Executive Summary for May 18, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including Assad meeting with Putin in Sochi, France freezing assets of companies linked to chemical weapons and government warplanes shelling Daraa.
Executive Summaries
The latest news and major stories on the Syrian conflict.
Executive Summary for May 17, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the military stating the government is in control of a large swathe of central Syria, the OPCW saying chlorine gas was likely used in February’s Idlib attack, and a U.N. warning about potential Idlib offensive.
Executive Summary for May 16, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the Syrian army retaking a district south of Damascus from ISIS, the government dropping leaflets on Daraa urging rebels to surrender and Syrian police entering a rebel enclave between Homs and Hama ahead of evacuations.
Executive Summary for May 15, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including negotiations over a political settlement resuming in Astana, state media saying the last rebel fighters are expected to leave a pocket between Homs and Hama on Tuesday, and Iraq striking an ISIS position in Syria.
Executive Summary for May 14, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including a lull in battles against ISIS south of Damascus, a Russian official saying Moscow may not provide Syria with the S-300 missile system and an explosion in Idlib killing 28.
Executive Summary for May 11, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including evacuations from three towns south of Damascus and Iran condemning Thursday’s Israeli strike on Syria.
Executive Summary for May 10, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including Israel’s biggest attack in Syria since the conflict started, following a suspected attack by Iran on the Golan Heights, and reports that the U.S. established a new base in Manbij after Turkey threatened to attack.
Executive Summary for May 9, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including a suspected Israeli strike on a military position south of Damascus, the SDF continuing operations against ISIS in eastern Syria, and more rebel evacuations from the last besieged opposition enclave in Syria.
Executive Summary for May 8, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including rebel evacuations from the last major besieged enclave in the country, Israel threatening to topple Assad if he allows Iran to launch attacks from Syrian soil and more than 40 pro-government fighters killed in battles against ISIS.
Executive Summary for May 7, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including Egypt’s foreign minister saying some countries are discussing a proposal to send an Arab force to Syria, the White Helmets saying the U.S. may freeze funding for the group and Turkey threatening to launch a new campaign in Syria.
Executive Summary for May 4, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the crash of a Russian fighter jet off the coast, the start of evacuations from three suburbs in south Damascus, and a U.N. warning against military operations in Idlib.
Executive Summary for May 3, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including heightened attacks against ISIS in eastern Syria, airstrikes destroying a hospital in northern Hama, and the Red Cross saying it expects humanitarian aid to shift away from emergency assistance.
Executive Summary for May 2, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the SDF launching a new push against ISIS in eastern Syria, Iran threatening to respond to Israel over a suspected missile attack, and rebels in Homs reportedly agreeing to a surrender deal.
Executive Summary for May 1, 2018
We review they key developments in Syria, including Israel laying out some red lines for Iran in Syria, the U.S. saying it won’t pull out from the country until peace is won, and evacuations underway from the Yarmouk camp south of Damascus.
Executive Summary for April 30, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including a suspected Israeli missile attack on a Syrian army base in northern Syria, heightened government attacks on a rebel enclave near Homs and rebels south of Damascus reach an evacuation deal with the Syrian government.
Executive Summary for April 27, 2018
We review the key events in Syria, including the U.S. saying it expects revitalized efforts against ISIS, Russia parading Syrian witnesses in an attempt to disprove this month’s suspected chemical attack and the Syrian army renewing attacks south of Damascus.
Executive Summary for April 26, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including international donors pledging more than $4 billion in emergency aid to Syria and neighboring countries, the Syrian government recapturing Eastern Qalamoun, and OPCW inspectors collecting more samples from Douma.
Executive Summary for April 25, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the government targeting ISIS tunnels south of the capital, a Syrian minister saying rebel territory in northern Homs will be the government’s next target, and Israel warning of an escalation in Syria.
Executive Summary for April 24, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including dozens of casualties in battles against ISIS in southern Damascus and Russia saying it has not decided on whether it will give President Bashar al-Assad a new anti-aircraft missile system.
Executive Summary for April 23, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the Syrian government stepping up attacks south of Damascus, OPCW inspectors finally collect samples from Douma and Iraq says it killed more than 30 ISIS militants in Syria last week.
Executive Summary for April 20, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including president Bashir al-Assad widening his hold over the Damascus region, Iraq launching airstrikes on ISIS positions and the Pentagon saying Assad can still conduct chemical weapons attacks.
Executive Summary for April 19, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the Syrian army giving ISIS 48 hours to surrender an enclave south of Damascus, nearly 500 people returning to Syria from Lebanon, and gunmen opening fire on a U.N. team in Douma.
Executive Summary for April 18, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including U.S. talks to establish a coalition of Arab military forces that could replace its troops in Syria, the Syrian army preparing for an offensive south of Damascus, and a U.N. security team inspects Douma.
Executive Summary for April 17, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including state media saying no fresh attack on Syria has taken place and Russia saying it will allow the OPCW access to Douma after being accused of blocking investigations.
Executive Summary for April 16, 2018
We review the key events in Syria, including mixed messages over whether the U.S. will stay in Syria, Assad’s allies warning that Western strikes have undermined prospects for a political settlement and the Syrian army saying Eastern Ghouta is clear of militants.
Executive Summary for April 14, 2018
We review the strikes by the United States, the United Kingdom and France on multiple sites in Syria in response to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Eastern Ghouta, in the single biggest intervention by western powers against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad since the start of the conflict.
Executive Summary for April 13, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the OPCW saying its fact-finding mission will start investigating last week’s suspected chemical attack within days, the U.S. and its allies still in talks over a response to the alleged incident and rebels surrendering Douma to the government.
Executive Summary for April 12, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including reports that the Syrian government is now in full control of Douma and Trump saying that a strike may hit Syria very soon or not soon at all.
Executive Summary for April 11, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including Trump threatening to strike Syria and more people leaving Eastern Ghouta as part of a Russian-mediated evacuation deal.
Executive Summary for April 10, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the U.S. promising a forceful response to this weekend’s gas attack, Russia saying more than 3,000 people have left Douma and Iran threatening to respond to Monday’s missile attack on a Syrian airbase.
Executive Summary for April 9, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including a suspected chemical attack on the town of Douma, a missile attack on a Syrian military base in Homs and Jaish al-Islam fighters striking an evacuation deal with the Syrian government.
Executive Summary for April 6, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the suspension of Eastern Ghouta evacuations, reports that the U.S. may pull out of Syria by next fall and the SOHR saying that Russia is looking to strike an evacuation deal with rebels south of Damascus.
Executive Summary for April 5, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including Turkey threatening to expand its Syria offensive as the U.S. fortifies positions in Manbij, and reports that Trump is walking back on his decision to leave Syria ‘very soon’.
Executive Summary for April 4, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including a second consecutive day of evacuations from the last rebel pocket in Eastern Ghouta, and President Trump saying he’s considering pulling U.S. troops out of Syria, despite objections from his advisers.
Executive Summary for April 3, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including state media saying that more than 1,000 people have evacuated the last rebel pocket in Eastern Ghouta and reports that the Syrian government is trying to recapture the east Qalamoun region, northeast of Damascus.
Executive Summary for April 2, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including rebels evacuating the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta and an improvised explosive device killing two coalition members as President Trump says that the U.S. will leave Syria soon.
Executive Summary for March 29, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the U.N. saying $150 million is needed to provide urgent relief, Turkey threatening to expand operations in Syria and reports claiming civilians are being barred from returning to Afrin.
Executive Summary for March 28, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the preparations for a potential offensive on the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta, U.S. criticism of U.N. inaction in Syria, and an updated death toll for this month’s ISIS attack on Southern Damascus.
Executive Summary for March 27, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including the largest single-day evacuations from Eastern Ghouta and reports that Russia has agreed to hand over a northern Syrian town to Turkish forces.
Executive Summary for March 26, 2018
We review the key developments in Syria, including mass evacuations from the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus, Turkey saying it will target the town of Tal Rifaat and an ISIS attack in east Syria killing at least 26 pro-government fighters.