WEEKLY UPDATE
November 4, 2016
Dear Readers,Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis. But first, here is a brief overview of what happened this week:The battle for Aleppo is expected to become even more intense this weekend, as Russia’s Friday deadline for rebels to leave the eastern side of the city passed. “We asked you to leave. You did not leave. So excuse me if we smash you,” Aleppo parliament member Fares Shehabi told the BBC.Russia announced on Wednesday that rebels would be able to bring their weapons with them and must evacuate through two unobstructed exit corridors by Friday evening. Six additional corridors were set up for civilians and the sick and wounded to evacuate, according to the Russian defense ministry.On Thursday, Syrian rebels rejected the demand to evacuate. Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters, “This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won’t surrender.”Earlier this week, rebels launched phase two of their operation on the western, government-held part of the city in an attempt to break the three-month-long siege of eastern Aleppo. Rebel fire killed at least 12 people between Thursday and Friday morning. On Friday, at least three commanders from the Soqor al-Sham rebel group were killed in clashes.Government forces advanced in the Damascus countryside this week. On Wednesday, pro-regime forces took control of two hilltop villages in Eastern Ghouta, an area that has been under siege since early 2013. On Friday, Syrian army units advanced inside the town of Khan al-Sheeh. The advance comes after more than 50 days of fighting with Jaish al-Islam, the largest rebel faction in the area.Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition is preparing for their battle against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in the group’s Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Turkey and Syrian Kurdish YPG forces were expected to participate in the operation, but on Thursday, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they would not accept Turkish involvement.

Weekly Highlights:

Long Read: The U.S. Has Intervened in Syria, But Not In The Way You Think

The United States intervened militarily in Syria under the premise of the “war on terror” and the fight against ISIS, but their presence is actually helping the Syrian government.
Smoke rises from the Syrian city of Kobani, following an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition, seen from a hilltop outside Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border. AP/Vadim Ghirda, File

When It Comes to Humanitarian Aid, Syrians Must Play the Numbers Game

Mohamad Katoub, a former doctor who escaped from Eastern Ghouta, was quick to point out that Syria’s daily toll of deaths and casualties were more than just numbers – until he saw the power those statistics had. Here, he explains why he changed his mind.
Syrian children on the first day of Eid al-Adha visiting the graves of family lost during the Syrian Civil War, in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, on September 12, 2016. Samer Bouidani/NurPhoto

Lessons from Russia’s Intervention in Syria

Atlantic Council experts Faysal Itani and Hossam Abouzahr have analyzed hundreds of Moscow’s Syria-related actions in order to piece together an analysis of the “Russia problem” facing the next White House administration.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with U.S. secretary of state John Kerry at this year’s G20 meeting. Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Additional Reading:

Top image: The scene outside the Russian embassy in London where 25 activists from two campaign groups The Syria Campaign and Syria Solidarity UK scattered over 800 limbs around the gates of the building in a protest at the bombing of civilians in east Aleppo. Dominic Lipinski /PA Wire

Author: Impunity Watch Archive