FIELD DEVELOPMENTS SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC 01 - 07 January 2021 NORTH EAST AND NORTH WEST

Violations committed by ١,٤١٤ the Regime and its Russian ally of the ceasefire truce ;٢٠٢٠ March ٥ After the Turkish and Russian Presidents reached the ceasefire truce agreement in Idleb Governorate on ٢٠٢١ January ٠٧ the warplanes of the regime and its Russian ally didn’t bomb North Western Syria ever since; yet the regime continued Control Parties Russian warplanes have ;٢٠٢٠ June ٢ targeting the cities and towns there with heavy artillery and rocket launchers; on again bombed northwestern Syria, along with the regime which continued targeting NW Syria with heavy artillery and ١,٤١٤ rocket launchers. Through its network of enumerators, the Assistance Coordination Unit ACU documented violations of the truce committed by the regime and its Russian ally as of the date of this report. There has been no change in the control map over the past week; No joint Turkish-Russian military patrols were carried The Turkish army started deploying military guards and outposts on the .٢٠٢١ January ١-٧ out during the period between highway in the southern countryside of Idleb. The Turkish army may open the road for commercial traffic after M٤ an unidentified perpetrator targeted a Turkish military vehicle, west of ,٢٠٢١ January ٤ securing it from attacks. On in the northwestern countryside of ,٦, ٢٠٢١ Kafraya town, using an RPG missile, with no casualties reported. On January

Hama, the regime forces shelled the road of Qarqur town with a guided missile without causing any casualties. In the Regime

western countryside of Aleppo, one of the snipers of the regime shot a child while on the rooftop of her home in the town Opposition group in the southern countryside Opposition group affiliated by Turkey ,٢٠٢١ January ٧ of Maaret Elnaasan - Maaret Elhaski, causing serious injuries to the child. On (others. Syrian democratic forces (SDF ٣ civilians and wounding ٢ of Idleb, the Regime forces shelled with heavy artillery the town of , killing The enumerators of the Information Management Unit (IMU) of the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU) documented in Clash areas- Clash lines the period between 01 - 07 January 2021; 29 violations of the truce in Idleb governorate and adjacent countrysides of Aleppo; Lattakia and Hama governorates. On 2 January 2021, in northern Aleppo countryside, an unidentified drone bombed Um Jalloud crossing in Menbij sub-district, which connects areas under the control of the so-called SDF with the opposition-held areas in Jarabulus city. In a separate context, a car bomb exploded in Jandairis city, resulting in killing 1 civilian and injuring 8 others. On 5 January 2021, in the western countryside of Aleppo, a woman and her 2 children were injured as a result of the explosion of explosive materials in a landfill near Al Bir camp, south of Batbu town. The materials exploded while the family was collecting waste from the dump, to burn it and get warmth. In the western countryside of Idleb. Fire broke out in a tent in Othman bin Affan camp, near the town of , as a result of misuse of the heater; the fire led to the burning of another IDP tent in addition to shelter materials within the tent without causing any casualties. On 5 January 2021, fire broke out in a tent in Al Khatib camp near the city of A’zaz as a result of misuse of the heater, and the fire led to the burning of a child with disability who died due to suffering severe burns. The fire also led to the burning of two IDP tents and the shelter materials within. Violations committed by regime of the ceasefire truce Truce Violations Areas ٢٠٢١ January ٠٧ - ٠١ North West Syria Governorate Community Type of violation 6 Idleb Artillery shelling Idleb Ftireh Artillery shelling 5 5 Lattakia Kabani Artillery shelling Hama Dweir Elakrad Artillery shelling 4 4 Hama Sarmaniya Artillery shelling Idleb Artillery shelling 3 Idleb Bara Artillery shelling Idleb Afs Artillery shelling 2 Idleb Tuffahiyeh Artillery shelling ٠٧ ٠٦ ٠٥ ٠٤ ٠٣ ٠٢ ٠١ Idleb Guided missile shelling Idleb Artillery shelling Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Idleb Artillery shelling Prominent Incidents Hama Qarqur Guided missile shelling Governorate Community Incidents A sniper shot a child injuring her Idleb Maaret Elnaasan Aleppo Al Bab A car bomb explosion takes place Lattakia Samira Artillery shelling Aleppo Menbij An unidentified airstrike targeted Um Jalloud crossing Lattakia Shahrura Artillery shelling children ٢ woman, her ١:Aleppo Jandairis A bomb blast resulted in injuries children ٢ woman, her ١:Aleppo Batbu A bomb blast resulted in injuries a woman and her ٢ Violate truce- shelling children were Idleb Dorriyeh SDF surrounded the regime forces within the security square Incidents injured as a result of the explosion Aleppo Azaz IDP tents burning of explosive materials Idleb IDP tents burning

On 1 January 2021, in the northern countryside of Ar-Raqqa, a Prominent Incidents car bomb targeted the Russian military base of Tal Elsamen in Governorate Community Incidents Northern East Syria Ein Issa sub-district. Sounds of bullets were heard from the civilians to leave Hole camp ٣٨٥ Al-Hasakeh Hole SDF allowed military base after being targeted followed by sounds of ambulances heading towards the military base; while Russian Al-Hasakeh Ras Al Ain A car bomb exploded helicopters were seen flying at low altitude in the area. The Al-Hasakeh Al-Hasakeh SDF surrounded the regime forces within the security square Guardians of Religion (Hurras Al Deen) Organization claimed responsibility for the bombing, while military analysts questioned reliability of Hurras Al Deen’s claim. The presence of the Guardians of Religion faction is limited to several villages in Idleb governorate. This faction is being targeted continuously by the International Coalition forces. The arrival of the Guardians of Religion fighters to Ein Issa sub-district is considered almost impossible. Military and political analysts warned against the Russian forces' use of this bombing as a pretext to launch military action on Idleb governorate, and against the so-called SDF claiming to be targeted by jihadist groups. It is worth mentioning that the Russian forces took advantage of the escalation between the Turkish forces and SDF to reinforce their military deployment in Ein Issa district. in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, dozens of schools in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor closed their doors for ,٢٠٢١ January ٧ On teachers for refusing forced ٤٠ one day in protest against SDF decision to forcibly recruit teachers. SDF has already terminated the contracts of recruitment. The residents, including students, protested against the decision which could affect the educational process as schools will be left with no teachers, consequently, result in the spread of ignorance. On 2 January 2021, in the northern countryside of Al Hasakeh, a car bomb exploded in the city of Ras Al Ain, killing 5 civilians, including 2 children and 2 women. On 4 January 2021, the International Coalition sent a military convoy of 30 trucks loaded with military and logistical equipment from Iraq to Syria through Al Walid crossing to the military bases of the International Coalition in Al Hasakeh governorate. On 4 January 2021, the so-called SDF surrounded the regime forces in Quamishli city, where the regime forces control the security square in the city, which is a neighborhood with a number of security buildings and government departments; in addition, the regime forces controls Quamishli airport, whereas SDF controls all the other neighborhoods of the city. In a related context, SDF surrounded the security square and cut the road between it and the military airport. The escalation began after SDF detained one of the regime’s lieutenants along with other members in Quamishli city, an action to which the regime responded by detaining a number of SDF fighters. Russian forces tried to resolve the dispute between the two parties, but all their efforts failed over the course of three days. Russian forces managed to reach an agreement with SDF on the fourth day to end the siege of the regime forces and exchange the captives detained over the past three days. The agreement was reached after Russian forces and SDF met at Quamishli military airport. SDF reimposed a siege over the regime forces in Quamishli city just hours after breaking it. SDF, through this siege, prevents the regime forces from using their vehicles when going out of the security square who and only allows them to go on foot. The escalation in Quamishli city coincides with another tension between the regime and Russian forces on one side, and SDF forces on the other, in the city of Ein Issa in AR-Raqqa governorate, where the Russian forces are putting pressure on SDF to hand over Ein Issa city to the regime.

FIELD DEVELOPMENTS WWW.ACU-SY.ORG [email protected] IN SYRIA ISSUED BY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT UNIT