Updates 09-12-2024

#Aftermath of the regime collapse

– The provinces of Latakia and Tartus are now also in full control of opposition forces, no regime loyalist area remains.

– Syrians in Libanon are going to the border crossing hoping to go back to their homes. Syrians in Turkey also going in mass, turkish state opening also the Yayladagi border crossing in Hatay.

– The Syrian opposition assigns Mohamed Al-Bashir, the Prime Minister of the Syria Salvation Government (SSG) [HTS political front], to form a transitional government. All position of this transition government are occupied by SSG members, apparently excluding the Syrian Interim Government (SIG)[SNA political front, Turkish aligned]. This might bring new contradictions between HTS and SNA/Turkey.

# Israel attacks

– Israel continues the bombing of strategical targets like armories, air defense systems and chemical factories of SAA in Homs, Hama, Tartus, Latakia and specially Damascus. They anounced on army radio more than 200 targets hits in Syria.

– There are several dead reported from some of those airstrikes, specially in southern Syria. Allegedly several members of the Makhlouf family (family of Hafez al-Assad wife, who are very very rich) were killed in airstrikes, also a local sheik of Sweida.

– IDF also started a ground offensive advancing from the Golan hights, allegedly to establish a “security corridor” or buffer zone, parachuting troops beyond the already occupied area.

# NES (Rojava and beyond)

– The fight in Manbij continued with heavy clashes during the night, with SDF recovering several positions after ambushing and pushing away SNA pockets. SDF and MMC anounced 4 shehids that had been buried today. Videos on social networks show dozens of bodies of SNA fighters spread on Manbij streets.

– Turkish drone strike the village on al-Mistriah, west of Ayn Issa, killing 15 civilians including 6 children, another one hit the area of Zirgan, in Til Temir / Dirbesiye front lines. Drone strikes had been ongoing in different regions under control of SDF, mostly against military targets.

– Together with drone strikes and artillery fire, SNA is also making some moves from the occupied region of Serekaniye-Gires Spi. They made an offensive on Sewami, 25 km west of Til Temir, that was repealed by SDF. An ANKA drone was shot down by SDF in Til Temir area.

– Unrest in Deir Ezzor citty, with protests and looting in some areas. Turkish aligned media spreads videos of protests calling for withdraw of SDF and demands for FSA to come. SDF aligned media shared interviews with tribal leaders calling for peace and standing with SDF.

– Recently “abandoned” positions of SAA in Qamsishlo and Haseke had also been heavily bombed by Israel, including the Qamishlo airport and other air defense systems locations. At least on person was injured in the airstrikes.

# Analysis

There are too many things ongoing in Syria, the developments are extraordinarily fast – and probably confusing for those not familiar with the situation. Every part of the conflict is racing to position themselves and get advantage from the political transition that will follow in Syria.

Regarding the situation in NES, the resistance in Manbij is critical. A collapse of the SDF in Manbij would had been follow by further attack of SNA, but the military proficiency displayed has been the best deterrence for further movements of SNA. It showed that SDF is not the SAA, and that blietzkrieg tactics of russhing with armored vehicles under artillery fire cover can send regime soldiers running away, but SDF is ready to hold positions and fight back.

For Turkey, Manbij is also very important, and it will be a decisive battle for the future of the SDF and the DAANES. This battle is proving that a well trained and prepared force, even if lightly equipped, can inflict massive losses to a much more numerous and well equipped force, even when they have total air supremacy. Every day that SDF holds any ground in Manbij is one more day that Turkey is being defeated, making SNA looking weaker. HTS took several big cities in days, SNA can’t take one middle sized city even when having full support of turkish airforce. But of course, as we said at the beginning, SDF is not SAA.

The attacks of Israel can also open new cans of worms, igniting old hates and legitimizing more extreme and fundamentalist positions inside HTS, overwhelming the moderate face that they had been working to present.

Many more things could be say, but this is already getting long so we stop here for today.

Revolutionary greetings!

Updates 07-12-2024

Once agains, so many things happen today. We will just share some important things.

# Collapse of the Syrian Regime

– SAA soldiers are defecting from all fronts. In some regions they simply run away, in some other they hold negotiations with other military forces before abandoning their positions. More than 1500 SAA soldiers crossed into Iraq throw Albukamal crossing.

– In western Syria, as SAA withdraw from their positions those are rapidly filled by HTS and different rebel groups in the north, by the south military operation room from Sweida-Daraa-Quneitra local forces, working more or less affiliated under the banner of FSA.

– Government forces evacuating official buildings of Damascus as rebel forces start to enter the city in the southern neighborhoods. Forces that started the offensive from Al-Tanf are entering from the north, with other groups claiming affiliation to FSA joining.

– Intelligence sources report contradictory information about the presence (or not) of Bashar al Assad in Damascus.

# SDF expansion of territories to protect the region

– In estern Syria, SDF is taking control of some positions alongside Eufrates river, but also local groups claiming affiliation to FSA are taking control of some positions. ISIS also took control of at least 1 position. In Til Temir area, maybe also in other areas, some SAA soldiers hold their military position after defecting and joining the ranks of SDF.

– SDF also takes control of the pockets that SAA controlled in Qamishlo and Hasaka, including airports and military bases, after negotiations. SAA no longer have authority, but some basic functions of the state like post office and administration still functioning.

– After the batallion of al-Tanf reached Palmyra and continued their advance to Damascus, people went to the streets. Some raised flags of SDF calling for joining the self-admnistration.

– In a press statement Mazlum Abdi (general command of SDF) declares a general amnesty urging everyone to cooperate as SDF works to protect the region.

# Manbij front

– SNA groups continue their attacks on Manbij, more aggressively than before. SDF made a statement anouncing they repelled all the attacks, SNA claimed they had taken some positions around Al-Arimah. SNA attacks count with air support from Turkish armed UAVs that are bombing the area.

– Tabqa Military Council repelled some attacks in the area they newly captured after the withdraw of the SAA.
# Other

– HTS groups take control of Homs as SAA and Irani froces withdraw. They opened Homs central prison releasing its detainees.

– Turkey deploys armored vehicles in Aleppo. Since the beginning of the operation Turkish state spokemans had been claiming that Aleppo belongs to Turkey

– There are a lot of “High rank” political talks with delegates of different countries, with a special conference in Doha with foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar an a UN special envoy starting today.

Revolutionary greetings!

Updates 06-12-2024

So many things are happening today, it is difficult to summarize . We will share some relevant updates, always with the disclaimer that we are not an intelligence service but just some revolutionary anarchists following the situation from north-east Syria. We may get some things wrong, some information may be incorrect, but we are doing our best to update you all in the best way we can!

The main topic today is the general collapse of the SAA, with soldiers withdrawing from many different fronts, even publicly defecting in some areas. Lets look what is happening in different fronts:

# Western front

– The advance of HTS continues after taking control of Hama city, reaching the outskirts of Homs. Videos of attacks with Shaheen drones (HTS self-produced kamikazes) on SAA military posts in Homs are already spreading in social media.
– As HTS offensive move south, they also expand east and west, not only fighting but also making agreements with local groups. Like in Mahardah, west of Hama, where they negotiated with the local christian community the withdraw of SAA soldiers, or in Salamiya, east of Hama, where they made an agreement with Ismaeli community.
– They’re western advance is entering desert territory, where ISIS had been sustaining their insurgency. Is not clear if they will be confronted or welcomed by ISIS insurgent cells.

# Eastern front

– SAA soldiers withdraw from positions on the outskirts of Raqqa, with SDF moving to capture those territories to prevent further activity of ISIS.
– Similar scenarion in the city of Deir Ezzor, where aparently there has been some coordination to secure the area with SAA soldiers before they left their positions.
– At least one town situated 50 km south of Deir Ezzor, Al-quraya, seems to be under control of ISIS the moved in as SAA withraw.
– SDF took also control of the border crossing with Iraq of Albukamal, that has been a very important crossing point for the coordination and supply lines of differnet Iran proxy forces.

– SNA make a press statement announcing their operation against SDF in Manbij, urging civilians to stay away from military zones

# Southern fronts

– A new front open in the south as different rebel groups in Quneitra, Daraa and Sweida started to take military actions to confront the crumbling SAA. Allegedly, they created a common operation room to coordinate the fights with the regime soldiers.
– Several groups are storming check point, police commissaries and military barracks In some areas, SAA is reacting to those attacks, with bombardments and intermittent clashes in different places.
– Videos of soldiers of SAA publicly defecting and joining local defense militias are spreading in social networks, specially among the druze community of Sweida.

– Also in the south, but on the eastern south, the battalion of Al-Tanf is also moving forward. Known as Maghawir al-Thawra, this group was part of the FSA against SAA, but after the emergence of ISIS their main focus shifted to fight against the caliphate. They received training and weapons from US, as well as support in their operations against ISIS. In recent years they had been blocking routs of Iran weapon deliveries and making raids against captagon drug smuggling groups. Now, for the first time, they left their local area of operations and are clashing with SAA forces in Palmyra.

# Some notes on movements of International forces

– Allegedly, Israel is bombing chemical research facilities to avoid them to fall on hands of “Rebels”

– Allegedly, Russia is evacuating parts of their air force stationed in Syria

# Rumors

We can also share rumors of unconfirmed (but relevant) information. There are reports suggesting that a coup against the Assad government is taking place in Damascus. There are also reports allegedly from Mossad (Israeli intelligence) indicating that Assad left Syria, suggesting that he escaped to Iran.

# Early Evaluations

It is clear that no one have any faith in Assad government anymore. We feel confident to announce that this is the end of the regime. For many Syrians today will be a day of celebration. After almost 13 years of war, misery and exile, their dreams of a Syria without Bashar are coming true. In that sense, it is a day of celebration for us too.

But the end of the regime will probably be just the beginning of a new phase of conflict and instability, a very difficult one. Syria have become a ground for many military forces (state forces and non-state forces) to use violence and war to pursue their objectives without fear for the consequences. From the brutality of the Syrian regime and Russian mass bombings of civilian population, the inhumane and horrific massacres of the Islamic State or the genocidal and imperialist occupations of the Turkish Army and it’s proxies against the kurdish people and the Rojava Revolution.

More than a decade of war and suffering left wounds that won’t heal with the end of the Assad dynasty, and the following day will probably witness more bloodshed and atrocities. The declarations of SNA operation against Manbij will probably be the beginning of a brutal war of occupation as we already saw in 2018 in Afrin and 2019 in Serekaniye and Gire Spi. The future of Damascus still unclear, and the authoritarian Islamism of HTS will soon start to show it’s dark faces to the Syrian people, the faces that are not screened in CNN but that the people of Idlib, who had been protesting against their authoritarian rule for months, has been suffering and protesting againt.

Western powers will tacitly accept (and maybe even support) this mediatic and apparently diluted version of slafism, as they already did in Afghanistan. And those big moves will partly silance the massacres of Turkey in Manbij, letting the rouge NATO partner of middle east a bit lose in exchange for their loyalty in other affairs that are of higher priority for western agenda.

Anyway, this is already too long. If you made it here probably you have opinion on your own about the situation. And maybe now is not a time for words, but a time for action. The revolution in Rojava is, as always, under threat. Let’s celebrate the fall of the regime, but let’s keep building the new world we carry in our hearts.

Revolutionary greetings!

Update 05-12-2024

# HTS on Hama and beyond

– After HTS offensive encircled the city of Hama and started the assault to capture it, SAA withdraw it’s forces. Al-Julani, leader of HTS, issued a video calling to not take revenge on captured Assad loyalists as HTS takes over administration of the city. HTS ordered police forces to continue their job waiting for new instructions from the “representatives of the ministery of interior of the Syrian Salvation Goverment”. HTS fighters also opened the central prison of Hama, setting prisoners free.

– There reports of HTS executing on the spot workers of the military hospital of Aleppo, as well as videos of other atrocities against SAA soldiers on the outskirts of Hama. Several pictures of combatants of HTS and SNA wearing patches of ISIS on their military uniforms are going around social media.

– A SAA convoy withdrawing from Hama towards the city of Homs was ambushed on the road, damaging vehicles and capturing surviving SAA soldiers.

– A big exodus of regime loyalists is fleeing from the city of Homs towards Damascus as the offensive of HTS continue moving south after capturing Hama. Stories of Syrian refugees from Aleppo and Hama escaping towards Tartus and Latakia are also shedding light on the booming “evacuation market”, where smugglers charge thousands of dollars for passage to different areas.

# Manbij, Shehba and Turkish moves

– SDF repelled more attacks of SNA fighters in Manbij area and apparently is pushing forward in the region of Hafsa, southern Manbij canton. SNA is sending tanks, heavy weapons and more fighters to that area, so bigger clashes are expected.

– Caravans of refugees from Shehba still trying to reach territories of the Self-Administration, but their convoys are halted by SNA raids. SDF published a statement denouncing a mass kidnap of refugees where SNA loaded more than 120 vehicles of refugees to unknown destination. Around 15.000 people was taken to unknown destination, with rumors of mass killing spreading on social media.

– Turkish state is starting to make open moves, with declarations of Erdogan about their involvement and intentions in Syria. An extended security meeting of turkish government took place today, and they will also take part on several international councils that will take place in the next days, pushing their agenda of kurdish genocide and otomanization of Syria.

# ISIS resurgence

– ISIS claims in a statement they took control of new areas south east to Homs city after clashes with the SAA. Daesh cells had increasing activity in the last moths, and with the current events they will probably push to expand their influence again.

# Semalka border open for journalists

– The self-administration issued an statement informing that Semalka border with Iraqui Kurdistan is open for journalists.

04-12-2024 Situation update

HTS and Hama offensive

– HTS continue their operation to capture the city of Hama. Their advance had been slow and is facing heavy resistance from the counter offensive of the SAA. Heavy clashes in the northern outskirts of the city are taking place, as HTS forces advance east and west of Hama encircling the city while starting the assault on the north. SAA just started to use planes to bomb position of HTS advance.

– Military equipment and weapons captured by HTS are already being used in the clashes against the SAA. This includes tanks and other combat vehicles. Some planes (in rather poor condition, but still) have also been captured, as well as radars and other advanced components of the S300 and S400 (rusian made anti-aircraft systems). Numbers of weapons seized is difficult to estimate, as regime soldiers left behind full warehouses and military barracks.

# Shehba, Manbij and Tabqa

– The evacuation of the Shehba region continues. Today, several buses crossed from Til Rifat to the region of Manbij. The overall situation with regard to the transport of refugees is very hard, and it is hampered by raids from SNA and by Turkey’s continued shelling of supposedly safe areas (a number of villages in the cantons of Manbij and Tabqa were shelled today). More than 100.000 people is arriving to the areas of Manbij and Tabqa, with several institutions of the self-administration working to provide shelter and provisions. RIC published an explainer about the situation of this huanitarian crisis: https://rojavainformationcenter.org/2024/12/explainer-thousands-of-civilians-driven-out-of-shehba/

– Clashes in Manbij and Tabqa areas are getting more intense. SDF (Military Councils of Manbij and Tabqa, MMC TMC) repelled several attacks, killing and injuring fighters of SNA. Some sources suggested that SDF was advancing in an offensive towards Aleppo, but official statement of SDF denied such claims stating they are just defending their territories.

# Turkish and Russian Movments

– Videos of Turkish army vehicles entering Syria from Azaz, norh-west of Aleppo, spread in social media. Besides the constant attacks of UAVs (Unmaned Aerial Vehicles, military grade drones), this is Turkey’s first direct escalation in the ongoing situation. Direct intervention of Turkish Army may come with use of military planes like F-16, jets that Turkey has been using to bomb kurdish forces in Syria since the invasion of Afrin. Those NATO planes may be used to support not only SNA but also HTS, risking direct confrontation with Russian air force. Such escenario is at the moment especulation, but the stakes are high.

–  Russia is moving their advanced navy from the port of Tartus, probably fearing attacks from the HTS, but also as a mechanism of deterrance. This is the only Russian naval base in the mediterranean sea, confering it very high strategical value. Today the air defenses next to that base shot down some drone attack.

# HTS media strategy

– The leader of HTS Abu Muhammad al-Julani made a public statement from outskirts of Aleppo calling locals not to leave their homes and the region, promissing protection from the Assad regime. Unlike other ilsamist leaders, al-Julani is playing a public and mediatic role, selling an image of moderate islam portraying HTS as liberators for the western public. Displaying such a public role while HTS is listed as a terrorist organization is a bold indicator of how much confidance they have, probably from pre-made agreements and promissed support of external forces.

# Rojava solidarity

– After a general call for mobilization, young revolutionaries all around Rojava had been recording and publishing statements showing their commitment to fight and defend their land, joining the ranks of SDF as popular militias of self defense. They call for a revolutionary people’s war against those who attack the revolution.

– Many different organizations and groups in several countries shared solidarity statements and organized demonstrations to support and defend Rojava in these difficult times. From here we also want to thank you all for those beautiful expressions of international solidarity!

Revolutionary greetings!