kidnapped in March 2013 near the Atmeh Refugee Camp along the Turkish border in the Syrian province of Idlib. The butcher seemed to be the same masked man with heavy eastern London accent, blaming the British premier David Cameron for joining the US to bomb Islamic State positions in Iraq and holding him responsible for Haines' killing. The video ends with the picture of another British hostage, Alan Henning, as the next target for beheading.
House Approves Funding to Arm Syrian Rebels
GOP-controlled House of Representatives grudgingly on September 17, 2014 voted for a measure asked by President Barack Obama to provide money to fund delivery of arms and training to Syrian rebels. The aid of $500 million to rebels will come from the Pentagon budget. The vote in the House was bipartisan, with 273 favoring the measure and 156 opposing it. The measure was tagged with a broader budget bill that would fund the federal government through December 2014. So, the funding of Syrian rebels will again be an issue and another debate may loom large during the Holidays in a lame-duck Congress. The Senate will take the measure on September 18, 2014.
Senate Approves Plan to Train Syrian Rebels
Following in the footstep of US House of Representatives, the US Senate on September 18, 2014 voted 78-22 to approve funding to train Syrian rebels. Meanwhile, in a chilling reminder, a video of a British photojournalist, John Cantlie, as the next beheading target of Islamic State surfaced during the day. Cantlie, who contributed to The Sunday Times, The Sun and The Sunday Telegraph, came to Syria in November 2012, and was subsequently kidnapped.
Tens of Thousands Fleeing Northeastern Syria
As marauding rebels tied to Islamic State were moving in to the areas near Kobani, a strategic town near Turkish border, on September 20, 2014, more than 60,000 Syrian refugees, mainly Kurds in the region, began to flee toward Turkey. Kurdish fighters from both Turkey and Iraq began to rush toward Kobani to reinforce the resistance against the Islamic State.
49 Turkish Hostages Freed
Under mysterious circumstances, 46 Turkish and 3 Iraqi hostages seized by Islamic State rebels on June 11, 2014 from Turkish consulate in Mosul were freed unharmed on September 20, 2014, and all of them had returned to Ankara safely.
US Aerial Strikes in Syria Begins
In the early morning hours of September 23, 2014 (September 22 7:30 PM Dallas Time), US expanded the air campaign against Islamic State by striking targets in Syria for the first time. US used warplanes and missiles launched off the U.S. Navy ships to hit targets such as weapons supplies, depots, barracks and buildings used by militants in and around the militants' de facto capital, Raqqa. Five Arab countries--Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--joined the USA's aerial campaign in Syria.
Looming Refugee Crisis in the Backdrop of Fierce Fighting Near Turkey Borders
As US and five Arab allies carried out torrent of aerial bombings and missile strikes, a separate, but related fighting, intensified on September 22, 2014 near Kobani, a strategic border town, as Islamic State rebels continued their push to take over the town, forcing some 130,000 people to flee to Turkey. Heart-wrenching scenes of adults carrying their children as well as stuffed bags hung from their shoulders crossing the torn barbed fence on the borders forebode the upcoming refugee crisis in Turkey. Underlining the tension, Turkish Deputy Premier Numan Kurtulmus warned on September 22, 2014 that the waves of refugees crossing the Syria-Turkish borders would exceed "by hundreds of thousands". He also called the crisis as man-made.
US Airstrikes Hit Targets of Two Different Groups
US airstrikes in Syria that began in the early hours of September 23, 2014 targeted two different groups in Syrian battlefield. One was the obvious choice: Islamic State, but the second target was a more obscure, but equally--if not more--dangerous group: Khorasan group, a group allied with al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front. Khorasan group was alleged by western intelligence to have set their target on the west. The first wave of airstrikes by US Tomahawk missiles targeted Khorasan positions near Aleppo, while aerial bombings by five Arab five Arab countries--Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--targeted Islamic State positions in Northeastern and Eastern Syria.
US, Allies Strike Oil Refineries in Eastern Syria
A day after wave of airstrikes by the USA and five Arab allies --Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--targeting Islamic State-controlled weapons storage sites, depots, command centers and infrastructures, US drones and warplanes aided by fighter jets from Saudi Arabia and UAE on September 24, 2014 struck oil refineries controlled by Islamic State in eastern Syria as part of a campaign to deprive the militant group of illicit oil revenue.
French Tourist Beheaded by Algerian Terrorist Group
Meanwhile, an Islamic State-linked Algerian terrorist group, Soldiers of the Caliphate, on September 24, 2014 decapitated a French mountaineering guide from Nice, Herve Gourdel, 55. Gourdel was kidnepped during the weekend (September 20-21) after Islamic State followers called on its supporters to kidnap Europeans to take revenge against west's bombing campaign against the group in Iraq and Syria.
US Coalition against Islamic State Grows
On September 26, 2014, three European nations--Britain, Denmark and Belgium--joined US air campaign against Islamic State, but limited their campaign only in Iraq. British lawmakers on September 26, 2014 voted to join the coalition against Islamic State.
Kurdish Fighters Ask for Urgent Help at Besieged Town
Outgunned and outarmed Kurdish fighters at the northern Syrian town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, on September 27, 2014 asked for urgent help from the west to prevent Islamic State militants from overrunning the town. Meanwhile the influx of about 150,000 refugees from Kobani and surrounding areas into Turkey in recent weeks had strained the civic infrastructure almost to the edge of crumbling.
Obama Acknowledges: US Has Underestimated Islamic State
In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes broadcast on September 28, 2014, President Barack Obama acknowledged that US intelligence had underestimated the potency of Islamic State and overestimated the capability of Iraqi security forces at the beginning. However, he stuck to his ground on not forcefully intervening in Syria earlier, dismissing the criticism that his inaction had led to the rapid rise of Islamic State and eventual declaration of an Islamic Caliphate across vast swath of eastern parts of Syria and northern and western parts of Iraq.
British Aid Worker Beheaded
A video surfaced on October 3, 2014 showed gruesome beheading of a British aid worker, Alan Henning, 47, kidnapped last year in Syria as he was driving an ambulance to provide lifesaving drugs. The video, continuing the trend shown earlier with the previous beheadings, also showed an American, Peter Kassig, as the next beheading target.
Islamic State Fighters Arrive at the Fringe of the Key Town
On October 6, 2014, heavily armed Islamic State fighters entered into the outer periphery of Kobani after surrounding it from three sides.
Kobani on the Brink of Collapse; Turkey Rules out Ground Invasion
Days after the US Vice President Joe Biden apologized for his comments that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had admitted that his country might have inadvertently helped Islamic State rebels to gain powers and control over vast stretch of Iraq and Syria, the siege of Kobani brought fore the division between the city's Kurdish defenders and Turkey. While Turkey is focused on ousting Bashar Assad, Washington's primary goal in Syria is to contain and reverse the progress by the Islamic State. Turkey ruled out any unilateral action against the Islamic State unless its move was part of larger objective of removing Assad.
Turkey Tests US Coalition's Credibility by Bombing Kurdish Rebels
As the fight for Kobani, a Syrian border town abutting Turkey that had become to symbolize Kurdish resistance and endurance against days of shelling by a superior and well-armed Islamic State rebels, raged on, Turkish war planes struck Kurdish rebel positions within its borders on October 13, 2014 in what many thought an indirect repudiation of the US-led international coalition's focus on degrading and defeating ISIL. The Syrian Kurdish group that was fighting valiantly against ISIL in the city of Kobani, YPG, or People's Protection Units, is thought to have strong link to Turkey's Kurdistan People's Party, or PKK, a group labeled as terrorist outfit by both Turkey and the USA. This also marked the first Turkish offensive against the Kurdish rebels since the peace negotiation had begun two years ago. Meanwhile, on October 14, 2014, President Barack Obama met with military chiefs from more than 20 nations at Washington in a show of unity against the ISIL.
US Airdrops Arms, Supplies in Besieged Town
In a more direct help to fighting Syrian Kurds, US C-130 planes on October 19, 2014 airdropped arms, ammunition and medical supplies in Kobani.
Turkey to Allow Iraqi Kurds to Enter Kobani through Its Territory
In a major concession, Turkey agreed to allow Iraq's Kurdish force, peshmerga, use its territory to enter Kobani to reinforce the resistance of city's Kurdish fighters against ISIL. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's announcement on October 20, 2014 brought a sense of relief to the US-led international coalition and joy to a besieged Kurdish force in the northern city.
Kobani Toll Reported to be 553 by Activist Group
A Britain-based, Syrian activist group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on October 23, 2014 reported that the death toll from the month-long fighting that had begun on September 23, 2014 for control of Syrian border city of Kobani reached as high as 553, including 32 civilians.
Syria's Neighbors Seek International Help
Syria's neighboring nations reeling under the impact of overwhelming refugee burden on October 28, 2014 asked help from leaders of more than 40 nations at a meeting at Berlin. Making the case for his country, Lebanese PM Tammam Salam said that his country of 4.5 million population had provided refuge to 1.1 million Syrians who had fled the civil war. Turkey's Deputy PM Naci Koru said that his country had already spent $4 billion to help the refugees and received only $250 million from other nations. U.S. pledged an additional $10 million in assistance, thus bringing total US aid to at least $2.9 billion. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who hosted the conference, said that the focus would be recalibrated on improving sanitation, education system, school supplies and public health system.
Iraqi Kurds Leaves for Battlefiled in Northern Syria
About 150 peshmerga left northern Iraq on October 28, 2014 for Turkey to join the resistance at Kobani. The departing peshmerga fighters were accorded a hero's welcome by scores of Kurds lined on the streets. The departure of peshmerga for Turkey came six days after the October 22, 2014, move by lawmakers of the Kurdish regional parliament in Iraq to approve sending Kurdish paramilitary forces across the border to defend the besieged town of Kobani.
Iraqi Kurdish Paramilitary Force Enters the Besieged Town from Turkey
About 150 heavily armed peshmerga troops entered Kobani on October 31, 2014 from the Turkish border town of Suruc, across the border off Kobani. The convoy of more than 10 vehicles carried heavy weaponry, supplies, ammunition and Kurdish flag. Syrian government criticized peshmerga's entry into battlefield, blasting the Turkish government for violating Syria's sovereignty.
Syrian Air Force Now Pummels Islamic State Positions
Syrian Air Force on November 8, 2014 carried out airstrikes against the Islamic State positions at the Aleppo town of al-Bab, killing at least 21 and wounding more than 100. Syrian helicopters and warplanes participated in the airstrikes and aerial bombing of al-Bab, and according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the town. U.S. officials said that Syrian airstrikes took place without any coordination with western coalition that was striking almost daily in the north and east of Syria as well as north and west of Iraq as part of strategic goal to "degrade and destroy" the Islamic militants.
Islamic State's Massive War Crimes Reported
A U.N. panel on November 14, 2014 implicated ISIL for carrying of war crimes of "massive scale" against captured soldiers, civilians and other combatants. The conclusion was drawn by the U.N. International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Syria based on more than 300 interviews. The Brazilian chairman of the commission, Paulo Pinheiro, called the testimonials shocking.
Obama Characterizes Recent Beheading as Act of "Pure Evil"
President Barack Obama on November 16, 2014 confirmed the beheading of Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger, who had disappeared from a Syrian checkpoint on October 1, 2013. Video footage of Kassig's death circulated during the day. President Obama called the killing of Abdul-Rahman Kassig an act of "pure evil", implying that ISIL didn't even spare a fellow Muslim. Kassig converted into Islam under captivity.
Syrian Airstrike against ISIL Stronghold Kills 60
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on November 25, 2014 that Syrian government-launched airstrike against the so-called capital of Islamic Caliphate killed at least 60 people during the day. The observatory said that death toll in Raqqa included 36 civilians.
U.N. Humanitarian Chief Asks Extension of Aid Mandate
Portraying a grim picture during winter months, U.N. humanitarian agency chief Valerie Amos on November 25, 2014 pressed the U.N. Security Council to extend the relief mandate that was issued on July 14, 2014 and meant to last for six months beyond the January expiry date as the number of people in dire need of aid in Syria jumped to more than 12 million from the last estimate (July 2014) of 10.8 million.
Dozens of Militant Groups Form Coalition
In a tilt toward extremity, 72 militant groups met at Gaziantep, Turkey for a three-day session (November 27-29, 2014), and formed an umbrella organization formally called the Revolutionary Command Council. On November 29, 2014, a retired judge, Kais al-Shaiek, was chosen to lead the council. The newly formed council will not replace Syrian National Coalition, according to al-Shaiek, but will have people who have skin in the game instead of exiles who are predominant in the Syrian National Coalition.
Syrian Government Fends off Attack on Airbase
Syrian government soldiers appeared to have repelled an intensified attack by ISIL fighters on the sole airbase in the country's east that's still under the government control. The attack launched on December 4, 2014 against the airbase just outside the city of Deir el-Zour was a concerted push by ISIL fighters to consolidate a vast stretch of eastern Syria by wiping out the pockets of resistance. However, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 6, 2014 that Assad's forces had put up strong resistance, and were successful in keeping the ISIL militants abeyance.
Israel Bombs Two Targets within Syria
The Syrian armed forces' General Command on December 7, 2014 condemned Israeli airstrikes against two weapons depot at Damascus and Dimas, northwest of the Syrian capital along a highway that connects Damascus and Lebanese frontiers. Israel didn't confirm or deny the charge of the Syrian government.
Jordanian Pilot Seized after F-16 Plane Downed
A F-16 plane was downed on December 24, 2014 in the de facto capital of so-called caliphate of the Islamic State, Raqqa, and a video showed a pilot, identified by the Jordanian military as the 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, surrounded by cheering gunmen on the ground.
Jordan Warns Militants Not to Harm the Seized Pilot
Jordan's parliament took the unusual step on December 25, 2014 in issuing a stern warning to the captors of Jordanian Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh that there would be grave consequence if any harm was done to him.
2014 Bloodiest Year Ever in Syrian Civil War
According to a Britain-based human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the cumulative death toll in the country's civil war crossed 200,000. The rights group said on January 1, 2015 that 76,021 died in 2014, 73,447 in 2013, 49,294 in 2012 and 7,841 in 2011, respectively. The figures are the conservative estimate, and actual death toll could be lot higher. Although there is no official tally of number of wounded in the civil war, it could be north of 1 million easily, according to Elizabeth Hoff, WHO's Syria representative.
Lebanon Shuts the Door on Refugees Fleeing Syrian Civil War
In an act of desperation, Lebanese authorities on January 5, 2015 issued strict visa regulations for future Syrian refugees, making it much harder for people to seek refuge in the country. The stricter visa rule was prompted as more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees had fled to Lebanon since the Syrian uprising had begun in March 2011 as a peaceful anti-Bashar Assad protest, but quickly devolved into a battlefield quagmire with no end in sight, costing more than 200,000 lives, forcing 3 millions out of the country and displacing additional tens of millions of people internally. The new visa rule will have four categories--tourism, medical care, business and education--and put strict limit on duration of stay. As of now, Lebanese borders remained porous at best, and people enter the country with any paperwork. Out of 1.5 million Syrian refugees, an approximate quarter of Lebanese population, 1.1 million refugees have registered with U.N. agencies so far.
Al-Qaeda-tied Rebels Release Two Italian Hostages
Italian government on January 15, 2015 announced that two of its female aid workers were released by Nusra Front, but didn't divulge any details. Greta Ramelli and Vanessa Marzullo were abducted last year from a relief camp in northern Syria.
Islamic State Demands $200 Million
A video showing a masked militant standing between two Japanese hostages and demanding $200 million in ransom surfaced on January 20, 2015. The Japanese duo--journalist Kenji Goto Jogo and self-styled military consultant Haruna Yukawa--were thought to be kept captive in Syria. The militant, speaking in fluent British English, pronounced a 72-hour countdown and said that the ransom demand was in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's January 17, 2015, announcement at Cairo to give $200 million in non-military aid to the refugees displaced by Islamic State advances in Iraq and Syria.
Muslims in Japan Pray for Hostages
As previously given 72-hour deadline for $200 million in ransom passed, prayers were offered on January 23, 2015 at Tokyo's biggest mosque for the two Japanese hostages--journalist Kenji Goto Jogo and self-styled military consultant Haruna Yukawa--held by ISIL.
One of the Japanese Hostages Decapitated
An image circulated on January 24, 2015 showed the decapitated body of Haruna Yukawa. The image outraged Japanese PM Shinzo Abe as well as the US President Barack Obama, who, traveling in India, blasted the "brutal murder" of Yukawa.
Islamic State Fighters Leave a Key Northern City
Faced with continuous aerial strikes since September by the US-led coalition and a ferocious resistance on ground bolstered by arrival of peshmerga, ISIL fighters called it a day and left Kobani on January 26, 2015.
New Twist in Hostage Crisis Saga, Now ISIL Demands Prisoner Swap
An audio message was released on January 27, 2015 in which a kidnapped Japanese journalist was heard calling for the release of an al-Qaeda-linked Iraqi prisoner, Sajida al-Rishawi, awaiting for death penalty in Jordanian jail in exchange for his life and the life of a Jordanian pilot, 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, held hostage by the Islamic State. In the audio message, Kenji Goto also expressed fear that he had only 24 hours left.
Jordan Offers Prisoner Swap
In a precedent-setting move that might not bode well for anti-ISIL international coalition, Jordan buffeted by strong domestic demand for freedom a captive pilot on January 28, 2015 offered a swap in which Amman would free the al-Qaeda-tied prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange for freedom of the pilot, Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh.
Hostage Crisis Hits a Snag after Jordan Demands Proof of Pilot's Life
On January 30, 2015, Jordan demanded that ISIL prove that its Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh was alive before it would release the Iraqi prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi. Rishawi was implicated in 2005 triple bombing in Amman that had killed 60 people in the worst terrorist attack in Jordan. Rishawi's suicide belt didn't go off because of malfunction and she was quickly nabbed.
Japanese Journalist Decapitated by Islamic State
The days-long drama involving a captive Jordanian pilot, a Japanese journalist kept hostage since October 2014 and an Iraqi al-Qaeda activist in death row in Jordan came to partial end on January 31, 2015 as an online video surfaced that showed the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto. An outraged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reacted: "I feel indignation over this immoral and heinous act of terrorism". Abe also vowed to provide humanitarian help to countries that bore the brunt of ISIL onslaught.
Jordan Seethes over Pilot's Killing, Executes Two Extremists
Jordanians were pulverized on February 3, 2015 by the gory video that showed the captive Jordanian pilot, 1st Lt. Gen. Mu'ath Safi al-Kaseabeh, taken to a cage and set it aflame. The brutal killing of the pilot by burning him alive evoked outrage from common Jordanians, many of whom were leery to the Kingdom's joining of the US-led air coalition against ISIL. Jordanian government demanded past week that the militants show the proof that the pilot was alive before it could consider releasing an al-Qaeda-linked Iraqi female prisoner as demanded by them. Kaseabeh's killing ignited national anger and international outrage at ISIL, and Jordan moved quickly to avenge the death by hanging two Islamic extremists--Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouly--in the early hours of February 4, 2015. Karbouly was sent to death row in 2008 for plotting to kill Jordanians in Iraq.
Islamic State Says that American Hostage Kayla Mueller Dead in Jordanian Airstrike
Islamic State said on February 6, 2015 that American aide worker Kayla Mueller, who was kidnapped on August 3, 2013 on her way back to Turkey from a day-long trip to Aleppo, had been killed in Jordanian airstrike. The militant group said that she was killed as the building at a place in northern Syria crumbled under the impact of Jordanian air campaign.
U.S. and Turkey Sign Deal to Jointly Train Syrian Rebels
After months of deliberations, USA and Turkey on February 19, 2015 signed an agreement to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight against ISIL and other Islamic extremists. The deal was signed at Ankara by the US Ambassador to Turkey John Bass and Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridum Sinirlioglu, and came a day after Pentagon publicly announced that it had screened about 1,200 moderate Syrian rebels to train in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. US Congress already passed a bill authorizing $500 million to train about 5,000 Syrian rebels over the next year. Although USA's primary goal is to train and arm a Syrian rebel force that's strong enough to take on the growing threat of ISIL, Turkey has made it clear that the western-backed rebel force will also fight against the Bashar Assad government. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on February 17, 2015 that he very much expected the rebel troops to fight the government forces as much as ISIL militants.
Turkish Security Enters Syria to Evacuate its Soldiers, Retrieve the Remains of a Historical Figure
Turkey sent 572 troops, 39 tanks, 57 armored vehicles and 100 other vehicles on late night February 21, 2015 into Syria for what looked like a rescue mission that involved the retrieval of remains of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, from a historical tomb 20 miles south of Turkish-Syrian borders and evacuate Turkish guards entrapped there for days as ISIL militants had expanded their reach into surrounding areas. Under a 1921 treaty between Turkey and France, the then-ruler of Syria, the land on which the tomb has stood is considered to be part of Turkish territory. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on February 22, 2015 that before launching the rescue mission, Ankara had notified Damascus, and the operation was carried out peacefully. A new tomb to place the remains of Suleyman Shah will be built close to Syrian borders, just 200 yards from the borders inside Syria. The Syrian government on February 22, 2015 issued a hard-hitting statement denouncing the "flagrant aggression" of Turkish forces in its territory as Ankara had merely notified Damascus and didn't even wait to receive Syrian government's permission prior to sending its troops and tanks across the borders. Syria also called attention of the international community to the apparent peaceful nature of the operation--ISIL militants had not fought against Turkish soldiers during the recovery and rescue mission--as a testament to the Islamic State being actually a puppet of Turkey.
Islamic State Militants Kidnap Hundreds of Christians in Syria's Northeast
ISIL militants on February 23, 2015 raided a cluster of villages along the Khabur River in Hassakeh province in northeastern Syria. The province, especially the area along the Khabur River raided by ISIL militants, has a sizable number of Assyrian Christian population. Militants kidnapped between 70 and 100 Assyrian Christians, many of them were women or girls.
Christians Taken to a ISIL-held Town
Hundreds of Assyrian Christians, including several dozens women and girls, kidnapped from a cluster of villages along the Khabur River on February 23, 2015 were taken to a town, Shaddadeh, currently held by the ISIL militants, south of the city of Hassakeh, according to press release on February 25, 2015 by both the Syrian official news agency SANA and Stockholm-based Assyrian Network for Human Rights in Syria. SANA also quoted Greek Catholic Church patriarch Gregory III Laham as saying that the Islamic State militants had destroyed one of the oldest churches in Syria, church in Tal Hurmiz in Hassakeh province that abuts Iraq and Turkey and has a diverse group of people ranging from Arabs and Kurds to Armenian and Assyrian Christians. As ISIL militants had moved captive Assyrian Christians to Shaddadeh, a fierce fight had ensued along Khabur River between Islamic State militants on one side and People's Protection Unit, or YPG, a Kurdish militia based in Northeast Syria, and a Christian militia group called the Syriac Military Council on the other side.
Kurds Oust Islamic State from a Key City in Northeastern Syria
Kurdish fighters won a second decisive victory after capturing Kobani on February 27, 2015 by ousting ISIL fighters from the city of Tel Hamees in the Hassakeh province, only days after Islamic State militants kidnapped hundreds of Assyrian Christians from a cluster of villages along the Khabur River.
Syria Accused of Attacking with Chlorine Gas
Two venerable activist groups--Local Coordination Committees and Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights--said on March 17, 2015 that Syrian helicopters had dropped barrel bombs that contained "chlorine gas" on an opposition-controlled village, Sarmin, in Idlib province a day earlier. The western-backed, main opposition group, Syrian National Coalition, also accused the Bashar Assad regime of launching chlorine attack on its people. The government, as usual, denied the accusation. The renewed allegation of chlorine attack took place days after a U.S.-sponsored measure that condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria without assigning blame to any party was approved by the U.N. Security Council.
***************************** U.N. ON SYRIA *********************************
Ahmet Uzumcu, Director-General of Organization for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said on December 8, 2013 as he was receiving this year's Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the organization that although the overall timeline for removing all of the toxic gases and nerve agents out of Syria by mid-2014 still held true, some of the interim timelines such as removing most of the weapons by December 31, 2013 off the Syria's Mediterranean Coasts for at-sea destruction on the US vessels and a second-tier of arsenals by February 5, 2014 might miss by few days.
On December 17, 2013, 41-nation executive council of OPCW reviewed the chemical weapons dismantlement plan during a meeting at The Hague, Netherlands, and asked Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu to report back January 7, 2014 (according to December 18, 2013, edition of The Dallas Morning News). There are several phases of the plan as described by The Dallas Morning News:
(1) Bulks of chemical materials have been consolidated in Homs and Damascus
(2) Danish and Norwegian ships waiting in Cyprus will receive the stockpiles at the port of Latakia
(3) The chemicals will be transferred to the USS Cape Ray from the Nordic vessels at an unknown port in Italy
(4) The chemicals will be destroyed at sea aboard the USS Cape Ray
(5) The Nordic frigates will return to Latakia to receive less toxic chemicals, which will be destroyed by the private companies.
Syrian Weapons Collection Picks Up
The U.N.-OPCW coordinator Sigrid Kaag on March 4, 2014 gave an update on the progress of Syrian chemical arms handover at the port of Latakia. Under the international agreement brokered by the USA and Russia, Syria had to hand over its most dangerous toxic chemicals, also known as Priority 1 Chemical Agents, by December 31, 2013 and all other chemical agents by February 6, 2014 to meet the timeline of decommissioning all the toxic substances by the end of June 2014. However, none of the early timelines were met, and the weapons collection picked up only in the recent weeks. According to Kaag's update, Syria delivered two consignments of chemical agents last week, and is scheduled to hand over a third consignment this week. With these three consignments, according to Sigrid Kaag, Syria will have delivered a third of 1,200 tons of toxic chemicals, including 23 percent of priority 1 chemical agents.
Syria Has Remnants of Chemical Materials
Although Syria missed an April 27, 2014, deadline, second such miss after missing an earlier deadline in February, the country had already shipped or destroyed 92.5 percent of the arsenal, according to OPCW mission coordinator Sigrid Kaag.
Syria Ridden of Chemical Weapons
Director-General of OPCW Ahmet Uzumcu on June 23, 2014 confirmed that Syria had turned over all its chemical weapons inventory to U.N., and called Damascus' cooperation in the endeavor as "satisfactory". U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was in Baghdad on June 23, hailed the event as significant although he warned Damascus against using Chlorine gas, which might have been used in recent weeks.
Security Council Measure to Ship Aids to Civilians in Rebel-held Areas
In a rare action of unity on Syria, the U.N. Security Council voted on July 14, 2014 to approve a measure that would authorize shipping of aids supplies to rebel-held areas through four border checkpoints. Syrian regime earlier opposed the measure on the ground that the shipments might also include arms and ammunition for rebel fighters. Under the measure, international observers will inspect what are to be loaded in relief convoy. However, the measure passed on July 14, 2014 lacks the mandate of Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, meaning that there is no enforcement teeth in the measure.
U.N. Warns Massacre Looming at the Key Syria-Turkey Border Town
The U.N. Special envoy to Turkey, Staffan de Mistura, on October 10, 2014 warned the world that the fate of Srebrenica awaited for Kobani, a border city in the northern Syria that was laid siege by a marauding Islamic State rebel movement from three sides, unless there were active help for the Kurdish fighters within the city. Mistura also asked Turkey to allow the movement of Kurdish fighters and arms through the borders to bolster the defense of Kobani.
Social Media-Led Effort Raises Humanitarian Relief Fund
An ominous warning by the UN agency World Food Program in early December that the program would run out of money and be unable to provide food, medicine and other necessities to the suffering Syrians amid the onset of bitter cold led to a campaign on the social media under the hashtag "#ADollarALifeline" and Aloe Blacc's song "I Need a Dollar" that went wild and raised more than $80 million from individuals, organizations as well as countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands and the European Union. WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin on December 9, 2014 issued a statement, expressing special gratitude to the individuals for the outpouring support.
U.N. Seeks $8.4 billion for 2015
Acknowledging the uphill task to provide support to nearly 3.2 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, United Nations on December 18, 2014 said that various U.N. agencies were seeking $8.4 billion in health, education, housing and jobs in 2015 for the Syrians living in the neighboring nations.
U.N. Admits Assad's Need to Find Syrian Solution
Juliette Touma, a spokeswoman for the special U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on February 13, 2015 that Syrian President Bashar Assad would have a to play a crucial role if there was any possibility for finding solution to the Syrian crisis although Mistura still respected Geneva Communique that called for establishing a transitional government.
UN Security Council Decries Situation at Refugee Camp
UN Security Council arranged a teleconference with the international body's representative for Palestinian refugees, Pierre Krahenbuhl, on April 6, 2015 to receive a brief over the deplorable conditions at Yarmouk refugee camp. The Security Council called for lifesaving assistance and evacuation of Palestinian refugees.
The Syrian Refugees in Exile Largest in a Generation, U.N Says
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres on July 9, 2015 issued a press release, saying that 4 million Syrians who had fled the country since the civil war had erupted more than four years ago were the largest group of people externally displaced since 4.6 million people had been displaced in Afghanistan's civil war since 1992. The report also said that at least 7.6 million Syrians were internally displaced. The refugee agency said that it would need $5.5 billion in aid in 2015 to fulfill its mission this year. Only one-fourth was available as of now.
U.N. Security Council to ID those Responsible for Chemical Attacks
In a unanimous show of support, the U.N. Security Council on August 7, 2015 voted for a resolution that would establish an investigative panel aimed at identifying those, on the both sides of the Syrian Civil War, responsible for chemical attacks, including Chlorine gas attack on the Syrian people.
UNESCO Chief Decries Destruction of Antique Treasures
UNESCO chief Irina Bokova on August 21, 2015 called the wide-spread destruction of centuries-old historic sites in Syria and Iraq worst loss since World War II, and called for international community to choke off trade in plundered relics. Also, on August 21, 2015, ISIL militants razed a centuries-old monastery near the city of Qaryatain in Homs province. The bulldozing of St. Elian Monastery came as a rude shock to historians.
U.N. Condemns Latest Assaults on Civilians
U.N. on February 8, 2016 called the days-old massive offensive by Syrian regime--backed by pro-Damascus militia and Hezbollah fighters on the ground as well as a blistering air assault by Russian aircraft from the sky--in and around Aleppo "inhuman" and tantamount to "extermination". The offensive led to mass exodus toward the Turkish borders, closed by Ankara since February 5, 2016, in the north.
U.N. Report Cites Rampant War Crimes
A U.N. report issued on February 22, 2016 by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the war in Syria chronicled multiple accounts of deliberately targeting medical facilities by both the government forces and rebels that constituted clear evidence of "rampant" and gross "war crimes". The February 22, 2016, report was the commission's eleventh report, and each report portrayed a progressively worse human rights scenario. The report described slave markets for girls and women by the ISIL militants.
Security Council Demands an End to Attacks on Hospitals
U.N. Security Council on May 3, 2016 adopted a resolution unanimously demanding an absolute end to attacks on hospitals and health facilities in Syria by all sides. The resolution was passed the same day a rebel rocket hit an Aleppo maternity hospital and six days after April 27, 2016, government airstrikes on Al-Quds Hospital in Aleppo.
U.N. Security Council to Ask Access to 34 Besieged Areas
The U.N. Security Council on June 3, 2016 said that it would ask the Syrian government to give unfettered access to UN aid agencies to 34 areas to provide relief supplies to more than 1.1 million people. According to Stephen O' Brien, the U.N. humanitarian chief, that the Bashar Assad regime continued to deny access to some areas where the need was acute. So far, Damascus gave full access to 23 areas, partial access to 6 and denied access to 5, according to a U.N. spokeswoman, Amanda Pitt.
U.N.: ISIL Committing Genocide
A U.N. panel on June 16, 2016 issued a scathing and scary report on ISIL's campaign of brutalities, barbarism and brazenness in Iraq and Syria that were tantamount to genocide. The report, issued at Geneva, described mass killings of Yazidi men and boys as well as enslavement of Yazidi girls and women. The panel estimated that at least 5,000 Yazidi men and boys were killed by ISIL fighters since sweeping their region in northwest Iraq two years ago. At least 3,200 Yazidi women and girl are still being held by ISIL militants.
U.N. Security Council Hits Impasse over Syria
As death toll mounted steadily since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement after airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo, Competing proposals floated around at the U.N. Security Council. On October 8, 2016, Russia vetoed a French draft that called for an immediate end to bombing campaign in Aleppo. A competing proposal introduced by Moscow that called for separation of moderate rebel groups from the terrorist outfits, but fell short of a pause to bombing failed to receive nine votes in the U.N.S.C.
U.N. Panel: Assad Uses Chemical Weapons
A U.N. panel created to inquire into possible chemical attacks sent its report to the U.N. Security Council in the third week of October 2016, detailing attacks on rebel-held areas by government using chemical weapons at least three times in 2014 and 2015.
Top U.N. Human Rights Official Blasts the Aleppo Siege
The High Commissioner for the U.N. human rights, Zied Ra'ad al-Hussein, on October 21, 2016 severely criticized the strangulating siege of Aleppo in a video presentation to the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva. Hours later, the 47-member council voted 24-7 for a measure calling for an end to fighting in Aleppo that had erupted after the collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement on September 19, 2016. Also, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during the day the formation of a panel to inquire into the September 19, 2016, airstrikes against a 31-vehicle U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo that had led to the collapse of a fragile cessation of fighting enabled by a U.S-Russia agreement. The panel will be led by a veteran peacekeeper, Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha of India.
A Draft Calling for Pause in Fighting Blocked at the U.N. Security Council
A U.N. Security Council effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster in eastern Aleppo was handed a diplomatic defeat as Russia and China on December 5, 2016 blocked a draft that called for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate evacuation and aid shipment.
France to Sponsor a Measure for U.N. Monitoring of Aleppo Evacuation
France on December 16, 2016 announced that it would sponsor a resolution at the U.N. Security Council in an effort to deploy U.N. monitors to oversee the Aleppo evacuation process. The chance of the resolution to be approved in this form is close to nil as Russia will surely veto it.
U.N. Security Council Approves the Amended French Resolution
A day after Russia and France agreed on a framework of U.N. monitoring of the evacuation called for by an earlier Turkey-Russia deal, the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016 approved the amended version of a French resolution that would allow U.N. to observe the evacuation process after consultations with the "interested parties" and report back to the Council. The December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution does not have the teeth of an earlier French draft, rejected by Moscow, that would put the overall evacuation process under the U.N. supervision. The amended French resolution, though allows U.N. involvement, has fallen far short of international community's expectation as regime, or pro-regime militia, or in that matter, even rebels can refuse the U.N. monitors from boarding the evacuation buses. The France-sponsored U.N. Security Council Resolution approved on December 19, 2016 agreement expands the Turkey-Russia evacuation deal to cover two more rebel-held, regime-sieged villages near the Lebanese borders, Zabadani and Madaya in addition to rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province. Now, there are three key questions pertinent to the implementation of the December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution:
* How fast the U.N. monitors are to be deployed?
* Will Russia and Turkey prod the respective parties to hold the deal?
* Are there enough monitors to observe the evacuation process?
U.N. Does not Officially Endorse, but Back the Turkey-Russian Truce
Since Turkey and Russia had exclusively worked on their own to finalize a truce in Syria that went into effect on December 30, 2016, U.N. Security Council on December 31, 2016 treaded carefully not to officially endorse the agreement, but back it with caveat that a "rapid, safe and unhindered" access to humanitarian relief operation must be opened up. The Security Council also lent its support for peace talks scheduled at Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017 and following it up with more talks in Geneva in February 2017.
U.N. Ties Assad Regime to Disruption in Water Supply
U.N. Commission of Inquiry issued a report on March 14, 2017, tying the government offensive on a strategic village northwest of Damascus that included a spring which was the main source of water to 5.5 million residents in Damascus. Government airstrikes on the rebel positions around al-Feijeh spring in the Barada Valley in late December 2016 were blamed by the U.N. report as the primary culprit for the supply disruption although the Assad regime accused rebels of depriving Damascus' residents of water supply. The supply was restored in February 2017.
U.N. Envoy Wraps up the Latest Talks, Will not Announce a New Start Date
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on March 31, 2017 concluded a very staggered negotiation between Syrian regime and the opposition at Geneva. Expressing his frustration over the very minutely "incremental" progress, Mistura said on March 31, 2017 that he would first apprise the U.N. Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General on the fifth round of talks (March 24-31, 2017) before announcing a new start date for the sixth round.
Russia Vetoes the Latest U.N. Security Council Resolution on Syria
In New York City, U.S. and other western nations tabled a motion at the U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2017 only to see it vetoed by Russia, eighth such veto in the six-year Syrian Civil War. The motion condemned in no uncertain terms the Syrian President Bashar Assad's role in April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86 people.
U.S. Airstrikes Taking Toll on Civilians, U.N. Commission Says
In the battle for Raqqa, increased involvement of U.S. assisting Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighters by providing air support with airstrikes took an enormous toll on the province's civilian population in general and Raqqa City's civilians in particular, according to Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Briefing reporters on June 14, 2017, Pinheiro said that intensification of airstrikes had "resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes". According to the commission, more than 300 people were killed in airstrikes between March 1, 2017 and May 31, 2017 in Raqqa province.
U.N. Reports more Returns by Displaced Syrians This Year
The U.N. migration agency, International Organization for Migration, reported on August 11, 2017 that 602,759 displaced Syrians had returned homes between January 1 and July 31 this year compared to 685,000 for all of last year. On the same note, IOM also stressed that about 809,000 Syrians had been displaced this year alone.
U.S. Alleges Chlorine Attack
U.S. envoy to the U.N., Nikki Haley, on January 23, 2018 accused Bashar Assad regime of launching rockets filled with Chlorine gas on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb that the regime had been trying to seize for the past five years. Haley also held Russia responsible for the January 22, 2018, chlorine attack. If confirmed, this will mark the first such chemical attack since Russia vetoed two months ago to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism, a U.N. panel in charge of overseeing investigation into chemical attack.
Russia Hinders a 30-Day Truce at U.N. Security Council
Russia, wielding its veto power, on February 22, 2018 blocked a near unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution that called for a 30-day cease-fire to help facilitate bringing the humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Ultimately the resolution was not even tabled for vote. Temper ran high at the U.N. Security Council meeting, with British envoy Stephen Hickey saying "shame on all of us" and French envoy, Francois Delattre, blaming the U.N. for the "grave" and "unbearable" situation in Syria. However, the tone was dismissive from the Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who said that western ambassadors were using "propagandistic" rhetoric and exaggerated reports to score political points. Syrian ambassador to the U.N. Bashar Jaafari ridiculed U.S., Britain and France as "Three Musketeers".
As the Kuwait- and Sweden-sponsored resolution failed at the U.N. Security Council, Syrian and Russian attacks continued in Eastern Ghouta, killing at least 42 people.
A Vague Cease-fire Resolution Passed by U.N. Security Council
After Russia blocked a 30-day, more concrete cease-fire measure, U.N. Security Council on February 24, 2018 passed a watered-down cease-fire measure that vaguely called for immediate pause to fight and opening the access of various small towns, villages and hamlets to U.N. and aid groups for humanitarian aid.
U.N. REPORT
Panel Accuses North Korea of Supplying Syria Materials for Chemical Weapons
An eight-member U.N. panel submitted a report to U.N. Security Council that gave a chilling account on how North Korea was able to get around one of the strictest sanction measures U.N. had ever imposed to supply Syrian government materials, including acid-resistant tiles, valves and thermometers, for chemical weapons, The New York Times reported on February 27, 2018. The report, 200-page-long, also reported that North Korean weapons and missile experts had been working alongside Syrian experts at the country's missile and weapons facilities. Although the existence or content of the report has been leaked to the media, it's not known when or whether the report will be officially released.
Human Rights Council Blasts Eastern Ghouta Offensive
Human Rights Council issued a statement on March 5, 2018 condemning all sides for no-holds barred fighting in Eastern Ghouta, but reserved the severe critique for Syrian regime. Council accused Syrian regime of using chemical weapons against civilians and demanded all parties to be held accountable.
Russia Might be Responsible for Possible War Crimes
In its 15th report issued on March 6, 2018 at Geneva, U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said that November 2017 Russian strike on the town of Al Atarib that had killed at least 84 people and wounded more than 150 might have constituted a possible war crimes. The report also condemned U.S. attacks on villagers as part of its campaign against ISIL and Syrian government campaign in Eastern Ghouta and other areas and using chemical weapons. The panel's chairman, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, said that all parties "share guilt for completely disregarding the rules of war and for failing to adequately protect civilians".
Human Rights Council Blasts Eastern Ghouta Offensive
Human Rights Council issued a statement on March 5, 2018 condemning all sides for no-holds barred fighting in Eastern Ghouta, but reserved the severe critique for Syrian regime. Council accused Syrian regime of using chemical weapons against civilians and demanded all parties to be held accountable.
Russia Might be Responsible for Possible War Crimes
In its 15th report issued on March 6, 2018 at Geneva, U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said that November 2017 Russian strike on the town of Al Atarib that had killed at least 84 people and wounded more than 150 might have constituted a possible war crimes. The report also condemned U.S. attacks on villagers as part of its campaign against ISIL and Syrian government campaign in Eastern Ghouta and other areas and using chemical weapons. The panel's chairman, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, said that all parties "share guilt for completely disregarding the rules of war and for failing to adequately protect civilians".
OPCW Report Accuses Assad Regime of Using Chemical Weapon
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons blamed the Syrian regime in a report issued on April 8, 2020 that Syrian forces had used sarin gas and chlorine gas in March 2017 in the central town of Latamneh. In 2018, after international outcries erupted over Syrian regime's on and off use of chemical weapons, an Investigation and Identification Team has been set up in 2018 by OPCW to especially look into this allegation, and April 8, 2020, report marked the vindication of what rights groups had been saying all along. OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said during the day that the report was shared with the secretary general of the United Nations, and it's now the responsibility of the international community to hold Syria accountable. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Berlin would push steps against Damascus both at the U.N Security Council and OPCW. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the OPCW report "is the latest in a large and growing body of evidence" of Damascus' abuse of power and violation of all international norms.
Special Envoy Reports to U.N. Security Council the Breakdown of Talks
U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pederson told the U.N. Security Council on October 27, 2021 that disagreement among the participants in the 45-member Syrian Constitutional Committee meeting last week had led to political quagmire. The government side said that they had no amendment to the draft constitution at hand. The opposition negotiators presented amendments to many government provisions in the draft constitution. Many civil groups representatives agreed to those amended counterproposals, but government negotiators balked in the October 22, 2021, meeting of the constitutional committee that had resumed talks after a hiatus of nine months. As a result, Geir Pederson told the U.N. Security Council, the 45-member drafting committee was "not able to move from submitting and discussing initial draft constitutional texts to developing a productive textual drafting process".
***************************** U.N. ON SYRIA *********************************Assad Denies Chlorine Attack Allegation
Syrian President Bashar Assad, appearing in CBS News, said on March 27, 2015 that the accusation of his government's culpability in using Chlorine gas in an attack on March 16, 2015 in Idlib province was a total lie and malicious.
Al-Qaeda-linked Militant Group Seizes a Key Northwestern City
In a major blow to Syrian army and Bashar Assad's grip of power, a coalition of Islamic radicals led by Nusra Front, al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, on March 28, 2015 swept through the provincial capital, Idlib, of Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. The fall of Idlib marked the second provincial capital that was conceded by the government troops. Long ago, Islamic State ousted government troops from Raqqa, capital of the namesake province, and declared the city as the capital of Islamic State caliphate, stretching from a vast area in eastern Syria across the borders into western and northern heartlands in Iraq. Before seizing Idlib, the provincial capital, Nusra Front seized a surrounding areas in the province for months.
Turkey Closes Borders with Syria
A day after al-Qaeda-led Nusra Front seized Idlib, the provincial capital of northwestern Idlib province, Turkey on March 29, 2015 totally shut down the partially open two border crossings, Oncupinar and Cilvegozu in Hatay province. Earlier this month on March 9, 2015, Turkey closed those crossings, only to partially open days later to let humanitarian relief enter into Syria, but remained closed to Syrian refugees trying to enter into Turkey, host to more than 2 million Syrian refugees.
ISIL Threatens Damascus
In the deepest foray toward Damascus, ISIL militants on April 1, 2015 seized half of a sprawling Palestinian refugee camp, Yarmouk, just south of the capital. According to reports, an anti-Bashar Assad Palestinian faction, Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis, was locked in a fierce fighting with ISIL militants on the streets of Yarmouk. According to pro-Assad Palestinian group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine--General Command, ISIL had received from and coordinated with al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front on Yarmouk campaign. If ISIL-Nusra Front nexus alleged by PFLP-GC turns out to be true, it will mark a new turn in Syrian civil war as the two most potent anti-Assad militant groups who have turned their guns on one another have now joined hands to oust the Syrian leader.
ISIL Seizes Palestinian Camp, Butchers People
ISIL militants on April 4, 2015 seized most of the sprawling Yarmouk refugee camp, site to at least 160,000 Palestinians during its heyday that had made it the third-largest concentration of Palestinians after West Bank and Gaza, after annihilating most of the Palestinian resistance. Reports immediately poured in that ISIL militants had begun executing, decapitating and torturing many of the 18,000 people who had stayed put in the refugee camp. Many deplore the mass scale exodus that took place from Yarmouk in the backdrop of Syrian civil war as the second Nakba, or Catastrophe, a term that came to symbolize Palestinians' forced displacement in 1948.
Thousands of Palestinians Flee Refugee Camp
A day after ISIL militants, with the help from Nusra Front, seized the sprawling Yarmouk Refugee Camp at the outskirt of Damascus, thousands of Palestinians on April 5, 2015 were forced to flee the camp and seek shelters at different parts of Damascus. Highlighting the plight of Palestinians in Yarmouk, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on April 5, 2015 decried the situation in Syria and said that Palestinian leadership in Damascus was asked to help out their brethren with aid and assistance. In Gaza, Hamas held demonstrations on April 5, 2015 to denounce ISIL.
Hardline Islamists Close to Victory in a Second Idlib City
Within a month of March 28, 2015, capture of the city of Idlib, Nusra Front-led Islamic rebels were on April 23, 2015 poised to take over a second important city, Jisr al-Shughour, in the province of Idlib. The fall of Jisr al-Shughour will deal a body blow to the Bashar Assad regime.
A Loose Alliance of Rebels Seizes the Key Syrian City
An unlikely alliance of Nusra Front, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda, an Islamic radical group Ahrar al-Sham and western-backed Free Syrian Army on April 25, 2015 seized the city of Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib's second-largest city, opening a new frontier that stretched west to the government-controlled coastal areas. The victory of Jisr al-Shughour and surrounding areas give the rebels a large swath of areas in the north, north-west and west that has virtually isolated the Mediterranean coastal areas still under government control
Israel Carries out Airstrike in Syria
In the seventh airstrike since the civil war had begun in Syria more than four years ago, Israeli Air Force on April 25, 2015 struck Syrian and Hezbollah military targets near the town of Qateyfah in the Qalamoun Mountains. The reports of airstrike were broadcast by Arab media, but neither admitted nor denied by Syria and Israel.
Israel Launches Second Attack in Two Days in Syria
Israeli military said on April 26, 2015 that it had to attack Syrian Army from the air in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as the army personnel were carrying weapons. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that four Syrian soldiers were killed in the airstrike.
Rebels Seize a Key Military Base
Consolidating on their success in seizing the provincial capital city of Idlib, Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib's second-largest city, and a vast swath of rural areas in Idlib, rebels on April 27, 2015 took another prize at the northwestern tip of the province and seized a military base at the town of Ariha.
US Investigating Reports of Civilian Deaths in Airstrikes
The U.S. Military said on May 2, 2015 that it was looking into reports by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that US-led airstrikes on April 29 and April 30, 2015 near Kobani had killed 52 civilians, including 7 children and 9 women.
American Commandos Kill ISIL Leader who Oversees Oil Operation
In the first ever ground raid, US Delta Forces commandos carried out one of the most daring raids in Eastern Syria on May 16, 2015, killing so-called ISIL emir of oil, Abu Sayyaf, and about dozen other militants. The commandos took Sayyaf's wife in custody, and rescued a Yazidi woman enslaved in the compound where the raid was carried out.
*********************************** BATTLE FOR PALMYRA *********************
ISIL Seizes Centuries-old Historic Site
Islamic State militants, consolidating on their days-old gains over large swath of areas on the outskirt of the historic city of Palmyra, swept through the remaining parts of the city on May 22, 2015 that hosts more than 2,000-years-old spectacular archaeological sites.
ISIL Militants Blow up Two Historic Mausoleums
As ISIL was in the run in recent days, its militants were hell-bent to inflict damage to the sites it considered heretics. On June 24, 2015, Syria's antiquities minister Maamoun Abdulkarim said that ISIL militants had destroyed two tombs in the historic city of Palmyra. One tomb was that of Mohammad Bin Ali, a descendent of Imam Ali, and the second tomb was that of a Sufi scholar Nizar Abu Bahaa Eddine.
ISIL Blows up a Historic Temple
Raising consternation for archeologists, historians and academics, ISIL on August 23, 2015 razed a 2,000-year-old temple at the colonnade-filled historic city of Palmyra. ISIL militants booby-trapped Baalshamin Temple, or temple of Lord of the Heavens, for days before blowing it up on August 23, 2015. Now, ISIL is reported to be readying to destroy another millennial-old temple, Temple of Bel, nearby. The U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, on August 24, 2015 called the destruction of Temple of Baalshamin as a war crime. The destruction of Baalshamin Temple took place days after ISIL militants carried out beheading of an antiquities scholar, who had dedicated his entire life to research and scholastic findings on Palmyra ruins.
A Second Temple Blown up
Doubling down on its campaign of destruction of Syria's ancient heritage, a second temple that was part of colonnade-filled city of Palmyra, Temple of Bel, was blasted and seriously damaged by ISIL militants on August 30, 2015. The attack on the 2,000-year-old temple came a week after Temple of Baalshamin was blown up and a world renowned archeologist, Khaled al-Assad, who had dedicated his whole life to the research in Palmyra, was beheaded by Islamic State extremists.
ISIL's Orgy of Destruction of History Continues
After razing the two-millennial-old Temple of Bel and Temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, ISIL militants blew up three iconic tower tombs of colonnade-filled ancient city of Palmyra, said Maamoon Abdulkarim, Syria's head of Antiquities and Museum Department, on September 4, 2015. The three tower tombs--Tower of Elahel, Tower of Iamliku and Tower of Atenaten--which had adorned the so-called Valley of the Tombs, had been destroyed between August 27, 2015 and September 2, 2015.
Syrian Army Launches Offensive to Retake Palmyra
After an almost six-month Russian air campaign that had reversed the battlefield equation in favor of Syrian President Bashar Assad, an emboldened Damascus on March 18, 2016 launched a concerted push to uproot ISIL militants from the historic city of Palmyra. Although Russia's surprising announcement on March 14, 2016 to withdraw from Syria was seen more of a vindication of Assad's upper hands in the fight with rebels, Russia was not sitting on the sidelines in the Palmyra offensive. In stead, it was providing an air cover to approaching Syrian soldiers.
Palmyra: ISIL's Grips Losing Fast
The ancient city of Palmyra and its surroundings now await the fate of when, not if, they will be recaptured by Syrian regime. Syrian army, backed by Hezbollah fighters and Russian airstrikes, on March 23, 2016 moved closer to the city, just little over a mile outside, and positioned on the high grounds overlooking the U.N. World Heritage site.
Syrian Army Advances in Palmyra
Syrian and Russian airstrikes hit at least 56 targets of Palmyra on March 25, 2016 as regime fighters were locked in a fierce battle in and around Palmyra, making steady advance to the inevitable outcome of getting the city and historic site rid of ISIL.
Syrian Army Recaptures Palmyra
After days of fierce fighting and incessant airstrikes by Russia, ISIL militants were forced to flee from Palmyra on March 27, 2016. By the nightfall on March 27, 2016, Syrian Army and pro-government militia were in effective control over the modern day Palmyra as well as historic sites few miles off the residential neighborhoods. The recapture of Palmyra, also known as the "bride of the desert", led to sigh of big relief for antiquities experts and historians as they now would be able to go there and assess the scale of damage and destruction inflicted upon the U.N. World Heritage Site by ISIL militants.
ISIL Returns to Palmyra in Surprise Attacks
As world's attention was riveted on Aleppo and military assets of the pro-government forces were deployed to fight out that strategically more important battle, ISIL militants launched surprise attacks on the historic city of Palmyra from three sides on December 10, 2016. After several hours of fierce fighting, ISIL seized control over many parts of Palmyra and, by December 11, 2016, Syrian troops had deserted all of their defensive positions.
ISIL Advances on a Key Airbase
A day after exerting near complete control over the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, ISIL fighters on December 12, 2016 closed in on a nearby strategic airbase, Tiyas Airbase, and engaged Syrian soldiers in heavy fighting. Meanwhile, at a EU foreign ministerial level meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized Russia and Syria for not sufficiently paying attention to the security and defense of Palmyra.
ISIL Gets Its Hands on Weapons Left by Military
As Syrian military personnel left its posts and barracks in and around Palmyra, reports emerged on December 13, 2016 that ISIL militants had seized all the sophisticated Russian weaponry and defense equipment left by the retreating troops.
Indirectly Aided by the U.S., Assad Recaptures Historic City
A group of odd bedfellows lent their military might to Assad regime to help recapture Palmyra from the clutches of ISIL on March 2, 2017, three months after the extremist group shocked the world by seizing the ancient city littered with historic tombs and overarching promenades. Syrian soldiers received multi-pronged help this time from a host of anti-ISIL operation that included US airstrikes, Russian offensive, Hezbollah and Iranian fighters on the ground.
*********************************** BATTLE FOR PALMYRA *********************
Kurdish Fight-back in Northeastern Syria Leaves ISIL on the Run
A concerted and spirited fight-back by Syrian Kurdish militant group, YPG, or People's Protection Units, in the country's northeast helped oust ISIL fighters from at least 200 towns and villages since the beginning of the May 2015. The latest gains came on June 13, 2015 as the YPG fighters were reported to be approaching the city of Tal Abayad. If Tal Abayad falls, it will deal a significant logistical blow to ISIL as the city served as a strategic link between the ISIL capital of Raqqa and Turkish borders.
Kurdish Fighters Rout ISIL from a Key Town
Syrian-Kurd militia group YPG, or People's Protection Units, after laying a days-old siege, on June 16, 2015 ousted ISIL from the strategic town of Tal Abayad, dealing a psychological blow to the so-called invincibility of the Islamic extremist group and wreaking a war-field havoc to severely constrain the extremist group's logistical options by cutting off a key route to Turkish borders that, in the past, worked as a strategic conduit of supplies and fighters bound for the so-called Islamic Caliphate capital of Raqqa.
Kurdish Fighters Up the Ante on ISIL; Frees More Areas
Days after capturing the strategic city of Tal Abayad, a logistical link between the ISIL's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa and the Syria-Turkish borders used to move in fighters and supplies, Kurdish militant group YPG, or People's Protection Units, pressed ahead to liberate more areas, culminating in the siege of town of Ein Issa on June 23, 2015. Ein Issa's capture by YPG bodes well for the fight against ISIL as the town sits just 30 miles north of Raqqa. Lauding the recent successes by Kurdish fighters against ISIL, the White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on June 23, 2015 that the results showed the positive outcome when American airpower was matched by a "willing" and "effective" combat partners on the ground.
ISIL's Folly with Kobani Fails
ISIL militants, dressed in YPG uniforms and raising flags of Free Syrian Army, launched a surprise attack on Kobani on June 25, 2015 to recapture the border town. However, a spirited pushback by YPG helped defeat the ISIL aggression to seize the border town. By nightfall, all ISIL attackers were killed and Kobani remained safe at the hand of Kurdish fighters. Kurds took Turkey to the task for its complicity with ISIL. The surprise attack on Kobani was part of the two attacks launched during the day by ISIL. Another attack took place in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, capital of the province with the same name. Hassakeh was controlled by Kurds in the north and Syrian security forces in the southern part of the town. In advance of ISIL march toward Hassakeh, Syrian security forces made a sudden withdrawal from their positions, paving the way for ISIL to seize the southern parts of Hassakeh.
Massacre in Kobani Reported
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based rights group, on June 26, 2015 reported ISIL-orchestrated massacre in Kobani a day earlier as the Islamic militant group had launched surprise attack, but handily beaten back by the Syrian-Kurdish militia group YPG, or People's Protection Units. According to Observatory, ISIL militants went house to house, and executed in cold blood more than 200, including children and women. Dozens of ISIL militants, dressed in YPG uniform and raising the flags for Free Syrian Army, launched a surprise attack in the early hours of June 25, 2015 to take control of Kobani. However, a spirited resistance by YPG fighters beat back the ISIL militants, and by the nightfall of June 25, 2015 Kobani was cleared of ISIL. 54 ISIL fighters and 16 YPG resistance personnel were killed in the June 25, 2015, failed bid by ISIL to seize Kobani, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
ISIL Tries to Seize A Key City
Repeating its Kobani strategy in which dozens of ISIL militants launched a surprise attack on June 25, 2015 to seize the town of Kobani, the militant group mounted another surprise attack on June 30, 2015, this time to take Tal Abayad, which Syrian-Kurdish militant group YPG, or People's Protection Units, cleared of ISIL fighters on June 16, 2015, but failed in the similar manner as in Kobani. However, the pair of sudden attacks on Kobani and Tal Abayad, a key strategic link to bring in supplies and soldiers from Turkish frontier to the so-called capital of Islamic caliphate, Raqqa, in a gap of mere 5 days shows the resilience and realignment of its battlefield strategy.
A Key Al-Qaeda-Tied Leader in Syria Killed
Pentagon on July 21, 2015 announced that a key commander of the Khorasan Group, an al-Qaeda offshoot, was killed in the U.S. airstrike. The commander, Muhsin al-Fadhli, was reported to have been killed on July 8, 2015.
Spanish Journalists Missing
An association of Spanish journalists said on July 21, 2015 that three of their brethren were missing in Syria. Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre went to northern city of Aleppo to cover Syrian Civil War.
Israeli Drone Strike Kills 3
An Israeli drone struck on July 29, 2015 in southern Syria, killing three people. As usual, Israel remained mum on the drone strike although Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, run by Hezbollah, reported that the drone strike targeted a van carrying the pro-Assad militia group Syrian National Defense Committees members.
U.S.-backed Rebels Abducted by al-Qaeda-linked Group
In a blow to already faltering and failing U.S. effort to train Syrian rebels to take on ISIL, an al-Qaeda-linked group, Nusra Front, abducted the leader and several members of Division 30 from the northern Syrian countryside in Aleppo province. A statement attributed to Division 30 and issued on July 30, 2015 demanded an unconditional release of Col. Nadim al-Hassan, the leader of the U.S.-trained group, and other members.
U.S.-backed Rebel Group Came under Attack for the Second Day
A day after a senior leader, Col. Nadim al-Hassan, and several fighters of Division 30 were abducted by al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, the U.S.-trained group's encampment at the town of Azaz in Aleppo province, close to Turkish borders, came under a brutal attack on July 31, 2015 by the al-Qaeda-tied group. The fighters tied to Division 30 called in the airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition, and the coalition lent its support by providing much needed airstrikes to repel the extremists' attack on the camp.
Airstrike to Defend U.S.-Backed Rebels Marks Shift in Strategy
The July 31, 2015, U.S. airstrikes called in by the besieged rebels of Division 30, a rebel group trained and backed by the USA, marked the expansion of US involvement in Syria that might indirectly help President Bashar Assad. Although President Obama asked Assad to step down, the recent U.S. action and plan suggest that the primary mission was to defeat, degrade and destroy ISIL, not oust Assad from the power.
ISIL Captures a Town Southwest of Archeological Ruins
ISIL seized Qaryatain, a town of 40,000 Sunni and Christian Syrians southwest of Palmyra, on August 6, 2015 in the biggest ever advance toward Damascus. Qaryatain is located in the center of a triangular region connecting Homs, Palmyra and Damascus, making it a strategic prize in Syrian civil war. The attack on Qaryatain began on August 5, 2015 with three suicide bombers targeting army checkpoints, leading to a fierce fight that lasted overnight with the town's eventual change in hand.
Christians, Sunni Muslims Seized from the Fallen City
A day after ISIL seized the city of Qaryatain in Homs province, the extremist group was on August 7, 2015 reported to have seized about 170 Sunnis and 60 Christians.
Syria Releases Noted Rights Activist
Recognizing that secular opposition was no longer its top threat, Bashar Assad regime on August 10, 2015 released an internationally renowned and respected human rights activist after more than three years of imprisonment. Mazen Darwish was the Director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom when he was arrested in February 2012 along with a pair of his aides in government crackdown on dissents. Darwish and his two aides had been languishing in jail amid Syrian uprising that had erupted as a peaceful civil disobedience against the government taking a dive into abyss of civil and sectarian war with no end in sight. His two aides were released last month. Although Darwish has been released from jail on August 10, 2015, he has to appear in court for a hearing on August 30, 2015.
Syrian Airstrikes Kill at least 20 in Damascus Suburb
Syrian aircraft continued its week-long air campaign against rebel positions in Douma, a suburb of Damascus, and killed at least 20 people on August 22, 2015 after hitting a marketplace. On August 16, 2015, Syrian airstrike struck a vegetable market in Douma, killing at least 100 people, one of the deadliest days in more than four years of Syrian Civil War.
***************************** RUSSIAN MILITARY BUILD-UP IN SYRIA ************
Kerry Expresses Reservation over Russia's Military Build-up in Syria
As Russia had sent advanced military team and dozens of pre-fabricated housing units to a Syrian airbase near Latakia as a show of support and bolstering the defense for a teetering Assad regime, USA became alarmed with the turn of the events. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on September 5, 2015 called his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and expressed Washington's deep reservation.
Russia Using Iranian, Iraqi Airspace to Bring Supplies, Soldiers
After Bulgaria, a NATO member, refused to let Russia use its airspace, Moscow persuaded Iran and Iraq to use their airspace to ship in supplies to Russia's new airbase near Latakia. Russia planned to use the airbase to strike against ISIL targets in support of Bashar Assad regime. Russian flights used Iranian and Iraqi airspace on September 14, 2015.
US, Russian Defense Chief Talk about Coordination
As Russia was increasing its presence in Syria in support of beleaguered President Bashar Assad to beat back a recalcitrant insurgency, US found itself in a Catch-22 situation. On September 18, 2015, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter called his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu to discuss on coordination to avert any possible collision between US-led coalition air campaign and any Russian air campaign.
Russia Continues Syrian Build-up
Russian military continued building up its presence of military hardware, trainers and personnel at the airbase it had recently set up near the western city of Latakia. During the weekend of September 18-20, 2015, Russia deployed dozens of Su-24 Fencer and Su-25 Frogfoot planes. The planes are protected by two and possibly three SA-22 surface-to-air, anti-aircraft batteries.
Russia Opens New Chapter in Syria by Bombing Rebel Targets
Russian warplanes on September 30, 2015 pummeled rebel targets in Syria aimed at degrading both ISIL and other rebel factions while propping up the Bashar Assad regime. Meanwhile, Syrian National Coalition head Khaled Khoja said at the United Nations in New York on September 30, 2015 that the Russian airstrikes had killed 36 civilians, including five children.
Russia Continues Second Day of Airstrikes
Russia sent 50 aircraft on about 30 sorties in the sky over Syria on October 1, 2015, hitting targets of ISIL in northeastern and eastern Syria as well as other militant groups in central Syria.
Russia Hits ISIL Targets; Obama Says Russian Action to Lead to Quagmire
As Russia continued its third day of air campaign on October 2, 2015, it struck Raqqa, the self-style capital of Islamic State caliphate, and hit 7 targets in the city. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said on October 2, 2015 at a White House news conference that Russian air campaign would only lead to "a quagmire".
U.S.-Led Coalition Plans Major Arms Assistance
In the context of Russian air campaign in Syria that had begun on September 30, 2015, Obama administration changed its tack in Syria, and on October 4, 2015 approved a pair of military measures to blunt the ISIL. For the first time, Obama administration will provide rebels armament to fight against ISIL instead of pursuing a faltering training program for select, vetted rebel group. The Arab fighters, numbering 3,000 to 5,000, will join the approximate 20,000 Kurdish fighters to put up resistance against ISIL militants. A second measure will allow U.S. to use more air sorties from an airbase in Turkey.
Saudi Clerics Call Russia's Intervention in Syria a Christian Crusade
Describing Russia's air campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015 as a Christian crusade against Sunni Muslims, Saudi Arabia's 53 clerics on October 5, 2015 denounced and condemned Russia's "immersion" and intervention in Syria on behalf of Bashar Assad. Russia's intervention made special U.N. envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura's diplomatic effort more difficult as 41 rebel factions opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a statement on October 5, 2015, saying that it was much more difficult now to seek diplomatic solution after Moscow intervened in Syria on behalf of Assad.
Syrian Ground Forces Join in as Russia Shows Firepower
A week after Russia launched its air campaign in Syria, Syrian ground forces on October 7, 2015 launched offensive against rebels in central Syria as Russian cruise missiles launched from warships on the Caspian Sea had traversed 900 miles over Iran and Iraq to strike Raqqa, Aleppo and Idlib province. The military objectives of the Syrian ground forces were aimed at pushing out the rebels first from Hama province, and then push forward to Idlib province.
Russian Air-Syrian Ground Offensives Continue for the Second Day
The coordinated air offensive led by Russia and ground offensive led by the Syrian Army along with the associated pro-government militia continued in full swing on the second day on October 8, 2015. Syrian Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub declared sweeping goals for the ground offensive at a press briefing on October 8, saying that the government wanted to regain lost territories in the central and western Syria.
Putin Rationalizes Russian Intervention as Catalyst for Kick-starting the Political Process
In an interview with the state TV, Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 11, 2015 justified Moscow's air campaign in Syria on the ground that it would create a level playing field for both government and rebels, thus giving both sides incentives to engage in the political process. Meanwhile, government troops backed by Russian airstrikes were making steady progress during the day against rebels in central Syria.
Mortar Hits near Russian Embassy; al-Qaeda Calls for Attacks within Russia
As thousands of pro-government demonstrators assembled in front of the Russian embassy in Damascus to show their support for Russian airstrikes in Syria, two mortar shells struck the ground near the embassy on October 13, 2015. The casualty figures were not known by the end of the day. Responding to the mortar attack, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called it "an act of terrorism" as he was preparing to meet the Special U.N. Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. Meanwhile, head of Nusra Front, Syrian franchise of al-Qaeda, on October 13, 2015 called for attacks within Russia for what Abu Mohammed al-Jolani described as Moscow's anti-Muslim oppression in Syria.
Syrian Military Advances along a Key Highway
Assisted by Russian airstrikes, Syrian Army on October 15, 2015 made a concerted progress in taking control over towns and villages along a key highway between Homs and Hama, thus breaking the stranglehold of a strategic corridor. Syrian army's advance was made possible by at least 33 airstrikes by Russian war planes over the past 24 hours.
Russia, USA Sign MOU to Follow Rules in Sky over Syria
On October 20, 2015, Russian and American defense ministry officials signed a memorandum of understanding at Moscow to ensure that warplanes flown by dueling powers over Syria would avert near-collision incidents experienced quite a few times in the past. Under the MOU, there will be a line of communication to remain open and operational to facilitate free flow of information and share each other's plan.
Assad Meets with Putin at Moscow
In a show of confidence, Syrian President Bashar Assad flew to Moscow and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 20, 2015. The meeting lasted until the early hours of October 21, 2015. This marked the first overseas trip of Assad since the civil war had erupted in 2011.
Flashpoint in Relations as Turkey Shots down a Russian Airplane
Syrian theater saw its first military brinkmanship between nations instead of warring groups on November 24, 2015 as Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Mediterranean coast, marking the first time in almost half-a-century a NATO member nation had fired hostile shot at Russian plane. Ankara said that Russia flouted its sovereignty, and despite repeated warnings, Russian jet stayed in Turkish airspace, an accusation Moscow rejected. Two pilots ejected from the Russian warplane, but landed in the rebel territory. They were killed by Syrian rebels so was another Russian airman who was aboard an MI-8 helicopter for a search-and-rescue mission of the two pilots from the downed Su-24 jet when the helicopter took fire from rebels, leading to the airman's death. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II at the Black Sea port of Sochi called the Turkish action as "stab in the back". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, scheduled to visit Turkey on November 25, 2015, cancelled his trip to Turkey. Turkey after the incident called an emergency meeting of NATO, but had refrained to invoke a "collective military response" clause. U.S. President Barack Obama defended Turkish action of defending its airspace, but asked both Russia and Turkey to "step back" and de-escalate. According to NATO, Russian Su-24 warplane was flying over the Hatay region inside Turkey when it was struck by F-16s.
Russia to Send Missiles to Syria
Bolstering its defense in Syria in response to downing of a Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 fighter jets a day earlier, Russia on November 25, 2015 announced that it would send S-400 ground-to-air missiles to Syria to station 30 miles south of Turkish borders. Kremlin also announced that it was moving a missile-carrying cruiser, Moskva, closer to Latakia region. Meanwhile, Russian special operation troops bearing on an area near Turkish borders in five MI-8 helicopters made a dramatic rescue of one of the pilots, Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin, under darkness in early hours of November 25, 2015. On November 24, 2015, when Su-24 was fired by air-to-air missiles, both Murakhtin and the second pilot, Lt. Col. Oleg Peshkov, along with a Russian airman aboard a search-and-rescue helicopter that had gone afterwards to the region where Su-24 pilots had ejected were reported to have been shot dead by Syrian rebels. Apparently, Murakhtin was alive and under captivity of the rebels. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on November 25, 2015 that his country wanted to pursue "peace, dialogue and diplomacy" in the wake of the incident, but defended Ankara's right to defend the country's sovereignty. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu chimed in on November 25, 2015, saying that Russia was "a friend and neighbor", but criticized Russian air attacks in recent days against areas inhabited by Bayirbucak Turkmen, people with strong links with Turks.
History of the Region where Russian Warplane Was Fired
The history in a coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea where Russian warplane had crashed on November 24, 2015 after being fired by air-to-air missiles by Turkish F-16s is controversial and convoluted. Present day Turkey's Hatay region that had protruded deep inside Syrian territory along the Mediterranean Sea was claimed by both Syria and Turkey, and Moscow had historically sided with Damascus. Hatay region symbolizes the melting pot of ethnic fusion among Turks, Arabs and Christians, and the biblical city of Antioch is located in Hatay. After the World War I, the League of Nations granted the province to Syria's colonial ruler France. Ethnic Turks in Hatay region seceded in 1938, and the next year, the province joined Turkey. Adjacent areas in Syria are inhabited predominantly by Bayirbucak Turkmen, who nurture strong family, cultural and social bonds with fellow Turks in Hatay region. It's the regular Russian airstrikes against Bayirbucak Turkmen that has irked Turkey the most as Turkey's president said very candidly on November 25, 2015 that "we have our relatives, our kin" who were getting attacked by Russian air campaign.
Turkish President Seeks Meeting with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on November 27, 2015 sought a meeting with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of Paris Climate Conference in an effort to defuse and resolve a tense diplomatic situation stemming from November 24, 2015, downing of a Russian Su-24 warplane. In order to ratchet down the rhetoric, Erdogan also backed off his earlier statement that faced with the situation today, Turkey would take the same measure. However, Erdogan also asked Vladimir Putin not to "play with fire". Meanwhile, in a toughening diplomatic measure, Russia will cancel all visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the punitive measures on November 27, 2015.
Russia Imposes Sanctions on Turkey over Downing of Its Plane
Angered by November 24, 2015, downing of Russian Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 jets, Kremlin shot back on November 28, 2015 with a host of sanctions against Turkey despite a mellowing down of political tone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed regret and said that he wished that it hadn't occurred. The sanctions, published on the Kremlin website, include:
* A ban on some Turkish imports
* Cancellation of extension of contracts of Turkish laborers in Russia effective January 1, 2016
* Cancellation of visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016
Putin Ratchets up Anti-Turkey Rhetoric
Russian President Vladimir Putin upped the ante against Turkey and its president on December 3, 2015, nine days after Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane in northern Syria. Addressing his annual speech on the state of federation, Putin lampooned Turkish political establishment saying that Allah decided to "punish Turkey's ruling clique by depriving it of sense and reason". Putin also alleged that the family of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made illicit money from oil trade with ISIL.
Russia to Expand its Presence in Syria, Use a Second Airbase
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 3, 2015 that Russia had been expanding in recent days its military presence in Syrian war theater by rushing supplies and equipment to and starting on construction at Shaayrat Air Base, about 25 miles southeast of Syrian central city of Homs. Russia is currently using Basel al-Assad Airbase, also known as Hemeimeem, in the coastal province of Latakia, to run its air campaign.
Russia Unleashes Ferocious Strikes in Syria
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on December 8, 2015 gave a detailed account of a full-fledged Russian air campaign in Syria. Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the submerged Rostov-on-Don submarines in Mediterranean Sea to strike targets in Raqqa, ISIL's nominal capital of the Islamic Caliphate. Also, Tu-22 bombers took off a Russian base to carry out 60 sorties over the past three days to hit munition depot, a factory, manufacturing mortar rounds and oil facilities controlled by "terrorists". Shoigu's account was part of his briefing to President Vladimir Putin at Russian parliament.
Putin Says that Russia Has Supported Syrian Opposition
Russian President Vladimir Putin, famous for his off-the-cup statements and exaggeration, said on December 11, 2015 during an address to Defense Ministry officials in Kremlin that Russia had not only provided support to Syrian troops, but also to more than 5,000 FSA (Free Syrian Army) troops with air support as well as with "weapons, ammunitions and supplies" in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Aleppo and Raqqa. Although Putin was unequivocal in his comment about help provided to FSA, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified few hours later that Moscow had not provided any armament to FSA, only air cover.
Free Syrian Army Denies Russian Help
Free Syrian Army on December 12, 2015 denied that it had received any help from Russia as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier.
Russian Airstrike Kills 10 at a Rebel-held Town
Russian air campaign continued to take heavy toll as Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 12, 2015 that Russian airstrike during the day at the northern town of Atareb, under rebel control, had killed 10 people.
Russian Airstrikes Target Bootlegged Fuel Market in Rebel-held Towns
Britain-based Syrian human rights group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 15, 2015 that Russian warplanes targeted fuel markets at two rebel-held towns in northern Syria earlier in the day. Airstrikes at a fuel market in the town of Maaret al-Naasan killed 16 people, wounded dozens and destroyed scores of tanker trucks. The town is known as a sprawling bazaar of illicit fuel trade shipped from ISIL-controlled areas. Separate airstrikes on the town of Maskaneh in the northern Syria killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens more, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Maskaneh at the time of attack was under the control of ISIL.
Airstrike Kills a Rebel Commander
A well-known rebel commander, Zahran Alloush, was killed in an airstrike on December 25, 2015 at a Damascus suburb. Zahran Alloush was a commander of the rebel group Army of Islam that had sent delegation to the just concluded Riyadh meeting as part of carrying out the groundwork and building a unifying platform for the rebels in the run-up to the international peace talks on the future of Syria. Local activists said that Russian airstrike had killed Zahran Alloush. Alloush was a controversial figure, and though he had commandeered thousands of militants at the doorstep of Damascus, he had earned enemy from among government, rebels and some of the general population. Zahran Alloush was killed as he was meeting with other rebel leaders at the Army of Islam headquarters. Beside Alloush, among those who were killed in the airstrike were leaders from Army of Islam, ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Rahman groups.
Opposition Mourn the Death of Rebel Commanders
Two contrary pictures emerged in Syria on December 26, 2015, a day after an Army of Islam commander, Zahran Alloush, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike. On one side most of the opposition and rebel groups decried the assassination and mourned the death of Alloush, government supporters and ISIL found much common ground to celebrate. Alloush's assassination will cripple, even temporarily, rebels' position and strengthen government's hands before the international talks scheduled to begin January 25, 2016 at Geneva. Reflecting the mood, a senior member of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition, Anas al-Abdeh, said on December 26, 2015 that the assassination of Zahran Alloush "makes a mockery of all talks of political settlement" and undermined the "negotiations before they begin". A senior member of the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham group, Labib Nahhas, went even further by accusing "Putin's regime" of carrying out the campaign of "extermination" of rebels before the start of international talks.
Meanwhile, on the ground, equations are expected to change in many of the Damascus suburbs, especially in Ghouta, in the light of Zahran Alloush's death. To minimize any potential adverse impact that might be caused by the death of Alloush, the Army of Islam swiftly named a field commander, Essam al-Buwayadhani, also known as Abu Hammam, as Alloush's successor.
U.S. General: Russian Airstrikes Strengthen Assad's Hands
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. said at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, providing Bashar Assad much-needed boost against the opposition.
Russian Air Strikes Make a Difference on the Ground
Validating the statement of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, the Syrian forces and pro-government militias were on the offensive lately, and supported by Russian air campaign, captured on January 24, 2016 a strategic town, Rabia, in the northwestern mountain range of Jabal al-Turkoman. The Syrian forces were now focused on seizing the surrounding villages on the mountain range. Eleven days earlier, government forces captured another strategic town, Salma, on a neighboring mountain, Jabal al-Akrad. Days before the beginning of the international talks on Syrian war, originally scheduled to begin on January 25, 2016, but now pushed further, concerted advance of the Syrian forces will tip the balance of power in favor of the Bashar Assad regime and the government negotiators will bargain at the talks from the power of strength.
A Strategic Town in Southern Syria Taken over by Syrian Troops
Backed by a concerted Russian air campaign, Syrian troops and pro-government militias on January 26, 2016 seized a key town in southern Syria, Sheik Miskeen, that acted as a strategic conduit for western-backed Syrian rebels linking Jordanian borders to Damascus and its surrounding areas.
A Massive Offensive Planned
As the talks in Geneva were limping along, Syrian President Bashar Assad's army, backed by foot-soldiers from Hezbollah and pro-government militias along with a concerted air support from Russia, on February 2, 2016 was at the beginning of launching a major offensive to oust rebel fighters from long-held rebel areas of Aleppo and Homs.
Government Offensive Backed by Russian Airstrikes Keeps the Rebels Reeling
A major government offensive backed by Russian airstrikes launched on February 2, 2016 upended all equations on the ground, forcing the rebels to be on survival mode and retreat from areas in and around of Aleppo. A day after the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, declared a pause to peace talks, government offensive on February 4, 2016 intensified both in severity and size, resulting in the capture of several villages in the surrounding countryside and cutting off of a key supply route between Aleppo and Turkish border in the north. Meanwhile tens of thousands of Syrians were reportedly fleeing Aleppo and surrounding areas toward Turkish borders. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was attending a donor conference on Syria at London, said on February 4, 2016 that at least 70,000 Syrian civilians were desperately heading toward the Turkish borders to escape the offensive.
Mass Exodus from Aleppo and Surrounding Areas as Turkey Closes Its Borders
Approximately 35,000 Syrians had massed near Turkish borders as of February 7, 2016, five days after a blistering offensive was launched by Syrian government backed by Russian air campaign and pro-government militia. Meanwhile, Turkish borders remained closed for the third day in a row, creating an inhuman situation on the ground on the Syrian side of the border with tens of thousands of refugees in a limbo amidst a cold winter. The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis said on February 6, 2016 that Turkish authorities would provide food and other relief supplies to tens of thousands of Syrians within Syria, but would continue to close the borders with the exception of some "extraordinary crisis". Turkey closed the borders on February 5, 2016. Turkish Deputy premier Numan Kurtulmus told the CNN-Turk TV on February 7, 2016 that his country had already taken 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians, and reached the capacity. However, Turkey would keep accepting additional refugees, Kurtulmus added, as they had nowhere to go.
Coordinates of the Medical Facility not Given to Syria or Russia
The February 15, 2016, airstrikes on a medical facility at the Syrian town of Maaret al-Numan that had killed at least 25 people became an immediate point of contention between Russia and Syrian regime on one side and international community on the other hand. The medical facility, run by the Doctors Without Borders, or MSF by its French acronym, was hit four times. The question that arose in the immediate aftermath was whether Russia, or Syrian regime, knew about it. MSF International President Joanne Liu said at Geneva on February 18, 2016 that upon recommendation from the MSF staff members, the group didn't provide either Syrian government, or Russia, any information about this medical facility as the Syrian government seemed to be absolutely indifferent to such vital information in past incidents.
Russia to Withdraw from Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 14, 2016 surprised the world by his announcement that Russian troops and bombers would immediately begin withdrawing from Syria. Putin's announcement came after almost a six-month-long aerial campaign that had not only helped the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad to survive the fierce rebellion, but reversed the tide of fighting in favor of Damascus and help government to gain new grounds beside consolidating the ones already under control. Beside achieving its military objectives, Russia also wants its most trusted ally in the region, Bashar Assad, to take the talks that had resumed at Geneva during the day under the mediation of Staffan de Mistura, U.N. envoy for Syria, more seriously and make necessary political concessions. Withdrawal of Russia from Syrian theater may be a subtle message by Putin to Assad to engage in talks instead of counting on Moscow to militarily find a solution. Putin's decision was announced in presence of his two chief lieutenants, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Putin Calls Russia's Military Intervention a Success, Vows to Return if Needed
Three days after surprising the world by announcement of Russia's immediate withdrawal from Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin told on March 17, 2016 that he would re-deploy in Syria if necessary. Putin's comments came during an address to officers from Russian military at Kremlin's ornate St. George's Hall where many of the participants in the Syrian offensive were awarded for valor. Putin called the Russian mission a success and Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose hands had been strengthened militarily by Russian intervention, now willing to make necessary political compromise in the ongoing talks at Geneva. Also, Putin exuded confidence that a soon-to-be launched offensive against ISIL would liberate the U.N. World Heritage city of Palmyra.
Alleged Russian Airstrike Kills Dozens
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 25, 2016 that airstrikes launched by Russia earlier in the day had hit a mosque at a village, Qourieh, in Deir el-Zour province, killing at least 46 people, including 31 civilians. Qourieh, like most areas of the Deir el-Zour province, is controlled by ISIL. Russia denied that it had carried the airstrikes in Qourieh on June 25, 2016.
Russian Copter Shot down in Aleppo
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by rebels in Idlib province on August 1, 2016, killing 3 crew members and 2 military officers amid a bitter fight in Aleppo between regime forces and its allies on one hand and rebels on the other. Rebels were mounting an all-out attack to break the siege of government on the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. Russian military announced that at least 800 militants were killed. Regarding the Russian copter crash, Moscow said that the Mi-8 helicopter delivered the humanitarian aid in Aleppo and was on its way back to Hemeimeem Airbase when it was shot down.
***************************** RUSSIAN MILITARY BUILD-UP IN SYRIA ************
France Expands Its Air Campaign to Syria
French President Francois Hollande said on September 7, 2015 that his country would no longer limit its air campaign against ISIL in Iraq only, would expand airstrikes to areas in Syria to degrade and defeat the Islamic State. A year ago, France joined the U.S.-led coalition against ISIL in Iraq. Hollande's September 7, 2015, announcement deepened the French involvement in the region as ISIL made steady progress in Syria, effectively controlling almost half of Iraq and Syria.
British Premier Justifies Drone Attack to Kill Two Britons in Syria
British Prime Minister David Cameron on September 7, 2015 told lawmakers in the House of Commons that a British drone carried out an attack in Raqqa, so-called capital of ISIL caliphate, on August 21, 2015. The attack killed three ISIL militants, including two Britons. Cameron justified the killing as they were plotting attack on British targets.
Government Loses Effective Control of Almost All of the Second Province
After the Assad regime ceded the control of Raqqa province in its entirety in early 2014, the government on September 9, 2015 made a hasty retreat from an airbase in Idlib province, leading to an almost complete sweep of the province by al-Qaeda-linked Syrian affiliate, Nusra Front. Abu Zuhour Airbase was the only major strategic area the government had retained in Idlib province. The government security forces withdrew from the airbase leaving equipment and military gears behind. Now, the Bashar Assad regime controls 12 of country's 14 provinces.
Islamic State Holds Norwegian, Chinese Hostages
ISIL on September 9, 2015 said that it was holding two foreigners: 48-year-old Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad of Norway and 50-year-old Chinese Fan Jinghui. However, it's not clear how, when and where two foreigners were kidnapped. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg confirmed on September 9, 2015 in Oslo that one of his countryman of age late 40s was kidnapped in Syria.
Government Soldiers Oust ISIL Militants from a Central Oil Field
Bashar Assad regime's security forces on September 9, 2015 retook the Jazal Oil Field in central Homs province from ISIL.
Commander's Report to Senate Implies Absolute Failure for the U.S. Mission to Train Rebels
The U.S. Central Command head Gen. Lloyd Austin on September 16, 2015 appeared at the Capitol Hill and gave a failing report to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on a $500 million program to train, equip and ready a 5,000-strong rebel force in Syria to take on ISIL. According to Gen. Austin's estimate, only 5 or 6 dedicated fighters were currently in Syria as part of the program after 54 fighters from the program were kidnapped in late July.
Syrian Aircraft Attacks ISIL-held Areas
Syrian Air Force on September 18, 2015 launched massive air attack on areas in Palmyra held by ISIL militants, killing dozens of them.
Rebels Surround the Last Bastion of Government in Idlib
A coalition of rebels, known as Jaysh al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest, on September 18, 2015 launched a last-ditch attack to seize the two villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib where pro-government Shiite militia had put up a valiant resistance. The remainder of Idlib already fell into rebel hands early September, becoming the second province to be out of government control.
56 Government Soldiers Killed
In a similar template of what ISIL do with the captives, Nusra Front had carried out execution of 56 Syrian soldiers seized as Abu Zuhour Airbase in Idlib province fell on September 9, 2015, according to a statement issued on September 19, 2015 by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
France Launches First Airstrikes in Syria
20 days after French President Francois Hollande announced that his country would expand the air campaign against ISIL from Iraq to Syria, French warplanes on September 27, 2015 bombed the ISIL targets in eastern Syria.
France Launches Inquiry against Assad Regime
In a swipe against the Russian intervention in Syria on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad, France announced an inquiry into human rights abuses committed by Assad regime on the same day Russia launched airstrikes in Syria. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said of the launch of the inquiry to Agence France Presse on September 30, 2015.
******************** INTERNATIONAL TALKS TO SEEK PEACE *******************
17 Nations Meet in Vienna to Launch New Peace Talks
Diplomats from 17 nations, including players on both sides of the Syrian civil war such as the USA, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia and Iran, met at Vienna during three-day (October 29-31, 2015) talks in a bid to launch new peace negotiation. However, the fate of Bashar Assad in any future political process remained uncertain as there was no agreement among the nations about his future. John Kerry attended the conference. The talks were held under the auspices of 17-nation International Syria Support Group.
Second Round of Talks to Convene at Vienna
As a sequel to the first round of latest talks in late October, involving 17 nations, US, Russia and other nations will meet at Vienna on November 14, 2015 to pick up the thread where they have left last time amid a loose Russian proposal taking shape. The second round to be held by 17-nation International Syria Support Group is likely to take up the Russian proposal for further discussion. The Russian proposal calls for
* A new constitution to be drafted within 18 months
* A referendum on this new constitution
* Early presidential elections
However, the Russian proposal is silent on the fate of Bashar Assad in transitional administration, and Obama administration seemed not to make an issue out of it. Another uncertain component of the current international diplomatic push is the exclusion of both the Syrian government and rebel negotiators from the negotiation process. However, both sides' primary benefactors, Iran and Syria, are present in the negotiation process this time.
20 Nations and Organizations Agree on a Russian-initiated Plan
Twenty nations met at Vienna on November 14, 2015 at a foreign ministerial session, and agreed on a peace plan floated by Kremlin. Countries supporting opposing sides in Syrian civil war such as Iran and Saudi Arabia set aside their difference to agree on this plan because situation had changed in the past 24 hours after November 13, 2015, Paris attacks which were in the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's words the "most vile, horrendous, outrageous, unacceptable acts on the planet". According to the Russian-floated plan released by the U.N. on behalf of 19 parties,
* Negotiation will start around January 1, 2016 between government of Bashar Assad and rebels
* U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, will select who will sit in the negotiation
* Within six months of the negotiation, a transition administration consisting of "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian" parties will be formed
* The transition administration, in turn, will set a mechanism and schedule for drafting a new constitution
* New elections will be held within 18 months under the new constitution
Syrian Rebels Try to Unite at the Behest of Saudis
Saudi Arabia is hosting a two-day (December 9-10, 2015) meeting at the Saudi capital of Riyadh in order to unite the disparate Syrian rebel groups under one banner to participate in international peace talks scheduled to begin early 2016 as part of a plan chalked by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group.
Riyadh Talks Aimed at Uniting Rebel Factions Result in Rival Bickering and Walkout
On the second day of talks at Riyadh to unite all rebel factions under one umbrella, discord and disagreement was in open display on December 10, 2015, with the Saudi-backed ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham walking out of the talks. Ahrar al-Sham, active in northern parts of Syria and many of its leaders with ties to al-Qaeda, issued a statement later in the day, reasoning its withdrawal for the failure of Riyadh conference to "confirm the Muslim identity of our people". The conference agreed on a framework that would guide the proposed talks with other stakeholders of the Syrian conflict. The conference has also established a 32-member "Supreme Council", which will later choose 15 representatives to participate in the international talks to be held early 2016.
Riyadh Conference Blames Iran for Syrian, Yemeni Mess
The two-day Riyadh Conference ended on December 10, 2015 with a pointing finger blaming Iran for instability in Syria and Yemen. Addressing the reporters later, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that Iran was playing "a negative role in most regional issues."
U.S. Drops Demand for Assad's Ouster
Underscoring long-anticipated shift in stand on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's future, U.S. now agreed with Russia that the it's up to the Syrian people to decide on the future of the Syrian leader. This was all the more clear and official after the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 15, 2015 at Kremlin. Addressing the reporters after the meeting, Kerry, standing beside Putin, said that the USA and "our partners are not seeking so-called regime change", a total reversal of position from summer 2011 when President Barack Obama first demanded that "Assad must go" to when White House softened its stand somewhat to clarify that Assad didn't need to leave on "day one" to eventual no regime change line.
New Date for International Talks Announced
The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, announced on December 26, 2015 that the new round of international talks aimed at ending the civil war in Syria would begin on January 25, 2016.
Launch Date for Talks Delayed
As the date for opening of the international talks on Syria approached, it was evident that opposition was not even sure whom to send to Geneva for talks. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on January 25, 2016 that the negotiation was likely to begin on January 29, 2016 and he would send invitation the next day (January 26, 2016). Mr. de Mistura also hoped that this would not be Geneva 3, reflecting on the failure of the previous two rounds of talks in 2012 and 2014. The first phase of talks will focus on a comprehensive cease-fire and providing relief to besieged towns, according to de Mistura.
Invitations Sent for Syria Talks
The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on January 26, 2016 sent invitations to opposition, government and other negotiators for the Geneva talks scheduled to begin on January 29, 2016. Rival negotiators will seat in separate rooms, will not talk to each other, and instead, exchange ideas and proposals through Staffan de Mistura. The negotiation agenda will include, among others, a nationwide cease-fire and access to besieged towns and villages for food and supplies. Also stepped in on January 26, 2016 was the U.N. humanitarian aid coordinator, Yacoub El Hillo, who demanded that food and medicines be allowed to enter the besieged areas, and all attacks on hospitals and schools must stop.
Talks off a Rocky Start
As scheduled, talks began on January 29, 2016, but with a disappointing possibility of outcome as government negotiators were the ones present at Geneva U.N. headquarters engaged with the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. The negotiators for the opposition, under the auspices of High Negotiations Committee, didn't even show up at the beginning session, refusing to attend the talks until the government siege on 15 rebel-held towns were lifted and humanitarian aid was allowed to flow in. The government negotiators are being led by Bashar al-Jaafari, the country's ambassador to the U.N. and the leader of the government negotiating team in the second round of Geneva Talks that had ended in a failure in January 2014.
Opposition Threatens to Walk out of Peace Talks
Salem al-Mislet, the chief spokesman of the High Negotiation Committee, the umbrella group of the Syrian opposition entrusted to join the talks in Geneva, said on January 30, 2016 that the opposition would pull out of the talks if the bombardment and continuous siege of rebel-held towns didn't end. About two dozens members of the opposition arrived at Geneva on January 30, 2016 after missing out the opening session a day earlier.
Rebels Talk with U.N. Envoy, Kerry Asks All to Seize the Opportunity
For the first time since the Geneva Talks were opened on January 29, 2016, opposition delegation held talks with U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on January 31, 2016. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on January 31, 2016 at the Washington D.C. that all parties in Geneva negotiation should seize the opportunity that was provided to usher in an era of reconciliation. Meanwhile, during the day, in an effort to scuttle the Geneva Talks, a car bomb followed by two suicide bombings exploded near a Shiite mosque in the south of Damascus that had killed at least 45 people.
Peace Talks Officially Opens
The U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, Staffan de Mistura, achieved a minor diplomatic success by bringing the opposition and regime negotiators to the U.N. headquarters at Geneva and holding talks with them separately on February 1, 2016. The envoy later in the day said that the Geneva Talks had officially opened. However, the public comments made by the spokesperson of the High Negotiation Committee, the umbrella organization of Syrian opposition for Geneva Talks, didn't auger well about the future direction of the talks. Salem al-Mislet, the spokesman, called the Russian President a "new Hitler" in Moscow, who was supporting another Hitler in Damascus. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama's envoy to the U.S.-backed coalition of opposition fighters, who were fighting against ISIL, had concluded a two-day visit to Syria on February 1, 2016, first time a U.S. official paid visit to Syria after Washington had launched airstrikes in 2014.
Peace Talks at the Brink as Russia Amps up Bombing
Amid a coordinated assault in and around the rebel strongholds north of Aleppo that all but foretold an impending push by Bashar Assad regime to seize vast tracts of areas in Aleppo from the rebel control, the talks at Geneva on February 2, 2016 got clouded and uncertain. The opposition didn't even attend the afternoon session of separate talks with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, and instead, held a roadshow outside the U.N. complex to draw attention of the people to the plight of Syrian people under Assad's rule. Meanwhile, the chief government negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari said on February 2, 2016 that opposition should condemn January 31, 2016, bombing near a revered Shiite shrine, Sayeda Zeinab shrine. Bashar al-Jaafari also said that it was premature that the Geneva Talks had officially opened as announced by Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis. According to al-Jaafari, the talks were in preparatory stage.
U.N. Suspends Syria Talks
Two days after declaring that the official talks had opened, the U.N. envoy for Syrian crisis, Staffan de Mistura, on February 3, 2016 declared the talks at an impasse and that he was suspending the talks until February 25, 2016. After informing his boss, the U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, de Mistura told the reporters that it was now time for a pause.
Aid Convoy Reaches a Besieged Town
A day after U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, declared a pause to peace talks, at least one positive development took place on February 4, 2016 when aid convoys had reached the town of Moadhamiyeh, one of the 18 towns currently choked either by government or rebel forces, to the relief of its about 50,000 residents.
"Cessation of Hostilities" Agreed at Munich Conference
A conference at Munich on February 11, 2016 reached at a pact to cease the unstoppable fighting in Syria. The conference was held at Munich under the auspices of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) formed in November 2015 at the urging of John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State. It was the fourth such gathering of the group that included nations such as USA, Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia who had backed the opposing sides of the Syrian civil war. Neither Bashar Assad regime, nor the western-backed rebels, were present at the Munich Conference. Participants were cautiously optimistic that cessation of hostilities would be effective in a week's timeframe. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was hesitant to call the pact a "cease-fire". Instead he favored calling it "cessation of hostilities". Kerry's Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who along with Kerry was instrumental to pushing the cessation of hostilities agreement at Munich Conference, called the pact the first step in the direction of a "cease-fire". However, February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities will not be extended to apply ISIL, Nusra Front and other terrorist groups. Under the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities agreed at the Munich Conference,
* Russia will take the responsibility for humanitarian airdrops
* Two committees will be formed from ISSG nations to facilitate cessation of hostilities
* Cessation of hostilities will begin within a week
Syrian Opposition Support Munich Pact Despite Reservations
Syrian rebels-led High Negotiation Committee on February 12, 2016 begrudgingly welcomed the cessation of hostilities announced a day earlier at the Munich Conference of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG). However, its spokesman, Salem al-Mislet, added that the action on the ground had to be matched with the words of the agreement. Also, a seven-day window for the cessation of hostilities has particularly drawn fire from the Syrian opposition as they see it as a license for Russia and Syrian government to continue their offensives until the eleventh hour. A 10-day-old ferocious regime and Russian joint offensive continued on February 12, 2016 in and around the rebel-held areas of Aleppo, underscoring the fear and frustration expressed by Syrian opposition over this seven-day window.
Cessation of Hostilities Pact Faces New Challenge
Two days after a cessation of hostilities pact was announced at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), its implementation remained in doubt as the government troops tightened their grips around the rebel-held parts of Aleppo on February 13, 2016 with the help from non-stop Russian airstrikes. Russia itself was not sure how effective the cessation of hostilities would take hold in Syria. When asked by reporters at the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put the chance 49 percent. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister added an element of uncertainty to the Syrian situation on the ground as Mevlut Cavusolglu was quoted on February 13, 2016 by the Yeni Safak newspaper that Turkey was considering to send joint ground troops with Saudi Arabia to fight against ISIL militants in Syria.
Russia Faces Biting Criticism at Munich Security Conference
Russia was a common target for staunch criticism during the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2016. U.S. Senator John McCain assailed the cessation of hostilities pact reached at the behest of Russia and the USA at a meeting of 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) on February 11, 2016 at Munich. The pact, according to the senator, gives Bashar Assad regime and its backer Russia the time to continue attacking rebel-held areas and consolidate territorial gain. Another round of criticism came from the powerful chairman of foreign affairs committee of German Parliament, Norbert Rottgen, a respected German politician and supporter of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who went as far as implying that the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact would strengthen the hands of Russians.
Cessation of Hostilities Finalized by Syrian Government and the U.N.
The February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) was finalized by the U.N. and the Syrian government on February 16, 2016, providing a rare window of opportunity for the international community to push forward with a still evolving roadmap to reach an eventual truce.
Relief Convoy Rumbling Slowly to the Target Areas
As a positive consequence of the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), a convoy of 115 trucks loaded with food and supplies on February 17, 2016 began to move towards the western towns of Madaya and Zabadani, northwestern towns of Fouaa and Kfarya, and the Damascus suburb of Moadhamiyeh.
U.N. Claims to Have Delivered Aid to 80,000 People
U.N. on February 18, 2016 said that it had delivered supplies and aid to about 80,000 people in the five besieged towns--western towns of Madaya and Zabadani, northwestern towns of Fouaa and Kfarya, and the Damascus suburb of Moadhamiyeh.
Deadline for End of Hostilities Pass; Opposition Imposes Conditions for Truce
The deadline for the end of fighting as part of the February 11, 2016, cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), passed on February 19, 2016 without even a slightest drop in fighting. Meanwhile, meeting at Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on February 20, 2016, the opposition under the auspices of Saudi-backed High Negotiation Committee discussed on a possible truce. The High Negotiation Committee later issued a statement, demanding lifting siege on all rebel-held towns and releasing all political prisoners as conditions for a meaningful truce. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir added that Saudi Arabia was seriously considering whether to provide surface-to-air missiles to Syrian rebels as a game-changing strategy on the ground.
Explosions Kill 120 as Russia and USA Work towards a New Deadline for Cessation of Hostilities
A series of explosions rocked the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood of Damascus on February 21, 2016, killing at least 62 people and wounding dozens, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However, the state-owned SANA news agency reported that more than 83 people were killed and at least 170 wounded. Also, during the day, twin car bombs wreaked havoc in the central city of Homs. According to SOHR, 57 people, including 11 women, were killed. Syrian Foreign Ministry said that at least 46 people were killed in the Homs bombings. ISIL claimed responsibility for February 21, 2016, bombings both in Damascus and Homs. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on February 21, 2016 contacted with his Russian counterpart during his visit in Jordan, and hashed out details to have the cessation of hostilities to take effect in the next few days.
U.S., Russia Hash out Cessation of Hostilities Details
After President Barack Obama called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on February 22, 2016 to drive home the point of working together to put into effect a cessation of hostilities pact reached at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG), diplomats of the both nations agreed later in the day for the warring parties to observe the cessation of hostilities effective February 27, 2016.
Both Sides Extend Conditional Support to the New Timeline as Fighting Rages
Bashar Assad regime as well as rebel groups said on February 23, 2016 that they would conditionally observe a new timeline agreed between Russia and the USA a day earlier for the beginning of cessation of hostilities. However, the statements of support from the Syrian Foreign Ministry and High Negotiation Committee failed to exude much confidence in finding a common ground, left alone anything close to the peace process. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground was quite the opposite as the ISIL militants seized during the day a key strategic town in eastern Aleppo province, Khanaser, effectively choking off a supply route between Damascus and government-held areas of Aleppo. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 35 Syrian troops and 16 ISIL fighters were killed in the Khanaser fighting. Meanwhile, Syria's official SANA news agency reported on February 23, 2016 that 44 trucks of relief supplies had entered during the day into two Damascus suburbs, Moadamiyeh and Kafr Batna, respectively. The relief operation was coordinated by Syrian Arab Red Crescent. According to Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the shipments would help 20,000 people in Moadamiyeh and 10,000 people in Kafr Batna.
Assad Regime Schedules Parliamentary Polls
Syrian government on February 23, 2016 announced that the parliamentary polls would be held on April 13, 2016, without giving any specifics such as how it would hold the exercise in rebel-held areas.
Putin Makes Calls, Pushes for Truce amid Turkey's New Demand
As the recently agreed timeline for cessation of hostilities neared, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to switch his role in Syrian crisis from the one of Syrian regime's protectorate and patron to the one of global statesman. On February 24, 2016, Putin called Saudi Arabia's King Salman, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, extracting commitment from each for a cessation of hostilities scheduled to take effect on February 27, 2016. President Bashar Assad called the deal "an important step towards political settlement", and "confirmed the Syrian government's readiness to facilitate the cease-fire's implementation". However, not all the events of the day were positive as Turkey played the role of a political spoiler as the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called for adding the Kurdish militant group, People's Protection Unit, or YPG, to ISIL and Nusra Front who were kept abeyance of the cessation of hostilities.
U.N. Envoy Optimistic of Resuming Talks
As a key deadline for cessation of hostilities neared, U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, although kept his fingers crossed, expressed optimism on February 25, 2016 for resuming talks, suspended three weeks ago, in near future. Meanwhile, roughly 48 hours before the cessation of hostilities went into effect, all sides were intensifying their efforts to consolidate their positions on the ground. Syrian government continued its intense push in parts of Aleppo, ousting rebels from long-held rebel areas, and recaptured a strategic city, Khanaser, in eastern Aleppo that was a key link between Damascus and Aleppo. ISIL captured Khanaser two days ago, but its hold on the city was fragile as government soldiers backed by Russian airstrikes took the city back barely after 48 hours. Meanwhile, Mr. Jan Egeland, the senior advisor to Staffan de Mistura, U.N. special envoy for Syria, said on February 25, 2016 that recent aid convoys were able to distribute food and relief supplies among 110,000 people in 17 seized locations.
Cessation of Hostilities Begins with High Hope; Talks Resumption Date Set
Contrary to last time, cessation of hostilities took effect at 12:01 AM (local time) on February 27, 2016 as cities and towns in the vast swath of the country taking a pause from uninterrupted gun-fires, continuous shelling and aerial bombardment. Both the Syrian regime and Saudi Arabia-based High Negotiation Committee, a conglomerate of 100 Syrian opposition and rebel groups, expressed conditional support for the cessation of hostilities pact reached by Russia and the USA. Syrian government made it clear that the military campaign against the terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and ISIL would not stop, while the High Negotiation Committee said that it would support the cessation of hostilities, but siege on more than a dozen rebel-held towns must be lifted. Meanwhile, the special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 26, 2016 has scheduled resumption of talks at Geneva between Bashar Assad regime and the High Negotiation Committee for March 7, 2016 if the cessation of hostilities largely holds between now and then.
U.N. Security Council Okays Pact for Cessation of Hostilities
On February 26, 2016, the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved the cessation of hostilities deal that was first reached on February 11, 2016 at Munich by the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG)--but then flouted--and subsequently agreed by Russia and the USA on February 22, 2016 to put it into effect.
As Guns Fall Largely Silent, Relief Efforts Expand
Once unimaginable, February 27, 2016 turned out to be a remarkable day in the history of 5-year Syrian civil war with a full-day pause to fighting in the vast swath of Syria amid scattered skirmishes. Russian Defense Ministry also said during the day that no Russian warplanes flew over Syria. Reflecting the optimism on all sides, U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 27, 2016 set a new date, March 7, 2016, for resuming the talks between the parties at Geneva.
Sporadic Violence Continues amid Cessation of Hostilities
As the cessation of hostilities was by and large observed on the second full day on February 28, 2016, allegations and counter-allegations of violations flew unchecked. Russia alleged that a northern town held by Kurdish militia was fired upon from the Turkish side of the border. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that warplanes hit villages of Daret Azzeh and Qobtan al-Jabal in the Aleppo province. Meanwhile, adding another layer of complexity to an already complex political and diplomatic situation, the leader of High Negotiation Committee, Riad Hijab, said on February 28, 2016 that Russia, Iran and Syrian government continued to violate with cessation of hostilities, drawing the attention of the U.N., and it would be difficult to resume negotiation on March 7, 2016 as proposed by the U.N. special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura.
Mortars, Rockets Hit Aleppo Despite Cessation of Hostilities
Although a tenuous--and mostly compliant--cessation of hostilities was continuing to take hold in Syria, Nusra Front, Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda, not covered by the truce, on March 6, 2016 launched a barrage of rocket and mortar attacks on a government-held area in Aleppo, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 40. According to official SANA news agency, "terrorists" attacked the Kurdish-dominated Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 70 mortars and rockets were fired by Nusra Front and, among dead, included nine civilians, including four children.
Syrian Talks Slip as Rebel Leader Expresses Doubt
The talks between Syrian government and rebels, scheduled to resume on March 7, 2016 at Geneva, was delayed as the leader of High Negotiation Committee, Riad Hijab, said on March 7, 2016 that rebels might not be able to join the talks as no political prisoners were released so far by Syrian regime as well as the slow progress in distributing the relief in besieged areas.
Talks to Resume a Week Later than Scheduled
The reconciliation talks between Syrian government and High Negotiation Committee, an umbrella group of all rebel factions, will now resume on March 14, 2016 at Geneva, a week later than originally scheduled by the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
Talks Adjourned for the Weekend
After five days of talks (March 14-18, 2016) at Geneva, the talks were adjourned on March 18, 2016 for the weekend.
Indirect Talks in Jeopardy
After a gap the indirect talks that had resumed on April 13, 2016 might be headed to a breakdown after the opposition's High Negotiation Committee took strong exception on April 16, 2016 to one of the "ideas" floated by Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syria, that would retain Bashar Assad's role in the transitional government. Syrian opposition is adamant that Assad should have no role in the transitional government.
Opposition to Suspend Talks at Geneva
As government assaults and siege on rebel-held towns and cities had intensified in recent days, the High Negotiation Committee was feeling the heat from the grassroots to suspend talks, and on April 18, 2016, HNC announced that it would not participate in Geneva talks.
Talks Hit a Snag Amid Fighting
The so-called Geneva talks neared the brink on April 22, 2016 as the government offensive in Aleppo and other areas had intensified. At least 18 people were killed in an airstrike during the day in a rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault issued an all-too-common warning of Syria's political future sliding into a "danger zone" without providing a pathway for a solution. However, at Geneva, the Syrian government's envoy to the peace talks, Bashar Ja'afari, made a defiant tone on April 22, 2016, calling the High Negotiation Committee's complaint nothing more than "crocodile's tears".
Syrian Airstrike Kills at least 18
Syrian aircraft on April 22, 2016 launched a vicious assault on the rebel-held Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood in Aleppo, killing at least 18 people and underscoring the difficulties faced by the international community to make the warring parties adhere to a fragile cessation of hostilities, leave alone any progress on political front.
Airstrikes, Shelling Kill 26 in Aleppo
The bitter fighting between government forces and rebels defying the so-called cessation of hostilities continued for the third straight day on April 24, 2016 in Aleppo. The rebel shelling of the government-held parts of Aleppo killed 10 people on April 24, 2016, including two young siblings. Meanwhile, the (Bashar) Assad regime carried out another bout of punishing airstrikes against rebel positions in Aleppo, killing at least 16.
Peace Talks at a Standstill amid Intensifying of the Fighting
The fight over Aleppo between rebel and government troops continued for the fourth straight day on April 25, 2016, with shelling taking at least 20 lives. An additional eight people were killed during the day as a car bomb exploded at a military checkpoint near a holy Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.
Aleppo Conflict Poses Threat to Geneva Talks
The diplomats and negotiators at Geneva talks, already at the moribund state, were getting worried by the day as the conflict in Aleppo got worse in terms of human toll on April 26, 2016 as airstrikes killed at least 15 people in rebel-held areas.
Aleppo Conflict Intensifies Amid Negotiators in Geneva Ringing Alarm Bells
The airstrikes and counter-shelling took their heavy tolls on the residents of Aleppo on April 27 and April 28, 2016 as brinkmanship on the both sides was let loose by shameless disregard for human life. An airstrike on Al-Quds hospital in the rebel-held territory on April 27, 2016 night killed at least 27 people, including three children and six staff members. The hospital was run by the Doctors Without Borders, and its location should have been known to the government. Then, on the following day, April 28, 2016, the government planes launched another volley of airstrikes on the rebel-held portions in Aleppo, killing at least 20 people. Not to be left behind in displaying utter irresponsibility, the rebels adopted tit-for-tat tactic on April 28, 2016, shelling government-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 14 people, mostly civilians. Underscoring the graveness of the situation, the U.N. special advisor for Syria, Jan Egeland, lamented during the day in the sidelines of whatever talks still being held at Geneva that "I could not in any way express how high stakes are for the next hours and days".
Attacks and Counterattacks Jeopardize Lives, Geneva Talks
Eight days after the recent escalation had erupted over the control of Aleppo, regime airstrikes on April 29, 2016 killed 10 people, while the rebel shelling on Malla Khan Mosque in the government-held territory had taken lives of 15 people. At least 200 people on both sides were killed in Aleppo since the latest escalation had erupted on April 22, 2016. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that one of the dead in April 27, 2016, airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital included one of the last remaining pediatricians in Aleppo, Dr. Muhammad Waseem Maaz.
Diplomacy in Full Swing to Sustain Cessation of Hostilities in Aleppo
As the often-violated, fragile cessation of hostilities was put to the "test" in recent weeks over an intense fighting in and around Aleppo, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed the international community to exert diplomatic muscle to sustain it (cessation of hostilities) in Aleppo. On May 2, 2016, Kerry met with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. envoy for Syria, at Geneva, and spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss on extending the cessation of hostilities to Aleppo. Mistura will travel to Moscow on May 3, 2016 to talk more on it with Lavrov.
Lavrov, U.N. Envoy Talk over Aleppo
The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2016 met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at Moscow to ensure that the "cessation of hostilities is brought back on track".
Deal on Restoration of Cessation of Hostilities in Aleppo Reached
Late May 3, 2016 hectic diplomatic activities at distant centers of powers such as Moscow, Washington and Geneva went into full swing, yielding a deal to restore cessation of hostilities in and around Aleppo. Under the deal, the cessation of hostilities will take effect at 12:01 AM on May 4, 2016.
Cessation of Hostilities Fruitless in Stopping Fighting
As the cessation of hostilities was officially restored in and around Aleppo on May 4, 2016, nothing apparently changed on ground. Militants from Nusra Front, a group not covered by cessation of hostilities, launched attacks on May 5, 2016 on government and allied militia positions south of Aleppo. Meanwhile, an airstrike later on May 5, 2016 killed at least 28 people at a refugee camp in Idlib province, setting ablaze tents and structures at the refugee camp. Addressing reporters at Washington D.C., White House press secretary Josh Earnest on May 5, 2016 condemned the airstrike on the refugee camp and said that there was absolutely no excuse. Also, on May 5, 2016, twin suicide bombings in the central Homs province killed at least 10 people, and ISIL apparently seized a natural gas field, Shaer gas field, in the same province from Syrian troops.
Efforts to Extend Cessation of Hostilities Nationwide
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with western officials at Paris on May 9, 2016 to push forward on twin issues of extending the so-called cessation of hostilities observed locally in a piecemeal manner to a broader, nationwide compliance by all concerned parties and resuscitating the stalled reconciliation talks in Geneva.
Rebel Coalition Issues Ultimatum
On May 22, 2016, a coalition of 30 rebel factions issued a strongly worded ultimatum to Bashar Assad regime to desist from attacking rebel strongholds in and around Damascus or, else, the late February 2016 cessation of hostilities stood dissolved.
Aid Reaches for the First Time in Years at Capital Suburb
As the talks at Geneva were ground to a virtual halt, international aid agencies were encountering herculean tasks of distributing supplies in the hard-hit areas. However, on June 1, 2016, an aid convoy carrying relief supplies reached at the Darayya suburb of Damascus for the first time since 2012. The convoy of the U.N. and ICRC took advantage of a 48-hour pause in airstrikes announced by Russia.
Envoy Receives Regime's Approval for Relief Supplies
The U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia, and hoped that the supplies would be distributed before the end of June 2016.
Relief Convoy Enters the Besieged Town in Homs Province
After receiving permission earlier in the week from Assad regime to provide relief to 15 of 19 besieged areas--although the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia--a 31-truck convoy with relief supplies entered the town of Houla in Homs province on June 11, 2016.
Russian Foreign Minister Decries U.N. Inaction
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 12, 2016 had some harsh words for the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, for not giving a diplomatic push through negotiation and instead waiting for U.S. and Russia to come up with a political transition plan. The indirect talks between Syrian rebels and government broke down in April 2016.
U.N. Security Council Resolution Revives Hope for Peace Talks
After a French-sponsored resolution was approved by the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016, allowing the U.N. to deploy monitors to observe the evacuation process as called for by a Turkey-Russia deal, U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, did not waste any time to give a serious push to re-start the talks for a political settlement and called for negotiation between the government and opposition to begin on February 8, 2017.
*********** ASTANA TALKS
Turkey Drops the Demand for Assad's Ouster
For the first time, Ankara is okay with Bashar Assad continuing as president of Syria as part of a peace deal, a change in heart that was made mainly possible by increasing bonhomie between Russia and Turkey. On January 20, 2017, three days prior to launch of Turkey-Russia-initiated talks at Astana, Kazakhstan, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek's indicated at the World Economic Forum at Davos that Ankara might be willing to go forward with a peace plan that envisioned Bashar Assad to stay in power, a marked difference of Ankara's stand from even few weeks' ago.
Talks Get in Rocky Start
Talks between rebel and government representatives began on January 23, 2017 at one of the coldest capitals of the world, Astana in Kazakhstan. From the very beginning, the tone and trajectory of talks went off-chart, with opposition branding the regime of Bashar Assad as a "terrorist regime". After opening session, parties split up and held separate talks with the mediators led by Staffan de Mistura, U.N. envoy for Syria. The lead opposition negotiator, Mohammad Alloush, characterized Assad a "terrorist", and called for Lebanese Hezbollah group and militants from Iran to be put under a "global terrorist organization" list, according to a video leaked by opposition delegates. On the other hand, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari lumped all opposition groups as a bunch of "terrorists". The U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan George Krol also attended January 23, 2017, session.
Talks Conclude with Minimal Sign of Progress
The two-day (January 23-24, 2017) talks between government and rebel sides concluded on January 24, 2017 in the second-coldest capital of the world (the first place recognition goes to Mongolian capital Ulan Bator). The talks were symbolically important, but yielded little in terms of substance other than re-iterating the parties' commitment to a fragile truce that had shakily held its ground since December 30, 2016 and creating a military mechanism based in Astana to monitor the truce on ground.
Russia Presents De-escalation Zone Proposals to Rebels in Astana Talk s
Russian representatives in early May 2017 presented a proposal to rebel representatives at the Astana Talks for "safe", or "de-escalation", zones in Syria to defuse tension, but the rebels chose to suspend participating in the talks. According to The Associated Press, the four "de-escalation zones" are Idlib and Homs provinces as well as Eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and an area in the south of the country. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2017 asked the rebels to join the Astana Talks. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at Sochi on May 3, 2017, and backed the "de-escalation zone" proposal.
Turkey, Russia, Iran Sign De-escalation Zones Creation Agreement
Turkey, Russia and Iran on May 4, 2017 signed a deal at Astana that would create four "de-escalation zones" in Syria.
The "De-escalation Zone" Deal Goes into Effect
The agreement signed at Astana by Turkey, Iran and Russia on May 4, 2017 went into effect in the early hours of May 6, 2017.
*********** ASTANA TALKS
First Face-to-Face Meet between Opposition and Regime in Three Years
The special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on February 23, 2017 convened first face-to-face talks in 3 years between opposition and regime officials at Geneva to cobble together a deal that would "end to this conflict".
Attack in Homs Dampens the Negotiation Climate
A well-coordinated spree of attacks on security offices in the central city of Homs on February 25, 2017 immediately attracted the parties in the Geneva talks--now on the third day--into a vortex of allegation and counter-allegation. It all began as gunmen stormed the security offices. As security forces responded with gunfire, the attackers blew themselves up, killing at least 32. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar al-Ja'afari demanded that opposition unequivocally condemn the barbaric attack. Opposition's lead negotiator Nasr al-Hariri condemned the attack, but blamed Assad regimes as the primary sponsor of "terrorism". U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, condemned the Homs attack too. Al-Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee claimed responsibility for the attack.
Progress Reported in Nine-day Talks
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on March 3, 2017 that the latest round of talks held in Geneva that had begun February 23, 2017 and continued through the day had made progress in establishing a "clear agenda". He had added counterterrorism and security to the agenda items for the next round of talks scheduled to begin later this month.
Opposition not to Seek Assad's Ouster as a Pre-Condition of Talks for the First Time
Since the Syrian Civil War erupted in 2011 that had so far killed more than 400,000, Syrian opposition leaders showed quite a bit flexibility for the first time over the issue whether Syrian President Bashar Assad should step down. Meeting at Riyadh days before U.N.-mediated talks, opposition on November 23, 2017 issued a communique that lent full support to 2012 Geneva Declaration, which called for establishing a transitional government with full executive authority, but stopped short of demanding Bashar Assad's ouster as a pre-condition for U.N.-mediated talks, a healthy departure from the past. A day before, November 22, 2017, the host of opposition talks, Saudi Arabia, said that an international consensus was building to arrive at a political settlement. Sounding optimistically, Syrian National Council leader Ahmed Ramadan said on November 23, 2017 that although "we set our negotiation goals", "we did not put down conditions".
********* EIGHTH ROUND OF SYRIA PEACE TALKS
Assad's Team Absent on the Opening Day of U.N.-mediated Talks
U.N. Special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura opened the eighth round of peace talks at Geneva on November 28, 2017, but government negotiators were conspicuous by their absence. Assad regime said that they would join the talks on November 29, 2017.
********* EIGHTH ROUND OF SYRIA PEACE TALKS
******************** INTERNATIONAL TALKS TO SEEK PEACE *******************
U.S. to Send up to 50 Special Operations Troops
On October 30, 2015, the White House announced that it would send up to 50 special operations personnel to Syria to assist and advise Syrian and Kurd resistance fighters in their fight against ISIL.
USA Pledges $100 Million in Aid to rebels
A day after announcing to send up to 50 specials ops forces to Syria, Washington on October 31, 2015 said that it would provide an additional $100 million in aid to Syrian rebels. The aid announced by Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken brought the total aid pledge to $500 million.
Investigators Conclude the Use of Toxin by Opposition Forces
In a report released on November 6, 2015, the investigators with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that they had come to the definite conclusion that mustard gas, a toxic agent, was used by rebels on August 21, 2015 in the village of Marea, north of Aleppo. ISIL was widely suspected to have used the chemical weapon. After the government stockpile of chemical weapons were procured and destroyed by OPCW, Bashar Assad regime was accused of using chlorine gas against rebel-held areas, but the use of chemical weapons such as mustard gas brought fore the fear of new escalation in the Syrian battlefield.
Assyrian Christians Freed
Stockholm-based Assyrian Human Rights Network said on November 7, 2015 that more than 200 Assyrian Christians had been released from ISIL captivity. According to the network, most of the captives freed hailed from the Assyrian village of Tal Tamr in the northeastern Hassakeh province. They were kidnapped in February 2015. The network also said that negotiation was continuing to secure the release of an additional 124 captives.
Jihadi John Might be Dead
The U.S.-led coalition spokesman Col. Steve Warren said on November 13, 2015 that the masked, British-accented Jihadi John, 27-year-old British born Mohammed Emwazi, who had carried out video-taped beheadings might have been killed in November 12, 2015, airstrike near Raqqa.
France Pounds Syrian City
On November 15, 2015, France launched an all-out war on ISIL, with waves of strikes against the group's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa. French Defense Ministry said that the airstrike had begun 7:50PM Paris time and targeted command posts along with the jihadist group's recruitment center in Raqqa. Although Francois Hollande's administration had been bombing the ISIL targets in Iraq since September 2014, it had begun airstrikes in Syria just seven weeks ago and carried out fewer than half-a-dozen bombings so far. However, that's sure to change in coming days as the focus of the airstrikes will be equal, if not more, on Syria as on Iraq in the aftermath of November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris.
Obama-Putin Meet on the Sidelines of Climate Talks
On November 30, 2015, US President Barack Obama met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of climate talks near Paris, and discussed on ways to formulate a list of participants from Syrian rebel groups in the international talks to end civil strife in Syria. Obama also stressed on de-escalating tension between Russia and Turkey over downing of a Russian warplane.
**************************************** HOMS TRUCE (2015) *********************
Rebels to Evacuate Completely out of Homs
A deal was reached on December 1, 2015 that called for rebels to leave the last opposition-controlled neighborhood in the third largest city of Syria, clearing way for Homs to fall under total government control, according to Homs Governor Talal Barrazi. After a similar deal in May 2014 that cleared other areas and neighborhoods of rebels, only Waer neighborhood remained the last bastion of opposition. Anti-Bashar Assad movement began in Homs in early 2011 as a peaceful protest, but soon descended into chaos and civil strife that had killed so far more than 250,000.
Rebels Begin to Pull out of Homs Neighborhood
Eight days after a local deal was arrived, rebels on December 9, 2015 began to pull out of Waer neighborhood along with some civilians. With the latest pullout, Homs will be completely under the government control. Most of the rebels, allied to Nusra Front, are reluctant to comply with the truce, and as part of the "local deal", they are being evacuated to the country's north. There are some armed factions of rebels, mostly those of Free Syrian Army, who had agreed to observe the truce, and are allowed to stay in Waer neighborhood as part of the deal.
Relief Enters the Besieged Neighborhood
After the completion of withdrawal of hundreds of rebels and their families from the Waer neighborhood, U.N. relief supplies were sent in to Waer neighborhood on December 12, 2015.
Bomb Explodes in Government-Held Section of Homs
The day relief supplies were sent in a truck convoy to Waer neighborhood, a car bomb exploded in a government-held neighborhood of Homs. Homs Governor Talal Barrazi said that most of the 16 dead in December 12, 2015, explosion near a hospital at Hom's Zahra neighborhood were women and children. Beside killing 16 people, the car bomb at Zahra neighborhood also injured more than 100.
Assad Regime Announces Complete Control over Homs
Bashar Assad government on May 21, 2017 announced for the first time since the uprising had erupted more than six years ago that the regime now had complete control over the country's third-largest city, Homs.
**************************************** HOMS TRUCE (2015) *********************
U.S. Investigating Civilian Deaths in Airstrikes
U.S. Central Command said on December 7, 2015 that it would look into reports that coalition airstrikes had killed at least 36 civilians, including 20 children, at a village, Al Khan, in Hassakah province in eastern Syria. The village, located near the town of Al Hawl, that was freed by Syrian Kurdish fighters from the clasp of ISIL on November 13, 2015, includes mud-and-brick houses and has less than 100 residents.
Assad Regime Reverses the Outcome on Ground
Aided by a ferocious air campaign by Russia and buffeted on the battlefield by Lebanese Hezbollah militants on one hand and Iranian Revolutionary Guards troops on the other, Bashar Assad regime made steady progress in recent weeks. Some of their key recent successes included:
* Removal of rebel siege on an Aleppo airbase at Kweiras in November 2015
* Capture of a military airbase near Damascus on December 14, 2015
* Capture of a strategic mountain in the northwest on December 16, 2015, tightening the noose around rebel-held areas in Latakia
Explosion Kills at least 17 Rebels
Just a Day after December 25, 2015, killing of one of the top Syrian rebel commanders, Zahran Alloush, a remote-controlled explosion shook a farmhouse, where several rebel commanders were in the midst of a meeting, on late December 26, 2015, killing 17 people. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the alleged explosion took place in the village of Kfar Shams in Daraa province.
U.S. Defense Chief Touts Administration's Decision to Send Special Ops as Contributing to Success
Addressing about 200 soldiers at the home of Army's 101st Airborne Division, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on January 13, 2016 that Obama administration's decision (in late October 2015) to send U.S. Special Ops to Syria had already borne fruit as they had assisted the local Kurd fighters to take back the strategically located Tishreen Dam in late December 2015 from ISIL siege.
Relief Convoy Enters Rebel-held Town, Two Pro-Government Villages
As widespread starvation was reported from the months-long siege by government forces on the rebel-held town of Madaya, a humanitarian crisis began to loom large. In response, U.N. agencies reached a deal with warring parties in recent days so that trucks with supplies and food could be sent to the besieged town of Madaya to avert a full-blown humanitarian disaster. On January 14, 2016, a convoy of 44 trucks from the U.N. World Food Program, International Committee for Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent had headed from Damascus to rebel-held town of Madaya. Simultaneously, another convoy of 17 trucks had left for two government-held villages, Foua and Kfarya in Idlib province, that had just the reverse experience of Madaya with rebels, in this case, laying a choke-off siege. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, intervening in the issue, said on January 14, 2016 that the responsible parties for deliberate starvation should be brought under justice.
Massacre Reported to Have Been Carried out by ISIL
On defensive on several fronts in Iraq and Syria, ISIL militants are growing more desperate, dastardly and barbaric by the day, and the latest evidence of that came on January 16, 2016 in the outskirts of the capital, Deir el-Zour, of the eastern Syrian province of the same name. Most of the capital is under control of ISIL, with only the outlying areas have presence of government troops and pro-government militia. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on January 16, 2016 that at least 135 people--including 80 military personnel and pro-Damascus militia along with the rest civilians--were killed by ISIL militants earlier in the day in the northern part of the capital. The northern neighborhood of Baghaliyeh witnessed the horror of the ISIL orgy, according to the observatory. Syrian official news agency SANA reported "a massacre" committed by ISIL, and the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV reported that ISIL killed more than 280 people and threw many of the bodies into the Euphrates River in addition to taking more than 400 hostage.
U.S. General: Russian Airstrikes Strengthen Assad's Hands
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. said at a NATO meeting at Brussels on January 20, 2016 that Russian involvement in Syrian conflict had tilted the military balance in the five-year conflict, providing Bashar Assad much-needed boost against the opposition.
Bombings in Homs Kill 20
Multiple bombings at a government-run checkpoint in Homs on January 26, 2016 killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 100.
Dutch to Join U.S.-led Coalition in Syria
On January 29, 2016, Dutch government announced its involvement in anti-ISIL air campaign coalition, led by the U.S., from Iraq to Syria.
ISIL Claims to Carry out Attacks near Shiite Mosque
As the members of High Negotiation Committee, umbrella group for Syrian opposition, met for the first time with U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, at Geneva, a car bomb exploded on January 31, 2016 near a Shiite mosque, Sayeda Zeinab shrine, in the south of Damascus, and two suicide bombers blew up as rescuers came to the scene after the first blast, killing at least 45 people. Sayeda Zeinab shrine played a crucial role in recruiting Shiite fighters from Lebanon, Iraq and Iran to prop up the regime of Bashar Assad.
U.S. Envoy to Opposition Coalition Fighters Visits Syria
Reports emerged during the day that Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama's envoy to the U.S.-backed coalition of opposition fighters, who were fighting against ISIL, had concluded a two-day visit to Syria on February 1, 2016, first time a U.S. official paid visit to Syria after Washington had launched airstrikes in 2014.
A Massive Offensive Planned
As the talks in Geneva were limping along, Syrian President Bashar Assad's army, backed by foot-soldiers from Hezbollah and pro-government militias along with a concerted air support from Russia, on February 2, 2016 was at the beginning of launching a major offensive to oust rebel fighters from long-held rebel areas of Aleppo and Homs.
Aid Conference Gets $10 billion in Pledge for Syria
An aid conference was held at London on February 4, 2016, a day after the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called for a pause to the peace talks, in which nations pledged to raise $10 billion to help Syrians in the midst of a 5-year civil war that had thrown the nation into the grip of economic, social and religious meltdown of an unprecedented proportion. USA pledged at London conference $900 million in new aid, bringing the total aid for Syria to $5.1 billion as of date. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at London that out of $900 million pledged, $600 million would go to U.N. and other agencies for providing relief, shelter, food and medicine. Britain pledged $1.8 billion over the next four years, and Germany $2.8 billion by 2018, including $1.2 billion this year alone. Hailing the scale of pledge at London conference, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on February 4, 2016 that not so much money in humanitarian aid was ever raised in U.N. history in a single day.
Saudi Arabia to Send Ground Troops to Syria
A Saudi military official, Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Asiri, said on February 4, 2016 that Saudi Arabia was willing and ready to contribute to ground forces to fight against ISIL in Syria. Last year, UAE made a similar offer for ground troops in Syria.
UAE Joins Saudi Arabia to Offer Ground Troops to Syria
Three days after Saudi Arabia offered to send ground troops to Syria to fight against ISIL, United Arab Emirates on February 7, 2016 renewed its offer, first issued last year, to send troops to Syria to fight against ISIL.
Explosions Kill 120 as Russia and USA Work towards a New Deadline for Cessation of Hostilities
A series of explosions rocked the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood of Damascus on February 21, 2016, killing at least 62 people and wounding dozens, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However, the state-owned SANA news agency reported that more than 83 people were killed and at least 170 wounded. Also, during the day, twin car bombs wreaked havoc in the central city of Homs. According to SOHR, 57 people, including 11 women, were killed. Syrian Foreign Ministry said that at least 46 people were killed in the Homs bombings. ISIL claimed responsibility for February 21, 2016, bombings both in Damascus and Homs. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on February 21, 2016 contacted with his Russian counterpart during his visit in Jordan, and hashed out details to have the cessation of hostilities to take effect in the next few days.
******** KURDISH EFFORT ON AUTONOMOUS REGION IN NORTHERN SYRIA *****
Kurds Meet to Advance the Push to Crate Autonomous Region
In a bold political push, Kurdish groups are meeting in a conference that has begun on March 16, 2016 at the town of Rmeilan in the northern Syrian province of Hassakeh to discuss on establishing an autonomous Kurdish federal region in the north Syria. The meeting may last several days, leading to an announcement of a Kurdish federal region.
Kurds Announce Creation of Kurdish Federal Region
The support for creating an autonomous Kurdish region in the northern parts of Syria was so strong among the participants of Rmeilan conference that it took only two days to arrive at a conclusive decision to create an autonomous Kurdish federal region in the country's north. On March 17, 2016, announcement came that Kurds would establish Rojava (Syrian Kurdish Region) and North Syria. The name of the autonomous region, Rojava and North Syria, reflects the aspiration and assimilation of disparate groups and tribes that will be backbone of a secular region. One of the top leaders of the Rojava and North Syria, Salih Muslim, also said during an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer journalist Trudy Rubin during her latest trip to the region that Rojava would make naysayers wrong through its embrace of secular character. Syrian President Bashar Assad and his arch nemesis, Turkey, as well as the USA condemned the formation of Rojava and North Syria.
Damascus, Kurds to Begin Talks
A Damascus-backed group, Syrian Democratic Front, sent a delegation on June 6, 2018 to autonomous Kurdish enclave in northeastern Syria to begin talks with U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Council on political reconciliation days after a "road map" had emerged from a Washington meeting between Mike Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart on withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from the northern city of Manbij and joint patrol by soldiers from NATO allies to guarantee the city's security.
Talks Are Afoot to Begin Peace Drive
Syrian Democratic Council, political umbrella of U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that controlled vast areas of Syria and played a crucial role in ousting ISIL from several strongholds such as Raqqa, said on July 29, 2018 that its representatives had held talks with Syrian government officials in Damascus and agreed to form committees to continue with negotiations to ensure "an end to violence". In May 2018, Syrian President Bashar Assad threatened to uproot pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Council from the semiautonomous region in the country's northeast until Kurds sat down with government for re-conciliation. Since then, relations got better as Kurds saw value in negotiating with Assad as they were getting squeezed by Turkey. The July 29, 2018, statement issued by Syrian Democratic Council also expressed hope for a roadmap that would eventually lead to a "democratic decentralized Syria".
******** KURDISH EFFORT ON AUTONOMOUS REGION IN NORTHERN SYRIA *****
U.S. Officially Labels ISIL as Committing Genocide
In a symbolic, but significant, move the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on March 17, 2016 officially designated ISIL as a group that had been committing genocide in Iraq and Syria through "eliminating those who do not subscribe its perverse ideology". Kerry's genocide designation came on the eve of a deadline set by Congress for Obama administration to find out whether ISIL was committing genocide. Kerry's announcement came three days after a March 14, 2016, unanimous resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn ISIL's brutal campaign to eradicate minorities in areas under its control.
Captured Japanese Journalist Appears in the Video
A Japanese journalist, Junpei Yasuda, captured and held hostage since last year, appeared in a video circulated on March 17, 2016 where he was seen as pleading for his life, but without any inkling of who were holding him or what was their demand.
ISIL's Deputy Leader Killed
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on March 25, 2016 that a U.S. special operations ground offensive took out Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, a top lieutenant of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head of the militant group, a day earlier within Syria, not divulging the exact location or timing.
Syrian Forces Takes Back Key Centerpiece of a Triangular Region
A week after taking back the historic city of Palmyra, Syrian ground forces on April 3, 2016 retook a strategic city, Qaryatain, that lies at the center of triangular arc connecting Damascus, Homs and Palmyra. ISIL militants who controlled Qaryatain since August 2015 withdrew from the heart of the city instead of putting up a fight.
American Adventurer Freed from Syria
An American freelance photographer, Kevin Patrick Dawes, who had disappeared near the border with Turkey almost four years ago was released by Syrian authorities, according to an April 8, 2016, report carried by The New York Times.
Egyptian Militant Killed in Syria
An Egyptian militant who was implicated in 1997 Luxor attack carried out by the then-one of the dreaded militant groups, Gamaa Islamiya, that had killed 58 foreign tourists, was killed by a drone strike in Syria's Idlib province on April 5, 2016. The death of Rifai Ahmad Taha was disclosed by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on April 8, 2016.
ISIL Releases 300 Workers 48 Hours after Abduction
ISIL, which was losing territories at significant rates both in Iraq and Syria, seized a cement factory at the town of Dumeir, northeast of Damascus, on April 7, 2016. ISIL militants, attacking soft targets in recent weeks after getting a drubbing in the battlefield, overwhelmed the security at the al-Badia Cement Company on April 7, 2016 and kidnapped 300 employees along with about 30 security personnel. Feeling an increased churn in its rank and heat over cruelty meted out to civilians at random, the militants on April 9, 2016 released about 300 workers, but not before showing their true color by killing four Druz employees. ISIL militants also didn't release cement factory's security personnel on April 9, 2016.
Syrian Planes Bomb Town, Kill Dozens
The residents of Maarat al-Noaman took a principled stand by recently staging daily protest against both government brutality as well as terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIL and Nusra Front. After 38 days of straight protests, residents of Maarat al-Noaman had to pay a very high price as the government planes bombed the protest gathering on April 19, 2016, killing at least 37 people and wounding dozens. The attack on Maarat al-Noaman and a second town, Kafr Nabl, took place a day after Syrian opposition groups announced that they would suspend their participation at Geneva talks.
Syrian Airstrike Kills at least 18
Syrian aircraft on April 22, 2016 launched a vicious assault on the rebel-held Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood in Aleppo, killing at least 18 people and underscoring the difficulties faced by the international community to make the warring parties adhere to a fragile cessation of hostilities, leave alone any progress on political front.
Airstrikes, Shelling Kill 26 in Aleppo
The bitter fighting between government forces and rebels defying the so-called cessation of hostilities continued for the third straight day on April 24, 2016 in Aleppo. The rebel shelling of the government-held parts of Aleppo killed 10 people on April 24, 2016, including two young siblings. Meanwhile, the (Bashar) Assad regime carried out another bout of punishing airstrikes against rebel positions in Aleppo, killing at least 16.
Obama to Expand U.S. Special Forces Personnel
President Barack Obama is to announce on April 25, 2016 that the number of U.S. special forces to Syria will be ramped up by 250 troops from its current level of 50 that has been ordered on October 30, 2015 to 300.
Obama Announces Troops Boost in Syria
Underscoring the stake to fight against ISIL, President Barack Obama, standing beside European leaders such as David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande, announced on April 25, 2016 the fivefold increase of troops in Syria from 50 to 300. The venue of the troops surge announcement was deliberate as President made it at Hanover, Germany in the midst of a summit. President Obama, who in recent days had rattled leaders from the Middle East and Europe by calling them the so-called "free riders", made an indirect reference on April 25, 2016 in his address as he said that "sometimes Europe has been complacent about its own defense" and implored the European leaders to contribute more troops to fight the ISIL. The troop surge will include special operations forces who will assist the local security as well as logistics and maintenance personnel.
Peace Talks at a Standstill amid Intensifying of the Fighting
The fight over Aleppo between rebel and government troops continued for the fourth straight day on April 25, 2016, with shelling taking at least 20 lives. An additional eight people were killed during the day as a car bomb exploded at a military checkpoint near a holy Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.
Aleppo Conflict Poses Threat to Geneva Talks
The diplomats and negotiators at Geneva talks, already at the moribund state, were getting worried by the day as the conflict in Aleppo got worse in terms of human toll on April 26, 2016 as airstrikes killed at least 15 people in rebel-held areas.
Aleppo Conflict Intensifies Amid Negotiators in Geneva Ringing Alarm Bells
The airstrikes and counter-shelling took their heavy tolls on the residents of Aleppo on April 27 and April 28, 2016 as brinkmanship on the both sides was let loose by shameless disregard for human life. An airstrike on Al-Quds hospital in the rebel-held territory on April 27, 2016 night killed at least 27 people, including three children and six staff members. The hospital was run by the Doctors Without Borders, and its location should have been known to the government. Then, on the following day, April 28, 2016, the government planes launched another volley of airstrikes on the rebel-held portions in Aleppo, killing at least 20 people. Not to be left behind in displaying utter irresponsibility, the rebels adopted tit-for-tat tactic on April 28, 2016, shelling government-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing at least 14 people, mostly civilians. Underscoring the graveness of the situation, the U.N. special advisor for Syria, Jan Egeland, lamented during the day in the sidelines of whatever talks still being held at Geneva that "I could not in any way express how high stakes are for the next hours and days".
Attacks and Counterattacks Jeopardize Lives, Geneva Talks
Eight days after the recent escalation had erupted over the control of Aleppo, regime airstrikes on April 29, 2016 killed 10 people, while the rebel shelling on Malla Khan Mosque in the government-held territory had taken lives of 15 people. At least 200 people on both sides were killed in Aleppo since the latest escalation had erupted on April 22, 2016. Meanwhile, reports emerged during the day that one of the dead in April 27, 2016, airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital included one of the last remaining pediatricians in Aleppo, Dr. Muhammad Waseem Maaz.
A Second Hospital Attacked within a Week
Six days after an airstrike on Al-Quds Hospital in rebel-held territory of Aleppo had killed 27 people, a rocket was fired the rebel-held positions on a maternity hospital, Dubeet Hospital, in the government-held Muhafaza neighborhood in Aleppo on May 3, 2016, killing four people. The intense fighting during the day killed an additional at least 16 more people in and around Aleppo. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based organization, about 200 people were killed in the last 12 days since the latest conflagration in Aleppo had erupted on April 22, 2016.
Cessation of Hostilities Fruitless in Stopping Fighting
As the cessation of hostilities was officially restored in and around Aleppo on May 4, 2016, nothing apparently changed on ground. Militants from Nusra Front, a group not covered by cessation of hostilities, launched attacks on May 5, 2016 on government and allied militia positions south of Aleppo. Meanwhile, an airstrike later on May 5, 2016 killed at least 28 people at a refugee camp in Idlib province, setting ablaze tents and structures at the refugee camp. Addressing reporters at Washington D.C., White House press secretary Josh Earnest on May 5, 2016 condemned the airstrike on the refugee camp and said that there was absolutely no excuse. Also, on May 5, 2016, twin suicide bombings in the central Homs province killed at least 10 people, and ISIL apparently seized a natural gas field, Shaer gas field, in the same province from Syrian troops.
Russia, Syria Deny Airstrike on a Refugee Camp, Rebels Capture a Village in Aleppo
A day after an airstrike killed 28 people at the Sarmada Refugee Camp in Idlib province, both Syrian and Russian officials on May 6, 2016 denied that any refugee camp was attacked. Meanwhile, after a fierce fight, a coalition of militant groups, including Nusra Front, seized a strategic village, Khan Touman, in Aleppo province from the government control on May 6, 2016. Since May 5, 2016, 73 fighters--43 on the rebel side and 30 government soldiers--were killed in the battle over the village, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Three Spanish Journalists Released
The office of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy issued a statement on May 7, 2016 making public that three Spanish journalists--Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre--were released from captivity. All three had disappeared from the northern city of Aleppo on July 12, 2015, and Spanish government had been working in league with Turkish and Qatar's governments since then to secure their release. The incident was reminiscent of three other journalists who were released in March 2014 after held hostage for months by the rebels.
A Senior Commander's Death Sheds Light on Hezbollah's Deep Involvement
A senior Hezbollah commander, Mustafa Badreddine, 55, died of a massive explosion near Damascus airport on May 12, 2016, and the initial suspicion fell on either Israel or two Sunni extremist groups--ISIL and Nusra Front. His death once more underscored a deepening bond and durable military alliance among Shiite Hezbollah, Iran and Bashar Assad regime. His body was buried the following day, May 13, 2016, at a southern suburb in Beirut with a sea of people biding a tearful farewell to the Shiite commander. Reiterating the resolve of the group, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Kassem said on May 13, 2016 that his group was undeterred. Mustafa Badreddine was accused of carrying out U.S. and French embassy bombings in Kuwait in 1983 that had killed five people. Sentenced to death, Badreddine fled Kuwait in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's invasion of the tiny emirate in 1990. He was one of four defendants who were tried in absentia in the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri in Lebanon.
Hezbollah Vows to Take Avenge of Its Commander's Death
Hezbollah on May 14, 2016 said that Mustafa Badreddine was killed on late May 12, 2016 near the Damascus airport in insurgent shelling, and vowed that its fight against takfiri groups, Sunni extremist groups, would continue.
Russia Building Military Base Near Heritage Site
A U.S.-based heritage organization and a Syrian antiquities official said on May 17, 2016 that Russian military was in the midst of a construction spree to build a military base near the World Heritage Site of Palmyra. Based on the evidence obtained from satellite imagery and an analytics company, DigitalGlobe, the American School of Oriental Research's Cultural Heritage Initiative posted pictures of Russian construction activity near Palmyra. Separately, Maamoun Abdulkarim, head of the Antiquities and Museums Department in Damascus, said that the Russian and Syrian forces were building a permanent presence near Palmyra to protect the centuries-old artifacts and architectural remains from ISIL attacks.
Attacks Strike Assad Strongholds in Coastal Areas
A series of explosions rocked the western Syria's coastal heartland of Alawites on May 23, 2016, killing at least 80 people. A car bomb and three suicide bombers struck at the emergency entrance of the Jableh National Hospital in the city of Jableh. Shortly afterward, a car bomb followed by suicide bombers wreaked havoc at a bus terminus and a gas station in a second city, Tartus. Combined death toll reported by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stood more than 145, far higher than government's figure of 80. The coastal area was so far immune from the campaign of bombings and violence that had become emblematic for the rest of Syria. However, many of the displaced from Syria's more than 5 years of civil war, sought shelter in the coastal region. In the immediate aftermath of attacks in Jableh and Tartus, backlash had begun, with mobs attacking a sprawling refugee camp in Tartus, al-Karnak camp, and partially burning it down.
Toll Rises in Two Coastal Cities
A day after nine bombings had hit the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus, authorities on May 24, 2016 began to piece all the information together and wrap their heads around the brutal carnage that had left a trail of devastation in its wake. Meanwhile, coffins of some 160 people killed in May 23, 2016, attacks on Jableh and Tartus began to make their journey to burial places. Meanwhile, ISIL had claimed hours after the carnage that it was behind the May 23, 2016, attacks on Jableh and Tartus.
U.S. Admits Wrongdoing in Special Ops Wearing Kurdish Badge
In response to Turkish condemnation of a recent photo that appeared and went viral showing the U.S. Special Operation forces alongside Kurdish fighters in Raqqa province wearing the logos of Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, and its female wing, YPJ, the U.S. military on May 27, 2016 made a rare admission of wrongdoing as the Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said that the act was "unauthorized".
ISIL Fighters Seize Half a Dozen Villages in Northern Syria
While on retreat under the assault of Syrian forces and Iraqi forces, ISIL were trying to expand its reach by launching attacks in areas under rebel control in northern parts of Aleppo province. On May 27, 2016, ISIL fighters seized six villages, and tightened the noose around the rebel-held town of Azaz. Beside, ISIL cut off a supply route to another rebel-held town, Marea. At least 165,000 people had become newly displaced because of ISIL's latest spree of attacks.
Aid Reaches for the First Time in Years at Capital Suburb
As the talks at Geneva were ground to a virtual halt, international aid agencies were encountering herculean tasks of distributing supplies in the hard-hit areas. However, on June 1, 2016, an aid convoy carrying relief supplies reached at the Darayya suburb of Damascus for the first time since 2012. The convoy of the U.N. and ICRC took advantage of a 48-hour pause in airstrikes announced by Russia.
U.S.-backed Forces Make Progress
U.S.-backed Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) on June 3, 2016 captured at least 4 villages from ISIL fighters, and tightened the noose around a key city, Manbij, a strategic link in a supply route between Turkey and Raqqa, self-declared capital of the so-called ISIL caliphate. According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Local Coordination Committees, 28 villages near Manbij were now under the control of Kurdish fighters. SDF launched the latest assault on May 30, 2016 aided by U.S.-led airstrikes.
ISIL Faces Three-Pronged Attacks in Syria
ISIL fighters were pushed to a wall on the battlefront in northern Syria as Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces on June 4, 2016 launched a ferocious attack to seize Manbij, a strategic link in a supply route between Turkey and Raqqa, self-declared capital of the so-called ISIL caliphate. The latest push to liberate Manbij was launched on June 1, 2016 by Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. After launching the campaign on June 1, 2016, Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces had seized several dozens of villages around and near Manbij before the final stretch to capture the strategic town. ISIL fighters were also engaged in severe fighting on a second front at another city, Marea, 40 miles west of Manbij. As the U.S.-backed rebels, including Kurdish fighters, were on the offensive against ISIL, the Syrian forces, aided by Russian, airstrikes were breathing on the shoulder of ISIL's power structure in Raqqa as Bashar Assad's forces were making strides from the south to enter Raqqa.
Al-Qaeda-linked Militant Group Heavily Shells Parts of Aleppo
Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front on June 4, 2016 shelled government-held parts of Aleppo, killing 22 people and wounding 23.
Russia to Ramp up Air Support in Aleppo
In response to Nusra Front's brutal counter-offensive in Aleppo, including the June 4, 2016, shelling that had killed 22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on June 6, 2016 that his country would ramp up airstrikes to help Syrian forces neutralize rebel attacks in Aleppo.
Assad Vows to Take Back Territories from Terrorists
Speaking in the Syrian parliament after a long time, President Bashar Assad on June 7, 2016 vowed to "liberate" all territories lost to terrorists just like Palmyra and bury the dream of "butcher" Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the "graveyard of Aleppo".
Civilians Fleeing Besieged City; Three Hospitals Shelled in Aleppo
Thousands of civilians were fleeing the besieged city of Manbij as Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) encircled the city on June 8, 2016, 10th day of the campaign. About 300 U.S. special forces were reported to have been embedded with the SDF troops in the battlefield. At least 70 villages and farms surrounding Manbij were taken from the ISIL control over the past ten days, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Separately from the battle over Manbij, fighting elsewhere in Aleppo continued on June 8, 2016, with three hospitals in the rebel-held areas of Aleppo coming under attack. A UNICEF-run hospital, Al-Hakim Hospital, one of very few facilities still offering pediatric services, was shelled. Reacting to targeting of a hospital, UNICEF's regional director, Peter Salama, questioned the international community's conscience when "babies have to be taken out incubators because of attacks on hospitals". The Spokesman of the U.S. State Department, Mark Toner, condemned the "unconscionable" attack by the regime on hospitals. A second hospital, Bayan Hospital, in the rebel-held Shaar neighborhood, came under attack too on June 8, 2016.
Envoy Receives Regime's Approval for Relief Supplies
The U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia, and hoped that the supplies would be distributed before the end of June 2016.
Relief Convoy Enters the Besieged Town in Homs Province
After receiving permission earlier in the week from Assad regime to provide relief to 15 of 19 besieged areas--although the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on June 9, 2016 announced that he had received initial approval from the Syrian regime to distribute relief supplies to 17 areas encircled by government troops and allied militia--a 31-truck convoy with relief supplies entered the town of Houla in Homs province on June 11, 2016.
Suicide Attacks Kill a Dozen near Syrian Capital
A twin suicide attacks, involving a suicide bomber and a truck bomb, killed at least 12 people and wounded 55 at the Shiite-dominated Sayyida Zeinab, just south of Damascus, on June 11, 2016. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated the death toll much higher at 20. Reacting to the attacks, Syrian Prime minister Wael al-Halqi told official Syrian Arab News Agency that "brutal massacre" at Sayyida Zeinab was committed in connivance with Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
*********** DIPLOMATIC DISSENSION OVER OBAMA'S SYRIA POLICY ************
Dozens of U.S. Diplomats Protest Obama's Syria Policy
More than 50 U.S. diplomats stationed all around the world filed a strong protest in recent days against President Barack Obama's policy of inaction and dilemma in Syria. The diplomats had used the State Department's so-called "dissent channel", established in the Vietnam era to provide dissenting diplomats a conduit to express their opinions, to air their differences. The diplomats urged the administration to take a tougher line against the Bashar Assad regime, including launching airstrikes against the regime targets for repeated violations of cease-fires. The New York Times published the memo in its June 16, 2016, edition.
*********** DIPLOMATIC DISSENSION OVER OBAMA'S SYRIA POLICY ************
Syrian Kurds Fleeing ISIL-held Areas
As Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, soldiers entered into Manbij and engaged in a fierce battle in the city center with ISIL militants in recent days, the ISIL took a defensive posture in al-Bab, a neighboring city and an ISIL stronghold that was under direct threat now from SDF, and other areas in Aleppo. Hundreds of Kurdish civilians were kidnapped by ISIL to use them as human shield. Tens of thousands of other Syrian Kurds had fled the battle zone for SDF-controlled areas. The political arm of SDF, Syrian Democratic Council, or SDC, issued a statement on June 25, 2016, calling on the world to help the SDF "prevent the occurrence of a catastrophe or a massacre".
Alleged Russian Airstrike Kills Dozens
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 25, 2016 that airstrikes launched by Russia earlier in the day had hit a mosque at a village, Qourieh, in Deir el-Zour province, killing at least 46 people, including 31 civilians. Qourieh, like most areas of the Deir el-Zour province, is controlled by ISIL. Russia denied that it had carried the airstrikes in Qourieh on June 25, 2016.
Weapons Stolen from the Secret CIA Training Program
A joint investigation by Al-Jazeera and The New York Times made public June 26, 2016 brought to the public knowledge the degree of lack of oversight of a secret arming program meant for western-backed Syrian rebels. According to the investigation report, the weapons shipped by the CIA and Saudi Arabia to the training sites in Jordan were not accounted properly, and some of the weapons were stolen and had made their way to the arms black market in Jordan.
A Key Aleppo Road Closed due to Fighting
A new set of complexities arose out of intensified fighting in northeastern parts of Aleppo on July 7, 2016 as a key passageway, Castello Road, for transporting relief and aid to rebel-held neighborhoods was closed. Castello Road was lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people who were left inside the rebel-held parts of Aleppo, and the road's closure would surely deteriorate an already existing humanitarian crisis. Expressing frustration, the U.N. voiced deep concern on July 12, 2016.
Russian Foreign Minister Decries U.N. Inaction
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 12, 2016 had some harsh words for the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, for not giving a diplomatic push through negotiation and instead waiting for U.S. and Russia to come up with a political transition plan. The indirect talks between Syrian rebels and government broke down in April 2016.
************************ U.S.-RUSSIA AGREEMENT ON SYRIA *********************
Kerry Submits Limited Military Alliance Proposal to Putin
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on July 14, 2016 submitted an eight-page proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a state visit to Russia aimed at sharing intelligence, military strategies and counterterrorism tactics to contain and defeat extremist forces, including Islamic State, in Syria. Although this sort of alliance is the call of the day if Islamic State is to be defeated, it may not sit well with the Syrian rebel groups as they may see this alliance as Washington cozying up with Assad regime.
U.S., Russia Agree to Push for a Cease-fire
On July 15, 2016, U.S. and Russia agreed on a framework, an eight-page proposal submitted by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry a day earlier to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to make a renewed push for a cease-fire, unitedly work for a political transition plan and intensify the fight against extremist groups operating in Syria, namely Nusra Front and ISIL. However, neither John Kerry nor his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who had both appeared at a Moscow press conference, divulged the agreement details.
Aleppo Cease-fire Talks near Conclusion
After days of talks between U.S. and Russian negotiators, hope for a cease-fire deal in the divided city of Aleppo is getting new lease of life as Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said in remarks carried by Rossiya 24 TV on August 15, 2016 that "step by step, we are nearing an arrangement", especially "about Aleppo".
Agreement Reached on Syria
After months of negotiations between Russia and the USA, negotiators on September 9, 2016 reached an agreement on cessation of violence in Aleppo and besieged areas and ensuring aid supplies to people entrapped by the raging conflict that had created the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. The agreement was publicly announced in Geneva by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the early hours of September 10, 2016 local time. Under the agreement, violence and attacks by warring parties will stop effective September 12, 2016 and U.N. and other relief agencies will be allowed to provide humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of besieged people in Aleppo and other Syrian cities. If the cessation of hostilities holds for an initial period of seven days, U.S. and Russia will establish a Joint Implementation Center to share information on Nusra Front and ISIL so that both nations may effectively target militants from these two groups. Now, the challenge to both Moscow and Washington is significant, but not impossible: Russia needs to dissuade its ally Bashar Assad from attacking the rebel-held parts of Aleppo and other areas, and U.S. has to do the same for the western-backed rebel groups which are skeptical of any accord that keeps Assad in power.
Violence Intensifies on the Eve of Russia-U.S. Agreement to Go into Effect
In an act of political brinkmanship with military ruthlessness, warring sides tried to maximize their respective territorial gains by doubling down on the scale of violence on September 10, 2016, hours after an agreement was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at Geneva. A barrage of airstrikes were launched on rebel-held parts of Aleppo and Idlib by the Syrian regime, killing at least 90 people. On the other end, Syrian rebels launched attacks in the southern Quneitra province.
Cessation of Violence Goes into Effect
As expected, the cessation of violence called for by the September 9, 2016, Russia-U.S. agreement went into effect in Aleppo and other areas of Syria on September 12, 2016 at 7PM local time.
First Crack in Truce Appears after U.S. Airstrikes
Five days after a cessation of violence went into effect in Aleppo and other Syrian cities, a U.S. airstrikes in Deir al-Zour on September 17, 2016 killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers. Although Pentagon called the incident an accidental mistake, Syrian government called it deliberate.
Aid Convoy Hit by Airstrikes as Truce Collapses
A U.N. aid convoy was hit by airstrikes on September 19, 2016 in western parts of Aleppo City, killing at least 32 people, including 12 in the convoy. Earlier in the day, Syrian regime announced the end of cessation of violence that had gone into effect on September 12, 2016 as part of a U.S.-Russia agreement. The airstrikes on September 19, 2016, targeted against the U.N. convoy, were reported to be carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime.
Aid Shipment Suspended after the Airstrikes
More information poured in on September 20, 2016 about the late September 19, 2016, airstrikes on a Syrian Arab Crescent convoy that had killed dozens in the rebel-held town of Uram al-Kubra. First a warehouse was targeted, and minutes after a 31-truck convoy carrying about 100 tons of food, medicine and baby formula was targeted. At least 18 trucks were decimated. On September 20, 2016, U.N. suspended the aid delivery, and ICRC called the attack "a flagrant violation of international law".
Kerry Struggles to Revive the Deal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on September 21, 2016 pushed hard to resuscitate the crumbling agreement that U.S. and Russia had reached just days ago and now at the brink of collapsing after an alleged Russian airstrike on September 19, 2016 had hit a U.N. relief convoy and killed scores of people. Kerry's new proposal was to ground all the aircraft in "key areas" in Syria. Kerry's Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who was also present in the U.N. Security Council meeting where Kerry put forward the proposal, was yet to respond to it.
U.N. Resumes Aid Delivery
Three days after suspending its aid operation for three days since an alleged airstrike on a relief convoy destroyed tons of supplies and killed scores of people, U.N. on September 22, 2016 resumed aid deliveries to selected areas. A 25-truck convoy left Damascus for Moadamiya, according to a U.N. special adviser for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland, a suburb of capital where about 40,000 people were living in dire conditions. Egeland also said at Geneva that trucks were getting loaded and ready to deliver aid to other affected areas.
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
A day after faint hopes emerged for resuscitating a fragile deal between U.S.-Russia with U.N. resuming aid supplies to Moadamiya, optimism came to a screeching halt on September 23, 2016 as Russian and Syrian warplanes pummeled eastern parts of Aleppo city and neighboring villages in the province of same name. The ferocity of airstrikes was so severe and sustained that they took out water supplies to almost 2 million people, knocked out power lines, left neighborhood after neighborhood to piles of debris and destruction, and untold degree of human toll. The estimate of death toll in September 23, 2016, airstrikes ranged from 72 to 100. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, John Kerry met with Sergey Lavrov during the day for a last bid effort to revive the faltering agreement that helped to put the civil conflict to a near pause for a week before its breakdown.
U.N Chief Condemns "Chilling" Escalation in Aleppo
Bashar Assad's forces aided by Russian air campaign and Hezbollah fighters on September 24, 2016 doubled down on the disaster brought upon the residents of rebel-held parts of Aleppo as government forces captured during the day a Palestinian refugee camp, Handarat Camp, from the rebels. A day after up to 100 people might have been killed, at least 52 people, including 11 children and six women, were killed on September 24, 2016 in continuing offensive by Assad regime and Russian forces. Reacting to a looming humanitarian catastrophe in rebel-held parts of Aleppo, U.N.S.G. Ban Ki-moon on September 24, 2016 called the latest offensive as a "chilling" escalation. Frustrated by a lack of diplomatic progress, Secretary of State John Kerry said at Tufts University that the situation in Aleppo was "beyond the pale".
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
As a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement had collapsed after the September 19, 2016, airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy, it was free for all in terms of unmitigated attacks on civilians in Aleppo by the both warring parties. However, the scale of destruction inflicted by Russian and Syrian airstrikes made the regime-Russia offensive one of the most gruesome and grotesque in the Syrian Civil War. On September 26, 2016, airstrikes targeted against rebel-held neighborhoods involved heavy-duty bombs.
Pro-Regime Fighters Seize a Rebel-held Neighborhood in Aleppo
Eight days after a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement collapsed after a U.N. aid convoy had been hit by airstrikes, fighters loyal to Bashar Assad on September 27, 2016 seized a rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood, Farafra, near the city's medieval citadel while the pro-government airstrikes raged parts of rebel-held Sha'ar and Mashhad neighborhoods.
Ban Calls Aleppo Worse than "Slaughterhouse", U.S. Threatens to Stop Talks with Russia
Since a fragile cessation of violence deal collapsed on September 19, 2016, Assad regime and Russia had carried out relentless attacks on rebel-held areas, especially the rebel-held neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo where an estimated 275,000 civilians were thought to be trapped in. Responding to the looming humanitarian disaster, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on September 28, 2016 called the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo worse than a "slaughterhouse". Meanwhile, expressing the U.S. frustration of Russian action in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during the day told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov over phone that Washington would have to halt talks with Russia if Moscow continued with its campaign to stifle the people of rebel-held eastern Aleppo.
Russia Pooh-Poohs Kerry's Threat
Dismissing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's threat to halt talks with Moscow in a bid to resuscitate the September 9, 2016, U.S.-Russia agreement, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on September 29, 2016 that Moscow had no plan to slow down its offensive in Aleppo. Ryabkov added that his country had offered more than once to have a 48-hour pause in fighting in Aleppo so that humanitarian aid could flow. However, Washington was fixated, according to Ryabkov, on a seven-day pause for reasons only "they know". Meanwhile, the situation in eastern Aleppo was nearing to a point of "human catastrophe" situation, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator Stephen O'Brien told the U.N. Security Council on September 29, 2016. Separately at Geneva, the deputy U.N. special envoy for Syria, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, said during the day that only 35 doctors had been left behind in the rebel-controlled parts of eastern Aleppo to serve nearly 275,000 people entrapped there.
Main Hospital in Aleppo's Rebel Area Bombed for the Second Time
The M10 Hospital, the biggest hospital in the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, was bombed on October 1, 2016 by aircraft for the second time in a week.
U.S. Abandons Talks with Russia, Moscow Reneges on a Key Arms Control Act
As the barrage of airstrikes on the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo continued unabated, U.S. on October 3, 2016 announced that it was immediately suspending talks with Russia on Syrian war. Russia has responded in kind: abrogating its responsibility in a key arms-control act that calls for disposing of 34 tons of Plutonium by both nations.
Russia Criticized for Turning a Blind Eye on Assad's Excesses
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on October 4, 2016 at Brussels just before attending a conference on Afghanistan that Russia's role in Syria was deplorable as Moscow had decided to turn a blind eye on Assad regime's "Chlorine gas and barrel bombs against his own people".
Russia Deploys Missiles a Day after Washington Suspends Talks
Russian Defense Ministry said on October 4, 2016 that it had deployed a battery of S-300 air defense missiles to protect the assets and personnel of Tartus, its only existing airbase outside the former Soviet Republic nations, and its navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea.
More than 300 Civilians Killed since Collapse of U.S.-Russia Agreement
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on October 5, 2016 that 316 civilians had been accounted to have been killed by the joint Syrian-Russian campaign in the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russian agreement.
U.N. Envoys Calls for a New Truce
U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on October 6, 2016 called for a new truce in Syria that would not only bring peace to Aleppo, where a fragile U.S.-Russia deal had collapsed on September 19, 2016, but also other Syrian cities. The diplomat, speaking to reporters at Geneva, asked the fighters of Nusra Front, now renamed Levant Conquest Front, numbering about 900 to leave the eastern parts of Aleppo to spare about 275,000 civilians from Russian-Syrian airstrikes.
Kerry Slams Russia
A day after the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called for a new Syria truce to replace a fragile U.S.-Russia agreement that had collapsed on September 19, 2016, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on October 7, 2016 condemned Russia's brutal campaign in Syria, especially targeting hospitals in rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Referring to the latest airstrikes overnight on a hospital that had killed 20 people, Kerry, alongside the visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, said at Washington D.C. that Russia's action amounted to "targeted strategy to terrorize" Syrian opposition.
U.N. Security Council Hits Impasse amid Aleppo Descending into "Terribly Dire" Situation
As death toll mounted steadily since the September 19, 2016, collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement after airstrikes on a U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo, Competing proposals floated around at the U.N. Security Council. On October 8, 2016, Russia vetoed a French draft that called for an immediate end to bombing campaign in Aleppo. A competing proposal introduced by Moscow that called for separation of moderate rebel groups from the terrorist outfits, but fell short of a pause to bombing failed to receive nine votes in the U.N.S.C. During the day, UNICEF's Syria representative Hanaa Singer called the Aleppo situation "terribly dire" and called for immediate halt to bombing and shelling.
Pro-Assad Forces Seizes a Rebel District in Eastern Aleppo
On October 8, 2016, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that pro-government fighters seized Aleppo's northeastern district of al-Awijeh.
Airstrikes, Anti-Government Violence in Full Swing after Collapse of Truce
Since a U.S.-Russia truce floundered since September 19, 2016, violence and counter-violence engulfed Aleppo and other parts of Syria with increased intensity, and hundreds of civilians were killed in rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Hospitals, health clinics and pediatric facilities were struck with barrage of airstrikes with no regard for wartime law, leave alone any respect for human lives. In the rebel-held parts of Aleppo, less than 50 doctors had been left to take care about 275,000 civilians entrapped there. In the backdrop of such humanitarian disaster, continuous airstrikes by pro-regime forces and shelling by rebels don't make much of a headline grabbing news. On October 11, 2016, airstrikes on the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo killed at least 14 people. However, it's not always Bashar Assad regime and Russia to always blame for although they carry out the most of the attacks targeting rebel-held areas. On October 11, 2016, rockets fired by rebels hit government-controlled areas of Daraa, where Syrian uprising had begun in March 2011 with peaceful anti-government demonstration, hitting a school and killing six people, including children.
Putin Calls West's Stand on Syria as Blackmail; Airstrikes Kill at least 41
Addressing an investors' conference at Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 12, 2016 condemned west's recent politics of "blackmail" and reiterated Russian resolve not to give in to such tactic. Putin was referring to U.S. suspension of talks with Russia and a French draft at the U.N. Security Council for stopping all attacks in Aleppo. U.S. suspended talks on October 3, 2016, and five days later, Russia vetoed the French draft at the U.N. Security Council. Meanwhile, a ferocious series of Russian-Syrian airstrikes on October 12, 2016 killed at least 41 people in the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo, including a marketplace that was raged to the ground.
358 Civilians Killed since the Collapse of Truce, Human Rights Group Estimates
A respected Britain-based human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, issued a report on October 12, 2016, estimating that 358 civilians were killed since a U.S.-Russia agreement had collapsed on September 19, 2016.
Russia's Humanitarian Pause Begins, but There is No Taker
Russia on October 20, 2016 began a unilateral "humanitarian pause" to allow civilians and rebels to leave the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Even the special U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, personally offered protection to hundreds of radical fighters tied to former Nusra Front if they left Aleppo for rebel-held Idlib in the hope that regime would leave alone thousands of other rebels to stay back in the rebel-held eastern Aleppo.
Pro-Government Fighters Gain Ground in Aleppo, Rebels Struck in Idlib
After days of fighting, pro-regime soldiers on October 24, 2016 made inroads in the southern periphery of Aleppo, taking the strategic hilltop of Bazo. Meanwhile, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees reported on October 24, 2016 that airstrikes had hit Idlib towns of Kfar Takharim and Khan Sheikhoun earlier in the day, killing at least 13 people.
Rebels Launch Offensive in Aleppo
Pushed against a wall, Aleppo's rebel outfits on October 28, 2016 launched what could be described as a "do-or-die" battle by shelling more than 150 rockets against government-held western Aleppo. The rocket attacks killed at least 15 people.
Offensives, Counteroffensives Wreck Nerve in Aleppo
Forty days after the September 19, 2016, collapse of the U.S.-Russia agreement, the curse of violence engulfed the city of Aleppo, once the industrial hub of Syria, with untold degree of misery and macabre looming large to a varying extent over every nook and corner of the city. On October 29, 2016, a day after rebels loyal to various groups such as Fatah al-Sham, Ajnad al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham launched surprise attacks on government-held positions in western Aleppo, rebel fighters entered the village Minian, just west of Aleppo, and engaged with government and pro-government fighters in Zahraa neighborhood in western Aleppo. The rebel attack on western Aleppo was to help repel a months-long pro-regime chokehold on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo. However, Syrian government, instead of backing down, mounted a terrifying streak of airstrikes on eastern Aleppo on October 29, 2016.
Third Day of Rebel Counteroffensive Takes Grim Toll
After launching a counteroffensive on the government-held western Aleppo on October 28, 2016 on the pretext of loosening the regime chokehold on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, rebels had resorted to indiscriminate shelling of the government-held areas, targeting civilian positions at random. On the third day of the counteroffensive, seven people, including three children, were killed in the rebel shelling, according to the state-run TV news. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported during the day that at least 41 civilians, including 16 children, had been killed in the three-day (October 28-30, 2016) rebel counteroffensive. Addressing to the latest counteroffensive on government-held areas, the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on October 30, 2016 said that there was absolutely no justification for such indiscriminate assault on civilians by rebels to break months-long regime siege of eastern Aleppo and it constituted the ground for possible "war crimes".
Russia to Open a Pair of Corridors for Aleppo Rebels to Leave
Moscow, observing a unilateral pause in airstrikes on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo since October 20, 2016, announced on November 2, 2016 that it would open two humanitarian corridors out of rebel-held eastern Aleppo between 9AM and 7PM on November 4, 2016 to facilitate movement by armed rebels to leave Aleppo for rebel-held territories. Additional corridors were already open for civilians to leave for government-held areas. Since Russia's unilateral pause in airstrikes on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo on October 20, 2016, there were few takers of Russian offer to move out of eastern Aleppo.
Syrian Rebels Launch Another Wave of Attacks on Western Aleppo
A day before Russia-initiated opening of a pair of humanitarian corridors for 10 hours (9AM to 7PM) on the pretext of allowing armed rebels to leave eastern Aleppo, Syrian rebels escalated the battle over Aleppo on November 3, 2016 by launching a fresh wave of attacks on the government-held areas of western Aleppo, killing 12 civilians and wounding 200 more. Rebels have been pounding, in varying intensities, the government positions in western Aleppo since October 28, 2016 to loosen a strangulating siege by pro-regime forces against the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo since July 17, 2016.
Russia's Safe Corridors Fails to Entice Rebels, Civilians amid an Attack on Russian Soldiers
The so-called and much publicized opening of two safe corridors by Russia in eastern Aleppo during a 10-hour humanitarian pause from 9:00AM to 7:00PM on November 4, 2016 had no tangible effect as rebels had stayed away from using those safe corridors as well as thousands of civilians who had been already permitted to use other existing humanitarian corridors, but chose not to. To the contrary, a mortar landed near one of the safe corridors designated for rebels, and wounded two Russian soldiers.
Monitoring Group Blames Rebel Counteroffensive for 74 Civilian Deaths
A Britain-based Syrian human rights group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported on November 5, 2016 that 74 civilians had been killed since rebels had launched a counteroffensive on the government-held areas of western Aleppo on October 28, 2016. The observatory also stated that Russia never stopped bombing rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo although announcing on October 18, 2016 a unilateral pause on airstrikes with much fanfare and claiming to have begun the pause two days later on October 20, 2016. According to the observatory, the joint Russia-Syrian airstrikes had killed at least 400 civilians and wounded more than 2,000 since the October 18, 2016, unilateral declaration.
Russia, Rebels Trade Charges over Possible Use of Chemical Weapons
On November 11, 2016, western-backed rebels and Russia accused each other of carrying out chemical attacks on civilians in parts of Aleppo. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov during the day asked the U.N. agency in charge of securing Syria's chemical weapons, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to send observers immediately to the recently seized areas in southwestern Aleppo to inquire into what pro-regime fighters had found a cache of unexploded ordnance and explosives containing chlorine and white phosphorous. The pro-western Syrian National Coalition countered the allegation, stating that the munitions were similar to what pro-regime forces had used earlier against the rebel-held neighborhoods.
Rebel Offensive on Government-held Western Aleppo Comes to Cropper
The ferocious counteroffensive launched on October 28, 2016 by rebel fighters on the government-held western Aleppo as part of a strategy to break a punitive, months-long siege since July 17, 2016 imposed by the Assad regime, Russia, Hezbollah and fighters from Iraq and Iran on the rebel-controlled eastern Aleppo came to nearing a crushing defeat on November 12, 2016 as government soldiers and their allies were able to regain control of two districts, Al-Assad and Minyan, west of Aleppo. Reflecting the failure of 16-day rebel offensive on the government-controlled western Aleppo, the chief of Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdurrahman, said on November 12, 2016 that "the epic battle for Aleppo has failed". The Observatory also issued an estimate of the tolls in the 12-day (October 28-November 12, 2016) rebel-launched offensive: 508 killed that included 90 foreign fighters, 152 on the government side and scores of civilians. The Observatory further broke down the casualty on the regime side--83 Syrian soldiers, 28 Hezbollah fighters and 41 from Iraq and Iran.
********** RENEWED ALEPPO OFFENSIVE
"A Big Operation" Launched by Russia to Vanquish Rebels in Eastern Aleppo
In an operation that might be the final blow to the rebel fighters in the eastern Aleppo and push to help Bashar Assad regime to extend authority to all of the northern city, Russia on November 15, 2016 launched multi-pronged air attacks on rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo. Media reports also confirmed that Syrian aircraft also joined the Russian campaign to pound the rebel-held areas. Russian jets took of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and hit rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Idlib and Homs provinces. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on November 15, 2016 called the offensive launched earlier in the day "a big operation to deliver massive strikes" against ISIL and Nusra Front. Shoigu gave an update of the operation to President Vladimir Putin at Sochi.
Russia Denies Air Attack on Rebel-held Aleppo
A day after a renewed push was launched to vanquish rebels from the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, Russia said on November 16, 2016 that it was carrying out airstrikes in rebel-held areas of Idlib and Homs provinces, not the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo City, leaving western military analysts to believe the untrustworthy narrative that it was only Bashar Assad's air force that had been behind the renewed and more intensified air campaign launched on November 15, 2016 targeting the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo.
Heavy Casualties on the Fifth Day of the Renewed Offensive
Syrian Civil Defense Force, also known as White Helmets, reported on November 19, 2016 that at least 60 people had been killed during the day in heavy bombardment by the Bashar Assad's forces and allied militia. Meanwhile, the renewed government offensive launched on November 15, 2016 became so deadlier and intensified that the White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice on November 19, 2016 condemned the regime's "heinous actions" in the "strongest terms".
Merkel Condemns Russia, Regime for Targeting Hospitals
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on November 23, 2016 condemned Russia and Syrian government for carrying out attacks on hospitals and medical facilities at will that had killed hundreds of civilians and crippled basic medical services in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Addressing the German parliament, Merkel also called for criminal prosecution of these "very regrettable" offenses.
First Neighborhood to Fall Re-captured by Regime Forces
Since the launch of an intensified offensive to get Aleppo ridden of rebels on November 15, 2016, Syrian forces have not only shown an increasing volley of all-round firepower, but also a methodical push to bring more neighborhoods under the military control. On November 26, 2016, Syrian government announced that its soldiers now had the full control of the Hanano, a neighborhood that fell first to Rebels' control in 2012. Meanwhile, the death toll in the 12-day offensive rose to 357 people, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Pro-Assad Forces Sweep Rebel-held Neighborhoods in Eastern Aleppo
Soon after capturing Hanano neighborhood on November 26, 2016, pro-regime offensive that began with full force and intensity on November 15, 2016 became more lethal, with rebel-held neighborhoods being reduced to rubble one by one and thousands of civilians were forced to flee with whatever personal belongings they could carry. In addition to Hezbollah fighters, Iraq's and Iran's Shiite militia fighters joined hands to decimate the rebels in eastern Aleppo. Since the November 26, 2016, capture of Hanano neighborhood, pro-Assad fighters seized several additional neighborhoods in once-held eastern Aleppo in the following 48 hours.
U.N. Official Warns of Looming Disaster in Eastern Aleppo
Reiterating the disaster awaiting eastern Aleppo, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O' Brien said on November 29, 2016 that Syrian air force was dropping leaflets in rapidly shrinking rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo to warn residents to leave as soon as possible. At least 16,000 residents had left the rebel-held neighborhoods during the past few days, according to O'Brien. At least 20 civilians were killed in renewed airstrikes on November 29, 2016, according to reports by the opposition activist groups.
Syrian Army's Ultimatum to Rebels: Leave or Die
Since the launch of a scorched-earth offensive since November 15, 2016, Syrian government of Bashar Assad was able to break loose the rebel resistance in eastern Aleppo, and now victory for the regime was all but assured. On December 4, 2016, Syrian Army gave a clear ultimatum to rebels still holed in the rapidly shrinking rebel-held neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo to get out or get ready to be annihilated. Meanwhile, airstrikes in Idlib province on December 4, 2016 killed at least 50 people.
Two Russian Nurses Killed in Rebel Shelling; Russia, China Block a Truce Draft
As their area continued to shrink by hours, rebels grew more desperate and resorted to shelling at random targets. On December 5, 2016, rebel shelling in government-controlled western Aleppo killed 2 Russian nurses and 8 civilians. Meanwhile, a Russian warplane, en route to an aircraft carrier, crashed in Mediterranean, but its pilot was reported to have ejected safely. Meanwhile, a U.N. Security Council effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster in eastern Aleppo was handed a diplomatic defeat as Russia and China on December 5, 2016 blocked a draft that called for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate evacuation and aid shipment.
Assad's Forces Seize Most of Once Rebel-Held Aleppo, Russia Doubles Down on Threat
Three weeks after the November 15, 2016, launch of renewed offensive, pro-government forces controlled three-quarter of what was once rebel stronghold of eastern Aleppo. On December 6, 2016, pro-regime forces seized al-Shaar neighborhood, thus further pushing rebels to a narrow sliver of neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meanwhile issued the most ominous threat on December 6, 2016 that rebels would face sure "annihilation" if they refused to leave Aleppo.
Rebels Faces Inevitable Defeat in Few Days
As more areas of once rebel-held eastern Aleppo fell under the ferocious attack of Bashar Assad's army and pro-regime militia on December 7, 2016, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that at least 730 people were killed and 80,000 had fled since the November 15, 2016, launch of renewed offensive by pro-government forces to seize Eastern Aleppo.
Assad's Forces Suspend Offensive, Russia Says, to Help Civilians Evacuate
After a meeting with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry in Germany, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on December 8, 2016 that Syrian government suspended offensive in the rebel-held Eastern Aleppo effective December 8, 2016 to pave the way for about 8,000 civilians to get out of the area. Lavrov also added that a meeting would be held among international partners at Geneva either on December 9 or December 10 to chalk up with an exit strategy for rebels who had been holed up in small sliver of areas in Eastern Aleppo. During the day, a U.N. official, Jan Egeland, said at Geneva that Bashar Assad regime had given the U.N. go-ahead to bring relief and aid to hitherto rebel-held Eastern Aleppo.
Civilians Continue Fleeing Eastern Aleppo
Apparently taking advantage of a lull in fighting, thousands of residents fled the rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo. However, Syrian opposition leaders disputed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's December 8, 2016, comments that Syrian government had suspended offensive in Aleppo. On December 11, 2016, at least 4,000 residents of the embattled enclave left for Western Aleppo in government-arranged buses, bringing the total number of civilians who had left the shattered neighborhoods of once rebel-held Eastern Aleppo to 70,000 to date since the renewed offensive had begun on November 15, 2016.
98% of Rebel-held Eastern Aleppo Under Government Control
State media on December 12, 2016 reported that 98 percent of once rebel-held areas in Eastern Aleppo was seized by the government forces and allied militia, thus cornering the rebels into a few neighborhood-included areas. Bashar Assad regime, wielding upper hand now, is yet to respond to a rebel proposal for a truce to help civilians to be evacuated and determine the fate of Aleppo, meaning rebels now implicitly acknowledge the imminent defeat. Meanwhile, EU Foreign policy chief Frederica Moghirini told a gathering of EU foreign ministers on December 12, 2016 that emphasis should be now focused on providing humanitarian help to besieged people of Aleppo.
Rebels Surrender, Truce Agreed, Assad Re-establishes Authorities over All of Aleppo
Not even a month passed since the renewed launch of blistering attacks began on November 15, 2016. Rebel-held Eastern Aleppo was reduced to rubble. Streets had been forlorn. An air of feel of absolute desperation descended on the streets and neighborhoods of Eastern Aleppo as the resistance by the rebels had all but disappeared in the face of punishing military campaign carried out by Bashar Assad regime. On December 13, 2016, rebels agreed to effectively surrender, leading to the beginning of a truce on the government terms. As rebels agreed to surrender, Russia confirmed that all the military action in Aleppo had stopped, but not before pro-government forces had massacred 82 civilians in four neighborhoods--Bustan al-Qasr, Al Fardous, Al Kallaseh and Al Saleheen--which hitherto were under rebel control, according to the U.N. Russia's announcement of the end to military action in Aleppo came from the Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin.
Final Phase of Evacuation
On December 21, 2016, chartered buses evacuated rebels and civilians as part of the last phase of evacuation from Eastern Aleppo. Most of the rebels were headed to Idlib province, while the civilians were headed to government shelters. During the day, a snow storm has blanketed Aleppo. As the Aleppo evacuation progressed, the fight for al-Bab spiked up with Turkey and Turkish-backed fighters trying to seize the key northern Syrian town from ISIL.
Pro-Government Syrians Celebrate Regime Victory in Aleppo
On December 22, 2016, thousands of pro-regime supporters were in celebratory mood in Western Aleppo as the government authority was re-established over all of Aleppo during the day after the last batch of rebel fighters had left the city, marking a significant victory for Bashar Assad and end of a remarkable resistance by the armed rebel groups that had controlled eastern parts of the city since 2012. Observing the government victory, President Bashar Assad said during the day that it was "a victory not only for Syria", but also for Russia and Iran.
********** RENEWED ALEPPO OFFENSIVE
U.S.-led Coalition Airstrikes Investigation Report
The inquiry into September 17, 2016, accidental airstrikes on mistaken targets in Deir al-Zour province that had killed 62 Syrian soldiers and unraveled a U.S-Russia-sponsored truce in Aleppo shed light on wrong intelligence assessment and degree of a combination of human errors that had led to strikes by US, British, Danish and Australian F-16s, F-18s, and A-10 on Syrian military assets. Summarizing the findings of the report, Air Force Brigadier General Richard "Tex" Coe, the lead investigator, said on November 29, 2016 that coalition strikes pounded Syrian military assets on that fateful day by dropping 34 precision-guided munitions and firing 380 rounds of 30 mm canon fire.
********** TURKEY-RUSSIA DEAL ON EVACUATION OF BESIEGED
Russia, Turkey Agree on a Ceasefire and Evacuation Deal
Sidelining the warring parties and the USA, Ankara and Moscow on late December 13, 2016 agreed on a deal aimed at ceasing fighting in Aleppo and evacuating the rebel fighters. The deal was supposed to take effect at dawn on December 14, 2016, but was reported to have been flouted by the government side within hours.
Hundreds Evacuated amid a Fragile Truce
Amidst scattered reports of violations of truce reached by Turkey and Russia on December 13, 2016, hundreds of civilians were evacuated from former rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo on December 15, 2016 by government-operated buses. Hailing the evacuation and government victory in Aleppo, Syrian President Bashar Assad on December 15, 2016 compared the outcome with historic occasions such as rebirth of Jesus and break-up of Soviet Union.
Truce Collapses amid New Demands by Pro-Government Fighters
A day after convoy of buses and ambulances transported civilians from once rebel-held areas of Eastern Aleppo, pro-government militants on December 16, 2016 prevented evacuation from going forward, demanding that Aleppo evacuation to be simultaneously carried out with the evacuation of civilians from two pro-government villages in the rebel-held Idlib province. The evacuation from Idlib villages of Foua and Kfarya--was not part of December 13, 2016, Russia-Turkey agreement. Meanwhile, France disclosed on December 16, 2016 that it would sponsor a resolution at the U.N. Security Council to put U.N. monitors on the ground to oversee Aleppo evacuation, a measure sure to draw support from the USA, but a definite veto by Moscow.
France, Russia Agree on a U.N. Measure to Hasten Evacuation
The revival of an evacuation deal agreed last week, but collapsed two days ago, between Turkey and Russia saw the day of light on December 18, 2016 as Russia and France during the day agreed on an amended French resolution to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016. Under the (amended) deal, U.N. will observe the evacuation process from both rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province after consulting with the "interested parties", implying both the regime and rebels having power to block the U.N. monitors to accompany the evacuation buses. Although the evacuation of about 2,000 mostly Shiites from Foua and Kfrarya was not part of the original Turkey-Russia deal, it was included under Iranian pressure. As France and Russia agreed on the diplomatic side of the issue, situation on ground got worse as rebel fighters torched six government buses sent to Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province to resume evacuation. Although some degree of normalcy in resumption was restored during the day in Aleppo evacuation. As far as French-sponsored amended U.N. measure was concerned, French Ambassador to the U.N., Francois Delattre, led his country's negotiating team in a long meeting on December 18, 2016 with Russian team led by Delattre's Russian counterpart, Vitaly Churkin, and agreed on a deal that would dilute and downgrade the U.N. monitoring role as envisioned in the original deal of supervising the evacuation process to that of observing the evacuation process.
U.N. Security Council Approves the Amended French Resolution
A day after Russia and France agreed on a framework of U.N. monitoring of the evacuation called for by an earlier Turkey-Russia deal, the U.N. Security Council on December 19, 2016 approved the amended version of a French resolution that would allow U.N. to observe the evacuation process after consultations with the "interested parties" and report back to the Council. The December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution does not have the teeth of an earlier French draft, rejected by Moscow, that would put the overall evacuation process under the U.N. supervision. The amended French resolution, though allows U.N. involvement, has fallen far short of international community's expectation as regime, or pro-regime militia, or in that matter, even rebels can refuse the U.N. monitors from boarding the evacuation buses. The France-sponsored U.N. Security Council Resolution approved on December 19, 2016 agreement expands the Turkey-Russia evacuation deal to cover two more rebel-held, regime-sieged villages near the Lebanese borders, Zabadani and Madaya in addition to rebel-held, regime-sieged parts of Aleppo and two government-held, rebel-sieged villages--Foua and Kfarya--in Idlib province. Now, there are three key questions pertinent to the implementation of the December 19, 2016, U.N. Security Council resolution:
* How fast the U.N. monitors are to be deployed?
* Will Russia and Turkey prod the respective parties to hold the deal?
* Are there enough monitors to observe the evacuation process?
A New Trio of Political Axis Forming without US and U.N.
As a follow-up to the December 13, 2016, evacuation deal crafted by Russia and Turkey, foreign ministers from both nations and their Iranian counterpart met at Moscow on December 20, 2016 to discuss on opening a path to a political solution to the Syrian Civil War. This time neither USA nor U.N. was invited, and Russia planned to go ahead by forging a new alliance with fellow NATO member nation Turkey on the grounds that directly working with Turkey on an evacuation deal, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, would yield faster results than "fruitless get-togethers with the U.S." On December 20, 2016, Russia and Turkey reinforced that bond by including Iran and extending their focus beyond evacuation to seeking a pathway for political solution. Doubling down on the joint U.S.-Russian diplomacy, Lavrov criticized the International Syria Support Group that he and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had led since 2015 for producing just "important documents", but never taking any meaningful action. The newly minted Turkish-Russian bonhomie was palpable on December 20, 2016 during and after foreign ministerial level meeting at Moscow among Turkey, Russia and Iran. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lavished praised on Russian role for evacuation of more than 37,500 people from Eastern Aleppo.
********** TURKEY-RUSSIA DEAL ON EVACUATION OF BESIEGED
********** RUSSIA-TURKEY TRUCE DEAL
Russia, Turkey Sign Truce and Other Agreements
After days of talks in the post-implementation of a successful evacuation from Aleppo, Russia and Turkey on December 29, 2016 signed three sets of agreements:
* A truce scheduled to go into effect at 12:01 AM local Syrian time on December 30, 2016
* A truce monitoring mechanism to be enforced by Russia and Turkey
* A statement of readiness to support peace talks
From the Russia-Turkey truce talks, not only Syrian government and Syrian rebel groups were excluded, but US and UN were also not invited. Iran often joined the sessions as a stakeholder. On December 29, 2016, Syrian military issued a statement lauding the "comprehensive cessation of hostilities" and noted that it had been possible because of government's recent military victory in Aleppo and beyond. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showcased deal as a reflection of a brewing diplomatic love with Moscow and described the Turkish-Russian deal of having the potential to offer a "historic opportunity". However, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not so sure, only uttering that the truce was at best a "fragile" one.
Fighting Continues amid a Shaky Truce
As a fragile truce sponsored by Turkey and Russia and signed by 13 rebel groups went into effect on December 30, 2016, Bashar Assad regime was in no mood to step back from the continuing offensives in areas where rebels remained a potent force. On the first full day of the truce, regime aircraft dropped barrel bombs on Wadi Barada, a countryside controlled by rebel groups west of Damascus.
U.N. Does not Officially Endorse, but Back the Turkey-Russian Truce
Since Turkey and Russia had exclusively worked on their own to finalize a truce in Syria that went into effect on December 30, 2016, U.N. Security Council on December 31, 2016 treaded carefully not to officially endorse the agreement, but back it with caveat that a "rapid, safe and unhindered" access to humanitarian relief operation must be opened up. The Security Council also lent its support for peace talks scheduled at Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017 and following it up with more talks in Geneva in February 2017.
Assad's Forces on the Offensive
Hardly five days had passed since a Russian-Turkish truce had taken hold on December 30, 2016, Syrian forces on January 3, 2017 began to pound rebel-held Barada Valley that included the village of Ain el-Fijeh, source of water supply to 70 percent of Damascus residents. Syrian also carried out airstrikes on the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta.
Turkey Warns Syria of Violating Truce
Turkey on January 4, 2017 warned Syria for continuing offensive around Damascus, including Barada Valley and Eastern Ghouta, in violation to a Russian-Turkish cease-fire that went into effect on December 30, 2016. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on January 4, 2017 that preparatory meetings between Russian and Turkish diplomats would be held in Turkey in the run-up to Astana Talks scheduled to begin on January 23, 2017.
Syrian Government Takes Control Damascus Water Source
After weeks of fighting in defiance of a fragile Turkey-Russia truce that had gone into effect on December 30, 2016, Syrian forces were in the upper hand over the rebel forces in the Barada Valley,site of a key water source to Damascus' nearly 5 million residents. Syrian forces dropped barrel bombs and fired artilleries on regular basis on the villages in and around the valley. On January 28, 2017, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, Syrian security forces moved into the main village , Ain el-Fijeh, actual location of the reservoir, and were securing the water source. Meanwhile, about 1,200 rebel fighters are expected to surrender and evacuated within days. After Aleppo, the victory in Barada Valley marked another milestone to to Bashar Assad's growing list of military wins.
********** RUSSIA-TURKEY TRUCE DEAL
************************ U.S.-RUSSIA AGREEMENT ON SYRIA *********************
Syrian Troops Lays Siege on a Key Road to Rebel Areas
Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah fighters and Russian warplanes buzzing overhead on July 17, 2016 cut off the access to a key road, Castello Road, that's one of the few accessible pathway to rebel-held areas of Aleppo and lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people living in these areas. If the siege continues for several more days, a humanitarian crisis may loom large.
**************** SYRIA-RUSSIA PLAN ON SAFE CORRIDOR IN ALEPPO ************
Safe Corridor Proposed by Syria and Russia
As Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters had laid a siege on a key artery to and from the rebel-held areas of Aleppo for approximately past two weeks, Russia and Syria on July 28, 2016 announced simultaneously at Moscow and Damascus, respectively, a safe corridor plan for civilians and insurgents. According to the joint plan, which has been announced without consent with, much less of approval from, the United Nations, three passageways will be opened from the rebel-held parts of Aleppo for the civilians and a fourth will be opened for insurgents willing to lay down arms. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the plan a "large-scale humanitarian" operation, but opposition immediately called it a trap and passageway to Bashar Assad's jails. Hours after the plan had been unveiled at Moscow and Damascus, Kremlin might have realized that the plan would go nowhere without backing of the U.N. and scrambled to find a way out of this diplomatic mess. Late on July 28, 2016, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted the Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov that Moscow would work in conjunction and collaboration with the U.N. to implement the plan.
U.N. Rejects Russian-Syrian Plan of Safe Corridors
U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on July 29, 2016 that neither he nor anyone else in the UN was consulted about the safe corridors plan outlined a day earlier in Moscow and Damascus, and he snubbed the plan altogether, saying the onus of creating such passageways fell only within jurisdiction of United Nations.
Civilians Flee Rebel-held Parts of Aleppo
Some hundreds of civilians on July 30, 2016 fled the rebel-held parts of Aleppo through the government-established passageways. The government has set up six shelters to house about 3,000 people, a tiny fraction of more than 300,000 civilians entrapped in the rebel-held region of Aleppo.
Only 169 Civilians Left Rebel-held Areas amid Regime-Rebel Clashes
Rebels on July 31, 2016 launched a determined push against the government soldiers and Hezbollah militia as Russian government estimated that, as of July 30, 2016, only 169 civilians had left the rebel-held areas of Aleppo, a paltry figure given than some 300,000 civilians were living in the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. The government had laid a siege on a key road Castello Road, a strategic artery connecting the rebel-held parts of Aleppo with the outside world, since July 17, 2016.
Russian Copter Shot down in Aleppo
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by rebels in Idlib province on August 1, 2016, killing 3 crew members and 2 military officers amid a bitter fight in Aleppo between regime forces and its allies on one hand and rebels on the other. Rebels were mounting an all-out attack to break the siege of government on the rebel-held parts of Aleppo. Russian military announced that at least 800 militants were killed. Regarding the Russian copter crash, Moscow said that the Mi-8 helicopter delivered the humanitarian aid in Aleppo and was on its way back to Hemeimeem Airbase when it was shot down.
**************** SYRIA-RUSSIA PLAN ON SAFE CORRIDOR IN ALEPPO ************
Nusra Front to Change Its Name
In an apparent tactical step to take it out of U.S. and Russian wrath, Nusra Front on July 28, 2016 announced that it would severe ties with al-Qaeda, drop its name and reorganize itself under the Levant Conquest Front.
Rebels Capture Parts of Military College
In a swift and serious blow to the near invincibility of government offensive, the newly created Levant Conquest Front from the remnants of al-Qaeda-tied Nusra Front on August 5, 2016 captured parts of military college at Aleppo and put up stiff fight against the regime forces who had laid a devastating siege on rebel-held parts of Aleppo since July 17, 2016.
Rebels Put up Stiff Fight, Opens a Passage for the Rebel-held Areas
After three days of fighting that had seen the Aleppo's military college to fall under rebel control on the very first day, rebels, especially from the Levant Conquest Front, pressed ahead on August 7, 2016 to seize control of several adjoining areas and were successful in opening a passageway to the rebel-held areas in the east.
Airstrikes Kill 18 in Aleppo Province
Government airstrikes hit opposition-held areas in Aleppo province, including the only hospital for woman and children at the city of Kafr Hamra, killing at least 18 people on August 12, 2016.
Manbij Captured by Kurds
After weeks of intense fighting, Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG, on August 14, 2016 declared all of Manbij to be free and ridden of ISIL. Euphoria erupted in the streets of Manbij, with women taking off their veils, men shaving off their long beards and youths making anti-ISIL chants.
Russia Reported to have Used Iranian Base for Syrian Air Campaign
Russian fighter planes took off an Iranian military base, near Hamadan in the country's northwest, on August 16, 2016 to carry out airstrikes in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir el-Zour. Iranian soil has never been used by any foreign powers to launch attacks on other nations since World War II, including the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi era (1941-79) that had enjoyed political and diplomatic bonhomie with the west. Using the Iranian soil to launch attacks in Syria, if sustained on continuous basis, is likely to be a game changer not only in terms of military upper hand in Syria, but also In terms of geo-political advantage. According to Russian Defense Ministry statement issued on August 16, 2016, long-range Tu-22M3 and Sukhoi-34 fighter jets took off the Hamadan airbase, flew over the Iraqi airspace, blasted the ISIL-held areas in Syria and returned safely to Russia. According to the statement, there was no Russian personnel, or equipment, that had stayed back in Iranian soil. Existing Russian airbases in Syria are too small to handle long-range fighter jets, and the current strategy to fly long-range fighter jets thousands of miles back and forth between Syria and Russia for air campaign is not economically viable for the long run. As part of a "de-conflict" agreement between Russia and the USA to avoid any accidental collision, U.S. was notified beforehand about Russian flight plan across Iraq.
****TURKISH AND TURKEY-BACKED REBEL OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN SYRIA****
Turkey Steps up its Stakes in Syria
Sensing a rising profile of Syrian Kurds which had made significant advances in the west of Euphrates River, including the August 14, 2016, capture of Manbij from ISIL, Turkey could not sit back as Ankara was as fearful of an assertive Kurdish push towards the west as ISIL menace. Turkey jumped into bandwagon on August 24, 2016 by sending troops, tanks and weapons to bolster rebels to oust ISIL fighters from the northern Syrian town of Jarabulus. U.S. fighter jets assisted Turkish and rebel advance on Jarabulus. U.S. role has become bit trickier with two of its allies--Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG and Turkey--are bitter nemesis. Turkey has also demanded that Kurdish soldiers withdraw from areas west of Euphrates River, a demand the visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden finds reasonable. Speaking on August 24, 2016 at a news conference at Ankara after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Biden said that Kurdish partners had been told to "move back across the river".
Turkey Sends more Tanks, Troops to Syria; Kurds Reportedly Withdrawn to the East of the River
A day after it helped pro-Turkish rebels capture the former ISIL citadel of Jarabulus, Turkey on August 25, 2016 sent dozens more tanks and hundreds more troops as part of withdrawal of People's Protection Unit, or YPG from the areas west of Euphrates River, including the prized town of Manbij. YPG announced later in the day on August 25, 2016 that it had withdrawn from Manbij and other areas west of Euphrates River.
Turkey-Backed Rebels Push out Kurdish Fighters
Rebels backed and aided by Turkey that had helped conquer Jarablus from ISIL were now training their guns on Syrian Kurdish fighters, reliable U.S. allies, who were still in the west of Euphrates River. Although YPG announced on August 25, 2016 that its fighters had completed withdrawal from the west of Euphrates River, Turkey-backed rebels had fought against them in several villages west of the river on August 28, 2016. At least 35 civilians caught in the middle were killed.
U.S. Asks Allies to De-Escalate
As Turkey and Turkish-backed rebels are now training guns on Kurdish fighters instead of ISIL, U.S. is growing impatient and irritated by its NATO ally. On August 29, 2016, U.S. asked both sides to de-engage from the conflict and resume their fight against ISIL. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter told Ankara to put its focus back on ISIL. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on August 29, 2016, in response to U.S. call for both sides to stand down, that it would continue fighting unless both ISIL and Kurdish terrorists ceased to be a threat.
Turkish-backed Rebels, Kurds Cease Fighting; French President Takes Turkey to the Task
Prodded by the U.S. and European allies, fighting between the two western allies in Syrian War theater stopped on August 30, 2016. The pro-Kurdish Jarablus Military Council issued a statement during the day, expressing its commitment to a cease-fire in north-central Syria after a lengthy consultation with the western coalition. Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande on August 30, 2016 criticized Turkey harshly for fighting against Kurdish fighters instead of ISIL.
Turkey's Deepening Military Involvement Raises Eyebrows
That Turkey upped the military and territorial stakes in Syria against ISIL and Kurds raises renewed concern over Ankara's move and motive in Syrian affair. The latest such move came on September 3, 2016 as Turkey sent at least two dozens tanks and armored personnel carriers along with more than 200 soldiers to Syria through the Turkish border town of Elbeyli, across the now-pro-Turkish rebel-held Syrian town of al-Rai, to beef up a military offensive to clear the areas between al-Rai and Jarablus of ISIL militants. Two columns of pro-Ankara rebel fighters are now heading eastward from al-Rai and westward from Jarablus to have a complete sweep in the region in the middle in order to deprive Kurdish fighters from YPG any opportunity for military action against ISIL. Although Turkey's apparent fight is directed against ISIL, its long-term goal is to ensure that north-eastern Syria doesn't fall under Kurdish control.
A Pair of Turkish Troops Killed
As usually happens in any ground offensive, Turkey has suffered in loss of life of two of its soldiers in northern Syria on September 6, 2016 as ISIL mounted a counteroffensive against Turkish ground forces and their rebel allies.
Turkey Ups Its Battle against Kurdish Fighters
Complicating the efforts of the U.S., Turkey seems intent on fighting more intensely against the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters than the ISIL militants. Turkey considers Syrian Kurds as an extension of its own Kurdish insurgency. On October 20, 2016, Turkey's state-run news agency said that Turkey had adopted to shelling against the Kurdish targets in Aleppo province in recent days and killed about 200 Kurdish fighters.
Turkish-backed Rebels, Kurds Fight in Northern Syria
Two ISIL foes seem to be at each other throats instead of focusing their energy on defeating the Sunni militant group. The fighting between the Kurdish-led and Turkish-backed fighters is intense in the countryside that lies between al-Bab, now under the control of ISIL, and Manbij, which Kurdish-led fighters now control although they have promised to withdraw to the east of Euphrates River. Kurdish sources said on November 23, 2016 that eight civilians had been killed in shelling in the countryside between Manbij and al-Bab, on the same day Kurdish-backed fighters entered the town of Arima near al-Bab.
Three Turkish Soldiers Killed in Airstrikes
For the first time since Turkey threw its hat militarily in Syrian civil war, it lost three of its soldiers in November 24, 2016, airstrikes in northern Syria. However, which forces had carried out the airstrikes were much of debate and contention, with Turkey blaming Syrian government and Syrian government along with a respected human rights group pointed finger at ISIL although the militant group was not known to have possessed any aircraft. As Turkish troops were heading to the ISIL-held town of Al-Bab, airstrikes hit the Turkish troops. Speaking with Hurriyet newspaper, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim accused the Bashar Assad regime of carrying out the airstrikes and reiterated that the attacks would not go unanswered. However, both Syria and Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that ISIL had carried out the airstrikes.
Turkey Announces Another Soldier's Death
Turkey on November 26, 2016 said that another soldier had been killed in its operation against ISIL in northern Syria, raising the death toll of Turkish soldiers this week alone to 5.
Fighting for al-Bab Intensifies with ISIL Launching Counterattacks
On December 21, 2016, ISIL staged at least three suicide attacks to thwart Turkish soldiers and Turkey-backed rebels, who had been hell-bent to seize the northern strategic town of al-Bab from the militant group. Turkish authorities reported that 10 Turkish soldiers had been killed, raising Turkey's military death toll to 35 since Turkey launched its campaign in August 2016.
Russia Joins Turkey in Pounding ISIL Targets
After a December 30, 2016, truce and following diplomatic initiatives to bring Syrian warring parties to bring to the negotiating table, Russia and Turkey cemented their relationship further on January 18, 2017 by conducting joint air raid in and around northern Syrian city of al-Bab to pound the ISIL targets. What marked also a significant diplomatic coup on the part of Russia, according to Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian military's General Command, was the indirect support and involvement of Syrian government, a known nemesis of Turkey, in the January 18, 2017, joint raid on ISIL-held town of al-Bab. In the joint air raid, nine Russian and eight Turkish warplanes took participation.
Turkish-backed Rebels Seize Key Northern Town from ISIL
Turkey-backed rebels on February 23, 2017 seized the key northern town of al-Bab from ISIL after a grueling fight since Turkey entered the fray in August 2016. It took longer than expected, and after dozens of combatant and hundreds of civilian deaths, for Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army to establish complete control over the town on February 23, 2017.
Two Car Bombs Kill more than 60 near the Liberated Town
Barely 24 hours had passed since the northern town of al-Bab had been ridden of the deadly clutch of ISIL, a car bomb exploded near a security office operated by Turkey-backed Syrian opposition on February 24, 2017, killing at least 60 people. Most of the people killed in the car bomb at the village of Sousian, 6 miles north of al-Bab, were civilians who had gone to opposition-run security office to get clearance to enter al-Bab. At least six of the dead included opposition fighters, according to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim. Hours later, a second car bomb killed at least eight people at the same village, according to activist groups. Meanwhile, Turkey's military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar claimed on February 24, 2017 that Turkey had achieved the goals set out at the beginning of intervention.
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Local Truce at Daraya: Insurgents and Residents Leave
As part of a local truce arrived in the late hours of August 25, 2016, at least 700 insurgents and 4,000 civilians had been escorted out of rebel-held neighborhoods of Daraya beginning in the morning of August 26, 2016. U.N. was not involved in the negotiation. The armed insurgents were given a passageway on their way to the rebel-held areas of Idlib, while thousands of civilians were transported to government-run camps at Kisweh, south of Daraya.
A Major Catch in Syrian Battlefield Taken out
ISIL's chief propagandist and one of the prolific recruiters, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, 39, a Syrian, was killed in a "precision air strike" by a U.S. drone on August 30, 2016 near al-Bab, Syria.
Russia Claims to have Killed ISIL Propaganda-in-chief
A day after Pentagon announced that a U.S. airstrike had taken out Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on August 31, 2016 saying that a Russian airstrike had killed al-Adnani near Aleppo.
Local Truce at Moadamiyeh: Government Authority Returned
A week after a similar local deal helped bring peace and government presence to Daraya, an agreement was reached on September 1, 2016 over the contested Damascus suburb of Moadamiyeh. that had come under the world's radar three years ago when Syrian government had used Sarin there in 2013. Under the Moadamiyeh deal, government authority and control are to be returned to the suburb of 28,000 residents while approximately 200 rebels who have refused to surrender are to be provided a safe passage to rebel-controlled areas of Idlib and Aleppo.
Multiple Suicide Bombings Kill Four Dozens in Northeastern Syria
Pushed out of vast territories and strategic roadways leading to Turkey, ISIL has been suffering with dwindling supplies and pipeline of foreign fighters. To add to its growing woes, Turkey has now turned against ISIL in order to protect its own interest against a resurgent Kurdish militancy that is determined to crush ISIL and expand its control over large parts of northern Syria, thus posing a geo-political challenge to Ankara. As is the case for any militancy that's on defensive, ISIL has turned its focus on guerilla-style attacks against soft targets, and carried out six suicide bombings and one remote-controlled bombing against Syrian military targets and Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria on September 5, 2016, killing at least 48 people.
Chlorine Gas Attack in Aleppo Alleged against Syrian Regime
Syrian government was accused of dropping bombs containing Chlorine gas in rebel-held parts of Aleppo on September 6, 2016. People were reported of gasping for breath that was symptomatic for Chlorine attack.
Regime Denies of Chlorine Attack, Tightens the Noose around Several Aleppo Areas
Two days after a reported Chlorine gas bomb attack on rebel-held parts of Aleppo that had reportedly killed two people and injured at least 70, Syrian government on September 8, 2016 denied any role. Meanwhile, Syrian troops and allied militia, including Hezbollah fighters, re-captured military training facilities that rebels had seized just days ago as well as capturing several neighborhoods, including Ramouseh neighborhood, once controlled by the rebels.
U.N. Resumes Aid Delivery
Three days after suspending its aid operation for three days since an alleged airstrike on a relief convoy destroyed tons of supplies and killed scores of people, U.N. on September 22, 2016 resumed aid deliveries to selected areas. A 25-truck convoy left Damascus for Moadamiya, according to a U.N. special adviser for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland, a suburb of capital where about 40,000 people were living in dire conditions. Egeland also said at Geneva that trucks were getting loaded and ready to deliver aid to other affected areas. (Also see U.S.-Russia Agreement section)
Aleppo Blasted with Airstrikes
A day after faint hopes emerged for resuscitating a fragile deal between U.S.-Russia with U.N. resuming aid supplies to Moadamiya, optimism came to a screeching halt on September 23, 2016 as Russian and Syrian warplanes pummeled eastern parts of Aleppo city and neighboring villages in the province of same name. The ferocity of airstrikes was so severe and sustained that they took out water supplies to almost 2 million people, knocked out power lines, left neighborhood after neighborhood to piles of debris and destruction, and untold degree of human toll. The estimate of death toll in September 23, 2016, airstrikes ranged from 72 to 100. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, John Kerry met with Sergey Lavrov during the day for a last bid effort to revive the faltering agreement that helped to put the civil conflict to a near pause for a week before its breakdown. (Also see U.S.-Russia Agreement section)
Russia to Stay put in Syria Indefinitely
Russia's lower house of parliament, or Duma, on October 7, 2016 voted unanimously to keep Russian troops in Syria indefinitely to help Bashar Assad regime. Duma's vote engendered international suspicion about Russia's long-term objective in Syria. For the near future, the airbase at Hemeimeem in Alawite-dominated Latakia province will continue to host Russian troops and support Russian military operation in Syria. An August 2015 agreement between Damascus and Moscow allowed Russia to use the airbase to launch attacks on rebel positions across Syria, reversing the situation on ground in favor of Assad regime from a state of helplessness to the one of ever-expanding military control for the most parts of Syria within a year. In addition to Hemeimeem airbase, Russia has a naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, only such base outside the former Soviet Union.
Top U.N. Human Rights Official Blasts the Aleppo Siege
The High Commissioner for the U.N. human rights, Zied Ra'ad al-Hussein, on October 21, 2016 severely criticized the strangulating siege of Aleppo in a video presentation to the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva. Hours later, the 47-member council voted 24-7 for a measure calling for an end to fighting in Aleppo that had erupted after the collapse of a U.S.-Russia agreement on September 19, 2016. Also, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during the day the formation of a panel to inquire into the September 19, 2016, airstrikes against a 31-vehicle U.N. aid convoy in eastern Aleppo that had led to the collapse of a fragile cessation of fighting enabled by a U.S-Russia agreement. The panel will be led by a veteran peacekeeper, Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha of India (Also see the U.N. on Syria section).
Assad Should Stay in Power
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 22, 2016 at Moscow, stating in an unwavering term that Syrian President Bashar Assad should stay in power as the alternative would be a far worse: Nusra Front. Peskov's statement came during a televised interview, and was thought to have reflected the current thinking of Kremlin that saw a consolidated role of Russia in Assad's Syria.
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Kurds Launch Offensive to Oust ISIL from Raqqa
A Kurdish-led offensive was officially launched on November 6, 2016 to rid Raqqa, Islamic State's de-facto capital, of ISIL. At a press conference at the northeastern city of Ein Issa on November 6, 2016, Cihan Ahmed, a spokeswoman of Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, announced that about 30,000 Kurdish and Arab fighters would take part in the liberation of Raqqa, a city of 200,000 residents where at least 5,000 ISIL fighters had been holed in. The USA, France and Britain will provide air support to the SDF-led offensive.
Syrian Kurds, Aided by Coalition Support, Encircling Raqqa
In what could be the beginning of a drawn-out urban fight to oust the ISIL from the so-called capital of its own caliphate, SDF fighters on November 7, 2016 began to approach Raqqa from different directions. As Syrian Kurdish fighters have jumped on the ambitious campaign, dubbed as "Euphrates Rage", to oust ISIL militants from Raqqa, U.S.-led coalition is providing the air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF.
Turkey, SDF at Odds over Raqqa
Complicating the situation for USA, Turkish government added its own political tantrum on November 8, 2016 demanding that the role of pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, should be limited to only encircling the capital of ISIL caliphate. Only Turkish forces, according to Ankara, will enter the city of Raqqa. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu went ahead to the extent by saying during the day that the U.S. Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told the Turkish officials during a recent visit that SDF soldiers--consisted of Kurds, Turkmen and Arab fighters--would only encircle the city, not enter it. At present, Turkey-backed fighters are approaching toward al-Bab, an ISIL stronghold in northern Syria.
At least 20 Civilians Killed in Airstrikes
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on November 8, 2016 the first civilian collateral damage in Kurdish-led Euphrates Rage to liberate Raqqa. The U.S-led airstrikes to provide help to SDF fighters had killed at least 20 civilians in the village of Heisha, near Raqqa, according to the Britain-based Observatory.
Kurds Make Progress on Raqqa Offensive
Pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces fighters on November 10, 2016 made further advance on Raqqa, and encircled the capital of ISIL caliphate from the northern side. SDF as of the end of the day seized 17 villages, thus rupturing a vital northern lifeline to ISIL militants holed up in the city.
First U.S. Death in Syria
A special operations force soldier was killed on November 24, 2016 in northern Syria, marking the first American casualty in Syrian civil war. At least 300 U.S. special forces personnel are deployed in northern Syria in a mission to help recruit, train, advise and assist Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen in fight against ISIL.
Three ISIL Leaders Killed
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on December 13, 2016 that three top ISIL leaders, including two--Salah Gourmat and Sammy Djedou--involved in planning of the November 2015 Paris attack had been killed in coalition airstrikes on December 4, 2016. Salah Gourmat and Sammy Djedou along with Walid Hamman, the third ISIL leader, who was convicted in absentia in Belgium for a failed terrorist attack in 2015, were killed in the December 4, 2016, airstrike.
Marines from Amphibian Units Deployed to Help Raqqa Offensive
The Washington Post reported on March 9, 2017 that ground forces from an amphibian task force, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were deployed to support the rebel offensive to oust ISIL fighters from Raqqa. The ground forces are being equipped with M777 Howitzers. The ground forces unit, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, will be part of a supportive team to help push rebel effort to liberate the self-styled capital of Islamic Caliphate.
Airstrike Kills at least 17
A U.S.-led coalition launched an airstrike on a village south of Raqqa on early March 12, 2017, killing at least 17. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 19 deaths in the March 12, 2017, airstrike that had hit a school in the village of Kasrat, while an activist group, Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, reported 17 deaths. Many of the people killed fled the violence in Aleppo.
Coalition Airstrike Kills Dozens of Civilians
Just days after a faulty U.S. airstrike had allegedly hit a mosque in northwestern Aleppo, killing 49 people, another errant airstrike hit a school at the town of Mansoura, south of Raqqa, on late March 21, 2017, killing at least 33 civilians. Those civilians were reported to have taken shelter at the school.
U.S. Ferries Kurdish Fighters behind Enemy Line
As part of a much more pro-active stand under Trump administration, U.S. military ferried YPG fighters on March 22, 2017 behind the enemy lines in Raqqa.
Kurdish Fighters Seize a Key Airbase
Four days after U.S. ferried fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces behind enemy lines, Kurdish-dominated militant group on March 26, 2017 seized a key airbase, Tabqa Airbase, 28 miles west of Raqqa, achieving the first major milestone in the weeks-long offensive against ISIL.
U.S. Careful about Protecting Infrastructure
In the midst of allegation that U.S.-led coalition had hit the Tabqa Dam, the coalition on March 27, 2017 said on Twitter that all measures were being taken to protect the dam, and to the best of knowledge, "the dam has not been structurally damaged".
Russian General: U.S. Coalition Hit a Key Dam
Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said on March 28, 2017 that U.S.-led coalition had, in fact, struck the Tabqa Dam and destroyed four bridges over the Euphrates River. Rudskoi accused the coalition of trying to "destroy the critical infrastructure in Syria and complicate post-war re-construction as much as possible".
Errant U.S. Airstrike Kills 18 Allied Fighters
The U.S. Central Command reported on April 13, 2017 that two days ago, April 11, 2017, U.S. aircraft had responded to a request from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and launched an airstrike south of Tabqa, near the ISIL's so-called caliphate capital of Raqqa, killing at least 18 SDF fighters. The U.S. Central Command held erroneous coordinates provided by the U.S.-allied SDF for friendly attack.
Trump Administration to Arm Syrian Kurds
In a sign of further escalation with a fellow NATO member nation, Pentagon on May 9, 2017 announced that Trump administration would not only provide "advisory" support to YPG fighters in their battle against ISIL to capture Raqqa, but also give them heavy arms. The latest U.S. stand may put the Trump administration at the crosshairs of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish government, which tagged YPG the "terrorist" label.
All-out Campaign to Oust ISIL from Raqqa Begins
U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, launched on June 6, 2017 what came to be known as a wide and all-out battle for Raqqa.
U.S. Airstrikes Taking Toll on Civilians, U.N. Commission Says
In the battle for Raqqa, increased involvement of U.S. assisting Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighters by providing air support with airstrikes took an enormous toll on the province's civilian population in general and Raqqa City's civilians in particular, according to Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Briefing reporters on June 14, 2017, Pinheiro said that intensification of airstrikes had "resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes". According to the commission, more than 300 people were killed in airstrikes between March 1, 2017 and May 31, 2017 in Raqqa province.
Two Americans Killed in Raqqa Battle
Two Americans, Nicholas Warden, 29, and Robert Grodt, 28, who had been fighting the ISIS alongside YPG, or the Kurdish People's Protection Units, were killed last week along with a British man, Luke Rutter. A press statement to acknowledge their deaths was issued on July 11, 2017 by YPG.
Two Frontiers Link up at Raqqa
In one of the most strategic victories since a wide and all-out battle for Raqqa was launched on June 6, 2017, two fighting frontiers of Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, one zeroing on from the city's west and another from the east, linked up on August 11, 2017 for the final push to destroy remainder of ISIL presence in the city. As of August 11, 2017, U.S.-supported SDF captured 50 percent of Raqqa. Reflecting the positive mood stemming from the east-west link-up by SDF units in Raqqa, U.S. envoy to the international coalition against ISIL, Brett McGurk, tweeted during the day that it was "milestone" in the fight against ISIL.
Raqqa Victory Officially Declared
The U.S. State Department on October 20, 2017 issued a statement, declaring a complete victory of Raqqa by allied Kurdish fighters and congratulating the "Syrian people and Syrian Democratic Forces".
Amnesty Holds U.S.-led Coalition for Unnecessary Civilian Deaths in Raqqa Liberation
Amnesty International on June 5, 2018 issued a damning report against what it called U.S.-led coalition's lack of much needed caution to avoid scores of unnecessary civilian deaths during months-long Raqqa Liberation campaign in 2017. Amnesty's June 5, 2018, report, titled "War of Annihilation", was unsparing in what it stated as "so many civilians are killed in attack after attack" by coalition forces. U.S. Army Colonel Sean Ryan responded that Amnesty's conclusion was "grossly inaccurate".
More than 1,600 Civilians Killed in U.S. Offensive in Raqqa
Amnesty International and London-based Airwars on April 25, 2019 issued a comprehensive report that undercut the U.S. estimate released in March 2019 that its four-year campaign against ISIL in Syria and Iraq had killed 1,257 civilians. The rights groups' report estimated that U.S. campaign in Raqqa itself had killed more than 1,600 civilians.
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Russia, Rebels Trade Charges over Possible Use of Chemical Weapons
On November 11, 2016, western-backed rebels and Russia accused each other of carrying out chemical attacks on civilians in parts of Aleppo. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov during the day asked the U.N. agency in charge of securing Syria's chemical weapons, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to send observers immediately to the recently seized areas in southwestern Aleppo to inquire into what pro-regime fighters had found a cache of unexploded ordnance and explosives containing chlorine and white phosphorous. The pro-western Syrian National Coalition countered the allegation, stating that the munitions were similar to what pro-regime forces had used earlier against the rebel-held neighborhoods.
Trump "a Natural Ally", Says Assad
In an interview with the Portugal's public broadcaster, RTP, Syrian President Bashar Assad on November 16, 2016 expressed optimism with the election of Donald Trump and called the billionaire businessman as "a natural ally" of Syria.
Iranian Official Estimates 1,000 Killed in Syrian Conflict
The head of a foundation that provides aid to Iranians killed in Syrian conflict, Mohammed al-Shahidi, said on November 23, 2016 that at least 1,000 Iranians had been killed in five-year Syrian conflict.
First U.S. Death in Syria
A special operations force soldier was killed on November 24, 2016 in northern Syria, marking the first American casualty in Syrian civil war. At least 300 U.S. special forces personnel are deployed in northern Syria in a mission to help recruit, train, advise and assist Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen in fight against ISIL.
Local Truce at Damascus Suburbs Reported
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on November 26, 2016 reported that a local truce had been struck to evacuate rebel fighters from two Damascus neighborhoods, Tal and Khan al-Shih, to rebel-controlled areas of Idlib province.
Government in No Mood to Let up in Airstrikes on Other Rebel-held Areas
Two days after establishing complete control over all of Aleppo, Bashar Assad regime turned its eyes on other rebel-held towns in Aleppo province. As part of that campaign, airstrikes pummeled the town of Atareb on December 24, 2016, killing five people.
With Assad's Hands Strengthened, Rebels in Internecine Battle
Syrian rebels, now cornered and boxed-in in the Idlib province, instead of consolidating their positions, are locked in increasing infighting, with the latest flare-up in Idlib on January 23, 2017. Three days later, on January 26, 2017, Ahrar al-Sham, a militant group, led a merger of a number rebel outfits, including three that had partcipated in Astana peace talks (January 23-24, 2017). Two days later, on January 28, 2017, Syria's al-Qaeda-linked affiliate, Fatah al-Sham Front, formed a second coalition, called the Levant Liberation Committee, to take on the Ahrar al-Sham-led coalition. Levant Liberation Committee included formidable militant group Nour el-Din el-Zinki.
Russia to Scale back Syrian Operation
After intervening in the Syrian Civil War and reversing its tide in favor of Bashar Assad that had forced a splintered rebel force to a wall on its back, Moscow announced on January 6, 2017 that it was now time to scale back its presence in Syrian war theater. Russia's only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, will leave the Mediterranean soon.
Blast Kills at least 48 at a Border Town near Turkey
A rigged tanker exploded early afternoon on January 7, 2017 near the courthouse of the rebel-held town of Azaz, just across the border of the Turkish town of Kilis, killing at least 48 people and wounding more than 100. The blast was so strong that many neighborhoods around the courthouse shook up with shards of metals, broken glasses and twisted furniture seen all around. The local hospital of Azaz was not able to cope up with the sheer number of injured, leading ambulances and public vehicles to transport the wounded across the border to Kilis. A week-long cease-fire backed by Russia and Turkey has been holding, although tenuously, in the most part, and henceforth, the attack inside a rebel-held town has been all the more a source of surprise and puzzle.
Special Ops Take out a Key ISIL Commander
In the waning days of Obama administration, U.S. Special Operations Forces carried out a swift ground raid, killing a top commander of ISIL. Pentagon reported the clandestine ground operation a day later on January 9, 2017. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Special Ops sweep on January 8, 2017 focused on the village of al-Kubar in Deir el-Zour province, and ended up with killing about 25 fighters.
ISIL Launches Co-ordinated Attacks on the Capital of an Eastern Province
ISIL militants, though on the retreat in vast slices of Iraq and Syria, proved themselves to be real resilient and ready to shock military opponents by sudden and surprise attacks. On January 14, 2017, one such sudden attack was launched by ISIL militants from all sides to corner and defeat government soldiers who had been defending the capital, Deir el-Zour, of the erstwhile rebel-held province with the same name since 2014.
B-52, Drones Pound Rebel-held Province, more than 100 Al-Qaeda Militants Killed
Barely 24 hours before leaving office, Obama administration carried out a punishing airstrikes in parts of rebel-held Idlib province, targeting al-Qaeda-linked militants and killing at least 100 of them. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis disclosed the airstrikes on January 20, 2017. A day before, a B-52 and several drones rained blows against the militants in Idlib province.
Russia Signs a Base Expansion Agreement with Syria, Turkey not to Press for Assad's Ouster
Three days before a Russia-Turkey-backed peace negotiation to begin, Russia clinched two victories on January 20, 2017: one on its ever-expanding military footprint in Syria and the second one on nudging Turkey to drop its demand that Assad, for any peace deal to take hold, quit powers.
The first one came on expanding the naval base on the Mediterranean that would help 11 warships to berth simultaneously at the port. According to Russian news agency, Tass, the deal to double the size of Tartus naval base will have a 49-year lease that can be automatically renewed for an additional 25 years. Tass also reported that a similar agreement was signed too on the Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia. Khmeimim Air Base was built in 2015 in the run-up to launching an air campaign that had tilted the Syrian Civil War in favor of Bashar Assad.
The second highlight of the day was Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek's indication at the World Economic Forum at Davos that Ankara might be willing to go forward with a peace plan that envisioned Bashar Assad to stay in power, a marked difference of Ankara's stand from even few weeks' ago.
Airstrikes Kill 26 in Rebel-held City
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on February 7, 2017 that airstrikes on the city of Idlib had killed 26 people, including 10 civilians, earlier in the day. However, it was not clear whether it was Russian, or Syrian, or U.S. airstrikes that had hit Idlib.
Syrian Government Used Chlorine in Aleppo, Human Rights Group Says
Human Rights Watch disclosed on February 13, 2017 that the Syrian government had used chlorine at least eight times to attack rebel-held Aleppo late last year, thus uncovering that the Bashar Assad regime had not really stopped using chemical agents, if needed, for military purpose after a damning October 2016 report by a U.N. panel that had accused Damascus of using chemical weapons at least three times in 2014 and 2015.
Pushed to a Corner, Armed Rebels Now Taking on Each Other
After months of punishing military blows and near-desertion by their international backers, the armed Syrian rebel outfits are baying for each others' blood in an increasing show of violent internecine battles over control for a narrow patch of northwestern Syria. The recent spurt of clashes were reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based human rights observatory, on February 14, 2017 that at least 69 fighters had been killed in a two-day burst of fighting in Northwestern Syria between Al-Qaeda-led coalition known as Levant Liberation Committee and another extremist group, Jund al-Aqsa. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 39 fighters of Levant Liberation Committee, which had seized six villages from Jund al-Aqsa, and 30 fighters of Jund al-Aqsa had been killed in fighting.
Fighting Flares up in Southern Syria despite a Fragile Truce
Amid a truce that itself remained on life support since going into effective on December 30, 2016, opposition fighters and government forces clashed on February 15, 2017 for the fourth straight day in the southern city of Daraa, few miles north of Jordanian borders. At least 25 people had been reported killed.
Four Russian Soldiers Killed in Roadside Bomb
Russian Defense Ministry announced on February 20, 2017 that four of its service personnel had been killed on February 16, 2017 as a roadside bomb targeted a convoy of Syrian soldiers near an airbase in western Syria. Russians used the Tiyas Airbase to launch attacks on ISIL in and around Palmyra.
Iraqi Warplanes Enter Syrian Airspace to Attack ISIL
For the first time, Iraq's warplanes on February 24, 2017 made incursions into Syrian airspace and extended bombings against ISIL targets from the Iraqi border city of Husseibah to Boukamal, the Syrian city across the border. The cross-border attack was approved by the Syrian government and operated from a joint military command center at Baghdad run by Syria, Iran, Iraq and Russia, according to Brigadier General Tahseen Ibrahim. Commenting on the cross-border raid, Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed not to spare any stone unturned in order to finish off ISIL.
Attack in Homs Dampens the Negotiation Climate
A well-coordinated spree of attacks on security offices in the central city of Homs on February 25, 2017 immediately attracted the parties in the Geneva talks--now on the third day--into a vortex of allegation and counter-allegation. It all began as gunmen stormed the security offices. As security forces responded with gunfire, the attackers blew themselves up, killing at least 32. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar al-Ja'afari demanded that opposition unequivocally condemn the barbaric attack. Opposition's lead negotiator Nasr al-Hariri condemned the attack, but blamed Assad regimes as the primary sponsor of "terrorism". U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, condemned the Homs attack too. Al-Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee claimed responsibility for the attack.
Twin Blasts Kill at least 40 at Shiite Pilgrimage Site
Two explosions deliberately targeted a Shiite revered cemetery at Bab al-Saghir neighborhood of Damascus killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 100 on March 11, 2017. There were dozens of buses standing on the roads near the cemetery, and they had brought Iraqi pilgrims here that had turned into a disaster for many. U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Ali al-Za'tari condemned the attacks, saying this was nothing but terrorism as they had killed and maimed innocent civilians.
Al-Qaeda-linked Group Claims Responsibility for Damascus Bombing
A day after explosions struck a Shiite cemetery at Damascus, an umbrella group led by al-Qaeda-linked Fatah al-Sham claimed on March 12, 2017 that two of its soldiers had carried out the suicide attacks to send a "message to Iran and its militias". The March 11, 2017, attack claimed to have been carried out by Abu Omar and Abu Aisha tied to the umbrella group, Levant Liberation Committee, killed 74, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Suicide Attacks in the Capital Kill at least 39
Suicide attacks on March 15, 2017 killed at least 39 in Damascus, representing a bloody marking of sixth anniversary of the beginning of the country's civil war.
Airstrike on a Mosque in Rebel-held Area Kills at least 35
A day after suicide attacks killed at least 39 in Damascus, an airstrike on a mosque in the countryside of Jeeneh in northwest Aleppo killed at least 35 people on March 16, 2017. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated the death toll at least 42 as opposed to at least 35 estimated by the Syrian Civil Defense volunteers, also known as White Helmets.
U.S. Disputes that It has Struck a Mosque
A day after a U.S. airstrike killed at least 40 people in Jeeneh area of northwestern Aleppo, blames were hurled back and forth between the parties. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on March 17, 2017 alleged that the strike was actually on a mosque, Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque, and called it a "massacre". U.S. Central Command spokesman U.S. Army Major Josh Jacques said that "we targeted an al-Qaeda gathering across the street" from the mosque.
Death Toll from Mosque Bombing Goes up
The latest estimate of death toll from the March 16, 2017, airstrike on the Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque, at the village of Al Jeeneh now stood at 49, according to wire reports on March 22, 2017.
Waves of Airstrikes Hit Rebel-held Areas
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Local Coordination Committees reported on March 25, 2017 that Russian and Syrian aircraft had carried out varied degree of airstrikes over the past 24 hours in rebel-held Idlib province and rebel-controlled areas of Hama and Damascus suburbia. U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called the airstrikes a gross violation to December 30, 2016, agreement among Turkey, Iran and Russia. Speaking after a meeting with Mistura at Geneva, the head of the main opposition, Nasr al-Hariri, during the day lashed out against the Assad regime for letting loose its "killing machines".
***************** ALLEGED CHEMICAL ATTACK BY ASSAD REGIME *************
Syria Attacks Rebel Town with Poison Gas; West Reacts with Fury
The April 4, 2017, early hour attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun drew swift condemnation from around the world. Dozens of people had been killed as Syrian warplanes dropped bombs filled in poison gas, with many--including children and women--gasping for breath, choking and foaming at the mouth. The health department of the town in the province of Idlib said that at least 69 people had been killed. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement, calling that the situation "can not be ignored by the civilized world". But, quickly blamed predecessor Barack Obama's "weakness and irresolution" as a contributing factor too. British Prime Minister Theresa May, condemning the Khan Sheihoun attack, said during the day that "there can be no future for Assad in a stable Syria which is representative of all Syrian people". U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the attack "brutal unabashed barbarism". Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the chemical attack on the Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun. In 2012, the then-U.S. President Barack Obama said that if Bashar Assad launched chemical attack, it would cross a "red line". In August 2013, Syrian forces shelled the rebel-held Damascus enclaves with Sarin, killing at least 1,000. Subsequently, under a deal pushed by Russia and the USA, Syrian regime surrendered all stockpiles of chemical weapons--including Sarin and VX--to an international chemical arms watchdog. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that more than 95 percent of regime's arsenal had been eliminated, including more than 600 tons of Sarin and Mustard agents.
Attack Crosses "a Lot of Red Lines" for Trump
A day after Syrian regime allegedly attacked the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun, killing at least 86 people, U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 5, 2017 that the attack had crossed a "lot of red lines", implying a more aggressive and engaged stand in Syria. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley during a special U.N.S.C. meeting warned that U.S. could take unilateral action if the U.N. body hesitated to take action. However, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, disputed any Syrian role in Khan Sheikhoun attack.
U.S. Launches Missile Attacks to Target Assad's Key Airbase
In a shift from Obama administration's avoid-the-direct-confrontation approach, Trump administration on April 6, 2017 responded the Bashar Assad regime's alleged Sarin attack on a rebel-held town, Khan Sheikhoun, in Idlib province two days ago more muscularly. President Donald Trump ordered attacks on a airbase in Homs, Shayrat, from where regime's planes that had dropped Sarin-filled bombs had taken off. 59 Tomahawk missiles had been fired on April 6, 2017 from two Navy destroyers--USS Porter and USS Ross--in the eastern Mediterranean in order to inflict crippling damage to the infrastructure of the Shayrat Airbase. The U.S. response may deepen Washington's involvement in one the most vexing civil wars of the present time and uproot the existing balance of political equilibrium. Reacting to the Tomahawk attacks on the Shayrat Airbase, Syrian State TV called it an "aggression", while the Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, said that the consequences for this adventurous assaults fell on the parties "who initiated such doubtful and tragic enterprise".
U.S. Strikes Fray Relationship with Russia
A day after U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk missiles targeting Syria's one of the key airbases in Homs, Shayrat, the Office of Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a caustic statement on April 7, 2017, calling the attack a flagrant violation of the international law and a "significant blow" to the U.S.-Russia relationship. Russian military during the day announced that it was suspending an "information sharing" agreement with Americans on coordinating air campaign and avoiding accidental collision. However, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hit back, saying that either "Russia has been complicit or Russia has been simply incompetent in its ability" to oversee a 2013 agreement that required Syria to hand over all chemical weapons to the international monitors.
Iranian President Calls for Impartial Inquiry as Syrian Warplanes Return to Bomb the Town
Days after a sarin attack on a rebel-held Idlib town, that had killed at least 86 people and triggered Trump administration's response to launch a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles on the Shayrat Air Base in Homs, killing 9 people at the base, Syrian warplanes returned to sky over the ghost town of Khan Sheikhoun and dropped bombs on April 8, 2017. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the April 8, 2017, bombing of Khan Sheikhoun killed one woman and wounded seven other people. Meanwhile, during the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for an impartial investigation, not the one led by the USA, into who had carried out the April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun.
White House Tears Russia for Backing Assad; Turkey Reports Traces of Chemical Agents
Trump White House on April 11, 2017 launched political and diplomatic fusillade on two fronts on Russia a week after Assad regime's Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun had killed at least 86 people. First, White House accused Russia and its President Vladimir Putin of a significant cover-up to give Bashar Assad regime a breathing space. Second, National Security Council issued a four-page declassified report that scotched Russian allegation that rebels had to blame for April 4, 2017, chemical attack. Meanwhile, Turkish Health Ministry on April 11, 2017 reported that traces of Sarin had been found in the bodies of victims.
White House Doubles Down on Russia in Syrian Chemical Attack
White House on April 12, 2017 mounted a concerted diplomatic effort at the Washington, New York and Moscow to isolate Russia for not chastising, left alone leaving, Assad regime over the April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86. In the White House, a rechristened Donald Trump, hard to say how long president's new anti-Russian tone would last, on April 12, 2017 embraced NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and called the military alliance as an effective and vital force for peace. Addressing the press conference alongside NATO chief, Trump condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for staying put with Bashar Assad in the wake of chemical attack on a rebel-held town. In New York City, U.S. and other western nations tabled a motion at the U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2017 only to see it vetoed by Russia, eighth such veto in the six-year Syrian Civil War. The motion condemned in no uncertain terms the Syrian President Bashar Assad's role in April 4, 2017, Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86 people. While the diplomatic ratcheting continued publicly, Washington sent its top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, to Moscow on April 12, 2017 to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in an effort to find ways to peace out of Syrian quagmire. Tillerson met with both Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 12, 2017.
Assad: U.S. Fabricated on Chemical Attack
Nine days after the April 4, 2017, alleged Sarin attack on the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86, Syrian President Bashar Assad broke his silence and alleged that U.S. had fabricated the evidence to use it as a pretext to attack on Syria. During an interview with Agence France-Presse that was published on April 13, 2017, Assad defended his government and reiterated that his regime had not used, nor ever would use a prohibited weapon.
U.N. Disarmament Chief Finds Sarin in the Site Attacked by Regime
U.N. new disarmament chief, Izumi Nakamitsu, on May 23, 2017 submitted a report to the U.N. Security Council, saying that his investigators had found traces of chemical agent Sarin collected from the site that was attacked by Bashar Assad regime on April 4, 2017 with suspected chemical weapons, leading to tough U.S. responses.
U.N. Panel: Assad Used Sarin in April
A U.N. panel, Joint Investigative Mechanism, on October 26, 2017 issued a report confirming what the world already knew that Assad's regime had dropped Sarin bomb April 4, 2017 on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that had killed at least 86. A second finding by the Joint Investigative Mechanism, created in 2015 as a result of a U.N. Security Council resolution, concluded that ISIL had used Sulphur mustard poison in Um Hosh in Aleppo Province on September 16, 2016.
***************** ALLEGED CHEMICAL ATTACK BY ASSAD REGIME *************
Trump Administration to Arm Syrian Kurds
In a sign of further escalation with a fellow NATO member nation, Pentagon on May 9, 2017 announced that Trump administration would not only provide "advisory" support to YPG fighters in their battle against ISIL to capture Raqqa, but also give them heavy arms. The latest U.S. stand may put the Trump administration at the crosshairs of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish government, which tagged YPG the "terrorist" label.
U.S. Attacks Pro-Government Convoy
U.S. launched an airstrike on May 18, 2017 on a convoy of pro-government militia that was heading toward a base near the Jordanian borders. After repeated warning by the U.S. military against moving toward the base, used by the U.S. to train anti-Bashar Assad rebels, the militia convoy failed to heed and came under attack.
Russia Condemns the U.S. Strike on Pro-Government Convoy
A day after U.S. struck a convoy that, according to the U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, reportedly was carrying Iranian militia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on May 19, 2017 condemned the airstrike as the latest flagrant "violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic". Lavrov was quoted in Cyprus by the Russian state media Taas.
******* Local Truce: Evacuation from Four Towns
In the latest act of siege-suffer-subjugate-surrender model, residents were forced to evacuate from the four towns that had been held hostage for months by the rival sides. On April 14, 2017, at least 7,000 people were evacuated from four towns--two inhabited by pro-rebel residents and the other two inhabited the regime loyalists. Two pro-regime towns were all in Idlib province: Foua and Kefarya. Rebels laid a siege on Foua and Kefarya since May 2015, and government-initiated airdrop of supplies helped mostly Shiite residents of both towns to survive the ordeal. The residents from Foua and Kefarya will be evacuated to and settled in Aleppo. Residents were also evacuated from the pro-regime militia-surrounded western towns of Zabadani and Madaya. The evacuation was brokered by Syria and Iran on one side, and Qatar on the other.
About 100 Killed in Blast during Evacuation
As hundreds of besieged residents from the rebel-surrounded town of Foua were being evacuated to Aleppo, a bomb targeted the convoy of buses on April 15, 2017, killing at least 100 civilians, including many children.
Evacuation from Four Besieged Towns on Hold
A day after an explosion targeting the convoy carrying besieged residents of Foua to Aleppo killed more than 120 people, the authorities on April 16, 2017 put the scheduled evacuation on hold due to security concerns. The evacuation process began on April 14, 2017, and was supposed to help about 3,000 residents--mostly Shiite civilians--evacuate from two besieged towns in Idlib--Foua and Kefarya--to Aleppo and about 200 rebel fighters from the two western towns of Zabadani and Madaya bordering Lebanon. The UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake issued a statement on April 16, 2017, calling the April 15, 2017, explosion that had targeted the evacuees from Foua as "a new horror that must break the heart of anyone who has one".
******* Local Truce: Evacuation from Four Towns
U.S. Airstrike Kills at least 10
A U.S.-led coalition airstrike hit a town, Boukamal, near the border with Iraq on April 17, 2017, killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens. The town was being controlled by ISIL militants.
Missiles Knock out Hospital
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on April 22, 2017 that missiles launched from the ground had hit a hospital in Abdin village in the rebel-held Idlib Province, inflicting significant damage, but without giving any casualty figure.
Airstrikes Hit Center for First Responders
On April 29, 2017, Airstrikes struck a building housing the first responders, or the White Helmets, at the rebel-held town of Kfar Zeita in Hama province, killing eight first responders, underscoring the degree of insecurity faced even by the first responders.
Turkey Vows to Strike Kurdish Fighters in Iraq, Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan doubled down on April 30, 2017 to up the ante on the Kurdish fighters who had been locked in fierce battles with ISIL in Iraq and Syria. Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, a reliable U.S. ally was a prime target of Erdogan and often blamed for harboring close ties to PKK. Last week, Turkish warplanes have struck positions of YPG, a Syrian-Kurdish-dominated guerrilla group that forms the backbone of SDF, killing at least 20 fighters.
************************* DEESCALATION/SAFE ZONES AGREEMENT *************
Trump, Putin Talk Syria over Phone
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 2, 2017 talked over phone for the first time since the U.S. airstrikes in Syria, underscoring the importance of strategic co-operation between the former Cold War-era rivals. According to the White House statement, they had talked about a potential cease-fire and creation of the so-called "safe zones", or "de-escalation zones".
Turkey's, Russia's Presidents Back De-escalation Zones
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly backed a proposal of four "de-escalation zones" at a meeting in Sochi on May 3, 2017. Russian representatives in early May 2017 presented a proposal to rebel representatives at the Astana Talks for "safe", or "de-escalation", zones in Syria to defuse tension, but the rebels chose to suspend participating in the talks. According to The Associated Press, the four "de-escalation zones" are Idlib and Homs provinces as well as Eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and an area in the south of the country. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on May 3, 2017 asked the rebels to join the Astana Talks.
Syria against Foreign Armed Monitors to Enforce the Deal
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on May 8, 2017 made it simple and straight that although the Assad regime had conditionally backed the creation of so-called four safe, or de-escalation, zones, it would not allow any foreign armed monitors barring Russian "military police", who were already on ground, to be deployed on Syrian soil to enforce the agreement reached last week at Astana among Russia, Turkey and Iran. Al-Moallem also doubted whether the latest truce would hold, saying that it was "premature" to tell if it would be successful.
One of the Proposed Safe Zones Unravels in Violence
Since June 2, 2017, the fighting erupted in parts of Daraa, a key part of the de-escalation zones worked out by Iran, Turkey and Russia. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 31 fighters on both sides were killed as of June 4, 2017. It was sketchy how the flare-up had begun, but local activists blamed government for sending about 200 militia to Manshiyeh in Daraa that had provoked the violence.
Syrian warplane Downed by the USA for the First Time
For the first time since Syria's Civil War had erupted in 2011, a U.S. F/A-18 jet shot down a Syrian airplane, a SU-22 plane, on June 18, 2017 just south of Tabqah after the Syrian plane dropped bombs targeting the U.S.-supported rebel forces on the ground. On June 19, 2017, Russian Defense Ministry suspended the hotline that was used to coordinate flying plan for both nations' military aircraft in the Syrian airspace. Russian Defense Ministry also called the downing of Syrian plane as a "military aggression", and said that any plane detected on the west of Euphrates River was a natural target. Russia earlier in the Spring suspended the hotline after U.S. launched dozens of Tomahawks on Syrian targets, but resumed it shortly.
U.S. Downs an Armed Drone
Two days after a U.S. F/A-18 jet downed a Syrian SU-22 plane, a U.S. F-15E jet on June 20, 2017 shot down an Iranian armed drone in the de-conflict zone in Southeast near the town of Al Tanf.
Russia, U.S. to Collaborate in Enforcing Cease-fire in "Southwest" De-Escalation Zone
For the first time, U.S. on July 7, 2017 agreed to collaborate with Russia to prop up an agreement in creating and maintaining cease-fire in the four "de-escalation zones" negotiated by Turkey, Russia and Iran in Astana. The collaboration in the southwest Syria was agreed by President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during the G-20 summit at Hamburg, Germany. The cease-fire will go into effect on July 9, 2017 noon time. According to the deal, Russian military police will monitor the cease-fire.
Cease-fire Begins in Three Provinces in the Southwest
Two days after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed at Hamburg, Germany on the sidelines of the G-20 summit to a deal enforcing a cease-fire in the country's southwest corridor, or de-escalation zone, the cease-fire took effect on July 9, 2017 in the provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida.
Indirect Talks Start a Day after Cease-fire Went into Effect
A day after a Russia-U.S.-negotiated cease-fire went into force in the country's southwest sector, indirect negotiation among U.N. Special Representative Staffan de Mistura, Assad regime and opposition began at the U.N. office in Geneva on July 10, 2017.
************************* DEESCALATION/SAFE ZONES AGREEMENT *************
******* Local Truce in Northeastern Damascus
Rebels Leave Qaboun Neighborhood
Hundreds of rebels on May 14, 2017 began to evacuate from the vanquished rebel-held neighborhood of Qaboun in northeastern Damascus a day after being defeated by Assad loyalists, thus giving the government a complete control over the capital city.
******* Local Truce in Northeastern Damascus
Russia Fires Missiles at ISIL Positions in Syria
Russian Defense Ministry disclosed on May 31, 2017 that Russian ships in Mediterranean had launched four missiles to target ISIL strongholds near the historic desert town of Palmyra to provide boost to Syrian ground forces in their effort to seize the town of Sukhna, 37 miles northeast of Palmyra. However, the defense ministry did not say when the missiles had been launched from the Admiral Essen frigate and the Krasnodar submarine. Russia apparently notified USA, Israel and Turkey before launching the missiles as part of Syrian campaign to oust ISIL from its last stronghold of oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour.
ISIL's Media Chief Assassinated
The Associated Press reported on June 1, 2017 that a suspected U.S. airstrike in the town of Mayadeen in Deir el-Zour province on May 26, 2017 wounded founder of Aamaq news agency, mouthpiece of ISIL, and killed his daughter. Later on May 31, 2017, Baraa Kadek, the founder of Aamaq, succumbed to his injury.
Syria Rejects U.S. Allegation of Preparation for a New Chemical Attack
A day after the June 26, 2017, allegation by the White House that Syrian regime was planning for another chemical attack and preparing to that end at Al Shayrat Airfield, Syrian Minister for National Reconciliation Ali Haider on June 27, 2017 rejected the charge outright. Syria's strong ally Russia also refuted the charge.
Suicide Car Bombing Kills at least Eight in Damascus
Three suicide bombers drove vehicles to inflict havoc on the residents of Damascus and shake the Damascus city center with car explosions on July 2, 2017. Security forces were able to thwart two vehicles, but the third one was able to beat the security and exploded at the city center, killing at least eight people.
Exchanges of Dead Bodies at Border as Part of an Agreement
After two weeks of intense fighting between Hezbollah-Syrian troops and al-Qaeda-affiliated Fatah al-Sham fighters in the (Syrian-Lebanese) border region of Arsal, an agreement was reached between the groups on July 27, 2017. As part of the first stage of agreement, bodies of dead fighters were exchanged between the groups on July 30, 2017 at the Arsal border crossing, with Hezbollah handing over nine al-Qaeda-linked fighters in exchange for five Hezbollah fighters. As part of the deal that ended the two-week intense fighting that had killed 36 Hezbollah and 47 to 90 al-Qaeda-linked fighters, Syrian al-Qaeda-affiliated Fatah al-Sham fighters will leave the Arsal region to Idlib with their families, giving full control of the Syrian-Lebanese borders to Assad regime and its Hezbollah ally.
Assad Holds Trade Fair for the First Time in Years
In a growing reflection of confidence, Assad regime is holding an International Trade Fair that has been a magnet and conduit of foreign investment before the start of Civil War. After the Civil War had erupted in 2011, Damascus International Trade Fair was put on hold until this year. The 10-day fair, being attended by 43 nations--including China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, South Africa and Belarus--was launched on August 17, 2017 at a venue in Damascus that's few miles away from opposition-held areas in eastern suburbs, underscoring the growing confidence of the government.
Hezbollah-ISIL Deal Smells Foul; U.S. Targets ISIL Convoy
As part of a deal between Hezbollah and ISIL, ISIL fighters were given a safe passage to move to Iraq with their families in exchange for securing the remains of nine Lebanese soldiers who had gone missing in 2014. Barely 48 hours passed after the ISIL convoy had headed to Iraqi borders, U.S. airstrikes targeted the convoy on August 30, 2017 just outside the eastern Deir el-Zour province. The U.S. envoy to the anti-ISIL coalition, Brett McGurk twitted: "Irreconcilable terrorists should be killed on the battlefields, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq's consent". A day earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi criticized the deal, saying that "we are fighting terrorists in Iraq, not kicking them out to Syria". Responding to the criticism of the deal, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that a negotiated deal with the militants was the only way out to resolve "humanitarian and national issue" of finding remains of nine Lebanese soldiers. A week in the run-up to the deal, Lebanese army were pounding on the militants on one side and Syrian troops along with Hezbollah fighters were attacking them on the other side of the border.
ISIL Claims Suicide Attacks in Damascus
ISIL on October 3, 2017 claimed to have carried out two separate suicide bombings earlier in the day in the heart of Damascus despite heavy security presence, killing at least 17 people. It also released a video of two Russian soldiers captured in eastern Syria.
Victory over ISIL Announced on the Both Sides of Borders
In a stunning defeat of ISIL, Syria and Iraq on November 3, 2017 separately announced victory at eastern Syrian city of Deir el-Zour and Qaim, across the border in Iraq, respectively.
Syrian Troops Enter the Last ISIL Stronghold
Five days after declaring victory over ISIL and weeks after fierce fighting in the eastern Deir el-Zour province, Syrian troops along with allied militia entered the border town of Boukamal on November 8, 2017. Sensing a total annihilation, ISIL fighters began withdrawal from Boukamal and by the end of November 9, 2017, the militant group was all but gone from the town near Iraqi border.
********************** RUSSIA-SPONSORED PEACE TALKS ***********************
Russia Pushes for Peace
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been building momentum since U.S. President Donald Trump during his Asia trip literally ceded the ground for a mediated settlement in Syria to Moscow. On November 20, 2017, a visiting Bashar Assad met with Putin at Sochi on the eve of a three-way summit amongst Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Sochi to find a roadmap to end the Syrian Civil War.
Syrian Rebel Groups Refuse to Participate in Talks Organized by Russia
In a series statements, about 40 Syrian rebel and opposition groups on December 26, 2017 called the proposed peace talks to be hosted by Russia as "hoax" and smokescreen for Syrian President Bashar Assad, and said that they would not join any such talks.
Russia Wraps up Syria Conference at Sochi
A conference on the future of Syria--attended by Assad regime, Turkey and Iran, but boycotted by Syria's rebel groups--organized by Russia was concluded on January 30, 2018 at the Black Sea resort of Sochi with a very paltry in substantive progress, but more in photo-ops, to show the world. The conference's only key achievement was to agree on formulating a new constitution.
U.S. Left High and Dry in Tripartite Summit
A tripartite summit was held on April 4, 2018 at Ankara where leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey had discussed on finding a way to bring peace to Syria and reconstruction spending. Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a joint statement after the conclusion of summit, giving a solid backing to Syrian President Bashar Assad and cover to Turkey's recently completed campaign in Afrin by reiterating to oppose any effort "to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism".
Putin Rejects Turkish Proposal for a Détente over Idlib
At a trilateral summit on September 7, 2018 aimed at averting a catastrophe in Idlib, Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 7, 2018 dismissed a suggestion by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a truce. Syria and Russia are preparing for a massive campaign to re-take the last opposition redoubt of Idlib where at least 3 million people, half of them had been displaced from other parts of Syria, were at the brink of facing another catastrophic situation if a full-blown assault began. Later speaking with the journalists, Putin added that it was not acceptable that "protection of civilian population is used as a pretext for letting terrorists avoid a strike".
Russia, Turkey, Iran Agree on Democratic Election
Russia, Turkey and Iran held a trilateral summit at Ankara on September 16, 2019 to discuss on how best to push democracy in Syria and sustain a truce in Idlib that had been, more or less, in place since August 2019. This was the fifth trilateral session, and covered the topic on rewriting a constitution and hold elections in Syria latest by 2021. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani discussed threadbare on issues and decided to form a constitutional committee, to be made up of Syrian government officials, opposition leaders and independent members, that would meet at Geneva for a swift negotiation to rewrite constitution and decide on timetable for holding election.
********************** RUSSIA-SPONSORED PEACE TALKS ***********************
******** SYRIAN PUSH AND EFFORTS TO AVERT FULL-BLOWN WAR IN IDLIB *****
Syrian Military Enters Idlib Province
Syrian military on December 15, 2017 entered the only province that was still left under opposition control. Syrian government troops and allied militia entered the Idlib Province from the central province of Hama.
Car Bomb Kills 23 in Idlib
A car bomb outside the headquarters of one of Syria's rebel groups, Ajnad al-Koukaz, in the city of Idlib killed 23 on January 7, 2018 and injured dozens. Idlib is the only major city still under rebel control, and currently being pursued by Syrian troops from the east. As part of the government offensive that was launched on December 16, 2017, Syrian troops seized a strategically important town, Sinjar, in eastern Idlib hours before the car bomb attack in Idlib City.
U.N. Alarmed by Idlib Fighting
Since the December 16, 2017, launch of government offensive in Idlib province, the battle is taking an increasing toll on the civilians as 100,000 people have been displaced so far, according to Jan Egeland, the U.N. adviser on the humanitarian affairs for Syria who has given the figures to the reporters after a meeting with a humanitarian task force on January 11, 2018. According to the U.N. estimate, approximately 2.5 million people now live in Idlib province, including more than a million who have fled there from other parts of the country.
U.N. Estimates 270,000 Displaced in Idlib Offensive
U.N. estimated at least 270,000 people had been displaced as of January 31, 2018 since Syrian government and it's allied fighters' December 15, 2017, launch of Idlib offensive.
Russia Blames U.S., although Indirectly, for Drone Attacks
Russian Defense Ministry on January 9, 2018 accused "one of the countries that possesses knowhow of satellite navigation" for sending 13 unmanned drones to the sky over the Hemeimeem Airbase and Tartus Naval Facility during the day. Seven of the drones were shot down and six were forced to land, according to Russia.
************************************ AFRIN CONFLICT ***************************Syria Rejects U.S. Allegation of Preparation for a New Chemical Attack
A day after the June 26, 2017, allegation by the White House that Syrian regime was planning for another chemical attack and preparing to that end at Al Shayrat Airfield, Syrian Minister for National Reconciliation Ali Haider on June 27, 2017 rejected the charge outright. Syria's strong ally Russia also refuted the charge.
Suicide Car Bombing Kills at least Eight in Damascus
Three suicide bombers drove vehicles to inflict havoc on the residents of Damascus and shake the Damascus city center with car explosions on July 2, 2017. Security forces were able to thwart two vehicles, but the third one was able to beat the security and exploded at the city center, killing at least eight people.
Exchanges of Dead Bodies at Border as Part of an Agreement
After two weeks of intense fighting between Hezbollah-Syrian troops and al-Qaeda-affiliated Fatah al-Sham fighters in the (Syrian-Lebanese) border region of Arsal, an agreement was reached between the groups on July 27, 2017. As part of the first stage of agreement, bodies of dead fighters were exchanged between the groups on July 30, 2017 at the Arsal border crossing, with Hezbollah handing over nine al-Qaeda-linked fighters in exchange for five Hezbollah fighters. As part of the deal that ended the two-week intense fighting that had killed 36 Hezbollah and 47 to 90 al-Qaeda-linked fighters, Syrian al-Qaeda-affiliated Fatah al-Sham fighters will leave the Arsal region to Idlib with their families, giving full control of the Syrian-Lebanese borders to Assad regime and its Hezbollah ally.
Assad Holds Trade Fair for the First Time in Years
In a growing reflection of confidence, Assad regime is holding an International Trade Fair that has been a magnet and conduit of foreign investment before the start of Civil War. After the Civil War had erupted in 2011, Damascus International Trade Fair was put on hold until this year. The 10-day fair, being attended by 43 nations--including China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, South Africa and Belarus--was launched on August 17, 2017 at a venue in Damascus that's few miles away from opposition-held areas in eastern suburbs, underscoring the growing confidence of the government.
Hezbollah-ISIL Deal Smells Foul; U.S. Targets ISIL Convoy
As part of a deal between Hezbollah and ISIL, ISIL fighters were given a safe passage to move to Iraq with their families in exchange for securing the remains of nine Lebanese soldiers who had gone missing in 2014. Barely 48 hours passed after the ISIL convoy had headed to Iraqi borders, U.S. airstrikes targeted the convoy on August 30, 2017 just outside the eastern Deir el-Zour province. The U.S. envoy to the anti-ISIL coalition, Brett McGurk twitted: "Irreconcilable terrorists should be killed on the battlefields, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq's consent". A day earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi criticized the deal, saying that "we are fighting terrorists in Iraq, not kicking them out to Syria". Responding to the criticism of the deal, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that a negotiated deal with the militants was the only way out to resolve "humanitarian and national issue" of finding remains of nine Lebanese soldiers. A week in the run-up to the deal, Lebanese army were pounding on the militants on one side and Syrian troops along with Hezbollah fighters were attacking them on the other side of the border.
ISIL Claims Suicide Attacks in Damascus
ISIL on October 3, 2017 claimed to have carried out two separate suicide bombings earlier in the day in the heart of Damascus despite heavy security presence, killing at least 17 people. It also released a video of two Russian soldiers captured in eastern Syria.
Victory over ISIL Announced on the Both Sides of Borders
In a stunning defeat of ISIL, Syria and Iraq on November 3, 2017 separately announced victory at eastern Syrian city of Deir el-Zour and Qaim, across the border in Iraq, respectively.
Syrian Troops Enter the Last ISIL Stronghold
Five days after declaring victory over ISIL and weeks after fierce fighting in the eastern Deir el-Zour province, Syrian troops along with allied militia entered the border town of Boukamal on November 8, 2017. Sensing a total annihilation, ISIL fighters began withdrawal from Boukamal and by the end of November 9, 2017, the militant group was all but gone from the town near Iraqi border.
********************** RUSSIA-SPONSORED PEACE TALKS ***********************
Russia Pushes for Peace
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been building momentum since U.S. President Donald Trump during his Asia trip literally ceded the ground for a mediated settlement in Syria to Moscow. On November 20, 2017, a visiting Bashar Assad met with Putin at Sochi on the eve of a three-way summit amongst Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Sochi to find a roadmap to end the Syrian Civil War.
Syrian Rebel Groups Refuse to Participate in Talks Organized by Russia
In a series statements, about 40 Syrian rebel and opposition groups on December 26, 2017 called the proposed peace talks to be hosted by Russia as "hoax" and smokescreen for Syrian President Bashar Assad, and said that they would not join any such talks.
Russia Wraps up Syria Conference at Sochi
A conference on the future of Syria--attended by Assad regime, Turkey and Iran, but boycotted by Syria's rebel groups--organized by Russia was concluded on January 30, 2018 at the Black Sea resort of Sochi with a very paltry in substantive progress, but more in photo-ops, to show the world. The conference's only key achievement was to agree on formulating a new constitution.
U.S. Left High and Dry in Tripartite Summit
A tripartite summit was held on April 4, 2018 at Ankara where leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey had discussed on finding a way to bring peace to Syria and reconstruction spending. Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a joint statement after the conclusion of summit, giving a solid backing to Syrian President Bashar Assad and cover to Turkey's recently completed campaign in Afrin by reiterating to oppose any effort "to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism".
Putin Rejects Turkish Proposal for a Détente over Idlib
At a trilateral summit on September 7, 2018 aimed at averting a catastrophe in Idlib, Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 7, 2018 dismissed a suggestion by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a truce. Syria and Russia are preparing for a massive campaign to re-take the last opposition redoubt of Idlib where at least 3 million people, half of them had been displaced from other parts of Syria, were at the brink of facing another catastrophic situation if a full-blown assault began. Later speaking with the journalists, Putin added that it was not acceptable that "protection of civilian population is used as a pretext for letting terrorists avoid a strike".
Russia, Turkey, Iran Agree on Democratic Election
Russia, Turkey and Iran held a trilateral summit at Ankara on September 16, 2019 to discuss on how best to push democracy in Syria and sustain a truce in Idlib that had been, more or less, in place since August 2019. This was the fifth trilateral session, and covered the topic on rewriting a constitution and hold elections in Syria latest by 2021. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani discussed threadbare on issues and decided to form a constitutional committee, to be made up of Syrian government officials, opposition leaders and independent members, that would meet at Geneva for a swift negotiation to rewrite constitution and decide on timetable for holding election.
********************** RUSSIA-SPONSORED PEACE TALKS ***********************
******** SYRIAN PUSH AND EFFORTS TO AVERT FULL-BLOWN WAR IN IDLIB *****
Syrian Military Enters Idlib Province
Syrian military on December 15, 2017 entered the only province that was still left under opposition control. Syrian government troops and allied militia entered the Idlib Province from the central province of Hama.
Car Bomb Kills 23 in Idlib
A car bomb outside the headquarters of one of Syria's rebel groups, Ajnad al-Koukaz, in the city of Idlib killed 23 on January 7, 2018 and injured dozens. Idlib is the only major city still under rebel control, and currently being pursued by Syrian troops from the east. As part of the government offensive that was launched on December 16, 2017, Syrian troops seized a strategically important town, Sinjar, in eastern Idlib hours before the car bomb attack in Idlib City.
U.N. Alarmed by Idlib Fighting
Since the December 16, 2017, launch of government offensive in Idlib province, the battle is taking an increasing toll on the civilians as 100,000 people have been displaced so far, according to Jan Egeland, the U.N. adviser on the humanitarian affairs for Syria who has given the figures to the reporters after a meeting with a humanitarian task force on January 11, 2018. According to the U.N. estimate, approximately 2.5 million people now live in Idlib province, including more than a million who have fled there from other parts of the country.
U.N. Estimates 270,000 Displaced in Idlib Offensive
U.N. estimated at least 270,000 people had been displaced as of January 31, 2018 since Syrian government and it's allied fighters' December 15, 2017, launch of Idlib offensive.
Putin Rejects Turkish Proposal for a Détente over Idlib
At a trilateral summit on September 7, 2018 aimed at averting a catastrophe in Idlib, Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 7, 2018 dismissed a suggestion by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a truce. Syria and Russia are preparing for a massive campaign to re-take the last opposition redoubt of Idlib where at least 3 million people, half of them had been displaced from other parts of Syria, were at the brink of facing another catastrophic situation if a full-blown assault began. Later speaking with the journalists, Putin added that it was not acceptable that "protection of civilian population is used as a pretext for letting terrorists avoid a strike".
Putin, Erdogan Reach a Last Minute Deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, averted a potential catastrophe in Idlib as both leaders signed a last minute deal in Istanbul on September 22, 2018 that would establish a demilitarized zone about 9 to 12 miles wide and no armored personnel or carrier either from the rebel side or government side would be allowed there. Under the Putin-Erdogan deal, Russia and Turkey will have joint responsibility to enforce the deal in letter and spirit, and heavy weaponry and armed groups have to leave the proposed DMZ by October 10, 2018. The truce then will take effect October 15, 2018.
Rebels Complete Withdrawal from the De-militarized Zone
The tenets of September 22, 2018, deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to be holding as rebels completed withdrawing heavy weaponry from de-militarized zone by October 10, 2018.
Russian Airstrikes against Rebels in North Syria Apparently Violating the September 2018 Truce
Russian Airforce on November 25, 2018 pounded northern Syria, apparently violating a September 22, 2018, truce that it had arrived at Sochi in a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The airstrikes were in response to rebels firing rockets filled with poison gas on government-held city of Aleppo a day earlier that had sickened dozens of people. Russia justified the airstrikes on the ground that the targets--including the al-Qaeda-linked Horas al-Din--were anyway excluded from the purview of September 22, 2018, truce.
Idlib Deal on the Brink of Unravelling
The September 22, 2018, Idlib deal reached between Russia and Turkey that averted a full-blown Syrian attack on Idlib has all the odds to unravel as an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee, on January 10, 2019 forced capitulation of Turkey-backed rebel groups in the northwestern province of Idlib, only remaining rebel redoubt, thus sweeping through the province. During the day, Turkey-backed rebels agreed to a humiliating condition of governance of the province, thus raising the possibility that Bashar Assad regime could resume troops buildup to attack the rebel-held province.
The Idlib Deal in a State of Near-collapse as U.N. Holds an Emergency Session
Days after Syrian troops began a new push to take areas under rebel control in Idlib, U.N. officials on May 17, 2019 called for preservation and integrity of the September 22, 2018, agreement between Russia and Turkey over Idlib as any escalation would bring a potential catastrophe in the region. U.N. humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, told a U.N. Security Council session on May 17, 2019 that the Syrian regime-led aggression in the Idlib De-escalation zone had killed at least 160 people and displaced 180,000 and left millions "crammed into an even smaller area". U.N political chief Rosemary DiCarlo urged Russia and Turkey to influence sides to deescalate.
Syrian Forces Seize a Rebel-held Village
As the September 22, 2018, Idlib truce crafted by Moscow and Ankara teeters in the brink of collapse, Syrian forces has seized a village, Qassabiyeh, hitherto under the control of rebels, in Idlib, according to June 3, 3019, report by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army has launched its latest offensive a month ago, and international groups accused Syrian regime of using banned weapons in the latest round of offensives.
Rebels Hit back by Rocket Attacks
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 6, 2019 that Idlib rebels had responded government capture of the village of Qassabiyeh three days ago by launching rocket attacks on homes in the northern parts of government controlled province of Hama.
*********************** INTENSIFIED OFFENSIVE BY RUSSIA AND ASSAD
International Rescue Committee Issues Dire Warning
International Rescue Committee on December 28, 2019 issued a stern warning that a major humanitarian crisis was just days away from unraveling if Syrian military continued its push in Idlib. According to IRC, 400,000 people or more will be forced from their homes in coming weeks. IRC's country director for the northwest Syria, Rehana Zawar, emphasized that there was already a crisis-like scenario in Idlib where all of 3 million people--including many who had been displaced in other parts of Syria and now settled in Idlib--were now vulnerable.
Syria, Turkey Entangled in Idlib Fight
Syrian and Turkish government troops are now getting involved directly in the fight over control of Idlib, only province outside the authority of Bashar al-Assad. Since Syrian government launched an invigorated push in Idlib in early December 2019, at least 700,000 people had been displaced, according to David Swanson, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. On February 10, 2020, Syrian and Turkish forces traded shots with each other. Turkish Defense Ministry said during the day that Turkish forces attacked "115 regime targets" after Syrian military struck Turkish military positions in Idlib, killing five Turkish military personnel and wounding five more. The latest conflict erupted about a week after another Syrian attack that had killed eight Turkish military personnel.
Syrian Military Helicopter Downed
A Syrian military helicopter was hit by a rebel-launched projectile on February 11, 2020 near the Idlib village of Nairab, killing all the crew members amidst continuous shelling and bombing by the Syrian military against civilian targets across Idlib.
Syrian Forces Seize a Key Highway
Syrian forces backed by Russian air power seized a sizable section of M5 Highway, a lifeline and connector between Damascus and the country's north, and days after that, regime forces on February 12, 2020 consolidated their positions and strategic advances.
Assad's Forces Make Headway in Rebel-held Aleppo as Assad Vows to Retake Rebel-held Areas
Syrian President Bashar Assad on February 16, 2020, standing alongside visiting Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani, vowed that his forces would capture Idlib from the "terrorists" as the Syrian push advanced in rebel-held parts of Aleppo.
A Confident Assad Predicts a Total Victory
Syrian President Bashar Assad told his nation in a rare national televised address on February 17, 2020 that Syrian army would prevail in Idlib Province. He congratulated his forces for their recent victory in Aleppo, and promised that Aleppo would "return stronger than it was before".
900,000 Displaced Syrian Offensive, U.N. Says
In a harrowing tale of devastation, 900,000 people, including 500,000 children, had been displaced in Idlib since a Russia-backed, Syrian regime-led military campaign had begun on December 1, 2020. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are now squeezed into a small sliver of land close to Turkish borders, and many are sleeping in the open in close to zero temperature. U.N. humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, told the U.N. Security Council on February 19, 2020 that innumerable babies and children "are dying in the cold". U.N. Special Envoy Geir Pedersen also warned the looming crisis that would end with the "tragic suffering of civilians".
Erdogan, Putin Talk about Truce in Idlib
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 21, 2020 pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to use the leverage to force Bashar Assad's forces to refrain from attacking in Idlib. Putin expressed concern over the "aggressive actions" by rebel groups in Idlib. Before the telephone talk with Putin, Erdogan held a conference call earlier on February 21, 2020 with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to inform them the "aggression in Idlib" by "the Syrian regime and its backers".
Russia's military head of Center for Reconciliation in Syria, Oleg Zhuravlyov, on February 21, 2020 dismissed U.N. claim that hundreds of thousands of civilians had been forced out of their homes since the latest attack had begun on December 1, 2019.
A Key Highway Opened for the First Time in Almost a Decade
Syrian government accomplished a milestone on February 22, 2020 as it opened M5 Highway, a key link to four of the country's major cities from south to north--Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo--stretching from Jordanian border to Turkish border through parts of Idlib, for the first time since the Syrian Civil War had begun in 2011.
32 Turkish Soldiers Killed in a Single Day
February 27, 2020 turned out to be a bloodbath for Turkish military as the fateful Thursday unfurled with three Turkish soldiers killed in Idlib province, followed by a Syrian airstrike in the other end of the country, northeastern side of Syria, late in the day, killing 29 Turkish military personnel. Since February 2020, at least 50 Turkish soldiers were killed.
Putin, Erdogan Talk over Rising Tension amidst Deaths of 32 Turkish Soldiers
A day after the bloodiest fatality for Turkey in Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks over phone on February 28, 2020 to take concrete measures to reduce tension. Hours after 32 Turkish military personnel were reported killed in Syria, Turkish President on February 27, 2020 announced that it would not prevent migrants crossing the borders into Europe.
On February 28, 2020, Turkish government upped the death toll to 33.
Erdogan Promises to Keep Turkey's Western Border Open
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 29, 2020 continued to up the ante on Europe as nearly 950,000 Syrian refugees were approaching and getting ensconced in a sliver of land near Syria-Turkey border in Syria's besieged northwest. Two days after ne of the bloodiest days for Turkish military personnel, President Erdogan said on February 29, 2020 that the country's western border with Greece would remain open and migrants were free to move into Europe as Ankara was facing disproportionate degree of humanitarian crisis as close to a million Syrian refugees had massed along the Turkish border since December 1, 2019, launch of the recent Syrian-Russian joint military campaign in Idlib Province. Greek security forces during the day repelled hundreds of migrants from crossing into Greece.
Borders with Europe Remains Opened as Ankara Reaches Deal with Moscow
Since February 27, 2020, opening of the western gates of Turkey to pave the way for willing migrants to pour into Europe, and thus, upping the ante on European Union to respect its part of the [2016] 6 billion-euro deal, Turkey took a huge political gamble. On one hand, the migrants who were on the Turkish soil felt empowered now to forcefully cross the borders with Greece, leading to dangerous escalation in the Greece-Turkey borders, which had been sealed by Greece. The migrants' lives were put in danger by the action of Ankara. On the other hand, Turkey is in no win situation in Idlib as its forces are coming under attacks almost daily basis by an assertive Syrian military. Fortunately for Ankara, the face-saving March 5, 2020, agreement with Moscow gave some breathing space to Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Under the March 5, 2020, agreement between Russia and Turkey, there will be a truce in Idlib effective at midnight on March 6. Russian President Vladimir Putin sounded optimistic, calling the agreement as a "good basis for ending the fighting in the Idlib de-escalation zone".
An Eerie Silence Befalls upon Idlib as a Fragile Truce Holds; EU Foreign Ministers Slam Turkey
The Russia-Turkey truce went into effective at midnight on March 6, 2020, and for the next several hours during the first day of the truce, guns more or less fell silent, and people ventured out in Idlib without life on hand to run errands and do groceries and other necessities.
Meanwhile, meeting at Zagreb, Croatia, foreign ministers of European Union on March 6, 2020 took Turkey to the task for Ankara's "use of migratory pressure for political purpose". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on February 27, 2020 that Turkey would not prevent migrants anymore from crossing the borders into Europe. Since then, thousands of migrants tried to cross the borders, leading to fight between Greek security forces and migrants.
*********************** INTENSIFIED OFFENSIVE BY RUSSIA AND ASSAD
******** SYRIAN PUSH AND EFFORTS TO AVERT FULL-BLOWN WAR IN IDLIB *****Rebels Complete Withdrawal from the De-militarized Zone
The tenets of September 22, 2018, deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to be holding as rebels completed withdrawing heavy weaponry from de-militarized zone by October 10, 2018.
Russian Airstrikes against Rebels in North Syria Apparently Violating the September 2018 Truce
Russian Airforce on November 25, 2018 pounded northern Syria, apparently violating a September 22, 2018, truce that it had arrived at Sochi in a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The airstrikes were in response to rebels firing rockets filled with poison gas on government-held city of Aleppo a day earlier that had sickened dozens of people. Russia justified the airstrikes on the ground that the targets--including the al-Qaeda-linked Horas al-Din--were anyway excluded from the purview of September 22, 2018, truce.
Idlib Deal on the Brink of Unravelling
The September 22, 2018, Idlib deal reached between Russia and Turkey that averted a full-blown Syrian attack on Idlib has all the odds to unravel as an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee, on January 10, 2019 forced capitulation of Turkey-backed rebel groups in the northwestern province of Idlib, only remaining rebel redoubt, thus sweeping through the province. During the day, Turkey-backed rebels agreed to a humiliating condition of governance of the province, thus raising the possibility that Bashar Assad regime could resume troops buildup to attack the rebel-held province.
The Idlib Deal in a State of Near-collapse as U.N. Holds an Emergency Session
Days after Syrian troops began a new push to take areas under rebel control in Idlib, U.N. officials on May 17, 2019 called for preservation and integrity of the September 22, 2018, agreement between Russia and Turkey over Idlib as any escalation would bring a potential catastrophe in the region. U.N. humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, told a U.N. Security Council session on May 17, 2019 that the Syrian regime-led aggression in the Idlib De-escalation zone had killed at least 160 people and displaced 180,000 and left millions "crammed into an even smaller area". U.N political chief Rosemary DiCarlo urged Russia and Turkey to influence sides to deescalate.
Syrian Forces Seize a Rebel-held Village
As the September 22, 2018, Idlib truce crafted by Moscow and Ankara teeters in the brink of collapse, Syrian forces has seized a village, Qassabiyeh, hitherto under the control of rebels, in Idlib, according to June 3, 3019, report by Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army has launched its latest offensive a month ago, and international groups accused Syrian regime of using banned weapons in the latest round of offensives.
Rebels Hit back by Rocket Attacks
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on June 6, 2019 that Idlib rebels had responded government capture of the village of Qassabiyeh three days ago by launching rocket attacks on homes in the northern parts of government controlled province of Hama.
*********************** INTENSIFIED OFFENSIVE BY RUSSIA AND ASSAD
International Rescue Committee Issues Dire Warning
International Rescue Committee on December 28, 2019 issued a stern warning that a major humanitarian crisis was just days away from unraveling if Syrian military continued its push in Idlib. According to IRC, 400,000 people or more will be forced from their homes in coming weeks. IRC's country director for the northwest Syria, Rehana Zawar, emphasized that there was already a crisis-like scenario in Idlib where all of 3 million people--including many who had been displaced in other parts of Syria and now settled in Idlib--were now vulnerable.
Syria, Turkey Entangled in Idlib Fight
Syrian and Turkish government troops are now getting involved directly in the fight over control of Idlib, only province outside the authority of Bashar al-Assad. Since Syrian government launched an invigorated push in Idlib in early December 2019, at least 700,000 people had been displaced, according to David Swanson, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. On February 10, 2020, Syrian and Turkish forces traded shots with each other. Turkish Defense Ministry said during the day that Turkish forces attacked "115 regime targets" after Syrian military struck Turkish military positions in Idlib, killing five Turkish military personnel and wounding five more. The latest conflict erupted about a week after another Syrian attack that had killed eight Turkish military personnel.
Syrian Military Helicopter Downed
A Syrian military helicopter was hit by a rebel-launched projectile on February 11, 2020 near the Idlib village of Nairab, killing all the crew members amidst continuous shelling and bombing by the Syrian military against civilian targets across Idlib.
Syrian Forces Seize a Key Highway
Syrian forces backed by Russian air power seized a sizable section of M5 Highway, a lifeline and connector between Damascus and the country's north, and days after that, regime forces on February 12, 2020 consolidated their positions and strategic advances.
Assad's Forces Make Headway in Rebel-held Aleppo as Assad Vows to Retake Rebel-held Areas
Syrian President Bashar Assad on February 16, 2020, standing alongside visiting Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani, vowed that his forces would capture Idlib from the "terrorists" as the Syrian push advanced in rebel-held parts of Aleppo.
A Confident Assad Predicts a Total Victory
Syrian President Bashar Assad told his nation in a rare national televised address on February 17, 2020 that Syrian army would prevail in Idlib Province. He congratulated his forces for their recent victory in Aleppo, and promised that Aleppo would "return stronger than it was before".
900,000 Displaced Syrian Offensive, U.N. Says
In a harrowing tale of devastation, 900,000 people, including 500,000 children, had been displaced in Idlib since a Russia-backed, Syrian regime-led military campaign had begun on December 1, 2020. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are now squeezed into a small sliver of land close to Turkish borders, and many are sleeping in the open in close to zero temperature. U.N. humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, told the U.N. Security Council on February 19, 2020 that innumerable babies and children "are dying in the cold". U.N. Special Envoy Geir Pedersen also warned the looming crisis that would end with the "tragic suffering of civilians".
Erdogan, Putin Talk about Truce in Idlib
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 21, 2020 pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to use the leverage to force Bashar Assad's forces to refrain from attacking in Idlib. Putin expressed concern over the "aggressive actions" by rebel groups in Idlib. Before the telephone talk with Putin, Erdogan held a conference call earlier on February 21, 2020 with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to inform them the "aggression in Idlib" by "the Syrian regime and its backers".
Russia's military head of Center for Reconciliation in Syria, Oleg Zhuravlyov, on February 21, 2020 dismissed U.N. claim that hundreds of thousands of civilians had been forced out of their homes since the latest attack had begun on December 1, 2019.
A Key Highway Opened for the First Time in Almost a Decade
Syrian government accomplished a milestone on February 22, 2020 as it opened M5 Highway, a key link to four of the country's major cities from south to north--Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo--stretching from Jordanian border to Turkish border through parts of Idlib, for the first time since the Syrian Civil War had begun in 2011.
32 Turkish Soldiers Killed in a Single Day
February 27, 2020 turned out to be a bloodbath for Turkish military as the fateful Thursday unfurled with three Turkish soldiers killed in Idlib province, followed by a Syrian airstrike in the other end of the country, northeastern side of Syria, late in the day, killing 29 Turkish military personnel. Since February 2020, at least 50 Turkish soldiers were killed.
Putin, Erdogan Talk over Rising Tension amidst Deaths of 32 Turkish Soldiers
A day after the bloodiest fatality for Turkey in Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks over phone on February 28, 2020 to take concrete measures to reduce tension. Hours after 32 Turkish military personnel were reported killed in Syria, Turkish President on February 27, 2020 announced that it would not prevent migrants crossing the borders into Europe.
On February 28, 2020, Turkish government upped the death toll to 33.
Erdogan Promises to Keep Turkey's Western Border Open
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 29, 2020 continued to up the ante on Europe as nearly 950,000 Syrian refugees were approaching and getting ensconced in a sliver of land near Syria-Turkey border in Syria's besieged northwest. Two days after ne of the bloodiest days for Turkish military personnel, President Erdogan said on February 29, 2020 that the country's western border with Greece would remain open and migrants were free to move into Europe as Ankara was facing disproportionate degree of humanitarian crisis as close to a million Syrian refugees had massed along the Turkish border since December 1, 2019, launch of the recent Syrian-Russian joint military campaign in Idlib Province. Greek security forces during the day repelled hundreds of migrants from crossing into Greece.
Borders with Europe Remains Opened as Ankara Reaches Deal with Moscow
Since February 27, 2020, opening of the western gates of Turkey to pave the way for willing migrants to pour into Europe, and thus, upping the ante on European Union to respect its part of the [2016] 6 billion-euro deal, Turkey took a huge political gamble. On one hand, the migrants who were on the Turkish soil felt empowered now to forcefully cross the borders with Greece, leading to dangerous escalation in the Greece-Turkey borders, which had been sealed by Greece. The migrants' lives were put in danger by the action of Ankara. On the other hand, Turkey is in no win situation in Idlib as its forces are coming under attacks almost daily basis by an assertive Syrian military. Fortunately for Ankara, the face-saving March 5, 2020, agreement with Moscow gave some breathing space to Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Under the March 5, 2020, agreement between Russia and Turkey, there will be a truce in Idlib effective at midnight on March 6. Russian President Vladimir Putin sounded optimistic, calling the agreement as a "good basis for ending the fighting in the Idlib de-escalation zone".
An Eerie Silence Befalls upon Idlib as a Fragile Truce Holds; EU Foreign Ministers Slam Turkey
The Russia-Turkey truce went into effective at midnight on March 6, 2020, and for the next several hours during the first day of the truce, guns more or less fell silent, and people ventured out in Idlib without life on hand to run errands and do groceries and other necessities.
Meanwhile, meeting at Zagreb, Croatia, foreign ministers of European Union on March 6, 2020 took Turkey to the task for Ankara's "use of migratory pressure for political purpose". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on February 27, 2020 that Turkey would not prevent migrants anymore from crossing the borders into Europe. Since then, thousands of migrants tried to cross the borders, leading to fight between Greek security forces and migrants.
*********************** INTENSIFIED OFFENSIVE BY RUSSIA AND ASSAD
Russia Blames U.S., although Indirectly, for Drone Attacks
Russian Defense Ministry on January 9, 2018 accused "one of the countries that possesses knowhow of satellite navigation" for sending 13 unmanned drones to the sky over the Hemeimeem Airbase and Tartus Naval Facility during the day. Seven of the drones were shot down and six were forced to land, according to Russia.
U.S. Suggests a Border Force by Kurds
U.S.-led coalition on January 14, 2018 confirmed that it was training recruits to man the northern borders of Syria with Turkey. Most of the estimated 30,000 recruits, according to The Washington Post, will come from the Syrian Kurds-dominated SDF, an American proxy in the battle against ISIL. Bulk of SDF fighters are made up of YPG, a Syrian-Kurdish group that Ankara had viewed as terrorist for its link to PKK.
Erdogan Blasts U.S. Border Force Plan
Turkish authorities were seething after getting to know U.S. plan to create a 30,000-strong force, mostly of Syrian-Kurdish fighters, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the first parting shot at Washington on January 15, 2018, vowing to "drown this terrorist force before it is born".
Syria Warns Turkey against Afrin Invasion
Syria on January 18, 2018 warned its northern neighbor from taking any adventurous action in northern Syrian region of Afrin as it would strike any warplane that would violate the country's sovereignty in the sky. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad said at Damascus during the day that an operation in Afrin would be "no picnic" for Turkey.
During the day, Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildrim called on the U.S. to abandon the idea of creating a border force with soldiers from Syrian Democratic Forces.
Imminent Afrin Offensive Strains Relations between NATO Allies
As the Afrin offensive by Turkey to flush out SDF rebels from the northern Syrian region was anything but a matter of time, hand-wringing was palpable as Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said on January 19, 2018 that it was not possible now for Ankara to backtrack on the potential offensive as the U.S. itself was scurrying for a course-correction on its previous stand of creating a border force by SDF rebels.
Turkey Launches Afrin Offensive with Volleys of Airstrikes
Turkey on January 20, 2018 launched a no-hold-barred offensive against SDF fighters in Afrin with a two-pronged attack: one in the air, flying about 72 fighter jets to strike more than 100 targets on the ground, including an airbase, and the second one involving fighters with the Turkey-allied rebel groups, including Free Syrian Army, on the ground. The day Turkey launched the Afrin offensive, its officials were busy in raising the decibel of war talks. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressing a conference of his political party, Justice and development Party, at Kutahya said on January 20, 2018 that his country's operation in Afrin "will annihilate the terror corridor up to the Iraqi border". Country's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, taking to Twitter, promised to respect the Syria's territorial integrity and pull back the troops once the Afrin operations were over. The Afrin offensive is codenamed Operation Olive Branch.
Turkey Pushes Deeper in Afrin
On the third day of the Afrin offensive, Turkish ground troops and allied militia fought on multiple front in Afrin on January 22, 2018 in order to create a 20-mile deep "secure zone" on the Syrian side. The ground and air offensive has been in full swing throughout Afrin since the start of the operation on January 20, 2018. During the day, fighting even expanded to the country's northeast, raising fear for a regional escalation and additional humanitarian catastrophe. NATO on January 22, 2018 issued a statement backing Turkey's right for "self-defense", but also called for proportional response. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that Turkey had "legitimate security concerns" and diplomatic efforts were underway to diffuse the tension.
Tension Rises between NATO Allies over Afrin Offensive
The bilateral relations between Turkey and the USA deteriorated further after Turkey's January 20, 2018, launch of Afrin Offensive with the U.S. strongly denouncing the Ankara's move to focus on degrading the Syrian Kurdish forces, a trusted ally of Washington in fight against ISIL, instead of ISIL. On January 24, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which Trump expressed about "destructive and false rhetoric coming from Turkey". On January 25, 2018, Trump's homeland security adviser, Tom Bossert, took turns as he told an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that Turkey should stop campaign in Afrin and instead train its sight on destroying ISIL. Turkish premier, Binali Yildrim, shot back with a blistering criticism of Washington's "astounding and unacceptable" behavior of supporting "armed entities that target our borders".
Turkey Experiences Heaviest Loss in Afrin
Two weeks after launching offensive in Afrin region in northern Syria on January 20, 2018 against SDF forces that included YPG, Turkish forces were dealt with most fatal blow on the battlefield on February 3, 2018 as seven soldiers were reported killed and a tank was destroyed by the ferocious resistance of SDF fighters. London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on February 4, 2018 that two of Turkish tanks and 19 Turkish soldiers and allied militia had been killed a day earlier.
Erdogan Asks U.S. to Leave Manbij; U.S. Vows to Fight ISIL
As Turkey's Afrin offensive entered its third week, more knives emerged on the diplomatic front that would test the bonds between two NATO allies--USA and Turkey. On February 6, 2018, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized U.S. for supporting the Syrian Democratic Front, or SDF--mostly consisted of YPG--and asked the U.S. troops to leave the town of Manbij.
A day later, February 7, 2018, the top U.S. commander in charge of fighting ISIL, Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, visited U.S. troops who were stationed in Manbij and vowed to solidify the fight against ISIL.
Turkey Suffers the Worst Setback in Afrin
Since the January 20, 2018, launch of Operation Olive Branch, Turkish Air Force and ground troops as well as Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, including the ones from Free Syrian Army, have been engaged in a stubborn fight with Syrian Democratic Forces that have put up a valiant fight. February 10, 2018 marked the deadliest day for Turkey as one of its fighter jets was shot down, killing two pilots, and 11 of its soldiers were killed, raising the total death toll of Turks to at least 28 since January 20, 2018, launch of Operation Olive Branch.
Turkey Warns Syrian Regime if It Tries to Protect Kurds in Afrin
Hours after Syrian media announced an imminent movement of troops into Afrin to oppose "Turkish aggression", Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on February 19, 2018 issued stern warning to anyone who would try to protect Kurdish fighters linked to People's Protection Unit, or YPG, in Afrin.
Syrian Army Reported to Enter the Enclave
Syrian Kurds fighting against Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters said on February 20, 2018 that regime's forced had entered Afrin to help Kurds put up effective resistance against Turkish offensive that had by now strangulated the northern enclave from the surrounding mountains.
Turkish Forces, Allies Tighten Noose around Afrin
Turkish military, paramilitary and allied Syrian rebel fighters surrounded Afrin almost from all corners, according to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim who said on March 3, 2018 in the central Konya Province that Turkey would clear "all areas near our borders of terror nests". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fierce fight between Turkey-backed forces and YPG fighters.
Afrin Faces Catastrophe as Turkey and Allies are About to Seize the Region
Turkish troops and its Syrian allies had zeroed in the main town in Afrin region, and the town of the same name of the region was reported on March 12, 2018 to be at the verge of falling to the Turkish troops anytime. At least 800,000 civilians in the Afrin region face a humanitarian crisis, and tens of thousands of people have fled the region to areas controlled by Syrian government.
Mass Exodus Choke the Roads out of Afrin
Syria's Al-Ikhbariya TV reported on March 13, 2018 that long convoys of vehicles were rushing out of the main town, Afrin, of the besieged Afrin region as Operation Olive Branch, launched on January20, 2018, had entered into the final phase. Turkey said during the day that its troops and allied fighters had encircled the town of Afrin.
Turkey Accused of Indiscriminate Shelling
Syrian Kurds on March 14, 2018 accused Turkey of shelling the city of Afrin earlier in the day, killing at least 7 civilians.
Turkish Airstrikes, Ground Fighting Kill Three Dozen
It was a day of heavy toll on March 16, 2018 as Turkish airstrikes killed nine people at Afrin's main hospital while a fierce ground offensive in the northern region killed at least 27 more.
Turkey and Allied Fighters Seize the City of Afrin
Turkish military and allied Syrian fighters on March 18, 2018 seized the city of Afrin as remnant of Syrian-Kurd fighters fled the city.
Turkish President Vows to Destroy "Terror Corridor"
Not content with the capture of Afrin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 19, 2018 went a step further and vowed to push eastward to destroy the "terror corridor" of Syrian Kurdish fighters. He also urged the U.S. to reconsider its alliance with Syrian Democratic Force, or SDF, of which People's Protection Unit, or YPG was a part.
UNICEF Estimate Puts the Number of People Trapped at 100,000
UNICEF on March 20, 2018 said that some 100,000 people had been entrapped in the northern region of Afrin, including about 50,000 children. Two days ago, Turkey and its allies seized the main city, Afrin, of the region. UNICEF was not able to deliver relief supplies since March 15, 2018.
Turkey's Official Agency Declares "Total Control"
Turkey's official news agency on March 24, 2018 announced "total control" over Afrin, marking a milestone in Ankara's quest to get rid the region of YPG.
************* U.S.-Turkey Agreement on Manbij
Pompeo, Turkish Counterpart Reach Deal for Withdrawal of Kurdish Fighters from a Key City
After months of back-and-forth, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, reached an agreement at Washington D.C. on June 4, 2018 that would withdraw Kurdish fighters from Manbij and a joint U.S.-Turkish patrol would take over the security of the city. Pompeo told correspondents on June 5, 2018 that the "road map" was meant for the "phase after ISIS".
************* U.S.-Turkey Agreement on Manbij
Joint U.S.-Turkey Joint Patrol Begins around Manbij
As part of the June 4, 2018, agreement, Turkey and U.S. on November 1, 2018 began joint military patrol around northern city of Manbij. Before launching the joint patrol, U.S. and Turkey had conducted 68 independent patrols. After Kurdish militant group YPG completed its withdrawal from Manbij in July 2018, Manbij Military Council, an Ankara-backed military body, had been administering the city.
Eight Killed in Car Bomb in Afrin
Eight people were killed on December 16, 2018 in car bomb blast near the office of one of the Turkey-allied Islamist rebel groups, killing eight and wounding about 24.
************************************ AFRIN CONFLICT ***************************
Russian Pilot Executed in Idlib
A Russian fighter jet SU-25 was shot down by a missile near the town of Saraqeb in Idlib province on February 3, 2018. As the pilot parachuted down, he was seized and executed by rebel forces. Russia vowed to take vengeance for the pilot's execution. The downing of the plane occurred in the so-called de-escalation zone formed last year by Turkey, Russia and Iran. Russian Defense Ministry later issued a statement, saying that it had used high-precision weapons to kill more than 30 rebel soldiers in Saraqeb area in response to the downing of the warplane and assassination of its pilot. An affiliate of al-Qaeda, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, claimed responsibility for downing of the Russian plane.
A Russian fighter jet SU-25 was shot down by a missile near the town of Saraqeb in Idlib province on February 3, 2018. As the pilot parachuted down, he was seized and executed by rebel forces. Russia vowed to take vengeance for the pilot's execution. The downing of the plane occurred in the so-called de-escalation zone formed last year by Turkey, Russia and Iran. Russian Defense Ministry later issued a statement, saying that it had used high-precision weapons to kill more than 30 rebel soldiers in Saraqeb area in response to the downing of the warplane and assassination of its pilot. An affiliate of al-Qaeda, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, claimed responsibility for downing of the Russian plane.
Russia-Syria Launch Ferocious Air Assault on Idlib, Damascus Suburbs
After the February 3, 2018, execution of a Russian fighter pilot in Idlib province, Russia and Syria launched a massive air attack on parts of Idlib province and Eastern Ghouta suburbs, killing dozens of civilians, including children. Describing the nightmare on ground, the head of search-and-rescue team White Helmets, Raed Saleh, said on February 5, 2018 that the relentless attacks seemed like "the end of days".
*************** LARGE-SCALE OPERATION IN EASTERN GHOUTA ****************
Syria Launches Massive Push to Liberate Eastern Ghouta
Syrian forces, backed by Russian aircraft and allied ground militia, on February 18, 2018 launched the most concerted push yet to liberate the only outskirt of the capital, Eastern Ghouta, that was still under rebel control. The large-scale operation had taken a severe human toll over the next 48 hours as Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on February 20, 2018 that at least 250 civilians--including 58 children--had been killed and more than 1,000 injured in the government's scorched-earth offensive. The scene unfurled on the ground was one of chaos and devastation as White Helmet rescuers rushed from building to building decimated by bombing and airstrikes to retrieve dead bodies from the rubble as well as find whether there was any trace of life. The daily life of 400,000 people entrapped in Eastern Ghouta became a nightmare amidst the almost 7-year siege by the government forces.
Russia Hinders a 30-Day Truce at U.N. Security Council
Russia, wielding its veto power, on February 22, 2018 blocked a near unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution that called for a 30-day cease-fire to help facilitate bringing the humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Ultimately the resolution was not even tabled for vote. Temper ran high at the U.N. Security Council meeting, with British envoy Stephen Hickey saying "shame on all of us" and French envoy, Francois Delattre, blaming the U.N. for the "grave" and "unbearable" situation in Syria. However, the tone was dismissive from the Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who said that western ambassadors were using "propagandistic" rhetoric and exaggerated reports to score political points. Syrian ambassador to the U.N. Bashar Jaafari ridiculed U.S., Britain and France as "Three Musketeers".
As the Kuwait- and Sweden-sponsored resolution failed at the U.N. Security Council, Syrian and Russian attacks continued in Eastern Ghouta, killing at least 42 people.
A Vague Cease-fire Resolution Passed by U.N. Security Council
After Russia blocked a 30-day, more concrete cease-fire measure, U.N. Security Council on February 24, 2018 passed a watered-down cease-fire measure that vaguely called for immediate pause to fight and opening the access of various small towns, villages and hamlets to U.N. and aid groups for humanitarian aid.
Ceasefire Fails to Take Hold in Eastern Ghouta; Russia Orders 5-hour Unilateral Truce
The February 24, 2018, U.N. Security Council-sponsored ceasefire took as little time hours after its start to collapse as fighting had continued as usual and hundreds of thousands of Eastern Ghouta residents remained trapped in the besieged region. There was no aid in sight in the suffering areas of the enclave as humanitarian situation was fast spiraling into chaos. On February 26, 2018, Russia announced a unilateral, five-hour pause in the fight between 9AM and 2PM, something rebels and residents of the region were highly skeptical of. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during the day that "Syria is terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians".
Russia's Unilateral Truce too Little, too Late for Trapped Civilians
Russia's February 26, 2018, self-enforced, five-hour (9AM to 2PM) truce in Eastern Ghouta to facilitate evacuation and supply relief to the besieged enclave failed to achieve both goals as fearful civilians had not dared to venture out and cross the lines to government areas and aid supplies were nowhere seen. On February 27, 2018, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 500 people had been killed since Syrian government and Russia had launched a major offensive in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, 2018.
Putin Blames Rebel for Preventing Civilians from Leaving the Enclave
Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 28, 2018 blamed rebels in Eastern Ghouta for blocking the exit of civilians from the enclave as well as passage of relief supplies to the region. Meanwhile, European Union demanded on February 28, 2018 that Russia, Turkey and Iran take the responsibility for ending the fight and help U.N. to implement its original 30-day ceasefire that Russia had blocked at the Security Council.
Assad Vows to Continue Offensive; U.N. Will Begin Distributing Supplies
Talking to reporters at Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on March 4, 2018 that there was no contradiction between carrying out the offensive and observing the five-hour cease-fire, unilaterally declared by Russia on February 26, 2018, in Eastern Ghouta as government and allied troops had cleared five villages and towns in the region and the main rebel group, Army of Islam, was on retreat. Meanwhile, U.N. had secured during the day government approval to send food and medicines to 70,000 people entrapped in the enclave.
U.N. Convoy Supplies Little Relief to Besieged Town
A 46-truck convoy of U.N., Arab Red Crescent and other international aid groups entered on March 5, 2018 the largest town, Douma, of Eastern Ghouta, but had to retreat after hasty supplies as the five-hour window was quickly closing on. Meanwhile, government and its Russian allies along with Hezbollah and allied militia continued a ferocious streak of attacks on several villages and towns of the enclave outside the capital, Damascus. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on March 5, 2018 that the day was the deadliest since the large-scale operation had begun on February 18, 2018. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated at least 80 deaths during the day, raising the total death toll since February 18, 2018 to 745, including 172 children. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Council issued a statement on March 5, 2018 condemning all sides for no-holds barred fighting, but reserved the severe critique for Syrian regime. Council accused Syrian regime of using chemical weapons against civilians and demanded all parties to be held accountable.
Eastern Ghouta Pummeled
On March 6, 2018, Syrian regime and Russian allies continued heavy shelling, airstrikes and bombardment of numerous targets in Eastern Ghouta, killing at least 24 people.
Government Troops Slice the Enclave into Two
On March 7, 2018, regime and allied forces squeezed the rebels holed up deep in Eastern Ghouta further by cleaving the enclave into two slices as continued bombardment, shelling and airstrikes killed at least 50 people during the day. Since the launch of large-scale operation in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, 2018, at least 800 people were killed, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Government Pushes Further into the Enclave
Government troops on March 10, 2018 tightened the noose around the rebel-held town of Harasta, isolating it from rest of Eastern Ghouta. The regime soldiers, government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media declared, also seized during the day the Kilani gas station on the road linking Douma and Harasta.
Regime Forces Isolate two Major Towns; Mattis Warns against Use of Chemical Arms
On March 11, 2018, government troops cut off any remaining links of Douma and Harasta from each other as well as with the rest of Eastern Ghouta. This made the holed-up rebels in both towns to put up any meaningful resistance almost impossible.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on March 11, 2018 that it would be "unwise" on the part of Bashar Assad to use chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta.
At least 20 Killed in Government Attacks
Government shelling and airstrikes on March 14, 2018 killed at least 20 civilians, raising the total death toll since the large-scale Eastern Ghouta operation had begun on February 18, 2018 to more than 1,100. Three days after government forces cut off Douma and Harasta from the rest of Eastern Ghouta, government forces targeted enclave's other towns, including Arbeen, Jesreen and Saqba, according to Ghouta Media Center and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
At least 76 Killed in one of the Deadliest Barrages of Attack
Russian and Syrian airstrikes on March 16, 2018 turned Eastern Ghouta towns of Kafr Batna and Saqba into death valleys. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 64 were killed in Kafr Batna, while an additional 12 were killed in Saqba. In addition, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, Syrian troops captured a key town, Jisreen, in the enclave. Since the February 18, 2018, launch of a major offensive by Russia and Syria, at least 1,300 civilians were killed and more than 5,000 wounded in Eastern Ghouta.
At least 36 Killed in Government Airstrikes; U.N. Estimates 45,000 People to have been Displaced
On March 20, 2018, at least 36 people were killed in large-scale government airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta as the U.N. issued an alrming estimate during the day that approximately 45,000 people in the region had been displaced since the latest operation had been launched by the Syrian government, Russia and allied forces on February 18, 2018.
Hundreds of Rebels, Their Families Leave Eastern Ghouta
Taking a leaf from the so-called "seize-stifle-starve-push out" strategy used in Eastern Aleppo in late 2016, Syrian regime is using the same tactic in Eastern Ghouta. Bolstered by relentless bombing and airstrikes by the regime and Russia and buttressed by a punishing ground operation helped by Hezbollah and Iran-linked fighters, Bashar Assad regime are forcing mandatory evacuation of rebels and their families as part of any cease-fire deal. On March 22, 2018, a smaller rebel faction, Ahrar al-Sham, capitulated to regime pressure, and by the nightfall, 413 gunmen tied to the group and about 1,580 of their family members had left the Eastern Ghouta town of Harasta for rebel-controlled northern province of Idlib in government-sanctioned white buses. During the day, Lebanon's Hezbollah group said that Eastern Ghouta's second-largest rebel group, Failaq al-Rahman, also agreed to leave the enclave as part of the government-imposed truce. However, the biggest rebel group, Army of Islam, was still entrenched, especially in Douma, region's largest town, and determined to fight to death.
Mass Exodus Begins with the Capitulation of the Second-Largest Rebel Group
Tens of thousands of people were moving out of Eastern Ghouta after the second-largest rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, Failaq al-Rahman, had reached formal agreement with government and Russia on March 23, 2018 to desert the enclave. On March 24, 2018, exit corridors had been established at four rebel-held towns in Eastern Ghouta--Zamalka, Arbeen, Ein Tarma and Jobar--which were strongholds of Failaq al-Rahman. Over the next four days, at least 3,000 Failaq al-Rahman fighters and their families are supposed to leave the region for northern rebel-held province of Idlib. Meanwhile, after gunmen tied to Ahrar al-Sham completed their withdrawal from Harasta, the town looked eerily peaceful. After the capitulation of Ahrar al-Sham and Failaq al-Rahman rebel groups, the only Eastern Ghouta city, or town, that remained outside government control is Douma, enclave's largest city, where a stubborn Army of Islam, the largest rebel group, remained deeply entrenched.
Russia Gives a 48-hour Ultimatum as Syrian troops Mass around Douma
Russia on March 27, 2018 issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Army of Islam fighters to leave the only city in Eastern Ghouta, Douma, that still remained beyond government's control. Syrian troops had captured remaining villages, hamlets and towns in the sprawling outskirt of Damascus in a scorched-earth campaign led jointly by Syria, Russia, Iran and allied militia that had killed more than 1,600 civilians since the large-scale operation had been launched on February 18, 2018. Syrian troops massed around Douma for an all-out assault anytime. Reacting to Assad's forced displacement strategy, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said at the U.N. on March 27, 2018 that "siege, starve and surrender" had become all too familiar "rhythm of the Syrian war". She called what's happening in Eastern Ghouta as a "travesty" and "a day shame for every member of this council".
Syria Gives the Rebels 72-hour Final Deadline
Syrian regime on March 29, 2018 issued a final ultimatum to Army of Islam rebels to leave Douma by no later than March 31, 2018 or face an all-out assault to the hilt.
Government Announces Victory in Eastern Ghouta san Its Largest City
Syrian government on March 31, 2018 declared victory in most parts of Eastern Ghouta as more than 1,700 rebels and their families boarded on about 38 buses at four towns--Zamalka, Ein Tarma, Arbeen and Jobar--in west and south of Eastern Ghouta and left for the rebel-held northern province of Idlib. Shortly after the rebels left the Arbeen, government troops entered the town and hoisted the national flag at the town center. Since this recent Syrian and Russian operation began on February 18, 2018 to clear out Eastern Ghouta, approximately 38,000 people had left for Idlib and an additional 100,000 people had fled to government-controlled areas, underlying one of the major displacements in the seven-year-old civil war. Now, the government of Bashar Assad controls all of Eastern Ghouta barring its largest city, Douma, which is all but to fall in coming days, if not hours.
Government Mounts all-out Attack to Liberate Douma
The 10-day pause in fighting in the only holdout city of Eastern Ghouta collapsed on April 6, 2018 as Syrian forces attacked Douma from all sides. The Syrian forces on the ground were assisted by Russian and Syrian airstrikes. At least 36 people were reported killed during the day. Before Syrian and allied forces launched the last-ditch attack on Douma, helicopters dropped leaflets, ordering rebels to leave Douma for the northern town of Jarablus, or surrender, with Russia and Syria ensuring the young fighters not to be drafted by government for at least six months. Although some rebels were amenable to government offer, key objector to government proposal was a hardline religious figure, Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Kaaka,, who happened to be a senior Army of Islam leader.
Assad Forces Reported to have Launched Chemical Attack on Douma
Syria's civil volunteers group, known as White Helmets, wrote on Twitter on April 7, 2018 that a Syrian helicopter dropped a barrel bomb that contained chemical agent on a neighborhood in Douma. Many of the victims, especially children, experienced breathing problem and video showed them gasping for air. Many were seen foaming around their mouth, hallmark of a chemical attack. Dozens of people were reported to have been killed.
Chemical Attack Allegation Reinforced by Circumstantial Evidence amid Rebel Capitulation
A day after Syrian government reportedly attacked Douma with chemical agent, more evidence emerged on April 8, 2018 with victims suffering with symptoms from a chemical agent. Widespread videos showing victims having trouble in breathing, been foaming around mouth and been gasping for air were circulating on social media amid White Helmets' reported estimate of at least 42 deaths from the attack. Meanwhile, government media Syrian Arab News Agency, or SANA, said on early April 9, 2018 that at least five of the eight missiles fired on the T4 military base in Homs province had been shot down, raising speculation that Israel might have taken advantage of the security chaos in Syria. After faced with chemical attack, Army of Islam, the largest rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, had no option, but to acquiesce to the regime demand, of leaving the besieged town of Douma. The rebel group's April 8, 2018, decision to vacate the town of Douma came on the same day as President Donald Trump called the April 7, 2018, chemical strike as "mindless CHEMICAL attack" on women and children of Douma in a twitter post, and held Iran and Russia responsible too.
Rebels Begin Evacuating the Town amid U.S. Threat, Israeli Missile Strikes on Iranian Interests
A day after arriving at a deal to evacuate the town, dozens of fighters of Jaish al-Islam, or Army of Islam, and their family members boarded dozens of buses and left the town of Douma on April 9, 2018 as U.S. President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting at the White House that "we can not allow atrocities" of this kind to continue, implying that Trump administration might be thinking of a missile strike in Syria.
Amid the reported chemical attack on Douma, Israel in the wee hours of April 9, 2018 carried out missile strikes--using two F-15 planes that flew from Mediterranean Sea--T4 military base in Homs where Iran was reported to have expanded its presence in recent years, killing at least 14 people, according to Iranian and Russian news agencies. Although Syrian air defense system shot down five of the eight missiles, the other three missiles had struck the military base severely.
U.S. and French Warships on their Way to Mediterranean Sea as Trump Issues Veiled Threat
President Donald Trump on April 11, 2018 unloaded a full-blown threat on Syria, saying that he might order a barrage of "nice and new and 'smart'!" missiles against Syria for using chemical agent in Douma four days ago as warships from France and USA were sailing to vintage areas in Mediterranean Sea for any possible airstrike. Meanwhile, Britain, Germany and Saudi Arabia pledged strong support for a collective action against Syrian regime for April 7, 2018, chemical attack that had reportedly killed at least 40 people in Douma. However, not to be cow-towed, Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zasypkin, vowed in an interview with Lebanon's Al Manar TV that Russia "will execute the statement of its president related to any U.S. aggression against Syria, knocking down American missiles and striking at the sources of fire".
Joint Airstrikes by U.S., France and Britain to Punish the "Monster"; Senator Kaine: Action Illegal
U.S., France and Britain calibrated a collective response to the April 7, 2018, chemical attack on Douma by launching a barrage of missile strikes from ships in Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf and manned aircraft against three targets on April 14, 2018 (early morning Syrian time). The targets--struck by more than 100 missiles--included:
* A scientific research facility near Damascus (Barzah Research and Development Center, part of Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, or SSRC)
* A chemical storage facility outside Homs (Him Shinshar chemical weapons complex)
* A nearby command post
In a nationally televised address on April 13, 2018 evening, President Donald Trump said that the April 7, 2018, chemical attack on Douma was not the "actions of a man", but "crimes of a monster instead". British defense officials said that four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s were used to launch Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility 15 miles from Homs that was used to store precursors of chemical weapons in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis during a Pentagon briefing called the April 14, 2018 (Syrian time), airstrikes "a one-time shot" to send a clear message to Syria. Meanwhile, Syrian state TV showed that the country's air defense system had been activated and at least 13 missiles had been shot down near the town of Al-Kiswa, south of Damascus.
On the Capitol Hill, the reaction was mostly favorable, with notable exception of Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia who had said that airstrike without explicit Congressional authorization--Authorization for the Use of Military Force, or AUMF--was illegal and, without a comprehensive strategy, was reckless. There is a push in Congress to pass a new AUMF that will supersede the existing AUMF that has been passed after September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, but before the 2003 Iraqi invasion.
President Tweets Mission Accomplished as Damascus Portrays Business as Usual
Hours after France, Britain and the U.S. launched coordinated missile strikes, President Donald Trump on April 14, 2018 took to twitter to claim mission accomplished. However, Syrian media put up a brave face to the world showing as if nothing had happened, with one picture showing President Bashar Assad coolly walking into office with a briefcase in hand. Syrian media also proclaimed during the day, April 14, that the last rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta had been totally liberated as Douma was rid of rebel fighters and under complete government control.
Haley Talks about Additional Round of Sanctions on Russia for Chemical Attack
Appearing on Face the Nation on CBS on April 15, 2018, USA's U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said that U.S. would announce additional sanctions on Russia on April 16, 2018 to punish Moscow's support and complicity in Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people as happened on April 7, 2018 in Douma.
Trump Walks Back on Sanction Talks
President Donald Trump on April 16, 2018 disputed his own U.N. envoy's assertion a day earlier on CBS' Face the Nation, and said that there was no more sanctions to be imposed on Russia.
New Authorization of War Power Bill Unveiled
A bipartisan bill replacing the existing AUMF authority that Congress had approved in the aftermath of 9/11 attack was unveiled by Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 16, 2018. The authority in the new bill, introduced by Sen. Bob Corker, Republican Chairman of the committee, and Senator Tim Kaine, is narrower than the existing AUMF powers and needs renewal every four years.
Inspectors Alleged to have been Blocked from Entering Douma
The head of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, said on April 16, 2018 that the organization's inspectors had reached at Damascus, but could not enter yet the city of Douma, target of April 7, 2018, alleged chemical attack by Syrian regime. Instead, Syrian authorities provided the inspectors, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu told a meeting of the organization's executive committee at The Hague, with access to 22 witnesses. OPCW's version of the reason behind the inspection delay was quickly repudiated by Russia as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the inspectors could not go to Douma because U.N. was unable to give the team needed security approval. Journalists were allowed the access to Douma on April 16, 2018.
U.N. Security Detail Visits Douma ahead of Inspectors' Arrival
Syrian Ambassador to U.N. Bashar Ja'afari said on April 17, 2018 that U.N. security team had gone to the city of Douma, the target of April 7, 2018, alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime, ahead of a planned visit by a team of OPCW inspectors.
U.N. Security Team Fired on; OPCW Inspectors Stuck in the Capital
Ahmet Uzumcu, the director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, on April 18, 2018 briefed the executive council of the organization at The Hague about the dilemma that inspectors had been experiencing since arriving at Damascus on April 14, 2018. The OPCW head informed the executive council that a vanguard security team from the U.N. had entered the city of Douma on April 17, 2018, but was fired upon at one site. However, the team, according to Ahmet Uzumcu's brief, returned to Damascus unharmed, but the OPCW chief was not sure when or if the organization's inspectors would be able to visit Douma.
OPCW Inspectors Collect Sample from Besieged Town
A week after being stuck in Damascus, inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, on April 21, 2018 entered the town of Douma, the largest in the just-liberated Eastern Ghouta region, and collected samples to test whether and what chemicals had been used to attack the town a fortnight ago. Russia and Syria issued self-congratulatory statement that they had provided the security for the inspectors and brushed off any responsibility for a week-long delay.
*************** LARGE-SCALE OPERATION IN EASTERN GHOUTA ****************
Trump Administration to Retain Troops in Iraq, Syria Indefinitely
In response to Virginia Senator Tim Kaine's letter seeking clarification on how long U.S. troops would remain stationed in Syria and Iraq, Trump administration on February 22, 2018 responded boldly that the U.S. troops would likely to remain in Syria and Iraq as long as it deemed fit, implying almost an open-ended mission. In a pair of letters, the administration gave a flimsy legal argument that it could continue operations inside Syria and Iraq without explicit Congressional authorization, a stand Senator Kaine dismissed as a stretched legal maneuver. The letter that was written by the Defense Department Deputy Undersecretary for (defense) Policy David Trachtenberg said that existing international laws provided the basis for U.S. to keep its nearly 2,000 troops stationed in Syria and, if needed, to attack Syrian regime forces or Iranian interests if any of them posed a serious threat to the U.S. or American troops. In a second letter, Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Mary Waters justified the open-ended mission in Syria and Iraq.
35 Killed in Rocket Attack on a Market in Government-controlled Parts of Damascus
At least 35 people were killed on March 20, 2018 as rockets fell on a market in the government-controlled Kashkol neighborhood of Damascus. Another 20 or more were injured too in the attack.
Two Western Soldiers Killed Hours after Trump Favors U.S. Troops Withdrawal from Syria
Barely two hours after U.S. President Donald Trump told a campaign-style rally in Ohio on March 29, 2018 that he would withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops now stationed in Syria and let "other people take care of it", a convoy of western troops was met with an IED explosion near northern Syrian town of Manbij. On March 30, 2018, U.S. military made the attack public, and said that one British soldier and a U.S. military personnel were killed beside five others injured.
U.S. Personnel Killed Identified
The U.S. soldier killed in March 29, 2018, roadside explosion was identified on March 31, 2018 as 36-year-old Master Sergeant Jonathan Dunbar of Austin, marking his death to be the fourth since U.S. got involved in anti-ISIL operation in Syria in September 2014. Prior to Dunbar's death, three other U.S. military personnel were killed in Syria. They are Air Force Staff Sergeant Austin Bieren, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton and Army Specialist Etienne Murphy. The causes of death for Bieren and Murphy were listed not from enemy-induced attack.
White House, Pentagon Reach Compromise on Troops Withdrawal
U.S. President Donald Trump wants to withdraw 2,000-strong U.S. troops from Syria as soon as possible, looking forward to fulfilling one of his campaign promises. However, Pentagon leaders think something else given the stark ground conditions and possibility of ISIL re-emerging as a force to reckon with after U.S. troops withdrawal. Hence, after much negotiation, Los Angeles Times reported on April 4, 2018, White House gave Pentagon adequate leeway to draw a withdrawal plan, but leaving a timeline open.
ISIL Capitulates, Agrees to Withdraw from Capital Neighborhoods
ISIL fighters were squeezed from all sides in the last Damascus pockets and forced to agree on April 19, 2018 on leaving the Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood and Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, underlining the collapse of whatever remnants of resistance were still in and around Damascus.
********* LOCAL TRUCE: PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP YARMOUK
Dozens of Rebels and their Families Evacuated
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on May 1, 2018 that about 200 insurgents and their family members were brought in in five buses from the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk to a transfer zone in Aleppo from where they would be headed to rebel-held areas in country's northwest as part of a series of forced evacuation deals that had all but emptied out rebels from most the major cities. The deal reached between Bashar Assad regime and the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham swapped Yarmouk refugee camp's rebel fighters and their family members with about 5,000 people besieged in two northwestern villages of Foua and Kfraya. As part of the local truce, these 5,000, or so, people will be evacuated from rebel-held villages to government-controlled areas. Although the local truce was reached to expand government control to Yarmouk, the sprawling Palestinian refugee camp established in 1957 mainly to house the Palestinians displaced by Israel at its founding in 1948, Islamic State fighters are holding separate parts of the refugee camps.
ISIL Fighters Leave Yarmouk too
Under government's punishing surround-siege-starve campaign, Islamic State fighters could not sustain their resistance much longer than their brethren in al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group. On May 20, 2018, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that buses had evacuated the ISIL fighters and families from Yarmouk and an adjacent enclave, al-Tadamon. The evacuation left only a sliver of area near Damascus, Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood, under rebel control, and the state-controlled Al-Ikhbariya reported during the day that plan was underway to storm the Hajar al-Aswad.
ISIL Fighters Leave the Last Remaining Stronghold near Capital
In an almost irreversible setback, last of ISIL fighters had left Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood on May 21, 2018, giving the Bashar Assad regime for the first time an unquestionable control over Damascus and its countryside. Issuing a press statement later on May 21, 2018, the regime pronounced that "Syrian General Command of the Army and Armed Forces announced Damascus and Damascus countryside entirely safe areas after fully cleansing al-Hajar al-Aswad and al-Yarmouk Camp of terrorism".
********* LOCAL TRUCE: PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP YARMOUK
************* Local Truce in Northern Homs Countryside*************** LARGE-SCALE OPERATION IN EASTERN GHOUTA ****************
Syria Launches Massive Push to Liberate Eastern Ghouta
Syrian forces, backed by Russian aircraft and allied ground militia, on February 18, 2018 launched the most concerted push yet to liberate the only outskirt of the capital, Eastern Ghouta, that was still under rebel control. The large-scale operation had taken a severe human toll over the next 48 hours as Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on February 20, 2018 that at least 250 civilians--including 58 children--had been killed and more than 1,000 injured in the government's scorched-earth offensive. The scene unfurled on the ground was one of chaos and devastation as White Helmet rescuers rushed from building to building decimated by bombing and airstrikes to retrieve dead bodies from the rubble as well as find whether there was any trace of life. The daily life of 400,000 people entrapped in Eastern Ghouta became a nightmare amidst the almost 7-year siege by the government forces.
Russia Hinders a 30-Day Truce at U.N. Security Council
Russia, wielding its veto power, on February 22, 2018 blocked a near unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution that called for a 30-day cease-fire to help facilitate bringing the humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Ultimately the resolution was not even tabled for vote. Temper ran high at the U.N. Security Council meeting, with British envoy Stephen Hickey saying "shame on all of us" and French envoy, Francois Delattre, blaming the U.N. for the "grave" and "unbearable" situation in Syria. However, the tone was dismissive from the Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who said that western ambassadors were using "propagandistic" rhetoric and exaggerated reports to score political points. Syrian ambassador to the U.N. Bashar Jaafari ridiculed U.S., Britain and France as "Three Musketeers".
As the Kuwait- and Sweden-sponsored resolution failed at the U.N. Security Council, Syrian and Russian attacks continued in Eastern Ghouta, killing at least 42 people.
A Vague Cease-fire Resolution Passed by U.N. Security Council
After Russia blocked a 30-day, more concrete cease-fire measure, U.N. Security Council on February 24, 2018 passed a watered-down cease-fire measure that vaguely called for immediate pause to fight and opening the access of various small towns, villages and hamlets to U.N. and aid groups for humanitarian aid.
Ceasefire Fails to Take Hold in Eastern Ghouta; Russia Orders 5-hour Unilateral Truce
The February 24, 2018, U.N. Security Council-sponsored ceasefire took as little time hours after its start to collapse as fighting had continued as usual and hundreds of thousands of Eastern Ghouta residents remained trapped in the besieged region. There was no aid in sight in the suffering areas of the enclave as humanitarian situation was fast spiraling into chaos. On February 26, 2018, Russia announced a unilateral, five-hour pause in the fight between 9AM and 2PM, something rebels and residents of the region were highly skeptical of. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during the day that "Syria is terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians".
Russia's Unilateral Truce too Little, too Late for Trapped Civilians
Russia's February 26, 2018, self-enforced, five-hour (9AM to 2PM) truce in Eastern Ghouta to facilitate evacuation and supply relief to the besieged enclave failed to achieve both goals as fearful civilians had not dared to venture out and cross the lines to government areas and aid supplies were nowhere seen. On February 27, 2018, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 500 people had been killed since Syrian government and Russia had launched a major offensive in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, 2018.
Putin Blames Rebel for Preventing Civilians from Leaving the Enclave
Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 28, 2018 blamed rebels in Eastern Ghouta for blocking the exit of civilians from the enclave as well as passage of relief supplies to the region. Meanwhile, European Union demanded on February 28, 2018 that Russia, Turkey and Iran take the responsibility for ending the fight and help U.N. to implement its original 30-day ceasefire that Russia had blocked at the Security Council.
Assad Vows to Continue Offensive; U.N. Will Begin Distributing Supplies
Talking to reporters at Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on March 4, 2018 that there was no contradiction between carrying out the offensive and observing the five-hour cease-fire, unilaterally declared by Russia on February 26, 2018, in Eastern Ghouta as government and allied troops had cleared five villages and towns in the region and the main rebel group, Army of Islam, was on retreat. Meanwhile, U.N. had secured during the day government approval to send food and medicines to 70,000 people entrapped in the enclave.
U.N. Convoy Supplies Little Relief to Besieged Town
A 46-truck convoy of U.N., Arab Red Crescent and other international aid groups entered on March 5, 2018 the largest town, Douma, of Eastern Ghouta, but had to retreat after hasty supplies as the five-hour window was quickly closing on. Meanwhile, government and its Russian allies along with Hezbollah and allied militia continued a ferocious streak of attacks on several villages and towns of the enclave outside the capital, Damascus. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on March 5, 2018 that the day was the deadliest since the large-scale operation had begun on February 18, 2018. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated at least 80 deaths during the day, raising the total death toll since February 18, 2018 to 745, including 172 children. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Council issued a statement on March 5, 2018 condemning all sides for no-holds barred fighting, but reserved the severe critique for Syrian regime. Council accused Syrian regime of using chemical weapons against civilians and demanded all parties to be held accountable.
Eastern Ghouta Pummeled
On March 6, 2018, Syrian regime and Russian allies continued heavy shelling, airstrikes and bombardment of numerous targets in Eastern Ghouta, killing at least 24 people.
Government Troops Slice the Enclave into Two
On March 7, 2018, regime and allied forces squeezed the rebels holed up deep in Eastern Ghouta further by cleaving the enclave into two slices as continued bombardment, shelling and airstrikes killed at least 50 people during the day. Since the launch of large-scale operation in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, 2018, at least 800 people were killed, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Government Pushes Further into the Enclave
Government troops on March 10, 2018 tightened the noose around the rebel-held town of Harasta, isolating it from rest of Eastern Ghouta. The regime soldiers, government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media declared, also seized during the day the Kilani gas station on the road linking Douma and Harasta.
Regime Forces Isolate two Major Towns; Mattis Warns against Use of Chemical Arms
On March 11, 2018, government troops cut off any remaining links of Douma and Harasta from each other as well as with the rest of Eastern Ghouta. This made the holed-up rebels in both towns to put up any meaningful resistance almost impossible.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on March 11, 2018 that it would be "unwise" on the part of Bashar Assad to use chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta.
At least 20 Killed in Government Attacks
Government shelling and airstrikes on March 14, 2018 killed at least 20 civilians, raising the total death toll since the large-scale Eastern Ghouta operation had begun on February 18, 2018 to more than 1,100. Three days after government forces cut off Douma and Harasta from the rest of Eastern Ghouta, government forces targeted enclave's other towns, including Arbeen, Jesreen and Saqba, according to Ghouta Media Center and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
At least 76 Killed in one of the Deadliest Barrages of Attack
Russian and Syrian airstrikes on March 16, 2018 turned Eastern Ghouta towns of Kafr Batna and Saqba into death valleys. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 64 were killed in Kafr Batna, while an additional 12 were killed in Saqba. In addition, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, Syrian troops captured a key town, Jisreen, in the enclave. Since the February 18, 2018, launch of a major offensive by Russia and Syria, at least 1,300 civilians were killed and more than 5,000 wounded in Eastern Ghouta.
At least 36 Killed in Government Airstrikes; U.N. Estimates 45,000 People to have been Displaced
On March 20, 2018, at least 36 people were killed in large-scale government airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta as the U.N. issued an alrming estimate during the day that approximately 45,000 people in the region had been displaced since the latest operation had been launched by the Syrian government, Russia and allied forces on February 18, 2018.
Hundreds of Rebels, Their Families Leave Eastern Ghouta
Taking a leaf from the so-called "seize-stifle-starve-push out" strategy used in Eastern Aleppo in late 2016, Syrian regime is using the same tactic in Eastern Ghouta. Bolstered by relentless bombing and airstrikes by the regime and Russia and buttressed by a punishing ground operation helped by Hezbollah and Iran-linked fighters, Bashar Assad regime are forcing mandatory evacuation of rebels and their families as part of any cease-fire deal. On March 22, 2018, a smaller rebel faction, Ahrar al-Sham, capitulated to regime pressure, and by the nightfall, 413 gunmen tied to the group and about 1,580 of their family members had left the Eastern Ghouta town of Harasta for rebel-controlled northern province of Idlib in government-sanctioned white buses. During the day, Lebanon's Hezbollah group said that Eastern Ghouta's second-largest rebel group, Failaq al-Rahman, also agreed to leave the enclave as part of the government-imposed truce. However, the biggest rebel group, Army of Islam, was still entrenched, especially in Douma, region's largest town, and determined to fight to death.
Mass Exodus Begins with the Capitulation of the Second-Largest Rebel Group
Tens of thousands of people were moving out of Eastern Ghouta after the second-largest rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, Failaq al-Rahman, had reached formal agreement with government and Russia on March 23, 2018 to desert the enclave. On March 24, 2018, exit corridors had been established at four rebel-held towns in Eastern Ghouta--Zamalka, Arbeen, Ein Tarma and Jobar--which were strongholds of Failaq al-Rahman. Over the next four days, at least 3,000 Failaq al-Rahman fighters and their families are supposed to leave the region for northern rebel-held province of Idlib. Meanwhile, after gunmen tied to Ahrar al-Sham completed their withdrawal from Harasta, the town looked eerily peaceful. After the capitulation of Ahrar al-Sham and Failaq al-Rahman rebel groups, the only Eastern Ghouta city, or town, that remained outside government control is Douma, enclave's largest city, where a stubborn Army of Islam, the largest rebel group, remained deeply entrenched.
Russia Gives a 48-hour Ultimatum as Syrian troops Mass around Douma
Russia on March 27, 2018 issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Army of Islam fighters to leave the only city in Eastern Ghouta, Douma, that still remained beyond government's control. Syrian troops had captured remaining villages, hamlets and towns in the sprawling outskirt of Damascus in a scorched-earth campaign led jointly by Syria, Russia, Iran and allied militia that had killed more than 1,600 civilians since the large-scale operation had been launched on February 18, 2018. Syrian troops massed around Douma for an all-out assault anytime. Reacting to Assad's forced displacement strategy, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said at the U.N. on March 27, 2018 that "siege, starve and surrender" had become all too familiar "rhythm of the Syrian war". She called what's happening in Eastern Ghouta as a "travesty" and "a day shame for every member of this council".
Syria Gives the Rebels 72-hour Final Deadline
Syrian regime on March 29, 2018 issued a final ultimatum to Army of Islam rebels to leave Douma by no later than March 31, 2018 or face an all-out assault to the hilt.
Government Announces Victory in Eastern Ghouta san Its Largest City
Syrian government on March 31, 2018 declared victory in most parts of Eastern Ghouta as more than 1,700 rebels and their families boarded on about 38 buses at four towns--Zamalka, Ein Tarma, Arbeen and Jobar--in west and south of Eastern Ghouta and left for the rebel-held northern province of Idlib. Shortly after the rebels left the Arbeen, government troops entered the town and hoisted the national flag at the town center. Since this recent Syrian and Russian operation began on February 18, 2018 to clear out Eastern Ghouta, approximately 38,000 people had left for Idlib and an additional 100,000 people had fled to government-controlled areas, underlying one of the major displacements in the seven-year-old civil war. Now, the government of Bashar Assad controls all of Eastern Ghouta barring its largest city, Douma, which is all but to fall in coming days, if not hours.
Government Mounts all-out Attack to Liberate Douma
The 10-day pause in fighting in the only holdout city of Eastern Ghouta collapsed on April 6, 2018 as Syrian forces attacked Douma from all sides. The Syrian forces on the ground were assisted by Russian and Syrian airstrikes. At least 36 people were reported killed during the day. Before Syrian and allied forces launched the last-ditch attack on Douma, helicopters dropped leaflets, ordering rebels to leave Douma for the northern town of Jarablus, or surrender, with Russia and Syria ensuring the young fighters not to be drafted by government for at least six months. Although some rebels were amenable to government offer, key objector to government proposal was a hardline religious figure, Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Kaaka,, who happened to be a senior Army of Islam leader.
Assad Forces Reported to have Launched Chemical Attack on Douma
Syria's civil volunteers group, known as White Helmets, wrote on Twitter on April 7, 2018 that a Syrian helicopter dropped a barrel bomb that contained chemical agent on a neighborhood in Douma. Many of the victims, especially children, experienced breathing problem and video showed them gasping for air. Many were seen foaming around their mouth, hallmark of a chemical attack. Dozens of people were reported to have been killed.
Chemical Attack Allegation Reinforced by Circumstantial Evidence amid Rebel Capitulation
A day after Syrian government reportedly attacked Douma with chemical agent, more evidence emerged on April 8, 2018 with victims suffering with symptoms from a chemical agent. Widespread videos showing victims having trouble in breathing, been foaming around mouth and been gasping for air were circulating on social media amid White Helmets' reported estimate of at least 42 deaths from the attack. Meanwhile, government media Syrian Arab News Agency, or SANA, said on early April 9, 2018 that at least five of the eight missiles fired on the T4 military base in Homs province had been shot down, raising speculation that Israel might have taken advantage of the security chaos in Syria. After faced with chemical attack, Army of Islam, the largest rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, had no option, but to acquiesce to the regime demand, of leaving the besieged town of Douma. The rebel group's April 8, 2018, decision to vacate the town of Douma came on the same day as President Donald Trump called the April 7, 2018, chemical strike as "mindless CHEMICAL attack" on women and children of Douma in a twitter post, and held Iran and Russia responsible too.
Rebels Begin Evacuating the Town amid U.S. Threat, Israeli Missile Strikes on Iranian Interests
A day after arriving at a deal to evacuate the town, dozens of fighters of Jaish al-Islam, or Army of Islam, and their family members boarded dozens of buses and left the town of Douma on April 9, 2018 as U.S. President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting at the White House that "we can not allow atrocities" of this kind to continue, implying that Trump administration might be thinking of a missile strike in Syria.
Amid the reported chemical attack on Douma, Israel in the wee hours of April 9, 2018 carried out missile strikes--using two F-15 planes that flew from Mediterranean Sea--T4 military base in Homs where Iran was reported to have expanded its presence in recent years, killing at least 14 people, according to Iranian and Russian news agencies. Although Syrian air defense system shot down five of the eight missiles, the other three missiles had struck the military base severely.
U.S. and French Warships on their Way to Mediterranean Sea as Trump Issues Veiled Threat
President Donald Trump on April 11, 2018 unloaded a full-blown threat on Syria, saying that he might order a barrage of "nice and new and 'smart'!" missiles against Syria for using chemical agent in Douma four days ago as warships from France and USA were sailing to vintage areas in Mediterranean Sea for any possible airstrike. Meanwhile, Britain, Germany and Saudi Arabia pledged strong support for a collective action against Syrian regime for April 7, 2018, chemical attack that had reportedly killed at least 40 people in Douma. However, not to be cow-towed, Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zasypkin, vowed in an interview with Lebanon's Al Manar TV that Russia "will execute the statement of its president related to any U.S. aggression against Syria, knocking down American missiles and striking at the sources of fire".
Joint Airstrikes by U.S., France and Britain to Punish the "Monster"; Senator Kaine: Action Illegal
U.S., France and Britain calibrated a collective response to the April 7, 2018, chemical attack on Douma by launching a barrage of missile strikes from ships in Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf and manned aircraft against three targets on April 14, 2018 (early morning Syrian time). The targets--struck by more than 100 missiles--included:
* A scientific research facility near Damascus (Barzah Research and Development Center, part of Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, or SSRC)
* A chemical storage facility outside Homs (Him Shinshar chemical weapons complex)
* A nearby command post
In a nationally televised address on April 13, 2018 evening, President Donald Trump said that the April 7, 2018, chemical attack on Douma was not the "actions of a man", but "crimes of a monster instead". British defense officials said that four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s were used to launch Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility 15 miles from Homs that was used to store precursors of chemical weapons in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis during a Pentagon briefing called the April 14, 2018 (Syrian time), airstrikes "a one-time shot" to send a clear message to Syria. Meanwhile, Syrian state TV showed that the country's air defense system had been activated and at least 13 missiles had been shot down near the town of Al-Kiswa, south of Damascus.
On the Capitol Hill, the reaction was mostly favorable, with notable exception of Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia who had said that airstrike without explicit Congressional authorization--Authorization for the Use of Military Force, or AUMF--was illegal and, without a comprehensive strategy, was reckless. There is a push in Congress to pass a new AUMF that will supersede the existing AUMF that has been passed after September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, but before the 2003 Iraqi invasion.
President Tweets Mission Accomplished as Damascus Portrays Business as Usual
Hours after France, Britain and the U.S. launched coordinated missile strikes, President Donald Trump on April 14, 2018 took to twitter to claim mission accomplished. However, Syrian media put up a brave face to the world showing as if nothing had happened, with one picture showing President Bashar Assad coolly walking into office with a briefcase in hand. Syrian media also proclaimed during the day, April 14, that the last rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta had been totally liberated as Douma was rid of rebel fighters and under complete government control.
Haley Talks about Additional Round of Sanctions on Russia for Chemical Attack
Appearing on Face the Nation on CBS on April 15, 2018, USA's U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said that U.S. would announce additional sanctions on Russia on April 16, 2018 to punish Moscow's support and complicity in Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people as happened on April 7, 2018 in Douma.
Trump Walks Back on Sanction Talks
President Donald Trump on April 16, 2018 disputed his own U.N. envoy's assertion a day earlier on CBS' Face the Nation, and said that there was no more sanctions to be imposed on Russia.
New Authorization of War Power Bill Unveiled
A bipartisan bill replacing the existing AUMF authority that Congress had approved in the aftermath of 9/11 attack was unveiled by Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 16, 2018. The authority in the new bill, introduced by Sen. Bob Corker, Republican Chairman of the committee, and Senator Tim Kaine, is narrower than the existing AUMF powers and needs renewal every four years.
Inspectors Alleged to have been Blocked from Entering Douma
The head of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, said on April 16, 2018 that the organization's inspectors had reached at Damascus, but could not enter yet the city of Douma, target of April 7, 2018, alleged chemical attack by Syrian regime. Instead, Syrian authorities provided the inspectors, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu told a meeting of the organization's executive committee at The Hague, with access to 22 witnesses. OPCW's version of the reason behind the inspection delay was quickly repudiated by Russia as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the inspectors could not go to Douma because U.N. was unable to give the team needed security approval. Journalists were allowed the access to Douma on April 16, 2018.
U.N. Security Detail Visits Douma ahead of Inspectors' Arrival
Syrian Ambassador to U.N. Bashar Ja'afari said on April 17, 2018 that U.N. security team had gone to the city of Douma, the target of April 7, 2018, alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime, ahead of a planned visit by a team of OPCW inspectors.
U.N. Security Team Fired on; OPCW Inspectors Stuck in the Capital
Ahmet Uzumcu, the director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, on April 18, 2018 briefed the executive council of the organization at The Hague about the dilemma that inspectors had been experiencing since arriving at Damascus on April 14, 2018. The OPCW head informed the executive council that a vanguard security team from the U.N. had entered the city of Douma on April 17, 2018, but was fired upon at one site. However, the team, according to Ahmet Uzumcu's brief, returned to Damascus unharmed, but the OPCW chief was not sure when or if the organization's inspectors would be able to visit Douma.
OPCW Inspectors Collect Sample from Besieged Town
A week after being stuck in Damascus, inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, on April 21, 2018 entered the town of Douma, the largest in the just-liberated Eastern Ghouta region, and collected samples to test whether and what chemicals had been used to attack the town a fortnight ago. Russia and Syria issued self-congratulatory statement that they had provided the security for the inspectors and brushed off any responsibility for a week-long delay.
*************** LARGE-SCALE OPERATION IN EASTERN GHOUTA ****************
Trump Administration to Retain Troops in Iraq, Syria Indefinitely
In response to Virginia Senator Tim Kaine's letter seeking clarification on how long U.S. troops would remain stationed in Syria and Iraq, Trump administration on February 22, 2018 responded boldly that the U.S. troops would likely to remain in Syria and Iraq as long as it deemed fit, implying almost an open-ended mission. In a pair of letters, the administration gave a flimsy legal argument that it could continue operations inside Syria and Iraq without explicit Congressional authorization, a stand Senator Kaine dismissed as a stretched legal maneuver. The letter that was written by the Defense Department Deputy Undersecretary for (defense) Policy David Trachtenberg said that existing international laws provided the basis for U.S. to keep its nearly 2,000 troops stationed in Syria and, if needed, to attack Syrian regime forces or Iranian interests if any of them posed a serious threat to the U.S. or American troops. In a second letter, Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Mary Waters justified the open-ended mission in Syria and Iraq.
35 Killed in Rocket Attack on a Market in Government-controlled Parts of Damascus
At least 35 people were killed on March 20, 2018 as rockets fell on a market in the government-controlled Kashkol neighborhood of Damascus. Another 20 or more were injured too in the attack.
Two Western Soldiers Killed Hours after Trump Favors U.S. Troops Withdrawal from Syria
Barely two hours after U.S. President Donald Trump told a campaign-style rally in Ohio on March 29, 2018 that he would withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops now stationed in Syria and let "other people take care of it", a convoy of western troops was met with an IED explosion near northern Syrian town of Manbij. On March 30, 2018, U.S. military made the attack public, and said that one British soldier and a U.S. military personnel were killed beside five others injured.
U.S. Personnel Killed Identified
The U.S. soldier killed in March 29, 2018, roadside explosion was identified on March 31, 2018 as 36-year-old Master Sergeant Jonathan Dunbar of Austin, marking his death to be the fourth since U.S. got involved in anti-ISIL operation in Syria in September 2014. Prior to Dunbar's death, three other U.S. military personnel were killed in Syria. They are Air Force Staff Sergeant Austin Bieren, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton and Army Specialist Etienne Murphy. The causes of death for Bieren and Murphy were listed not from enemy-induced attack.
White House, Pentagon Reach Compromise on Troops Withdrawal
U.S. President Donald Trump wants to withdraw 2,000-strong U.S. troops from Syria as soon as possible, looking forward to fulfilling one of his campaign promises. However, Pentagon leaders think something else given the stark ground conditions and possibility of ISIL re-emerging as a force to reckon with after U.S. troops withdrawal. Hence, after much negotiation, Los Angeles Times reported on April 4, 2018, White House gave Pentagon adequate leeway to draw a withdrawal plan, but leaving a timeline open.
ISIL Capitulates, Agrees to Withdraw from Capital Neighborhoods
ISIL fighters were squeezed from all sides in the last Damascus pockets and forced to agree on April 19, 2018 on leaving the Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood and Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, underlining the collapse of whatever remnants of resistance were still in and around Damascus.
********* LOCAL TRUCE: PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP YARMOUK
Dozens of Rebels and their Families Evacuated
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on May 1, 2018 that about 200 insurgents and their family members were brought in in five buses from the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk to a transfer zone in Aleppo from where they would be headed to rebel-held areas in country's northwest as part of a series of forced evacuation deals that had all but emptied out rebels from most the major cities. The deal reached between Bashar Assad regime and the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham swapped Yarmouk refugee camp's rebel fighters and their family members with about 5,000 people besieged in two northwestern villages of Foua and Kfraya. As part of the local truce, these 5,000, or so, people will be evacuated from rebel-held villages to government-controlled areas. Although the local truce was reached to expand government control to Yarmouk, the sprawling Palestinian refugee camp established in 1957 mainly to house the Palestinians displaced by Israel at its founding in 1948, Islamic State fighters are holding separate parts of the refugee camps.
ISIL Fighters Leave Yarmouk too
Under government's punishing surround-siege-starve campaign, Islamic State fighters could not sustain their resistance much longer than their brethren in al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group. On May 20, 2018, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that buses had evacuated the ISIL fighters and families from Yarmouk and an adjacent enclave, al-Tadamon. The evacuation left only a sliver of area near Damascus, Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood, under rebel control, and the state-controlled Al-Ikhbariya reported during the day that plan was underway to storm the Hajar al-Aswad.
ISIL Fighters Leave the Last Remaining Stronghold near Capital
In an almost irreversible setback, last of ISIL fighters had left Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood on May 21, 2018, giving the Bashar Assad regime for the first time an unquestionable control over Damascus and its countryside. Issuing a press statement later on May 21, 2018, the regime pronounced that "Syrian General Command of the Army and Armed Forces announced Damascus and Damascus countryside entirely safe areas after fully cleansing al-Hajar al-Aswad and al-Yarmouk Camp of terrorism".
********* LOCAL TRUCE: PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP YARMOUK
Thousands Leave Northern Rural Homs
Days after early May 2018 deal, following the model of other local truces that employed siege-surround-starve-surrender strategy, about 27,000 civilians, rebels and their families left the rural areas in northern Homs countryside, and the government on May 15, 2018 announced that it was almost there taking complete control of the besieged nation's largest state.
Military Establish Road Link among Three Key Cities for the First Time
After routing rebels from the northern countryside of Homs and southern Hama, Syrian military on May 16, 2018 established a vital triangular road link among three key cities--Homs, Aleppo and Damascus--for the first time since the civil war had erupted in 2011. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said during the day that at least 34,500 people had left northern Homs countryside and southern Hama alone in the last few days.
************* Local Truce in Northern Homs Countryside
Senior Military Leader Sought by German Prosecutor's Office
In the first ever incident of going after a Syrian regime leader by a foreign government using the universal jurisdiction principle, Germany's chief prosecutor's office on June 8, 2018 filed charges against Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate head, Jamil Hassan, in the country's Federal Court of Justice and sought his arrest. The charges included running a web of secret prisons where Intel directorate was accused of conducting torture and human rights abuses.
******************* Syrian Offensive near Jordan and Golan Heights
Syrian Offensive Displaces more than 160,000
Syrian government backed by Russia and Iran launched ferocious assault on one the last rebel fortresses near the country's border with Jordan and Golan Heights. Since the June 19, 2018, launch of the offensive in the Daraa province, at least 116 people were killed as of end of June 2018, according to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and more than 160,000 people had been displaced, creating a humanitarian catastrophic situation in the region. Jordan, which is currently hosting more than 600,000 registered Syrian refugees, has closed its borders to prevent further influx of Syrian refugees and overwhelming its already teetering social infrastructure.
Syrian Troops Capture a Key Trade Point
Syrian forces, backed by Russian airstrikes and Iranian forces, on July 6, 2018 dealt a severe a blow to rebels in its fight to cleanse the southern Daraa province and Quneitra region, close to Israel-occupied Golan Heights, by capturing the crossing of Naseeb, a key trade corridor for Syria with Jordan and other Gulf nations. After rebels seized the Naseeb Border Crossing in 2015, a major lifeline of trade revenue for Syria had been cut off. With July 6, 2018, re-capture of this vital trade crossing, Syrian military is now in a position to redouble its effort to clear the vast area in southern Daraa and nearby Quneitra region of rebels. Since the beginning of June 19, 2018, government offensive in Daraa, at least 330,000 people were displaced from their homes, and hundreds of thousands had massed along the closed borders with Jordan.
Government Hoists National Flag at the Heart of Daraa
For the first time in 7 years, Syrian national flag was hoisted at the heart of the cradle of Syria's civil uprising as soldiers after laying siege on Daraa on July 9, 2018 took over complete control of the city by the end of July 12, 2018. The two-star national flag was seen fluttering near Omari Mosque in Daraa. Omari Mosque came to be known as the birthplace of Syrian civil uprising that had killed at least 400,000, wounded more than a million and displaced tens of millions of people. Since the government forces launched the latest campaign on June 19, 2018 to clear a broad swath of southwest corridor bordering Jordan and Quneitra region Golan Heights, more than 330,000 people had been displaced. Daraa Governor Mohamad al-Hanous said on July 12, 2018 that Syrian soldiers now controlled 80 percent of the city of Daraa. Under the surrender terms, rebels and their families will be allowed to leave the region for country's northwest.
Syria Adopts Scorched-Earth Policy to Liberate Remaining Areas
Six days after recapturing the cradle of Syrian rebellion, Syrian authorities is now hellbent to liberate remaining areas from the clutches of rebel dominance in the Quneitra region. On July 18, 2018, Syrian aircraft carried out what could be one of the most intense bombing runs, with more than 350 missiles raining down on the rebel-held town of Nawa and surrounding areas that killed at least dozen people and wounded more than 100.
Syrian Rebels Agree to Surrender in the Last Pocket of Resistance
The resistance in Quneitra is all but over as rebels in the remaining pockets of the province on July 19, 2018 agreed to surrender and leave the region, another victory in Bashar Assad's strategy of siege-starve-surrender.
Syria Blasts Israeli Operation to Help Evacuate "White Helmet" Responders
A daring Israeli operation backed by U.S., Britain and Canada on July 21, 2018 to help create a passageway for besieged personnel of Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group, or "White Helmets", and their families to Jordan through Israel and, eventually, destined to western nations came under withering criticism from Damascus as Syrian government on July 23, 2018 called evacuation as "criminal process". Israeli special forces helped about 400 White Helmets and their family members to leave Quneitra Province on July 21, 2018 in a secret operation. Germany on July 23, 2018 said that it would give asylum to eight White Helmets and 39 family members, a day after German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer , who had dusted up storm recently over his strident anti-migrant rhetoric, said that giving shelter to rescue workers "is a humanitarian obligation", adding that more than 250 White Helmets had been killed since 2013.
******************* Syrian Offensive near Jordan and Golan Heights
30 among 54 Killed in Alleged U.S.-led Airstrike Reported to be Civilians
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency on July 13, 2018 reported that U.S.-led coalition struck the villages of Baghouz and Sousa, and killed scores of civilians. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that airstrikes had killed at least 54 people, including 26 Islamic State fighters and remaining civilians.
Two American Citizens Detained
Two Americans linked to Islamic State was detained, according to a report carried by The Associated Press and The New York Times on July 19, 2018. One was trying to flee the Middle Euphrates River Valley and nabbed by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. Another American, thought to be the wife of an ISIL operative, was also detained in Syria. U.S. will bring Ibrahim Musaibli, from Dearborn in Michigan, and Samantha Elhassani of Indiana to stand trial in the U.S.
Israel Shots Down a Syrian Sukhoi Warplane
For the second time since Syrian Civil War had begun in 2011, Israel on July 24, 2018 had shot down a Syrian Sukhoi 24 warplane by firing two Patriot surface-to-air missiles. The first time that Israel shot down a Syrian plane it was in 2014. The plane had crashed on the Syrian side of Golan Heights. One crew member was reported to have been killed, while the fate of the second one was not known. The Sukhoi 24 took off from a base near Palmyra and veered into Israeli airspace when Israeli missiles were launched. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the breach of Israeli airspace as "a gross violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement with Syria".
************************** DRUZE CITY UNDER ISIL WRATH *********************
Druze City Targeted by ISIL for Mayhem
A southern Syrian city of predominantly Druze population and surrounding villages were transformed into a large valley of death as ISIL insurgents mounted a multi-pronged, simultaneous attacks on the city of Sweida and surrounding areas in the early hours of July 25, 2018. By the end of the day, at least 216 people were killed, and several hundreds injured. Sweida was spared the violence for the large part of Syrian Civil War, but that had changed on July 25, 2018. At least 18 people, including 14 women, were reported missing.
Syrian Soldiers Rescue 19 Hostages
Syrian soldiers on November 8, 2018 rescued 19 women and children after a swift operation against ISIL captors in the Hamima area east of historic city of Palmyra. The rescued 19 were part of 30 hostages kidnapped by ISIL attackers who had swept through the Druze town of Sweida in southern part of Syria on July 25, 2018. Out of 30, five were killed in captivity and six were released in October 2018 as part of a prisoner swap with the government.
************************** DRUZE CITY UNDER ISIL WRATH *********************
Al-Qaeda-linked Leader Vows to Fight
The leader of al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, vowed on August 22, 2018 that his fighters would battle to the death against Syrian troops to protect Idlib. Syrian government sent reinforcement to the borders of Idlib in anticipation of an assault to recapture the only area still under rebel control.
Iran, Syria Agree to Work Closely
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami's two-day official trip to Damascus (August 26-27, 2018) was showcased as strengthening of bonds between two strategic allies in the region and a rebuff to Israeli threat that it won't tolerate Iranian presence in Syria. Iran's defense minister told reporters on August 26, 2018 that no "third party can affect the presence of Iranian advisers in Syria". During the day, Hatami held a high-level meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, at Damascus.
Iran, Syria Sign Deal on Re-building Syrian Military
On August 27, 2018, Syrian and Iranian officials signed a deal at a state reception in the honor of visiting Iranian defense minister, Amir Hatami, that would involve Iran more closely with Syrian military establishment, by bringing Iranian fund and technology to rebuild Syrian military.
Trump Reverses Course, U.S. now to Extend Its Limited Mission in Syria
The Washington Post reported on September 6, 2018 that Trump administration now favored the extension of limited number of U.S. Special Ops troops indefinitely, reversing the president's stand five months ago--at a Ohio rally on March 29, 2018--"to get out of" Syria and bring U.S. troops back home.
Putin Clears Syria of Downing of Russian Plane
A friendly fire on September 17, 2018 brought down a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 surveillance plane that had killed all 15 Russian service personnel. Syria mistook the Russian plane as Israel's, leading to the anti-aircraft barrage. On September 18, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not hold Syria responsible as Israeli Defense Forces did, and instead blamed a "chain of tragic accidental circumstances".
Russia to Supply Syria with Missile Defense
Russia on September 24, 2018 announced that it would supply Damascus with sophisticated S-300 air missile defense system to avert in future accidental attack such as September 17, 2018, downing of a Russian Ilyushin II-20 surveillance plane that had killed 15 Russian soldiers. The supply was on hold before, but things had "changed, and it's not our fault", Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on TV, justifying the delivery of S-300 in the next few weeks. In the aftermath of the Russian S-300 delivery announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Putin assured Netanyahu that the deployment of S-300 was primarily aimed at providing safety to Russian personnel in Syria. However, U.S. did not take the September 24, 2018, Sergei Shoigu's S-300 shipment announcement lightly as U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton called it a "serious escalation".
Assad Offers Amnesty to Deserters
As part of his reconciliation after wiping out the rebellion from all but Idlib province of Syria, President Bashar Assad on October 9, 2018 issued a broad-based amnesty to the army deserters and draft dodgers both in Syria and in exile, raising the possibility that hundreds of thousands might return to their communities one day. The amnesty will cover for those who surrender within four months if they are in Syria and six months if outside. However, the amnesty will not be applied to those who have risen up and fought against the government. Syria has mandatory military draft of young men for two years and 18 months if they have college degrees, and failure leads to serious sanctions, including jail and fines. People granted amnesty are still required to serve remainder of their time in military.
Russia-Germany-France-Turkey Meet to Find Common Ground on Syria
Leaders from three NATO nations and Russia met at Istanbul on October 27, 2018 to discuss possible ways to forge a deal that would bring a devastating civil war to an end. At the end of day-long summit, there was no measurable progress other than a jointly released statement that called for "an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process". Also the statement lent support to convening a committee by the end of the year to work on constitutional reform as a prelude to U.N.-backed free and fair election.
Washington Seeks Help from Moscow, Teheran on Reporter
A former Marine and Georgetown law student turned a freelance journalist kidnapped in August 2012 in Syria has underlined the length of danger most reporters face while reporting the ground conditions in Syria. Now, the fate of Austin Tice, 37, is being raised by Trump administration as there are reports that Tice may be alive and remains captive. On November 13, 2018, Trump administration's special envoy on hostage, Robert O'Brien, said at an event at the National Press Club that Washington had reached out to Iran and Russia to seek the release of Austin Tice. About 20 American hostages are currently being held in different theaters of the world.
U.S. Airstrikes against Last Pockets of ISIL Kill more than 40
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' head Rami Abdurrahman said on November 17, 2018 that U.S. airstrikes on the last of ISIL pockets in the eastern Syrian desert along the Iraq-Syria borders had killed at least 43 people, including 17 children and 12 women. Although a coalition statement denied any "civilian casualties", the observatory said that early morning November 17, 2018, airstrikes targeted the Abu al-Hassan village, near the border town of Hajin, and killed a disproportionate number of civilians. Syrian Democratic Forces launched the Hajin offensive on September 10, 2018.
Syrian Kurds Oust ISIL from Hajin
Hajin fell to SDF on December 14, 2018.
Sudan's President First Arab League Leader to Visit Syria
After Syria's expulsion from Arab League in the aftermath of eruption of Syrian Civil War in 2011, first head of state from Arab League to visit Damascus was Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, who was received with much fanfare at Damascus airport on December 16, 2018 by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
******* TRUMP'S SUDDEN DECISION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM SYRIA *******
Trump's Surprising Decision to Pull U.S. Troops from Syria Shocks Allies
In a decision--all in done over a tweet message--that blindsided friends and foe alike, President Donald Trump ordered on December 19, 2018 to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria immediately, declaring that "we have defeated ISIS in Syria". The reaction to the announcement was swift, with his traditional allies was taken aback. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of the strong Trump backers, didn't mince words when he called the decision that "blindsided" him and many more would lead to "disaster" in Syria and help "ISIS and Iran".
Defense Secretary Mattis Resigns in Protest to President's Syria Pullout Decision
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often known as the cool head in the chaotic White House, on December 20, 2018 announced his resignation, imploring in his resignation letter that "you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours". His resignation letter tells it all: Mattis has taken strong exception to Trump's decision--both in timing, substance and style--to pull nearly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria who have been a bulwark to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their quest to defeat ISIL in Syria. Meanwhile, Mattis' resignation will bring alarm to world capitals spanning from Brussels to Beijing. Jim Mattis has decided to leave Pentagon by the end of February 2019.
Kurds Call Trump's Move Betrayal, Putin Welcomes Trump's Withdrawal Decision
In a stinging rebuke, Syria's Kurds in the country's northeast called Donald Trump's abrupt decision a day earlier to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops a betrayal. Chiming in in the debate, Iraq's former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, himself a Kurd, said on December 20, 2018 that Trump's decision would have repercussion beyond Syria's border. The biggest beneficiaries of the Trump's decision, according to Syria watchers, will be Iran, Turkey and Russia. Turkey has already begun planning to attack Kurd's positions in northern and northeastern Syria as Ankara sees YPG as an extension of PKK. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Trump's decision, saying that U.S. should not be in Syria at the first place.
Turkey Delays Offensives against Kurds
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on December 21, 2018 said that Ankara would delay offensive against Kurds in northeastern Syria, but it would definitely happen, as talks with the U.S. continued.
U.S. Envoy to anti-ISIL Coalition Steps down
Following the footstep of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the U.S. envoy to anti-ISIL coalition, Brett McGurk, stepped down on December 22, 2018. Brett McGurk is scheduled to leave the job by mid-February 2019 to start a 1-year stint at Stanford University in March 2019. Instead, he will leave on December 31, 2018, according to his resignation letter sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump Advances Mattis' Exit Timetable
President Donald Trump on December 23, 2018 accelerated the departure process of Jim Mattis by shifting the timetable two more months. He has appointed Patrick Shanahan, Deputy Defense Secretary and a former Boeing company executive, as acting defense chief. Mattis will be leaving now on December 31, 2018 instead of originally planned by the end of February 2019. Trump's December 23, 2018, move marked a shameful lowball hit against a highly respected military general.
Turkey Massing Troops near Border
Finding a possible opening to oust its Kurdish nemesis from northern Syria in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's December 19, 2018, decision to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, Turkey sent reinforcement to the border town of Kilis, Turkey for invasion into northern Syria and target Manbij. A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish, said on December 23, 2018 that Turkish troops had crossed into Syria and were now advancing toward the Kurdish-held city. During the day, Donald Trump held a telephone talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, their second such talk in ten days. After their first talk over phone, Donald Trump made the surprising announcement of troops pullout from Syria.
Turkey Vows Offensive against Kurds; Working with Washington on Troops Pullout
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated on December 25, 2018 that Ankara was working with Washington on U.S. troops pullout from Syria, but determined to launch attack on Kurds. Causoglu also said that both NATO allies were working on Kurdish pullout from Manbij to the east of Euphrates Valley, which under a June 2018 deal should have happened by now, but the delay had angered Turkey.
Syrian Soldiers Nearing Manbij
As U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that about 2,000 U.S. troops would withdraw from Syria after what the president called the defeat of ISIL and Turkish-led rebel forces zeroing on the key Kurds-held city of Manbij, it was apparent that YPG-led forces, now in charge of Manbij, would seek the protection of Bashar Assad from an all-out assault by Turkey and allied rebel forces. Damascus announced on December 28, 2018 that Syrian Arab Army had entered Manbij and hoisted national flag at the center of the city. Both Turkey and U.S. Army contested that claim.
Trump Revises Troops Drawdown Timetable in a Twitter Message
U.S. President Donald Trump on December 31, 2018 pulled another surprise by revising the timeline of withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria in a tweet. He has elongated the timeline from 30 days to 120 days. Trump also complained that he was unfairly criticized by retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal who questioned president's temperament, fitness and preparedness. In recent days, even his former Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly said that his former boss had a habit of taking impulsive decisions. Although nobody surely knows what has led to Trump's change in heart, one theory is that during his recent whirlwind Iraq visit, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, Lt. Gen. Paul LaCamera, has implored the president to slow the drawdown of troops from Syria on the ground of logistical challenges.
Bolton Warns against Quick Troops Drawdown
Talking to reporters during a visit to Israel, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on January 6, 2019 said that a quick troops drawdown might endanger partners and allies in the region and the "timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement". Bolton's comment is the most pointed one that differ from president's own timeline of "immediate withdrawal" announced on December 19, 2018 first and then extending it to 120 days 12 days later.
U.S. Begins Syria Pullout
U.S. on January 11, 2019 began the process of troops pullout from Syria, the same day an al-Qaeda-linked group forced Turkey-backed rebels to capitulate in the northwestern province of Idlib. The American pullout from the northeastern part of the country began with heavy equipment and other hardware being shuffled and prepared to be shipped out. 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria was critical in Kurdish Syrian forces' concerted battlefield wins against ISIL after Obama administration began Syria airstrikes in 2014 and followed up with troop deployment to train and assist the Syrian Kurdish forces. Now, as the drawdown of U.S. forces has begun, the three-year-old ground mission of the U.S. forces will come to an end in the coming months, raising possibility of Turkish assault on Syrian Kurds and return of ISIL to Syria.
4 American Killed in Northern
Syria
Undermining President
Donald Trump’s claim that U.S. had defeated ISIL in Syria, a suicide bomber on January 16, 2019 targeted a joint
patrol of Kurdish militia group People’s
Protection Unit, or YPG, and the U.S. forces in Manbij, killing two U.S. service personnel and two American
civilians. The attack came almost a month after President Donald Trump had
announced the withdrawal of about 2,000 U.S. forces from Syria, citing
battlefield gains against ISIL. The attack that had also killed at least 12
other people put a hole to Trump’s claim. Hours after the Manbij attack, Vice
President Mike Pence parroted the same claim that ISIL had been defeated in
Syria.Syrian Kurd Leader Meets with Trump at a FundraiserA syrian Kurdish leader, Ilham Ahmed, Co-chairman of the Syrian Democratic Council, was invited to a Washington fundraiser on January 28, 2019, and briefly met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
******* TRUMP'S SUDDEN DECISION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM SYRIA *******
Israel Knocks out Arms Depot in Syria
Israeli warplanes on December 25, 2018 targeted three arms depot south of Damascus, and bombed them. The arms depot were thought to be under control of Hezbollah.
UAE Reopens Embassy in Damascus
UAE on December 27, 2018 re-opened its embassy in Damascus for the first time in seven years. UAE's charge d'affaires, Abdul Hakim Naimi, was on hand for the flag-hoisting ceremony.
Assad Gives Permission to Iraq to Carry out Attack within Syria against Islamic State
On December 29, 2018, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi asked Syrian President Bashar Assad in a letter if his country could target ISIL within Syrian borders as needed. Syrian President Assad on December 30, 2018 explicitly granted permission to Baghdad to go after ISIL within Syria and Syrian military would not need any prior clearance.
Last-Ditch Offensive to Oust ISIL from Remaining Villages
Syrian Democratic Forces fighters backed by U.S. warplanes launched on February 9, 2019 to finish off the remaining territorial presence of ISIL in eastern desert of Syria. The SDF operation began in September 2018, but it took almost five months to launch an intensive campaign against the remaining, hardened soldiers of ISIL as about 20,000 civilians had to be evacuated from the besieged areas. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based co-operative, at least 1,279 ISIL fighters, 678 SDF members and 401 civilians--including 144 children and teenagers--had been killed since the operation began on September 10, 2018.
Hundreds Flee ISIL-held Last Village
About 1,200 villagers from the last remaining village of Baghouz, on the bank of Euphrates River, near the Iraqi border in the desert of eastern Syria, have accepted the amnesty offer from SDF in the 24 hours since the offer has been made on February 12, 2019. SDF gave the ultimatum before it launched an all-out attack on the village.
Last ISIL Holdout Falls to SDF
U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were rejoicing on March 19, 2019 after hundreds of ISIL fighters had surrendered overnight and the village of Baghouz had been taken over. Immediately after taking over Baghouz, SDF fighters had begun searching for any remnant of militants hiding inside a sprawling network of underground tunnels.
End of ISIL Caliphate Formally Announced
Syrian Democratic Forces formally took the center stage on March 23, 2019 to hoist its flag at the village of Baghouz to mark the end of the five-year global campaign against ISIL. At the heyday, ISIL controlled half of Syria and Iraq, and imposed a harsh version of Islamic law in its caliphate.
Seven Syrian Kurd Fighters Killed in Northern Syria
Underlining that the battlefield defeat of ISIL may not lead to destruction of the extremist group in near future and, in fact, may decentralize the terrorism to regional franchises, ISIL on March 26, 2019 has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a checkpoint in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, killing seven U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters three days after SDF has announced the elimination of ISIL and dissolution of all of its caliphate.
Western Foreign Ministers Issue Stern Warning to Assad on Chemical Weapons
As the second- and third-anniversaries of the chemical attacks approach, a joint statement attributed to foreign ministers of U.S., U.K. and France on April 5, 2019 warned Syrian government of any future use of chemical weapons and vowed to "act strongly and swiftly" if such attacks were carried out.
Russia-Turkey-mediated Truce in Peril
The months-long truce mediated under the auspices of Russia and Turkey to avoid any escalation in northwestern Idlib Province teetered at the brink on April 7, 2019 as government and rebels traded rockets that had killed at least 13. Rebel rocket fell on a hospital in the government-controlled town of Massyaf while casualties were reported from government shelling of Idlib towns of Naireb and Saraqeb.
*************************** SAFE ZONE IN NORTHERN SYRIA ********************
U.S., Turkey to Jointly Patrol Northern Syria
Unnerved by growing influence of Syrian Kurds, Turkey is ramping up its own presence along the Syrian border. As part of creating a safe buffer zone along the northern border of Syria, Ankara and Washington will begin joint patrol on September 8, 2019.
*************************** SAFE ZONE IN NORTHERN SYRIA ********************
Assad Gives Permission to Iraq to Carry out Attack within Syria against Islamic State
On December 29, 2018, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi asked Syrian President Bashar Assad in a letter if his country could target ISIL within Syrian borders as needed. Syrian President Assad on December 30, 2018 explicitly granted permission to Baghdad to go after ISIL within Syria and Syrian military would not need any prior clearance.
Last-Ditch Offensive to Oust ISIL from Remaining Villages
Syrian Democratic Forces fighters backed by U.S. warplanes launched on February 9, 2019 to finish off the remaining territorial presence of ISIL in eastern desert of Syria. The SDF operation began in September 2018, but it took almost five months to launch an intensive campaign against the remaining, hardened soldiers of ISIL as about 20,000 civilians had to be evacuated from the besieged areas. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based co-operative, at least 1,279 ISIL fighters, 678 SDF members and 401 civilians--including 144 children and teenagers--had been killed since the operation began on September 10, 2018.
Hundreds Flee ISIL-held Last Village
About 1,200 villagers from the last remaining village of Baghouz, on the bank of Euphrates River, near the Iraqi border in the desert of eastern Syria, have accepted the amnesty offer from SDF in the 24 hours since the offer has been made on February 12, 2019. SDF gave the ultimatum before it launched an all-out attack on the village.
Last ISIL Holdout Falls to SDF
U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were rejoicing on March 19, 2019 after hundreds of ISIL fighters had surrendered overnight and the village of Baghouz had been taken over. Immediately after taking over Baghouz, SDF fighters had begun searching for any remnant of militants hiding inside a sprawling network of underground tunnels.
End of ISIL Caliphate Formally Announced
Syrian Democratic Forces formally took the center stage on March 23, 2019 to hoist its flag at the village of Baghouz to mark the end of the five-year global campaign against ISIL. At the heyday, ISIL controlled half of Syria and Iraq, and imposed a harsh version of Islamic law in its caliphate.
Seven Syrian Kurd Fighters Killed in Northern Syria
Underlining that the battlefield defeat of ISIL may not lead to destruction of the extremist group in near future and, in fact, may decentralize the terrorism to regional franchises, ISIL on March 26, 2019 has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a checkpoint in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, killing seven U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters three days after SDF has announced the elimination of ISIL and dissolution of all of its caliphate.
Western Foreign Ministers Issue Stern Warning to Assad on Chemical Weapons
As the second- and third-anniversaries of the chemical attacks approach, a joint statement attributed to foreign ministers of U.S., U.K. and France on April 5, 2019 warned Syrian government of any future use of chemical weapons and vowed to "act strongly and swiftly" if such attacks were carried out.
Russia-Turkey-mediated Truce in Peril
The months-long truce mediated under the auspices of Russia and Turkey to avoid any escalation in northwestern Idlib Province teetered at the brink on April 7, 2019 as government and rebels traded rockets that had killed at least 13. Rebel rocket fell on a hospital in the government-controlled town of Massyaf while casualties were reported from government shelling of Idlib towns of Naireb and Saraqeb.
*************************** SAFE ZONE IN NORTHERN SYRIA ********************
U.S., Turkey to Jointly Patrol Northern Syria
Unnerved by growing influence of Syrian Kurds, Turkey is ramping up its own presence along the Syrian border. As part of creating a safe buffer zone along the northern border of Syria, Ankara and Washington will begin joint patrol on September 8, 2019.
*************************** SAFE ZONE IN NORTHERN SYRIA ********************
*********************** TURKISH INVASION OF NORTHERN SYRIA ***************
Trump Surprises with Troops Withdrawal, Betrays Kurds Allies
President Donald Trump with a single tweet on October 6, 2019 struck the conscience of Americans at home and raw nerve of Kurdish allies in Syria as he said that U.S. troops would withdraw from the north and northeast of Syria, paving the way for Turkey to launch invasion into Kurdish-controlled territories in the north of the country. Turkey sees the semi-autonomous area that Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, a primary Kurds-dominated force that has allied with the U.S. to defeat ISIL, as an existential threat to itself as, Ankara accuses, the Kurdish fighters have strong ties to its own Kurdish militant group, PKK.
U.S. Begins Troops Pullout from Northern Syria as Turkey Prepares to Attack
On October 7, 2019, U.S. troops began withdrawing some of the Kurdish-controlled towns in northern Syria as President Donald Trump defended his action and blamed Europe for not sharing enough cost in Syria. As Turkey is preparing invasion into northern Syria anytime now, tens of thousands of residents in the border region are leaving the area, many of them have been displaced earlier. Trump's action flies in the face of ground reality, and even his strong backers of GOP leaders in Congress are assailing Trump's decision. In a warning to Ankara, Trump asked Turkey on October 7, 2019 to limit its scope of assault and invasion in northern Syria. Trump even has gone forward with his tweeter threat that if Turkey goes too far with the invasion, we will "totally destroy and obliterate Turkey's economy".
Turkey Massing Troops along the Border
Turkey on October 8, 2019 is mobilizing troops along its border with Syria in and around the border city of Akcakale. Ankara dismissed Trump's warning not to go too far with invasion.
Turkey Launches Invasion of Northern Syria
After Trump administration paved the way for Turkish invasion of northern Syria by withdrawing American troops, Turkey on October 9, 2019 launched a ferocious attack on the de facto Kurdish autonomous area stretching 250 miles from Ain Issa, 30 miles from the Euphrates River, to Malikiyah, near the Iraqi border. Ankara is hell-bent of not allowing any Kurdish semi-autonomous region to take a foothold on the east of Euphrates River as it sees any strengthening of Kurdish presence south of its border as providing more oxygen to its own Kurdish insurgency in its southeast. President Donald Trump called the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish invasion a "bad idea" as tens of thousands of people from the area were reported to be fleeing the violence. Turkey struck various targets with airstrikes and Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces along with Turkish troops were undertaking ground offensives.
Turkey Pushes Deeper in Northern Syria
On the second day of Turkish offensive, Turkish army and Turkish-backed Syrian militants pushed hard against Kurdish resistance on October 10, 2019 as dozens of Kurdish fighters were killed. Kurdish mortar fires in the two border provinces of Turkey killed at least six civilians. Turkish defense ministry said during the day that it had carried out airstrikes against 181 targets in the past two days and reinforcements of Turkish soldiers were sent to bolster Ankara-supported Syrian rebels to carry out ground offensive. International Rescue Committee, an international aid group, said on October 10, 2019 that at least 64,000 people had been displaced since the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish offensive. By the nightfall of October 10, 2019, Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces, organized under the banner of Syrian National Army, took control of many villages surrounding the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad, south across Akcakale in Turkey, and Ras al-Ayn to the east. Farther east, smoke bellowed over the town of Qamishili after Turkish warplanes carried out attacks. On October 10, 2019, U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors, but was unable to come up with a unified statement as five EU member nations--United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France---issued a joint statement asking Ankara to "cease the unilateral military action".
Turks, Allies Face Stiff Resistance
On the third day of the offensive, Turkish forces and their allied Syrian fighters, brought together under the banner of Syrian National Army, faced a valorous resistance on October 11, 2019 in towns after towns, villages after villages in the vast tract of northeast Syria stretching about 250 miles east of Euphrates River. U.N. estimated that at least 100,000 people had been displaced in the three-day Turkish air and ground offensives that had been launched on October 9, 2019. Turkey's defense minister, Hulusi Akar, said during the day that 342 "terrorists" had been killed during the three-day operation although the figures could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that dozens of rockets and mortars had been fired by Kurdish militants during the day, raising the death toll of Turkish civilians from the Kurdish mortar and rocket fires to 17, including a 9-month-old boy and three girls under the age of 15 years. Reports also poured out that a Turkish airstrike hit a prison in Qamishili that was holding several Islamic State prisoners, paving the way for some of them to flee.
Meanwhile, on October 11, 2019, U.S. threatened Turkey of sanctions if the offensive continued in northeastern Syria. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that the economic sanctions would be "very powerful".
Turkey-backed Syrian Rebels Capture a Key Border Town
Turkish defense ministry said on October 12, 2019 that Syrian National Army, a loose militant army of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, stitched together by Turkey, had seized early in the day the northeastern town of Ras al-Ayn. Images of a town reduced to rubble were circulated, leaving thousands of Ras al-Ayn residents at the mercy of Turkey-backed Syrian rebels. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on October 12, 2019 that at least 40 civilians had been killed in northeast Syria since the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish offensive and at least 100,000 people had been displaced. During the day, three civilians on the Turkish side of the border were killed in Kurdish shelling, bringing the number of civilians killed on the Turkish side of the border to 10. A day after U.S. threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey, Germany on October 12, 2019 announced that it would stop selling arms to Turkey. However, Ankara is no mood to tolerate any international criticism as it sees the invasion into northeastern Syria as a defensive step against "terrorists" and envisions to settle 3.6 million Syrian refugees in a sliver of northern Syria that spans 566 miles in length and 20 miles in width. Ankara also ruled out any negotiation with Syrian Kurds as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a German broadcaster on October 12, 2019 that "we don't negotiate with terrorists".
Kurds Forge Alliance with Assad to Fend off Turks
The battlefield equation in Syria changed radically on October 13, 2019 as Kurds, now abandoned by their hitherto benefactor, America, reached an agreement with Bashar Assad during the day that would allow Syrian troops to enter Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria to save the Kurds from the Turkish invasion. The October 13, 2019, agreement between Assad regime and Syrian Kurds immediately made two things very clear:
(1) For the time being, any continuation of a semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northeastern Syria that has been in place for the past several months is all but gone
(2) Bashar Assad will regain control of a large swath areas without firing a single shot
Appearing on the CBS' Face the Nation, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on October 13, 2019 that all U.S. troops would withdraw from northern Syria because of the danger of getting caught "between two opposing advancing armies".
Also, on October 13, 2019, fierce fighting led to the jailbreak of about 785 ISIL militants near the town of Ain Eissa, 20 miles south of the border, according to a statement issued by Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria.
As the news of the agreement between Syrian Kurds and Assad government reached Kurdish-controlled towns and villages in northeastern Syria, jubilant crowds emerged on the streets on October 13, 2019, and vowed to defeat Turkey. Syrian TV stations showed jubilant throngs of people in the Kurdish town of Hassakeh.
Syrian Army Enters Kurdish Areas in the Northeast; U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Turkey
Within hours of an agreement between Damascus and Syrian Kurds, Syrian army has entered Kurdish areas in the north and northeast on October 14, 2019, and by the end of the day, has taken control of Tabqa, just the outskirt of Raqqa, Ain Issa, administrative capital of semiautonomous Syrian Kurdish region, and other areas. Syrian Army was reported during the day to have entered Manbij to save Syrian Kurds from any anticipated invasion of Turkish military and Turkey-backed Syrian rebels. According to Syrian Kurdish authorities, Syrian Army will provide the security against Turkish invasion while the day-to-day local administration will be left to Kurdish authorities. Also on October 14, 2019, U.N. said that humanitarian disaster was awaiting in northeastern Syria as the number of displaced people due to Turkish offensive mounted to as many as 160,000, including 70,000 children.
Meanwhile, U.S. on October 14, 2019 imposed sanctions on Turkey's Defense and Energy Ministries and three Turkish officials. Before the sanctions were announced, President Donald Trump talked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Russia Patrolling between Turkish, Syrian Armies in Manbij; Erdogan Justifies the Offensive
As Syrian Army entered Manbij from the south and Turkish Army, along with Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, were zeroing on the key city from the north, Russia's special presidential envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said on October 15, 2019 in the UAE, where he was accompanying Russian President Vladimir Putin for a state visit, that Russian army was patrolling in between two opposing armies as "no one wants this kind of clash to happen".
In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 15, 2019 that Turkey would secure the "region from Manbij to the border with Iraq", referring to a 230-mile sliver of land. Erdogan also asked international community to support creating a "safe zone" for refugees.
Syrian Army Enters Kobani; Erdogan Rejects Trump's Call for Truce
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected on October 16, 2019 President Donald Trump's call to stop the offensive that had killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands since the Operation Peace Spring, the moniker of Turkish offensive, had begun on October 9, 2019. Meanwhile, during the day Syrian Army rolled into the strategic border city of Kobani at the urging of Kurdish forces.
House Condemns Trump's Syria Action; President Melts down; Trump's Letter Emerges
In a bipartisan rebuke, House of Representatives on October 16, 2019 voted 354-60 to denounce Trump administration's action to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, leaving the Kurdish allies at the doorstep of ruin and paving the way for Turkey's invasion in northeastern Syria. Republican lawmakers broke ranks with the president 129-60, rare snub to a president who has otherwise a firm control over the party. Later Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi, walked out of a White House meeting after what Nancy Pelosi said a "meltdown" of Donald Trump.
The Bloomberg News reported on October 16, 2019 that President Donald Trump in an October 9, 2019, letter to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, advised him not to be a "fool" with his invasion of northern Syria.
After Pence Meeting, Turkey Announces Agreement for a Truce
After hours of meeting at Ankara between U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey announced on October 17, 2019 an agreement to pause offensive, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, for five days during which Kurdish forces would withdraw from a sliver of northern Syria that would be 20 miles deep from the Syria-Turkey border. The agreement hands over a cherished gift to Turkey which has been striving toward creating a so called "safe zone" in northern Syria. Under the agreement, as Pence later has told the press at Ankara, there will not be any additional economic sanctions on Turkey and the existing sanctions will be altogether withdrawn as the Syrian Democratic Forces withdraw from this 20-mile buffer zone and complete the withdrawal process in the next five days. Although President Donald Trump called the agreement at a Dallas rally "a great day for the U.S.; a great day for Turkey; a great day for the Kurds; a great day for civilization", it was anything but. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, a co-sponsor of bipartisan resolution condemning Trump's Syria withdrawal along with Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, called the deal a "capitulation to Turkey at the expense of our Kurdish allies".
The October 17, 2019, agreement is confusing from the implementation perspective as it stipulates a 20-mile withdrawal area for Kurdish fighters, but is open to interpretation about the width of area in northern Syria where withdrawal is going to happen. Turkey has stated that the deal will cover all of 250 miles east of Euphrates River, but the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, talking to Kurdish TV station, Ronahi TV, said that his forces will do their best to "do whatever it takes to make it work" and withdraw from a 60-mile swath of land between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, the area already under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces.
Cease-fire Begins on a Shaky Ground
A five-day cease-fire began at the midnight on October 18, 2019 on a very confusing note with Turkey and SDF interpreting the scale of the withdrawal zone in a far different manner as European leaders castigating the agreement. EU Council President Donald Tusk called the agreement as designed to force "capitulation of the Kurds". French President Emmanuel Macron called the Turkish offensive a "madness". Springing from an agreement that had given most of the concessions that Ankara was demanding, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 18, 2019 in a more threatening language that the "Operation Peace Spring will resume the minute the 120 hours end with even more determination" if Kurdish forces didn't withdraw from areas 20 miles within the border.
Erdogan to Meet with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the latter's country on October 22, 2019 to seek Russia's consent to move Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces out of the 20-mile area of northern Syria from the Syrian-Turkish border and, instead, having a joint Turkish-Russian oversight mission for the cease-fire compliance in the buffer zone. Erdogan wants to settle 2million out of 3.6 million Syrian refugees that Ankara has sheltered so far in the 20-mile safe-zone in the northern Syria along the Turkish border.
Russia, Turkey Reach Agreement on Joint Monitoring
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan clinched a deal on October 22, 2019 to jointly oversee the sliver of lands in northern Syria that Kurdish forces had been in the process of withdrawal from. Under the deal, Ankara will not re-launch any offensive and Russia will oversee total withdrawal of Syrian Kurdish forces in a week's time.
Russia Blasts U.S. Decision to Send Troops to Take Control over Syrian Oil Fields
As U.S. military convoy was headed to Deir ez-Zor area to control and protect the Syrian oil fields, Russian defense ministry on October 26, 2019 called the U.S. action a "banditry".
Russia Says, Kurdish Pullout Complete
Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on October 29, 2019, certifying that about 34,000 Kurdish troops with 68 units had pulled out of 19 miles from the border as part of an October 22, 2019, Russia-Turkey agreement.
Joint Russia-Turkey Patrol to Begin on November 1
As part of the October 22, 2019, Russia-Turkey agreement, a joint patrol involving both countries' militaries will begin in northeastern Syria within 19 miles for Syria-Turkey border effective November 1, 2019. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his ruling party on October 30, 2019 that Russia had informed his administration that Syrian Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the border areas, including Manbij and Tal Rifaat, west of Euphrates River. He threatened to resume the Turkish offensive if Syrian Kurds re-launched attacks or returned to the 19-mile territory within the Syria-Turkey border. He also demanded that Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, must be "brought under our control".
Car Bomb Kills 13 at a Recently Turkey Captured Town
A car bomb in Tal Abyad killed at least 13 people on November 2, 2019. Turkish Defense Ministry blamed Syrian Kurdish "terror organization" for carrying out this "cruel" attack. In the last month's offensive, Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces captured the town of Tal Abyad in northeastern Syria. A Syrian Kurdish spokesman, Mustafa Bali, refuted Turkish allegation, saying it was the handiwork of Turkey to sow "chaos".
Four Syrian Soldiers Killed
Days after 18 Syrian soldiers had been captured and subsequently released at the mediation of Russia, four Syrian soldiers were killed on November 9, 2019 in a fight north of Tal Tamr between Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters and Syrian government troops.
Car Bomb Kills 18 in Turkey-backed Syrian Rebels-controlled City
A car bomb on November 16, 2019 at al-Bab, currently under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, killed at least 18 people. No sooner the car bomb blew up, Ankara called it as the handiwork of YPG, People's Protection Group, a Kurdish militia group.
U.S. Begins Troops Pullout from Northern Syria as Turkey Prepares to Attack
On October 7, 2019, U.S. troops began withdrawing some of the Kurdish-controlled towns in northern Syria as President Donald Trump defended his action and blamed Europe for not sharing enough cost in Syria. As Turkey is preparing invasion into northern Syria anytime now, tens of thousands of residents in the border region are leaving the area, many of them have been displaced earlier. Trump's action flies in the face of ground reality, and even his strong backers of GOP leaders in Congress are assailing Trump's decision. In a warning to Ankara, Trump asked Turkey on October 7, 2019 to limit its scope of assault and invasion in northern Syria. Trump even has gone forward with his tweeter threat that if Turkey goes too far with the invasion, we will "totally destroy and obliterate Turkey's economy".
Turkey Massing Troops along the Border
Turkey on October 8, 2019 is mobilizing troops along its border with Syria in and around the border city of Akcakale. Ankara dismissed Trump's warning not to go too far with invasion.
Turkey Launches Invasion of Northern Syria
After Trump administration paved the way for Turkish invasion of northern Syria by withdrawing American troops, Turkey on October 9, 2019 launched a ferocious attack on the de facto Kurdish autonomous area stretching 250 miles from Ain Issa, 30 miles from the Euphrates River, to Malikiyah, near the Iraqi border. Ankara is hell-bent of not allowing any Kurdish semi-autonomous region to take a foothold on the east of Euphrates River as it sees any strengthening of Kurdish presence south of its border as providing more oxygen to its own Kurdish insurgency in its southeast. President Donald Trump called the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish invasion a "bad idea" as tens of thousands of people from the area were reported to be fleeing the violence. Turkey struck various targets with airstrikes and Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces along with Turkish troops were undertaking ground offensives.
Turkey Pushes Deeper in Northern Syria
On the second day of Turkish offensive, Turkish army and Turkish-backed Syrian militants pushed hard against Kurdish resistance on October 10, 2019 as dozens of Kurdish fighters were killed. Kurdish mortar fires in the two border provinces of Turkey killed at least six civilians. Turkish defense ministry said during the day that it had carried out airstrikes against 181 targets in the past two days and reinforcements of Turkish soldiers were sent to bolster Ankara-supported Syrian rebels to carry out ground offensive. International Rescue Committee, an international aid group, said on October 10, 2019 that at least 64,000 people had been displaced since the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish offensive. By the nightfall of October 10, 2019, Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces, organized under the banner of Syrian National Army, took control of many villages surrounding the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad, south across Akcakale in Turkey, and Ras al-Ayn to the east. Farther east, smoke bellowed over the town of Qamishili after Turkish warplanes carried out attacks. On October 10, 2019, U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors, but was unable to come up with a unified statement as five EU member nations--United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France---issued a joint statement asking Ankara to "cease the unilateral military action".
Turks, Allies Face Stiff Resistance
On the third day of the offensive, Turkish forces and their allied Syrian fighters, brought together under the banner of Syrian National Army, faced a valorous resistance on October 11, 2019 in towns after towns, villages after villages in the vast tract of northeast Syria stretching about 250 miles east of Euphrates River. U.N. estimated that at least 100,000 people had been displaced in the three-day Turkish air and ground offensives that had been launched on October 9, 2019. Turkey's defense minister, Hulusi Akar, said during the day that 342 "terrorists" had been killed during the three-day operation although the figures could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that dozens of rockets and mortars had been fired by Kurdish militants during the day, raising the death toll of Turkish civilians from the Kurdish mortar and rocket fires to 17, including a 9-month-old boy and three girls under the age of 15 years. Reports also poured out that a Turkish airstrike hit a prison in Qamishili that was holding several Islamic State prisoners, paving the way for some of them to flee.
Meanwhile, on October 11, 2019, U.S. threatened Turkey of sanctions if the offensive continued in northeastern Syria. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that the economic sanctions would be "very powerful".
Turkey-backed Syrian Rebels Capture a Key Border Town
Turkish defense ministry said on October 12, 2019 that Syrian National Army, a loose militant army of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, stitched together by Turkey, had seized early in the day the northeastern town of Ras al-Ayn. Images of a town reduced to rubble were circulated, leaving thousands of Ras al-Ayn residents at the mercy of Turkey-backed Syrian rebels. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on October 12, 2019 that at least 40 civilians had been killed in northeast Syria since the October 9, 2019, launch of Turkish offensive and at least 100,000 people had been displaced. During the day, three civilians on the Turkish side of the border were killed in Kurdish shelling, bringing the number of civilians killed on the Turkish side of the border to 10. A day after U.S. threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey, Germany on October 12, 2019 announced that it would stop selling arms to Turkey. However, Ankara is no mood to tolerate any international criticism as it sees the invasion into northeastern Syria as a defensive step against "terrorists" and envisions to settle 3.6 million Syrian refugees in a sliver of northern Syria that spans 566 miles in length and 20 miles in width. Ankara also ruled out any negotiation with Syrian Kurds as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a German broadcaster on October 12, 2019 that "we don't negotiate with terrorists".
Kurds Forge Alliance with Assad to Fend off Turks
The battlefield equation in Syria changed radically on October 13, 2019 as Kurds, now abandoned by their hitherto benefactor, America, reached an agreement with Bashar Assad during the day that would allow Syrian troops to enter Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria to save the Kurds from the Turkish invasion. The October 13, 2019, agreement between Assad regime and Syrian Kurds immediately made two things very clear:
(1) For the time being, any continuation of a semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northeastern Syria that has been in place for the past several months is all but gone
(2) Bashar Assad will regain control of a large swath areas without firing a single shot
Appearing on the CBS' Face the Nation, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on October 13, 2019 that all U.S. troops would withdraw from northern Syria because of the danger of getting caught "between two opposing advancing armies".
Also, on October 13, 2019, fierce fighting led to the jailbreak of about 785 ISIL militants near the town of Ain Eissa, 20 miles south of the border, according to a statement issued by Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria.
As the news of the agreement between Syrian Kurds and Assad government reached Kurdish-controlled towns and villages in northeastern Syria, jubilant crowds emerged on the streets on October 13, 2019, and vowed to defeat Turkey. Syrian TV stations showed jubilant throngs of people in the Kurdish town of Hassakeh.
Syrian Army Enters Kurdish Areas in the Northeast; U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Turkey
Within hours of an agreement between Damascus and Syrian Kurds, Syrian army has entered Kurdish areas in the north and northeast on October 14, 2019, and by the end of the day, has taken control of Tabqa, just the outskirt of Raqqa, Ain Issa, administrative capital of semiautonomous Syrian Kurdish region, and other areas. Syrian Army was reported during the day to have entered Manbij to save Syrian Kurds from any anticipated invasion of Turkish military and Turkey-backed Syrian rebels. According to Syrian Kurdish authorities, Syrian Army will provide the security against Turkish invasion while the day-to-day local administration will be left to Kurdish authorities. Also on October 14, 2019, U.N. said that humanitarian disaster was awaiting in northeastern Syria as the number of displaced people due to Turkish offensive mounted to as many as 160,000, including 70,000 children.
Meanwhile, U.S. on October 14, 2019 imposed sanctions on Turkey's Defense and Energy Ministries and three Turkish officials. Before the sanctions were announced, President Donald Trump talked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Russia Patrolling between Turkish, Syrian Armies in Manbij; Erdogan Justifies the Offensive
As Syrian Army entered Manbij from the south and Turkish Army, along with Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, were zeroing on the key city from the north, Russia's special presidential envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said on October 15, 2019 in the UAE, where he was accompanying Russian President Vladimir Putin for a state visit, that Russian army was patrolling in between two opposing armies as "no one wants this kind of clash to happen".
In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 15, 2019 that Turkey would secure the "region from Manbij to the border with Iraq", referring to a 230-mile sliver of land. Erdogan also asked international community to support creating a "safe zone" for refugees.
Syrian Army Enters Kobani; Erdogan Rejects Trump's Call for Truce
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected on October 16, 2019 President Donald Trump's call to stop the offensive that had killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands since the Operation Peace Spring, the moniker of Turkish offensive, had begun on October 9, 2019. Meanwhile, during the day Syrian Army rolled into the strategic border city of Kobani at the urging of Kurdish forces.
House Condemns Trump's Syria Action; President Melts down; Trump's Letter Emerges
In a bipartisan rebuke, House of Representatives on October 16, 2019 voted 354-60 to denounce Trump administration's action to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, leaving the Kurdish allies at the doorstep of ruin and paving the way for Turkey's invasion in northeastern Syria. Republican lawmakers broke ranks with the president 129-60, rare snub to a president who has otherwise a firm control over the party. Later Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi, walked out of a White House meeting after what Nancy Pelosi said a "meltdown" of Donald Trump.
The Bloomberg News reported on October 16, 2019 that President Donald Trump in an October 9, 2019, letter to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, advised him not to be a "fool" with his invasion of northern Syria.
After Pence Meeting, Turkey Announces Agreement for a Truce
After hours of meeting at Ankara between U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey announced on October 17, 2019 an agreement to pause offensive, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, for five days during which Kurdish forces would withdraw from a sliver of northern Syria that would be 20 miles deep from the Syria-Turkey border. The agreement hands over a cherished gift to Turkey which has been striving toward creating a so called "safe zone" in northern Syria. Under the agreement, as Pence later has told the press at Ankara, there will not be any additional economic sanctions on Turkey and the existing sanctions will be altogether withdrawn as the Syrian Democratic Forces withdraw from this 20-mile buffer zone and complete the withdrawal process in the next five days. Although President Donald Trump called the agreement at a Dallas rally "a great day for the U.S.; a great day for Turkey; a great day for the Kurds; a great day for civilization", it was anything but. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, a co-sponsor of bipartisan resolution condemning Trump's Syria withdrawal along with Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, called the deal a "capitulation to Turkey at the expense of our Kurdish allies".
The October 17, 2019, agreement is confusing from the implementation perspective as it stipulates a 20-mile withdrawal area for Kurdish fighters, but is open to interpretation about the width of area in northern Syria where withdrawal is going to happen. Turkey has stated that the deal will cover all of 250 miles east of Euphrates River, but the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, talking to Kurdish TV station, Ronahi TV, said that his forces will do their best to "do whatever it takes to make it work" and withdraw from a 60-mile swath of land between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, the area already under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces.
Cease-fire Begins on a Shaky Ground
A five-day cease-fire began at the midnight on October 18, 2019 on a very confusing note with Turkey and SDF interpreting the scale of the withdrawal zone in a far different manner as European leaders castigating the agreement. EU Council President Donald Tusk called the agreement as designed to force "capitulation of the Kurds". French President Emmanuel Macron called the Turkish offensive a "madness". Springing from an agreement that had given most of the concessions that Ankara was demanding, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 18, 2019 in a more threatening language that the "Operation Peace Spring will resume the minute the 120 hours end with even more determination" if Kurdish forces didn't withdraw from areas 20 miles within the border.
Erdogan to Meet with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the latter's country on October 22, 2019 to seek Russia's consent to move Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces out of the 20-mile area of northern Syria from the Syrian-Turkish border and, instead, having a joint Turkish-Russian oversight mission for the cease-fire compliance in the buffer zone. Erdogan wants to settle 2million out of 3.6 million Syrian refugees that Ankara has sheltered so far in the 20-mile safe-zone in the northern Syria along the Turkish border.
Russia, Turkey Reach Agreement on Joint Monitoring
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan clinched a deal on October 22, 2019 to jointly oversee the sliver of lands in northern Syria that Kurdish forces had been in the process of withdrawal from. Under the deal, Ankara will not re-launch any offensive and Russia will oversee total withdrawal of Syrian Kurdish forces in a week's time.
Russia Blasts U.S. Decision to Send Troops to Take Control over Syrian Oil Fields
As U.S. military convoy was headed to Deir ez-Zor area to control and protect the Syrian oil fields, Russian defense ministry on October 26, 2019 called the U.S. action a "banditry".
Russia Says, Kurdish Pullout Complete
Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on October 29, 2019, certifying that about 34,000 Kurdish troops with 68 units had pulled out of 19 miles from the border as part of an October 22, 2019, Russia-Turkey agreement.
Joint Russia-Turkey Patrol to Begin on November 1
As part of the October 22, 2019, Russia-Turkey agreement, a joint patrol involving both countries' militaries will begin in northeastern Syria within 19 miles for Syria-Turkey border effective November 1, 2019. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his ruling party on October 30, 2019 that Russia had informed his administration that Syrian Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the border areas, including Manbij and Tal Rifaat, west of Euphrates River. He threatened to resume the Turkish offensive if Syrian Kurds re-launched attacks or returned to the 19-mile territory within the Syria-Turkey border. He also demanded that Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, must be "brought under our control".
Car Bomb Kills 13 at a Recently Turkey Captured Town
A car bomb in Tal Abyad killed at least 13 people on November 2, 2019. Turkish Defense Ministry blamed Syrian Kurdish "terror organization" for carrying out this "cruel" attack. In the last month's offensive, Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces captured the town of Tal Abyad in northeastern Syria. A Syrian Kurdish spokesman, Mustafa Bali, refuted Turkish allegation, saying it was the handiwork of Turkey to sow "chaos".
Four Syrian Soldiers Killed
Days after 18 Syrian soldiers had been captured and subsequently released at the mediation of Russia, four Syrian soldiers were killed on November 9, 2019 in a fight north of Tal Tamr between Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters and Syrian government troops.
Car Bomb Kills 18 in Turkey-backed Syrian Rebels-controlled City
A car bomb on November 16, 2019 at al-Bab, currently under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, killed at least 18 people. No sooner the car bomb blew up, Ankara called it as the handiwork of YPG, People's Protection Group, a Kurdish militia group.
*********************** TURKISH INVASION OF NORTHERN SYRIA ***************
******************** ISIL SUPREME LEADER BAGHDADI KILLED *****************
Baghdadi Killed in Special U.S. Commando Operation
U.S. special operations forces carried out a daring raid in the Idlib village of Barisha on October 26, 2019 and raided the compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, spreme commander of ISIL. As he was cornered in a tunnel underneath, he chose to blow up with a suicide belt. The raid was conducted by the military's Delta Force and 75th Ranger Regiment, who were airborne for an hour-long flight from a base inside Syria to Barisha in Idlib province. After conducting the raid that had netted invaluable information and materials, U.S. military destroyed the compound by bombing it down to shreds to avoid it to be used as a shrine.
Additional Details about Raid that Killed Baghdadi Emerge
The top U.S. commander under whose watch the October 26, 2019, raid had killed ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gave more insight on October 31, 2019 into raid that had led to Baghdadi blowing up his suicide vest that killed him and two children. Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command, said that Baghdadi's remains had been buried at sea.
Successor Announced
A successor to Baghdadi was named on October 31, 2019. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi hails from the same lineage as Prophet Muhammad.
********************* ISIL SUPREME LEADER BAGHDADI KILLED ****************
******************** ISIL SUPREME LEADER BAGHDADI KILLED *****************
Baghdadi Killed in Special U.S. Commando Operation
U.S. special operations forces carried out a daring raid in the Idlib village of Barisha on October 26, 2019 and raided the compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, spreme commander of ISIL. As he was cornered in a tunnel underneath, he chose to blow up with a suicide belt. The raid was conducted by the military's Delta Force and 75th Ranger Regiment, who were airborne for an hour-long flight from a base inside Syria to Barisha in Idlib province. After conducting the raid that had netted invaluable information and materials, U.S. military destroyed the compound by bombing it down to shreds to avoid it to be used as a shrine.
Additional Details about Raid that Killed Baghdadi Emerge
The top U.S. commander under whose watch the October 26, 2019, raid had killed ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gave more insight on October 31, 2019 into raid that had led to Baghdadi blowing up his suicide vest that killed him and two children. Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command, said that Baghdadi's remains had been buried at sea.
Successor Announced
A successor to Baghdadi was named on October 31, 2019. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi hails from the same lineage as Prophet Muhammad.
********************* ISIL SUPREME LEADER BAGHDADI KILLED ****************
Israel Carries out Airstrikes inside Syria
In an apparent retaliation to attacks launched overnight from within the Syrian borders, Israel Defense Force on November 20, 2019 carried out targeted strikes inside Syria, killing at least 21 non-civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The targeted areas were in Beit Saber, south of Damascus, and killed 5 Syrian military personnel and rest were from the Iran's Quds Force. IDF launched missiles that flew over Lebanon and Golan Heights around 1:20 AM local time on November 20, 2019.
Assad Fires Premier Barely a Month Before Election
As economy is teetering at the brink, inflation is running amok, food and staple prices are soaring and rare anti-government demonstrations have been flaring up in areas under government control, Syrian President Bashar Assad on June 11, 2020 has fired his prime minister, Imad Khamis, who has been in the job since 2016. Khamis' dismissal came a month before July 2020 parliamentary elections amid a devastating economic scenario and very high unemployment numbers and a stiff U.S. sanctions regime, U.S. Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, was scheduled to go into effect in the second half of June 2020. The U.S. Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act is aimed at punishing the entities that support the Syrian regime. Imad Khamis' firing came without explanation, and the minister of the water resource, Hussein Arnous, was named to serve as premier on interim basis until the election. Meanwhile, Syrian Central Bank on June 11, 2020 took a series of steps to bolster the national currency, Syrian Pound, which was trading 40-to-1 with the U.S. dollar before the 2011 uprising, but now had fallen as steep as over 3,000.
Assad Fires Premier Barely a Month Before Election
As economy is teetering at the brink, inflation is running amok, food and staple prices are soaring and rare anti-government demonstrations have been flaring up in areas under government control, Syrian President Bashar Assad on June 11, 2020 has fired his prime minister, Imad Khamis, who has been in the job since 2016. Khamis' dismissal came a month before July 2020 parliamentary elections amid a devastating economic scenario and very high unemployment numbers and a stiff U.S. sanctions regime, U.S. Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, was scheduled to go into effect in the second half of June 2020. The U.S. Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act is aimed at punishing the entities that support the Syrian regime. Imad Khamis' firing came without explanation, and the minister of the water resource, Hussein Arnous, was named to serve as premier on interim basis until the election. Meanwhile, Syrian Central Bank on June 11, 2020 took a series of steps to bolster the national currency, Syrian Pound, which was trading 40-to-1 with the U.S. dollar before the 2011 uprising, but now had fallen as steep as over 3,000.
U.S. Drone Strike Reported to Have Taken out Two Hardcore al-Qaeda-linked Leaders in Syria
The Associated Press reported on June 14, 2020 that a drone strike on a vehicle in northwestern province of Idlib killed one Yemeni and one Jordanian leaders tied to Horas al-Din, a far more radical breakaway faction of the largest rebel group in Idlib, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a loosely affiliated al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said during the day that it was a U.S. drone strike that took out Horas al-Din's general military commander, Qassam al-Urduni, a Jordanian, Bilal al-Sanaani, a Yemeni, and commander of the desert army of Horas al-Din, or "Guardians of Religion".
Third Parliamentary Election Since Civil War's Start Held
Election to 250-seat Syrian parliament was held in government-controlled areas in Syria on July 19, 2020. Northwestern province of Idlib and parts of Northeastern Syria under Kurdish control were excluded from the poll. A thorough healthcare protective measure was applied to most of the voting places as coronavirus was razing the region.
U.S. Carries out Airstrike in Eastern Syria, Targeting Iran-backed Groups
In the first military action under the Biden administration, U.S. military on February 25, 2021 carried out a single airstrike against a sprawling facility in eastern Syria bordering Iraq. It's not immediately known how many people have been killed or what sort of damages have been inflicted. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the correspondents flying with him from California to Washington D.C. during the day that "we are confident that the target was being used" by the same Shiite group that had launched a rocket attack on February 15, 2021 on a coalition target in the northern city of Irbil that had killed one U.S. civilian defense contractor and injured coalition soldiers. Early this week, there was another projectile attack near the U.S. Embassy Complex in Baghdad's Green Zone that didn't kill or injure anyone. The February 25, 2021, airstrike does not signify an escalation in the region by the U.S., but rather sending a subtle message to Iranian proxies that U.S. would protect its assets and interests in the region at at any cost.
Nine Facilities Targeted in the Airstrike
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on February 26, 2021 provided more operational details about the airstrike carried out a day earlier in eastern Syria. According to Mr. Kirby, two Air Force F-15E aircraft launched seven missiles, fully destroying nine facilities. Two other facilities were "functionally destroyed". The sprawling complex, near the Syrian town of Boukamal on the Euphrates River across the Iraqi town of Qaim, was used by Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy in Iraq, as "entry control points".
*********************** SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2021 ********************
A Woman to Run for Presidential Election
Syrian parliamentary speaker Hammoud Samagh said on April 20, 2021 that a woman from Damascus had filed paperwork to contest the May 26, 2021, presidential election. Faten Ali Nahar, 50, and two others will contest against President Bashar Assad.
Two Light-weight Candidates Running against Assad
On May 26, 2021, voters in government-held areas queued at the polling booths from early in the morning. Two candidates, Abdullah Saloum Abdullah and Mahmoud Ahmad Marie, are running against President Bashar Assad which the president, who has been ruling Syria since 2000, is heavily favored to win for another 7-year term. Initially 51 candidates filed paperwork to run in the May 26, 2021, presidential election, but the Syrian Supreme Constitutional Court okayed only three candidates, including Assad, early this month. Polls are not being held in the country's Northeast, under the rule of Syrian Kurds, and the northwestern province of Idlib, only province still under the control of Islamic rebels.
Assad Wins Presidential Vote
A day after the presidential vote, called by the West as sham, Syria's parliamet speaker Hammoud Sabbagh on May 27, 2021 said that President Bashar Assad had won the poll by receiving 95.1% vote, securing another 7-year term.
Assad Begins His Fourth 7-year Term
On July 17, 2021, Bashar Assad was sworn in the fourth seven-year term of his presidency.
*********************** SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2021 ********************
U.S.
Launch Airstrikes in Volatile Syria-Iraq Border Region
Biden
administration on June 27, 2021 carried out its second airstrikes,
targeting Iran-backed militia groups operating freely along the Iraqi-Syrian
border. Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the
airstrikes, targeting three weapons storage and operational facilities—two in
Syria and one in Iraq—were intended to “address the threat” posed by
Iran-backed militia in orchestrating drone attacks against U.S. military
interests in Iraq and also were “appropriately limited in scope”. In late
February 2021, Biden administration carried out attacks against Iran-backed
militia groups operating in the Syrian-Iraqi borders.
U.N. Estimate of Syrian Death Toll Significantly Lower than Syrian Observatory Figure
The Office of the [U.N.] High Commissioner for Human Rights on September 24, 2021 reported 350,209 documented deaths in the Syrian Civil War. The U.N. human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, said that the figures had been estimated between March 2011 and March 2021. However, the death toll released in June 2021 by the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is far higher: more than 606,000, including about 495,000 documented deaths.
At least 14 Killed in Syria Attack
Two explosives attached to a military bus blew it up as the vehicle was
crossing the President Hafez al-Assad Bridge around 6:45AM local time on
October 20, 2021, charring the bus, killing at least 14 and wound three
more. A third explosive dropped off the vehicle, and it was found later and
disabled. A group, which first had appeared two years ago and since then
continued with its off-and-on anti-government violent activities—although not
at a major scale like this one—claimed responsibility for the attack. In a
message posted on Telegram, Saraya Qasiyoun said that it had carried out
the attack “in response to the daily massacres that the regime and its militias
commit against our people in the freed north”. An hour after the attack, a
brutal air campaign was launched in the northern Idlib province, killing
at least 13 people.
UAE-Syria Relation: Warm Relations in the Cards or False Start
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed became the first highest-ranking Arab leader to visit Syria since the Syrian Civil War had begun in 2011 and Damascus had been subsequently kicked out of Arab League. On November 9, 2021, bin Zayed, who is leading a large delegation, has met with Bashar Assad.
TURKEY
****************** EXILED TURKISH CLERIC POSES HEADACHE ******************
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan reshuffled his cabinet on December 25, 2013 after three of his cabinet ministers quit over corruption charges. Many political analysts believe that the current crisis stems from bitter rivalry between Erdogan and a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who has left Turkey in 1999 and settled in Pennsylvania.
Paper Linked to Cleric Shut down
Turkey's largest circulation newspaper, Zaman, faced both judicial crackdown and administrative high-handedness as hours after a Turkish court on March 4, 2016 placed the publication under conservatorship, police moved into its office, breaking down its doors and furniture. What had startled the Turkish people was the soldiers were armed with tear gas and water cannons to help escort the court's appointees into the building. Zaman has become a thorn on the side of the ruling party, and its link to an opposition exiled cleric, Fethullah Gulen, now a Pennsylvania resident and nemesis of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, only raised the tension. Addressing its employees on the ground outside the building, Zaman's editor-in-chief Abdulhamit Bilici called March 4, 2016 a "black day for democracy" in Turkey.
****************** EXILED TURKISH CLERIC POSES HEADACHE ******************
Turkey Judiciary Bill Approved
A watered-down bill passed by Turkish parliament was signed into law by country's president on February 26, 2014 as another scandal erupted during the day in which an audio recording was uploaded on the internet that implicated Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan giving suggestions to his son to dispose vast amounts of cash from a residence. The judiciary bill gives enhanced powers to the Justice Ministry to appoint and oversee judges and prosecutors.
Teen's Death Ignites Popular Angst into Violence
A teen, Berkin Elvan, 15, who was hit on head by a tear-gas canister last year during anti-government demonstration that had begun on May 31, 2013 over a development plan in an Istanbul park, destroying the environment, but soon turned on a broader issue of government corruption and inefficiencies, died on March 11, 2014 after spending months in coma. The death of Elvan, who went to buy a bread on that fateful day at an Istanbul bazaar, sparked spontaneous protest and street fighting in Istanbul, Ankara and nine other cities.
Tukey's Twitter Ban Evokes Scorn and Laugh
On March 21, 2014, Turkish government of premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied access of millions of Turks to their Twitter accounts. However, most of the Turks were able to access their Twitter accounts easily through a roundabout way. Even country's President Abdullah Gul on March 21 took to Twitter to denounce the government ban. Gul easily found an alternative way to access Twitter. On March 22, 2014, Turkish government's public diplomacy office issued a statement, accusing Twitter of allowing "character assassinations" and violating Turkish court orders to restrict its contents. Critics contend that the real reason for shutting down the Twitter services is that the government is facing an awkward situation in light of several audio and video uploads implicating people with ties to Erdogan regime in corruption. The regime contends that most of these uploads on Twitter are fake and false.
Turkish Court Overturns Twitter Ban
A government ban on Twitter that came after Turkish premier's vow to "rip out the roots" of Twitter was on March 26, 2014 overturned by a Turkish court. However, the ban was never effective as most of the users were able to circumvent the ban to access the portal, and even, President on Abdullah Gul March 21, 2014 took to Twitter to denounce the ban.
Turkey Tries to Block YouTube
After failed effort to ban Twitter, Turkish government on March 27, 2014 tried to ban the use of YouTube citing leaks of national security. However, just like Twitter, Turkish people were using YouTube.
Local Polls Favor Premier's Party
Despite a series of corruption scandals and a concerted effort by an ever more aggressive opposition, PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan clinched a personal victory on March 30, 2014 as his party swept to victory in local polls.
Turkey Court Orders Restoration of Twitter Access; Ban Lifted
A Turkish court on April 2, 2014 asked the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan to restore twitter access, calling the ban on use of Twitter as violation of freedom of expression. A day after the court ruling, Turkey on April 3, 2014 lifted the twitter ban.
Top European Human Rights Court Slapped Fine on Turkey
On May 12, 2014, the European Court of Human Rights ordered Turkey to pay 90 million euros, or $123 million, in fine to Cyprus for its invasion of the island in 1974. The court asked Ankara to pay 30 million euros for the relatives of the missing in that operation and an additional 60 million euros to compensate for the suffering of the "enclaved Greek-Cyproit residents of the Karpas peninsula". Turkey immediately contested the court ruling, saying that it would further complicate the ongoing integration process between Greek-Cyproit and Turkish-Cyproit regions.
Worst Mine Disaster in Turkey Kills at least 300
An explosion and fire on May 13, 2014 at a coal mine in Soma, southwest of Istanbul, killed 301 people and stoked a pent up anger against PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government's callousness and collusion with the industry with at best checkered safety records. The last of bodies were recovered on May 17, 2014. The mine accident stirred the nation's consciousness and led to many protest marches, many of them turned violent, across the nation. When premier visited Soma on May 14, he was publicly heckled by an irate mob and forced to take shelter at a local supermarket.
Top Court Overturns YouTube Ban
Two months after a Turkish court overturned the government ban on Twitter, the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan had to concede another defeat at the hand of country's Constitutional Court as the highest court on May 29, 2014 ruled that YouTube ban had violated the "rights" of people.
Turkish Protesters Mark One-Year Anniversary of National Protest
On May 31, 2014, Thousands of Turks took to streets in Ankara and Istanbul to mark the first anniversary of a protest that had started over preserving the environment in Istanbul but later spread to other cities over the broader issues of government corruption and mismanagement. Security forces used water cannons to disperse protesters in Istanbul.
A New Inning to Begin for Turkey's Premier
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is heavily favored in August 10, 2014, presidential polls, first direct election to elect a president. Erdogan is facing two challengers: a 70-year-old academic supported by about a dozen opposition parties, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and a Kurd, Selahattin Demirtas, 41, who heads a Leftist party. If none gets an absolute majority, the runoff will be held on August 24, 2014.
New Premier Chooses Loyalists of President as Cabinet Pick
The new Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu on August 29, 2014 picked his cabinet that had loyalists of former premier and current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in prominent positions.
49 Hostages Freed
Under mysterious circumstances, 46 Turkish and 3 Iraqi hostages seized by Islamic State rebels on June 11, 2014 from Turkish consulate in Mosul were freed unharmed on September 20, 2014, and all of them had returned to Ankara safely.
Turkey Tests US Coalition's Credibility by Bombing Kurdish Rebels
As the fight for Kobani, a Syrian border town abutting Turkey that had become to symbolize Kurdish resistance and endurance against days of shelling by a superior and well-armed Islamic State rebels, raged on, Turkish war planes struck Kurdish rebel positions within its borders on October 13, 2014 in what many thought an indirect repudiation of the US-led international coalition's focus on degrading and defeating ISIL. The Syrian Kurdish group that was fighting valiantly against ISIL in the city of Kobani, YPG, or People's Protection Units, is thought to have strong link to Turkey's Kurdistan People's Party, or PKK, a group labeled as terrorist outfit by both Turkey and the USA. This also marked the first Turkish offensive against the Kurdish rebels since the peace negotiation had begun two years ago. Meanwhile, on October 14, 2014, President Barack Obama met with military chiefs from more than 20 nations at Washington in a show of unity against the ISIL.
Turkey's President Causes Another Controversy, This Time on Gender Issue
Speaking at a conference on women and justice at Istanbul on November 24, 2014, Turkey's high-profile President Recep Tayyip Erdogan observed that men and women are created differently, creating furor and an opportunity for political opponents to exploit his comments to open-interpretation.
Turkey Clamps down on Supporters of the Cleric
Turkish authorities on December 14, 2014 arrested at least 24 people, including journalists, TV producers and police, who in the past were deemed to be close to the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, a constant critique of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over corruption, cronyism and authoritarianism. EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Enlargement Negotiation Johannes Hahn condemned the nationwide raid to stifle dissent and said that the raid would send a wrong message as Turkey was seeking membership in European Union.
U.S. and Turkey Sign Deal to Jointly Train Syrian Rebels
After months of deliberations, USA and Turkey on February 19, 2015 signed an agreement to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight against ISIL and other Islamic extremists. The deal was signed at Ankara by the US Ambassador to Turkey John Bass and Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridum Sinirlioglu, and came a day after Pentagon publicly announced that it had screened about 1,200 moderate Syrian rebels to train in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. US Congress already passed a bill authorizing $500 million to train about 5,000 Syrian rebels over the next year. Although USA's primary goal is to train and arm a Syrian rebel force that's strong enough to take on the growing threat of ISIL, Turkey has made it clear that the western-backed rebel force will also fight against the Bashar Assad government. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on February 17, 2015 that he very much expected the rebel troops to fight the government forces as much as ISIL militants.
Turkish Security Enters Syria to Evacuate its Soldiers, Retrieve the Remains of a Historical Figure
Turkey sent 572 troops, 39 tanks, 57 armored vehicles and 100 other vehicles on late night February 21, 2015 into Syria for what looked like a rescue mission that involved the retrieval of remains of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, from a historical tomb 20 miles south of Turkish-Syrian borders and evacuate Turkish guards entrapped there for days as ISIL militants had expanded their reach into surrounding areas. Under a 1921 treaty between Turkey and France, the then-ruler of Syria, the land on which the tomb has stood is considered to be part of Turkish territory. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on February 22, 2015 that before launching the rescue mission, Ankara had notified Damascus, and the operation was carried out peacefully. A new tomb to place the remains of Suleyman Shah will be built close to Syrian borders, just 200 yards from the borders inside Syria. The Syrian government on February 22, 2015 issued a hard-hitting statement denouncing the "flagrant aggression" of Turkish forces in its territory as Ankara had merely notified Damascus and didn't even wait to receive Syrian government's permission prior to sending its troops and tanks across the borders. Syria also called attention of the international community to the apparent peaceful nature of the operation--ISIL militants had not fought against Turkish soldiers during the recovery and rescue mission--as a testament to the Islamic State being actually a puppet of Turkey.
Jailed Kurdish Leader Calls for Peace in a "New Era"
As thousands of Kurds gathered at Diyarbakir in southeastern Turkey on March 21, 2015 to celebrate the traditional spring festival of Nowruz, a letter written by jailed Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, leader Abdullah Ocalan was read to the people who had attentively listened to their leader's appeal for "PKK to convene a congress to end the 40-year-long armed struggle against the Republic of Turkey" in light of a "new era" of relationship between Turks and Kurds. Ocalan, serving a life sentence since 1999, also stressed on the government's willingness to fulfill a 10-point reform agenda that became a key driver of a slow-going peace process, now in its third year, to help deliver a permanent solution to a vexed insurgency that had cost nearly 40,000 lives since 1980s.
Turkey Closes Borders with Syria
A day after al-Qaeda-led Nusra Front seized Idlib, the provincial capital of northwestern Idlib province, Turkey on March 29, 2015 totally shut down the partially open two border crossings, Oncupinar and Cilvegozu in Hatay province. Earlier this month on March 9, 2015, Turkey closed those crossings, only to partially open days later to let humanitarian relief enter into Syria, but remained closed to Syrian refugees trying to enter into Turkey, host to more than 2 million Syrian refugees.
Turkey Lodges Protest against Pope's Reference to Genocide of Armenians
Turkey recalled its ambassador to Vatican immediately after Pope Francis on April 12, 2015 referred to killing of 1.5 million Armenians 100 years ago by Ottoman Turks as "genocide" during a centenary tribute at Vatican attended, among others, by Armenian church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian. Turkey slammed Pope's comment as hatred and "unfounded claims". Turkey considers the massacre more as a results of civil war than genocide.
Turkey's President Denies Armenian Genocide
On the eve of centennial of the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks that many historians believe the first genocide in the twentieth century, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on April 23, 2015 at a peace summit in Turkey that there was no genocide committed 100 years ago during the so-called World War I Gallipoli campaign. The summit was being attended, among others, by British Prince Charles, Australian and Kiwis premiers. Erdogan, addressing the summit, accused the international community of looking other way in migrant drowning in Mediterranean Ocean.
Turkey, Britain Mark the Centenary of War of Gallipoli
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Britain's Prince Charles on April 24, 2015 laid the wreath at the tomb of war dead at Gallipoli. 100 years ago, on the morning of April 25, 1915, Britain led the invasion of Gallipoli with the soldiers from Australia and New Zealand, then under the colonial rule of Britain. The folly turned out to be bloody as more than 130,000 were killed in the fight that followed the invasion, with 86,000 on the Ottoman Turk side and 44,000 on the British side. The invasion of Gallipoli led to realignment of global political order during that era, with Australia and New Zealand had seen the event from the colonial exploitation perspective and re-assert for their identity that had subsequently led to their independence. Meanwhile, the then-First Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill faced disastrous setback in his aspiration in British politics, only to revive his political fate with the unique credo that a leader of his caliber would possess. On the Turkish side, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk led the war of Gallipoli, known as Canakkale to Turks, as the commander and rose to prominence, leading to the birth of a strong, independent and secular Turkey.
Suicide Bombing at the Border Town Kills 30
A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Turkish cultural center, Amara Cultural Center, in the border town of Suruc, just north of Kobani on the Syrian side, on July 20, 2015, killing at least 30, most of them were Kurdish. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the suicide bombing at Suruc as handiwork of "Daesh", Arabic name for ISIL, implying an ominous new front of Syrian conflict spilling over to Turkey and this time being led by ISIL, the terrorist organization that had stayed away from attacking Turkish targets so far. The Suruc bombing was the worst since May 2013 car bombings at Reyhanli in which dozens were killed.
Turkey Faces New Reality over ISIL Threat, Death Toll Rises
A day after a deadly suicide bombing that had killed 32 and wounded more than 100 at a cultural center, Amara Cultural Center, at Suruc, across the border from Kobani, a city that became famous first for ISIL withstanding intense airstrikes from U.S.-led coalition and then for Kurdish resistance and eventual victory against ISIL, Turkey was coming to grips of reality of terrorist threat from an unexpected corner. ISIL never attacked against any Turkish targets before as Turkey's primary goal was to oust Bashar Assad from power and stayed away from directly cooperating with U.S.-led coalition's air campaign. That's why July 20, 2015, Suruc bombing startled Turkey, and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the "attack was against Turkey, against Turkey's democracy, against the peace and welfare of our people".
Suicide Bomber Identified as Having Ties to ISIL
Turkish authorities on July 22, 2015 identified the suicide bomber who blew up at a cultural center, Amara Cultural Center, at Suruc, where young Kurds had a meeting to discuss over reconstruction of Kobani, across the border, as 20-year-old university student Seyh Abdurrahman Alagoz, who had just returned from Syria. Alagoz was reported to have harbored ties with ISIL. Meanwhile, during the day, Kurdish separatist group PKK vaulted toward forefront after claiming responsibility for killing two Turkish policemen at Sanliurfa, near Syrian border. PKK accused the Turkish police of hobnobbing with ISIL.
Turkey to Allow US to Use Two Airbases to Strike against ISIL
New reality awoke Turkish political establishment as Ankara on July 23, 2015 agreed to give the US permission to use Incirlik and Diyarbakir Air Bases to launch strikes against ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, in early hours of July 24, 2015, Turkey carried out for the first time air assault on ISIL targets in Syria.
Turkey Continues Strikes against ISIL; Launches New Front with Kurds
Turkey on July 24, 2015 launched two-pronged attack on ISIL and Kurdish militants, hitting the Islamic extremists' positions in Syria for the second time in as many days and opening a new front to strike Kurdish targets in northern Iraq.Emergency
Turkey Launches Strikes against Kurdish Targets in Iraq
Turkey on July 25, 2015 carried out intense airstrikes against PKK in Northern Iraq.
Emergency Meeting of NATO Called
Turkey on July 26, 2015 invoked a rare Article 4 to call an emergency meeting of NATO's decision-making body North Atlantic Council in the wake of twin threat of ISIL and teetering of a tenuous cease-fire with PKK. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, PKK carried out a car bombing near Diyarbakir Air Base, killing two soldiers and wounding four.
NATO Expresses Solid Support for Turkey
As a result of invoking Article 4 for the fifth time in NATO's 66 years in existence, North Atlantic Council met on July 28, 2015, and extended "strong solidarity" to Turkey, but many of the diplomats remained confused over the merit and rationale behind invoking an important article in the present circumstances.
Turkey Ups the Ante on Kurdish Rebels in Northern Iraq
Turkish fighter jets bombed mountainous targets of Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq on July 29, 2015. Meanwhile, Iraqi government on July 29, 2015 issued a statement condemning the flagrant violation of its sovereignty by Turkey.
Turkey Continues with Airstrikes against PKK
Turkish warplanes struck PKK targets in northern Iraq on two successive days on August 20 and August 21, 2015, killing at least 29. In addition, Turkish security forces launched attack on PKK rebels in the Turkish town of Uludere, near the Iraq border, killing at least 12 rebels.
Turkey Accused of Helping the Islamists Kidnap Dozens of U.S-Trained Rebels
A McClatchy report published on August 24, 2015 implicated Turkey in kidnapping of 54 rebels who had just graduated from a $500 million U.S.-led training program aimed at making the participants battle-ready to take on ISIL. Apparently a Turkish source tipped a separate rebel group, Nusra Front, on the U.S-trained rebels' entry into northern Syria from Turkey on July 29, 2015. Turkey is believed to have lent support to groups such as Nusra Front and Ahrar Al Sham.
Court Charges British Journalists in Abetting Terrorism
A court in Southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir on August 31, 2015 ordered three employees of New York-based Vice News jailed on charges of "aiding a terrorist organization" pending trial. British correspondent Jake Hanrahan, British cameraman Philip Pendlebury and their Turkish assistant were detained on August 27, 2015 at Baglar neighborhood of Diyarbakir, where militant Kurdish youths often clash with Turkish security forces.
Two British Journalists Released
A government source said on September 3, 2015 that two British journalists--British correspondent Jake Hanrahan and British cameraman Philip Pendlebury--were released from jail, but their Turkish aide would remain in custody pending trial.
16 Turkish Troops Killed
In the deadliest attack on Turkish troops since the fighting had erupted in July 2015, Kurdish militants launched assault on Turkish military personnel on September 6, 2015 in southeastern Turkey, killing 16 soldiers and wounding 6. Turkey launched cross-border air attack against Kurdish targets in northern Iraq.
Turkey Sends Ground Troops in Northern Iraq
All of a sudden, the focus of Turkish national security shifted from fighting against ISIL to fighting against the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK since 16 soldiers were killed on September 6, 2015 in an audacious attack in southeastern Turkey. A second attack on Turkish security took place in as many days as a bomb was detonated to blow up a police van in the eastern Turkish town of Igdir on September 8, 2015, killing 14 police personnel. In a third incident, a police officer was shot dead. On September 8, 2015, Turkish government sent ground troops to northern Iraq, first time it had done so since 2011, backed by sortie run by Turkish Air Force to bomb potential PKK targets. Meanwhile, nationalist Turkish organizations and parties started to demonstrate violently against Kurds, and several of the offices of a pro-Kurdish political party were ransacked. Many critics blame Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to stoke anti-Kurdish sentiment before the November 1, 2015, elections. In the June elections, AKP didn't receive majority, and a pro-Kurdish political party fared well. Erdogan stressed on the importance of giving his political party the absolute majority prior to the November polls.
Turkey's "9/11" Moment of Truth as Blasts Kill 95
As Leftists and Kurdish activists were arriving at Ankara's main rail station to attend a peace rally at the capital on October 10, 2015, explosions rocked the train station, killing at least 95 and wounding more than 246. The worst terrorist attack in Turkish history targeted country's "unity", according to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu after the attack. Davutoglu also said that explosions might have been caused by suicide bombers. Meanwhile, Leftists, opposition parties and Kurdish political groups blamed government for the vitiating political atmosphere that had led to attack at Ankara's rail station. Turkish government immediately imposed a temporary press ban on the coverage of grotesque scenes, and warned of a permanent ban if newsmen were caught violating the temporary ban. Separately, Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, announced a unilateral truce on October 10, 2015 in the run-up to November 1, 2015, parliamentary polls.
Protesters Hold Rally against Bombings a Day Ago
A day after the worst terrorist attack in the modern Turkish history, protest rally was held at Ankara on October 11, 2015 where speaker after speaker took the government to task for its failure to rein in the militants.
Turkey Strikes US-allied Kurds' Positions in Syria
In a sign of incoherence and inconsistence with NATO stand to fight against ISIL, Turkey seems focused on attacking against Kurdish militants who have been fighting against the extremists. Turkey carried out airstrikes against Kurdish positions in Tal Abyad on October 24, 2015 and October 25, 2015. Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu on October 27, 2015 justified the attack against militants tied to Democratic Union Party, or PYD, as the militants had failed to heed the warning from Ankara not to move to the west of Euphrates River.
Two Anti-ISIL Activists Found Dead
Two anti-ISIL activists tied to Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently were found dead in their apartment at the city of Urfa in southern Turkey, 100 miles north of Raqqa, on October 31, 2015. The group won this year's International Press Freedom Award, and the killing of one of its founding members, Ibrahim Abdul Qadir, came as a shock. Ibrahim Abdul Qadir and Fares Hamadi were thought to have been killed by someone they knew on October 29, 2015. The members of the group take enormous risk to inform the outside world about the gruesome conditions in Raqqa. ISIL subsequently claimed responsibility for killing Qadir and Hamadi, saying that "every apostate will be slaughtered silently", mocking the name of the group.
Turkish Parliamentary Elections Return Islamist Party to Power with Stronger Mandate
The November 1, 2015, parliamentary polls yielded some unexpected, and to some extent, frustrating outcome. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, garnered around 49.4 percent vote. That would translate to 317 seats in 550-member parliament.
Responding to the poll outcome, Turkish President Erdogan said on November 2, 2015 that the world should respect the Turkish people's decision. The biggest beneficiary of the poll results was, however, Turkish lira that surged nearly 5 percent a day after election.
******************************** RUSSIA-TURKEY TENSION **********************
Flashpoint in Relations as Turkey Shots down a Russian Airplane
Syrian theater saw its first military brinkmanship between nations instead of warring groups on November 24, 2015 as Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Mediterranean coast, marking the first time in almost half-a-century a NATO member nation had fired hostile shot at Russian plane. Ankara said that Russia flouted its sovereignty, and despite repeated warnings, Russian jet stayed in Turkish airspace, an accusation Moscow rejected. Two pilots ejected from the Russian warplane, but landed in the rebel territory. They were killed by Syrian rebels so was another Russian airman who was aboard an MI-8 helicopter for a search-and-rescue mission of the two pilots from the downed Su-24 jet when the helicopter took fire from rebels, leading to the airman's death. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II at the Black Sea port of Sochi called the Turkish action as "stab in the back". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, scheduled to visit Turkey on November 25, 2015, cancelled his trip to Turkey. Turkey after the incident called an emergency meeting of NATO, but had refrained to invoke a "collective military response" clause. U.S. President Barack Obama defended Turkish action of defending its airspace, but asked both Russia and Turkey to "step back" and de-escalate. According to NATO, Russian Su-24 warplane was flying over the Hatay region inside Turkey when it was struck by F-16s.
Russia to Send Missiles to Syria
Bolstering its defense in Syria in response to downing of a Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 fighter jets a day earlier, Russia on November 25, 2015 announced that it would send S-400 ground-to-air missiles to Syria to station 30 miles south of Turkish borders. Kremlin also announced that it was moving a missile-carrying cruiser, Moskva, closer to Latakia region. Meanwhile, Russian special operation troops bearing on an area near Turkish borders in five MI-8 helicopters made a dramatic rescue of one of the pilots, Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin, under darkness in early hours of November 25, 2015. On November 24, 2015, when Su-24 was fired by air-to-air missiles, both Murakhtin and the second pilot, Lt. Col. Oleg Peshkov, along with a Russian airman aboard a search-and-rescue helicopter that had gone afterwards to the region where Su-24 pilots had ejected were reported to have been shot dead by Syrian rebels. Apparently, Murakhtin was alive and under captivity of the rebels. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on November 25, 2015 that his country wanted to pursue "peace, dialogue and diplomacy" in the wake of the incident, but defended Ankara's right to defend the country's sovereignty. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu chimed in on November 25, 2015, saying that Russia was "a friend and neighbor", but criticized Russian air attacks in recent days against areas inhabited by Bayirbucak Turkmen, people with strong links with Turks.
History of the Region where Russian Warplane Was Fired
The history in a coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea where Russian warplane had crashed on November 24, 2015 after being fired by air-to-air missiles by Turkish F-16s is controversial and convoluted. Present day Turkey's Hatay region that had protruded deep inside Syrian territory along the Mediterranean Sea was claimed by both Syria and Turkey, and Moscow had historically sided with Damascus. Hatay region symbolizes the melting pot of ethnic fusion among Turks, Arabs and Christians, and the biblical city of Antioch is located in Hatay. After the World War I, the League of Nations granted the province to Syria's colonial ruler France. Ethnic Turks in Hatay region seceded in 1938, and the next year, the province joined Turkey. Adjacent areas in Syria are inhabited predominantly by Bayirbucak Turkmen, who nurture strong family, cultural and social bonds with fellow Turks in Hatay region. It's the regular Russian airstrikes against Bayirbucak Turkmen that has irked Turkey the most as Turkey's president said very candidly on November 25, 2015 that "we have our relatives, our kin" who were getting attacked by Russian air campaign.
Turkish President Seeks Meeting with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on November 27, 2015 sought a meeting with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of Paris Climate Conference in an effort to defuse and resolve a tense diplomatic situation stemming from November 24, 2015, downing of a Russian Su-24 warplane. In order to ratchet down the rhetoric, Erdogan also backed off his earlier statement that faced with the situation today, Turkey would take the same measure. However, Erdogan also asked Vladimir Putin not to "play with fire". Meanwhile, in a toughening diplomatic measure, Russia will cancel all visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the punitive measures on November 27, 2015.
Russia Imposes Sanctions on Turkey over Downing of Its Plane
Angered by November 24, 2015, downing of Russian Su-24 warplane by Turkish F-16 jets, Kremlin shot back on November 28, 2015 with a host of sanctions against Turkey despite a mellowing down of political tone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed regret and said that he wished that it hadn't occurred. The sanctions, published on the Kremlin website, include:
* A ban on some Turkish imports
* Cancellation of extension of contracts of Turkish laborers in Russia effective January 1, 2016
* Cancellation of visa-free travel of Turkish citizens to Russia effective January 1, 2016
Russia Expands Sanctions
Russia on December 30, 2015 doubled down on the sanctions imposed on Turkey by barring Turkish construction companies from bidding for new projects in Russia and curbing further tourism activities in Russia. The announcement came three weeks after the Russian state nuclear company, Rosatom, suspended the work in a $20 billion nuclear power plant project at Akkuyu, Turkey.
******************************** RUSSIA-TURKEY TENSION **********************
A Prominent Kurdish Human Rights Lawyer Shot Dead
The president of Diyarbakir Bar Association and a prominent Kurdish human rights lawyer, Tahir Elci, 49, was gunned down on November 28, 2015 at a press conference in Turkey's southeastern city of Diyarbakir. Elci got the wrath in recent days from Ankara as he was interrogated after saying in a live TV interview that he didn't think that Kurdishtan's Workers Party, or PKK, was a terrorist organization. Soon after, Tahir Elci was charged with making a terrorist propaganda and faced more than 7 years in prison if convicted. After the shooting, Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala said on November 28, 2015 that gunmen had targeted the police, and in ensuing firing, Tahir Elci was killed, a naïve explanation that even government supporters would have hard time to believe in, leave alone the Kurdish people and politicians. Beside Tahir Elci, a policeman was also killed, and three people--including two policemen and one journalist--were injured.
A Syrian Opposition Activist Killed by Gunmen in Turkey
A Syrian opposition activist, Naji al-Jarf, who was the Editor-in-Chief of the anti-Bashar Assad magazine Hinta was shot dead by gunmen as he was walking on December 27, 2015 night near where he was living in exile in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep. Naji al-Jerf recently earned the wrath of ISIL for creating and uploading a documentary of torture, persecution and oppression of population under the ISIL rule in Aleppo in 2013 and 2014. The documentary was recently broadcast by Al-Arabiya. Naji al-Jerf and his family is scheduled to leave on December 28, 2015 for France, where the family is seeking for asylum.
Turkey Escalates Its Offensive against Kurds
In a disconcerting turn of events with significant consequences in the region, Turkey upped the ante on Kurdish separatists in the northeastern part of the country instead of pulling its military might to take on ISIL in the south. After a 2-year cease-fire with Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, collapsed in July 2015, Turkey reset its military focus on pursuing PKK fighters, slackening its campaign against ISIL in Syria. Turkish offensive in the southeast took a bloody turn in the yearend with at least 200 militants and 150 civilians killed in the December 20-26, 2015 week alone.
Turkey's President Embroiled in Controversy after Mentioning Hitler
Turkey's Office of Presidency on January 1, 2016 got in full swing to do damage control over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's answer to a question related to a strong presidency a day earlier. President Erdogan said on December 31, 2015 at a news conference that there was already precedent of strong presidency and, in that respect, mentioned the German regime of Hitler. The Office of Presidency on January 1, 2016 issued a statement clarifying what the president had meant to say and accusing the media of misrepresenting his comment. After ascending to presidency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had taken concerted action to consolidate powers and transform the office from the traditional ceremonial role to a more decision-making office.
Suicide Bombing at Istanbul Targets Foreign Tourists, ISIL Blamed
A suicide bomber blew up at the heart of tourist mecca in Istanbul on January 12, 2016, killing at least 10 foreigners, including eight German tourists, and wounded 15 others. Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu said that the bomber, who had carried out the attack just steps from the historic Blue Mosque and a former Byzantine church in the city's storied Sultanahmet District, was a member of ISIL, and vowed to fight the militant group off until it no longer remained "a threat" to Turkey or the world. Reacting to day's incident at Turkey, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on January 12, 2016 that eight Germans were among the dead. German tourists are a major source of revenue to Turkey's $30 billion a year tourism industry. Meanwhile, the nationality of the suicide bomber remained dubious as the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Numan Kurtulmus said that the suicide bomber was a Syrian citizen born in 1988, while the private Dogan news agency claimed the suicide bomber to be Saudi-born.
Suicide Bomber in Istanbul Blast Identified
A day after a suicide bombing at Istanbul's Sultanahmet District killed 10 German tourists and, probably others, Turkish authorities said on January 13, 2016 that the bomber was a Syrian citizen, Nabil Fadil, born in Saudi Arabia in 1988, and entered into Turkey on January 5, 2016 as a refugee, sending an unmistakable message that there were ISIL elements among the refugee population in Turkey. The country recently closed its southern border with Syria, and imposed new visa regulations last week.
Kurdish Militants Launch Strike against Police Station
A day after a suicide bomber, identified as a member of ISIL, blew up at the Sultanahmet district in Istanbul's storied historic area, killing 10 people and wounding 15, another attack was launched on January 13, 2016, this time by Kurdish militant group Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, on the headquarters of a police station at the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir with a truck bomb, killing six people, including three children. Turkish forces are now stretched thin by two distinct wars: one against ISIL and the second one with the old time nemesis PKK after a cease-fire had collapsed in July 2015.
Turkey Launches Attacks on ISIL Targets in Syria and Iraq in Retaliation of Istanbul Bombing
Two days after a suicide bomber, identified as a member of ISIL, blew up at the Sultanahmet district in Istanbul's storied historic area, killing 10 people and wounding 15, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced on January 14, 2016 that Turkish ground forces had launched a major offensives, striking ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq more than 500 times over the past 48 hours, and killing at least 200 militants.
Mass Exodus from Aleppo and Surrounding Areas as Turkey Closes Its Borders
Approximately 35,000 Syrians had massed near Turkish borders as of February 7, 2016, five days after a blistering offensive was launched by Syrian government backed by Russian air campaign and pro-government militia. Meanwhile, Turkish borders remained closed for the third day in a row, creating an inhuman situation on the ground on the Syrian side of the border with tens of thousands of refugees in a limbo amidst a cold winter. The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis said on February 6, 2016 that Turkish authorities would provide food and other relief supplies to tens of thousands of Syrians within Syria, but would continue to close the borders with the exception of some "extraordinary crisis". Turkey closed the borders on February 5, 2016. Turkish Deputy premier Numan Kurtulmus told the CNN-Turk TV on February 7, 2016 that his country had already taken 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians, and reached the capacity. However, Turkey would keep accepting additional refugees, Kurtulmus added, as they had nowhere to go.
Turkish Soldiers Attacked in Ankara
As a convoy of buses carrying Turkish soldiers stopped at a traffic light near parliament complex in Ankara, an explosion rocked the buses on February 17, 2016, killing at least 28 people, many of them were soldiers. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that the explosion in the Ankara's ventral Kizilay District had wounded at least 61 people in addition to killing at least 28. No group had taken responsibility for the bombing by the end of the day.
Turkey Accuses a U.S.-backed Kurdish Group for Bombing
A day after a bomb killed 28, including 27 Turkish soldiers, at Ankara, Turkish government on February 18, 2016 blamed U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) for the attack. YPG denied any involvement in the February 17, 2016, attack at Ankara's Kizilay District, and alleged that Turkish government wanted to use the attack as an excuse to target an expanding Kurdish territory in northeastern Syria.
Car Bomb Kills More than 30
A suicide car bomb exploded near a bus stop at a busy Ankara location on March 13, 2016, killing at least 34 people and wounding at least 125. Two of the dead were thought to be attackers, including a female. Immediately Turkish officials pointed fingers at Kurdish militants, and Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala said in the aftermath of the attack that the government had evidence of who were behind the March 13, 2016, attack near a bus line at Ankara, but would identify them at the right time. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country had all the right to self-defense. A pro-Kurdish political party, Peoples' Democratic Party, often blamed for harboring relations with Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK--labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey and the USA--also came out openly on March 13, 2016 to condemn the car bombing.
Turkey Launches Airstrikes in Northern Iraq to Target Kurdish Militants
A day after a suicide car bomber killed 37 people near a bus line at Ankara, Turkish Air Force on March 14, 2016 went into full offensive to attack Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, targets in northern Iraq as Turkey's premier Ahmet Davutoglu said that there were strong indications of PKK involvement in the March 13, 2016, Ankara bombing. DNA testing was underway to identify the bomber and a second accomplice.
Female Suicide Bomber Identified
Turkish authorities on March 15, 2016 identified the car bomber who blew up the vehicle near a bus line at Ankara two days ago and killed 37 people as 24-year-old Seher Cagla Demir. Demir, a Kurdish Turk, was born in 1992 and accused of links to Kurdish militants.
Breakaway Kurd Group Claims Responsibility for Ankara Bombing
Four days after a suicide car bomb killed at least 37 people at an Ankara bus terminus, a breakaway group of Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, on March 17, 2016 claimed responsibility for the attack. The same group, Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, had claimed responsibility for February 17, 2016, bombing of a convoy of buses carrying soldiers that had killed 28 people.
Suicide Bombing Kills Two Americans
A suicide bomber struck a sprawling Istanbul street on March 19, 2016, killing at least 4 people and wounding more than 36. The U.S. State Department later identified two of the dead as Americans with dual Israeli citizenship: Yonathan Suher and Avraham Goldman. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that two Israelis were killed in the blast on Istanbul's Istiklal Street, adjacent to shops, cafes and foreign consulates.
ISIL Ties of Suicide Bomber Found
A day after a suicide bomber killed four foreign tourists on a sprawling street of Istanbul, Turkey's Interior Minister Efkan Ala said on March 20, 2016 that the alleged suicide bomber, Mehmet Ozturk, was born in 1992 in Gaziantep province bordering Syria and had ties to ISIL.
************************** TRIAL OF TURKISH JOURNALISTS ********************
Turkish Journalists Call Premier to Ensure Media Freedom
Dozens of journalists wrote an open letter to Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu on March 24, 2016 to drop all charges against the journalists of Cumhuriyet newspaper, whose editor-in-chief, Can Dundar, and its Ankara reporter, Erdem Gul, were in a trial that would begin on March 25, 2016. Both of them face life imprisonment in charges that had implicated them over a report that Turkey had shipped arms to Syrian rebels.
Turkish Journalists Sentenced to Five Years in Prison after One of them Was Nearly Killed
May 6, 2016 folded in a dramatic fashion as an assailant nearly killed one of the two journalists on trial as he opened fire on Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, on the steps of an Ankara courthouse. Fortunately, Dundar escaped the attack unscathed, only to be sentenced by the judge to five years of imprisonment for publishing a report in May 2015 on Turkish government's smuggling of arms to Syrian rebels. Dundar's colleague and Ankara bureau chief, Erdem Gul, was also handed down five years of jail term although both of them were cleared in more serious espionage and divulging of state secrets charges.
************************** TRIAL OF TURKISH JOURNALISTS ********************
Car Bomb, Attack Kill Six Security Personnel
A car bomb at the entrance of a police station in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep killed two police personnel on May 1, 2016. Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, suspicion fell on Kurdish militants. Also on May 1, 2016, attack by Kurdish militants killed three soldiers and wounded 14 in the eastern Mardin province. In a separate attack by PKK in the border province of Sirnak killed a soldier during the day.
Turkish Premier Calls it Quits
Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu on May 5, 2016 announced that he would step down on May 22, 2016, reflecting a deep division in the nation's political power structure amid complaint and conjecture of an ever-assertive and meddlesome presidency under Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Lawmakers' Immunity Stripped
In a significant legislative move that would have chilling repercussion on opposition lawmakers, especially the ones hailing from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, or HDP, the ruling Justice and Development Party brought an amendment to the constitution aimed at stripping the immunity of lawmakers. The amendment was passed on May 20, 2016, a day before the premier Ahmet Davutoglu was set to step down, by the Turkish parliament by an overwhelming majority with 376 deputies in the 550-member chamber voting for the measure, thus avoiding any need to put it in a nationwide referendum. The measure now goes to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's desk for his certain signature. Just before the vote in the parliament, addressing his supporters at the Black Sea town of Rize, President Erdogan on May 20, 2016 lauded the measure and said that "my people don't want to see criminal deputies" in the parliament. Immediately after the measure was passed, European Union, Germany and Turkish opposition condemned the move, with EU foreign policy chief, Frederica Mogherini, and bloc's top enlargement official, Johannes Hahn, issuing a joint statement describing the measure "a restrictive interpretation of the legal framework and the Constitution" that should be a "matter of concern" to the Turkish people as well as the international community.
Turkey's New Premier Expected to Fall in Line with President
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party on May 22, 2016 elected unanimously Binali Yildirim, 60, a staunch loyalist of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to succeed outgoing premier Ahmet Davutoglu, who had occasionally fought with the imposing president on some issues. After securing all 1405 votes from the attending delegates to a party congress, Binali Yildirim was invited by President Erdogan to form a government.
First World Humanitarian Summit Held
After a preparation of nearly four years that involved consulting of more than 23,000 people in over 150 nations, the first ever World Humanitarian Summit was held in Istanbul, Turkey. The two-day summit (May 23-24, 2016) at the behest of the United Nations was inaugurated by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who said that the summit was part of an endeavor to "shape a different future". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the summit was a "turning point" for the world. However, many of the rights organizations are critical of Turkey's human rights record as well as EU-Turkey migrant deal. According to the UN, 125 million people now require humanitarian assistance, including more than 60 million displaced from their homes because of war, poverty, climate change and natural disasters, making the current situation the worst humanitarian crisis since the World War II. However, the importance and significance of the First World Humanitarian Summit was somehow diluted by the absence of Russia and the USA.
German Parliamentary Vote on Genocide Angers Turkey
German parliament, or Bundestag, on June 2, 2016 voted to label the 1915 massacre of Armenians at the hand of Ottoman Turks a "genocide", a designation that immediately drew fire from Turkey. Turkish premier Binali Yildirim responded: "There is no shameful incident in our past that would make us bow our head". Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was more pointed in his Twitter remarks: "The way to close the dark pages of your history is not defaming the histories of other countries with irresponsible and baseless decisions". There were spontaneous protest outside the German consulate at Istanbul. In the World War I, Germany was on the side of Ottoman Empire, fighting alongside Astro-Hungarian power against an alliance of Britain, France and the USA, and the June 2, 2016, resolution was a big step toward reconciling to a painful history in Germany's "own chapters of dark history", in the words of Norbert Lammert, the president of Bundestag. Including Germany, 12 European nations so far have labeled 1915 killings of Armenians as an act of "genocide". Pope Francis also called the killings "genocide", but the USA so far refrained from using the term.
Car Bomb Targets Police Shuttle Bus, Kills 11
A car bomb was remotely detonated in the Istanbul's historic district of Beyazit on June 7, 2016 as a shuttle bus carrying police personnel was passing by, killing 11 people, including seven police personnel, and wounding dozens. No group claimed responsibility for the bombing.
************************* ISRAELI-TURKISH DETENTE ***************************
Israel, Turkey Emerge from Six Years of Near Freeze in Ties
Israel and Turkey on June 27, 2016 took a big diplomatic leap in reviving their full-scale bilateral relationship after a gap of six years when Israeli commando boarded a Turkish-flagged ship trying to breach a naval blockade to deliver relief supplies to Gaza that had led to death of 10 pro-Palestinian activists and torrent of international condemnation against Israel. However, the civil war in Syria and the resulting political volatility in the region had pitted Bashar Assad, a nemesis of Israel, against Turkish regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and changed all the political calculation as far as relationship among the regional powers were concerned. Under the changed circumstances, it was a matter of when, rather than if, Turkey and Israel would come around and embrace with full diplomatic relationship. The day turned out to be June 27, 2016, and the venue was Rome. Under the reconciliation agreement, Israel will give Turkey $20 million in compensation for the 10 pro-Palestinian activists' death. Turkey will build a 200-bed hospital, residential and infrastructure projects in Gaza Strip. Relief supplies and raw materials meant for Gaza will be offloaded by Turkish ships at the Israeli-control port of Ashdod, from where the Israeli authorities will take control and ship them to Gaza. As the details of the deal emerged over the weekend (June 24-26, 2016), Hebrew newspaper Yediot Aharonot published a blistering frontline article wondering what Israel got in return as there was no promise of returning the remains of two Israeli soldiers as well as two Israeli civilians who had been presumed to be held hostage by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the deal on June 27, 2016 at a Rome conference, saying that it was of "strategic importance to Israel". Also, he pointed out to opening of Turkish market for Israeli natural gas export, leading to more marketing opportunity in Europe.
First Supply Ship Arrives at Gaza
The result of June 27, 2016, détente arrived at Rome by Turkey and Israel to restitute their relationship back on normal track was borne fruit as the first Turkish ship carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid docked at the Israeli port of Ashdod on July 3, 2016 after nearly 35 hours of voyage that the ship, Lady Leyla, had begun from the Turkish port of Mersin on late July 1, 2016.
************************* ISRAELI-TURKISH DETENTE ***************************
Terrorist Attack at Istanbul's Airport Kills more than Three Dozens
A trio of suicide attackers brought mayhem and murders to Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport in the evening hours of June 28, 2016 as the airport terminal was teeming with passengers, their relatives and employees. One suspect blew himself up at the arrival terminal in the lower level, a second blew up at the departure terminal at the upper level, and a third attacker--standing at the entrance--opened fire on people who were fleeing. Dead bodies, bloods and luggage were strewn all over the place. The third attacker was killed by the security forces. As the night wore on, Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport looked more like a battle zone. The death toll was estimated at least 36, and although most of the dead were Turkish citizens, there were foreigners among the dead too. Hours after the attack, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim hinted the hands of Islamic State in the airport attack.
Death Toll Mounts, No Claims for the Attack
A day after a terrorist attack on Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport brought the ghastly consequence of what critics had labeled as an overt tolerance of ISIL by Turkish authorities in their hatred against Syrian leader Bashar Assad to their own soil, the death toll on June 29, 2016 rose to 42 and number of wounded to more than 230. Meanwhile, no groups claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack on Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport. although the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim hinted the ISIL link.
Attackers' Nationalities Identified
Turkish authorities on June 30, 2016 disclosed the nationalities of the three suicide attackers in the June 28, 2016, terrorist attack on Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport. They were Russian, Kyrgyz and Uzbek, respectively, strengthening the link with ISIL that was gaining currency and taking hold with every passing hour as stated by the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim during his late night televised address on June 29, 2016. Meanwhile, the security sweep following the attack nabbed 13 people, including three foreigners as the death toll rose to 44 and the number of injured to 238, including 94 who had remained hospitalized.
Two of the Attackers Identified
Turkish authorities on July 2, 2016 identified two of the three attackers in the June 28, 2016, attack on Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport as Rakim Bulgarov and Vadim Osmanov. Meanwhile, Istanbul's governor's office said that 52 people were still in hospital, including 20 in the intensive care.
Turkish President Thinks Assad Worse than ISIL
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to have taken no lesson from the June 28, 2016, attack on Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport. Still, to Mr. Erdogan, Syrian President Bashar Assad posed greater threat than ISIL. On July 2, 2016, he called Assad an "advanced terrorist", more advanced than ISIL and YPG, referring to the Kurdish rebel group. Speaking at the border town of Kilis near Syria, Erdogan blasted Assad and said that his hands were soaked with blood of more than 600,000 of his own people.
******************************* FAILED COUP IN TURKEY **********************
Turkey Beats Back a Coup by a Faction of Military
Apparently a group within Turkish military carried out an audacious, but sudden, attempt to overthrow the regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15, 2016 night. They used armored personnel carriers, tanks and helicopter to launch, and eventually fail in, a coup that had led one of the most turbulent regions into an hours-long tailspin of political chaos and instability. Breakaway army units fanned out in Ankara, Istanbul and other major cities as night fell, with the following several hours filled with supreme chaos and almost a media blackout. No one had any clue for hours what was going on, leave alone on any idea who was in power. Meanwhile, Erdogan's where-about remained unknown until early morning of July 16, 2016, when he, using the FaceTime app from his cell phone, urged the Turks to go to streets and put up resistance against the military takeover. Earlier in the night, Erdogan escaped by a hair of minutes a commando raid on a home where he was in the evening. There was heavy shelling on the parliament building. In Istanbul, renegade troops blocked two bridges, including the one over the Bosporus Strait that connects the European and Asian parts of the city. As the night wore on Turks, heeding to the call of President Erdogan, poured on the streets and fought against the mutinous troops in major cities. Dozens of people were killed in the fight, many of them were civilians. Meanwhile, the military chain of command took the onus to crush the rebellion as soon as possible, and fighter jets began buzzing the skies of Istanbul and Ankara. At least one helicopter that was used by rebel troops was shot down by the loyalist troops. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim spoke to media and said that more than 120 military personnel were arrested, the putsch was crushed down and an emergency cabinet meeting was called for July 16, 2016. Apparently the coup was the handiwork of a section of the Turkish military establishment that didn't have any blessing from the top brass of the military. By the morning of July 16, 2016, the coup had failed, and the government's authority began to be restored in bits and pieces.
Turkey Begins Crackdown
After a failed coup overnight by a section of military, Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan began a massive crackdown from the dawn of July 16, 2016, rounding up thousands of soldiers and sympathizers of the coup. Although Turkey had military coups at different times of its checkered history, this time people and political parties across the board were unified against any military takeover. International community and NATO all called for restoring of democracy while the coup was in the progress on July 15, 2016 night, and President Barack Obama made call to respect democracy and maintain peace. As soon as the coup was crushed by people and loyalist forces, the government began to hunt for who were behind the so-called Peace at Home Council, under the auspices of which the coup was carried out. As the coup was unfolding, the whereabouts of Erdogan was not known, but he addressed the nation from an undisclosed location using FaceTime from his cell phone. He urged Turks to take to streets and restore democracy. Erdogan later landed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. He lashed out against his opponents, and one in particular. He directly blamed U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen as the mastermind of the coup, and demanded his extradition. The cleric, now living in Pennsylvania, condemned the coup attempt, and denied any connection to it. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binali Yildrim on July 16, 2016, giving the latest account on the coup, said that at least 265 people, including civilians and soldiers from both sides, were killed overnight. At least 1,440 people were wounded, and 2,839 soldiers were detained. At a news conference on July 16, 2016, the acting head of general staff, Gen. Umit Dundar, said that the "coup attempt was rejected by the chain of command immediately". Disciplinary action was extended by the end of July 16, 2016 to the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors that had seen some 2,745 judges and prosecutors being dismissed.
U.S.-Turkey Relations Sour over the Failed Coup
The brick-batting and venom began in earnest on July 16, 2016 as Turkey launched a diplomatic broadside against the USA, linking it to the failed coup. Ankara blamed a U.S.-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, for orchestrating the coup, and demanded that he be extradited immediately. Washington asked Turkey to furnish proof of the cleric's involvement in the failed coup. Secretary of State John Kerry forcefully rejected any notion that USA was remotely responsible for the coup, and told his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavosoglu, that "public insinuation or claims about any role by the United States in the failed coup attempt are utterly false and harmful to our bilateral relationship", according to the State Department transcript of the phone call. USA was especially irked by the comments of Turkish Labor Minister, Suleyman Soylu, who went the farthest, saying that the USA was behind the failed coup.
Turkey Expands Crackdown on Dissent
In an ever expansive crackdown on dissidence and to purge anyone with even remotest ties to a Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, Turkish regime on July 18, 2016 continued dismissing, detaining, thousands of military personnel, government employees, judges, prosecutors, teachers, governors and public figures. According to state-run Anadolu news agency,
* 8,777 employees attached to the Interior Department were dismissed
* 30 Governors, 52 civil services employees and 16 legal advisers were sacked
* Former Air Force commander Akin Ozturk, the suspected mastermind of the failed July 15, 2016, coup, was arrested after questioning by a magistrate along with 25 other suspects although Ozturk had denied it
Also, on July 18, 2016, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim suspended leaves for Turkey's more than 3 million civil servants. He also provided the latest update on the death toll from the putsch, pegging it at 232, including 208 "martyrs" that he had referred to government supporters and 24 coup plotters. In the aftermath of the failed coup, there were talks going round to bring back the death penalty, a step that's sure to jeopardize Turkey's possibility to join the European Union, a point reiterated on July 18, 2016 by the bloc's foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini.
Turkey Clamps State of Emergency
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 20, 2016 declared a three-month state of emergency. Earlier in the day, he hinted that foreign powers might have been involved in the coup.
Turkish Parliament Approves Emergency, Nation to Suspend European Rights Rules
Turkish parliament on July 21, 2016 approved the promulgation of state of emergency for three months. The 346-115 vote to put a stamp of approval to presidential declaration a day earlier will give the authorities free hand to detain suspected people. Also, during the day, Turkey announced temporary suspension of the European Convention on Human Rights, citing the national security concerns. Two opposition parties--left-wing People's Democratic Party and Republican People's Party--condemned the emergency declaration. Turkey had let loose a reign of clampdown since the July 15, 2016, failed coup, with arresting nearly 10,000 people and firing, suspending and forcing out almost 58,880 civil services employees--including teachers, deans and police. Also on July 21, 2016, Turkey's one of the most eminent human rights activists, Orhan Kemal Cengiz, was detained at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport and transferred to a police station.
Turkish Crackdown Expands to Hospitals, Other Institutions
In response to the failed July 15, 2016, coup, Turkish government seems to have headed in the wrong direction, by clamping down on schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, clinics and other institutions indiscriminatingly. On July 23, 2016, Anadolu news agency reported that the government had taken possession of, among others,
* More than 1200 foundations and associations
* Over 1000 educational institutions and dormitories
* 35 healthcare institutions
* 19 labor groups
* 15 universities
Also, on July 23, 2016, Turkey's minister for European Union affairs, Omer Celik, condemned some of the European countries' light-hearted stand toward the coup, calling that their attitude was akin to playing the "Pokémon game".
Arrest Warrant against 42 Journalists
The ongoing crackdown on civil society by the Turkish government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should give everyone a pause because of the sheer size and scale of the administrative action. The latest step was the issuance of arrest warrant against 42 journalists on July 25, 2016 for their biased coverage. Also, the state-owned Turkish Airlines on July 25, 2016 fired 221 employees for being sympathizers of a Pennsylvania-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, Ankara had accused of plotting the fail coup.
Bosporus Bridge to be Renamed
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim announced on July 25, 2016 that the Bosporus Bridge connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul would be renamed as July 15 Martyrs Bridge as scores of people had been killed while putting up resistance against coup plotters. Yildrim also said that memorials would be built at Ankara and Istanbul to honor many of the 290 people killed in the failed coup.
Turkey Shuts down Dozens of Media Outlets
In a backslide in democratic rights and freedom of expression, Turkish government on July 27, 2016 ordered dozens of media outlets closed immediately. The authorities also issued arrest warrant against about 50 journalists tied to now-forbidden Zaman newspaper that had been shut down in March 2016. Two days earlier on July 25, 2016, the government detained 42 journalists and columnists from various media outlets.
Shuffles in Military Ranks Announced
Turkey's Supreme Military Council convened on July 28, 2016 to take stock of the situation stemming from July 15, 2016, failed putsch that had killed 290 people. The Supreme Military Council, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Binali Yildrim, reposed faith in the current military chief, Hulusi Akar, a four-star general who was held hostage during the time of the coup, and promoted Gen. Umit Dundar, the commander of the country's Istanbul-based first army, to second-in-command post after Gen. Dundar had taken the mantle of military leadership as the coup was underway and led the Turkish military to crush the rebellion by the breakaway faction of the military. The Supreme Military Council's decision came after Ankara dismissed nearly 1,700 officers, including 149 generals and admirals. In separate actions on July 28, 2016, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced dismissal of 88 employees of his department and chief prosecutor's office in Ankara ordered properties of about 3,000 judges to be seized.
Turkish President Issues Decree to Weaken Military Command
Under the state of emergency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 31, 2016 issued his third decree, placing the military command under civilian leadership of president and prime minister. Going forward, President and Prime Minister will be able to issue direct order to chain of commands in Army, Navy and Air Force. Erdogan also announced dismissal of 1,389 military personnel, including his own military adviser, who was arrested days after the failed coup.
Turkey Captures Fugitive Commandoes accused of Trying to Kill the President
Using attack helicopters and drones, security forces raided a forested areas in southwestern Turkey overnight and captured 11 commandoes accused of flying a helicopter and forcibly entering into a hotel at the Turkish coastal town of Marmaris on July 15, 2016 night in order to kill, or kidnap, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was vacationing and had saved his life by fleeing the hotel minutes before the arrival of the commandoes. One of the commandoes remained on lam, said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus at a press conference on August 1, 2016. The news of commandoes' capture came as Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Ankara, including the parliament building that had been severely damaged by artillery fire by coup plotters.
Arrest Warrant Issued for U.S.-based Cleric
Turkey on August 4, 2016 issued an arrest warrant against Fethullah Gulen, who had been living in exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, accusing the cleric of masterminding the failed July 15, 2016, coup.
Massive Rally to Show Support for Democracy
A massive rally attended by hundreds of thousands of people made the Marmara Sea Waterfront at Istanbul a sea of humanity on August 7, 2016. The crowd was so huge that tens of thousands were not able to enter the venue and clogged the surrounding streets, roads and city arteries. The rally-goers carried large and small Turkish national flags and pictures of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaker after speaker denounced the July 15, 2016, coup attempt and lauded the bravery of civilians to foil the coup. The so-called "Democracy and Martyrs' Rally" was able to bring people from opposite spectrums of political divide, including two of the three main opposition parties. Erdogan called for solidarity among Turks, while the chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, told the crowd in a more optimistic tone that "July 15 has opened the door for our reconciliation". The pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party was not invited.
Ten Foreigners Detained
Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on August 8, 2016 that authorities had detained 10 foreigners in recent days. The foreigners were suspected to have ties to a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who was living in exile in Pennsylvania, accused of masterminding the July 15, 2016, failed coup.
Three Former High-Ranking Diplomats Detained over Coup Link
Two former ambassadors--Ali Findik and Tancay Babali--along with the former envoy Gurcan Balik had been detained for their alleged link to exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, Anadolu news agency reported on August 27, 2016. The arrest of the country's high-ranking diplomats was the latest in a continuing crackdown of dissents that had resulted in at least 40,000 people behind the bar and more than 85,000 either dismissed or suspended from their jobs.
12,800 Police Personnel Suspended
Turkey continued its draconian steps against people suspected to have even remote links to a failed July 2016 coup plot by dismissing about 12,800 cops on October 4, 2016.
Turkey Arrests Editor, Employees of Newspaper
Turkey sent a chilling message to the democracy and media freedom advocates on October 31, 2016 by detaining the editor, Murat Sabuncu, and at least 11 senior reporters of the newspaper Cumhuriyet.
International Outcry over Media Crackdown Grows
International community on November 1, 2016 condemned the October 31, 2016, arrest of at least 13 senior journalists, including the editor, of opposition Cumhuriyet. The European Parliament president Martin Schulz wrote on Twitter that the Turkish action had "yet crossed" another red line. However, the Turkish government pushed back against the notion that it was trampling democracy, and instead, went on a full-throated offensive mode. Premier Binali Yildrim, addressing his party's lawmakers, said on November 1, 2016 that his country didn't need a lesson from the European Union. Since July 15, 2016, failed coup, Turkish government had become autocratic, according to many western observers, arresting at least 37,000 people and suspending or dismissing more than 100,000 civil servants. In addition, Turkish authority shuttered at least 170 media outlets and arrested 105 journalists, according to Turkish Journalists' Association.
Turkish Authorities Bans 370 Civic Groups
In a wide-ranging crackdown, the Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime on late November 11, 2016 notified about 370 civic groups about their immediate shutdown. The Interior Ministry on November 12, 2016 alleged that 153 of them had ties to Fethullah Gulen, about 190 to outlawed PKK and at least 19 to the far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Army Front, or DHKP-C. Since the failed July 15, 2016, coup, authorities had detained close to 37,000 people, dismissed or suspended more than 100,000 people from government jobs, and shut down 170 media outlets.
76 Academics Arrested for Having Coup-related Ties
The evidence that the dragnet of the Turkish authorities to nab anyone who is remotely tied to any organization even with feeble links with the Gulen network accused by the government of orchestrating the failed July 15, 2016, coup is getting larger by the day has been proven one more time on November 18, 2016 with the issuance of arrest warrants of 103 employees of Yildiz Technical University on charges of "membership in an armed terrorist organization". The Anadolu news agency reported on November 18, 2016 that 76 of them were taken into custody during the day. Since the failed July 15, 2016, coup, authorities had detained close to 37,000 people, dismissed or suspended more than 100,000 people from government jobs, and shut down 170 media outlets.
15,000 More Public Workers Sacked
A day after a team of Socialist members of the European Parliament were barred from meeting the jailed co-chairman of the People's Democratic Party, or HDP, Selahattin Demirtas, Recep Tayyip Erdogan administration on November 22, 2016 took its axe to chop off an additional 15,000 public workers and shut down about 375 organizations, including nine news outlets, on charges of ties to the failed July 15, 2016, coup.
Turkey Fires 4,500 Employees
Ankara is in no mood to brook even a faint remnant of political opposition, and piling up on its purge campaign, Turkish government on February 7, 2017 has given pink slips to at least 4,500 public employees, including 2600 from Education ministry and 900 from paramilitary police.
Turkey Targets American Officials, Schumer
A day before Turkey headed for constitutional referendum, Turkish authorities on April 15, 2017 opened an investigation into 17 people for their alleged link to last year's coup plot. Among those named included former CIA head John Brennan, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara
Turkish Court Issues Sentencing Verdict against 40
A Turkish court in southwestern part of the country on October 4, 2017 ordered 40 men, including military officers, implicated in the assassination attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the failed July 15, 2016, coup. The court proceeding is one of more than 40 going on in different parts of Turkey.
Turkey Claims to Have Seized about 80 Coup Backers on Foreign Soils
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag on April 5, 2018 bragged, in not so diplomatic way, that Turkish special agents had seized about 80 people who had backed the July 15, 2016, failed coup. It's not clear how those seizure might have been carried out. Reacting to Bozdag's claim, Alliance for Shared Values, an organization backed by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, issued a statement that called into attention of Turkish government's "blatant admission" of violating other nations' sovereignty.
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Suicide Bombing Kills at least 30 at a Wedding Party
A suicide bomber on August 20, 2016 brought orgy of death and devastation to a joyful wedding party at Gaziantep in southeast Turkey close to Syrian borders. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek called the bombing a "barbaric" act. The death toll mounted to at least 30.
Suicide Bomber was a Teenager
As the toll from a suicide bombing at a wedding party a day earlier rose to more than 50, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on August 21, 2016 said that the suicide bomber's age was no more than 14 and blamed the Islamic State for attacking the Kurdish wedding party at Gaziantep.
Russia, Turkey Cozy up in the Aftermath of Coup
A new touch of coziness was palpable in the hitherto cold relationship between Turkey and Russia. The change of heart from the both sides is beginning to evolve in the aftermath of July 15, 2016, failed coup as Ankara has accused a Pennsylvania, U.S.-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, of masterminding the coup and some Turkish officials have even suggested Washington's involvement in the failed coup. On August 9, 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the ornate Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg. Both leaders expressed the desire to rebuild the bilateral ties several months after a Russian warplane in Syria had been shot down by Turkey, leading Putin to retort that Ankara had taken a "treacherous stab in the back". As part of re-setting the bilateral relationship, Russia will build Turkey's first nuclear power plant and a gas pipeline in Turkey.
Series of Kurdish Attacks Kill 12
Militants from the Kurdish Workers' Party, or PKK, on August 10, 2016 launched near-simultaneous attacks on police targets at the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people. Separately, militants attacked and killed four soldiers near the Iraq-Turkey borders.
String of Attacks Kill 14
A series of car bombs and roadside bombs blamed on Kurdish militants killed at least 14 and wounded more than 220 on late August 17 and August 18, 2016. The targets were Turkish security forces, and authorities blamed PKK for carrying out these attacks:
* The first car bomb targeted a police station on late August 17, 2016 in the eastern city of Van, killing one police official and two civilians beside injuring at least 73--including 53 civilians and 20 police personnel.
* Another car bomb exploded on early August 18, 2016 at the eastern city of Elazig, killing at least five people in addition to injuring at least 146 people, including 14 serious injuries.
* A roadside bomb killed five soldiers on August 18, 2016 in the southeastern province of Bitlis. Five more soldiers were injured.
* A pro-government village guard was also killed on August 18, 2016 during a clash with PKK rebels in the Bitlis province.
Suicide Truck Bombing Kills 11 Police Officers
A PKK-claimed truck bomb driven by a suicide bomber on August 26, 2016 rammed through a checkpoint near a police station at Cizre, southeast Turkey, killing 11 police officers and wounding more than 75.
Turkish Leader Criticizes Europe for Lack of Fund to Support Migrants
That the political equation between Turkey and European Union had changed significantly since July 15, 2016, failed coup was evident in the not-so-warm embrace of EU Parliament President Martin Schulz's September 1, 2016, visit to Turkey. While Martin Schulz tried to persuade Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and premier Binali Yildrim in separate meetings to ease on the recently approved anti-terrorism law, Struggle Against Terrorism Law, in exchange for lifting the visa requirement for visiting Turkish citizens as called for by the March 2016 migrant deal between EU and Turkey, both Erdogan and Yildrim stuck to their own points that Ankara could not slack on security given the circumstances. Instead, Erdogan alleged on September 2, 2016 as he was about to leave for G-20 summit in China that EU had disbursed only $200 million of $6.7 billion, or 6 billion euros, pledged through 2018.
Fearing Kurdish Links, Turkey Resorts to Autocratic Steps
A day after Turkey dismissed about 11,000 teachers on the ground of alleged links to Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu went a step further on September 9, 2016 by publicly stripping elected mayors of at least 28 municipalities of office for harboring bonhomie with PKK.
Car Bomb in Southeast Turkey Kills 18
A car bomb blamed on the Kurdish rebels exploded in the morning hours of October 9, 2016 near a military checkpoint in southeast Turkey, killing 10 military personnel and 8 civilians beside injuring 27 others.
11 Lawmakers of a Pro-Kurdish Party Detained
Capping a week that began with the arrest of Gultan Kisanak, the mayor of southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, on charges of terrorism and subsequent appointment of a hand-picked government loyalist as a replacement, authorities detained 11 lawmakers of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, or HDP, accused of harboring strong bond with the banned PKK, Interior Ministry said on November 4, 2016.
Details Emerge over the Detention of 12 Pro-Kurdish Lawmakers
After the overnight detention of 12 lawmakers from the People's Democratic Party, or HDP, including two co-chairmen of the party, the condemnation from around the world on November 4, 2016 was swift and sharp. European Union's foreign policy chief Frederica Moghereni came down heavily against the move in a Twitter message and called an emergency meeting of EU nations' ambassadors to Ankara. Norway, Sweden and Denmark summoned Turkish ambassadors to their respective nations to seek explanation. U.S. State Department and the White House both expressed deep concerns over the detention. Meanwhile, 12 detained lawmakers seized overnight for failure to show up for terrorism-related court appearance were produced at court during the day. While three of them were set free, nine of the lawmakers had been ordered jailed. Private Dogan News Agency reported later on November 4, 2016 that the HDP's two co-chairmen--Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag--were taken to a maximum-security prison in the country's northwestern city of Kocaeli. Authorities had issued arrest warrant for a total 15 pro-Kurdish lawmakers from five provinces. Two of them were abroad, and one was being searched for by the authorities.
Car Bombing Kills 9 on the Day of 12 Pro-Kurdish Lawmakers' Detention
Hours after Turkish authorities detained 12 lawmakers of the People's Democratic Party, or HDP, accused by Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime as the political front of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a car bomb exploded on November 4, 2016 near the riot police building of the largest Kurdish city in the country's southeast, Diyarbakir, killing two police personnel and seven civilians. Although local authorities blamed PKK for the car bomb, ISIL also rushed to lay claims for the car bomb blast.
Pro-Kurdish Turkish Party to Boycott Parliamentary Activities
In protest against November 4, 2016, detention of 12 of its lawmakers, including two co-chairmen--Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag--and stifling democratic opposition, People's Democratic Party, or HDP on November 6, 2016 announced that it would stay away from parliamentary proceedings.
Turkish Authorities Bans 370 Civic Groups
In a wide-ranging crackdown, the Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime on late November 11, 2016 notified about 370 civic groups about their immediate shutdown. The Interior Ministry on November 12, 2016 alleged that 153 of them had ties to Fethullah Gulen, about 190 to outlawed PKK and at least 19 to the far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Army Front, or DHKP-C. Since the failed July 15, 2016, coup, authorities had detained close to 37,000 people, dismissed or suspended more than 100,000 people from government jobs, and shut down 170 media outlets.
Turkey's Proposed New Law Draws Ire of Woman Advocates
Turkey already reeling under a widespread crackdown on dissent and terrorist attacks by ISIL and Kurdish groups is all set to create another avenue of antagonism, although this time not a major one and related to child marriage. Turkish government introduced a bill on November 17, 2016 that would legalize the marriages involving brides less than 17 years old. Explaining the rationale for the proposed measure to be voted by Turkish parliament on November 22, 2016, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that the key aim of the bill was at regulating the marital relationship and preserving the families, not giving immunity to rapists. Before 2005, marriage between an adult man and a girl under 17 years old was legal. However, under the current law, underage marriage is possible under only a court permission. Else a minimum sentence of eight years were imposed under the law that was now extended to 16 years since 2014. The new measure will apply to about 3,000 families considered to be affected by the current law between 2005 and last week.
European Parliament's Socialist Members Barred from Meeting Jailed Kurdish Leader
As the Socialist members of the European Parliaments were scheduled to hold a much publicized meeting with the jailed lawmaker and co-Chairman of the People's Democratic Party, or HDP, Selahattin Demirtas, on November 21, 2016 at a maximum-security prison in the northwestern city of Edirne, Turkish authorities refused to oblige them.
Turkish President Threatens to Unravel the Migrant Accord
A day after European Parliament voted for a non-binding measure to suspend Turkey's EU membership talks in response to autocratic clampdown by Turkish authorities since a failed July 15, 2016, military coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on November 25, 2016 issued a veiled threat to renege the migrant agreement that had stopped the floodgate of refugees into Europe. Erdogan specifically referred to EU's tribulation when 50,000 migrants had amassed at the Kapikule border crossing at Bulgaria and how Ankara had helped EU to ease the migrant pressure at that border crossing.
Two Correspondents Detained
Two Turkish reporters tied to foreign news outlets were arrested on November 26, 2016 in separate incidents. BBC Turkish correspondent Hatice Kamer was detained at the mining town of Sirvan where she had gone to cover the death of 11 miners at a copper mine. Kamer was released the following day. On November 26, 2016, the Voice of America freelancer Khajijan Farqin was detained at the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. The arrests, according to many, showed the growing authoritarian tendency of the Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime.
Turkey's Talks for EU Membership Hits Further Roadblocks
After Austria, it was time for The Netherlands to warn Turkey that it's chances to join European Union would be further complicated by Ankara's growing, and often harsh, crackdown on political dissent. On December 1, 2016, The Netherlands asked other European countries to issue stern warning to Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime over the reign of political crackdown let loose since the July 15, 2016, failed coup, raising the possibility that EU membership talks could be frozen if enough EU nations had reservations over Ankara's commitment to uphold democratic values.
Twin Bombings Kill 38 near a Soccer Stadium
After a soccer match was over on December 10, 2016 at Istanbul's Besiktas Stadium and most of the spectators had already left the area, twin explosions rocked the area and shattered a beautiful evening, killing 38 people and wounding an additional 155. According to reports carried by The Associated Press on December 11, 2016, two suicide bombers--one using a vest and another using a vehicle--targeted the police personnel who had been stationed near the stadium, and, according to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, killed 30 of them beside seven civilians and an unidentified person. On December 11, 2016, a pro-Kurdish militant group, Kurdistan Freedom Falcon, or TAK, claimed the responsibility for the twin suicide attacks a day earlier.
Turkish Economy Shrinks
Reflecting a severe drought in foreign tourism, a key driver to Turkish economic growth, Ankara on December 12, 2016 has reported a 1.8 percent shrinkage in the country's economy during July through September 2016 quarter.
Russian Ambassador Assassinated
In a cold-blooded and calculated assassination that sent a shiver through the spine of a petrified global diplomatic community, an off-duty Turkish police officer on December 19, 2016 opened fire and killed Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov. As Karlov was delivering a speech at an art exhibition, titled "From Kaliningrad to Kamchatka, From the Eyes of Travelers", at the Contemporary Arts Center in Ankara's Cankaya area, the gunman, Mevlut Mert Altintas, who was standing behind Karlov on the podium, opened fire, shouting "God Is Great!", "Don't forget Aleppo, don't forget Syria!" in Turk and Arabic. As Andrei Karlov collapsed on the floor after being struck by a bullet, the assassin went ahead and pulled the trigger one more time at Karlov. Then Mevlut Mert Altintas destroyed some exhibited arts before being shot dead by security forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin called an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the cold-blooded murder a provocation to destroy the bond between Russia and Turkey.
President Erdogan Accuses U.S.-based Cleric of Assassination of the Russian Envoy
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on December 21, 2016 continued his non-stop effort of linking any adversarial event in Turkey to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, implying that he was behind the December 19, 2016, assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov. Responding to Erdogan's unfounded allegation, Gulen shot back by calling it nothing but "nonsense". However, Russia has shown lot more prudence and patience after the assassination, and yet to blame anyone.
New Year Eve Attack on Nightclub Kills 39
A gunman armed with Kalashnikov stormed an upscale nightclub on the European side of Istanbul around 1:15AM (local time) on January 1, 2017, and opened fire to kill 39 patrons. During the time of attack, which Istanbul province's Governor Vasip Sahin called a terrorist attack, Reina, the nightclub, was teeming with about 600 people. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in the aftermath of the attack that many of the people killed in the nightclub attack were foreigners. In addition to 39 people killed, at least 70 were wounded. The attack came days after U.S. State Department's December 22, 2016, warning to U.S. citizens to take abundance of caution while in and around the crowded places in Turkey because of ongoing threat from militant groups.
Nationwide Manhunt for the Gunman Launched
A nationwide manhunt for the attacker of the Reina Club was launched on January 1, 2017 as authorities identified nationals of Belgium, France, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia among the dead.
ISIL Stakes Claim for Night Club Bombing
Almost 48 hours after the deadly attack on the Istanbul's Reina Night Club, ISIL on January 2, 2017 claimed that it was behind the attack and one of its soldiers carried it out to take avenge against Turkey's recent campaign against the militant group in northern Syria. Meanwhile, after a cabinet meeting Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said during the day that the government was close to identifying the attacker and eight people had been detained for interrogation in the aftermath of the attack.
Turkey Releases Video of the Attacker
On January 3, 2017, Turkish authorities released a video clip of a man suspected to have attacked the Reina Club in the early morning hours of the New Year's Day.
Attacker Identified
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on January 4, 2017 told the state-run Anadolu news agency that authorities had identified the attacker. Anadolu reported during the day that 20 people had been detained, many of them from the western province of Izmir who had lived with the attacker in the central city of Konya.
Gunmen Kill 2 in Western Turkey
Gunmen on January 5, 2017 engaged with a fierce fire-fight outside a courthouse in western Turkish city of Izmir, killing two people. Security forces shot dead two of the attackers while a third attacker was able to flee. According to authorities, PKK was responsible for January 5, 2017, attack.
Opposition Sees Power Grab in Parliamentary Bills to Augment Presidential Powers
A package of measures was tabled in parliament on January 9, 2017 amid charges and countercharges. The package to be debated over the next two weeks aims at:
* Transforming presidency into main administrative figurehead
* Handing the executive powers to president to nominate Cabinet, dismiss government, dissolve parliament and declare state of emergency
* Limiting five-year presidential stint to two terms, implying that Recep Tayyip Erdogan could extend his rule up to 2029
If the parliament passes the package, government needs at least 330 out of 550 votes, it will go to a nationwide referendum, most likely, in spring. On the day (January 9, 2017) the bill was introduced, opposition organized protest outside the parliament house that had turned violent, leading to police to use pepper-spray to disperse the crowd. Voicing grave concern, main opposition party (Republican People's Party, or CHP) leader Kemal Killicdaroglu called the constitutional amendment package a vehicle to "turn the democratic parliamentary regime into a totalitarian regime".
New Year Night Attacker Arrested
The gunman who had carried out the New Year Night's attack on a crowded Istanbul club, killing 39 people, including 25 foreigners and a policeman, was arrested on January 16, 2017 after a raid on a house in an Istanbul district. The attacker was identified as Abdulgadir Masharipov. Three additional people--one Kyrgyz man and three Bosnian women--were also taken to custody.
Leader of Pro-Kurdish Party Indicted on Terrorism Charges
It's Turkey's open season on the country's pro-Kurdish political parties and their leaders. On January 17, 2017, the leader of pro-Kurdish political party, HDP, or People's Democracy Party, was indicted on charges that he belonged to a terror organization. If convicted, HDP Chairman Selahattin Demirtas faces up to 142-year term on charges that he had instigated a street violence in 2014 stemming from a protest rally against the government's policy on Syria. Co-Chairman of the party, Figen Yuksekdag, faces up to 83 years of prison.
Parliament Clears the Way for a Constitutional Referendum to Enhance Presidential Powers
Putting the last nail in the coffin, Turkey's ruling party was able to muster enough support in the parliament after hours-long contentious debate to pass a set of constitutional amendments in the early hours of January 21, 2017 that would enhance the presidential authority significantly. The measure will now go to a nationwide referendum for approval.
Turkey Massacres Kurds, U.N. Report Says
A report issued on March 10, 2017 by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights detailed the scale of Turkish security forces' scorched-earth policy in the country's southeast after a 17-month truce with PKK had broken down in July 2015. According to the 25-page report, hundreds of people had been killed between July 2015 and December 2016. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein also criticized the state of emergency Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had announced after last summer's failed coup, saying that it had targeted the "criticism, not terrorism". al-Hussein also called for an impartial investigation into Turkey's repressive measures against Kurds.
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Turkey-Dutch Relations Hit a New Low
Turkey and The Netherlands had gotten into a diplomatic mess of unprecedented scale after Turkey's two senior ministers were prevented from campaigning for April 16, 2017, Turkish referendum on constitutional amendments among expatriates. First, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied the landing permission on March 11, 2017, with Amsterdam citing security concern for the refusal. The tension over the refusal of Cavusoglu had just begun to brew, another Turkish minister, this time Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, had been escorted out of the country on March 12, 2017 as she had arrived from Germany and was about to enter the diplomatic compound at Rotterdam. As Ms. Kaya was being escorted out through the German border, she screamed that the whole world should see the undemocratic action by Dutch government. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted the Dutch action as Nazi-like act, a comment that immediately drew sharp rebuke from the country's premier, Mark Rutte. Turkish ministers are campaigning in European cities in the run-up to the April 16, 2017, constitutional referendum that would concentrate powers into the hands of president, a move EU and other international bodies had decried as "autocratic".
Erdogan Heaps Nazi Remarks on The Netherlands
Angry over denying the entry of Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and preventing the social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, from entering a Turkish consulate office, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan poured out venom on March 12, 2017 during a public address at Istanbul in support of constitutional changes to be put into referendum on April 16, 2017. Erdogan said that the "Nazi remnants" in the Netherlands must be held accountable for their action. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders however retorted later in the day that no apology was forthcoming.
Turkey Imposes Political Sanctions
Turkey on March 13, 2017 ratcheted up pressure on the Netherlands as NATO got into action in an effort to diffuse the brewing tension between two fellow NATO member nations. After a cabinet meeting during the day, Turkey's Deputy Premier Numan Kurtulmus announced those political sanctions, including a ban on reentry of Dutch ambassador to Turkey and request to Turkish parliament to withdraw from a joint Dutch-Turkish legislative advisory group. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged both sides to show restraint, mutual respect and measured approach. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued heaping curse on Netherlands, calling "their Vienna Convention" as their "fascism", their "Nazism", referring to the 1961 landmark international treaty to guide the global diplomatic relations.
Turkish President Blames Dutch for Srebrenica Massacre
In an undiplomatic broadside, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a televised address on March 14, 2017 accused the Dutch of 1995 Srebrenica massacre that had killed at least 8,000 Muslim men and boys. Dutch premier Mark Rutter called the allegation as "disgusting distortion of history".
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Fever Pitch on the Eve of Referendum; Prosecutors Open Investigation into American Officials
A day before Turkey headed to polls to decide on the most consequential political equilibrium balancing the separation of powers, the campaign for referendum on 18 constitutional changes, including the abolishment of premier's office and transfer of executive powers to the office of presidency, the opposing sides waged in a feverish campaign rhetoric on April 15, 2017. The leader of the opposition, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party, asked, addressing a crowd in Ankara, "do we want a democratic parliamentary system or do we want a one-man regime?" During the day, Turkish authorities opened an investigation into 17 people for their alleged link to last year's coup plot. Among those named included former CIA head John Brennan, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara.
Erdogan Wins Narrowly, Likely to Consolidate His Powers
The constitutional referendum that would concentrate almost unlimited authority into President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's hands passed in April 16, 2017, polls in a wafer-thin margin. The YES vote was 51.3 percent and NO vote was 48.7 percent. However, the main opposition party in Turkey's parliament said that it would demand recount of nearly 37 percent of ballots, or nearly 2.5 million votes. The vote will pave the way for the:
* Office of Prime Minister to be abolished
* Consolidation of executive authority in the president's hands, empowering the president to rule by executive decrees
* President to have two five-year term limits, beginning 2019
* President to run for the third term if parliament calls the early presidential polls during the second term
Opposition Party Files Complaints, Asks to Referendum Voided, Parliament Extends Emergency
As Turkey's opposition parties and secular institutions began to fathom the full scope of the coming radical change in the country's parliamentary democratic system, Turkish parliament on April 18, 2017 extended the state of national emergency for an additional three months. Meanwhile, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party, alleged on April 18, 2017 that Turkey's electoral board had colluded with the ruling party and showed open bias. The deputy chairman of Republican People's Party, or CHP, Bulent Tezcan, said on April 18, 2017 that the party had filed with the electoral panel requesting annulment of the referendum.
Scores of Opposition Leaders, Activists Arrested
As the opposition to legislative power grab with a thinly approved (51.4 percent vs. 48.6 percent) referendum had mounted, the authorities began a nationwide crackdown and, as of April 19, 2017, arrested dozens of opposition leaders and activists.
Turkish Government Fires 4,000 Civil Servants
Two executive orders were published in the government's Official Gazette on April 29, 2017, weakening further the foundation of democratic institutions. One decree was to fire about 4,000 government employees, including at least 500 academics and 1,000 military personnel. The decree also reinstated 236 civil servants previously dismissed. A second decree banned TV, radio and other programs focused on dating.
Media Mogul Assassinated in Istanbul
An Iranian media group director who was living in exile in Turkey was killed on April 30, 2017 as Saeed Karimian and his Kuwaiti business partner were inside a luxury sedan that was passing through a posh neighborhood of Istanbul when another car blocked them and unknown assailants had sprayed bullets, killing both of them. The Persian-language media company GEM Group owns at least 20 satellite channels, broadcasting programs in Farsi, Arabic and Azeri, and has offices in London, Istanbul and Dubai. Last year, Karimian was sentenced in absentia to six-year imprisonment for "spreading propaganda". The National Council of Resistance in Iran, an umbrella group of dissidents, blamed that the Iranian government was behind the assassination.
President Extends Emergency by Decree
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, emboldened by a mid-April constitutional amendment to concentrate powers in the hands of presidency and buoyed by the parliamentary extension of state of emergency, on May 21, 2017 decreed that the emergency powers would be extended until the "situation reaches welfare and peace". Turkey is being run by presidential decrees under a state of emergency since a failed coup in July 2016.
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Diplomatic Rift between Ankara and Washington
The bilateral relationship between USA and Turkey, already strained because of Trump administration's decision to arm the Kurdish group YPG in Syria, deteriorated further in the first week of October 2017 over the arrest of a U.S. Embassy employee, Metin Topuz, on charges of espionage. In response, U.S. on October 8, 2017 announced suspension of visa services for Turkish citizens who were planning to visit USA. Turkey responded in kind, by suspending the visa services for American citizens. On October 9, 2017, U.S. Ambassador John Bass said in a video message that U.S. officials were unable to "determine why it occurred". Reacting to the U.S. decision to suspend visa services, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Ukraine that it was a "saddening development".
Visa Issuance Resumes
After a two-month pause, Washington and Ankara resumed issuing visas on December 28, 2017 after NATO allies realized that the crisis that had been precipitated by the arrest of a U.S. embassy employee in October 2017 was spilling over into other areas of bilateral interest and souring the decades-old relationship.
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U.S. to Stop Arming Kurdish Rebels
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on November 24, 2017 that U.S. President Donald Trump had told his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, earlier in the day during a phone call that his administration had issued clear order to stop arming Syrian Kurds. Although after routing ISIL from Raqqa and neighboring province, it is now anyway redundant to provide arms to YPG, a Syrian-Kurdish rebel group who has been backbone of anti-ISIL campaign in Syria.
Turkey's Democracy on a backslide
That a NATO member nation is not up to the mark of upholding democratic and parliamentary norms has bothered both the U.S and E.U., and the frustrations are often emerging in open forums. On February 15, 2018, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had basically nothing to show in terms of concrete results after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Ankara. Tillerson expressed "serious concerns" at the continuing detention of U.S. citizens. Next day, February 16, 2018, it was the turn of an influential European official, Secretary-General of Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland, who, addressing about 400 candidate judges and prosecutors at the Turkish Justice Academy at Ankara, called for lifting of the state of emergency clamped since a failed July 2016 coup, voicing concerns over the "length and scope of the ongoing state of the emergency". Since the failed coup, Turkey had fired 140,000 civil servants, public workers, judges, prosecutors and others from their job and detained an additional 50,000. However, a sliver of good news emerged on February 16, 2018 as a German-Turk journalist with the daily Die Welt was released by a judge. However, before his release, Deniz Yucel, whose detention had strained the bilateral relationship between Germany and Turkey, was indicted on spreading terroristic propaganda and inciting hatred, implying that he might be taken into custody again. Also, on February 16, 2018, a separate court sentenced six Turkish journalists to life in prison for undermining constitutional order.
Erdogan Holds Talks as Part of Effort to Achieve "Strategic Goal" of Joining EU
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 26, 2018 held negotiation at the Black Sea resort of Varna in Bulgaria with European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Turkish plan of action aimed at joining the EU which the Turkish president called as a "strategic goal".
Russian Leader Headlines the Ground Breaking Ceremony of Turkey First Nuclear Plant
Deepening the bond between Turkey and Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin was on hand on April 3, 2018 as construction for the country's first nuclear power plant began at the Mediterranean coastal city of Akkuyu. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the event that the nuclear power plant would satisfy 10 percent of Turkey's energy need after all the reactors became fully functional.
American Pastor Denied Bail in a High-Profile Trial
In a trial that could test the bonds between two NATO allies, a Turkish court on April 16, 2018 denied bail to an American pastor who had been doing missionary work in Turkey for the past 23 years. Andrew Brunson, 50, leader of the Resurrection Church in the seaside city of Izmir, was nabbed by security forces in the aftermath of the failed July 2016 coup on charges of providing support to exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, alleged by Turkish government as the key provocateur of the coup, and harboring link with Kurdistan People's Party, or PKK, an organization labeled as terrorist by the government. During the hearing, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Brunson's home state, and former Senator and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, Trump's recent appointee as an ambassador-at-large for the cause of religious freedom, were present at the courtroom, implying the high-stake nature of the trial.
Turkish President Wins Resoundingly
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 24, 2018 consolidated his 15-year-reign with a decisive victory in presidential polls by winning nearly 53 percent vote, thus sparing a runoff. His nearest challenger, Muharrem Ince of Republican People's Party, won nearly 31percent vote. After nightfall as victory celebration began for Erdogan supporters and his ruling party, Justice and Development Party, or AKP, appeared to win 42 percent popular vote in June 24, 2018, parliamentary polls, the opposition camp looked demoralized. Republican People's Party Vice Chairman Bulent Tezcan conceded defeat. Erdogan gave a short victory speech at the gates of Huber Pavilion in Istanbul, saying that "Turkey has given a lesson of democracy with a turnout close to 90 percent". However, not all was bad for fragmented opposition as four other parties exceeded a threshold of 10 percent vote to win representation in parliament. Among them was a pro-Kurd political party, HDP, whose leader, Selahatin Demirtas, a fellow Kurd, was being jailed as the election process was underway. Erdogan, with an extended term and vastly powerful presidency, is on his way to become the most powerful Turkish leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk has founded modern Turkey from the ashes of Ottoman Empire. However, Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces significant headwind in the coming days as Turkish economy is in downward spiral, with the currency "lira" down by 20 percent and foreign investment shrunk substantially.
Trump Threatens to Impose Sanctions over Detained Pastor's Fate
American pastor Andrew Brunson's case is causing serious fault lines, if not an outright rift, in the bilateral relations between USA and Turkey. On July 25, 2018, Brunson was moved from jail to house arrest because of the pastor's failing health. Following day, July 26, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump took to twitter to berate Turkey for continuous detainment of Pastor Brunson, and threatened to hit Turkey with steep tariffs if the pastor were not released. Unmoved, though, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was equally blunt in his tweet, saying that "no one dictates Turkey". However, cool head prevailed for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was more diplomatic to say that Pastor Brunson's house arrest was a positive development, but not enough.
Erdogan Dismisses Trump's Threat
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke his silence on July 28, 2018 during his Africa visit, and shot back in response to Trump's threat of sanctions that "they can not make Turkey back down" with threats of sanctions. On July 26, 2018, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on NATO ally for continuous detention of a North Carolina pastor, Andrew Brunson from Black Mountain, N.C., who had been detained in December 2016 , now under house arrest since July 25, 2018 on the ground of failing health, in charges related to July 2016 coup.
Trump Imposes Steep Tariffs on Turkish Steel and Aluminum Imports
Although not stated publicly, it was not lost anyone on August 10, 2018 that Trump administration had doubled the import tariffs on aluminum and steel to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively as a punitive measure to continued detention of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson. Dismissing the announcement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech at the Black Sea resort of Rize that "they cannot use the language of threat and blackmail against this nation". There were severe irritants in the run-up to the drastic action. Last September, Turkey signed deal with Russia to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system, implying that Russian technicians would be in the NATO's backyard. As a result, U.S. Congress blocked the Turkish purchase of F-35 fighter jets. The continuous detention of Brunson added to the souring relationship further, with U.S. imposing separate sanctions earlier on two Turkish officials implicated to the pastor's arrest.
American Pastor Released
A Turkish court on October 12, 2018 convicted North Carolinian pastor Andrew Brunson of links to terrorism, indirectly accusing him of harboring relationship with Kurdish separatists, but released him from house arrest. Andrew Brunson, among a dozen or so Americans swept by Turkish authorities in the aftermath of a failed July 2016 coup, was handed to imprisonment of three years, one month and 15 days, but the judge lifted all judicial control, including a ban on air travel, for Brunson's good behavior. Brunson was the pastor of Resurrection Church in Izmir, and his release would hopefully bridge the wedge that had been created between two NATO allies.
U.S. Working on Extraditing Dissident Preacher
Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said on December 16, 2018 at Doha, Qatar that U.S. President Donald Trump had told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in their recent G-20 meeting that Washington was working on extraditing Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, an avid opponent of President Erdogan, to Turkey.
Erdogan Setback in Local Polls
March 31, 2019, local polls were anything but reassuring to a convincing victory for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his political party, Justice and Development Party, or AKP, although won many small cities and towns, failed to secure wins at Turkey's political and commercial nerve centers of Istanbul and Ankara. In the run-up to March 31, 2019, municipal election, President Erdogan campaigned heavily and made the local polls as proxy mandate for his own rule. The outcome is a clear setback to Erdogan. By latest count, opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, won the capital Ankara, and apparently won by a razor-thin margin the commercial capital, Istanbul. Underlining the victory of Mansur Yavas over a former government minister for environment and a Erdogan ally, Mehmet Ozhaseki, in Ankara mayoral race, CHP's first win in Ankara after 25 years, CHP deputy leader, Haluc Koc, said that "history is being written in Ankara". The fight over mayoral race may linger for days, if not weeks, as ruling party candidate and former prime minister, Binali Yildrim, failed to garner a majority and his race was too close to call as CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu was barely ahead. Although Yildrim prematurely called the race in his favor, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu chided the ruling party and Yildrim for showing lack of parliamentary respect for the process. However, nationwide AKP pulled ahead of opposition by receiving 45 percent vote, trailed by CHP's 30 percent. The March 31, 2019, local polls were marred by scattered violence, and at least four people were killed in election-related violence.
Ruling Party Demands Total Recount in Istanbul
After partial recounts shrunk the margin of victory for opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, on April 7, 2019 demanded full recount of votes in Istanbul mayoral election. Meanwhile, apparent victor and opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, leader Imamoglu asked the country's Supreme Electoral Board to carry out its "historic duty" and shun any appearance in "double standard".
Opposition Candidate's Victory Confirmed
Turkish authorities on April 17, 2019 ended the days-long uncertainty over the Istanbul mayoral election by declaring Ekrem Imamoglu the winner of the high-profile March 31, 2019, election. Meanwhile Erdogan's party, Justice and Develop Party, or AKP, demanded the annulment of the Istanbul mayoral poll and another fresh election.
Istanbul Re-election Ordered
In a shameful interference to favor ruling political party, Turkey's national election board on May 6, 2018 annulled March 31, 2019, local polls in Istanbul that had seen opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu defeating ruling party candidate, Binali Yildrim, a former premier, and becoming the mayor of the country's commercial hub. The re-election will be held in June 23, 2019.
Istanbul Rejects Erdogan's Sadism and His Candidate in Re-poll
Subsequent to Turkey's election authority's voiding of earlier mayoral poll in the midst of 18 days as a working mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu approached the June 23, 2019, mayoral re-election as a challenge to re-establish a democratic order in Turkey and Istanbul's voters saw the stakes high enough to send a clear message in response to growing dictatorial attitude of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In the June 23, 2019, re-poll, the margin of victory for Ekrem Imamoglu was convincing with 54% votes as his opponent, Binali Yildrim, a former premier and Erdogan's AKP party candidate, received 45%.
First Shipment of Russian Defense Shield Arrives, Rankles NATO
In a setback to the unity of NATO, a group built on the premise of collectively opposing the growing of Communist and the then-Soviet influence in Europe and beyond, one of its member nations, Turkey, on July 12, 2019 received three plane-load of first shipment of a $2 billion S-400 missile defense system from Russia. In many ways, it's a historical precedent as no other NATO nation had any defense deal with its adversary Russia. The action may also trigger U.S. to slap sanctions against Turkey as part of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Erdogan's White House Visits Shows Strains between Allies
As Washington is engulfed with President Donald Trump's impeachment hearings drama, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met with President Donald Trump at the White House on November 13, 2019, but the outcome is far from the positive as continuing strain over Ankara's decision to invade northern Syria and buy Russian S-400 missile defense system persist. U.S., in response to Turkish deal to buy S-400, suspended NATO ally's participation in the F-35 fighter jet program. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after his meeting with Trump that Ankara might retain both Russian and U.S. defense systems.
Former Premier Forms a Separate Party
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on December 12, 2019 launched his own political party, The Future Party, to lead the country toward more democratic practices. On December 13, 2019, Davutoglu committed to returning the country to parliamentary democracy, a key issue that had splintered the ruling political party and led to the formation of The Future Party and near-future launch of another breakaway political party. Ahmet Davutoglu was Turkey's foreign minister from 2009 to 2014, and then served the administration as the premier until 2016. Ahmet Davutoglu resigned from the ruling AK Party in September 2019 after it became clear that the ruling party would expel him for publishing a manifesto highly critical of Erdogan.
Second Member of a Left-wing Band Dies of Hunger Strike
A second member of Grup Yorum, a left-leaning music band founded in 1985 and famous for live-playing and recording protest music, died of hunger strike on May 7, 2020 at an Istanbul hospital. The bassist, Ibrahim Gokcek, 41, died after 323-day hunger strike. The band members are observing hunger strikes, consuming only liquids and vitamins, against Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime's ban against the Leftist band. A 28-year-old singer of the band, Helin Bolek, died on April 3, 2020, 288th day of hunger strike.
President Opens Prayer in Historic Hagia Sophia Mosque
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 24, 2020 opened prayer, first time in 86 years, at the Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia Mosque by reading from Holy Quran. Orthodox Christian leaders from Greece and the U.S. observed July 24, 2020, as a "day of mourning" for a world preservation site with roots in the sixth century as a Christian cathedral, then converted into a mosque, and then a museum, and followed by holding prayers again after 86 years.
Civil Society Monitoring Bill Passed
A measure championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been passed by Turkish parliament on December 27, 2020. The measure, "Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destructions", requires all non-governmental organizations to obtain permit before soliciting online donations. Although the bill, pushed by the ruling party, was passed by the country's parliament on the pretext of fighting against terrorism, the fear is universal that the government will monitor activities of NGOs in order to stifle their voices and initiative to organize protest against the government. Nearly 680 civil society groups have signed against the bill.
Turkey Withdraws from a Key Women's Rights Treaty
In a stab to undermine the women's rights to curry favor with Islamic groups, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 19, 2021 signed a sweeping decree to withdraw the country from a landmark women's rights agreement that bore its largest city's name. Istanbul Convention seeks to protect the equal rights of men and women, require states to take action against gender-based violence and protect the victims. The withdrawal became effective immediately on March 20, 2021. As soon as the news of abrogation of Istanbul Convention spread, thousands of women emerged on the streets to register their protests in large cities. Council of Europe General-Secretary Marija Pejcinovic Buric on March 20, 2021 called the Turkish decision "devastating".
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