[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Inside Syria
Everyone wrote off the Syrian army. Take another look now The Syrian army, undermanned and under-gunned has moved to the offensive and Russia has involved itself in a long-term operation in Syria.
Overextension by the Kurds will only benefit ISIL Hassan Hassan on the implications of a Kurdish led offensive in Raqqa. ISIL has turned to low-scale attacks in vulnerable or less strategic areas to avoid air attacks.
Going Home: An interview with Tarif al-Sayyed Issa In Syria, “the people who liberate a town are not necessarily best suited to rule it,” says Tarif al-Sayyed Issa.
Female activist speaks of living nightmare after surviving regime prison After her release, Amal was told she could never return home, as her brothers and uncles would kill her if they were ever to discover her prison experiences.
Syrian rebels decry Russian airstrikes: `we have not had Isis here in over a year` Residents in areas hit by Russian airstrikes describe widespread destruction of civic buildings and housing while Free Syrian Army largely shelters itself.
U.S. Weaponry Is Turning Syria Into Proxy War With Russia Insurgent commanders say that since Russia began air attacks in support of the Syrian government, they are receiving for the first time bountiful supplies of powerful American-made antitank missiles.
Moderate Syrian Rebels Say They May Not Be Doing Well But Are Very Much Alive Syria’s relatively moderate rebel units continue to their struggle as Russian fighter jets become their latest foe.
Ahrar al-Sham’s apocalyptic vision for Syria and beyond Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya (the Islamic Movement of the Free Men of Syria), one of the largest rebel groups in Syria, is going through a moderate ideological transformation. At least that’s what one would think from the recent spate of PR, suggesting Washington should ally with the group.
Race against the raiders of Syrian antiquities Given the scale of the destruction and trafficking of Syrian antiquities, heritage authorities are trying to save the memory of a whole region
Back to School in Aleppo’s Basements As students return to classes this month in the rebel-held areas of Aleppo, they won’t be heading back to the classrooms they left last year. Instead, they’ll be receiving lessons in basements and other “secure areas” across the devastated city
For those left in Syria, life among the ruins takes on a ghostly air A recent swing through government-held areas of Syria by a Times correspondent provided ample evidence of the depopulation of a nation now defined by images of bombed-out buildings, rubble-strewn streets and refugees on the move.
We Syrians are losing our faith in the international community A group of Syrian civil society organizations and actors published this statement in the The Guardian. "While we still demand a political solution that removes Assad from power, the world must act now to stop the slaughter of civilians by his regime and Russia."
Iran`s casualties in Syria: Senior commanders and Afghan militiamen In late June, the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, said 400 Iranian nationals had been killed in Syria since the start of the conflict there in 2011.
Bashar al-Assad travels to Russia to thank Putin for Syria airstrikes Syrian president makes first foreign visit since 2011 and says Russian intervention has held back spread of terrorism in region.
Regional and International Perspectives
U.S. is debating ways to shield Syrian civilians A sharp new debate on US air intervention in Syria, while Putin increases pressure on Obama to take action.
The Islamic State isn’t the only group looting Syrian archaeological sites The Islamic State’s damage to Syria archaeological sites has been well-documented, however, attempts to assess the damage has been limited due to the conflict and chaos in Syria since 2011.
Exclusive: shipping traffic to Syria surges as Russia steps up offensive “Cargo includes supplies to bolster the offensive as well as grain and sugar to feed those involved in the deepening conflict.”
Bashar al-Assad finds chilly embrace in Moscow trip Lee and Myers analyze the relationship Bashar Al-Assad has with Vladimir Putin and how Assad will not let the Russians pick the next Syrian president.
Syria conflict: Assad in surprise visit to Moscow Bashar al-Assad visits Moscow on his first overseas trip since 2011. Also, Assad says, “Russia’s involvement in Syria has stopped ‘terrorism’ becoming ‘more widespread and harmful’ in Syria.”
US and Saudis vow to step up war on Assad in defiance of Russia The United States and Saudi Arabia agreed to increase support to Syria’s moderate opposition while seeking a political resolution of the nearly five-year conflict.
`Homeland is racist`: artists sneak subversive graffiti on to TV show Street artists say they were asked to add authenticity to scenes of Syrian refugee camp, but took chance to air criticisms of show’s depiction of Muslim world.
Putin shows his realism in Syria A lack of moderate Syrian opposition forces has forced Washington to give tacit consent to Russian intervention.
Where Russian and American Weapons Have Been Fired in Syria Russian warplanes carried out more than 100 strikes in support of Syrian government troops over the weekend. Insurgent groups have also posted more than two dozen videos in the past few days showing them firing American-made TOW antitank missiles, deepening the impression that a proxy war between the United States and Russia is joining the list of interlocking conflicts in Syria.
The children among Syria’s ruins Michael Gerson: "When American politicians stir up fear of Syrian refugees, I will think of Abir, a woman living in a plastic tent with her five daughters in the Bekaa Valley. She tells of being driven from place to place by combat, of being shot in the leg by a sniper."
Russia `reducing air strikes against Syrian rebels` as intervention fails The air strikes appear to have failed to give an advantage to pro-Assad military forces despite daily launches.
Moderate Syrian Rebels Say They May Not Be Doing Well But Are Very Much Alive Syria’s relatively moderate rebel units continue to their struggle as Russian fighter jets become their latest foe.
Dozens of ISIS sex slaves have killed themselves to escape rape and torture Dozens of Yazidi girls have been driven to suicide by the ISIS fighters who abused them, the people risking their own lives to rescue them have revealed.
`Jihadi John made me tango dance with him and then beat me`: Freed Isis hostage describes torture A former Isis hostage held with Alan Henning and James Foley has described how their murderer, “Jihadi John”, forced him to dance the tango as part of a regime of torture and humiliation.
Putin Officials Said to Admit Real Syria Goal Is Far Broader Russian intervention may last as long as a year, official says. Kremlin to back Assad regime`s drive to retake key cities.
The Sad Fading Away of the Refugee Crisis Story By Kim Ghattas: What new horror must we see — after the trauma and destruction so well documented over the past four years — to capture the world’s attention and finally end this war in Syria?
Reality Check: Elizabeth May debates the crisis in Syria and fighting ISIS The Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May says it’s Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad who is responsible for a humanitarian crisis that has seen millions of Syrians flee for their lives and bombing ISIS isn’t going to stop the desperate situation.
Canada to withdraw fighter jets from Iraq and Syria New PM Justin Trudeau tells Barack Obama his nation will no longer provide jets for the fight against ISIS.
Policy and Reports
Peacebuilding Defines Our Future Now: A study of Women`s Peace Activism in Syria This research sought to understand the women activists’ definitions and priorities of peacebuilding in Syria today; and explore the current forms and characteristics of women activism in peacebuilding, identify the challenges it is facing, and shed light on the available opportunities. It relied on data collected from women activists working in various non-regime controlled as well as regime-controlled areas across Syria. In total, the research collected information from 49 women’s groups, interviews with 35 influential women activists, and 10 focus groups discussions hosting 8-10 activists each.
If we are to help Syria’s people, we must take action Hilary Benn writes: This is the great humanitarian crisis of our age. We need a UN resolution for effective action, safe zones, aid and a post-civil war plan.
Analytical Study about the Leaked Pictures of Torture Victims in Syrian Military Hospitals “The Photographed Holocaust” This study is by the Syrian Network for Human Rights. SNHR notes that this study includes a graphic and violent content for Syrian victims who died under torture in government detention centers. It is worth noting that the leaked images have been edited to reduce its graphic nature. SNHR received the images directly from a Colonel in the Department of Forensic Evidence in the military police, known as “Caesar” and “Mr. Sami.”
Responding to the crisis in Syria According to UNDP, 75% of Syrians now live in poverty, 55% are unable to access basic necessities and 20% living in active conflict zones face starvation and malnutrition. Nearly 4.1 million registered refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and North Africa. Over 220,000 killed in fighting, with over 1 million injured, and over 12.2 million now need humanitarian assistance.
Who backs whom in the Syrian conflict Russia’s intervention has made the complex pattern of alliances and enmities in Syria still more intricate. The Assad regime and its local opponents are backed to differing degrees and in different configurations by military powers from near and far.
Syria: US ally’s razing of villages amounts to war crimes A fact-finding mission to northern Syria has uncovered a wave of forced displacement and home demolitions amounting to war crimes carried out by the Autonomous Administration led by the Syrian Kurdish political party Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat (PYD) controlling the area, said a recent Amnesty International report. The Autonomous Administration is a key ally, on the ground, of the US-led coalition fighting against the armed group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) and known as ISIS in Syria.
What next for Syria? How 15 years of experience with UNSCR 1325 could inform a different approach to the Syrian conflict This year marks 15 years since world leaders passed UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. On Tuesday 13 October, diplomats meet to review and chart ways forward on global efforts to protect and empower women in times of conflict. Given what we have learned from UNSCR 1325, what should we do differently from tomorrow on the Syrian conflict?
The Educational and Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugee Children This report examines the experiences and resulting educational and mental health needs of Syrian children living as refugees, drawing on the results of a study conducted in Islahiye camp in southeast Turkey, which assessed children’s levels of trauma and mental health distress. It also reviews intervention programs in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, and offers recommendations for best practices to address the mental health of this vulnerable child population. Syrian refugee children will likely need ongoing, targeted support to bridge the gaps in their education, attain fluency in the host-country language, and deal with trauma and other mental health symptoms, the authors conclude.
Refugee crisis: Surge of sympathy for refugees in Britain `likely to be fleeting,` study says YouGov study suggests any increase in support for refugees is influenced by the perceived generosity of other countries.
Women Are On Front Lines Of Every Battle Zone, But Not In The Way You Think Through four years of horrendous civil war, women have handled local ceasefires, human rights abuses, opened temporary schools, and exposed local officials.
Jaish al-Sham: An Ahrar al-Sham Offshoot or Something More? Jaish al-Sham is based in northern Syria, and many of its leaders apparently go back and forth between Turkey and Syria. According to leading Jaish al-Sham figure Yamin al-Naser, it has branches in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and on the Syrian coast. Naser says Jaish al-Sham already controls “great numbers and deserves being called an army,” specifying that its size is currently at “more than 1,000 fighters who were all recruited from smaller groups.”
5 principles for a responsible internationalist policy on Syria Our response to events in Syria must be built on an understanding of the lessons of history.
Arctic `doomsday vault` opens to retrieve vital seeds for Syria The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was established in the Arctic as a backup in case of worldwide agricultural calamity. The Syrian civil war has created a need for an "early withdrawal" from the seed vault.
Documentaries, Special Reports, and Other Media.
Syria: Battle for Daria rages as Syrian Army pushes forward Syrian Army troops were seen fighting against militants in Daria, Saturday, as government forces continued to push forward against the Islamic State and other militant groups near Damascus. The Syrian Army reported retaking more than 40 blocks from militants in Daria in the latest assault.
"We had nowhere else to go": Forced displacement and demolitions in northern Syria Film produced by Amnesty International showing the researchers` investigation of the abuses committed by the Autonomous Administration, led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syrian Kurdish political party . These abuses include forced displacement, demolition of homes, and the seizure and destruction of property. In some cases, entire villages have been demolished, apparently in retaliation for the perceived support of their Arab or Turkmen residents for the group that calls itself the Islamic State (IS) or other non-state armed groups.
The World Today - The Refugee Trail: Syria to Europe Tariq Ali looks at the historic flight of refugees, reminds us that migration is nothing new and that it has historically always been linked to war.
In Photos: The People, Families — and a Cat — Who Battled to Reach Europe Nearly half a million migrants and refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other poor and war-torn countries have traveled to Europe this year in search of safety and a better life. By 2016 that number is expected to reach 1 million.
‘I have lost my country and my dreams’ Pamela Constable: "Syrians who have fled the brutal war in their country for the United States know that more of their compatriots are coming. And that worries them."
`ISIS…it was just not my cup of tea`: British mum speaks Shukee Begum, a mother of 5 who took her children to Syria to meet her husband, who was fighting with ISIS militants, reveals how she became trapped in ISIS territory after he refused to leave and was kidnapped by smugglers.
We Ask Experts: Has The Situation In Syria Become A Proxy War? Is the situation in Syria already a proxy war, which is generally defined as a conflict between two countries that is fought on third-party soil?
Why more Syrian refugees are leaving Jordan than arriving In Jordan, there`s intense sympathy for the thousands of refugees who have landed there. But it`s illegal for most Syrians to work in that nation, and limited food aid doesn`t go very far. So refugees are increasingly making the dangerous journey to Europe, or even back home, because they are struggling to survive in countries that neighbor their own. Special correspondent Jane Arraf reports.
Hacker allegedly gave ISIS a `kill list` of U.S. troops CNN`s Brian Todd reports on the arrest of an ISIS hacker who reportedly stole U.S. military members` personal information.
Dutch outrage over Syria`s child brides There are reports that girls as young as 13 from Syria are being allowed to join their husbands in the Netherlands. A number of Dutch politicians have expressed outrage and are calling for an inquiry. Anna Holligan reports.
Syrian aid worker breaks down: `Please, end this war!` "What wrong have we done to endure such a bloody, stupid war?! It is enough for us, for God`s sake," Zaidoun al-Zoabi says as he breaks down in tears.
Arabic:
خطة فوريّة لتعليم مليون طفل سوري Ibtisam Azem writes about a new plan in Lebanon to educate Syrian refugee children.
إيران مستعدة لدرس إرسال مقاتلين إلى سورية إذا طلب منها ذلك Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the Chairman for the Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, states that Iran is ready to send troops to Syria if that was asked.
مدخل غير طائفي لقراءة الحرب في سورية Sari Hanafi uses the book Ethnicity Without Groups (2004) to analyze the Syrian conflict.
ثلاث قوميات جديدة دخلت التركيبة السكانية في سوريا The Demography of Syria is facing several constant changes. Three main nationalities: Caucasus, Turkestan, and Afghanistan, are main contributors to new demographic changes.
قراءة في أبعاد كلمة الجولاني.. خليل المقداد Khalil al-Miqdad analyzes the new speech of Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader and emir of al-Nusra Front.
في "وادي الذئاب"..اللاجئون السوريون ضحايا مافيات تركية In the Valley of the Wolves, a popular Turkish media franchise, a new episode deals with Syrian refugee as victims of Turkish mafia.
فنانون ينتقدون طريقة تصوير مسلسل (وطن) الأمريكي للعرب والمسلمين Street artists say they were asked to add authenticity to scenes of Syrian refugee camp, but took chance to air criticisms of show’s depiction of Muslim world.
A related article in English can be found here: `Homeland is racist`: artists sneak subversive graffiti on to TV show
المعارضة السياسيّة والعسكريّة السوريّة تنتج خطوة أولى على طريق توحدّها The Syrian political and military opposition factions have shown, in a first-of-its-kind movement, unity in rejecting Staffan de Mistura’s plan to form committees that would work with both the opposition and the Syrian regime.
An English version of this article can be fund here: Why Syrian opposition rejected the UN`s plan for Syria
سارت عكس النزوح عائدة إلى حلب.. زينة أرحيم: أنتمي لهذه البلاد وناسها.. وغارات روسيا تشجع التشدد CNN interviews Zaina Erhaim who talks about her journalistic work and about life in rebel-held parts of Aleppo.
A related article in English can be found here: Survival in Syria: Children still going to school, people still falling in love
"موسيقي اليرموك" في ألمانيا: أريد أن أعزف لشعوب العالم مقطوعة الألم السوري Musicians from Yarmouk Camp sang for Syria in Munich, Germany .
"النصرة" جزء من المقاومة السورية؟ Ali Hamade argues that al-Nusra Front can be a part of resistance against Russian aggression in Syria.
تأثير الأزمة السورية على الوضع النفسي للأطفال في الداخل السوري This research by Alia Ahmad highlights the effects of the Syrian crisis on the mental health and behavioral status on children inside Syria.
اللاجئون في الزعتري.. إلى سوريا “وراء در” While winter is approaching, Some Syrian refugees are leaving the Zaatari refugee camp and heading back to Syria.
رويترز تمنح السيدة غالية الرحال جائزة “المرأة البطلة الثقة” Ms. "Galiah Rahal," director of the Mazya women`s center in Idlib won the award for the "heroine trustworthy woman" which is provided by the Reuters news agency.
داعش.. والأعراس المسموحة This article discusses the restrictions that ISIS imposes on local residents in regard to wedding celebrations.