Syrian War News Updates -- September 26, 2017

Smoke rises after an air strike during fighting between members of the Syrian Democratic Forces and Islamic State militants in Raqqa. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Al Jazeera: Mapping out Syria's remaining battles

Battles intensify as fighting in Syria now focused on three key areas.

As the conflict in Syria enters its seventh year, the civil war has left many parts of the country in ruins, killing more than 465,000 people, and displacing some 12 million Syrians from their homes.

Amid a wave of protests across the region known as the Arab Spring, longtime rulers in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya were successfully toppled in 2011. But in Syria, peaceful demonstrations quickly turned into a full-fledged war between government forces and opposition armed groups that sought to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Years later, and following several rounds of internationally brokered peace talks, the war in Syria is still ongoing, with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group fiercely fighting for its last stronghold in Syria.

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Syrian War News Updates -- September 26, 2017

Russia Gears Up for Big Syria Offensive -- Bloomberg
Russian military defies constant shelling to build bridge across Euphrates in Syria (VIDEO) -- RT
Russia builds bridge to move troops across Syria's Euphrates river: TV -- Reuters
Elite Syrian forces build-up in Hama, Aleppo for push to lift siege on Shi'ite villages in Idlib -- AMN Al-Masdar News
Russian bombers wipe out terrorist targets in Syria with cruise missiles -- TASS
Russian MoD releases Idlib airstrikes footage, denies targeting populated areas (VIDEO) -- RT
Syria war: Russian air strikes in Idlib leave 37 civilians dead, observatory says -- ABC News Online
Russia denies it killed civilians in air strikes on Syria's Idlib -- Gulf Times
Dozens of ISIS British fighters on the loose in Syria as Islamic State crumbles -- The Telegraph
Iran's Guards Use Aerial Guided-Missile Attacks to Back Regime Troops in Syria -- Asharq Al-awsat
US-backed forces say Russia attacked them in eastern Syria -- ABC News/AP
U.S.-backed alliance says Russian jets struck its fighters in east Syria -- Reuters
US-led strikes killed 84 civilians in Syria - HRW -- BBC
Russia, U.S. Allies Exchange Blame Over Deaths In Syria -- RFE
US Denies Role in Russian General's Death in Syria -- The Moscow Times
Damascus says Syrian Kurdish autonomy negotiable: report -- Reuters
The New Borders of Syria are Being Drawn Right Now in Deir Ezzour -- Al-Bawaba

Syrian War News Updates -- August 21, 2017

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Long War Journal: Analysis: The Syrian regime’s offensive towards Deir Ezzor

The Syrian regime is conducting a multi-axis offensive against the Islamic State’s stronghold in the Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. Russian support, including the negotiation of safe zones and air support, has been essential to the ongoing offensive. The Assad government, along with Iranian-backed fighters and its Russian allies, are advancing from both the west and the north, as depicted in the map above.

A victory in Deir Ezzor would be a landmark event for the regime, as its forces have been besieged by the Islamic State’s jihadists at the Deir Ezzor Airbase and the 137th Mechanized Army Base since July 2014. In January, the self-declared caliphate launched its own offensive in the city of Deir Ezzor, effectively cutting the Assad regime’s positions in two.

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Syrian War News Updates -- August 21, 2017

Syria war: Russian jets 'destroy IS convoy near Deir al-Zour' -- BBC
Russian air force destroys 200+ ISIS terrorists heading for Deir ez-Zor, Syria – MoD -- RT
Russian jets 'destroy ISIL column' in Syria -- Euronews
Russian air strike kills 200 Daesh militants in Deir Ez-Zor -- Middle East Monitor
Russian air strikes kill more than 200 Isis militants in Syria, claims Moscow -- International Business Times
ISIS terrorists pulling strongest units to Deir ez-Zor for last stand – Russian MoD -- RT
US-led strikes killed 27 civilians Sunday in Syria's Raqa: monitor -- AFP
Over 30 Daesh Militants Killed in Clashes With SDF in Raqqa - Reports -- Sputnik
Raqqa Families Make Daring Escapes From Islamic State Stronghold -- US News and World Report
Central Syria Almost Liberated From Terrorists - Russian General Staff -- Sputnik International
Syria's al-Assad praises Russia, Iran for help; rocket kills 5 at fair -- UPI
Syria: Bashar al-Assad rejects security cooperation with west -- The Guardian/AP
Turkey, Iran step up coordination in Syria -- Al-Monitor
In Blow to Iran, Egypt Becomes Surprise New Player in Syria -- Haaretz
Pentagon distances itself from allies of the U.S. partner force battling ISIS -- Military Times

Syrian War News Updates -- July 24, 2017

Ahrar Al Sham fighters are seen taking positions in Jabal Al Arbaeen, Idlib province, on November 12, 2016. Khalil Ashawi / Reuters

The Independent: Secret Russian-Kurdish-Syrian military cooperation is happening in Syria’s eastern desert

This is the first of a series from Robert Fisk in Syria: However tenuous the new YPG-Russian-Syrian connections may be, they demonstrate that all sides are determined to avoid any military confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

After a sweeping Syrian military advance to the edge of the besieged Isis ‘capital’ of Raqqa, the Russians, the Syrian Army and Kurds of the YPG militia – theoretically allied to the US – have set up a secret ‘coordination’ centre in the desert of eastern Syria to prevent “mistakes” between the Russian-backed and American-supported forces now facing each other across the Euphrates river. The proof could be found this week in a desert village of mud-walled huts and stifling heat – it was 48 degrees – where I sat on the floor of an ill-painted villa with a Russian air force colonel in camouflage uniform, a young officer of the Kurdish militia – with a ‘YPG’ (Kurdish People’s Militia) patch on his sleeve – and a group of Syrian officers and local Syrian tribal militiamen.

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Syrian War News Updates -- July 24, 2017

Jihadist group cements control of Syria's Idlib province: rebels -- Reuters
Jihadists take control of major Syrian city -- AFP
Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham take control of Syria's Idlib -- Al Jazeera
Some 50 People Killed in Car Blast in Syrian City of Idlib – Reports -- Sputnik
Hezbollah claims gains against Nusra Front in Western Syria -- Jerusalem Post
Hezbollah Says Battle With Nusra Front Almost Won at Syria-Lebanon Border -- US News and World Report/Reuters
Lebanon's Hezbollah says Syria border assault 'nearing end' -- AFP
Rebel Factions' Fighting Near Turkish Border Calls on Mediation Efforts -- Asharq Al-awsat
Islamists surround rivals at Syria-Turkey crossing, truce agreed -- Reuters
Syria war: Russia sends police to southern 'safe zones' -- BBC
Russia Deploys Military Police at 'Safe Zone' in Syria -- US News and World Report/AP
Syrian army, allies advance against Islamic State east of Raqqa -- Reuters
Car bomb blast in Raqqa leaves casualties among SDF ranks -- Iraqi News
SDF forces making 'excellent progress' in Raqqa push, Coalition says -- NRT
US official: IS putting up stiff resistance in Syria's Raqqa -- Air Force Times
British General Says Victory In Raqqa Would Not Be End Of Fight Against Islamic State -- RFE
Conflict among Syrian forces may draw U.S. into proxy fight -- L.A. Times

Syrian War News Updates -- July 23, 2017

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Al Jazeera: Syria truce crumbles as air raids hit Eastern Ghouta

Monitoring group says air strikes hit rebel-held towns just 24 hours after a ceasefire was agreed.

Syrian government forces have carried out several air strikes in the Eastern Ghouta area outside of Damascus, a day after the Syrian military declared a cessation of hostilities in the area, according to a UK-based monitor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Saturday had been relatively calm after the ceasefire took effect with isolated incidents of shellfire.

But on Sunday, six air strikes hit the towns of Douma and Ain Terma in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, it said.

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Syrian War News Updates -- July 23, 2017

Syrian warplanes strike near Damascus despite ceasefire, Syrian observatory says -- CBC/AP
Syria strikes hit near Damascus despite ceasefire: monitor -- AFP
Hezbollah and Syrian army advance in border offensive -- France 24
Hezbollah and Syrian Army Attack Islamists on Lebanon Border -- NYT
Lebanese mediator killed in fighting near Syrian border -- Al Jazeera
Syrian army, allies advance against Islamic State east of Raqqa -- Reuters
Militants burst from tunnels, hit weak points in Raqqa fight -- ABC News/AP
US Special Operators Are Moving Closer to the Fighting in Raqqa -- The Drive
U.S., British volunteers battle Islamic State in militants’ de facto Syrian capital -- AP
Women burn burqas and men shave beards to celebrate liberation from Isis in Syria -- The Independent

Syrian War News Updates -- July 2, 2017

The Guardian/AFP: Suicide bomber kills 21 in centre of Syrian capital

Bomber blows himself up in Tahrir Square in Damascus, in biggest such attack since March

A suicide car bomber pursued by security forces blew himself up in eastern Damascus on Sunday, killing 21 people, in the deadliest attack to hit the Syrian capital in months.

Syrian state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said security forces intercepted three car bombers on their way into the city early in the morning.

State television said two of the vehicles were blown up on the outskirts of the city but a third managed to reach the Tahrir Square district, where the driver was surrounded but able to detonate a bomb.

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Syrian War News Updates -- July 2, 2017

Damascus rocked by suicide blast, 2 others foiled -- AP
Three car bombs target Damascus, 20 killed -- Reuters
Syrian army 'deploys chlorine gas against rebels east of Damascus' despite US warning -- The Independent
Syria dismisses chemical weapons watchdog's report on sarin attack over 'terrorists' testimony' -- Firstpost
Rebels accuse Syrian army of chlorine attack, army calls it fabrication -- Middle East Monitor
US-backed force enters Syria's Raqa from south: monitor -- AFP
Battle for Raqqa: An uneasy alliance is fighting IS -- SKY News
Syria government airstrikes spill over into Jordan -- Washington Post
Thousands of Syrian refugees returning to unsafe country amid lack of international support -- The Independent
The desperate housewives of Raqqa: ISIS runaways reveal their fears about how much their husbands were spending on sex slaves' clothes and lipstick -- Daily Mail
Assad appears on Syrian currency for first time -- Reuters
Erdogan hosts Russia defence chief amid Syria border tensions -- AFP
Documentary looks at citizen journalists' efforts to cover war in Syria -- CBS

Syrian War News Updates -- June 5, 2017

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad © SANA / Reuters

The Independent: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says civil war’s ‘worst is behind us’

Mr Assad claims things are moving in ‘right direction’ after string of advances by Syrian regime’s forces

Bashar al-Assad has claimed the worst of his country’s civil war “is behind us” following a series of advances by his forces backed by key ally Russia.

Speaking to an India-based television station in Damascus, the Syrian President said things were moving in the “right direction” because they were “defeating the terrorists”.

His army faces Isis and similar extremists groups, but also Kurdish forces and Western-backed rebels formed after the Arab Spring pro-democracy movement.

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Syrian War News Updates -- June 5, 2017

Syria's Assad Says Worst of the War Is Over, as ISIS Nears Defeat -- Newsweek
‘Worst is behind us’ as terrorists are on retreat – Assad on Syrian conflict -- RT
Syria’s Assad Presses Offensive on Opposition in Wake of U.S. Strikes -- WSJ
Syrian troops pound Daraa after rebel attack -- Washington Post/AP
Syrian rebels say Syrian army plane downed east of Damascus -- Reuters
Syrian army advance helps secure Aleppo road -- Reuters
US-backed forces reclaim major dam from Daesh in Syria -- TRT World
Turkey Says U.S.-Backed Assault to Retake Raqqa Begins -- Bloomberg
Turkey PM says battle to retake IS capital in Syria has begun -- The Times of Israel
U.S.-backed anti-Islamic State forces to announce Raqqa assault start date on Tuesday -- Reuters
US-Led Coalition Rejects Claims of Raqqa Liberation Campaign Start by Kurds -- Sputnik
Syria's divided rebel factions look for allies they can trust -- CBS/AP
On the front line of Iran's shadow war in Syria -- The Independent
Bashar Al-Assad Personally Ordered Nerve Gas Program For Use Against His People: Scientists -- Newsweek
3506 Palestinians killed in Syria since 2011: NGO -- Anadolu Agency
In recently surrendered Damascus suburb, rebel fighter stays behind: ‘I want a normal life’ -- Syria Direct
Beauty amid the chaos: a snapshot of Syrian cities through Instagram -- The Guardian

Syrian War News Updates -- May 29, 2017

SKY News: Airstrikes in Raqqa as fight to oust Islamic State from Syria lair intensifies

Militants are surrounded on three sides in their city stronghold as civilians are warned failing to leave "could lead to death".

Raqqa has been hit by fresh airstrikes as US-backed forces intensified the fight to remove Islamic State from their Syrian stronghold, according to activists.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not known how many people were injured in the blasts on Monday.

Around 38 people have been killed in the last three days as the city was rocked by airstrikes and artillery shelling, it added.

The Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are pushing closer to IS' de facto capital and fighters have surrounded the city from the north, west and east.

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Syrian War News Updates -- May 29, 2017

In Syria, more airstrikes hit IS de facto capital of Raqqa -- AP
Civilian death toll rises in Syria's Raqqa -- Al Jazeera
New US-led Syria strike kills 80 relatives of IS fighters: monitor -- AFP
Trump said he would ‘take out’ the families of ISIS fighters. Did an airstrike in Syria do just that? -- Washington Post
Isis slaughtering civilians in Syrian towns already hit by US air strikes -- The Independent
Syria urges UN to immediately halt US coalition strikes, which ‘spread chaos & benefit terrorists’ -- RT
US, Russia calls increase to avoid air mishaps in Syria -- Military Times/AP
US-led coalition warns Syrian forces as tensions rise ahead of Isis battle -- Financial Times
Rebels reopen border crossing between Syria, Iraq -- Syria Direct
Syrian army, allied militia gain ground against IS -- AP
Russian military in Syria to prevent militants’ withdrawal from Raqqa towards Palmyra -- TASS
Guns and bullets and nothing more: The Syrian Kurds fighting Isis -- New Statesman
Damascus, Amman exchange threats as border tensions flare -- Al-Monitor
Sources: Iran to Bankroll Pro-Government Militia Fighters in Syria -- VOA
Iran prepared to deploy troops in Syria -- Tehran Times
Iran Ready to Deploy Safe Zone Monitors in Syria -- Sputnik
An exiled Syrian journalist tells us what it was like to write under Assad -- Business Insider

Syrian War News Updates -- May 21, 2017

Reuters: Syrian rebels leave last opposition district in Homs

Hundreds of Syrian rebels and their families left the last opposition-held district of Homs on Sunday, completing a deal that brought the whole city back under President Bashar al-Assad's control for the first time since the start of the war.

Homs Governor Talal Barazi said "the city of Homs is completely clear of weapons and militants after completing the reconciliation deal in al-Waer district," Syrian state TV reported.

Government forces backed by the Russian military have already moved into many areas of al-Waer, state media say.

Some 700 fighters and their families, a total of nearly 3,000 people according to Barazi, left aboard buses on Saturday and Sunday in the final phase of the evacuation of insurgents from al-Waer. Government troops had long besieged the last opposition-held area in a city that was one of the early centers of the anti-Assad uprising.

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Syrian War News Updates -- May 21, 2017

Syria regime regains total control of Homs city -- AFP
Syria’s third largest city Homs clear of opposition -- Washington Post/AP
Syria rebels leave last Homs neighbourhood -- Al Jazeera
Final batch of Syrian rebels leave central Homs district -- DW
Syria's Homs is Now Completely Free as Last Militants Leave al-Waer District -- Sputnik
Reports: IS Kills Villagers, Anti-Jihadists in Eastern Syria -- VOA
Twin bomb attacks kill at least 23 in Syria’s Idlib -- TRT
Syria: ISIS militants kill dozens near Salamiyah -- CNN
Blasts at Syrian rebel base kill 14 fighters -- Al Jazeera
Bomb attack on Syrian Islamist rebel group kills 14: Observatory -- Reuters
Suicide Blast Near Ahrar al-Sham Militants' HQ in Syria Leaves 45 Dead -- Sputnik
In pictures: ISIS tanks, heavy weaponry deployed against the Syrian Army in Deir Ezzor -- AMN Al-Masdar News
US, Russia Working on New Proposal to Involve De-Confliction Near Deir Ez-Zor -- Sputnik
U.S., Russia discussing new ways to avoid confrontation in Syria, top general says -- Politico
Syrian peace talks break up after making only 'incremental progress' -- The Guardian
Death by stoning: Battered Syrian city offers a window into life under the thumb of ISIS militants -- L.A. Times
The Disappeared of Syria -- Al Jazeera

Syrian War News Updates -- May 15, 2017

US troops stationed in Syria. Reuters

The Telegraph: Syrian troops advancing towards US and British special forces

Bashar al-Assad’s troops are on a collision course with Western special forces, after advancing towards their training base in eastern Syria over the weekend.

Pro-government soldiers are now within 15 miles of al-Tanf - a heavily fortified hub for American and British special forces training Syrian rebel groups, which are fighting Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) near the Iraqi border.

The assault is being led by Iranian forces, which are commanding Syrian troops and a number of Lebanese Hizbollah fighters with the help of Russian jets in the skies.

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Syrian War News Updates -- May 15, 2017

Syrian Army Sends Reinforcements Toward Border With Iraq: Rebels -- Reuters
Syrian troops and missiles advance on US and UK special forces fighting ISIS -- Express
Syria sends army, Shia militias closer to border with Iraq, Jordan -- Kurdistan 24
Syria war: Rebels evacuated from Damascus stronghold -- BBC
Syria regime nears total recapture of Damascus -- AFP
Syria army 'moves into area' where rebels evicted ISIL -- Al Jazeera
Syrian activists: Airstrikes on IS-held areas kill dozens -- AP
Syrian army regains control of airport in northern Syria from Islamic State -- Reuters
US-led coalition strike kills 23 in Syria: monitor -- AFP
Syria war: Fears of 'catastrophe' on the way for millions trapped in Idlib -- ABC news Online
Syrian Army Sends Reinforcements Toward Border With Iraq: Rebels -- Reuters
Hunger and fear in Syria’s Tabqa after Daesh defeat -- Daily Star/AFP
Fighters announce handover of Syria’s Tabqa to city council -- RUDAW
Kurdish flags flying over liberated Euphrates Dam stoke ethnic tensions in Syria -- IBTimes
U.N. restarts Syria talks with fresh format, same challenges -- Reuters
UN's Syria envoy rejects Assad claim that Geneva peace talks are irrelevant -- The Guardian

Syrian War News Updates -- May 11, 2017

The Drive: US Gives Syrian Kurds Combat Vehicles, Mortars, Anti-Tank Weapons, and More

The Pentagon is pushing ahead with a plan to arm Kurdish groups ahead of a major offensive against ISIS, in spite of Turkish objections.

Within 24 hours of President Donald Trump’s administration announcing America’s plans to arm Kurdish groups in Syria, deliveries of weapons and other equipment have begun arriving into the country’s northern region. The move is likely to further inflame tensions between the United States and its ally Turkey, which is just one facet of an increasingly complex situation, as The War Zone just covered in depth.

On May 9, 2017, the Trump Administration declared it was moving ahead with plans to support Kurdish rebels in northern Syria ahead of a assault on the city of Raqqa, ISIS’ de facto capital in the country. The organizations in question include the People’s Protection Units, more commonly referred to by their Kurdish Acronyms YPG and YPJ, which Turkish authorities view as terrorists. On May 10, 2017, images and video began to emerge on social media of the first batches of supplies moving into the region, which Kurds refer to a Rojava.

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Syrian War News Updates -- May 11, 2017

US Special Ops Moving Quickly to Arm Kurds in Syria -- Military.com
Turkey threatens military action against US-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters -- Washington Post
Turkey Warns US of Blowback From Decision to Arm Kurds in Syria -- Newsweek
US-backed Syria fighters clear ISIL mines from Tabqa town and dam -- The National
ISIS surrenders control of key Syrian city of Tabqah, US Central Command says -- FOX News
Coalition: Capture of IS-held town undermines militant group -- AP
US-backed rebels say they wrested key Syrian city from ISIS -- CNN
Syrian rebels take one of final towns in the march towards Isil capital of Raqqa -- The Telegraph
US-backed Syria militias 'seize Tabqa' in step towards Raqqa assault -- Euronews
US-backed forces retake strategic Syrian city, dam from ISIS -- The Hill
As fighting ebbs in west Syria, army looks east -- AFP
Army makes gains in rebel area of Damascus: monitor -- AFP
Bashar Assad: Syria, Russia, Iran to Deter Violations of De-Escalation Deal -- Sputnik
Assad Says De-Escalation Zones Chance for Rebels to 'Reconcile' -- US News and World Report/Reuters
Bashar Assad on Result of Geneva Talks on Syria: 'It Is Null' -- Sputnik
Reports: Unusual troop movements in Jordan near Syrian border -- Arutz Sheva
Jordanians 'won't support ground intervention in Syria' -- Al Jazeera
Netanyahu to Putin: Syrian 'Safe Zones' Must Not Serve as Bases for Iran, Hezbollah -- Haaretz
Russia Seeks Accord With U.S. on Iran Role in Syria Safe Zones -- Bloomberg
Hezbollah says it has secured Lebanon's border with Syria -- ABC News/AP
Trump Claims Syria’s Assad Still Has Chemical Weapons -- Sputnik
Syrian doctors forced to crowdfund safer underground hospitals due to aid rules -- Guardian
Who is fighting in Syria’s civil war? -- Zachary Laub, Council on Foreign Relations

Syrian War News Updates -- May 1, 2017

ABC News Online: Syrian war: At least 11 killed in barrel bomb attack following weekend of rebel infighting

At least 11 people have been killed by barrel bombs dropped by Syrian Government helicopters following a weekend of violence and protests across the country, human rights monitors say.

The Syrian Network for Human rights said four children died in Sunday's bombing near Daraa in the country's south, while video purporting to be of the aftermath of the attack showed the bodies of small children strewn across the ground.

On Saturday, eight members of the Syrian civil defence 'the White Helmets' were reported killed after a regime air strike hit their office in northern Hama province.

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Syrian War News Updates -- May 1, 2017

Infighting in Syria's Ghouta leaves nearly 100 dead -- Al Jazeera
Syrian rebel groups clash in besieged Damascus enclave -- Reuters
Over 200 rebels killed during infighting east of Damascus -- New China
Syria government repels IS attack in Aleppo province -- FOX News/AP
Deadly air strikes target rebel-held Idlib in Syria -- Al Jazeera
Eight Syria Civil Defence workers killed in air strike: statement -- Reuters
Over 2700 dead in Syria in April: monitor -- News.com.au/EFE
Chemical attack in Syria that drew U.S. response was just one in a series, rights group alleges -- Washington Post
Human Rights Watch report: In Syria, pattern of chemical weapons attacks by Assad regime -- CBS News
US-backed fighters retake more areas from IS in Syrian town -- AP
U.S.-backed militias oust Islamic State from Syria's Tabqa old city -- Reuters
U.S.-led coalition patrols Turkey-Syria border -- UPI
More U.S. Strykers Appear in Syria as Tensions With Turkey Flare -- The Drive
US forces patrol Syrian border amid clashes between Turkey and Kurdish militants -- Military Times
Russia Made Proposals to Ease Tensions in Syria, Member of Armed Opposition Says -- Sputnik
Syrian Civil War: U.S. Doctors Offer Hope and Healing to ‘Lost Generation’ -- NBC
Over a million Syrian refugees trapped in an 'informal' Lebanese limbo -- Sydney Morning Herald
Amid the rubble, Aleppo tries to return to normal life -- The Guardian
Almost a month after Trump’s airstrike, Syria remains a barbaric battlefield -- Jackson Diehl, Washington Post

Syrian War News Updates -- April 5, 2017

ABC News Online: Syrian gas attack toll rises to at least 70 as reports emerge of fresh airstrikes

The death toll from a suspected chemical attack on a northern Syrian town has risen to at least 70, the World Health Organisation says.

Activists and rescue workers continue to find more terrified survivors hiding in shelters near the site of the harrowing assault amidst reported fresh airstrikes.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights five airstrikes hit the town of Khan Sheikhoun on Wednesday, a day after the attack that the Trump administration has blamed on the government of President Bashar Assad, saying that his patrons, Russia and Iran, bore "great moral responsibility" for the deaths.

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Syrian War News Updates -- April 5, 2017

Syria chemical attack death toll now at 72; new strikes hit -- AP
Syria 'chemical' attack: what we know -- AFP
Russia to continue Syria military op in support of Assad after ‘chemical attack’ claims – Kremlin -- RT
Syria chemical 'attack': Russia rebel weapons claim rejected -- BBC
Syria chemical weapons attack toll rises to 70 as Russian narrative is dismissed -- The Guardian
US, Russia trade claims about who used chem weapons in Syria -- AP
Western agencies scramble to obtain samples from Syria chemical attack -- The Guardian
Idlib hospitals overwhelmed after suspected gas attack -- Sputnik
Suspected chemical attack in Syria prompts international outrage -- DW
How chlorine gas became a weapon in Syria's civil war -- Al Jazeera
Global outcry over suspected Syria chemical attack -- AFP
Syria: UK rules out military action after chemical attack -- The Guardian
U.S., France, Britain propose U.N. resolution on Syria gas attack -- Reuters
UN says suspected chemical attack shows 'war crimes' in Syria -- AFP
World Health Organization: Syria chemical attack likely involved nerve agent -- Washington Post
Lawmakers: Trump administration 'empowered' Syria to launch gas attack -- Washington Examiner
McCain: Trump inaction on Syria is ‘disgraceful chapter’ in US history -- The Hill
Warplanes mount fresh airstrikes in Idlib area: Syrian Observatory -- Reuters
Syria's 'moderate rebels' to form a new alliance -- Al Jazeera
Syrians Risk All in Flight From Raqqa -- Reuters
Syria donors seek billions, in shadow of attack -- AFP
How Is Syria Still Using Chemical Weapons? -- Krishnadev Calamur, The Atlantic

Syrian War News Updates -- April 4, 2017

Reuters: Syrian aid group says 100 people killed, 400 injured in chemical attacks

Suspected chemical attacks killed at least 100 people in Syria's rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday and left another 400 suffering from respiratory problems, a Syria medical relief group said.

The death toll is likely to rise, according to the Union of Medical Care Organizations, a coalition of international aid agencies that funds hospitals in Syria and which is partly based in Paris.

The group said the village of Khan Sheikhoun to the south of Idlib had initially been hit before strikes on the White Helmets emergency services center in Khan Sheikhoun and the Al-Rahme hospital.

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Syrian War News Updates -- April 4, 2017

At least 100 dead in suspected chemical attack in Syria, hospital reportedly hit -- FOX News
Scores reported killed in gas attack on Syrian rebel area -- Reuters
Death toll rises in Syria 'gas attack' -- DW
Syria conflict: Suspected gas attack kills at least 58 in north-western province of Idlib -- ABC News Online
'Toxic gas attack' in Syria kills at least 58 people -- Al Jazeera
Syria attack believed to be chemical, from the air: UN envoy -- AFP
Syria conflict: 'Chemical attack' in Idlib kills 58 -- BBC
Dozens reported killed in alleged gas attack in Syria, military denies involvement (PHOTOS) -- RT
White House condemns 'heinous' attack in Syria -- AP
France says Assad's allies enabling him to act with impunity in Syria -- Reuters
Spicer: Syrian chemical attack a 'consequence' of Obama 'weakness' -- CNN
Assad Apparently ‘Gasses’ Civilians Days After Tillerson Hints He Can Stay in Power -- Daily Mail
Regime strikes kill 28 civilians near Damascus: monitor -- AFP
Russia says did not carry out air strikes on Syria's Idlib: RIA -- Reuters
Syria's 'moderate rebels' to form a new alliance -- AL Jazeera
Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq -- US Department of Defense
US expands air base in northern Syria for use in battle for Raqqa -- Stars & Stripes
Erdogan vows ‘good surprises’ & more Turkish ops in Syria as Euphrates Shield ‘ends’ -- RT
EU at odds with Trump administration over Assad's role in Syria -- The Guardian
Syria's Assad must ultimately go, says German foreign minister -- Euronews
McCain: Trump inaction on Syria is ‘disgraceful chapter’ in US history -- The Hill
Spanish raids seize Assad uncle's assets in corruption inquiry -- BBC
EU, UN assess Syria's reconstruction needs as donors gather -- AP
EU, UN seek plan for Syria's future at aid conference -- AFP
In Syria, water is a weapon of war -- Ed Blanche, The Arab Weekly

Syrian War News Updates -- March 26, 2017

The Independent: Raqqa offensive to begin in days despite Syria's UN ambassador warning against 'invasion'

The Kurdish-led SDF has been on the offensive since November, aiming to surround the city.

US-backed Syrian fighters have reached a major dam held by the Isis group in the north of Syria, according to officials.

Cihan Sheikh Ehmed, spokeswoman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said the fighting was continuing at the entrance of the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates river, adding that there are casualties among Isis fighters.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF fighters were moving slowly towards the dam because of mines and explosives planted by Isis.

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Syrian War News Updates -- March 26, 2017

Dozens killed as conflict escalates across Syria -- The National
Syrian, Russian Warplanes Pound Rebel Targets; Scores Killed, Wounded -- VOA
Air Strikes Kill At Least 16 In Syria's Idlib -- Reliefweb
Prisoners reportedly shot dead while fleeing Syrian prison after air strike -- FOX News
Evacuation of Syrian Homs rebels delayed: governor -- Reuters
Second Group of Militants to Leave Al-Waer District of Syria's Homs on March 27 -- Al Jazeera
US-aided fighters face little resistance in Syrian operation -- AP
US forces just went behind enemy lines in Syria to cut off ISIS’ only escape route -- Business Insider
Syrian opposition calls on US to spare civilians in Raqqa -- AP
U.S.-led coalition helps train Raqqa police: Syrian Kurdish officials -- Reuters
US-Backed Forces Take Strategic Syrian Dam to Block ISIS From Escaping Raqqa -- The Drive
The race for Raqqa: The noose is tightening in Syria -- The Economist
'No miracles' in Geneva talks as Syria fighting rages -- Al Jazeera
U.N. Envoy Calls on Powers to Salvage Syrian Ceasefire -- Reuters

VOA: Monitor: Airstrike Kills 33 Civilians in Northern Syria

A Syrian war monitor said Wednesday an airstrike believed to be carried out by a U.S.-led coalition has killed at least 33 people at a school near the key city of Raqqa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the airstrike happened early Tuesday outside the village of al-Mansoura, and that the school was serving as a shelter for people displaced by the fighting in Syria.

Raqqa is the de facto capital for the Islamic State group, and the city's capture is a main goal for the various forces fighting the militants.

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Syrian War News Updates -- March 22, 2017

IS conflict: Air strike 'kills dozens in village near Raqqa' -- BBC
Dozens dead or missing from airstrike in IS-held north Syria -- AP
US-led air strike on north Syria kills 33: monitor -- AFP
Airstrike reportedly kills 33 civilians sheltering in school -- CBS
Dozens dead in US-led north Syria air strike as coalition meets -- AFP
Airstrike kills 33 civilians in Syrian shelter near Raqqa -- UPI
Deadly air raid hits refugee shelter near Raqqa: SOHR -- Al Jazeera
Dozens of civilians killed in US-led airstrike on Isis stronghold in Syria -- The Guardian
Airstrike on refugee shelter kills more than 30 near Syria's Raqqa: monitor -- DW
Rebels, jihadists begin new offensive in central Syria -- AFP
Syrian army sends reinforcements to Hama province -- Reuters
Syrian troops respond as rebels renew attack on Damascus -- FOX News/AP
Heavy fighting in east Damascus as Syrian army fends off Nusra-led offensive (VIDEO) -- RT
New Syria peace talks as fight comes to Damascus -- AFP
Russia underplayed losses in recapture of Syria's Palmyra -- Reuters
Syria war: The recent attacks in Damascus are only the start -- Middle East Eye
Rebel push on Damascus shows war is far from over -- Washington Post

Syrian War News Updates -- March 21, 2017

Washington Post: A rebel push on Damascus shows that Syria’s war is far from over

BEIRUT — An unexpected rebel push on Damascus has brought Syria’s civil war to the heart of its capital for the first time in years, spreading panic among residents and serving as a reminder that the conflict is far from over.

Streets emptied and many shops and schools were closed for a third day Tuesday as battles raged on the eastern edge of the city, where the rebels launched their surprise assault over the weekend. Mortar shells crashed into residential neighborhoods, jets streaked overhead, and the rattle of gunfire plunged Damascus back onto the front lines of a war that has raged since 2011.

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Syrian War News Updates -- March 21, 2017

Syrian Rebels Surprise Damascus With New Assaults -- New York Times
Syrian rebels launch second Damascus attack in three days -- Reuters
Syria rebels launch fresh assault on east Damascus -- AFP
Syria conflict: Rebels launch new assault in Damascus -- Euronews
Syria Rebels Press Offensive Near Damascus -- WSJ
Syria conflict: Rebels launch fresh Damascus assault -- BBC
Rebels, jihadists begin new offensive in central Syria -- AFP
Syrian rebels launch attack near Hama -- Reuters
Daesh 'capital' in crosshairs; US sending more troops to bolster offensive -- Arab News/Reuters
Kurds Say Pentagon Plans to 'Send 1,000 Troops to Syria in the Coming Weeks`-- Sputnik
Russia strengthens presence in Kurdish-held Syria -- Financial Tiems
Syrian Kurdish Militia Says It's Getting Russian Training -- AP
Syria Kurds say will get training from Russian forces -- AFP
U.S.-allied Kurd militia says struck Syria base deal with Russia -- Reuters
Russia Says Has No Plans for New Military Bases in Syria -- Reuters
Russia denies report of new base in Syria -- TRT
Russia adds another twist to battle for northern Syria -- Josh Wood, The National
Exclusive: Syrian Kurdish YPG aims to expand force to over 100,000 -- Reuters
'Please don't forget us': the hellish search for Syria's lost prisoners -- The Guardian
Syrian defector to Trump: Stop Assad's machinery of death -- CNN
Syria peace talks to resume without U.N. envoy -- AP
Turkey still determined to play role in final Raqqa assault -- Al-Monitor
Why US Should Team Up With Kurds And Not Turkey To Take Raqqa And Destroy Islamic State – Analysis -- Eurasia Review
Can Syrian rebels build on their Damascus attack? -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera
The battle to rebuild Syria -- James Denselow, The New Arab

Syrian War News Updates -- March 18, 2017

VOA: US Airstrike Rounds Out Brutal Anniversary Week in Syria War

This week marked the sixth anniversary of the Syrian war - and it was an especially brutal seven days, with a mosque allegedly damaged by a U.S. airstrike, a twin suicide bombing in Damascus and claims of phosphorus-bomb attacks by Russian and Syrian warplanes.

The death toll in Thursday’s U.S. airstrike on the village of al-Jinah, on the border of the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, rose overnight to 46, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group.

The observatory, which uses a network of sources on the ground in Syria for its reporting, claims a majority of those killed were civilians.

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Syrian War News Updates -- March 18, 2017

Syria at War: As US Bombs Rebels, Russia Strikes ISIS and Israel Targets Assad -- Newsweek
At least 46 civilians claimed dead in alleged 'massacre' at Syrian mosque hit by U.S. drone -- Chicago Tribune/Washington Post
Pentagon Denies Bombing Syrian Mosque, But Its Own Photo May Prove That It Did -- The Intercept
US admits Syria airstrike that killed 46 but denies targeting mosque -- The Guardian
Syrian rebels, civilians begin leaving Homs district in deal with government -- Reuters
Syria conflict: Rebels begin evacuating Homs enclave of al-Wair -- BBC
Mass evacuation of Homs' last rebel-held district underway -- DW
Rebels leave Al Waer district under evacuation deal -- Al Jazeera
In Syrian city of Homs, an orderly evacuation of rebels -- CNN
Syria fires missiles at Israeli warplanes on bombing run -- Washington Post
Syria Retaliates Against Israeli Airstrikes as Tensions Escalate -- Bloomberg
Netanyahu: Syria strikes were to block transfer of weapons to Hezbollah -- Jerusalem Post
Russia steps in between Israel and Syria following attacks -- Jerusalem Online
New footage shows Russia using 'white phosphorus' in Syria, activists claim -- The Independent
What's Happening in Palmyra? -- Newsweek
Analysis: Assad feels confident with Russian backing -- YNet News
US likely to deploy ‘up to 1,000 more ground troops’ to Syria to defeat Isis in Raqqa -- Independent
The Pentagon's 'reassure and deter' mission in Syria looks a lot like mission creep -- Military Times editorial
Doctors describe horrific conditions in war-torn Syria -- Arab News/AP
Implications for a Syrian transition under Assad -- Sultan Barakat, Al Jazeera
Peace Arrangement in Syrian Town Could Be Post-IS Model -- VOA
The economic costs of Syria's civil war -- Euronews

Syrian War News Updates -- March 14, 2017

VOA: Civilians Flee IS De Facto Capital Ahead of Looming Battle

As the battle is nearing to recapture the Syrian city of Raqqa - the de facto capital of Islamic State - more civilians are reported fleeing their homes to seek safety in areas outside the control of the terror group.

Every day, dozens of local residents embark on a dangerous journey to get out of the city, and are paying large amounts of money to smugglers to facilitate their escape, according to local activists and military officials.

“Smugglers charge up to $700 for each individual who wants to flee the city,” said Hussam Eesa, a founding member of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, a group that reports on IS activities in Raqqa and elsewhere.

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Syrian War News Updates -- March 14, 2017

IS evacuates women and children from Syrian Raqqa -- Iraqi News
Syrian force says it has enough fighters to take Raqqa from IS -- Reuters
Syria conflict: Jets deliberately bombed Damascus spring - UN -- BBC
UN: Syria jets deliberately hit Damascus water supply -- Al Jazeera
Syria Committed War Crime by Bombing Damascus Water Supply: U.N. -- Reuters
Russian-backed Syria talks derailed as rebels boycott -- Reuters
New round of Syria peace talks opens without rebels -- AFP
Astana talks marred by Syrian armed opposition boycott -- Al Jazeera
Little hope for Syria peace talks in Astana after opposition stays away -- The National
Assad confirms readiness for referendum on Syria’s future -- TASS
Report accuses Syria of ‘slaughter’ of people trapped by war -- Washington Post/AP
In Syria, aid deliveries tail off to hundreds of thousands in need -- Washington Post
Report says Syria's government exploits UN's aid delivery system, depriving millions of assistance -- ABC News
Besieged Areas in Syria Get Aid for the First Time in Months -- AP
Aid convoys reach four besieged towns in Syria -- DW
Syria a 'torture-chamber', U.N. says in call to free detainees -- Reuters
UN Rights Chief Says Syria 'Worst Man-Made Disaster Since WWII' -- RFE
EU's Mogherini unveils plan for post-war Syria -- DW
Israel treats more than 2,600 wounded Syrians: army -- AFP
The 'slow-motion slaughter' of Syrian civilians -- Megan O'Toole, Al Jazeera
Using Social Media, Carter Center Maps Syria Conflict -- VOA
Russia Reported to Start Syrian Naval Base Expansion this Spring -- USNI News
US And Russian Troops Are Both In This Syrian City. What Could Go Wrong? -- Adam Weinstein, Task & Purpose
Syria under siege -- Al Jazeera
How Syria's civil war morphed into a struggle among global powers -- Jim Michaels , USA TODAY
Two sides to a conflict, with no end in sight -- Greg Sheridan, The Australian
Syria's civil war: Disturbing facts show cost of conflict -- USA Today

Syria War News Updates -- March 10, 2017

Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report: Manbij and the Unforgiving Complexity of the Syrian War

An overt show of U.S. force prevented Russians, Syrians, Kurds and Turks from killing one another this time. What will happen next?

Top U.S. defense officials believe all of the warring parties in Manbij got the message after American forces deployed an armored convoy through the Syrian city earlier this week. But while the U.S.-led coalition may have temporarily prevented Russians, Syrians, Turks and Kurds from attacking and killing each other, the situation there exposes far graver dangers for future conflict in Syria.

It was only a matter of time before the Syrian regime's civil war in the western part of the country, backed on the ground and in the air by Moscow, abutted the U.S.-led coalition's fight against the Islamic State group in the east. Those forces' convergence in Manbij, a key transit hub toward the terrorists' capital in Raqqa, was troublesome enough on its own, but it comes at a time when all fighting forces in Syria see an opportunity to establish strongholds today that might grant them greater regional control in the future.

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Syria War News Updates -- March 10, 2017

Syrian force says it has enough fighters to take Raqqa from Islamic State -- Reuters
Backed by US troops, SDF confident can capture IS ‘capital’ -- AP
Marines Tasked with Firing Howitzers in Syria Are Just “Advisers,” Says Sean Spicer -- The Intercept
US deploys 2,500 paratroopers to Kuwait, ready for missions in Syria & Iraq – report -- RT
Dem seeks to block US troops going to Syria after Marines deployed -- The Hill
US taking measures to prevent Turkey fighting Kurds in Syria -- Middle East Monitor
US force in Syria to help anti-IS fighters with firepower -- AP
US' 'New Role' in Syria 'Reflects the Limits of Its Capacity' -- Sputnik
Turkey's Erdogan says wants to work with U.S.-led coalition on Syria's Manbij -- Reuters
Turkey Warns U.S. Relations At Risk If Kurds Help Retake Raqqa -- Bloomberg/AP
Turkey, US evaluate options for joint Raqqa operation -- Daily Sabah
Turkey-backed rebels and regime forces clash in northern Syria -- TRT
Syria says Turkey shelled its forces, causing deaths -- Reuters
Turkish military says 71 Kurdish militants killed in Syria in last week -- Jerusalem Post
Syria urges "immediate" withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Syria -- Xinhua
Under Siege in al-Bab, IS Faces Retreat to Raqqa -- VOA
Warplanes bomb east of Damascus despite truce, say residents, monitor -- The Times
Syrian Army Retakes Kashish Military Airport East of Aleppo From Daesh -- Sputnik
Russia's Putin says ceasefire in Syria on whole being observed -- Reuters
Russia cautiously optimistic on Syria peace deal - Putin -- Reuters
Putin ‘cautiously optimistic’ about Syria political settlement with help of US & others -- RT
The woman who exposed the horrors of Aleppo -- Jo Shelley, CNN
Syrian conflict turns 6 years old as conditions remain unbearable -- USA Today