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# Etana Syria

Research & Documentation

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## Posts

- [BRIEF: Recent developments in south-west Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recent-developments-in-south-west-syria-2/) - While the pause in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran has provided a measure of respite and temporarily eased tensions across the south-west, the economic fallout from soaring fuel prices and worsening living conditions continues to threaten rising public anger and instability. At the same time, the fragility of the ceasefire leaves the region highly
- [BRIEF: Recent developments in north-east Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recent-developments-in-north-east-syria-2/) - Despite continued setbacks and signs of local resistance, the last month saw tangible steps towards incorporating Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) units into the Syrian army. One of the most concrete areas of progress has been the near-final resolution of the detainee file in the north-east: multiple large-scale prisoner exchanges took place throughout April, combined with
- [ANALYSIS: Current & emerging shortfalls in Syria’s transition](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-current-emerging-shortfalls-in-syrias-transition/) - Syria’s transition to date has been overwhelmingly defined by a stabilization-first approach, both by new Syrian authorities under interim President Ahmad al-Shara’a and international partner-states. This approach prioritizes consolidation of interim authorities’ position without sufficient incentivization for reparative, progressive reform, even despite repeated instances of serious violence and other concerning indications of authoritarian consolidation. While
- [BRIEF: Recent developments in Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recent-developments-in-suwayda/) - For months, Suwayda has been locked in stalemate: political talks have gone nowhere; neither side has proven willing or able to fundamentally alter the military situation on the ground. As such, the most significant political shift followed seemingly innocuous appointments of local officials that reflect the ongoing tussle for legitimacy and authority between the interim
- [BRIEF: Recent developments in north-east Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recent-developments-in-north-east-syria/) - While military integration talks between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus have remained constructive, translating paper agreements into tangible implementation is likely to provoke significant local reactions. This dynamic has already been reflected in Arab protests in Kobane, Ras al-Ain and Suluk, opposing the incorporation of SDF-affiliated personnel into local security structures. So far
- [BRIEF: Recent developments in south-west Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recent-developments-in-south-west-syria/) - Despite the ongoing regional war pitting Israel and the US forces against Iran, and the proliferation of Iranian projectiles and interceptor missiles in south-west Syria’s airspace, the security situation has remained relatively stable: Damascus remains determined to avoid being pulled into the conflict at all costs, projecting calm and vigilance to Tel Aviv with a
- [BRIEF: Sectarian unrest in Al- Suqaylabiyeh](https://etanasyria.org/brief-sectarian-unrest-in-al-suqaylabiyeh/) - A street quarrel between two Sunni men and local Christians in the Orthodox town of Al-Suqaylabiyeh in north-west Hama escalated into sectarian violence last week, when Sunni residents from the neighboring town retaliated by attacking and burning down Christian properties in Al-Suqaylabiyeh. In the days since events in Al-Suqaylabiyeh, there has been debate—particularly online—about the
- [BRIEF: Clashes in western Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/brief-clashes-in-western-suwayda/) - On 19th March, four National Guard members were ambushed by Internal Security units. The subsequent clashes, which drew in additional forces from both sides, represents one of the most significant exchanges of violence since interim authorities’ attack on Suwayda and the ensuing ceasefire agreement in July 2025—not least because it drew a response from Israel,
- [ANALYSIS: Progress & Challenges in SDF Integration](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-progress-challenges-in-sdf-integration/) - Download PDF Through negotiations on integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Self Administration institutions as well as some conciliatory political appointments, north-east Syria’s ceasefire/integration agreement is seeing a unique—albeit limited and contested—form of decentralization not seen in any other part of the country. However, familiar governance practices from interim authorities, with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham
- [ANALYSIS: Opportunities & challenges in integrating north-east Syria](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-opportunities-challenges-in-integrating-north-east-syria/) - After weeks of fierce fighting in north-east Syria between interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), gradual implementation of the ceasefire/integration agreement reached between the two sides in late January is now underway. This has included several steps that appear, on paper at least, cautiously promising: the appointment of a Kurdish political figure as
- [BRIEF: Impact of regional conflict on south Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-impact-of-regional-conflict-on-south-syria/) - The surprise US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February has already sent catalytic shockwaves throughout the region, with states now facing Iranian retaliation. Presently, Syria’s interim authorities are intent on preventing the country from getting dragged into a conflict with Israel and as such, are taking precautionary steps in the south, as well as securing
- [BRIEF: Suwayda-Damascus prisoner exchange](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-damascus-prisoner-exchange/) - A US-mediated prisoner swap agreement, negotiated behind the scenes beginning earlier this year, saw interim authorities and Druze factions release approximately 90 detainees last week. Prisoner exchanges were overseen by the International Red Cross Committee on 26th February. Open-source reporting indicates that interim authorities are still holding Druze citizens in Adra Central Prison who were
- [BRIEF: First steps made in SDF integration agreement](https://etanasyria.org/brief-first-steps-made-in-sdf-integration-agreement/) - Although early signs of progress in the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the interim governance structure—and particularly the appointment of a Kurdish figure as governor of Hasakeh—appear promising, there is still reason for caution. Tensions remain high. Arab tribes in Tal Burak and Tal Hamis reacted angrily to misleading reports that Asayish
- [Brief: SDF Handover of North-East Enclaves Begins](https://etanasyria.org/brief-sdf-handover-of-north-east-enclaves-begins/) - Interim authorities reached a deal with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 30th January that established a new ceasefire in north-east Syria and outlined the integration of SDF, Asayish and Self Administration personnel into interim government bodies within a month. Although there are still disagreements about the finer details of the agreement, the SDF—now diplomatically
- [BRIEF: Israeli operations continue in south-west Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-israeli-operations-continue-in-south-west-syria/) - While international focus has been on Aleppo and north-east Syria, Israeli forces continued operations and patrols across south-west Syria. These operations accelerated in December 2025, with Israeli forces launching daily ground operations and surveillance flights across Daraa and Quneitra provinces, in addition to intermittent artillery barrages along the border strip. Still, the past month has
- [BRIEF: Tense ceasefire reinstated in north-east Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-tense-ceasefire-reinstated-in-north-east-syria/) - An additional 15-day ceasefire was announced in north-east Syria on Saturday. Although there were rumors of a possible breakthrough late on 27th January—with a plan floated that would see Internal Security units enter Kobane and Hasakeh before a mechanism was established to integrate Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters into interim security forces—the first days of
- [BRIEF: Raqqa, Deir Ezzor fall to interim authorities](https://etanasyria.org/brief-raqqa-deir-ezzor-fall-to-interim-authorities/) - After launching a military operation on the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) last foothold in eastern Aleppo’s Deir Hafer late last week, interim authorities waged a broader push on the SDF-controlled north-east over the weekend. At the time of writing, pro-government forces affiliated with Damascus have seized control of most formerly SDF-held territory: only parts of
- [BRIEF: Clashes erupt in Aleppo province](https://etanasyria.org/brief-clashes-erupt-in-aleppo-province/) - Mounting tensions between interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led to heavy military clashes in Aleppo mid-January. The situation in eastern Aleppo province at Deir Hafer and Tishreen Dam remains on the brink with the buildup of interim government and SDF fighters along this frontline. The two mitigating factors for continued fighting in
- [BRIEF: Palmyra attack raises concerns of ISIS infiltration](https://etanasyria.org/brief-palmyra-attack-raises-concerns-of-isis-infiltration/) - The deadly attack on US forces in Palmyra last week underscores several troubling trends within the post-Assad security apparatus that could threaten nascent cooperation with US-led International Coalition partners. The potential for extremism among new army recruits, combined with the influx of hardline elements, has already raised alarms among allies. The attack by a security
- [Survey Results: Public Opinion in Transitional Syria—One Year into the Transition](https://etanasyria.org/survey-results-public-opinion-in-transitional-syria-one-year-into-the-transition/) - One year into Syria’s political transition, this second round of ETANA’s public opinion survey reveals a transition that remains fragile and unevenly legitimised. Perceptions of safety, freedoms, women’s rights, services and economic management continue to divide sharply along regional, sectarian and educational lines. Satisfaction is concentrated mainly in governorates with large Sunni populations, such as
- [BRIEF: Moscow eyes return to south Syria, Damascus-Tel Aviv talks stall](https://etanasyria.org/brief-moscow-eyes-return-to-south-syria-damascus-tel-aviv-talks-stall/) - Israel is stepping up is provocative activities in south-west Syria: November saw an increase in cross-border ground incursions and raids into Quneitra and Daraa. Even more concerning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led a high-ranking Israeli delegation tour through the “buffer zone” between the occupied Golan Heights and Syria. With talks between Damascus and Tel
- [North-West Offensive Update #3: 3 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-3-3-december-2024/) - As of the evening of 3rd December, fighting continued to rage along the frontlines of northern and eastern Hama province. Opposition forces captured several new towns along the M5 highway and pushed further east towards Ithriya. At least 14 new towns and villages have been captured from pro-regime forces so far, with opposition fighters closing
- [BRIEF: SDF-Damascus talks stall as Kurds lose leverage](https://etanasyria.org/brief-sdf-damascus-talks-stall-as-kurds-lose-leverage/) - The ceasefire between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus has provided crucial cover for all parties to pursue negotiations towards a political solution for the north-east, and envoys from the SDF and Damascus have held a series of consultations on military integration. However, the fractured nature of the SDF leadership is proving a formidable
- [BRIEF: Uneasy calm in Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/brief-uneasy-calm-in-suwayda/) - While the July ceasefire agreement and subsequent roadmap have maintained a marked decline in large-scale clashes, Suwayda’s truce is still tenuous. Continued sporadic armed incidents—including checkpoint skirmishes, targeted attacks on Druze positions, drone attacks and limited shelling along contested frontlines—undermine confidence in its long-term durability. As long as the specter of Israeli intervention remains, however,
- [ANALYSIS: Syria’s parliamentary elections & the crisis of representation](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-syrias-parliamentary-elections-the-crisis-of-representation/) - The 5th October 2025 parliamentary elections were presented as a landmark in Syria’s post-Assad transition, yet the process demonstrated authoritarian consolidation rather than progressive change. Conducted through appointments and closely administered electoral bodies under Law No. 143 of 2025, the exercise produced a parliament that was chosen rather than elected. The decision to proceed with
- [BRIEF: Ceasefire pauses SDF-Damascus fighting](https://etanasyria.org/brief-ceasefire-pauses-sdf-damascus-fighting/) - Over the course of a week between the 2nd and 7th October, a range of military flashpoints erupted across the north-east, triggering a crisis-within-a-crisis in Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority districts, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh. A US-brokered ceasefire brought an end to hostilities on 7th October. The truce temporarily stabilized frontlines and reopened closed crossings in Raqqa, creating
- [BRIEF: Rising instability in south-west Syria](https://etanasyria.org/brief-rising-instability-in-south-west-syria/) - Amid the fallout of attacks in Suwayda and ongoing Israeli ground incursions, interim authorities’ governance patterns in the south-west have seen little change. Damascus continues to rely on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) allies while isolating prominent local figures in the south, creating increasingly destabilizing security dynamics. This has been further compounded by Israel’s continued intervention
- [BRIEF: Suwayda ceasefire holds but internal divisions grow](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-ceasefire-holds-but-internal-divisions-grow/) - For another week, there has been no change on the ground in Suwayda, with ceasefire violations limited to small-scale armed exchanges. Interim President Ahmad al-Shara’a’s administration appear to be using the roadmap agreement as their legitimizing reference for what comes next in Suwayda. However, divisions are growing within the province itself. Interim authorities appear to
- [BRIEF: Suwayda roadmap agreement faces pushback](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-roadmap-agreement-faces-pushback/) - Building on the ceasefire brokered between Syria, Jordan and the US in late July, the three countries last week announced a “roadmap” designed to end the stand-off in south Syria. While more expansive than past tripartite documents (as it emphasizes the importance of reconciliation, rights and accountability in any settlement), discussions around the roadmap failed
- [ANALYSIS: While New York greets al-Shara’a, grievances grow at home](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-while-new-york-greets-al-sharaa-grievances-grow-at-home/) - As interim President Ahmad al-Shara’a travels to New York to attend the UN General Assembly, he departs an increasingly fractured country. In power since Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow last December, al-Shara’a has positioned himself as the leader of Syria’s political transition after more than 14 years of war and decades of rule under the
- [BRIEF: Suwayda ceasefire holds, political talks stall amid mutual distrust](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-ceasefire-holds-political-talks-stall-amid-mutual-distrust/) - There has been no change to the map of control in Suwayda since ETANA’s last reporting in late August. Suwayda’s ceasefire is holding, but prospects for long-term stability in the province remain elusive. There has been no substantive progress on the political level between Damascus and Suwayda’s Druze leadership and significant mistrust still exists between
- [SURVEY: Public Opinion on Syria’s Transition](https://etanasyria.org/survey-public-opinion-on-syrias-transition/) - Last week marked six months since the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the beginning of the fragile, fast-moving political transition that followed. In the lead-up to this milestone, ETANA conducted a nationwide public opinion survey to assess how Syrians view interim authorities as well as Syria’s evolving political landscape. The findings offer a complex and
- [STUDY: Israel's Strategy in South Syria](https://etanasyria.org/study-israels-strategy-in-south-syria/) - Download PDF On the same day that Syrians took to the streets to celebrate the downfall of Bashar al-Assad, Israeli forces entered Syrian territory for the first time in decades—supposedly a temporary measure amid the jubilance, uncertainty and insecurity of the immediate post-Assad moment. However, there have been few signs of temporariness since then. After
- [BRIEF: Suwayda under siege](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-under-siege/) - A tentative ceasefire that has mostly held in Suwayda since 20th July has yielded a new tactic from interim authorities: a government-imposed blockade. While a small number of Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) food deliveries are being allowed to enter Suwayda, most humanitarian convoys have been turned away by Damascus-backed fighters, particularly along an officially
- [BRIEF: Suwayda truce holds, authorities navigate next steps](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-truce-holds-authorities-navigate-next-steps/) - Despite scattered and not insignificant bouts of fighting since the tripartite ceasefire came into effect last weekend, the general picture from Suwayda at the moment is one of tense calm. The tripartite Suwayda ceasefire, brokered in Amman by Syrian, Jordanian and US officials at the beginning of this week, has largely held. Now, dire humanitarian
- [ANALYSIS: Course-correcting Syria’s political transition after Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-course-correcting-syrias-political-transition-after-suwayda/) - The Suwayda crisis has laid bare the dangers of militarised governance, exclusionary politics, and top-down transition models. Without a fundamental step-change in how governance operates, one that centres inclusion and civilian authority, these dynamics will continue to erode Syria’s social fabric and fuel further instability. It is urgent to course-correct now, and the international community
- [BRIEF: Tentative ceasefire holds despite ongoing violations](https://etanasyria.org/brief-tentative-ceasefire-holds-despite-ongoing-violations/) - After a series of different ceasefires beginning late Friday evening failed to halt fighting or force withdrawals from Suwayda by Bedouin fighters, a meeting in Amman held between Syrian, Jordanian and US officials on Saturday has managed to stem the worst of the recent violence—although ceasefire violations have continued since. As of Monday, Ministry of
- [BRIEF: Suwayda truce collapses following tribal mobilization](https://etanasyria.org/brief-suwayda-truce-collapses-following-tribal-mobilization/) - Despite interim authorities fully withdrawing all its forces and affiliated armed groups from Suwayda following a tentative truce reached mid-week, Bedouin armed groups launched a new attack on the province’s western countryside late on Thursday. As interim authorities withdrew, some Druze factions began attacking Bedouin settlements, committing extra-judicial killings of civilians, and forcing families to
- [BRIEF: Military escalation in Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/brief-military-escalation-in-suwayda/) - After a kidnapping incident prompted fierce clashes between Bedouin groups and Druze factions in western Suwayda, the interim Ministry of Defense deployed more than 12,000 troops in an apparent bid to enter Suwayda and finally move in on anti-government Druze factions there. As early as yesterday morning, the scale and nature of Ministry of Defense
- [STUDY: Between Symbolism and Substance: Syria’s Transition at 6 Months](https://etanasyria.org/study-between-symbolism-and-substance-syrias-transition-at-6-months/) - Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria found itself at a critical juncture, a turbulent phase marked by deep political, legal, and social ruptures. The burden of rebuilding a functional state fell upon the newly formed transitional government, which inherited a fractured institutional landscape and a society grappling with decades of authoritarian rule. Amid
- [STUDY: Refugee Returns & Migration Dynamics after Assad](https://etanasyria.org/study-refugee-returns-migration-dynamics-after-assad-2/) - Download PDF Published in partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Lebanon, this study assesses returns by refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime as well as broader migration dynamics in and around Syria. This study explores refugee and displacement dynamics following the fall of the Assad regime in
- [Analysis: Syria and the Israel-Iran war](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-syria-and-the-israel-iran-war/) - One week ago, Israel launched a wave of aerial attacks targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders and scientists, and other key infrastructure across Iran. Iran has retaliated with several barrages of high-speed ballistic missiles and drones. Both states have repeatedly utilized Syrian airspace to conduct cross-regional attacks, with interim
- [Syria Update #25: 26 May 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-25-26-may-2025/) - Despite the promises of recent diplomatic engagements and the lifting of US and EU sanctions, Syria’s security situation remains fractious and fragile. The current status quo is defined by multiple threats—including resistance to interim authorities’ control in Suwayda and eastern Daraa, simmering tensions with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and ongoing Israeli incursions and attacks
- [ANALYSIS: Sanctions relief and the stakes of reform in Syria](https://etanasyria.org/analysis-sanctions-relief-and-the-stakes-of-reform-in-syria/) - US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East last week marked a substantive shift in US policy towards Syria. Upon arriving to the region, President Trump announced the lifting of US sanctions on Syria—measures that had been in place for more than 50 years. The following day in Riyadh, interim President Ahmad al-Shara’a became
- [BRIEF: Armed Clashes & Sectarian Violence on Syria’s Coast](https://etanasyria.org/brief-armed-clashes-sectarian-violence-on-syrias-coast/) - The worst bout of violence of Syria’s post-Assad period ended with more than 1,000 civilians estimated dead. What began as a series of coordinated ambushes by regime remnants in Jableh in southern Latakia quickly expanded into an insurgency across Latakia and Tartous, Syria’s coastal provinces. The attacks opened the door for armed groups affiliated with
- [BRIEF: Syrian National Dialogue Conference falls short of expectations](https://etanasyria.org/blog-syrian-national-dialogue-conference-falls-short-of-expectations/) - Syria’s highly anticipated National Dialogue Conference promised to be a critical step toward defining the country’s post-Assad political trajectory. The agenda, which included discussions on topics ranging from transitional justice to economic principles, touched on meaningful and practical challenges facing the country. But the conference was hastily organized and failed to include representation from all
- [BRIEF: Recommendations for the Syrian Constitutional Declaration Committee](https://etanasyria.org/blog-recommendations-for-the-syrian-constitutional-declaration-committee/) - Facing pressure to deliver on promises of political reform, Syria’s caretaker President Ahmad al-Shara’a formed a committee responsible for drafting a constitutional declaration on 2nd March 2025. Rather than assuaging concerns, however, the make-up of the committee and its process raised concerns regarding its legitimacy and effectiveness. The selection process lacked transparency, with no clear
- [BRIEF: Improving Performance of UN & INGOs in a Post-Assad Syria](https://etanasyria.org/blog-improving-performance-of-un-ingos-in-a-post-assad-syria/) - With the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime late last year, international organizations now have a rare opportunity to engage with Syrian authorities in ways that meaningfully benefit both the country and its people. Rebuilding trust in the UN and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is essential to this process. After 14 years of war, Syrians remain
- [BRIEF: Syria’s constitution raises concerns about inclusivity, presidential powers](https://etanasyria.org/blog-syrias-constitution-raises-concerns-about-inclusivity-presidential-powers/) - The new Syrian constitution promises women’s rights and provisions for transitional justice, but envisions a system with power concentrated in the presidency. Just months after taking Damascus, caretaker president Ahmad al Sharaa appointed a constitutional declaration committee to draft a new constitution for the country. The text, signed by Sharaa on 13 March, should be
- [BRIEF: Syria’s interim cabinet—between inclusion & power consolidation](https://etanasyria.org/blog-syrias-interim-cabinet-between-inclusion-power-consolidation/) - In 2011, Syrians took to the streets demanding urgent political reforms and inclusive governance, aiming to end decades of cronyism and corruption under the Assad regime.​ With Bashar al-Assad now outside the country, the country’s interim authorities have the rare opportunity to begin building a state based on these demands. However, the interim cabinet, announced
- [Syria Update #24: 8 May 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-24-8-may-2025/) - An outbreak of armed clashes and anti-Druze sectarian violence in Suwayda province and the Rural Damascus towns of Jaramana and Sahnaya last week appears to have reached a tense impasse. For the time being, interim authorities have accepted de-escalation and stalemate, but continue to see the relative autonomy of Druze regions as unacceptable. Meanwhile, sporadic
- [BRIEF: The Jaramana & Ashrafiyat Sahnaya crisis](https://etanasyria.org/brief-the-jaramana-ashrafiyat-sahnaya-crisis/) - The eruption of sectarian violence in Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya–two Druze-majority areas located to the south and south-east of Damascus–marks a dangerous escalation in Syria’s post-Assad transition. The speed and intensity of the violence, the direct involvement of state-backed forces, and the regional interventions it has triggered have fuelled deep concern among Syrians, especially in
- [BRIEF: Armed clashes erupt in Jaramana & Sahnaya](https://etanasyria.org/brief-armed-clashes-erupt-in-jaramana-sahnaya/) - The online leak of an audio recording allegedly depicting a Druze cleric insulting the Prophet Muhammad changed the security picture around Damascus and Suwayda overnight: in response, interim security forces and local armed groups attacked two Druze areas near Damascus and started attacking Druze communities in the north of Suwayda. The number of overall casualties
- [BRIEF: SDF Agreement Stalls as ISIS Regroups](https://etanasyria.org/brief-sdf-agreement-stalls-as-isis-regroups/) - Hopes for calm in the north-east following an agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and interim authorities to demilitarize the Tishreen Dam area are fading. Despite rising tensions, troop mobilizations and mutual denouncements on both sides, the SDF and interim officials have been careful not to cross any key thresholds of aggression—yet. Declarations from
- [BRIEF: Cross-Border Smuggling After the Regime's Collapse](https://etanasyria.org/brief-cross-border-smuggling-after-the-regimes-collapse/) - The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has precipitated the end of the industrial-scale narcotics trafficking operation run by the regime’s security apparatus and Hezbollah. The impact on smuggling groups active in south Syria is pronounced, with a significant decline in cross-border smuggling attempts since December and trafficking reduced to a localized criminal enterprise.
- [BRIEF: The Dissolution of Ahmad al-Awdeh’s Groups in Daraa](https://etanasyria.org/brief-the-dissolution-of-ahmad-al-awdehs-groups-in-daraa/) - The abrupt collapse of Ahmad al-Awdeh’s forces in south Syria marks a major realignment of regional security dynamics in the region by removing a significant obstacle to new President Ahmad al-Shara’a’s consolidation of power in Daraa. In pursuing a divide and conquer strategy against hold-out communities, the new authorities in Damascus are in many ways
- [Syria Update #23: 31 March 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-23-31-march-2025/) - The raids in Koya this week portend increasingly brazen Israeli incursions into south Syria, which are now seriously hampering the ability of caretaker authorities in Damascus to secure a broad stretch of the south-west of the country from unrest and attack. The threat of airstrikes now hang explicitly over several ongoing initiatives that many see
- [Syria Update 22: 24 March 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-22-24-march-2025/) - Ongoing outbreaks of violence, aggression and violations across different areas in Syria are a reminder of the country’s precarious situation as it navigates the myriad challenges of unifying a fragmented country post-Assad. Despite a breakthrough agreement between caretaker authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the announcement of a Constitutional Declaration to set the
- [BLOG: Building a new Syria](https://etanasyria.org/blog-building-a-new-syria/) - For the first time in 14 years, Syrians are marking the anniversary of the uprising without Bashar al-Assad in power. The 2011 uprising began peacefully. Protesters echoed the calls of the Arab Spring for “bread, freedom and social justice,” only for the regime to respond with an immediate, brutal security crackdown. In the 14 years
- [Syria Update #21: 8 March 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-21-8-march-2025/) - Attacks and operations this week by the so-called “Military Council for the Liberation of Syria” potentially mark the first signs of a more organized regime response to the fall of Bashar al-Assad last year. In effect, this week’s developments represent an organized military operation by senior regime personnel—not an organic Alawi uprising motivated by fears
- [Syria Update #20: 2 March 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-20-2-march-2025/) - The National Dialogue Conference marks the prelude to the transitional government expected to be announced on 1st March in line with the deadline set by HTS-led caretaker authorities. While the conference’s non-binding closing statement called for the creation of a temporary legislative council and the enshrining of political freedoms, the rule of law and human
- [Syria Update #19: 22 February 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-19-22-february-2025/) - While on-the-ground security dynamics remain fractious and unpredictable, caretaker authorities in Damascus managed to yield tentative concessions from armed groups around the country (with the exception of Suwayda). The formation of a Southern Division and promising statements from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) point to a desire on both sides for temporary fixes vis-à-vis the
- [EXPLAINER: Political & Military Dynamics in Suwayda Province](https://etanasyria.org/explainer-political-military-dynamics-in-suwayda-province/) - Authorities led by caretaker President Ahmad al-Shara’a are watching with growing concern the sustained opposition to their objectives in the south Syrian Druze-majority province. Calls from senior Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri for a “decentralized system” in Suwayda stand in direct opposition to authorities’ objectives—not least the integration of all southern armed factions under a
- [Syria’s economic recovery depends on small businesses and community initiatives](https://etanasyria.org/syrias-economic-recovery-depends-on-small-businesses-and-community-initiatives/) - Under Bashar al-Assad, more than a decade of heavily centralized mismanagement, cronyism and conflict left Syria’s economy essentially in ruins. While Assad is now gone, Syria is still facing a tattered economy, international sanctions and reconstruction costs estimated to be in the billions. Foreign investors are also wary of business with Syrian companies or associations
- [BRIEF: Recommendations for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference’s preparatory committee](https://etanasyria.org/brief-recommendations-for-the-syrian-national-dialogue-conferences-preparatory-committee/) - Early signs from the preparatory committee for Syria’s National Dialogue Conference have raised significant concerns regarding its composition, inclusivity and objectives. While the conference presents a valuable opportunity to gather Syrians’ perspectives on the political transition and foster national dialogue, initial meetings by the committee have cast considerable doubt on the process’ potential for meaningful
- [Syria Update #18: 15 February 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-18-15-february-2025/) - Caretaker President Ahmad al-Shara’a (previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani) took the first steps towards organizing the much-anticipated National Dialogue Conference, appointing a preparatory committee tasked with laying the groundwork for the conference. The committee includes two women (one Christian and one Muslim) as well as five men who are regarded
- [Empowering Civil Society in Syria’s Post-Assad Era](https://etanasyria.org/empowering-civil-society-in-syrias-post-assad-era/) - In the post-Assad era, empowering and expanding Syria’s civil society landscape will be vital to giving local communities a voice moving forward. Over the past 14 years of uprising and conflict, a resilient Syrian civil society emerged—both within the country and across the diaspora—comprising NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), faith-based groups, victim/survivor associations and community-driven
- [Syria Update #17: 8 February 2025](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-17-8-february-2025/) - While caretaker President Ahmad al-Shara’a’s recent meetings with Qatari, Saudi and Turkish officials arguably represent the most significant diplomatic advances for Syria’s new, post-Assad authorities, there are persistent question-marks around the current trajectory being taken in Syria. HTS-led caretaker authorities appear to be trying to accrue legitimacy from outside actors, instead of building domestic legitimacy
- [Syria Update #16: 3 February](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-16-3-february/) - On Wednesday, 29th January, Syria’s interim authorities confirmed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmad al-Shara’a (formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani) as interim president of Syria and approved several other unilateral decisions related to interim governance, including the dissolution of parliament and formation of a HTS-led council tasked with reviewing the
- [BRIEF: Arms & Drug Smuggling in Syria After Assad](https://etanasyria.org/brief-arms-drug-smuggling-in-syria-after-assad/) - While the industrial-scale drug trade of the Bashar al-Assad era is over, cross-border smuggling from Syria has not stopped altogether. Without patronage, facilitation and security cover from the former regime and its security apparatus, smuggling will be far less sophisticated than during the Assad years. For the time being, ETANA Syria assesses that smuggling networks
- [Syria Update #15: 28 January](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-15-28-january/) - Arrest campaigns are ongoing across Syria, with security forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) pursuing wanted regime personnel yet to complete settlement procedures and handover weapons caches. Several regime officers were taken into custody while another 100 former army personnel were released after investigations found that they were not involved in past regime abuses.
- [Syria Update #14: 17 January](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-14-17-january/) - Efforts from interim authorities led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to patch up the Syrian state are continuing; however, new threats and potential spoilers present themselves on a seemingly weekly basis. Notwithstanding the first signs of resurgent ISIS activity outside the central Badia, interim authorities have struggled to strike a balance between accountability for regime-era
- [Syria Update #13: 10 January](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-13-10-january/) - One month after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s honeymoon period is not yet over. Videos of civil society organizing, celebrations, protests and returns continue to flood out of Damascus and other areas of the country. However questions are increasingly being asked about what will follow. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its leader Ahmad al-Shara’a
- [Syria Update #12: 20 December](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-12-20-december/) - A series of political appointments announced this week by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmad al-Shara’a (otherwise known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani) are stirring unease across different sectors of Syrian society. Governor positions in Latakia and Rural Damascus have been handed to commanders from allied radical Islamist militia Ahrar al-Sham, a
- [Syria Update #11: 17 December](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-11-17-december/) - Syria’s delicate interim period is still defined by the very real threat of unrest and open hostilities in north-east Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are facing sustained challenges to their control over north-east Syria. Its fighters have already begun tactical withdrawals from communities in Deir Ezzor, which the group took from retreating regime forces
- [Syria Update #10: 12 December](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-10-12-december/) - Syria’s transition from 50 years of Assad regime rule to an uncertain future under HTS and former opposition factions was never going to be smooth. In the days since the regime’s collapse, cases of looting targeting both military and civilian sites—including regime bases, the Central Bank and Presidential Palace—have broken out in Damascus. Security forces
- [Syria Update #9: 10 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-9-10-december-2024/) - In the early hours of 8th December, Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus, and the former opposition declared control of the capital, ending the Assad family’s brutal 50-year rule. Under Ahmad al-Shara’ (formerly known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani), Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is now taking the lead on tentative steps towards a transitional governance in Damascus. However,
- [Syria Update #8: 8 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-8-8-december-2024/) - The regime of Bashar al-Assad fell to opposition forces in the early hours of 8th December 2024. Having made rapid advances from north-west and south Syria in the past week, armed opposition groups then secured complete control of Damascus for the first time in the nation’s 13 year-old conflict. Assad and his family are reported
- [A new Syrian anniversary marks the fall of Assad](https://etanasyria.org/a-new-syrian-anniversary-marks-the-fall-of-assad/) - Today the world woke up to a Syria without Bashar al-Assad, a reality that many felt unimaginable even just weeks ago. But in the early hours of the morning on 8th December, the regime fell. Having made lightning advances from south-west and north-west Syria in the past week, armed opposition groups then secured complete control
- [Syria Update #7: 7 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-update-7-7-december-2024/) - This update was finalized at 23:00, 7 December. In the hours since, the Assad regime was finally overthrown as opposition forces took Damascus. Amid unverified rumors of his flight from the country, Bashar al-Assad has given no statements and is speculated to have fled Syria. By the end of 7 December, Syria’s opposition forces had
- [Syria Update #6: 6 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-6-6-december-2024/) - Opposition and anti-regime groups in south Syria have joined the growing popular swell against the regime, which is rapidly losing territory across the country. Regime forces have fled and surrendered towns across the south, including the border crossing with Jordan at Nassib, which is now under opposition control. Moreover, large numbers of regime troops from
- [North-West Offensive Update #5: 5 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-5-5-december-2024/) - Late afternoon on December 5th, Operation Deterring Aggression forces seized control of the key north-west city of Hama, the fourth largest city in Syria. This loss is huge for the regime: Hama sits at a strategically crucial crossroads in the country, linking Damascus with regime-held strongholds on the coast and vast interior desert territories to
- [North-West Offensive Update #4: 4 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-4-4-december-2024/) - The opposition is making steady advances in and around Hama. Significant gains have been made on the eastern outskirts of Hama, laying the groundwork to encircle the metropolis. More than two dozen towns and key military sites have been captured in the past two days, with the strategic point of Jabal Zayn al-Abidin in northern
- [North-West Offensive Update #2: 2 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-2-2-december-2024/) - The battlefield success of opposition forces is rapidly altering the political and military landscape of Syria. Opposition forces have maintained their momentum across multiple fronts, capturing strategic towns and positions throughout the northern Hama countryside despite the regime’s efforts to bolster defenses. Parallel advances by Turkish-backed factions dislodged the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from eastern
- [North-West Offensive Update #1: 1 December 2024](https://etanasyria.org/north-west-offensive-update-1-1-december-2024/) - For the first time in eight years, opposition factions are in control of Aleppo city. The swift and decisive advances by opposition forces in north-west Syria on 27th November were primarily driven by the unexpected collapse of regime defenses, which crumbled under the strain of poor morale, low wages and the inexperience of newly conscripted
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – October 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-october-2024/) - US-led International Coalition forces significantly escalated attacks against Iranian-backed militias in October, with heavy artillery bombardment focusing on sites in and around Deir Ezzor city and other areas. The attacks killed two 4th Division officers, as well as unknown others. Later in the month, a major attack by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on the
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – October 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-october-2024/) - Throughout October, Israeli forces conducted regular incursions into Syrian-controlled Quneitra, constructing fencing, de-mining and conducting reconnaissance near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. ETANA has documented similar activity since early this year, but the frequency has increased amid rising tensions with Hezbollah. Assad has refrained from responding militarily to these incursions, even in response to Israeli artillery
- [SURVEY: Recent Returns from Lebanon to Syria](https://etanasyria.org/survey-recent-returns-from-lebanon-to-syria/) - Hundreds of thousands of Syrian returnees have entered regime-held Syria since late September—many for the first time in years—but relatively little is known about returnees’ prospects after return. Throughout October, ETANA conducted a 57-person survey with returning populations to gather qualitative data on returnee demographics, push and pull factors, experiences at official or unofficial border
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – September 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-september-2024/) - Intensifying Israeli attacks on Lebanon are causing a mass displacement crisis that has seen at least 258,000 Lebanese and Syrians cross into Syria to escape bombardment. As many as 70% of those entering Syria are Syrians, according to humanitarian agencies. ETANA estimates that several thousand Syrians returned to Daraa and Quneitra alone from Lebanon in
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – September 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-september-2024/) - ISIS fighters detained by the the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) remain a persistent threat in Syria. In early September, five ISIS members escaped from Raqqa Central Prison, revealing ISIS cells’ persistent reach inside detention facilities (there are some 20 such facilities administered by the SDF). The group has spent the years since its territorial defeat
- [BRIEF: Displacements & Refugee Returns from Lebanon](https://etanasyria.org/brief-displacements-refugee-returns-from-lebanon/) - Israel’s escalation in Lebanon has already caused massive displacements within a matter of weeks. Around a million people are now internally displaced within Lebanon. Another 258,000—including around 70% Syrians, 30% Lebanese and small numbers of other affected nationalities—have fled into Syria since late September, according to UNHCR. Crossings are expected to continue while hostilities in
- [Suwayda marks one year of regime resistance](https://etanasyria.org/suwayda-marks-one-year-of-regime-resistance/) - This past Friday an estimated 800-1,000 residents in Suwayda turned out to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their protest movement against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The movement, which began in August 2023, has been sustained by near-daily protests in Suwayda city and in smaller towns across the countryside. The movement spread quickly: between 16
- [SURVEY: Syrian Perspectives on Normalization](https://etanasyria.org/survey-syrian-perspectives-on-normalization/) - To assess the perceptions of Syrians inside Syria regarding normalization, ETANA conducted a comprehensive public opinion survey across the southern provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Suwayda by polling 121 participants. The results, detailed below, give a wide-ranging snapshot of how Syrian civilians view fundamental questions surrounding the issue of normalization, how any reported changes have
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – July 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-july-2024/) - Iranian-backed militias resumed attacks against US-led International Coalition forces in north-east Syria for the first time in months, launching three drones and a rocket strike against the Conoco base in late July. Iranian proxy forces largely halted attacks against the coalition after the beginning of 2024. In response, coalition forces retaliated with a drone strike
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – July 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-july-2024/) - A sustained protest movement is unsettling areas controlled by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) across north-west Syria. Syrians in the north-west, angered by xenophobic pogroms against Syrians in Turkey in late June and early July, Ankara’s recent opening of the Abu al-Zendayn crossing with regime-held areas, and the lethal response by Turkish forces to
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – July 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-july-2024/) - After two months of quiet in south-west Syria, Hezbollah and Liwa al-Quds resumed launches of Grad missiles and suicide drone attacks against the Israel-occupied Golan Heights. On the afternoon of 27th July, a rocket launched by Hezbollah from south Lebanon landed on a football field in the center of Majdal Shams, killing more than a
- [BRIEF: Aftermath of Majdal Shams Attack](https://etanasyria.org/brief-aftermath-of-majdal-shams-attack/) - On the afternoon of 27th July, a rocket launched by Hezbollah from south Lebanon landed on a football pitch in the center of Majdal Shams in the northern occupied Golan Heights, killing more than a dozen civilians (most of them children and teenagers) and injuring 28 others. The incident sent immediate, far-reaching shockwaves throughout the
- [Boycotts & Bribes: Syria’s 2024 Parliamentary Elections](https://etanasyria.org/boycotts-bribes-syrias-2024-parliamentary-elections/) - Assad’s firm control over Syrian society all but ensured a victory for the Ba’ath Party in this year’s People’s Assembly elections. The election results saw a consolidation of Ba’ath power and smaller victories for individuals seeking to deepen their ties with the regime. This year, the regime assigned 183 of the total 250 People’s Assembly
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – June 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-june-2024/) - Xenophobic anti-Syrian violence erupted across central and southern Turkey in late June, initially triggered by a video circulating online that allegedly showed a Syrian man abusing a young Syrian girl. After a night of violent attacks in Kayseri on 30th June, the next day saw further deadly riots quickly spread to other cities and towns—including
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – June 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-june-2024/) - ISIS cells continue to launch sustained attacks in north-east Syria, primarily targeting regime forces in a series of bloody ambushes in the central desert. In SDF-held areas, there has been a recent uptick in the number of young men and teenagers joining ISIS through local recruitment efforts by the extremist group. The Self Administration postponed
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – June 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-june-2024/) - In contrast to recent escalations in Lebanon, Iranian-backed militias in south Syria have remained quiet in recent weeks. By the end of June, the south-west had seen 60 continuous days without an offensive rocket attack by Iranian-backed militants. With upcoming parliamentary elections for the People’s Assembly scheduled for 15th July, the regime has sought to
- [Activists call for boycott of People’s Assembly elections](https://etanasyria.org/activists-call-for-boycott-of-peoples-assembly-elections/) - Suwayda is at the forefront of a national boycott movement against the Syrian People’s Assembly elections, scheduled for 15th July. Demonstrators from the Druze-majority province, who have been staging anti-regime protests for nearly one year now, are urging eligible voters in regime-controlled areas not to participate in the elections. Ahead of the vote, local organizers
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – May 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-may-2024/) - Despite an increasingly violent response from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toward ongoing public demonstrations, the movement against the group is expanding. Protests are now coalescing into a major threat to HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani and his inner circle. HTS’ rivals to the east, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), have begun to strenghten front-line
- [STUDY: Normalization, One Year On](https://etanasyria.org/study-normalization-one-year-on/) - In need of solutions to the growing security threats emanating from Syria, Arab states normalized relations with the Syrian regime in May 2023, marked most significantly by Syria’s reinstatement to the Arab League. They hoped that restored diplomatic ties with Bashar al-Assad’s regime after a decade of political isolation could incentivize its cooperation on key
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – May 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-may-2024/) - While an upsurge in ISIS cells attacks has continued to target the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and regime troops, the unprecedented violent surge of April appears to have receded somewhat. From a high of over 60 combined deaths last month, armed attacks and IED blasts since 1st May killed a total of 37 regime and
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – May 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-may-2024/) - The border conflict between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed militias in south-west Syria reached its lowest ebb since hostilities in Gaza erupted nearly eight months ago. Iranian-backed militias were responsible for the only attack on Israeli forces last month, after a missile salvo targeted the occupied Golan Heights. The attack prompted swift retaliatory shelling from Israeli
- [MEMO: Rukban Verging on Humanitarian Crisis](https://etanasyria.org/memo-rukban-verging-on-humanitarian-crisis/) - Since mid-April, regime forces have closed the only desert road linking regime-controlled areas to Rukban camp, a desert settlement of up to 8,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) close to the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi border triangle. Although regime forces have restricted food supplies to Rukban before, residents inside the camp attest this is the longest—and most dangerous—blockade to
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – April 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-april-2024/) - Demonstrations have continued throughout areas controlled by hardline Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), now the most enduring protest movement the region has witnessed against the group in its recent history. HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani has so far failed to stop the momentum of the protest movement. Instead, the HTS leadership has increasingly turned to its
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – April 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-april-2024/) - A renewed surge in ISIS attacks saw April rank among the highest monthly death tolls for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since 2019. ISIS cells were responsible for some 35 ambushes, IED blasts and other operations that killed at least 30 SDF fighters. The group’s mounting violence has not been limited to the SDF, however:
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – April 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-april-2024/) - Regime and Iranian-backed militia deployments to Suwayda province raised fears of a violent crackdown on ongoing anti-regime protests. So far, mediations between the regime and influential Druze community leaders have kept the situation from escalating, but local armed groups are still preparing for the possibility of an armed confrontation. In Daraa, clashes lasting six hours
- [Explainer: Iran in Syria Today](https://etanasyria.org/explainer-iran-in-syria-today/) - Key findings Assad is beholden to Iran but also strategically aligned with its ideology and objectives. Years after Iran started entrenching itself in Syria, the country is now undeniably an Iranian client-state whose territory, resources and institutions can be utilized at Iran’s behest. Iran’s entrenchment in Syria is built on horizontalism with the Syrian regime—it
- [Memo: Syrian Regime’s Role in Iranian Attacks on Israel](https://etanasyria.org/memo-syrian-regimes-role-in-iranian-attacks-on-israel/) - On the night of 13th April, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched around 300 unmanned drones and ballistic missiles in an unprecedented, large-scale attack against Israel. Iranian officials claimed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed several senior IRGC commanders on 1st April. Although debate is
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – March 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-march-2024/) - A significant aerial attack, suspected to be Israeli, targeted an array of key Iranian-linked sites across north-east Syria in late March. Taking place days before major Israeli strikes on Iranian-linked targets in Damascus and Aleppo, the strikes targeted a militia headquarters in Al-Bukamal, several Iranian-owned buildings in Deir Ezzor city and the Ayyash warehouses just
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – March 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-march-2024/) - In late March, a massive three-pronged Israeli aerial attack struck Iranian militia-linked sites in and around the city of Aleppo, killing at least 44 individuals—including 36 regime troops and seven Hezbollah fighters—and causing significant damage to several Syrian-Iranian weapons development and storage sites. Elsewhere, an unprecedented protest movement has continued to grow across opposition-held areas
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – March 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-march-2024/) - The conflict between Iranian-backed militias and Israeli forces in south-west Syria has slowed in recent weeks. Just three missile launches by militias targeting the border strip with the occupied Golan Heights were recorded last month, followed by relatively muted retaliatory strikes from Israeli forces. At the height of the tensions back in October and November,
- [Memo: Israeli Airstrikes on Damascus & Aleppo](https://etanasyria.org/memo-israeli-airstrikes-on-damascus-aleppo/) - At least seven senior Iranian commanders were killed in yesterday’s Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The Israeli airstrikes completely destroyed the consulate building, located next to the Iranian embassy in the capital’s western Al-Mezzeh district. The targeting of the Iranian consulate—paramount to an attack on Iranian soil—and the number of high-level casualties
- [From Suwayda to Idlib: Syria Commemorates 13 Years since the Uprising](https://etanasyria.org/from-suwayda-to-idlib-syria-commemorates-13-years-since-the-uprising/) - Thirteen years after the first anti-Assad protests broke out in Daraa in 2011, demonstrators across Syria commemorated the anniversary by calling for the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Iran’s expulsion from the country, and the release of detainees. Many of the demands expressed this week echoed the calls of March 2011: a life with dignity and
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – February 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-february-2024/) - In an almost unprecedented display of dissent against HTS, hundreds of protesters took to the streets for several days in Idlib city and other areas to condemn a longstanding security campaign that has seen hundreds arrested since last year. More worrying for HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, however, is the rising anger coming from within
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – February 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-february-2024/) - ISIS attacks against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a new deadly peak in February. A security vacuum left by the SDF’s months-long conflict with Arab tribes in eastern Deir Ezzor and a simmering conflict with Turkey further north has created an ideal environment for ISIS to regroup and build strength. Though ISIS-perpetrated violence was
- [Memo: Protest Killing & Unrest in Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/memo-protest-killing-unrest-in-suwayda/) - Tensions in Suwayda are at an all-time high after a protester was killed by security forces during a protest in Suwayda city—the first casualty since the protest movement first broke out in August last year. On 28th February, protesters attempted to enter a regime-affiliated settlement center in central Suwayda when retreating security forces fired into
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – February 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-february-2024/) - Cross-border hostilities between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed militias in south-west Syria have continued to decline in both frequency and intensity. A sharp drop in the number of missile attacks by Liwa al-Quds and Lebanese Hezbollah has been mirrored by a reduction in Israeli counterattacks, with sustained losses to personnel and infrastructure from Israeli strikes likely
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – January 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-january-2024/) - The rampant divisions and organizational dysfunction within Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) erupted further into the public eye in recent weeks, with senior figures openly denouncing a months-long arrest campaign pursued by commander Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. This growing anger has forced al-Jolani’s hand, spurring the release of most prisoners and videos broadcast to HTS social media
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – January 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-january-2024/) - In late January, former opposition groups—including those under the command of Ahmad al-Awdeh—conducted the most significant anti-ISIS operation that the south-west has witnessed in years. Following a 10-hour gun battle around a house in the western Daraa city of Nawa, former opposition groups killed the most senior ISIS commander in south Syria, along with six
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - January 2024](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-january-2024/) - January marked one of the most violent and sustained periods of hostilities between Iranian-backed militias and US and International Coalition forces to date. While Iranian-backed militias launched at least 18 attacks over the course of the month, this reached a lethal peak on 28th January when the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq”—an umbrella formation of Iraq-based
- [Memo: Aftermath Of US Airstrikes Against Iranian-backed Militias In Syria](https://etanasyria.org/memo-aftermath-of-us-airstrikes-against-iranian-backed-militias-in-syria/) - The US launched a sweeping aerial bombardment campaign between 2nd-3rd February, striking at least 85 Iranian-linked militia targets across Iraq and Syria. The strikes are said to be the first step in Washington’s retaliation for an Iranian-backed militia attack that killed three American soldiers in late January. Though the airstrikes mark a major US escalation
- [MEMO: Aftermath of US airstrikes in Syria](https://etanasyria.org/memo-aftermath-of-us-airstrikes-in-syria/) - The US launched a sweeping aerial bombardment campaign between 2nd-3rd February, striking at least 85 Iranian-linked militia targets across Iraq and Syria. The strikes are said to be the first step in Washington’s retaliation for an Iranian-backed militia attack that killed three American soldiers in late January. Though the airstrikes mark a major US escalation
- [BRIEF: Israel’s Attacks on Syria since 7th October](https://etanasyria.org/brief-israels-attacks-on-syria-since-7th-october/) - Israel’s daytime airstrike that killed several senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders in western Damascus’ Al-Mezzeh district on 20th January is a reminder of the ongoing conflict-within-a-conflict between Iran and Israel in Syria. After more than three months since Hamas’ unprecedented 7th October attack on southern Israel and the beginning of Israel’s brutal campaign
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – December 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-december-2023/) - The growing divisions within Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) burst into clear view in recent weeks, greatly weakening the stature of the group in north-west Syria and coinciding with its increasing isolation and abandonment by former allies within the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). Abu Ahmad al-Zakour, the former right-man man of HTS leader Abu Muhammad
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – December 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-december-2023/) - Iranian-backed militias resumed a wave of attacks against bases used by the US-led International Coalition, following the breakdown of the temporary ceasefire in Gaza that had also brought a period of calm to north-east Syria. Militants launched dozens of surface-to-surface missiles and several suicide drone strikes against coalition bases and infrastructure in Hasakeh as well
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – December 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-december-2023/) - Ongoing hostilities between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed militias in south Syria escalated markedly in recent weeks, with cross-border missile strikes from militants met with regular Israeli airstrikes and shelling, before tailing off somewhat at the beginning of January. Throughout December, Iranian-backed militias launched scores of attacks from nearly a dozen locations across rural areas of
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – November 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-november-2023/) - Internal divisions are mounting within Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS): a wide-ranging crackdown by the security apparatus loyal to HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has targeted key officials in the group, the latest round of internal detentions to shake HTS in recent months. Meanwhile, the regime and Russian forces continue their devastating bombardment campaign across the
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – November 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-november-2023/) - Violence continues to sporadically erupt between Iranian-backed militias and Israeli forces along frontlines in south-west Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The temporary truce reached between Hamas and Israel brought a brief period of calm, and many residents near the Golan who had fled returned to their homes. Russian forces, meanwhile, have attempted to increase
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – November 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-november-2023/) - Arab tribal fighters continue to wage a low-intensity insurgency against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in north-east Syria, regularly striking SDF checkpoints and military sites across the eastern and southern Deir Ezzor countryside. Many tribal attacks are aimed principally at securing ammunition and supplies, with Arab fighters subsequently withdrawing into the surrounding desert rather than
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – October 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-october-2023/) - In response to the outbreak of violence in Israel, Gaza and southern Lebanon since 7th October, several Iranian-backed militias in south-west Syria have ramped up their operations against Israeli forces in the occupied Golan Heights. A number of these groups have sent reinforcements into south Syria, while others conducted drone flyovers and launched rocket barrages
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – October 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-october-2023/) - Following an unclaimed drone attack that killed as many as 100 regime troops and civilians at the Homs Military College in early October, pro-regime forces and Russian warplanes launched a massive, weeks-long campaign of bombardments against opposition-held areas across north-west Syria. Rockets, artillery barrages and airstrikes targeted schools, marketplaces, residential neighborhoods and IDP camps across
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – October 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-october-2023/) - A sharp increase in Iranian-backed militia activity is destabilizing security conditions in north-east Syria, with regions along the Syrian-Iraqi border witnessing a surge in weapons deliveries and attacks against US-led International Coalition forces. Mortar attacks targeting a coalition base at the Conoco oil field in eastern Deir Ezzor were launched from suspected militia positions inside
- [MEMO: Anti-Regime Protests Hold Momentum in Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/memo-anti-regime-protests-hold-momentum-in-suwayda/) - Anti-regime protests have now persisted across south Syria, and especially in Druze-majority Suwayda, for two months. Although much attention has been given to the current protest movement’s perceived similarities to the post-2011 anti-Assad uprising, there has been much less focus on the actual size of the movement since its origins in mid-August. The past two
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria - September 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-september/) - Hostilities broke out again between Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in late September, with long-running tensions and conflict between the two sides showing few signs of abating in the near future. The latest dispute centred on the highly strategic al-Hamran crossing on the easternmost reaches of the SNA’s territory
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – September 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-september-2023/) - North-east Syria has been rattled in recent weeks by two separate destabilizing armed conflicts. The first concerns the ongoing fight between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and dissident tribal groups in Deir Ezzor, which broke out in late August after the SDF arrested former Deir Ezzor Military Council chief, Abu Khawla. Despite ongoing mediation efforts
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – September 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria/) - Regime forces continue to use a dual strategy of incentive and coercion to manage the evolving protest movement in southern Syria, aiming to strike a delicate balance that involves intimidating restive populations without resorting to overt violence that they fear could trigger a more extensive backlash. Authorities continue to claim that they are clamping down
- [STUDY: Changes Within South Syria’s Drug Network – September 2023](https://etanasyria.org/study-changes-within-south-syrias-drug-network-september-2023/) - The 8th May airstrike that killed smuggling kingpin Marai al-Ramthan fundamentally altered the state of drug smuggling in south Syria, already a hotspot of instability. Despite the regime’s performative engagement with regional counter-smuggling efforts, normalization has not translated into any real decline in smuggling or the regime’s facilitation of it. Recent dips in cross-border activity
- [Map: Protest Density in South Syria (16 Aug-11 Sept)](https://etanasyria.org/map-protest-density-in-south-syria-16-aug-11-sept/) - Anti-regime protests concentrated in Daraa and Suwayda provinces have been held on an almost daily basis since 16th August. Demonstrators, frustrated by poor living conditions and a plummeting economy, are demanding the removal of Assad from power. Despite regime attempts to contain and undermine the popular movement, protests so far have not diminished in size or scope.
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – August 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-august-2023/) - Although far smaller than protests currently sweeping neighboring Suwayda, anti-regime demonstrations have continued in Daraa on an almost daily basis since 20th August. Instead of attempting to quell the dissent with force, the regime so far has been working quietly behind the scenes to contain the wave of protests. Publicly, officials have dangled the offer
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – August 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-august-2023/) - While armed clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and an alliance of tribal groups continues across rural Deir Ezzor, the conflict may be reaching a pivotal junction as the SDF has withdrawn from a string of villages along the southern Euphrates River. Arab tribal leaders, meanwhile, are increasingly uniting around a set of political
- [STUDY: Understanding Lebanese Deportations of Syrian Refugees](https://etanasyria.org/study-understanding-lebanese-deportations-of-syrian-refugees/) - In early April 2023 Lebanese army units and security agencies launched a two-month campaign to forcibly deport Syrian refugees across the border into Syria. Using a combination of field monitoring and interviews, ETANA documented the deportations of up to 500 refugees from areas across Lebanon. This latest campaign reveals several new concerning precedents, including the
- [MEMO: Anti-Regime Protests Expand Across Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/memo-anti-regime-protests-expand-across-suwayda/) - The popular protest movement that ignited across southern Syria on 20th August has escalated rapidly, with over 10,000 protesters participating in anti-regime demonstrations in more than 200 locations in the past week alone. The epicenter and driving force of this movement lies in Suwayda province. Here, the clamor for political and economic reforms has grown
- [Map: Protest Density in South Syria](https://etanasyria.org/map-protest-density-in-south-syria/) - The first week of popular demonstrations in south Syria have concentrated in Suwayda province. Protests in the Druze-majority region first emerged in response to the regime’s gross mismanagement of the collapsing economy and poor living conditions, but have quickly escalated to include calls for the overthrow of the regime. Demonstrations were also held in nearby Daraa province,
- [MEMO: Fresh Protests Erupt Across South Syria - August 2023](https://etanasyria.org/memo-fresh-protests-erupt-across-south-syria-august-2023/) - Fresh anti-regime protests have hit south Syria, marking the most significant displays of public anger since 2011. Thousands of protestors have gathered and blocked roads while workers in Suwayda paralyzed major population centers for several days with an unprecedented labor strike. Since 16th August, following a sharp increase in fuel prices triggered by the removal
- [Study: South Syria’s Drug Supply Chains - June 2023](https://etanasyria.org/study-south-syrias-drug-supply-chains-june-2023/) - The reach of Syria’s illicit smuggling networks has become a top concern in the region and western states. Seeking to curb the trade, the Arab League recently welcomed Assad back into the fold after a 12-year absence. The US, meanwhile, is preparing a new Syria policy aimed at tackling the Captagon trade. Much attention has
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria - July 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-july/) - This reporting period covers the month of July. In mid-July, Brigadier-General Manaf Tlass, defector Syrian army officer and former regime insider, announced the creation of a new military organization operating under the name of the “Syrian National Liberation Movement.” The party is an umbrella group that, according to Tlass, encompasses Syrian political and military forces,
- [Syria Military Brief - North-West Syria -4 March 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-4-march-2021/) - A state of relative calm prevails across north-west Syria with the ceasefire generally holding other than exchanges of artillery shelling. Small-scale operations and violations continue with limited operations conducted on both sides, however these are not escalating and do not indicate a return to full-scale combat. Around eight civilians were killed in regime shelling throughout
- [Attacks & Assassinations in South-West Syria: Jan 2021](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-assassinations-in-south-west-syria-jan-2021/) - In January 2021, 39 assassination operations and 28 attacks occurred over the month. Almost half of the attacks were against regime points in response to the regime’s military escalation on Tafas in late January, while many of the assassination operations took place in western Daraa between rival armed actors in the area. Almost half of
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 30 March 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-30-march-2121/) - The al-Hol camp is currently witnessing an unprecedented period of instability and violence, as pro-ISIS residents and members of the “Hisbah” morality police have unleashed a clandestine campaign of murder and arson across the camp. These activities culminated in an organized attack targeting an on-site UNICEF school, where extremists killed staff and publicly beheaded a
- [Attacks & Assassinations in South-West Syria - 28 February 2021](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-assassinations-in-south-west-syria-28-february-2021/) - Over the month of February 2021, 37 assassination operations and 17 attacks took place. Both decreased in comparison to the previous month as the regime’s military escalation on Tafas ended through a negotiated settlement. There were notably a high number of assassination operations targeting civilians over the last month, in addition to a string of
- [Military Control Across Syria – April 2021](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-april-2021/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - 15 April 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-15-april-2021/) - The imminent threat of escalation in Daraa province has waned after an agreement between the regime and former opposition saw the regime withdraw a large segment of its forces from strategic positions in the province’s west. Although concerns of regime violence have lessened, an unprecedented fuel shortage is gripping south Syria, with long lines accumulating
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 30 April 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-30-april-2021/) - Intense clashes broke out this month between the regime’s National Defense Forces militia and the SDF in the Tay neighbourhood of Qamishli, causing civilians to flee the affected areas and resulting in deaths on both sides. Ultimately, a Russian-backed armistice agreement stopped the fighting a week after it began, halting the violence and further underscoring
- [Terms of Reference and Core Rules of Procedure – May 2021](https://etanasyria.org/terms-of-reference-and-core-rules-of-procedure/) - Terms of Reference and Core Rules of Procedure For a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, credible, balanced and inclusive Constitutional Committee facilitated by the United Nations in Geneva Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and its principles and purposes and all relevant Security Council resolutions on Syria and based on a strong commitment to the sovereignty,
- [Political Process](https://etanasyria.org/process-political/) - The Syrian political process began in 2014 with the first round of UN-led talks attempting to establish a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis. The Geneva process was based on the Geneva Communiqué of 2012, which detailed a plan for a solution through a process of transition towards democracy through the creation of a transitional
- [Constitutional Committee Monitor – May 2021](https://etanasyria.org/constitutional-committee-monitor/) - May 2021 The Constitutional Committee is a 45-person body formed as a result of the Russian-led Astana peace talks that began in 2018. While the constitutional committee was originally a Russian proposal, it has now adopted by the UN as part of the formal UN political process. Pursuant to UNSCR 2254, the committee’s main body
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 31 May 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-31-may-2021/) - Protests against the SDF have continued to mount in recent weeks amid rising popular anger towards Kurdish-led authorities following a series of security operations and price hikes. Protests in Deir Ezzor followed a number of SDF arrest campaigns, while wider-scale unrest followed as a result of SDF plans to raise the price of fuel—culminating in
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 01 July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-01-july-2021/) - A tense standoff is underway in Daraa city after more than a month of aggressive regime deployments cut off all but one entrance to the former opposition-controlled neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad, with invasive security procedures severely limiting the free movement of civilians in the area as the regime demands the former opposition surrender all light weapons.
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria - 01 July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-01-july-2021/) - In the run-up to the Astana conference next week, north-west Syria witnessed significant escalations involving all sides and their international backers. Clashes flared between Turkish forces and the regime with Russian backing, as the two sides traded rounds of artillery fire over the demarcation line in the southern Idlib countryside. However, indicated from the placement
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 01 July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-01-july-2021/) - Tensions have grown in north-east Syria in recent weeks, with several instances of violence raising concerns across the area. An artillery strike originating from SDF territory landed in a civilian area of Afrin, killing at least 13 and injuring scores of others. As tensions boil between the SDF and Turkish-backed opposition factions, ISIS strikes against
- [Military Control Across Syria – July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-july-2021/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Parties’ Objectives within the Constitutional Committee Process – July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/parties-objectives-within-the-constitutional-committee-process/) - Constitutional Committee rounds have been dominated by regime priorities on the broader Syria file, rather than a good-faith effort to compromise with the opposition and reach agreement on the contents of a new constitution. The regime’s demands have stalled any sort of constitutional drafting process, and instead focused on securing major political concessions from the
- [Current Status of the Constitutional Committee Process – July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/current-status-of-the-constitutional-committee-process/) - After a protracted negotiations process of almost two years, the UN announced the formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee at the end of September 2019 as a crucial step towards a future political transition within the framework of the UN-facilitated Geneva process and Security Council Resolution 2254. The Constitutional Committee is mandated with drafting a
- [Syria Brief: Constitutional Committee Update - September 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-constitutional-committee-update/) - A timetable for the sixth round of the constitutional committee has not yet been announced. With the last round, which was held in January, being decried a disappointment by the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pederson, he is now committed to achieving an agreed upon methodology for conducting the negotiations between the regime and
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 04 November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-04-november-2021/) - The saber rattling on both sides of the demarcation line has continued to grow louder in recent weeks, with both Turkish and regime military buildups threatening to destabilize the fragile peace. With the massive arrival of new Turkish reinforcements, the total number of Turkish military points and bases in the region has now reached 79
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 4 November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-4-november-2021/) - A significant push for repatriation and release of residents from the al-Hol and a-Roj displaced persons camps began in October, with both international and local efforts underway. Swedish, German, Danish and British delegations took custody of nearly two dozen relatives of ISIS fighters, most of whom children born to ISIS-member parents. ISIS continues to be a
- [Syria Military Brief - South Syria - 4 November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-4-november-2021/) - The regime concluded its nearly two-month long settlement of status operation in south Syria, with settlements including more than two dozen towns and cities across south Syria. Although more than 12,000 individuals have settled their status, the regime’s ongoing presence in these settled areas remains limited and inconsistent with the regime withdrawing its forces from
- [Syria Brief: Sixth Constitutional Committee Round - November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-sixth-constitutional-committee-round/) - The sixth round of the constitutional committee was held in Geneva from October 18th – 22nd, amidst initial optimism that it would make progress on the process of drafting a new Syrian constitution. The constitutional committee is a political priority for Russia, and Bashar al-Assad’s meeting with Russian president Putin in mid-September seemed to prompt
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis – November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-november-2021/) - The regime announced Syria’s annual budget for next year, signaling that it will continue to implement austerity measures across the board, as Syrians are experiencing worsening economic hardship. Bread and fuel shortages across the country continue, with almost half of the bakeries in Daraa forced to close in the last 48 hours due to flour
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis - December 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-december-2021/) - The regime is aggressively implementing austerity measures across the board, most recently with further reductions to subsidies on basic commodities and tightening of eligibility requirements for the smart card rationing system. As a result, fear is mounting among Syrians on how they will make ends meet with further cuts when they are already struggling. A
- [Syria Military Brief - North-East Syria - 30 November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-30-november-2021/) - Saber rattling across the demarcation line has grown louder from both sides in recent weeks. In a show of force against recent Turkish troop build ups in the area, the regime has deployed units to the strategic frontline position of Ain Issa, while Russian drones veered into Turkish-controlled airspace around Ras al-Ain, provocatively coinciding with
- [Syria Military Brief - North-West Syria -  30 November 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-30-november-2021/) - Tensions continue to simmer between Turkish and pro-government forces along the demarcation line, with largescale troop buildups across northwest and northeast Syria underscoring the risk of escalation from both sides. In recent weeks, additional Turkish convoys have continued to transport military reinforcements, equipment, and construction materials to military points in the Idlib countryside, while the
- [Syria Military Brief – South Syria – 17th January 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-17th-january-2021/) - [dropcap]A[/dropcap] wave of assassinations and targeted killings have left dozens dead in south Syria in recent weeks, marking a drop in local stability that has left local communities fearful of continued violence. Those targeted include the former opposition, regime-linked figures, drug smugglers as well as civilians with no clear ties to armed groups. The spike in
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis – January 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-january-2022/) - Living conditions reached a new low point for most Syrians in December, as inflation surged relentlessly and new austerity measures were introduced, including the reduction of electricity provision to three hours a day. With public desperation and pressure intensifying, the regime raised public sector wages, minimum wage, and retiree benefits, though increases fall far short
- [Syria Brief: Political Update - January 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-political-update-january-2022/) - Prospects remain gloomy for the constitutional committee. Despite initial positive comments from the Russians that there would be further rounds after October’s last session, no movement has been observed on this front for new talks to be convened soon. In contrast, the Russian Special Envoy made a controversial statement last month that the constitutional committee
- [Syria's Economic Crisis: 2021 in Review - January 2022](https://etanasyria.org/a-year-in-review-of-syrias-economic-crisis-6-january/) - Syria’s economic crisis deepened to unprecedented levels in 2021, with international organizations warning of the worst humanitarian conditions in Syria since the beginning of the conflict a decade ago. Once a middle-income country, 60% of Syrians are now deemed food insecure as the cost of basic food items has more than doubled and purchasing power
- [Syria Military Brief - North-East Syria - 2 February 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-2-february-2022/) - The seizure of Hasakah’s sprawling al-Sina’a prison complex by ISIS sleeper cells last week represented the most sophisticated and brazen attack by the group since its military defeat at the hands of SDF and Coalition forces three years ago. The attack was highly coordinated between ISIS operatives both inside and outside the prison walls, demonstrating
- [Syria Military Brief North West Syria 9 February 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-9-february-2022/) - Hardline militants from Ha’yat Tahrir a-Sham locked down the site of a coalition raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi earlier this month, barring individuals from entering or exiting the area. The raid followed an intense winter storm that devastated IDP camps across north-west Syria, destroying hundreds of tents as two children froze to
- [Syria Brief - Economic Crisis - 9 February 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-9-february-2022/) - The regime purged hundreds of thousands of Syrians from receiving state subsidies again this year, further destroying what remains of the Syrian welfare state. The value of subsidies covering essential food and fuel items reached up to $80 for an average family, double the public sector salary, leaving Syrians no longer eligible for subsidies increasingly
- [Arrests in South-West Syria – 15 February 2022](https://etanasyria.org/arrests-in-south-west-syria-15-february-2022/) - In 2021, the regime arbitrarily arrested 220 residents from the south, the majority of them former opposition and civilians. While arbitrary arrests by intelligence apparatuses remain a major protection concern in south Syria, arrests in the south saw a slight decline from previous years due to a range of factors. Popular anger against the regime’s
- [Syria Military Brief – North-East Syria – 2 March 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-2-march-2022/) - The SDF remains paralyzed by the profound challenges facing northeast Syria, as living conditions continue to deteriorate and prices of commodities trend higher for communities across the region. Against the backdrop of a persistent ISIS insurgency that has targeted both SDF and regime forces, extreme levels of violence within al-Hol camp, and the Self Administration’s
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 03 March 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-03-march-2022/) - A series of tit-for-tat killings left more than a half dozen dead in western Daraa in the aftermath of a high-profile assassination targeting a prominent local community figure that prompted a massive public outcry across the south. The dominant former opposition bloc in western Daraa is continuing to conduct operations against ISIS-linked cells led by radical commanders in the Tafas area who are accused of conducting the assassination that took place in early February, in turn prompting a slew of retaliatory attacks against the former opposition. As tensions worsen in the area, the regime has deployed its forces in western Daraa with its commanders implying that preparations for escalation are underway. Worsening security is a major concern across south Syria, particularly in key areas along the border where attacks have targeted regime forces patrolling the international highway and Nassib crossing with Jordan.
- [Syria Brief – Economic Crisis – 8 March 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-8-march-2022/) - The effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are already reverberating through the Syrian economy, exposing ordinary Syrians to some of the worst economic vulnerabilities yet experienced during more than a decade of conflict and upheaval. The catastrophic rise in global prices of grain, fuel and other basic commodities will lead to price hikes and supply
- [Syria Military Brief – North-East Syria – 5 April 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-5-april-2022/) - Global supply chain shocks that accelerated last month with the Russian invasion of Ukraine are having a devastating effect on Syria’s economic situation—a deteriorating situation only compounded by the Syrian pound’s first significant period of devaluation against the dollar in more than a year. Populations across northeast Syria are increasingly struggling to cope with surging
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 06 April 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-06-april-2022/) - March saw the 11-year anniversary of the Syrian uprising marked by small demonstrations in towns and cities across south Syria, though observers noted much smaller crowds than in previous years. Major tensions persist between the former opposition and regime in several areas in Daraa, with the regime building up its forces around former opposition communities
- [Quarterly Review of Syria's Economic Crisis - April 2022](https://etanasyria.org/quarterly-review-of-syrias-economic-crisis-april-2022/) - The Assad regime’s response to the devastating economic crisis in Syria, now exacerbated even further by the ramifications of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, has come to be defined by myriad ad hoc, exploitative, and chaotic decisions, pushing the country into a dangerous new period of fragility. Over the past three months, the regime has
- [Syria Military Brief – North-East Syria – 27 April 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-27-april-2022/) - A renewed burst of ISIS activity has rocked northeast Syria in recent weeks, with ISIS operatives refocusing on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), rather than the regime, in a rising wave of coordinated and sophisticated attacks unlike any other witnessed in months. With armed attacks or IED blasts recorded nearly every day in April, dozens
- [Syria Military Brief – North-West Syria – 28 April 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-28-april-2022/) - After a brief lull in bombardments following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, intense shelling against military and civilian targets resumed across opposition held-territory in northwest Syria in April. The frequency and intensity of these strikes grew steadily throughout the month, though civilian casualty numbers remained relatively low due to the mass depopulation of areas around Jabal
- [Newsletter Terms and Conditions](https://etanasyria.org/newsletter-terms-and-conditions/) - 1. Frequency Newsletter subscribers will receive a maximum of two emails each month. 2. Limited Liability We reserve the sole right to either modify or discontinue the newsletter at any time and with or without notice. We will not be liable to you or any third party should we exercise such right. Any new features
- [Syria Brief - Political Update - 16 May 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-political-update-16-may-2022/) - While posing as a promising development, a recent detainee amnesty issued by the regime was heralded a disappointment by Syrians. Most of those released were arrested in recent years and included very few longstanding political prisoners. With thousands of Syrians deeply distressed by the lack of knowledge about their loved ones’ fates, a crucial requirement
- [Syria Military Brief - South Syria - 12 May 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-12-may-2022/) - Several regime decrees have left their mark on south Syria in recent weeks. A series of personnel shuffles have seen the province’s security committee chief replaced, while a presidential decree released a small number of detainees amid a new, opaque amnesty. Despite the amnesty, the regime continues to crack down on residents of the south—issuing
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 31 May 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-31-may-2022/) - Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and pro-Turkish forces have been in a state of high alert in recent weeks amid rising threats of a fresh Turkish military incursion into northeast Syria and repeated assertions by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that a large-scale operation is imminent. The areas of Manbij, Kobani, and Tal Rifaat are all considered
- [Syria Military Brief – North-West Syria – 02 June 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-02-june-2022/) - Anticipation of an upcoming Turkish offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been ramping up in Ankara since President Erdogan proclaimed plans for a new incursion on 23rd May, heightening tensions and putting all sides on a war footing. Turkey’s leadership asserts that an operation would seize territory 30 kilometers deep into Syrian territory,
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis - 16 June 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-16-june-2022/) - Syria’s wheat harvest season is underway, with grim projections of severe shortfalls resulting from drought, regime mismanagement and surging prices for agricultural inputs. While the Syrian regime announced an increase in its purchase price for wheat, its rate remains lower than that of the Self-Administration and far lower than black market rates and as such,
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 30 June 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-30-june-2022/) - While tensions remain high along border regions, the threat of an immediate military operation by Turkish forces and their allied militias into Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) territory appears to have receded for the moment. Groups comprising the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) are stepping back from a war footing, with many soldiers allowed to return
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 1 July 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-1-july-2022/) - Tensions persist in Daraa province as the regime tightens its security measures and deploys its forces aggressively in Daraa city, with recent regime movements raising serious concerns among residents that Damascus may be planning another military incursion there. As the uncertain and tense security conditions continue, residents are grappling with continued economic decay and a
- [Military Control Across Syria – July 2022](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-july-2022/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 01 July 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-01-july-2022/) - The threat of an immediate Turkish-led military operation against territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) appears to have receded for the moment. Groups comprising the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) are stepping back from a state of operational preparedness, with many soldiers allowed to return to their homes and normal lives in recent
- [Attacks & Assassinations in South-West Syria - 28 July 2022](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-assassinations-in-south-west-syria-28-july-2022/) - To date, 277 assassinations and 68 attacks have been carried out in south Syria since the beginning of 2022. Of those, 165 assassinations and 45 attacks occurred between April and June, indicative of the growing chaos and violence plaguing south Syria. Assassinations, rather than attacks, experienced a major increase during the second quarter of 2022,
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 02 August 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-02-august-2022/) - There are increasing signs of cooperation and warming relations between the Assad regime and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 02 August 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-2-august-2022/) - Security conditions in south Syria continue to deteriorate as targeted killings, extortion and the looming threat of a regime escalation prompt serious fears among the province’s vulnerable residents. A series of attacks targeting the former opposition in recent weeks—including the assassinations of multiple fighters from Ahmad al-Awdeh’s 8th Brigade has prompted the brigade to turn
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 01 September 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-01-september-2022/) - Serious tensions are brewing between the former opposition and the regime’s intelligence forces across Daraa province following a slew of assassinations targeting local leaders. In western Daraa, violence remains intermittent between the regime and former opposition groups despite the establishment of a settlement agreement to end the weeks-long siege of the Tafas area. Tensions worsened
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 07 September 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-07-september-2022/) - The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is in desperate need of additional fighters, as it struggles to reinforce vulnerable positions along its northern territorial border with Operation Peace Spring areas, amidst the continued threat of invasion from Ankara and intensifying daily shelling from both Turkey and its proxy forces in the region. This shortage in manpower
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 08 September 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-08-september-2022/) - Ankara’s plans for a ground incursion into Manbij remain on hold for the time being, with no signs of serious battle preparations or concerted troop mobilizations from Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) groups. However, the situation in northwest Syria has grown more tense in recent weeks and cross border violence between Turkish forces and the
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis - 15 August 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-15-august-2022/) - Between now and the end of the year, the Syrian regime plans to drastically cut what remains of Syria’s subsidy system and purge the majority of beneficiaries still on its subsidy rolls. While in many ways, these measures are a reaction to the regime’s grim financial realities and inability to cover the costs of subsidies,
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 04 October 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-04-october-2022/) - Intermittent clashes and bouts of violence continue to raise tensions in north-west Syria, where the prospect of a long-awaited Turkish-led incursion into territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) remains unclear. Turkish forces recently launched a series of deadly drone strikes against SDF positions that have left nearly a dozen dead, while periodic clashes
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 04 October 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-04-october-2022/) - ISIS activity has surged across northeastern Syria in recent weeks, building on a rising crescendo of attacks in August that had already reversed previous months of declining violence. Cells belonging to the radical group have launched waves of armed attacks and IED strikes across Raqqa, Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Hama provinces, claiming dozens of lives
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 04 October 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-04-october-2022/) - The regime continues to escalate militarily against former opposition communities in western Daraa, blockading the town of Jasim where serious tensions continue to disrupt life for local residents. On-and-off clashes, as well as mortar strikes from the regime, have made life exceedingly difficult for the town’s residents as the regime continues to demand the surrender
- [Quarterly Review of Syria's Economic Crisis - October 2022](https://etanasyria.org/quarterly-review-of-syrias-economic-crisis-october-2022/) - A wrenching combination of cratering currency and runaway inflation is setting the stage for what will be a miserable winter for most ordinary Syrians. As 2022 enters its final quarter, the Syrian pound has plummeted to an historic low, while the regime continues to carry out aggressive austerity measures, further stripping more categories of Syrians
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 03 November 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-03-november-2022/) - The radical group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continues to covet new territories in Turkish-controlled Afrin, seeking ways to gain frontline positions within Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) territory and control over pipelines that funnel oil from SDF areas into Turkish-controlled areas. Open divisions and infighting within the Turkish-backed 3rd Corps––a component of the Syrian National Army
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – 02 November 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-02-november-2022/) - The boldness and frequency of ISIS attacks continues to accelerate across all regions of northeast Syria, with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and regime forces both facing a rising deluge of deadly attacks from emboldened extremists. ISIS leaders announced the start of a major offensive on the group’s official channel in early October, which they
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 06 November 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-06-november-2022/) - The former opposition in the south launched an unprecedented series of raids against ISIS cells in the north-western Daraa town of Jasim, greatly reducing ISIS’ capacity in the area. The operation marks an unprecedented level of coordination between former opposition groups across Daraa province, with only the former opposition—without assistance from the regime or Russia—carrying
- [Syria Brief: Economic Crisis – 20 November 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-brief-economic-crisis-20-november-2022/) - The Syrian regime announced its draft budget for 2023, which reiterated the regime’s intention to press on with aggressive austerity measures into the next year. Perhaps most significantly, allocations for subsidies, which have been a lifeline for many Syrians throughout the ongoing economic crisis, will be reduced by 40 percent next year while subsidy cuts
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 05 December 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-05-december-2022/) - While Ankara’s threats of an incursion into north-east Syria have ramped up in recent weeks, particularly following the 13th November bombing in Istanbul that Turkish authorities blamed on Kurdish groups, there are few significant signs of troop movements between positions along the Syrian-Turkish border. Nevertheless, the possibility of a Turkish operation in north Syria remains
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 02 December 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-02-december-2022/) - The former opposition has dealt massive blows to ISIS’ strength in south Syria as part of an anti-ISIS campaign spanning several weeks that has eliminated senior members of the radical group. Although they were unaware of his presence at the time, a mid-October raid by former opposition forces against an ISIS cell in Jasim killed
- [Anti-Regime Movement in Suwayda – 6 December 2022](https://etanasyria.org/anti-regime-movement-in-suwayda-6-december-2022/) - Regime forces opened fire on a crowd of protesters in Suwayda on 4 December, killing one local man and injuring 18 others in an unprecedented violent escalation in south Syria’s Druze-majority province. Hundreds of protesters had gathered to demand better living conditions and improved access to services on Sunday morning, but the demonstration grew tense
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 6 December 2022](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-6-december-2022/) - Turkish-SDF tensions reignite Cross-border tensions have spiked dangerously across northeastern Syria in recent weeks, as Turkish forces launched a massive wave of airstrikes and shelling against Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and regime positions across the region. Altogether since 20 November, Turkish forces pounded more than 40 cities and villages across Aleppo, Raqqa, Aleppo and
- [Syria's Economic Crisis in 2022 - A Year in Review](https://etanasyria.org/syrias-economic-crisis-in-2022-a-year-in-review/) - Syrian regime paralyzed amidst cascading financial crises Regime-controlled areas of Syria are buckling under an unprecedented socio-economic and financial crisis, as currency collapse, vanishing fuel reserves and endemic administrative disfunction have brought economic and political life to a virtual standstill in recent weeks. As conditions have worsened, rising public demonstrations, anger and occasional violence have
- [Violent attacks and tribal protests hamper north-east Syria’s oil sector](https://etanasyria.org/violent-attacks-and-tribal-protests-hamper-north-east-syrias-oil-sector/) - As regime-held Syria descends deeper into economic paralysis, driven by severe oil shortages, exports of crude supplies in the north-east have become increasingly critical to fill shortfalls in regime areas. The sector’s rising importance has been underscored by a sharp rise in ISIS attacks in recent weeks, with the radical group increasingly targeting oil infrastructure,
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 18 January 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-18-january-2023/) - South Syria continues to face serious threats to its stability as it sinks deeper into a devastating economic crisis. The restive region saw an almost total shutdown during late 2022 as fuel became exceedingly scarce ahead of the region’s winter months as the Syrian pound dropped to historic lows. Although the situation has improved somewhat
- [Feedback Loop - Syrian Political Process – July 2021](https://etanasyria.org/feedback-loop-syrian-political-process-february-2023/) - February 2023 After another year of little progress towards a durable solution to the Syrian crisis, Syrians are deeply disappointed with all aspects of the political process as well as the major convening parties involved. To gauge the extent of Syrians’ dissatisfaction with the political process, ETANA conducted surveys and focus group sessions both inside
- [Earthquake Strikes Southern Turkey & Northern Syria](https://etanasyria.org/earthquake-strikes-southern-turkey-northern-syria/) - The powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the Turkey-Syria border region early Monday has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe, leaving thousands of Syrians dead, wounded and homeless. The earthquake, which was centered in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, resulted in widespread destruction and collapsed thousands of buildings across southern Turkey and northwest Syria. A powerful 7.5 magnitude
- [Control in Earthquake Affected Areas Northern Syria](https://etanasyria.org/control-in-earthquake-affected-areas-northern-syria/)
- [Arrests in South Syria – February 2023](https://etanasyria.org/arrests-in-south-syria-february-2023/) - The regime arbitrarily arrested 202 residents of south-west Syria in 2022, the majority of whom were civilians or members of the former opposition. Arbitrary arrests in south Syria remain a major protection concern, with the regime’s intelligence apparatus now increasingly reliant on arbitrary arrests to extract financial gains from local residents and their families. Unlike
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 04 April 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-04-april-2023/) - Anti-regime demonstrations took place across more than a dozen towns and cities in Daraa province in March, marking the 12th anniversary of the 2011 Syrian uprising. The protests are the latest evidence of enduring anti-regime sentiment in Daraa. The province’s civilians are suffering from the cumulative hardships of an ongoing fuel crisis, rampant corruption as
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria – 06 April 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-06-april-2023/) - Tensions between Turkey and Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have escalated significantly in recent weeks. The extremist group is accused of inciting instability to create pretexts for entering territory held by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), including by releasing ISIS detainees to carry out sabotage missions against the SNA. However, tensions reached new heights on
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – April 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-11-april-2023/) - Iran and the US-led International Coalition engaged in a dangerous tit-for-tat cycle of retaliatory attacks in March, resulting in the deaths of one American military contractor and at least 11 fighters affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iranian forces targeted coalition bases in Deir Ezzor and eastern Hasakeh and the Conoco gas plant,
- [Brief: Assad Leveraging Earthquake Response](https://etanasyria.org/brief-assad-leveraging-earthquake-response/) - The devastating earthquake that struck parts of Syria and Turkey on 6th February has provided the Syrian regime with an unexpected boon to leverage its position. By vastly exaggerating claims of human and material damage from the earthquake, regime officials believe they can advance three main goals: increasing foreign aid flows to Syria and maximizing
- [Map: Iran’s Influence across Syria](https://etanasyria.org/map-irans-influence-across-syria/) - (For a high-resolution version of this map, please use the form at the bottom of the page) [opd id="11"]
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - 9 May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-april-2023/) - This brief covers the reporting period of the month of April 2023 In the month leading up to its readmission to the Arab League, the Syrian regime initiated a series of empty actions to portray itself as a stabilizing actor in southern Syria. Among these efforts is a new round of reconciliation agreements that aim
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-may-2023/) - This brief covers the reporting period of the month of April 2023 Syria’s central Badia desert region remains plagued by violence and bloodshed. During the month of April, clashes broke out between rival armed groups affiliated with the regime, ISIS, and Iranian-backed forces all vying for control of the truffle trade, killing armed elements but
- [Memo: State of Instability in Syria - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/memo-state-of-instability-in-syria/) - 12-years since its suspension, the Assad regime is now returning to the Arab League. Up against the very real and interwoven threats of Iran, ISIS, and the Damascus-backed narcotics trade, Arab states are betting that they can bring stability to Syria—and the region—by working directly with the regime. Yet each attempt to engage with Damascus
- [Policy Brief: Disrupting the Syrian Regime's Domestic Weapons Programs - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/policy-brief-disrupting-the-syrian-regimes-domestic-weapons-programs-may-2023/) - With Iranian backing, the Syrian regime has for years worked to develop and domestically produce sophisticated weapons technologies for use against Syrian civilians and in future regional conflicts—including with Israel. These technologies include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and so-called “suicide drones,” as well as guided and unguided ballistic missile systems. Both of these weapons have been used by regime forces in Syria’s brutal 12-year conflict, and will sustain the regime’s ability to perpetuate violence and mass casualty incidents both inside and outside the country. Crucially, though, these weapons’ development and proliferation across the region by the regime’s primary backers—namely Iran, Russia and Lebanese Hezbollah—also raise the likelihood that they will be used in other theatres. A reminder of the regime’s pariah status at a time when regional states are moving towards normalization with Damascus, it is crucial that the international community consider ways to disrupt the regime’s development and proliferation of advanced weapons systems, including through sanctions and disruption of supply-chains.
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-may-2023/) - Russian airstrikes returned to southern Idlib for the first time in months, with a series of aerial bombardments menacing villages in the Jabal al-Zawiya area. Russian aerial attacks against the town of Fleifel coincided with upticks in shelling of opposition-held areas by pro-regime forces and allied militias, putting civilians and local armed groups on edge
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-may-2023/) - Despite continuing to profit handsomely from the expanding narcotics trade in south Syria, the Assad regime launched a series of largely symbolic measures to signal that it is clamping down on the illicit sector. Security agencies conducted a number of highly publicized raids in eastern Daraa, staging the appearance of a crackdown on smuggling networks
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - May 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-may-2023-2/) - Economic crisis and discontent with Self Administration policies continues to foment anger among populations across the north-east, with demonstrations erupting in nearly half a dozen towns and cities in recent weeks. In another sign of the deepening financial crisis engulfing the region, the Self Administration moved to set the price of wheat and barley in
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - June 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-june-2023/) - This reporting period covers the month of June. After nearly 40 days, the regime has concluded a much-hyped reconciliation drive in Daraa province, registering and settling the status of a record number of participants. The latest round of settlements reportedly involved as many as 27,000 individuals, although nearly half were conducted remotely by relatives of
- [Syria Military Brief: North-West Syria - June 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-west-syria-june-2023/) - This reporting period covers the month of June. Since the beginning of May, Russian airstrikes over north-west Syria have dramatically intensified and led to the deadliest attack on civilians in the region in over a year. Russian jets bombarded dozens of towns and villages across Idlib, Aleppo and Latakia provinces while regime and allied militia
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - June 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-june-2023/) - This reporting period covers the month of June. Clandestine ISIS activity has quieted somewhat in recent weeks, with attacks against both the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and regime troops declining across the north-east. The true source of instability in the region continues to be its spiralling economic woes, which is driving scores of young Syrians
- [Brief: Syria’s Currency Collapse & Political Discontent](https://etanasyria.org/brief-syrias-currency-collapse-political-discontent/) - August 2023 As Syria’s currency plummets to unprecedented lows, the country is plunging into an ever-deeper economic depression. Despite regime hopes that its readmission to the Arab League would be followed by economic investment from the Gulf, the reality has proven starkly different. Instead, the Syrian pound has collapsed, with Syrians in regime-held areas facing
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - July 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-july-2023/) - This reporting period covers the month of July. After concluding its settlement drive in Daraa province last month, the regime has since extended the same process to neighboring Quneitra. This ongoing settlement initiative follows a pattern similar to previous rounds, aimed at improving the regime’s international image and creating an illusion of political progress. However,
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - July 2023](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-july-2023/) - This reporting period covers the month of July. Major clashes between the majority-Arab Deir Ezzor Military Council and other factions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have rocked Deir Ezzor province in recent weeks. A simmering conflict between the council and the SDF-affiliated police erupted into two days of fighting that killed at least one
- [Syria Military Update - North West Syria - 15 May 2019](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-update-north-west-syria-15-may-2019/)
- [Arrests in South-West Syria: June 2018 - June 2019](https://etanasyria.org/arrests-in-south-west-syria-june-2018-june-2019/)
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - 03 May 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-03-may-2021/) - [dropcap]S[/dropcap]outhern Syria is currently experiencing a period of tension, coming after a regime escalation in Quneitra and the partial breakdown of a deal to avoid hostilities between the regime and former opposition in western Daraa. Regime forces targeted the Quneitra town of Umm Batnah with mortar rounds, deploying army forces to the town’s outskirts and
- [Attacks in South-West Syria: August 2018 - April 2019](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-in-south-west-syria-august-2018-april-2019/)
- [Attacks in South-West Syria: August 2018 - August 2019](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-in-south-west-syria-august-2018-august-2019/)
- [Despair and Decay: East Ghouta After 18 Months of Renewed Regime Rule](https://etanasyria.org/despair-and-decay-east-ghouta-after-18-months-of-renewed-regime-rule/) - Summary East Ghouta is perhaps the darkest example of renewed Assad regime rule over former opposition territory. 18 months after the regime recaptured the area, its security forces and intelligence apparatus continue to terrorize Syrians there. Night-time raids on homes, mass arrests, and forced disappearances are common occurrences across the region. Intelligence forces assert themselves
- [Attacks & Assassinations in South-West Syria: October - 29 November 2020](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-assassinations-in-south-west-syria-october-29-november-2020/) - A total of 23 attacks and 35 assassination operations were carried out in October 2020, increasing the totals for 2020 to 207 attacks and 330 assassinations. In mid-October, a Hezbollah affiliated group assassinated five former opposition commanders, including prominent former opposition commander Adham al-Akrad, as they were returning to Daraa from Damascus after a meeting
- [Attacks & Assassinations in South-West Syria: January - December 2020](https://etanasyria.org/attacks-assassinations-in-south-west-syria-january-december-2020/) - A total of 237 attacks and 383 assassinations occurred in 2020, marking almost half of all attacks and assassinations that have occurred since the regime’s takeover of south-west Syria in July 2018. Over the past two-and-a-half years of regime control, the south-west has been plagued by increasing violence, instability and criminality. In 2020, ISIS perpetrated
- [Arrests in South-West Syria - June 2018 - November 2020](https://etanasyria.org/arrests-in-south-west-syria-june-2018-november-2020/) - A total of 1348 people have been arrested in south-west Syria since the 2018 settlement agreement, including the arbitrary arrests of 628 civilians, 375 former opposition members and 60 civil workers. Of these arbitrary detentions, 37 have been women, and at least 5 have had their young children detained with them. From January-November 2020, there
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - 16 February 2021](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-16-february-2021/) - [dropcap]F[/dropcap]ormer opposition forces in rural western Daraa are set to surrender a portion of their weapons and allow the regime to conduct wide-scale searches and raids in the area following a Russian-mediated agreement. The deal halted a weeks-long regime escalation against former opposition forces in the area—the most recent example of the regime’s aggressive policy
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria - 28 February](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-28-february/) - [dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile attacks attributed to ISIS have continued across the region, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has emerged as a major target for these operations in the past two weeks. Iranian patrols recorded at least eight deaths from suspected ISIS attacks, which took the form of both armed ambushes and IED traps. Tensions have
- [Syria Military Brief: South Syria - 23 March 2020](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-brief-south-syria-23-march-2020/) - An outbreak of deadly clashes between an ISIS-linked armed group and the regime’s 4th Division has left nearly two dozen regime soldiers dead in rural western Daraa, prompting a series of aggressive regime deployments to the surrounding area as regime officials threaten to launch a retributive operation. Members of the Muhammad Qassim a-Sbeehi group ambushed
- [Manufacturing Division: The Assad Regime and Minorities in South-west Syria](https://etanasyria.org/manufacturing-division-the-assad-regime-and-minorities-in-south-west-syria/) - Summary Minority communities in south-west Syria have shrunk to a fraction of their pre-2011 size, and the regime’s repressive policies in the south-west perpetuate a cycle of violence and chaos that prevents their safe return. The regime’s strategy of transforming minority communities into sources of militia fighters has not only led to the deaths of
- [Military Control Across Syria - January-2021](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-january-2021/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Military Control Across Syria – January-2021](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-january-2021-2/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Military Control Across Syria – March-2021](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-march-2021/) - The following map is a breakdown of military control in Syria by various conflict actors, displaying key locations and areas of interest.
- [Military Control Across Syria November-2020](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-01-11-2020/)
- [The Consequences of Inaction: US and NATO Syria Policy](https://etanasyria.org/the-consequences-of-inaction-us-and-nato-syria-policy/) - Summary In recent years of the Syrian crisis, the reluctance of NATO states to take decisive action to secure their interests and protect Syrian lives has had drastic repercussions in both Syria and the wider region. Where NATO members have shown indecisiveness and a refusal to engage, their geopolitical rivals, Iran and Russia, have seized
- [Divide and Conquer: The Growing Hezbollah Threat to the Druze](https://etanasyria.org/divide-and-conquer-the-growing-hezbollah-threat-to-the-druze/) - Summary Deep political, familial, and religious ties have allowed Druze communities across the Levant to remain largely unified against external threats, but eight years of violence in Syria and a coordinated campaign by the regime and its allies now threaten to destabilize regional Druze politics and erode the sect’s political and military power. An Iranian-backed
- [Military Control Across Syria - March 2020](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-march-2020/)
- [Military Control Across Syria - May 2020](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-may-2020/)
- [Military Control Across Syria - December 2019](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-december-2019/)
- [Military Control Across Syria - January 2020](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-january-2020/)
- [Military Control Across Syria - February 2020](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-february-2020/)
- [Military Control Across Syria - 1st October 2019](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-1st-october-2019/)
- [Military Control Across Syria 30- June-2019](https://etanasyria.org/military-control-across-syria-30-june-19/)
- [Thermal Presence of Iranian-Backed Militias Across Syria 23-6-2019](https://etanasyria.org/thermal-presence-of-iranian-backed-militias-across-syria-23-6-2019/)
- [Presence of Iranian-Backed Militias in South Syria 22-6-2019](https://etanasyria.org/presence-of-iranian-backed-militias-in-south-syria-22-6-2019/)
- [Life Under Regime Rule in East Ghouta](https://etanasyria.org/life-under-regime-rule-in-east-ghouta/) - East Ghouta, a region to the east of Damascus in Syria, is a dark example of the reimposition of the Assad regime’s authoritarian rule over a community once controlled by the opposition. As collective punishment for years of opposition control, East Ghouta has been subjected to the harshest conditions of any of the territories retaken
- [Rukban Maps](https://etanasyria.org/rukban-maps/)
- [Syrian Military Update - North-West Syria - 28 May 2019](https://etanasyria.org/syrian-military-update-north-west-syria-28-may-2019/)
- [Syria Military Update - North West Syria - 19 May 2019](https://etanasyria.org/syria-military-update-north-west-syria-19-may-2019/)

## Pages

- [Homepage](https://etanasyria.org/) - Etana is an independent organisation authentically linked to the Syrian social fabric while reaching to the highest political levels, it serves as a civil & diplomatic service for Syrians who want to live with freedom, dignity & justice.
- [History](https://etanasyria.org/history/) - Founded in 2001, Etana was a pioneer within Syria’s civil society, in an environment where civil society activity was heavily oppressed. With a vision to support grassroots change towards democracy, Etana attracted community leaders, intellectuals & members of civil society to form a hub for civic engagement. Focusing on human rights, from the grassroots, it
- [About us](https://etanasyria.org/about-us/) - Etana is an independent organisation authentically linked to the Syrian social fabric while reaching to the highest political levels, it serves as a civil & diplomatic service for Syrians who want to live with freedom, dignity & justice. The complex landscape which characterises the Syrian crisis demands new ways of working that reach beyond the
- [Privacy Policy](https://etanasyria.org/privacy-policy/) - Introduction At Etana Syria, we are committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, including any other media form, media channel, mobile website, or mobile application related or connected thereto (collectively, the “Etana Syria”). Please read this
- [Contact](https://etanasyria.org/contact/)

## My Templates

- [Default Kit](https://etanasyria.org/?elementor_library=default-kit)
- [Homepage2](https://etanasyria.org/?elementor_library=homepage2) - Main Military BRIEF: Recent developments in south-west Syria May 25, 2026 While the pause in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran has provided a measure of respite and temporarily eased tensions... Read moreDetails BRIEF: Recent developments in north-east Syria ANALYSIS: Current & emerging shortfalls in Syria’s transition BRIEF: Recent developments in Suwayda BRIEF: Recent developments
- [Homepage](https://etanasyria.org/?elementor_library=homepage) - RECENT POSTS BRIEF: Recent developments in south-west Syria May 25, 2026 BRIEF: Recent developments in north-east Syria May 14, 2026 ANALYSIS: Current & emerging shortfalls in Syria’s transition May 4, 2026 BRIEF: Recent developments in Suwayda April 17, 2026 BRIEF: Recent developments in north-east Syria April 13, 2026 Next Prev Military BRIEF: Impact of
- [Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria – August 2023](https://etanasyria.org/?elementor_library=syria-military-brief-north-east-syria-august-2023) - While armed clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and an alliance of tribal groups continues across rural Deir Ezzor, the conflict may be reaching a pivotal junction as the SDF has withdrawn from a string of villages along the southern Euphrates River. Arab tribal leaders, meanwhile, are increasingly uniting around a set of political

## indicators

- [مؤشر جديد](https://etanasyria.org/indicators/مؤشر-جديد/)
- [مؤشرات 2026-01-27](https://etanasyria.org/indicators/مؤشرات-2026-01-27/)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://etanasyria.org/category/uncategorized-en/)
- [South Syria](https://etanasyria.org/category/south-syria/) - Our work on the south focuses on following instability of the region after the regime’s takeover of the area in July 2018, focusing on human rights violations occurring, attacks against regime assets as well as the spread of Iran’s influence across the area.
- [Syria](https://etanasyria.org/category/syria/) - Syria Our networks of sources on the ground closely follow military developments in Syria, monitoring the placement of military forces including the locations of Iranian-backed militias across the country.
- [North-West Syria](https://etanasyria.org/category/north-syria/) - North Syria On a daily basis, we follow key developments in north Syria including violations to the demilitarized zone agreement around Idlib in north-west Syria.
- [Syria Military Update](https://etanasyria.org/category/syria-military-update/)
- [Reports](https://etanasyria.org/category/reports/)
- [main news](https://etanasyria.org/category/main-news/)
- [North-East Syria](https://etanasyria.org/category/north-east-syria/)
- [Political](https://etanasyria.org/category/political/)
- [Constitutional Committee Monitor](https://etanasyria.org/category/political/constitutional-committee-monitor/)
- [Military](https://etanasyria.org/category/military/)
- [Economic](https://etanasyria.org/category/reports/economic/) - The latest studies received on the economic situation in Syria

## Tags

- [South Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/south-syria/)
- [Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/syria/)
- [Military Control Across Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/military-control-across-syria/)
- [Syria Military Brief](https://etanasyria.org/tag/syria-military-brief/)
- [North-East Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/north-east-syria/)
- [SYRIA MILITARY UPDATE](https://etanasyria.org/tag/syria-military-update/)
- [North West Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/north-west-syria/)
- [Economic Crisis](https://etanasyria.org/tag/economic-crisis/)
- [economic crisis in Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/economic-crisis-in-syria/)
- [Political Update](https://etanasyria.org/tag/political-update/)
- [Political](https://etanasyria.org/tag/political/)
- [Suwayda](https://etanasyria.org/tag/suwayda/)
- [Earthquake Strikes](https://etanasyria.org/tag/earthquake-strikes/)
- [Iran’s Influence across Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/irans-influence-across-syria/)
- [Instability in South Syria](https://etanasyria.org/tag/instability-in-south-syria/)