30.06.25 – 06.07.25

Syria’s people’s assembly
On the 13th of June, Ahmed Al-Sharaa established the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections. The goal of this committee is to develop the process of forming Syria’s Assembly. It will be responsible for creating legislation and supervising the executive bodies. The Supreme committee is composed of 11 members, all appointed by Al-Sharaa. It held “consultation sessions” in different place in Syria but did not yet visit provinces with a Druze or Kurdish majority. The assembly will be constituted of 150 representatives. Al-Sharaa will elect a third of them. The rest will be selected among subcommittee members, who are appointed by the members of the supreme committee.
In Aleppo, criticisms and concerns have been expressed regarding the representation of women in the people’s assembly, the vagueness of the People’s Assembly’s powers and the subcommittee members’ ability to nominate themselves for the assembly. It is still unclear how the Druze community will react to this “people’s assembly”. The SDC published a statement objecting against a centralized government advocating for a federal system in Syria.

Iran-backed militias in Syria
The fall of the Assad regime severely damaged the influence of the Islamic republic on Syria.
Iranian-backed militias in Syria did not make any actions during the 12 day war between Iran and Israel. Smaller groups are still operating in Syria, but their force remains limited and they, until now, failed to oppose the new government. Moreover, those groups are constantly targeted by GSS operations on the Iran-Iraq border.
It is likely that the necessity for the Iranian government to stabilize its position within its own country will reduce the ability for the Islamic republic to invest resources in its proxy forces.

Trump lifts most sanctions on Syria
On Monday, Donald Trump announced that the US lifts most sanctions previously imposed on Syria. In the executive order, the US president also directed the US State Department to review HTS’ status on the foreign terrorist organizations list.
This removal of the sanctions will permit Syria to improve its economy, however, it is not expected to significantly improve the political or security situation.

Alawite women and girls targeted in Syria: Thirty-Three abductions
After the fall of the Assad regime, the Alawite community has been going through different forms of persecutions. In march, thousands of civilians that were massacred in Latakia, Tartus, Homs and Hama. Today, in the same region, abductions targeting Alawite women and girls are happening in broad daylight. 33 Cases have been documented until now. The kidnappers act openly under the eyes of all, abduct women of the age of 17 to 35 years old and request a ransom from their families.
The families of the abducted girls and women face the denial of the Tartus governorate: their media officer recently claimed that the disappearances were due to “family disputes” or “personal reasons”. In March, a committee has been created to investigate the targeted violence on Alawite communities. The committee did not make any statement regarding the abductions.

23.06.25 – 29.06.25

Church bombing in Damascus
Contrary to the declaration of the transitional government of Syria, The Mar Elias Church bombing was claimed by a group Saraya Ansar Al-Sunnah. This islamist organization is composed of ex-members of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham who left the group, after perceiving it to be lenient towards Shia Muslims and Alawites. In previous Telegram communiques, the group claimed attacks in Homs, the Syrian coast, the rural Hama and recently threatened the Druze-majority region of Suwayda as well as religious minorities like Alawites or Shia communities.
The international community reacted to this attack making multiple declarations and expressing condolences. In his declaration, the UN Special Envoy for Syria emphasized the need for rejecting terrorism, and urged for an investigation and concrete steps to prevent such violence.
The Armenian community of Heseke, the Syrian Democratic Council and the SDF issued statements condemning the terrorist attack. SDF also called for a transparent investigation aiming to clarify the origins of the two bombers and refuted the unfounded accusation of the Damascus Government’s Interior Ministry stating that both of the islamist militants escaped from Al-Hol.

Iran-Israel war
In answer to the US strike on the three Iranian nuclear facilities, the IRGC launched an air attack on the Al-Udeid US Air Base in Qatar. The missiles were intercepted, no casualties was reported.
On Wednesday, Trump stated that the US bunker-busting strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities “ended the war”. He added that Washington expects Iran to give up on any ambitions regarding nuclear armament. It is very likely that the Iranian government will reject the request.
Iran’s enrichment capabilities are severely impacted; but, the enriched uranium stockpile remains a long term threat. After the Israeli – US campaign targeting Iran nuclear facilities and nuclear scientists, it remains unclear if Iran still has the structures and the necessary personnel to keep on with its project of nuclear armament.
An Israeli official stated that Israel is ready to resume operations against Iran if necessary.

Israel – Syria relation normalization
Syrian and Israeli officials are engaging in direct talks. Meetings of both representatives also happened. The Israeli National Security Council chief stated that one of the common interest on the agenda of the two countries is connected to Iranian influence on Syria and its presence in the country. He added that if the normalization of the relations between Syria and Israel kept moving forward, the Jewish state might consider to withdraw IDF from the Golan heights.
On Friday and Saturday, IDF carried out small limited incursions in villages close to the Israeli-Syrian borders. They searched the villages and pulled back 2 hours later. Those incursions are the most significant military operations of IDF on Syrian territory in the last months.

U.S. envoy reaffirms support for Syrian government
On Thursday, the US Special Envoy to Syria reaffirmed the commitment of the US to “protect Syria from Iranian-backed groups”. He added, “our priority in Syria is prosperity and security, and we do not interfere with the form of governance.”

Assassination attempt on Al-Sharaa
The media reported that the Syrian army, in cooperation with the Turkish intelligence, thwarted an assassination attempt on Al-Sharaa. Allegedly, the attack would have been prevented by the arrest of a member of an ISIS cell of Daraa, one day before the visit of the Syrian president in the city in March. A source from the Syrian Ministry of Information denied the report.
The US Special Envoy to Syria expressed concerns regarding the recurrent attempts of assassination on Al-Sharaa. He added that the threat is not limited to ISIS and jihadist factions but may also come from groups that once supported Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and are not satisfied by the politics lead by the ex-HTS leader since he came to power.

16.06.25 – 22.06.25

US strike in Iran
On the 22nd, Donald Trump announced US strikes to put an end to Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities. Those strikes reportedly destroyed the three main Iranian nuclear facilities. Israeli officials confirmed the statement but added that one of the site was not destroyed. No radiation was detected from the sites of the strikes after the attack. As an answer, the Iranian parliament decided to close the strait of Hormuz, an essential corridor for the oil of the Gulf. This decision has not been carried out till now. Closing the strait would have a major impact on the world’s economy. Experts are suggesting that Iran will likely retaliate using its proxy militias in Iraq and Yemen.
Israel has continued to strike Iranian internal security and social control institutions, which could possibly destabilize the regime over time. Iran retaliates with ballistic missiles and drones. The current death toll is 639 in Iran and 24 in Israel.

International actors insist on Syrian transitional government to fulfill its commitments
France and US representatives at the United Nations urged the Syrian transitional Government to fulfill its commitment. The French permanent representative insisted on the guarantee of equal rights for all Syrian communities and highlighted the rights of the Kurdish population.
During the meeting of the Security Council, the US ambassador emphasized the necessity for the Transitional government of Syria to “present its plan and intentions with regard to the foreign fighters on Syrian soil”. She also insisted on the need for a non-aggression pact between Syria and Israel, stressing the demand to remove the “terrorist Palestinian groups” from Syria.
In the last months, the Syrian government put an increased pressure on the Islamic Jihad, restricting the activities of the group. As a result, some members crossed to Lebanon and Turkey.

Suicide bombing in Christian church in Damascus
On Sunday, an attacker entered the Mar Elias church of the Dweila neighbouhood of Damascus, opened fire and detonated his suicide vest. The reports on details of the attacks vary. Some report two men attacking. The explosion killed 20 people and injured dozens. Syria’s Interior ministry said the suicide bomber was a member of the Islamic State. It is the first suicide bombing inside Damascus since the end of Assad’s regime.

Inhabitants of refugee camps return home
With the fall of the Assad regime, a growing number of refugees are returning to their home. The number of IDPs living in the Waşokani camp is going down and last week, 178 families voluntarily left Al-Hol camp and set out for Aleppo. The return process happened in coordination between the DAANES, the Al-Hol camp and UNHCR. These departures is a result of the decision by the autonomous administration regarding the request of Syrian IDPs to return to their homes.

09.06.25 – 15.06.25

Iran-Israel war
Last Thursday, June 12th, Israel started a bombing campaign on Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, anti-air defenses and top military leaders. The Syrian transitional goverment has no intention of getting involved in the conflict. In response to the Israel attacks, Iran launched ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones that fly over Syrian air space, most of them have been intercepted by Israeli air defense with US support. Transitional goverment sources stated they are not opposed to intercepting Iranian missiles and drones in Syrian air space. Some intercepted drones fell on Syrian soil, one of them allegedly causing a fire at a UN de-escalation point in the territory recently occupied by Israel in Syria, near the Golan hights.

Since then, the conflict has continued with exchanges of long range attacks between Iran and Israel, threatening to spiral into a regional war with very serious consequences for the middle east and the whole world. At the moment, we are following the events closely. Iranian top military leadership was eliminated in those initial attacks, and they are being replaced in haste. Many anti-air defenses of Iran have been neutralized, nuclear facilities destroyed and leading nuclear scientists assassinated.

Israeli operations in Syria
Israeli forces shot and killed a young Syrian man, Muhamad Hamada, and arrested 7 others in the town of Beit Jann, on the outskirts of Damascus. This occurred in the latest raids by Israeli forces, who are continuing operations and expanding the territory they occupy in Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime.

Clashes between SDF and new Syrian army
SDF and the Syrian army’s 66th Division clashed in several areas south-east of Raqqa province on June 9. Syrian media reported that the SDF and 66th Division engaged each other near Madan, Abu Hamad, and al Maghla Bridge in the eastern Raqqa countryside. The new Syrian army sent military reinforcements to its positions in Madan following the fighting, and deems that after those clashes no further escalation took place. There were no reports of casualties.

ISIS reactivation of international networks
ISIS has begun reactivating its sleeper cells in both Syria and Iraq amid growing concerns that foreign fighters are once again traveling to the region to join the group. Intelligence agencies have reportedly tracked a limited number of suspected salafist foreign fighters arriving from Europe to Syria in recent months. However, it remains unclear whether they were recruited directly by ISIS or by other actors.
SDF continue carring out operations against ISIS, with significant arrests of sleeper cells and logistics networks in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor.

02.06.25 – 08.06.25

New Syrian Army: former regime soldiers and more jihadists
The Ministry of Defence of the new Syrian government has stated that former soldiers of the regime may be accepted into the army. Murhaf Abu Qasra also said that these should be soldiers who ‘have not stained their hands with blood.’
There is unconfirmed information that the Syrian army has refused to accept internationalist fighters from SNA linked to Turkey. However, the United States has given the green light to bring foreign jihadist ex-rebels into the army.
China has commented on this: ‘We are concerned by reports that foreign terrorist fighters in Syria have recently joined Syrian government forces. And we call on Syria’s interim officials to fulfil their anti-terrorism duties. They must take all necessary measures to control all terrorist organisations and individuals designated by the Security Council, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Syria.’ China’s main concern is the Uyghurs who have joined jihadist groups and are radically opposed to China.

Operations against drug trafficking at the Syrian border:
In the times of the Assad regime, the town of Abu Kamal located at the Syrian-Iraqi border in Deir-Ez-Zor was a smuggling hub under Iranian influence. It was used to smuggle drugs, weapons and to cross Iranian-backed militia fighters in and out from Syria. This traffic was promoted by the Assad regime.
The General Security forces are running operations aiming to assert control over the border and to put an end to the traffic. The fall of the previous regime comes with a decrease of Iranian influence in Syria, as well as elsewhere in the region, with the military defeat of several Iranian proxies including Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Refugees coming back to Syria:
As border crossings reopen, over 25,000 Syrian refugees returned in one week. With the fall of the Assad regime, more and more refugees are coming back to their homes, with already 400.000 crossing the borders from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. This massive influx of refugees will bring more challenges to the humanitarian crisis of Syria with 90% of Syrians leaving below the poverty line.

Turkey says no immediate plans to withdraw troops from Syria:
Turkey has no plans to withdraw its soldiers from Syria. The Turkish Minister of Defence stated ‘We have begun to provide military training and advisory services, while taking measures to strengthen Syria’s defence capabilities.’ All this is justified by the preservation of its territorial integrity and unity, as well as the elimination of terrorism.

U.S. troop withdrawal continues amid ongoing operations against ISIS:
On June 4th, US officials declared that 500 troops were withdrawn from Syria, and three US bases were shut down or handed over to SDF. In a declaration on Monday, the US special envoy in Syria emphasized the need for a change in the U.S. partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The next day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced its participation in six joint anti-ISIS operations in Iraq and Syria. The CENTCOM commander underlined that “operations like these underscore the commitment of USCENTCOM, along with our allies and partners, to the enduring defeat of ISIS in the region”.

Israel launches airstrikes on south Syria in response to rocket fire:
On June 4th, Israeli jets struck a weapons depot belonging to the Syrian army. The IDF stated that the bombing was a response to two rockets launched toward areas under Israeli control in the Golan Heights. In a communique, Israeli forces said that the Syrian regime is responsible for all activities emanating from its territory and that it would be held accountable for the escalation.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any responsiblity of the Syrian army for the attack and suggested that the rockets fired could be the result of external actors trying to destablize the region. It condemned the Israeli airstrikes, calling on the international community to take measures to stop Israeli agression.

Last issue of Serxwebûn
The last issue of Serxwebûn magazine has been published. The magazine has been in circulation since 1979 and has become an integral part of the history of the PKK struggle. The latest issue discusses the political and ideological reasons for the party’s dissolution and what this means.

26.05.25 – 01.06.25

ISIS increasing influence and attacks
ISIS activities continued growing this week, with new attacks against SDF and Security forces of the transitional goverment. Car bombs and other sofisticated attacks prove that ISIS is increasing their capacities, making use of weapons seized after the collapse of Assad regime. Their newly expanded range of attacks also proves growth of their support networks. SDF and Security services of the transitional goverment continued to launch aids to counter their influence.

DAANES delegation in Damascus
During diplomatic meeting several issues were discussed, leading to following conclusions: establishing committees to monitor implementation of March 10th aagreement, working to resolve issues surrounding exams and student rights, resolving difficulties of IDPs returning to their villages and cities, and overcoming problems around implementation of agreements on Ashrafiye and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods of Aleppo, including disrupted prisoner exchange.

Damascus refusal to release captured women fighters disrupts prisoner exchange
A second planned SDF-Damascus prisoner exchange in Aleppo has been postponed on May 28th. YPJ made a statement explaining that the Syrian transitional government refused to release women prisoners. DAANES officials stated their intentions to continue negotiating to make the prisoner exchange. On June 2nd a statement was released on media that the issue was resolved and the prisoner exchange will resume.

Syrian IDP Camps and ISIS
Following an agreement between the Syrian transitional government and DAANES to transfer internally displaced persons (IDPs) from al-Hol camp hosting ISIS families, several families were allowed to return to their homes in different parts of Syria. It is not clear how the security forces of the transitional goverment will deal with those families, and it may create an opportunity for ISIS to recruit new fighters and reengage supporters. Authorities of al-Hol camp denied any agreements to transfer the administration of the camp to the transitional government.

Lifting Syria Sanctions
The US Treasury lifted most sanctions on Syria, the EU separately adopted a resolution to lift economic sanctions on Syria but imposed sanctions on Turkish-backed Syrian army commanders and armed factions that committed human rights abuses. The EU Council sanctioned 62nd Division Commander Mohammad al Jassem (Abu Amsha) and 76th Division Commander Saif al Din Boulad (Sayf Abu Bakr) for commanding forces that conducted arbitrary killings, torture, and other targeted violence against civilians, particularly Alawites, in early March 2025. Al-Sharaa has allowed men, such as Abu Amsha, Sayf Abu Bakr, and others, to continue to operate with relative impunity in Syria and has even promoted several of these men to high-ranking positions within the new Syrian army.

Continuous armed attacks in Suweida
An ambulance of As-Suweida National Hospital was targeted on May 26th in an IED explosion that injured 6 people. This is not the first armed attack on medical personnel in the region. The same day people including healthcare workers organized a protest in front of As-Suweida National Hospital, denouncing an earlier incident where armed men entered the hospital and assaulted medical staff.