A Turkish Invasion into Syria Would Open the Door for an ISIS Resurgence
They say that all that is required for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. Will the world act to prevent another unprovoked military invasion of US allied territory in Syria? Turkey is threatening a large-scale armed invasion into North and East Syria, a region I callContinue Reading
Elham Ahmed Speaks on Turkish Threats to Newlines Institute Panel
President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council Elham Ahmad was hosted by the Newlines Institute For Strategy and Policy in a panel discussion on the current situation in Syria, especially the Turkish threats, economic crisis, and the fight against ISIS. Elham Ahmad said that Turkey is attemptingContinue Reading
SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi Hosts Press Conference on Turkish Invasion Threat
General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, held a press conference on July 15 to address the current military situation in the region. The issues of ISIS detainees, Turkey’s threats, and military coordination with the regime were all topics of discussion. Commander Mazloum stated that he is certainContinue Reading
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul Speaks On Fight Against ISIS, Turkish Threats, and Detention Facilities
The Middle East Institute hosted a panel on the issue of ISIS detainees, An Uncertain Future: Prospects for ISIS detainees in Syria and Iraq. The panel had speakers from both the Biden Administration and various NGOs and nonprofits that were involved in addressing the ISIS detainee issue, both fighters andContinue Reading
Autonomous Administration Marks Ten Years Since the Beginning of the Rojava Revolution
July 19 marked the ten year anniversary of the Rojava Revolution, when the forces that would eventually become the Autonomous Administration first evicted the regime from the town of Kobani, and shortly after the towns of Derik, Afrin, and others. The achievements of the July 19 Revolution, as well asContinue Reading
SDC US Mission Hosts Canadian Parliamentary Delegation in Washington
The US Mission of the Syrian Democratic Council met with a Canadian parliamentary delegation at the SDC’s Washington office. The delegation included Kelly McCauley, MP for West Edmonton, Tom Kmiec, MP for Calgary Shepard, and Jamie Schmale, MP for Haliburton Kawartha Lakes. The MPs and SDC members discussed a varietyContinue Reading
The Politicization of Syria’s Border Crossings Continues Unabated
With the entire world facing the increasingly perilous crisis of food insecurity and inflation, basic goods that people need to survive are increasing in price exponentially as a result of various factors, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has significantly disrupted the oil and wheat markets. For Syria,Continue Reading
France Repatriates ISIS-Affiliated Adults For First Time
For the first time, France has repatriated some of its ISIS-affiliated adults from Syria. On July 12, 2022, the French government repatriated 35 children and 16 women from camps run by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Prior to this, France had repatriated only 35 children over theContinue Reading
The ISIS Detainee Camp That Will Become a Security Disaster
ISIS is still international, and as such the ISIS issue remains international. So long as the al-Hawl detainee camp and other facilities housing ISIS detainees exist, ISIS will continue to exist. The United Nations Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis visited North and East Syria’s infamous al-Hawl Camp as partContinue Reading
Despite Increasing Adversity, North and East Syria Continues to Provide Services and Reconstruction
Following the defeat of ISIS, much of North and East Syria was left in ruins. The terrorist organization’s apocalyptic ideology led to its fighters often battling to the bitter end, leaving IEDs littered inside buildings they formerly occupied. In March 2019 when North and East Syria was fully liberated, theContinue Reading
Armenian Council of North and East Syria Holds Opening Course
To prepare for the Armenian language’s inclusion in the curriculum of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in the next school year, the Armenian Council of North and East Syria has held its first language training course for Armenian. The council is also planning lessons on theContinue Reading
Senior ISIS Leader Captured by US-led Coalition
On June 16 2022, troops of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, led by the United States, conducted an operation in the vicinity of Turkish-occupied Jarablus in northwest Syria, detaining a senior leader of ISIS. According to a statement released by the coalition, the ISIS leader was “assessed to beContinue Reading
Infighting Between Turkish-backed Groups Sharply Escalates in Afrin
Feuds that have been ongoing between Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army” militias escalated beyond sporadic clashes into open warfare between al-Jabha al-Shamiya and Ahrar al-Sham in the occupied Afrin region of northern Syria. Clashes reportedly began between the two groups in the city of al-Bab, following civilian protests against the allegedContinue Reading
The Syrian Refugee Crisis Must Be Solved by a Political Solution, Not Further Displacement
People must be allowed to return to their own homes, not homes owned by other Syrians who are themselves internally or externally displaced. Demographic change that amounts to ethnic cleansing will only exacerbate the sectarian nature of the conflict and lead to further issues.Continue Reading
Assyrian Christian Church Devastated By Turkish Shelling
Turkish forces targeted the Assyrian Christian village of Tel Tawil on May 29, near the settlement Tel Tamr, with artillery shelling. The Mar Sawa Church in the village was nearly destroyed by the shelling.Continue Reading
Syrians Have Lived With Food Insecurity for Years. Now It Has Become a Global Crisis.
Since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine in February, the headlines have been dominated by images of war-torn Ukrainian cities, burnt out tanks, and cruise missile strikes. A major European war for the first time since the Second World War has shocked the world. However, the effectsContinue Reading
Albania Repatriates 13 ISIS-affiliated Women and Children from NES
An Albanian delegation repatriated four ISIS-affiliated women and their nine children on May 27, bringing their overall number of repatriations to 38 since 2020.Continue Reading
Deadly Turkish Drone Strike Targets Qamishli Countryside
According to the Asayish Internal Security Forces, one person was killed and three others were wounded when a car was targeted near the village of Segirka.Continue Reading
US Lifts Sanctions on Key Areas of Syria, including North and East Syria
The general license allows US businesses to invest in agriculture, clean energy, power grid infrastructure, information and telecommunications, transportation and warehousing, construction, finance, water and waste management, manufacturing, trade, health, and education.Continue Reading
White House Issues Waiver to Allow US Defense Department to Increase Spending on ISIS Prisons
The White House statement grants authority to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to increase the amount of US government spending that is permitted for “the cost of construction and repair projects in support of the Counter-ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria.”Continue Reading
Turkey Will Attempt Further Invasion into Syria, Announces President Erdogan
Turkey has long sought what it deems a 30 kilometer deep “safe zone” or “security zone” in North and East Syria, which would essentially lead to the occupation of all of Syria’s Kurdish-majority regions. Continue Reading
North and East Syria Sees Massive Increase in ISIS Attacks
In just the ten days between April 20 and April 30, ISIS conducted at least 20 attacks. That is more than in the entire months of February 2022 and March 2022 combined.Continue Reading
April Sees a Major Increase in Turkish Attacks Against North and East Syria
Attacks conducted by Turkish and Turkish-backed militias increased in the month of April. These attacks resulted in the deaths of two civilians and a further 23 persons were injured. Five SDF personnel were killed as well.Continue Reading
Future Syria Party Elects New Leader
Al-Mehbash is co-chair of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), a position he has held since October 2018. He was elected to succeed al-Qaftan as president by members of the Future Syria Party.Continue Reading
Women’s Military Units Host Third Annual Conference
The conference was attended by 400 YPJ commanders and members, including SDF General Command members Newroz Ahmed and Sozdar Derik, as well as members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, the Kongra Star Women’s Organization, and other officials of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).Continue Reading
Syrian Regime Ends Siege of AANES-run Aleppo Districts
The Syrian regime has ended its siege of the AANES-governed Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo City, following a mutual agreement between the regime and Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).Continue Reading
After Hasakah, a Renewed Effort to Permanently Defeat ISIS Is Needed
ISIS will not be defeated by force of arms alone. While the efforts to dismantle ISIS cells must continue, the issues of accountability and economic crisis must be addressed as well.Continue Reading
The So-Called Liberated North Has Become a Safe Haven for Extremism and Terrorism
Since the beginning of the Syrian Revolutionary Movement, the Turkish occupation state has been keen to support Islamist groups in an effort to Islamicize Syrian society, under the command of the Muslim Brotherhood. Continue Reading
A Bold Act of Unity for Syrian Christians
As a persecuted religious and ethnic minority in Syria, they are now uniting around constitutional recognition of universal principles — ethnic and identity rights.Continue Reading
With the World’s Eyes on Ukraine, Turkey Steps up Drone Strikes Against North and East Syria
Since the start of April 2022, the Turkish military has again undertaken a near-daily drone strike campaign against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and its institutions, despite the existence of a ceasefire agreement that has been in place since 2019.Continue Reading
Second Syrian Consultative Forum Held in Stockholm
The aim of the meeting is to chart a common path forward among factions of the Syrian opposition who support democratic principles.Continue Reading
Assad Army Besieges Kurdish-Majority Neighborhoods in Aleppo
The fate of 200,000 Syrians remains in peril as Assad’s forces cut off food shipments, causing mass starvation in two neighborhoods under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).Continue Reading
Syria’s Constitutional Committee Talks Fail to Make Progress Again
The committee excludes the Syrian Democratic Council and Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, despite the AANES governing significantly more territory and people than the Turkish-backed opposition that is represented at in the current negotiations. Continue Reading
SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi Receives CENTCOM Middle East Commander
General Michael Corella of CENTCOM emphasized the commitment of the United States to the anti-ISIS mission in North and East Syria, as well as the support provided by the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS to the SDF. Continue Reading
Newroz Celebrated Across North and East Syria, from Kobani to Deir-ez-Zor
The Newroz holiday, which was celebrated by Kurds almost exclusively in secret during the Assad Regime’s rule, has become a prominent symbol of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and its embrace of the region’s diversity.Continue Reading
AANES and International Coalition Mark Fourth Anniversary of Defeat of ISIS
Representatives of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS joined the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in celebrating the occasion in Deir-ez-Zor.Continue Reading
The Occupation of Afrin Enters its Fifth Year
On the fourth anniversary of the occupation of the region of Afrin, including its city, by Turkey and extremist militia groups that it supports, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has criticized the international community for its inaction and apathy.Continue Reading
US Office of the SDC Hosts Event to Mark the Eleventh Anniversary of the Syrian Uprising
The United States office of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) hosted an event marking the eleventh anniversary of the Syrian uprising, when the Syrian people first demonstrated against the Assad Regime, demanding basic human and democratic rights.Continue Reading
New ISIS Terrorist Attacks in Syria Signal a Problem That Never Went Away
Let us hope that ISIS members do not succeed in a large-scale prison break, which could lead to more atrocities in the Middle East, the West, Europe – or even the United States.Continue Reading
ISIS Launches All-Out Assault on Hasakah Prison
The attack began on January 20, 2022, when dozens of ISIS fighters used car bombs to launch an attack on the al Sina’a Prison, where thousands of ISIS members are held. The attack managed to breach the prison and allowed fighters to escape into surrounding neighborhoods and buildings, as well as take prison staff hostage.Continue Reading
NES News Roundup
A vehicle that was carrying fighters from the Tel Tamr Military Council to battle ISIS in Hasakah was struck by a Turkish drone strike, reportedly wounding the fighters inside the vehicle… there have been constant Turkish-backed attacks on the Ayn Issa region, leading to several SDF fighters being killed while repelling these attacks. Continue Reading
Afrin, Syria, Suffering After Four Years of Turkish Occupation
If Turkey left Afrin, it would be back in the good democratic hands of North and East Syria, and the region could again be home to an inspiring flourishing of a new type of democratic culture in the Middle East.Continue Reading
In Photos: Four Years of Turkish Occupation of Afrin
Why aren’t there more news media reports about the situation in Afrin? Turkey does not allow reporters into the Afrin region, unless they are strictly managed and do not stray from their official Turkish handlers.Continue Reading
As North and East Syria’s Economic Woes Worsen, Border Crossings Remain Closed
North and East Syria, where an estimated 5 million people live, and where 1.8 million people rely on humanitarian aid to survive, has steadily been cut off from the rest of the world during the past two years as its border crossings have become increasingly politicized.Continue Reading
Al-Hawl Camp Attack Serves as a Stark Reminder of the Enduring Threat of ISIS
The murder of Bassam Mohammed, a Kurdish Red Crescent medical worker in January, 2022 is a shocking indication of the enduring security threat the camp poses. Over 90 people were killed in the camp in 2021, making it the deadliest year at the camp so far. Continue Reading
NES News Roundup
The Council stated that the issue of Afrin is an issue for all Syrian people, as it is a case of a foreign and hostile state illegally occupying Syrian territory and changing its demographics. They further emphasized their disappointment with the international community, stating that their silence has given Turkey a green light to continue occupying parts of Syria and to expand their attacks.Continue Reading
US Congress Passes Defense Spending Bill, Continues Support for Syrian Democratic Forces
The bill authorizes $177 million in Train and Equip funding for counter-ISIS operations during the 2022 fiscal year. These funds will support the SDF’s continuous work to disrupt the activities of ISIS and protect the world from Islamic extremist terrorism.Continue Reading
US and SDF Military Forces Hold Joint Exercises in Deir ez-Zor
While the SDF and US have held joint exercises before, in particular in the Deir-ez-Zor region, these recent exercises were notable for their use of advanced equipment.Continue Reading
US Relaxes Syria Sanctions for Food Needs, Humanitarian Aid, Infrastructure Rebuilding, Other Purposes
Under the new amendment, nonprofit organizations can transact with entities in Syria to offer humanitarian aid, invest in non-commercial development projects, and generally conduct food/medical/education aid and assistance, as well as other activities.Continue Reading
Free Burma Rangers Continue their Support for North and East Syria’s Christians
Free Burma Rangers, a US nonprofit organization, has rebuilt an Armenian Apostolic church that was destroyed by ISIS in Raqqa, the former capital of the so-called “ISIS caliphate.”Continue Reading