For new comrades joining this channel: Welcome! ☀️
This is a broadcast channel to send updates of the situation in northern Syria, following the late offensive of HTS and SNA and the implications it may have for the Rojava Revolution.
The situation for now is in constant change, and it will probably escalate in unexpected ways.
For now we want to make sure that information of current events is accessible, but we can also develop more concrete steps of support and solidarity.
Feel free to contribute with other updates, questions or relevant information.
Biji Berxwedana Rojava!
💚❤️💛
Long live international solidarity!
🖤❤️
This is a broadcast channel to send updates of the situation in northern Syria, following the late offensive of HTS and SNA and the implications it may have for the Rojava Revolution.
The situation for now is in constant change, and it will probably escalate in unexpected ways.
For now we want to make sure that information of current events is accessible, but we can also develop more concrete steps of support and solidarity.
Feel free to contribute with other updates, questions or relevant information.
Biji Berxwedana Rojava!
💚❤️💛
Long live international solidarity!
🖤❤️
A first overview of the main developments the past three days by internationalist anarchists in Syria
📌 The offensive of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made a breakthrough in the first days toward east (Aleppo) and south (Hama) and slowed down on December 2nd.
📌 Assad regime forces appear to have recaptured the city of Hama and halted the advance of HTS towards Homs city. Russian air forces are carrying out an extensive bombing campaign, targeting HTS units but also civilian and military infrastructure in Idlib, Aleppo, and along the route of the HTS advance. There are reports of both civilian and combatant casualties. Jets belonging to the Assad regime have also carried out airstrikes, but on a smaller scale. In Aleppo, in the Kurdish district of Sheikh Maqsood, the residents have prepared for self-defense.
📌 North of Aleppo, Şehba canton is been occupied by the [Turkey-backed] Syrian National Army (SNA). Thousands of people who have lived in refugee camps since the Turkish invasion of Afrin in 2018 are now being evacuated. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are organizing a humanitarian corridor to enable people to exit Aleppo and Şehba. No major clashes are reported between the SDF and SNA for now.
📌 In some other regions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), artillery shelling and drone activity occurred, but no more than usual.
📌 There are reports of the Iranian-backed militia Hashd Ash-Shaabi moving into Syrian territory in the Deir-Ez-Zor region in large numbers. In the same region, the SDF and the Deir-Ez-Zor military council are making moves to take some towns and villages under control.
📌 The forces of the Islamic State that remain in the desert of central Syria have not been seen to make any major moves, but it is expected they will use the situation to the best of their ability.
📢 The SDF has called for a mass mobilization, asking for young people to join SDF and to be ready to repel the upcoming attacks on the liberated territory. It is a common expectation that the escalation will intensify and Turkish-backed factions will use the opportunity to attack the western regions of DAANES, such as Minbij.
💬 At first, there were rumors about an attempted coup in Damascus; if such an attempt did happen, it seems to have quickly failed.
Egypt, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran have expressed support for Assad regime.
🔸 The Democratic Autunomous Adminsitration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, is in the middle of the new turmoil. The number of refugees arriving in the western cantons, counted together with the number of people who have been arriving from Lebanon over the past few months, could easily exceed 200,000 in the coming weeks.
🔺 In the first days of the HTS offensive and the SNA push against Şehba, as well as the siege of Sheikh Maqsood, it is clear that Assad regime is in very difficult situation; it seems possible that it will collapse. However, any potential rule by HTS will not be stable and will not be able to resolve the pressing problems that the dictatorship of Bashar Al-Assad created and exacerbated for Syria. Nevertheless, the fall of Assad might open a window of possibility for change in the region, if Syrians—both those who remain in the country and those who will decide to come back after exile—manage to revive the original ideas of the Syrian revolution.
Major global powers like Turkey, the United States, and Israel will benefit from the HTS offensive. HTS fits all of their needs as a force that is opposed to Iran, Assad, and Russia. Given the chance to take up state-making if they win, following the Taliban model, it is possible that main actors in HTS will exercise their influence in a possible future new government. It is even possible that the aforementioned states might support HTS in taking power, seeing as they are not interested in the Syrian peoples independently deciding for themselves.
📌 The offensive of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made a breakthrough in the first days toward east (Aleppo) and south (Hama) and slowed down on December 2nd.
📌 Assad regime forces appear to have recaptured the city of Hama and halted the advance of HTS towards Homs city. Russian air forces are carrying out an extensive bombing campaign, targeting HTS units but also civilian and military infrastructure in Idlib, Aleppo, and along the route of the HTS advance. There are reports of both civilian and combatant casualties. Jets belonging to the Assad regime have also carried out airstrikes, but on a smaller scale. In Aleppo, in the Kurdish district of Sheikh Maqsood, the residents have prepared for self-defense.
📌 North of Aleppo, Şehba canton is been occupied by the [Turkey-backed] Syrian National Army (SNA). Thousands of people who have lived in refugee camps since the Turkish invasion of Afrin in 2018 are now being evacuated. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are organizing a humanitarian corridor to enable people to exit Aleppo and Şehba. No major clashes are reported between the SDF and SNA for now.
📌 In some other regions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), artillery shelling and drone activity occurred, but no more than usual.
📌 There are reports of the Iranian-backed militia Hashd Ash-Shaabi moving into Syrian territory in the Deir-Ez-Zor region in large numbers. In the same region, the SDF and the Deir-Ez-Zor military council are making moves to take some towns and villages under control.
📌 The forces of the Islamic State that remain in the desert of central Syria have not been seen to make any major moves, but it is expected they will use the situation to the best of their ability.
📢 The SDF has called for a mass mobilization, asking for young people to join SDF and to be ready to repel the upcoming attacks on the liberated territory. It is a common expectation that the escalation will intensify and Turkish-backed factions will use the opportunity to attack the western regions of DAANES, such as Minbij.
💬 At first, there were rumors about an attempted coup in Damascus; if such an attempt did happen, it seems to have quickly failed.
Egypt, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran have expressed support for Assad regime.
🔸 The Democratic Autunomous Adminsitration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, is in the middle of the new turmoil. The number of refugees arriving in the western cantons, counted together with the number of people who have been arriving from Lebanon over the past few months, could easily exceed 200,000 in the coming weeks.
🔺 In the first days of the HTS offensive and the SNA push against Şehba, as well as the siege of Sheikh Maqsood, it is clear that Assad regime is in very difficult situation; it seems possible that it will collapse. However, any potential rule by HTS will not be stable and will not be able to resolve the pressing problems that the dictatorship of Bashar Al-Assad created and exacerbated for Syria. Nevertheless, the fall of Assad might open a window of possibility for change in the region, if Syrians—both those who remain in the country and those who will decide to come back after exile—manage to revive the original ideas of the Syrian revolution.
Major global powers like Turkey, the United States, and Israel will benefit from the HTS offensive. HTS fits all of their needs as a force that is opposed to Iran, Assad, and Russia. Given the chance to take up state-making if they win, following the Taliban model, it is possible that main actors in HTS will exercise their influence in a possible future new government. It is even possible that the aforementioned states might support HTS in taking power, seeing as they are not interested in the Syrian peoples independently deciding for themselves.
The fall of the Assad regime would be good for the DAANES in various ways, but it also poses major questions:
A) There is a serious danger that, freed of the necessity to fight against Russia and Assad, the Islamic State will take the opportunity to grow again, although they will also be in conflict with HTS.
B) We can expect that the United States will be increasingly invasive and manipulative if the DAANES becomes more dependent on the United States to protect it from a potential Turkish invasion.
C) Finding a new balance of forces in the region is sure to be chaotic and bloody, and it is not clear how it will conclude.
D) This is especially true as Turkey will be expanding the zone of its direct control much deeper into Syria.
E) Finally, the religious fundamentalists of HTS taking over western Syria will provoke sharp conflict with the revolutionary project in notheastern Syria, especially in regards to how that has changed the status of women in society.
The situation for Lebanon will be very difficult, as the country is going to be sandwiched between Israel and the HTS-controlled part of Syria. This might lead to the escalation of internal conflicts. Hezbollah will be left without a corridor via which to receive support from Iran.
In the regional context, to some extent, the DAANES represents a non-state solution based on self-governance and cultural, religious, gender, and ethnic autonomy. Still, it gets the least international support.
❤️🔥 Revolutionary greetings!
A) There is a serious danger that, freed of the necessity to fight against Russia and Assad, the Islamic State will take the opportunity to grow again, although they will also be in conflict with HTS.
B) We can expect that the United States will be increasingly invasive and manipulative if the DAANES becomes more dependent on the United States to protect it from a potential Turkish invasion.
C) Finding a new balance of forces in the region is sure to be chaotic and bloody, and it is not clear how it will conclude.
D) This is especially true as Turkey will be expanding the zone of its direct control much deeper into Syria.
E) Finally, the religious fundamentalists of HTS taking over western Syria will provoke sharp conflict with the revolutionary project in notheastern Syria, especially in regards to how that has changed the status of women in society.
The situation for Lebanon will be very difficult, as the country is going to be sandwiched between Israel and the HTS-controlled part of Syria. This might lead to the escalation of internal conflicts. Hezbollah will be left without a corridor via which to receive support from Iran.
In the regional context, to some extent, the DAANES represents a non-state solution based on self-governance and cultural, religious, gender, and ethnic autonomy. Still, it gets the least international support.
❤️🔥 Revolutionary greetings!
Comrades from Crimethinc shared our report from Dec 2nd together with a statement from the "Cantine Syrienne de Montreuil", a group of Syrian revolutionaries in exile.
Today rumors of conflicts between HTS and SNA started to spread. Is not possible for us to verify this information. If true, this can also be just the surface of deeper contradictions.
03/12/24
Short update on the current situation (and fast, so sorry for any mistakes 😅)
- HTS offensive continue advancing, consolidating their control of Aleppo city and advancing towards Hama. SAA started a counteroffensive at the doors of Hama, at this time very contested.
- HTS is heavily relaying on kamikaze FPV drones, something that until now was not so common in Syria. Clearly the lessons of Ukraine are spreading fast, with SNA and even SAA also using this weapon often. It simply had become the new reality of war in this Syria 2.0
- Sheik Mehksoud and Ashrafiye, kurdish neighborhood in Aleppo, are ready to defend themselves. The siege is creating big problems to access supplies (food, water, electricity). Light clashes with SNA combatants took place and some women fighter were captured, but seems HTS is avoiding to confront the Kurdish forces and continue their offensive on the SAA.
- SNA consolidated their occupation of Shehba, and is now mobilizing big convoys towards the front lines of Manbij.
- Some bombings already falling not just around Manbij but also in the front line of Kobane canton, next to the borders with Turky. A ground attack on Manbij area was repeled by the MMC (Manbij military Council). A major offensive of SNA on the Manbij region will probably start at any moment soon.
- Civilians are already deeply suffering from this the war, with numbers of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) already over hundred thousand. Apparently, and agreement reached between HTS and SDF promised safe passage to more than 75K people (mostly kurdish) from Shehba and Aleppo areas towards Manbij areas. Apparently SNA did not respect the agreement, delaying the convoy and forcing people to sleep on the street with freezing temperatures , with at least 3 deads. Improvised tents and refugee areas are being improvised around Manbij and Tabqa. It is a big humanitarian crisis, heyva sor as always is working to provide for those in need.
- Conflicts between HTS and SNA are reflected by some back and forth of press statements denouncing each other. SNA combatants had been looting properties and abusing civilians, with robbery, extortion and even executing at least 3 refugees from Shehba that were waiting to be evacuated. HTS arrested some SNA commanders and SNA reacted with accusations and threats, but later backed off a bit.
- SDF conducted an operation in Deir ezzor area with US support, recovering control over 7 villages on the eastern shore of the Eufrates river. Apparently, local population asked SDF intervention for security problems and risk of ISIS "sleeping" cells activity. SAA and Iranian militias had control over those villages, an after fierce clashes the operation concluded. (Yes, confusing... Also not so clear for us what happened there)
- a UN security council has been called to discuss the situation in Syria. As always, everybody is 'deeply concerned' about the situation. What a surprise eh?
Anyway, is late and we also need to sleep sometimes.
We may not be able to keep daily updates, especially if the situation escalate in different areas. But we will do our best to defend the revolution, behind the keyboards or on the front lines! ❤️🔥
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤
Short update on the current situation (and fast, so sorry for any mistakes 😅)
- HTS offensive continue advancing, consolidating their control of Aleppo city and advancing towards Hama. SAA started a counteroffensive at the doors of Hama, at this time very contested.
- HTS is heavily relaying on kamikaze FPV drones, something that until now was not so common in Syria. Clearly the lessons of Ukraine are spreading fast, with SNA and even SAA also using this weapon often. It simply had become the new reality of war in this Syria 2.0
- Sheik Mehksoud and Ashrafiye, kurdish neighborhood in Aleppo, are ready to defend themselves. The siege is creating big problems to access supplies (food, water, electricity). Light clashes with SNA combatants took place and some women fighter were captured, but seems HTS is avoiding to confront the Kurdish forces and continue their offensive on the SAA.
- SNA consolidated their occupation of Shehba, and is now mobilizing big convoys towards the front lines of Manbij.
- Some bombings already falling not just around Manbij but also in the front line of Kobane canton, next to the borders with Turky. A ground attack on Manbij area was repeled by the MMC (Manbij military Council). A major offensive of SNA on the Manbij region will probably start at any moment soon.
- Civilians are already deeply suffering from this the war, with numbers of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) already over hundred thousand. Apparently, and agreement reached between HTS and SDF promised safe passage to more than 75K people (mostly kurdish) from Shehba and Aleppo areas towards Manbij areas. Apparently SNA did not respect the agreement, delaying the convoy and forcing people to sleep on the street with freezing temperatures , with at least 3 deads. Improvised tents and refugee areas are being improvised around Manbij and Tabqa. It is a big humanitarian crisis, heyva sor as always is working to provide for those in need.
- Conflicts between HTS and SNA are reflected by some back and forth of press statements denouncing each other. SNA combatants had been looting properties and abusing civilians, with robbery, extortion and even executing at least 3 refugees from Shehba that were waiting to be evacuated. HTS arrested some SNA commanders and SNA reacted with accusations and threats, but later backed off a bit.
- SDF conducted an operation in Deir ezzor area with US support, recovering control over 7 villages on the eastern shore of the Eufrates river. Apparently, local population asked SDF intervention for security problems and risk of ISIS "sleeping" cells activity. SAA and Iranian militias had control over those villages, an after fierce clashes the operation concluded. (Yes, confusing... Also not so clear for us what happened there)
- a UN security council has been called to discuss the situation in Syria. As always, everybody is 'deeply concerned' about the situation. What a surprise eh?
Anyway, is late and we also need to sleep sometimes.
We may not be able to keep daily updates, especially if the situation escalate in different areas. But we will do our best to defend the revolution, behind the keyboards or on the front lines! ❤️🔥
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤
04-12-2024 Situation update
# HTS and Hama offensive
- HTS continue their operation to capture the city of Hama. Their advance had been slow and is facing heavy resistance from the counter offensive of the SAA. Heavy clashes in the northern outskirts of the city are taking place, as HTS forces advance east and west of Hama encircling the city while starting the assault on the north. SAA just started to use planes to bomb position of HTS advance.
- Military equipment and weapons captured by HTS are already being used in the clashes against the SAA. This includes tanks and other combat vehicles. Some planes (in rather poor condition, but still) have also been captured, as well as radars and other advanced components of the S300 and S400 (rusian made anti-aircraft systems). Numbers of weapons seized is difficult to estimate, as regime soldiers left behind full warehouses and military barracks.
# Shehba, Manbij and Tabqa
- The evacuation of the Shehba region continues. Today, several buses crossed from Til Rifat to the region of Manbij. The overall situation with regard to the transport of refugees is very hard, and it is hampered by raids from SNA and by Turkey's continued shelling of supposedly safe areas (a number of villages in the cantons of Manbij and Tabqa were shelled today). More than 100.000 people is arriving to the areas of Manbij and Tabqa, with several institutions of the self-administration working to provide shelter and provisions. RIC published an explainer about the situation of this huanitarian crisis: https://rojavainformationcenter.org/2024/12/explainer-thousands-of-civilians-driven-out-of-shehba/
- Clashes in Manbij and Tabqa areas are getting more intense. SDF (Military Councils of Manbij and Tabqa, MMC TMC) repelled several attacks, killing and injuring fighters of SNA. Some sources suggested that SDF was advancing in an offensive towards Aleppo, but official statement of SDF denied such claims stating they are just defending their territories.
# Turkish and Russian Movments
- Videos of Turkish army vehicles entering Syria from Azaz, norh-west of Aleppo, spread in social media. Besides the constant attacks of UAVs (Unmaned Aerial Vehicles, military grade drones), this is Turkey's first direct escalation in the ongoing situation. Direct intervention of Turkish Army may come with use of military planes like F-16, jets that Turkey has been using to bomb kurdish forces in Syria since the invasion of Afrin. Those NATO planes may be used to support not only SNA but also HTS, risking direct confrontation with Russian air force. Such escenario is at the moment especulation, but the stakes are high.
- Russia is moving their advanced navy from the port of Tartus, probably fearing attacks from the HTS, but also as a mechanism of deterrance. This is the only Russian naval base in the mediterranean sea, confering it very high strategical value. Today the air defenses next to that base shot down some drone attack.
# HTS media strategy
- The leader of HTS Abu Muhammad al-Julani made a public statement from outskirts of Aleppo calling locals not to leave their homes and the region, promissing protection from the Assad regime. Unlike other ilsamist leaders, al-Julani is playing a public and mediatic role, selling an image of moderate islam portraying HTS as liberators for the western public. Displaying such a public role while HTS is listed as a terrorist organization is a bold indicator of how much confidance they have, probably from pre-made agreements and promissed support of external forces.
# Rojava solidarity
- After a general call for mobilization, young revolutionaries all around Rojava had been recording and publishing statements showing their commitment to fight and defend their land, joining the ranks of SDF as popular militias of self defense. They call for a revolutionary people’s war against those who attack the revolution.
# HTS and Hama offensive
- HTS continue their operation to capture the city of Hama. Their advance had been slow and is facing heavy resistance from the counter offensive of the SAA. Heavy clashes in the northern outskirts of the city are taking place, as HTS forces advance east and west of Hama encircling the city while starting the assault on the north. SAA just started to use planes to bomb position of HTS advance.
- Military equipment and weapons captured by HTS are already being used in the clashes against the SAA. This includes tanks and other combat vehicles. Some planes (in rather poor condition, but still) have also been captured, as well as radars and other advanced components of the S300 and S400 (rusian made anti-aircraft systems). Numbers of weapons seized is difficult to estimate, as regime soldiers left behind full warehouses and military barracks.
# Shehba, Manbij and Tabqa
- The evacuation of the Shehba region continues. Today, several buses crossed from Til Rifat to the region of Manbij. The overall situation with regard to the transport of refugees is very hard, and it is hampered by raids from SNA and by Turkey's continued shelling of supposedly safe areas (a number of villages in the cantons of Manbij and Tabqa were shelled today). More than 100.000 people is arriving to the areas of Manbij and Tabqa, with several institutions of the self-administration working to provide shelter and provisions. RIC published an explainer about the situation of this huanitarian crisis: https://rojavainformationcenter.org/2024/12/explainer-thousands-of-civilians-driven-out-of-shehba/
- Clashes in Manbij and Tabqa areas are getting more intense. SDF (Military Councils of Manbij and Tabqa, MMC TMC) repelled several attacks, killing and injuring fighters of SNA. Some sources suggested that SDF was advancing in an offensive towards Aleppo, but official statement of SDF denied such claims stating they are just defending their territories.
# Turkish and Russian Movments
- Videos of Turkish army vehicles entering Syria from Azaz, norh-west of Aleppo, spread in social media. Besides the constant attacks of UAVs (Unmaned Aerial Vehicles, military grade drones), this is Turkey's first direct escalation in the ongoing situation. Direct intervention of Turkish Army may come with use of military planes like F-16, jets that Turkey has been using to bomb kurdish forces in Syria since the invasion of Afrin. Those NATO planes may be used to support not only SNA but also HTS, risking direct confrontation with Russian air force. Such escenario is at the moment especulation, but the stakes are high.
- Russia is moving their advanced navy from the port of Tartus, probably fearing attacks from the HTS, but also as a mechanism of deterrance. This is the only Russian naval base in the mediterranean sea, confering it very high strategical value. Today the air defenses next to that base shot down some drone attack.
# HTS media strategy
- The leader of HTS Abu Muhammad al-Julani made a public statement from outskirts of Aleppo calling locals not to leave their homes and the region, promissing protection from the Assad regime. Unlike other ilsamist leaders, al-Julani is playing a public and mediatic role, selling an image of moderate islam portraying HTS as liberators for the western public. Displaying such a public role while HTS is listed as a terrorist organization is a bold indicator of how much confidance they have, probably from pre-made agreements and promissed support of external forces.
# Rojava solidarity
- After a general call for mobilization, young revolutionaries all around Rojava had been recording and publishing statements showing their commitment to fight and defend their land, joining the ranks of SDF as popular militias of self defense. They call for a revolutionary people’s war against those who attack the revolution.
- Many different organizations and groups in several countries shared solidarity statements and organized demonstrations to support and defend Rojava in these difficult times. From here we also want to thank you all for those beautiful expressions of international solidarity!
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤
Yesterday Têkosîna Anarsîst, an internationalist anarchist organization working in north east Syria, published a statement about the current situation, calling for international solidarity.
👍1
Update 05-12-2024
# HTS on Hama and beyond
- After HTS offensive encircled the city of Hama and started the assault to capture it, SAA withdraw it’s forces. Al-Julani, leader of HTS, issued a video calling to not take revenge on captured Assad loyalists as HTS takes over administration of the city. HTS ordered police forces to continue their job waiting for new instructions from the “representatives of the ministery of interior of the Syrian Salvation Goverment”. HTS fighters also opened the central prison of Hama, setting prisoners free.
- There reports of HTS executing on the spot workers of the military hospital of Aleppo, as well as videos of other atrocities against SAA soldiers on the outskirts of Hama. Several pictures of combatants of HTS and SNA wearing patches of ISIS on their military uniforms are going around social media.
- A SAA convoy withdrawing from Hama towards the city of Homs was ambushed on the road, damaging vehicles and capturing surviving SAA soldiers.
- A big exodus of regime loyalists is fleeing from the city of Homs towards Damascus as the offensive of HTS continue moving south after capturing Hama. Stories of Syrian refugees from Aleppo and Hama escaping towards Tartus and Latakia are also shedding light on the booming “evacuation market”, where smugglers charge thousands of dollars for passage to different areas.
# Manbij, Shehba and Turkish moves
- SDF repelled more attacks of SNA fighters in Manbij area and apparently is pushing forward in the region of Hafsa, southern Manbij canton. SNA is sending tanks, heavy weapons and more fighters to that area, so bigger clashes are expected.
- Caravans of refugees from Shehba still trying to reach territories of the Self-Administration, but their convoys are halted by SNA raids. SDF published a statement denouncing a mass kidnap of refugees where SNA loaded more than 120 vehicles of refugees to unknown destination. Around 15.000 people was taken to unknown destination, with rumors of mass killing spreading on social media.
- Turkish state is starting to make open moves, with declarations of Erdogan about their involvement and intentions in Syria. An extended security meeting of turkish government took place today, and they will also take part on several international councils that will take place in the next days, pushing their agenda of kurdish genocide and otomanization of Syria.
# ISIS resurgence
- ISIS claims in a statement they took control of new areas south east to Homs city after clashes with the SAA. Daesh cells had increasing activity in the last moths, and with the current events they will probably push to expand their influence again.
# Semalka border open for journalists
- The self-administration issued an statement informing that Semalka border with Iraqui Kurdistan is open for journalists.
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤
# HTS on Hama and beyond
- After HTS offensive encircled the city of Hama and started the assault to capture it, SAA withdraw it’s forces. Al-Julani, leader of HTS, issued a video calling to not take revenge on captured Assad loyalists as HTS takes over administration of the city. HTS ordered police forces to continue their job waiting for new instructions from the “representatives of the ministery of interior of the Syrian Salvation Goverment”. HTS fighters also opened the central prison of Hama, setting prisoners free.
- There reports of HTS executing on the spot workers of the military hospital of Aleppo, as well as videos of other atrocities against SAA soldiers on the outskirts of Hama. Several pictures of combatants of HTS and SNA wearing patches of ISIS on their military uniforms are going around social media.
- A SAA convoy withdrawing from Hama towards the city of Homs was ambushed on the road, damaging vehicles and capturing surviving SAA soldiers.
- A big exodus of regime loyalists is fleeing from the city of Homs towards Damascus as the offensive of HTS continue moving south after capturing Hama. Stories of Syrian refugees from Aleppo and Hama escaping towards Tartus and Latakia are also shedding light on the booming “evacuation market”, where smugglers charge thousands of dollars for passage to different areas.
# Manbij, Shehba and Turkish moves
- SDF repelled more attacks of SNA fighters in Manbij area and apparently is pushing forward in the region of Hafsa, southern Manbij canton. SNA is sending tanks, heavy weapons and more fighters to that area, so bigger clashes are expected.
- Caravans of refugees from Shehba still trying to reach territories of the Self-Administration, but their convoys are halted by SNA raids. SDF published a statement denouncing a mass kidnap of refugees where SNA loaded more than 120 vehicles of refugees to unknown destination. Around 15.000 people was taken to unknown destination, with rumors of mass killing spreading on social media.
- Turkish state is starting to make open moves, with declarations of Erdogan about their involvement and intentions in Syria. An extended security meeting of turkish government took place today, and they will also take part on several international councils that will take place in the next days, pushing their agenda of kurdish genocide and otomanization of Syria.
# ISIS resurgence
- ISIS claims in a statement they took control of new areas south east to Homs city after clashes with the SAA. Daesh cells had increasing activity in the last moths, and with the current events they will probably push to expand their influence again.
# Semalka border open for journalists
- The self-administration issued an statement informing that Semalka border with Iraqui Kurdistan is open for journalists.
Revolutionary greetings! 🖤