21.07.25 – 27.07.25

Suweida
The transitional government faces major obstacles in restoring stability in Suweida, even as the ceasefire holds. The deathtol of the massacres that occurred last week is estimated at more than 1,400 including civilians (number of civilian casualties still unknown). 176,000 persons have been displaced across As-Sweida, Dar’a, and Rural Damascus Governorates. The basic living conditions of the people of Suweida have fallen below critical levels. The Syrian red crescent, the UN and the DAANES have sent convoys to answer to the basic human needs of the inhabitants. On the 20th, as a result of the deep distrust from the Druze community towards the Syrian Transitional Government, some of the humanitarian convoy entering the city of Suweida have been blocked by the Druze Militias.
Several ISIS-linked social media accounts claimed that ISIS supporters participated to the massacres “discreetly and independently” alongside the Sunni Bedouin tribes. IS supporters have also called on Sunni Bedouin tribes to “form an alliance” with ISIS and reach out to ISIS fighters in the Syrian desert.

Report from the commission investigating alawite massacres
On July 22nd, the National Commission investigating the massacres on the alawite community of March 2025 released its final report. The spokesperson of the commission stated that the massacres were not centrally organized or sectarian, but that the lack of control over armed groups in the Ministry of Defense contributed to the abuses. He added that the massacres were motivated by revenge against supporters of the Assad regime. In the report,the commission referred 298 individuals to the Syrian judiciary for their attacks on Alawites in March.
Killings targeting an Alawite for perceived affiliation with the Assad regime are by definition sectarian because such killings are punishing an individual for the acts of other members of their sect.
As a reminder, between the 6th and 17th of March 2025, more than 200,000 militia men connected to HTS entered Latakia, Tartus and Hama. For 11 days, they committed massacres, killing 1557 alawite civilians.
Alawite leaders rejected the report and called for the formation of independent international investigation committees. Talking about the report, one of them stated: “It was created by the very perpetrators of the crimes, to serve as a veil hiding their disgrace.”

Syrian transitional government – Israel
US, Israeli, and Syrian officials held a meeting in Paris on July 24th to discuss de-escalating tensions between the Syrian transitional government and Israel in southern Syria. The meeting was facilitated by the French foreign minister. After the meeting, the three parties issued a statement emphasizing several points of cooperation and support. Struggle against terrorism in Syria, facilitation of dialogue with SDF and support to the Syrian government in the political transition process were the main topics of agreements.
On the 21st, speaking to reporters, Erdogan stated that “Israel sees unified Syria against its interests” and added that Turkey will not abandon al-Sharaa and stands by him.
Israel and the Syrian Transitional Government remain opposed on the topic of the Syrian part of the golan heights occupied by IDF. The zionist state also unilaterally declared a demilitarized zone in southern Syria that “prohibits the introduction of forces and weapons”. The Syrian government rejected Israel’s declaration of a demilitarized zone and has consistently called for Israeli forces to withdraw from Syrian territory.

Syrian transitional government – SDF
On July 23rd, the SDF spokesman stated in Syrian media that the SDF refuses to disarm: he made reference to the recent Suweida massacres affirming that the Syrian Democratic Forces fear attacks from forces affiliated with the government. He emphasized that the SDF must be integrated in the Syrian army as a military bloc, rather than as individuals. This statement comes as a response to the repeated request from the Syrian Transitional Government for SDF to disarm, dissolve and integrate the Ministry of Defense. This request of dissolving is a double standard that the Syrian Transitional government wants to impose on SDF: certain Syrian armed groups, like some elements of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and Druze forces have been integrated as a bloc in the Syrian army.
A Syrian government official condemned the SDF’s statement describing it as using the violence in Suweida Province as a justification to refuse to integrate into the Syrian state.

Syrian transitional government – Turkey
The Syrian transitional government officially requested the Turkish government’s support to strengthen its defense capabilities and combat terrorist groups such as ISIS. The Turkish Ministry of Defense said that it will continue to provide Syrian forces with training, consultation, and technical support in line with the request.
It is essential for Turkey to support militarily the Syrian Transitional Government: in its struggle against the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Turkey wants to demonstrate to the US that the fight against ISIS can be carried out without SDF. It challenges the US narrative defending the necessity of the support to SDF in the struggle against ISIS and shows Turkey as a major actor of the region able to deal with jihadism, a major problem for various western countries.

US – SDF relation
On the 19th of July, Mazlum Abdi and the US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack met. The meeting was related to the topic of the SDF integration in the Syrian army, following the 10th March agreements. It was reported that the meeting was markedly better, Thomas Barrack having a more conciliatory and cooperative approach. The US envoy itself stated after the meeting that there could be a breakthrough in negotiations between the SDF and the Syrian transitional government “in the coming weeks”. It is likely that the massacres committed last week against the Druze community impacted the US position on the topic of SDF integration.

14.07.25 – 20.07.25

Suwayda
On the 13th, clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias erupted in the region of Suwayda. It seems that the fighting started because some Bedouin militias beat and robbed a Suwaydawi Druze man two days before. In the goal of putting an end to the clashes, the Syrian Ministry of Defense deployed its forces in the region, reaching Suwayda city on the 14th. The government forces clashed with the Druze fighters and engaged in abuses like execution of Druze civilians and pillage. IDF conducted several airstrikes targeting Ministry of Defense tanks and vehicles, stating that the strikes aimed to protect the Druze minority in Syria and “eliminate the regime’s gangs”.
The United States demanded that Israel cease all airstrikes in southern Syria. On the 15th, the Syrian Defense Minister announced a ceasefire between the Syrian transitional government and local Suwaydawi leadership. A Druze militia not aligned on the Suwaydawi leadership broke the ceasefire when the transitional government forces entered Suwayda city. The leader of this militia, the Sheikh Hikmat al Hijri, stated that the Druze face a “war of extermination” and that they must confront the “barbaric campaign with all available means”. The Seikh, strong opponent to the transitional gorvernment, also called for international intervention in Suwayda. Ignoring the request of the US, Israel continued its airstrikes, hitting ministry of defense personnel, tanks, vehicles, and military bases as well as targeting the Syrian Presidential Palace and the ministry of defense headquarters in Damascus. In the face of the IDF bombing, the government forces left from Suwayda. This retreat resulted in a security vacuum: Druze militias and Bedouin tribes continued fighting, with both groups carrying out violence like murder, torture and kidnapping on civilians. In answer to the violence, Bedouin clans from Deir ez Zor, Idlib, and Daraa provinces deployed to Suwayda, seizing several towns in the Suwayda region. In a public speech, Al Sharaa stated that his “efforts to restore stability and expel outlawed factions succeeded, despite Israeli interventions”, framing the IDF operation as a way to oppose Syria’s unity.
On the 18th, Syria and Israel agreed on a ceasefire: despite previous demands for the demilitarization of the south of Syria, Israel allowed Ministry of Defense fighters to enter Suwayda province. The agreements will be implemented in three phases: In the first phase, the government forces will ensure the end of the fighting between the Druze militias and the Bedouin tribes. In the second phase, humanitarian help will be delivered to the civilians of Suwayda and infrastructure will be rebuilt. In the third phase, the Syrian government will activate state institutions, gradually redeploy government forces to Suwayda Province, and integrate Suwaydawi institutions into the Syrian state. Bedouin tribes and Druze leaders, including Sheikh Hikmat al Hijri, agreed with the ceasefire. As an implementation of the first phase, the government forces entered the region and Suwayda city where fighting is still ongoing.
In a speech given on the 19th, Al Sharaa reiterated the transitional government’s commitment to protect minorities and hold all perpetrators of violence accountable. The Syrian Transitional Government’s ability and willingness to hold its forces accountable for the crimes they committed during the conflict is questionable: still today and despite reports from humanitarian groups identifying perpetrators, the Syrian Transitional Government has not publicly held Syrian soldiers accountable for the massacres of Alawites on the Syrian coast in March. Lack of accountability will result in distrust from the Druze community of Suwayda towards the Syrian Transitional government. It is also likely that this episode will impact the already complicated relations between other minorities of Syria and the Al Sharaa government.

Attack against Asayish in the city of Hasake
On Sunday, 5 members of Asayish were killed in Shaddadi, southern countryside of Hasake. The actions have been claimed by ISIS, who continues its activities in different parts of Syria including Deir-Ez-Zor, Hasake and the Syrian desert. In a statement,the security forces said that “such attacks directed against the security of our society and aimed at destabilizing it will not shake our determination to fulfill our duty” and emphasized their “loyalty to the gains of our revolution and the values for which our people have sacrificed their lives”.

Controversy over presidential decrees in Syria’s transitional phase
Two recent decrees issued by Al Sharaa raised questions. One establishes a “Sovereign Fund” as an independent institution exclusively linked to the presidency. Journalists expressed concerns regarding the lack of accountability and transparency in this fund, suggesting a trend toward consolidating power within the presidency. The second decree is the amendment of a law which placed legislation and legal amendments under the exclusive authority of the People’s Assembly (not the transitional president). Legal experts expressed that, by questioning this law, the decree violates the constitutional declaration, which assigns legislative authority to the People’s Assembly.
Concerns were raised regarding the lack of democratic process: until a new People’s Assembly is elected, citizens have no legal means to challenge these decrees. Human rights activists, lawyers and journalists emphasized the need for accountability and adherence to constitutional processes in Syria’s transitional governance.

07.07.25 – 13.06.25

Meeting in Damascus between DAANES and Syrian transitional government
On the 9th of July, a delegation of the DAANES went to Damascus to meet with representatives of the Syrian transitional government. France and US mediated the meeting. It was focused on the implementation of the 10th of March agreements signed by Mazlum Abdi and Ahmed Al-Sharaa. A joint statement issued by the Syrian government and the DAANES delegation highlighted some points of agreement. Among them, the creation of expert subcommittees to monitor the implementation of the 10th of March agreements, efforts regarding the return of displaced people to their regions and the reopening of discussions related to Sheikh Maqsud and Eşrefiye. It was agreed that another meeting would be held soon.
On the 13th, a senior official of the DAANES praised the work of France and the United States in facilitating dialogue between the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian transitional government.

APO statetment, outcomes and reactions
On the 9th of July, a video of Abdullah Ocalan was published. In this video, the Kurdish leader brings different points regarding the Kurdish Liberation struggle, especially related to the PKK and its recent dissolution. He descibes this process as a historic and positive step, enphasizing the necessity of putting an end to the 48 years armed struggle carried out by the revolutionary party. With its call for “Peace and Democratic Society”, the statement marks a significant shift from armed struggle to democratic engagement in addressing Kurdish issues.
Following the statement, a disarmement ceremony happened in a district of Suleymaniyah. 30 guerilla fighters led by Besê Hozat, co-chair of the KCK Executive Council, burned their weapons. Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials observed the ceremony.
On Friday, Erdogan held an AKP meeting in which he framed the disarmement process of PKK as a victory of the Turkish state over terrorism. He stated that the Turkish Grand National Assembly will establish a commission and begin discussing the legal reforms required.
While Turkish officials signaled that they believe that Ocalan’s call will pressure the SDF to disarm and integrate into the Syrian government, the impact of the potential disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers Party on the NES revolution remains unclear.

SDF denies presence in coastal Syria
In an official statement, the SDF said that unidentified vehicles bearing the flags of the Syrian Democratic Forces have been seen in several coastal villages, falsely claiming affiliation with Syrian Democratic Forces. The statement denied having any activity in the coastal region.
Manipulations and propaganda against SDF and the structures of NES are common tools used by its enemies. They aim to create distrust in the people and build legitimacy on politics directed against the NES revolution.

Wildfires in Syria’s Latakia
Last week, wildfires destroyed over 15,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land in the region of Latakia. Until today, the wildfires are not fully contained. Firefighting operations are being severely obstructed by several factors, including strong winds, landmines, and remnants of past conflicts that pose significant risks to response teams. Turkey, the DAANES, Qatar and Jordan offered their support, providing aircrafts, helicopters and firefighting teams.

Commune and council system in Rojava being renewed
On June 28, the Peoples’ Assembly of Northern and Eastern Syria agreed on a reorganization of the commune system applied nowadays in Rojava. The decree published stated that their was a need of extensive efforts to implement the social system. If for now the long term outcomes of the re-evaluation are unclear, small steps have already been made: Thursdays were designated as environmental cleaning days and Saturdays as days for participation in commune activities!

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.