Timeline of key events:

March 2011: Anti-government protests broke out in Deraa governorate calling for political reforms, end of emergency laws and more freedoms. After government crackdown on protestors, demonstrations were nationwide demanding the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad and his government.

July 2011: Dr. Nabil Elaraby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS), paid his first visit to , after his assumption of duties, and demanded the regime to end violence, and release detainees.

August 2011: LAS Ministerial Council requested its Secretary General to present President Assad with a 13-point Arab initiative (attached) to resolve the crisis. It included cessation of violence, release of political detainees, genuine political reforms, pluralistic presidential elections, national political dialogue with all opposition factions, and the formation of a transitional national unity government, which all needed to be implemented within a fixed time frame and a team to monitor the above. - The Free (FSA) was formed of army defectors, led by Col. Riad al-Asaad, and backed by Arab and western powers militarily.

September 2011: In light of the 13-Point Arab Initiative, LAS Secretary General's and an Arab Ministerial group visited to meet President Assad, they were assured that a series of conciliatory measures were to be taken by the Syrian government that focused on national dialogue.

October 2011: An Arab Ministerial Committee on Syria was set up, including Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Sudan and LAS Secretary General, mandated to liaise with Syrian government to halt violence and commence dialogue under the auspices of the Arab League with the on the implementation of political reforms that would meet the aspirations of the people. - On October 26, the Ministerial Committee held discussions in Damascus with President Assad. - The establishment of the (SNC) in Istanbul, the first opposition coalition of different groups, but failed to gain international recognition because of deep divisions.

November 2011: Syrian government agreed to implement a new Arab Action Plan (attached) endorsed by LAS Ministerial Council to end all acts of violence, release detainees, withdraw Syrian military and armed forces from cities, and ensure freedom of movement for journalists and observers throughout the country. -LAS Ministerial Council suspended the membership of Syria (November 16), and imposed economic sanctions (November 27) and some member states withdrew their ambassadors from Damascus, as it failed to comply with the Action Plan.

December 2011: Negotiations with Damascus were resumed and an agreement is finally reached on the implementation of the Action Plan. LAS Observer Mission was deployed in Syria to monitor the implementation of the plan (December 24). - The Mission later submitted a report (attached) covering the period from 24 December 2011 to 18 January 2012 in accordance with the mandate conferred by the protocol concluded between the Syrian government and LAS. The report was divisive among the members of the Arab League, as it blamed both the regime and the opposition for the violence.

January 2012: LAS Ministerial Council adopted resolution 7444 (attached) which called on the Syrian President to immediately hand over power to his deputy in order to begin the process of a political transition, which would include negotiations with the opposition, the formation of a national unity government, and the holding of elections. The resolution also, requested the Chair of the Arab Ministerial Committee and the Secretary General to brief the Security Council on the developments and get it to endorse the plan. - On January 22, Saudi Arabia withdrew its monitors, followed by the other GCC members on January 24. - On January 28, the Secretary-General of LAS announced the suspension of the activities of the observer mission, given the serious deterioration of the security situation. - On January 31, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Chair of the Arab Ministerial Committee and Dr. Nabil Elaraby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States briefed the Security Council (attached) on Arab efforts and called on the council to adopt a draft resolution submitted by Morocco, supporting Arab League resolution 7444 (which called on the Syrian President to hand over power to his deputy)

February 2012: - On February 4, and China vetoed a draft Security Council resolution (attached), tabled by Morocco (the Arab member of the Security Council) and others. - On February 12, the Arab League adopted its resolution 7446 (attached), practically “transferring the file” to the United Nations Security Council. - On February 16, the issue was taken to the General Assembly, which adopted its Resolution 66/253, calling-among other things- for the appointment of a Special Envoy. - On February 23, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was appointed as the Joint Special Envoy (JSE) of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian crisis, to facilitate a peaceful Syrian-led and inclusive political solution. - On February 24, and upon the initiative of President Sarkozy of France, the first meeting of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People was held in Tunis, with the participation of more than 60 countries and representatives from the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the , the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab Maghreb Union and the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf States to discuss the worsening situation in Syria. The group noted the Arab League’s request to the United Nations Security Council to issue a resolution to form a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping force following a cessation of violence by the regime, and called on LAS to convene a meeting of all disparate opposition groups to agree on a clear statement of shared principles for a transition in Syria. The meeting recognized the SNC as a legitimate representative of Syrians seeking peaceful democratic change. Text of the Conclusions of the Meeting.

March 2012: The SNC formed a military council to organize and unify all armed resistance. - The JSE, Kofi Anan, submitted a six-point peace plan to the UN Security Council (which the council adopted in April in its resolution 2042), that called for commitment to a Syrian-led political process, achieve an effective United Nations supervised cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties, ensure provision of humanitarian assistance, intensify the release of arbitrarily detained persons, ensure freedom of movement for journalists and respect the freedom of demonstrating peacefully. It was later approved by the Syrian government, and the opposition remained skeptical.

April 2012: United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) was established by United Nations Security Council resolution 2043 (attached) initially for a 90-day period, to monitor a cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties and to monitor and support the full implementation of the Joint Special Envoy’s six-point plan on ending the conflict in Syria.

June 2012: The Action Group for Syria, with the participation of the Secretary Generals of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, the Foreign Ministers of China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, , Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, chaired by the JSE, met in Geneva and adopted the Geneva Final Communique (attached) which called for the establishment of a transitional governing body, with full executive powers, as part of the agreed principles and guidelines for a Syrian-led political transition.

July 2012: The Syrian Opposition meeting was held under the auspices of LAS in Cairo, and reached an agreement on a national compact and a detailed transition plan. The two documents complemented the guidelines and principles laid out by the Action Group in Geneva.

August 2012: UNSMIS mandate came to an end owing to an intensification of armed violence and use of heavy weapons. - Prime Minister Riad Hijab defected, and US President Obama's first direct threat of force against Syria, if Assad’s regime deploys or uses chemical or biological weapons, calling such action a "red line" for the US. - Joint Special Envoy, Kofi Annan announced his resignation because of the Security Council failure to reach binding resolutions; Lakhdar Brahimi succeeded Annan as the Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab states for Syria (JSR).

September 2012: Egypt hosted the high level preparatory meeting of the regional Quartet on Syria on September 10, which included Turkey and Saudi Arabia key backers of the Syrian Revolution, and Iran the major supporter of al-Assad regime, in an initiative to bring together regional powers to voice their positions on how to end the Syrian conflict. - On September 17, the Quartet’s ministerial meeting took place in Cairo; Saudi Arabia opted out while Iran proposed a peace plan which called on all parties to cease violence and stop all financial and military support to the opposition, and suggested the deployment of observers from the quartet’s nations to Syria. The participants failed to reach an agreement.

October 2012: a four-day ceasefire attempt was announced towards late October, in respect to Eid al-Adha Holiday, which was breached on the first day in , Aleppo and Damascus.

November 2012: National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SOC) was formed in Qatar, responding to repeated calls from their Western and Arab supporters to create a cohesive and representative leadership, it excluded Islamist militias.

December 2012: US, Britain, France, Turkey and Gulf states formally recognized SOC as "legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.

January 2013: the Emir of Kuwait hosted the first pledging conference on Syria, international donors pledged more than $1.5bn to help civilians affected by the conflict in Syria.

March 2013: LAS Ministerial Council adopted resolution 7595 (attached) to recognize SOC as the “sole legitimate representative” of the Syrian people and called on the SOC to establish an executive body to take up Syria’s seat.

April 2013: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State, released a recorded audio message announcing Jabhat al-Nusra as an extension of al-Qaeda in Iraq and Syria. The leader of al-Nusra, Abu Mohammad al-Joulani, refused the merger. Divisions among the jihadists emerged. - ’s involvement deepened when it led the ground assault on Al-Qusayr, a Sunni town in Homs province by the Lebanese border.

August 2013: The Assad regime was accused of using chemical weapons in Eastern to kill hundreds of civilians. The government denied using chemical weapons. President Obama sought congressional authorization for the use of force.

September 2013: UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2118 (attached) requiring the Syrian regime to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal by mid-2014, and avoid military strikes.

December 2013: US and Britain suspended "non-lethal" support for rebels in northern Syria after reports Islamist rebels seized some bases of Western-backed .

January 2014: the Geneva II Conference on Syria was held in Montreux on January 22, and attended by 37 states, 4 organizations and both Syrian parties. Iran was invited by SG Ban Ki- Moon on January 19, the Opposition declared its refusal to attend if Iran was not excluded, the US viewed Iran's invitation "as conditioned on Iran's explicit and public support for the full implementation of the Geneva Communique"; Iran refused any preconditions to the talks, and refused to endorse the Geneva Communique specially the transitional governing body.

February 2014: two rounds of negotiations to discuss: 1- ending violence and 2-combating terrorism, 3-transitional governing body, national institutions, and 4- national reconciliation and national debate. The Syrian government refused to discuss a transitional government and insisted on discussing combating terrorism. The talks came to a halt.

May 2014: JSR Brahimi announced his resignation because of the lack of progress and failure to agree on an agenda. - Iran proposed a political settlement of four points; a comprehensive cease-fire at national level, forming a national unity government consisting of the regime and the internal Syrian opposition, by transferring presidential powers to the government whereby the government will enjoy wide- ranging powers in years to come, and preparation for presidential and parliamentary elections. - Syrian rebels withdrew from the Old City of Homs, under an Iranian brokered deal and facilitated by the UN, after three years of Syrian government bombardment and siege.

June 2014: President Assad held presidential elections, he was re-elected for another seven-year term allegedly winning 88.7% of the votes.

July 2014: UN Secretary-General announced the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as his Special Envoy for Syria (SE)- NOT as a joint envoy with LAS.

August 2014: US-led coalition began its airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and expanded its strikes to Syria the following month, focusing on the city of .

September 2014: SE held his first round of consultations with concerned capitals, since taking up his office, it included his a visit to Damascus where he met with President Assad, senior officials and the tolerated internal Syrian opposition.

October 2014: SE focused on establishing a series of local ceasefires, “freeze zones”, starting with Aleppo, which aimed at the de-escalation of violence and allowance of the return of normalcy to it.

February 2015: SE briefed the Security Council members on the 17th, announcing Syria's willingness to halt all aerial bombardment over Aleppo for a period of six weeks. It was not clear when would the freeze go into effect, reporting that a date would be announced from Damascus.

June 2015: Egypt hosted the second Syrian Opposition meeting in Cairo, which excluded the National Coalition and announced a new road map to resolve the crisis which did not abolish Assad's government.

July 2015: SE announced that his office would facilitate intra-Syrian working groups to generate a “Syrian-owned framework document” on the implementation of the Geneva Communiqué. Main themes of the groups were Safety and Protection for All, Political and Constitutional Issues, Military and Security Issues, and Public Institutions, Reconstruction and Development.

September 2015: Russia conducted its first airstrikes against IS in Syria. The US and the Syrian Opposition claim it is targeting rebel-held areas instead.

October 2015: First meeting of International Syria Support Group (ISSG) took place in Vienna, it included China, Egypt, the EU, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, , Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States. They agreed on a nine-point plan, but still had substantial divisions on the future of Assad. It was the first time Iran and Saudi Arabia were brought to the same table.

November 2015: Second meeting of the ISSG was held in Vienna adding LAS to its members. They set a time frame to prepare for a parallel ceasefire and political process by January 2016 that would lead to credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance within six months, followed by the drafting of a constitution and elections within 18 months. Jordan was tasked to develop a list of groups and individuals identified as terrorists, and Saudi Arabia to hold a meeting to unify the Syrian opposition and prep for the talks with the government.

December 2015: - Syrian political and armed opposition factions met in Riyadh, to agree on a common position to negotiate with Syrian government, and resulted in the formation of the High Negotiating Committee (HNC). The main Kurdish group was excluded, while Islamist hardliners such as Jaysh Al-Islam and Ahrar Al-Sham were present. - The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) joined the follow-up meeting of the ISSG in New York, Saudi Arabia and Jordan briefed the group on their tasks. There was no agreement on the list of identified terrorists, especially with Russia's insistence on adding Ahrar Al-Sham to the list, which is considered pivotal to the unified Opposition bloc. - UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2254 (attached) which reaffirmed the road map set out by the ISSG and urged the Support Group to apply pressure on the Syrian parties to put an immediate end to the indiscriminate use of weapons against civilians, and allow unimpeded access to humanitarian aid convoys.

January 2016: the SE sent out invitations to the Syrian participants, in accordance with the parameters outlined in Security Council resolution 2254, to start on the 25th with proximity talks and had expected to last for six months. The HNC requested assurances of goodwill from the government as precondition to beginning of talks, such as release of prisoners or lifting of sieges.

February 2016: Talks were delayed and lasted two days before they were suspended for three weeks. - The ISSG met on the margins of the Munich Security Conference and decided that humanitarian access will commence same week of meeting to besieged areas, and an ISSG task force would elaborate within one week modalities for a nationwide cessation of hostilities. - The US and Russia announced the adoption of the terms for a cessation of hostilities in Syria, and proposed that the cessation of hostilities commence at 00:00 (Damascus time) on February 27, 2016. The cessation of hostilities does not apply to “Daesh”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”, or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council. - The Security Council endorsed the announcement in its resolution 2268 (attached).

March 2016: SE announced March 9 set as target date of resumption of talks in Geneva. On March 14, SE resumed the intra-Syrian proximity talks in Geneva, which mainly discussed procedural matters to reach a shared list of principles and relied on Security Council resolution 2254 as its agenda. - SE briefed the Security Council on the cessation of hostilities which lowered overall levels of violence and more than 238,000 people had been reached with humanitarian aid. - On the same day, President Putin announced the withdrawal of most Russian forces from Syria, after it had largely fulfilled their objectives in Syria, and SE stated that it would have a positive impact on the negotiations. - On March 17, the PYD announced the establishment of a federal system in Kobane, Afrin and Cizire cantons in northern Syria, and its Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria-Rojava (DFNS) announced its final declaration. Both the Syrian government and other opposition affiliates denounced the plan, as well as the United States. - On March 24, the SE ended the first round by submitting a paper on the commonalities between the Syrian sides regarding the future of Syria and would help structure the next round that would address political transition. - Syrian government forces retook Palmyra from the Islamic State, with Russian air assistance.

April 2016: The SE paid visits to Amman, Beirut, Damascus and Tehran ahead of the new round of talks. - The third round of proximity talks were set to start on April 13, which coincided with the parliamentary elections in the government-controlled areas in Syria. The SE met with the High Negotiations Committee delegation (Syrian Opposition) in Geneva and was expected to meet with the Syrian Government delegation within the following days. - During the 13-27 April round of negotiations, the SE developed a Mediator’s Summary that identified eighteen points necessary to move forward on political transition arrangements. - on April 28, airstrikes in Aleppo on al-Quds hospital supported by both Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which killed dozens of civilians and medical personnel.

May 2016: The Security Council adopted unanimously resolution 2286 (attached) which called for the protection of civilians and medical facilities during armed conflict. - On May 4, the US-Russia brokered a 48-hour ceasefire in which helped reduce the violence, and was later extended for another 72 hours. - On May 9, France held a ministerial Friends of Syria meeting in “Paris Format”, attended by the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Jordan, and issued a statement that called on the resumption of negotiations, unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance and the implementation of international law obligations to the protection of civilians. - Later on the same day, the United States and Russia issued a joint statement on Syria to reconfirm their commitment to intensify their efforts to implement a nationwide ceasefire and promote humanitarian assistance in accordance to security council resolution 2254. - On May 17, the fourth meeting of the ISSG took place in Vienna and reaffirmed its determination to strengthen the cessation of hostilities, to ensure full and sustained humanitarian access in Syria, and to ensure progress toward a peaceful political transition. Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and Spain joined the group.

June 2016: The SE announced that the time is not yet right for a resumption of the intra-Syrian talks because of the escalation of violence in Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia and other rural areas around Damascus, but the intention is to begin an official third round as soon as possible. - Riad Hijab, the Coordinator of the Opposition High Negotiations Committee, proposed a nationwide truce throughout the month of Ramadan. - On June 16, Jan Egeland Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria announced that 16 of the 18 besieged areas have been reached since the humanitarian taskforce started in late February. - On June 21, the SE briefed the United Nations General Assembly on the situation in Syria regarding the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian assistance access, as for the resumption of talks, it is yet to be decided and the OSE currently holds technical meetings with the parties on core issues.

July 2016: - On July 6, the Syrian army declared a three-day nationwide “regime of calm” in respect to Eid al-Fitr holidays nonetheless pro-regime forces continued to engage in clashes and airstrikes across the country, particularly near the flashpoints of Damascus and Aleppo City. - On July 14, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President in Moscow to discuss a proposal for bilateral military cooperation in the Syria; The proposal calls for the establishment of a ‘Joint Implementation Group’ (attached) based in Amman, Jordan to “support deliberate targeting” of Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and “maximize independent but synchronized efforts” against ISIS in Syria, according to a draft memorandum leaked by the Washington Post. - On July 25, Stephen O’brien, the Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed the security council (attached) on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Aleppo due to the escalation of violence over the Castello Road, the last access route in and out of eastern Aleppo, and the continuous attacks on medical facilities. O’brien called on the security council not to allow turning Aleppo into another besieged area where 250,000 to 275,000 people reside, and called to establish a weekly, 48-hour humanitarian pause to enable humanitarian aid deliveries across borders. - On July 28, the Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced, right after the Syrian government announced it has cut off the Castello Road and encircled the city of Aleppo, setting up three humanitarian corridors in Aleppo City to allow in food and medical aid, and help people flee the besieged city; the fourth corridor would be established in northern Aleppo near the Castello Road to allow the withdrawal of armed insurgents, and appealed to the Syrian government to provide guarantees to the amnesty provided to rebels to lay down their weapons. - On the same day, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, Jabhat al-Nusra’s Leader announced split from al- Qaeda and mentioned that its new name would be Jabhet Fateh al-Sham, in order to get the group off the terrorist list and “to remove the excuse used by the international community – spearheaded by America and Russia – to bombard and displace Muslims in the Levant: that they are targeting al-Nusra Front, which is associated with al-Qaida”. - On July 29, the SE commented on the Russian initiative in a press stakeout, that it should take into consideration a few improvements such as putting the 48-hour humanitarian pause into place on a sustainable basis irrespective of the humanitarian corridors; and suggested “to actually leave the delivery of aid through corridors to the UN and its partners”; and stressed that civilians should leave voluntarily, and given the option of leaving to areas of their own choice.

August 2016: - On August 1, a Russian helicopter was downed near Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province, on its way back to Russia's main air base in Hmyeim in the western province of Latakia, killing the five Russian military personnel on board. The downing of the helicopter marked the single deadliest event for Russia since its air campaign began in Syria on September 29, 2015. No group claimed the shooting down of the helicopter. - Since then, Russian warplanes conducted retaliatory airstrikes against several small opposition- held areas in the vicinity of Saraqeb. Syrian rebels accuse Russia of using incendiary munitions while conducting airstrikes against Idlib City on August 7, suggesting that Russia intended to achieve punitive and deterrent effects against opposition forces in the province. - In the early weeks of August, rebel forces launched a major assault, known as the “battle for Aleppo”, on government-held southwestern towns of Aleppo City, to break the siege, and control supply lines in the south connected to eastern Aleppo. They claimed breaking the siege and capturing Ramouseh Artillery Academy, parts of the cement plant and Khan Touman-Ramouseh road. Intense fighting between warring parties continues to claim control over previously lost vicinities. - On August 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan in St. Petersburg, after the Turkish President officially apologized for the downing of a Russian military aircraft on June 27, 2016, and announced during a press conference that they discussed lifting of Russia’s ban on imports of Turkish products, resumption of charter flights, the Turkish Stream project, Syrian settlement, and anti-terrorism efforts. - On August 10, Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, announced a daily three-hour ceasefires in Aleppo, starting August 11, to allow humanitarian convoys enter the city safely, and would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time. - On August 16, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russian aircrafts took off from Iranian airbase Hamedan to carry out airstrikes on ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra-held facilities in the provinces of Aleppo, Idlib and Deir ez-Zour. - On August 18, the SE adjourned the HTF meeting as humanitarian convoys could not reach any of the besieged towns during the month, and called for at least a 48 hour humanitarian pause in Aleppo to deliver UN humanitarian assistance, through the Castello Road, to all parts of Aleppo City. - Also, on August 18, the Syrian government forces, unprecedentedly, launched strikes against Kurdish forces in Hasakeh in Northern Syria, after pro-government National Defense Forces (NDF) were engaged in clashes with the military wing of the Kurdish Workers Party, known as . The Syrian government claimed that “Asayish had escalated their acts of provocation attacking state establishments, stealing oil and cotton, disrupting examinations, carrying out abductions, and causing a state of chaos and instability, in addition to targeting positions of the Syrian Arab Army which required a suitable response by the Army as it targeted the sources of artillery fire and the gatherings of armed elements responsible for these criminal actions.” - On August 19th, while the Kurdish fighters pushed back government forces and their allies, the Pentagon threatened to shoot down Syrian government aircrafts as they pose a threat to the US Special Forces deployed in the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) area. - On August 21, it was announced that a truce agreement had been reached between YPG and NDF, through Russian mediation, to start on August 21, 2016 at 17:00, which involved evacuating the wounded and transporting them to hospitals in Qamishli, and restore the situation to how it was prior to the clashes and hold talks on August 22 to resolve the remaining unresolved issues. - On August 22, most likely the ceasefires agreement failed as fighting escalated. - On August 24, Turkey and the International Coalition Air Forces launched “Operation Shield” offenses to support the Free Syrian Army aligned with U.S.-backed SDF against IS militants in Jarablus, in northern Syria. - On August 26, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, addressing a joint press conference after their meeting in Geneva, announced that they failed to reach a breakthrough deal on military cooperation and a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria, saying they still have issues to resolve before an agreement could be announced. - On August 27, Kurdish militias targeted Diyarbakir airport in southeast Turkey, near the borders with Syria. Turkey retaliated by warplanes and artillery on targets held by Kurdish- backed forces the following day, despite US pentagon’s criticism of the fighting.

September 2016: - On September 4, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim announced that Turkish military forces and Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) had successfully purged the border region, from Azaz to Jarablus, from “terrorist organizations.” - On September 9, the US and Russia reached a deal which called for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, and unimpeded humanitarian access to all besieged areas starting on September 12th. If sustained for seven continuous days, the U.S. and Russia would establish a Joint Implementation Center (JIC) in order to share intelligence and coordinate airstrikes against both ISIS and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra). - On September 21, the cessation of hostilities deal was implemented with regular violations, while the Syrian government continued to block humanitarian access to opposition-held districts of Eastern Aleppo City despite the agreement. - On September 17, the US-led coalition accidentally launched an air strike on Syrian government forces in Deir ez-Zour. - On September 19, a UN humanitarian convoy was shelled near Urum al-Kubra near Aleppo, killing 20 humanitarian aid workers and drivers, and destroying 18 out of 31 trucks. The US blamed Russia and the Syrian government for the attack; the latter declared unilaterally the end of the ceasefire agreement. - On September 20, the UN temporarily suspended its humanitarian aid to Syria after the attack, while international powers failed to reach a consensus to restore the ceasefire during an acrimonious UN Security Council Meeting on September 21st as well as two separate meetings of the International Syria Support Group on September 20 and September 22. - On September 22, the Syrian government announced a new military offensive in the rebel-held eastern Aleppo, and further escalation in a bombing campaign by Russian and Syrian airstrikes that had already intensified the day before. - On September 25, the Security Council Meeting discussed the recent escalation of violence in Aleppo after the Syrian government announced its intention to retake all of Aleppo City, and the SE called on the Security Council to “to press for a cessation of violence, and for the protection of civilians, and the civilian infrastructure; secondly to press for weekly 48-hour pauses in the fighting to ensure that the United Nations and its partners can reach eastern Aleppo, without preconditions from either the Government or the Opposition; and thirdly to press for medical evacuations of urgent cases.” - On September 27, the Syrian government launched a large scale ground offensive in eastern Aleppo, and state media announced that it recaptured the central district of Al-Farafirah northwest of the Aleppo Citadel. - On September 29, the YPG set conditions to participate in operations to seize IS-held Raqqa City: the US provides arms to the YPG, recognizes its autonomy of the Federation of Northern Syria, and ensures that the Syrian Kurds are officially invited to participate in peace talks.

October 2016: - On October 1, continuous airstrikes in eastern Aleppo damaged a major hospital codenamed M10, which was partially closed because of the raids. - On October 2, Stephen O’brien, the Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, urged warring parties and their supporters to bring about a cessation of all hostilities, a medical evacuation system for eastern Aleppo, and regular unimpeded humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo, and he reiterated his plea to the Security Council for a 48-hours weekly humanitarian pause in fighting, at the very least. - In an official statement, the Syrian Army offered amnesty to fighters and their families to leave Aleppo under guarantee of safe passage to other rebel-held areas, after the Syrian regime forces recaptured strategic areas on the northern outskirts of the city. - On October 3, the EU announced an emergency humanitarian initiative for Aleppo, in cooperation with the United Nations and civil society organizations, in order to facilitate the urgent delivery of basic life-saving assistance to civilians in eastern Aleppo, and ensure medical evacuations with focus on women, children and the elderly. The EU has mobilized 25 million euros to support its humanitarian partners’ response to cover medical, water and sanitation, and food assistance in Aleppo. The HNC issued a statement welcoming the European initiative to protect civilians in Aleppo. - The Security Council began negotiations over a draft resolution, circulated by France and Spain, which demanded all parties to the Syrian conflict “implement and ensure full implementation of cessation of hostilities, including an end to all aerial bombardments”, and called on the US and Russia to “undertake joint efforts to stabilize the situation in Syria, with special measures for the Aleppo region”, as well as the UN Secretary-General to propose options for a UN-supervised monitoring mechanism of the ceasefire and to “take further measures” in case of non-compliance of any party, without invoking chapter 7 of the UN Charter. The French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault headed to Moscow and Washington to push for a vote on the draft resolution. - The United States suspended talks with Russia on trying to end the violence in Syria and accused Moscow of not complying with its commitments under the ceasefire agreement and would withdraw all personnel that were dispatched to prepare for military cooperation with Russia. - On October 4, Prince Zeid Ra’ad, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned over the use of incendiary weapons in Syria, and demanded bold initiatives such as limiting the use of the veto by the permanent members of the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia rejected Zeid’s call. - The Russian Defense Ministry declared its deployment of S-300 missile system to its Tartus naval base in Syria. - On October 6, the SE offered in a press conference to escort up to 1000 al-Nusra fighters to bring an end to the bombardment by Russian and Syrian forces to Idlib or anywhere else of their choice. While the Russian Defense Ministry announced it would shoot down US-led coalition jets if the US launches airstrikes against pro-government forces in Syria, after American officials had discussed using limited airstrikes to force government forces to halt its raids on Aleppo. - On October 7, Russia called for a Security Council emergency meeting to hear the SE’s briefing (attached) on the situation in Aleppo, while the Russian Parliament ratified Moscow’s deal with Syria on its “indefinite” deployment of forces. - On October 8, the Security Council held a meeting on Aleppo, and voted on the Russian- drafted resolution calling for the revival of the ceasefire deal, without mention of ending military fights in the city, and on the French-drafted resolution. The French draft received eleven votes in favor, China and Angola abstained, while Russia and Venezuela voted against. The Russian text only received four votes in favor of China, Egypt and Venezuela, Angola and Uruguay abstained, while the remaining nine council members voted against. - On October 9, France announced its intention to call the ICC for war crimes investigation in Syria, and shall contact the ICC Prosecutor on how to launch these investigations, putting into consideration that the only way is through the Security Council referral, which had been vetoed before by Russia in May 2014. - On October 13, the Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy confirmed the Syrian Government’s approval of the October aid plan and for convoys to reach 25 of 29 besieged and hard-to-reach areas across Syria, but not to eastern Aleppo and three parts of the rural Damascus province. - On October 15, US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted a meeting on Syria in Lausanne, with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and seven foreign ministers from the region, from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, with the presence of the SE. The meeting failed to reach a joint statement on how to end the bombardment of Aleppo or on the aid delivery to the besieged towns. - On October 16, the UK’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson held a meeting with his US, French and German counterparts and “like-minded” Gulf Arab states on the Syrian conflict in London. The UK and the US announced their consideration of imposing more sanctions against Russia and the Syrian Government to halt their ongoing raids on Aleppo. - On October 17, the European Council condemned the Syrian regime and Russia for their deliberate and indiscriminate bombardment of civilians and infrastructure in Eastern Aleppo, and called for a monitored cessation of hostilities, lift of sieges, and a nationwide sustainable humanitarian access. - On October 18, the Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced the cease of Russian and Syrian airstrikes on Aleppo to hold an 8-hour humanitarian pause on October 20th, in order to allow civilians and medical evacuations through six humanitarian corridors, and expected militants would withdraw with their weapons through two corridors, one via the Castello Road and the other near the souq al-Hai area in the south of the city. It was later announced that the eight-hour pause will be extended to eleven hours for four days. The armed opposition groups (AOGs) rejected the proposal in a joint statement claiming that “the initiative came at the same time as forced displacement operations are being carried out by the Assad regime in the Damascus suburbs of al-Mouadamiya, Qudsiya and al-, and before that in Daraya.” - On October 20, in conclusion of the EU summit, the EU failed to reach an agreement on imposing sanctions on Russia for the escalation of violence in Aleppo, and stated that “the EU is considering all available options should the current atrocities continue.” The unilateral ceasefire took effect, and the Syrian Army declared that it would last for three days while artillery exchanges erupted around a crossing point near the rebel-controlled Bustan al-Qasr district shortly after the pause began. The Secretary-General and the SE briefed the General Assembly in an informal session on the situation in Syria, in response to an initiative led by Canada, after the Security Council failed to take action to end the aerial bombardment on Aleppo and revive peace efforts. - On October 21, the United Nations Human Rights Council held a special session on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Aleppo, upon the request of Britain (letter attached) that was submitted on behalf of a core group of 11 Western and Arab states. The Council adopted a resolution by a 24 in favor vote, seven against and 16 abstentions. It urged “the immediate implementation of the cessation of hostilities, and demanded that the regime and its allies put an immediate end to all aerial bombardments of and military flights over Aleppo city. The Council demanded that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities and its supporters, promptly allowed rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, including across conflict lines and borders.” The Council further “requested the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to conduct a comprehensive, independent special inquiry into the events in Aleppo, and identify all those responsible for alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law. It further requested the Commission of Inquiry to support efforts to ensure that perpetrators of alleged abuses and violations be held accountable, and to provide a full report of the findings of its special inquiry to the Human Rights Council no later than its thirty-fourth session.” - On October 22, the humanitarian pause expired without any evacuations made and without further renewal despite the UN request. No medical evacuations had been made as no security guarantees had not been granted as requested by the UN. - On October 23, Turkey intensified its strikes targeting IS militants and Kurdish YPG forces in the town of al-Bab, in an attempt to sweep them away from its borders. The Turkish-backed FSA gained control over three areas of Tuways, al-Gharz and Tlatinah south of Akhtarin in northern Aleppo two days later. - On October 25, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stated Moscow’s willingness to restore the ceasefire in Aleppo and that the Western-backed opposition forces should be separated from terrorist groups in order to be able to move forward; after the UN had blamed all parties for the failure of evacuating injured people in Eastern Aleppo during the three- day ceasefires and called for “a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire so that life-saving humanitarian activities, including medical evacuations, can resume,” meanwhile the Syrian Ambassador to Moscow ruled out any opportunity to restore the ceasefires. - On October 26, a school in the village of Haas, in rebel-held Idlib, was hit by a raid of airstrikes, causing the death of twenty-two children and six teachers. The UN Secretary-General called for an immediate investigation on this attack, as it could amount as war crimes if deliberate. Russia denied its responsibility and claimed that the damage was not consistent with an airstrike. - On October 27, Virginia Gamba, the head of the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism, presented the mechanism’s findings to the Security Council. The report indicated that of the nine cases the JIM investigated, the Syrian regime used chlorine gas against civilians in three cases and the IS used mustard gas in one case. In the remaining five cases, the JIM investigated allegations that the government dropped chlorine bombs in rebel-held areas. While the JIM could not make a conclusive determination in three of these five cases, it was able to establish that government airstrikes had occurred and the presence of a toxic substance, but it was unable to fully determine the link between the two, or the actors responsible. Russian Ambassador questioned the JIM’s findings, and expressed reservations over the US-draft resolution to extend the mandate of the mechanism for another year, which would end on 31 October 2016. - The EU added ten top Syrian officials to its sanctions list who are held responsible for “violent repression against the civilian population in Syria.” - On October 28, Syrian rebels relaunched Aleppo counter-attack aiming to break the siege imposed on Eastern Aleppo. The factions included the FSA and Jaish al-Fath targetting government-held Western Aleppo. - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem met with his Russian and Iranian counterparts in Moscow to discuss counterterrorism, the cessation of hostilities and improvement of humanitarian operations, and the resumption of the intra-Syrian talks. The three ministers held a joint press conference following their meeting. - On October 30, SE condemned Syrian rebels for the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas in Western Aleppo, raising the number of casualties in the last 48 hours. - On October 31, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN-OPCW JIM until November 18, 2016.

November 2016: - On November 1, in a teleconference with the leaders of the , Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu mentioned that Russia had halted air strikes on eastern Aleppo for 16 days, following western criticism over a Russian-Syrian government assault that killed civilians and destroyed infrastructure. - On November 2, DM Shoigu announced that it would enforce a 10-hour humanitarian pause in Aleppo on November 4, to allow civilians and fighters to exit the city through eight safe corridors. - On November 4, despite the announced unilateral ceasefire in Aleppo, there were no sign of civilians or fighters leaving the city, and opposition fighters vowed to continue fighting to break the siege. - On November 6, the SDF declared the launch of Operation “Wrath of the Euphrates” in the IS capital of Raqqa, which aimed at surrounding and isolating the city as an initial phase, in coordination with the US-led coalition airstrikes. The SDF had rejected any Turkish role to liberate the city. - On November 8, the Russian Defense Minister Shoigu announced that the first attack from the Admiral Kuznetsov, the aircraft carrier, and heavily armed escort ships were to bomb rebel positions in Aleppo. - On November 10, Jan Egeland, Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria, declared in a press stakeout following the weekly HTF meeting that Eastern Aleppo had run out of food rations, and that the UN had proposed an initiative of four elements which included delivery of food and medical supplies, medical evacuations and access for health workers. - On November 11, the OPCW Executive Council condemned all parties for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, after voting on a US-tabled text in a closed session. The text was supported by 28 members, including Germany, France, the United States and Britain; it was opposed by Russia, China, Sudan and Iran, and there were nine abstentions. - On November 15, Russia launched its “major operation” targeting the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra’s positions in Idlib and Homs provinces. Heavy airstrikes and barrel bombs pounded Eastern Aleppo after the pause declared by Russia and the Syrian Government on October 18. It is considered the first mission operated from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. - The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted a draft resolution tabled by Saudi Arabia on the human rights situation in Syria, by a vote of 116 in favor, to 15 against with 49 abstentions. It called upon the Syrian regime and the IS to cease using chemical weapons, and stop their attacks on civilians. - On November 17, the UN Security Council adopted the US-draft resolution to extend the mandate of the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism to 18 November 2017. - On November 20, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks with the SE in Damascus, on the latest escalation of violence, the targeting of medical facilities and infrastructure, and the humanitarian initiative in Eastern Aleppo. The UN proposal of the withdrawal of al-Nusra fighters while maintaining the opposition’s local administration of Eastern Aleppo; the proposal was rejected by the Syrian Government and called it a violation of "national sovereignty". - On November 23, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Ayrault announced that France would hold a meeting on Syria early December 2016. - On November 24, Jan Egeland Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria briefed the press on the HTF meeting and the assistance deliveries of the month of November, not being able to reach besieged areas because of the absence of government approvals for convoys to enter and the escalation of violence. Egeland stated that the UN had received written approvals of the AOGs in eastern Aleppo and Russian support of the UN four-point plan, and still waiting for the government’s approval. - On November 27, the rebels in Khan al-Shih town, in the outskirts of Damascus, handed in their weapons, as part of a local agreement with the Syrian government to withdraw to rebel-held Idlib province, so as government siege would be lifted. It was the only town not under government control on a major supply route from Damascus to Quneitra, in southern Syria. - On November 29, Egypt, New Zealand and Spain put in blue their draft resolution calling to put an end to all attacks on Aleppo, and allow unimpeded humanitarian access for the period of 7-days with consideration of further extension. The draft was later vetoed on 5 December by Russia and China, Venezuela voted against, and Angola abstained. It is Russia’s sixth veto on a Syria draft resolution, and China’s fifth veto. - After the Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Kim Won-soo briefed Council members during Syria’s chemical weapons consultations; the P3 announced they would circulate a draft resolution to impose sanctions on Syria for its use of chemical weapons against its own population. - On November 30, upon the request of France and the UK to hold an emergency meeting on Aleppo, SE Staffan de Mistura, USG Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’brien and UNICEF Regional Director Geert Cappelaere briefed the Security Council on the situation in Aleppo, who agreed on the growing number of civilians fleeing eastern Aleppo and the dire need for safe humanitarian access.

December 2016: - On December 1, ten AOGs announced the formation of ‘Jaysh Halab’ in Eastern Aleppo, in an attempt to unite their efforts to lift the siege and restore the districts where the pro-government militias took over in northeast and east Aleppo. It was led by Abu Abdul Rahman Nour, a senior commander in ‘Jabhat al-Sham’. While Jan Egeland, Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria, and the SE briefed the press on the humanitarian situation in Aleppo after the HTF meeting; they mentioned that over 400,000 IDPs are in west Aleppo, and UN convoys reached reached all towns under the Four-Towns Agreement, including Madaya, al-Foua and Kafraya, and Zabadani, and that the December Plan was yet to be approved by the Syrian government. - On December 3, the and its supporting militias advanced into east Aleppo, taking over 60 percent of the city that was once under rebel control since mid-2012. More than 80,000 civilians fled the area since the beginning of the regime’s offense on November 15. - On December 7, AOGs called for a five-day ceasefire in Aleppo, and medical and civilian evacuations without mentioning the withdrawal of their fighters as demanded by Moscow and Damascus. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Germany to discuss the evacuation of opposition-held districts of Eastern Aleppo, and no agreement was reached. While leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the United States released a joint statement on the situation in Aleppo calling for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of political negotiations. - On December 8, the SE briefed the Security Council in closed consultations after the Russian announcement that it paused its operations in eastern Aleppo to allow the evacuation of civilians. Jan Egeland had said, after the weekly HTF meeting, that the co-chairs are “poles apart” on a united humanitarian diplomacy. IS launched a major offensive on Palmyra, seizing a number of gas fields in the north and few mountains in the south. - On December 9, the General Assembly adopted the Canadian-drafted resolution A/RES/71/130, which calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the implementation of resolutions 2268 and 2254. The resolution passed by a vote of 122 to 13, with 36 abstentions. Russia, Iran and China opposed the resolution. - On December 10, Paris hosted a meeting of “like-minded” counterparts on Syria; it brought together US Secretary of State John Kerry, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, along with Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. They discussed the humanitarian situation, and called for a ceasefire and a post Aleppo plan, as Syrian government forces neared victory over rebels there. - On December 11, ISIS recaptured the city of Palmyra in Eastern Homs Province forces despite heavy air support provided by Russia. - On December 13, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefed the Security Council on the situation in Aleppo, the growing number of IDPs and allegations of torture and executions. Meanwhile, AOGs agreed to evacuate their remaining positions in eastern Aleppo after the Syrian government recaptured the city and following an agreement between Russia and Turkey. The evacuation was initially scheduled to take place on 14 December, but was delayed after Iran called for simultaneous evacuations from the besieged Shi’a-majority towns of Fu’ah and Kafraya in Idlib Province. - On December 15, the LAS held an emergency meeting at the level of representatives, based on Qatar's request, and adopted resolution 8105 condemning the attacks on civilians in Eastern Aleppo. - On December 19, the Security Council unanimously adopted the French-drafted resolution 2328 which demanded that the UN and other relevant agencies to carry out adequate and neutral monitoring of evacuations from eastern Aleppo, ensure the deployment of staff members for this purpose, and emphasized that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice. Also, the LAS Ministerial Council welcomed resolution 8106 reiterating the necessity to establish a full cease-fire in Aleppo in accordance with the Security Council resolution 2328, and condemned terrorism in all its forms and crimes committed against civilians by ISIS, Fateh al- Sham Front, and that actions of both the Syrian regime and other militant groups may amount to war crimes. - Following the adoption of resolution 2328, the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria announced “the intention of the United Nations to convene the intra-Syrian negotiations mandated by Security Council resolution 2254 in Geneva on 8 February 2017.” - On December 20th, the foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran held parallel trilateral meetings in Moscow, despite the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov on December 19, and adopted the “Moscow Declaration” by which they agreed to act as guarantor powers for a peace accord between the Syrian government and the opposition. - On December 21, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing a mechanism to assist in the investigation of serious crimes committed in Syria since 2011. The resolution received 105 votes for, with 52 abstentions, and 15 votes against (Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, DPRK, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe). The UN Secretary-General submitted the report of the UN Headquarters Board of Inquiry that was established to investigate the humanitarian convoy incident in Urum al-Kubra on 19 September 2016., which stated that there is no enough evidence to conclude that the convoy was deliberately attacked. - On December 22, the Syrian army announced its full control over Aleppo, after the evacuations of the remaining rebel fighters. Evacuations had faced many delays because of Iran's demands to evacuate 1500 individuals from the opposition-besieged towns of Zabadani and Madaya. On the following day, the Russian military deployed a battalion to clear the city from improvised explosive devices. - On December 23, USG Stephen O’brien briefed the Security Council, upon the request of France, “on the modalities of the evacuation of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid in East Aleppo." Meanwhile, Syrian government forces bombed the water pumping station during its raid on opposition-held , disrupting water supply to Damascus. - On December 26, Kazakhstan accepted the Russian proposal to host peace negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition forces to find a solution to the Syrian crisis, in January 2017. - On December 27, the Russian and Turkish foreign ministers agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, separate moderate opposition groups from UN designated terrorist groups, and prepare for the Astana talks. - On December 28-30, the DFNS met in the city of Rmeilan to approve the draft constitution, known as the social contract, which was adopted on January 29, 2014 to form its administrative system and prepare for elections. Kurdish leaders voted to drop the word “Rojava” from the official name to include other ethnic and religious components in northern Syria. - On December 29, Russia and Turkey submitted the countrywide ceasefire plan to the warring parties, which had taken effect at midnight on 30 December 2016 Damascus time. - On December 31, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2336 in support of the Russian- Turkish agreement and the meeting to be held in Astana on 23 January 2017.

January 2017: - On January 2, the Russian and Turkish air raids targeted IS militants in northern Syrian city of al-Bab; while 10 rebel factions threatened they would suspend talks regarding Astana until the ceasefire is fully implemented because of “major and frequent violations" in the rebel-held areas of Wadi Barada and Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. - On January 5, the SE welcomed the nationwide ceasefire, and the Security Council resolutions on Aleppo and Astana talks, in a press briefing after the weekly HTF meeting. Jan Egeland Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria, voiced disappointment over the government’s denied aid access to 5 out 21 locations including places in Rural Damascus, Homs and Hama. - On January 6, the Russian military started to cut down on its presence in Syria, Military Chief Valery Gerasimov mentioned that the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov would be the first to withdraw from the Mediterranean. - On January 8, Syrian government airstrikes resumed on Wadi Barada after failing to reach an agreement with opposition groups to repair the damaged water springs. Later on January 14th, the retired army officer Ahmad al-Ghadban who negotiated the deal to restore the water was killed amid heavy clashes between rebels and pro-regime forces. Both sides accused each other. - On January 12, the US imposed sanctions on 18 senior Syrian officials who were connected to the development and use of chemical weapons including chlorine gas against civilians. It marked the first time the US sanctioned Syrian military officials. While Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to coordinate their airstrikes against terrorists in Syria. - On January 13, the Syrian state television accused Israel of targeting Mezzeh Airbase outside of Damascus. - On January 14, IS launched a major offensive against pro-regime forces (Hezboallah) in Deir al-Zor Province, cutting the communication between the military base and the city. - On January 16, the High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will host an international conference on the future of Syria in Brussels, which “aims to identify with regional partners common ground on the post-conflict arrangements and examine the scope for reconsciliation and reconstruction of Syria.” - On January 19, an agreement was reached in Wadi Barada, allowing regime maintenance teams to enter the area to fix the water pipes and grant rebels amnesty or safe passage to opposition- held Idlib. - On January 20, IS militants destroyed Palmyra’s Tetrapylon with only four of sixteen columns still standing, and the facade of its Roman Theatre. The UNESCO condemned the act as a new war crime. - Russia and Syria concluded a bilateral agreement on expanding and modernizing of the Russian Naval Facility in Tartus. The agreement extends the current lease for the next forty-nine years with automatic extensions and permits the simultaneous deployment of up to eleven warships to the port. - On January 23-24, indirect talks between the Syrian government and opposition were held in Astana; the delegations refused to sign the joint declaration issued by Russia, Turkey and Iran, on setting up a “trilateral mechanism” to monitor and enforce the ceasefire. The new US administration was invited, despite Iran's objection, and was represented by its ambassador to Kazakhstan. The UN SE was present, and hoped Astana talks would support the intra-Syrian negotiations to be held in Geneva in February. - On January 24, the Russian delegation shared its draft of the Syrian Constitution with the Syrian delegations, and advocated the creation of a Constitutional Committee consisting of members of both delegations. - On January 23-24, Finland and UN agencies hosted the Helsinki Conference on Supporting Syrians and the Region, which launched the 2017-2018 Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP). - On January 25, the US President Donald Trump called for establishing safe zones for refugees in Syria, after suspending visas for Syrians and other middle eastern states. President Trump later held telephone conversations with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz and United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Deputy Supreme Commander Mohammed bin Zayed on January 29 to seek their support for his unidentified initiative. - On January 28-30, 1100 opposition fighters and 750 civilians evacuated Wadi Barada to Idlib Province, after reaching a reconciliation deal with pro-regime forces. The Syrian Forces reached Ain Fijeh spring to restore water to Damascus. - On January 30, the US delivered armored vehicles, medium and heavy weapons to SDF, in an attempt to isolate IS in al-Raqqa City. - On January 31, the SE briefed the Security Council in a closed session on the outcomes of the Astana talks and the upcoming intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, which was pushed to February 20. He mentioned if the Syrian opposition could not form an inclusive delegation by 8 February, he would select its representatives himself. The Council members welcomed the International Meeting on Syria in Astana, in a press statement.

February 2017: - On February 6, high-level experts from Russia, Iran, Turkey, Jordan and the UN held their first technical meeting in Astana to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire mechanism, and cooperation on humanitarian issues; they agreed on the Concept Paper on the Joint Group. The Joint Group held its first meeting and managed to identify all areas controlled by IS and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham; the participants received two draft documents prepared by the Russians to be discussed in future Joint Group meetings, which are the Protocol to the Agreement on the mechanism to record violations of the cessation of hostilities in Syria announced on December 30, 2016 and the Procedure for imposing sanctions on violators, as well as the Regulation on Reconciled Areas. - On February 7, Amnesty International released its report (attached) on mass executions of as many as 13,000 detainees at Saydnaya Military Prison. Syrian authorities rejected the accusations. - On February 9, Russian airstrikes mistakenly kill three Turkish soldiers and injured eleven others near al-Bab city held by Turkish Armed Forces as part of Operation Euphrates Shield. Both sides agreed to strengthen their coordination. - On February 10-11, the HNC met in Riyadh and formed a delegation of 21 members, headed by Nasr al-Hariri; it included one representative each from the Cairo and Moscow groups. The HNC stated ( statement attached) that the goal of the negotiations was a political transition under U.N. auspices in which Assad had no role in the future of the country. - On February 12, Turkish President Recep Erdogan stressed that the Operation Euphrates Shield aims to establish a five-thousand square kilometer ‘safe zone’ that includes Al-Bab, Manbij, and al-Raqqa City in Northern Syria. The safe zone would require the implementation of a no-fly zone, mentioning that he had discussed the issue with both the U.S. and Russia. - On February 13, the SE sent out invitations to the Syrian delegations for the intra-Syrian negotiations set to begin on February 23. - On February 15-16, the second round of talks took place in Astana a day later than scheduled; the opposition delegation was represented by only 9 armed groups from 14 groups which attended the first meeting; no direct meetings between the Syrian delegations were held and it ended without a final statement. The three guarantor states agreed to the Concept Paper on the Joint Group of the trilateral mechanism to observe the ceasefire, share information regarding the investigation of violations and promote confidence-building measures such as the release of detainees and abductees. - On February 17, a meeting between the “like-minded” states on Syria was held on the margins of the Bonn G20 Summit, and discussed Syria peace talks in Geneva. - On February 18, Turkey offered the US two proposals for an offensive against IS in al-Raqqa City that excludes the YPG. The preferred proposal calls for the insertion of opposition groups backed by Turkey into Tel Abyad in Northern al-Raqqa Province in order to advance against al- Raqqa City through a twelve-mile-wide corridor through terrain currently held by the SDF. The second proposal calls for opposition groups in Operation Euphrates Shield to advance more than one hundred miles from Northern Aleppo Province to Western al-Raqqa Province. - On February 21, the US CIA froze assistance to the FSA and its affiliated factions fighting in Northwestern Syria, after they came under an attack from Hay'at Tahrir al-sham HTS (successor of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) in January. The aid included salaries, training, ammunition and in some cases guided anti-tank missiles. - On February 23, a fourth round of the intra-Syrian talks commenced in Geneva with no expectations of a breakthrough; the SE reiterated that that resolution 2254 sets the framework of the negotiations, which calls for the establishment of credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance, and sets a timeline for drafting a new constitution and holding free and fair elections within 18 months. A day before in the ISSG Ceasefire Task Force meeting (CTF), Russia had called on the Syrian Government to halt aerial bombings during the discussions. - The Opposition groups backed by the Operation Euphrates Shield fully seized al-Bab in Northern Aleppo Province, after three months of clashes. - On February 24, the SE shared a paper on procedural issues, in bilateral meetings with the Syrian parties. The HNC held the Cairo and Moscow platforms responsible for the delay of direct talks, as they participated separately. - While Iraq conducted its first cross-border airstrikes against IS in Deir ez-Zour Province on the Syrian-Iraqi Border. The F-16 airstrikes were coordinated with the Syrian Government through a joint intelligence-sharing unit in Baghdad that includes Iraq, Syria, Russia, and Iran. Also, The U.S. provided intelligence in support of the operation. - On February 25, HTS claimed responsibility of a suicide attack on the State Security and Military Intelligence Offices in Homs City, killing at least forty pro-regime officers including Military Intelligence Branch Chief Brig. Gen. Hassan Dabul, so as to undermine the ongoing peace talks. The attacks prompted heavy airstrikes on al-Waer District, the Opposition’s last strong-hold in the city. The HNC condemned the terrorist attack as per the Government’s ultimatum. - On February 28, the UN Security Council voted on the French-British draft resolution which sought to ban the sale or supply of helicopters to the Syrian Government, and to blacklist 10 government and related entities involved in the production of chemical weapons. Nine countries voted in favor; Bolivia voted against the text, while Ethiopia, Egypt and Kazakhstan abstained. Russia casted its sixth veto backed by China. Britain and France had circulated the text in mid- December 2016, in response to the OPCW report findings proving government use of chlorine gas in three cases of the nine investigated cases. It was put on hold to asses US policy on Syria, the US later became a co-penholder after its unilateral sanctions on 18 Syrian senior officials on January 12.

March 2017: - On March 1, the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria issued its report on the violations committed by warring parties in the last battle of eastern Aleppo, and considered the targeting of vital civilian infrastructure, withholding the distribution of humanitarian aid, and the use of civilians as human shields and forced evacuation agreements amount to war crimes. - On March 2, the Syrian forces backed by Russian airstrikes and Shi’a militias recaptured the city of Palmyra for the second time after heavy clashes. - On March 3, the fourth round of talks concluded with a political agenda for the upcoming round, which comprises of three baskets addressing the establishment of credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance, drafting a new constitution, and holding free and fair elections within 18 months. A fourth basket was added upon the request of the Syrian Government to address “strategies of counter terrorism, security, governance and also medium-term confidence building measures.” - On March 6, Russia announced a ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta until March 20, despite the continuation of airstrikes and mutual shelling. - On March 7, the US-allied SDF agreed to handover six villages near Manbij, on the frontline with Turkey-backed rebels to Syrian government control, under a Russian-brokered deal, in an attempt to stop further Turkish incursion. - On March 8, the SE de Mistura briefed the Security Council on the course of the talks, which aims to address the aforementioned baskets in parallel, and concluded that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed unless the sides decide otherwise.” The Syrian groups are invited to resume talks on March 23. - Meanwhile, Russian, US, Turkish high-level military officials met in Antalya to discuss additional coordination measures and “operational de-confliction of military operations” in northern Syria. - On March 13, a Russian-brokered agreement was reached to evacuate rebel fighters from Homs city, which would be carried out within six to eight weeks, between 10,000-15,000 people were expected to leave Homs in weekly batches. The neighborhood was besieged by regime forces since 2013. - On March 14, the EU unveiled its plan in Syria “in contributing to a lasting political solution under the existing UN-agreed framework and in helping to build resilience and stability in the country, as well as supporting post-agreement reconstruction once a credible political transition is underway.” - On March 14-15, the third round of talks was held in Astana, even though the AOGs had called for the postponement of the meeting to assess the commitment to the declared ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta. Invitations were sent to the United Nations, the United States and Jordan. On March 14, preliminary consultations were held while a plenary meeting was due on March 15. The results of the intra-Syrian consultations were expected to be discussed. Talks failed to reach any significant agreement, and the three guarantor states issued a joint statement, and scheduled the next high-level meeting in Astana on May 3-4, 2017 and agreed to hold preliminary expert consultations on April 18-19, 2017 in Tehran. - On March 15, two suicide bombs targeted Damascus on the sixth war anniversary; one of them hit the main judicial building, and both killed 74 people and wounding a hundred other. It was later claimed by Fateh al-Sham Front. - On March 18, rebels began to evacuate al-Waer neighborhood in Homs City, to the opposition- held northern town of Jarablus on the borders with Turkey. - On March 20, the EU imposed sanctions against four Syrian high-ranked military officials related to the use of chemical weapons. The ban includes assets freeze and travel ban, and it is considered the first time the EU blacklists military officials. - On March 21, the US-led coalition dropped the SDF fighters on the southern side of the Euphrates to to cut the Aleppo - al-Raqqa Highway. the SDF launched an operation to seize the Tabqa west of al-Raqqa City on March 22 with extensive support from the US. - On March 22, a US-led coalition strike on a center for displaced families in al-Mansoura town held by ISIL in northern Raqqa, killed 33 people. Earlier this month, the coalition declared that its raids in Syria and Iraq unintentionally killed at least 220 civilians. - On March 23-31, the fifth round of talks in Geneva was held despite of the escalation of fighting in Damascus and Hama; the SE shared non-papers with all Syrian sides with some political principles reached during the five rounds, and received their comments and amendments. - On March 24, Russia proposed a draft resolution on the use of chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq, that was reviewed in April 2016 and the UN Security Council did not support it. It was co- authored by China and Russia. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning the indiscriminate attacks against civilians, forced displacement of populations, and called to hold all those responsible to account. - On March 27, the second phase of evacuations from al-Waer neighborhood took place, moving 466 citizens and 129 fighters. Meanwhile, the UN SE briefed the LAS Ministerial Council on the recent developments of the Geneva intra-Syrian talks and the Astana process. - On March 28, Russia condemned the US-led coalition airstrikes on the , and accused it of trying to "completely destroy critical infrastructure in Syria and complicate post- war reconstruction as much as possible." It further claimed that the coalition destroyed four bridges over the Euphrates river. - On March 29, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the annual Arab Summit, which was held in the Dead Sea, Jordan. He appealed to the Arab leaders to set aside differences and end the Syrian war. - An agreement was brokered by Iran and Qatar to swap Shi’ite citizens from the two pro- government towns of al-Foua and Kafraya, in the northwestern province of Idlib besieged by rebel fighters, with Sunni fighters and their families from the opposition-held towns of Zabadani and Madaya besieged by pro-government forces. The agreement was due to start on April 4 and would last 60 days; it included a ceasefire in the areas south of Damascus, aid deliveries, and the release of 1,500 prisoners held by the government. - On March 31, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson disclosed during his visit to Ankara that "longer-term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people" and defeating ISIL is its priority, while U.S. Ambassador to the UN said the priority was no longer "getting Assad out"; it was later reiterated by the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s briefing.

April 2017: - On April 3, the European Foreign Affairs Council chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini took place in Luxembourg, and adopted the EU Strategy on Syria. It held the Syrian regime responsible for the violations against human rights, and reaffirmed that “there can be no lasting peace in Syria under the current regime.” - On April 4-5, the EU and its co-sponsors hosted the Brussels Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region. The co-chairs declaration took note of UN appeals requesting $8 billion in 2017 to cover the required needs inside Syria and its neighboring countries, and announced pledges raised worth about $11 billion for humanitarian aid programs. - On April 4, an alleged chemical attack on Khan Shaykhun in the province of Idlib was carried out during a Syrian government air raid on the city, which claimed the lives of at least 72 civilians. Russia denied its responsibility and claimed that Syrian airstrikes targeted a rebel chemical weapons warehouse which leaked poisonous gas. While the implementation of the evacuation deal of 30,000 people from the four towns of Kafraya, al-Foua, Madaya and Zabadani was delayed because of reservations of their residents. All 16,000 residents of al-Foua and Kafraya are expected to leave under the deal. - On April 5, the UN Security Council was briefed on the attack by the Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Kim Won-soo on the reported use of chemical weapons in Khan Shaykhun. The US, UK and France had informally circulated a draft resolution which demands that the Syrian government must provide the JIM and the FFM with flight plans and logs of April 4, the names of all helicopter squadron commanders and provide access to air bases where investigators believe chemical attacks may have been launched. Russia criticized the text, and produced its own draft; it did not condemn neither the attack nor the Syrian government, but rather expressed deep concern over the alleged “incident with chemical weapons” and called for a full-scale investigation. Later on April 6, the ten elected members (E10) of the Security Council met at ambassador level to express their frustration for not being included in the negotiating process and discussed an alternative text which would substitute language in the P3 draft on the Syrian government’s obligation to provide information on its activities with agreed language from resolution 2118. Neither resolution were tabled for a vote. - On April 6, the US waged retaliatory airstrikes against al- outside of Homs, where the chemical attack was launched. 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles had hit the airfield in Syria. The missiles were aimed at Syrian fighter jets and other infrastructure. - On April 7, Bolivia called for a Security Council briefing after the US airstrikes, and Russia announced its suspension of “the Memorandum of Understanding on Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in the course of operations in Syria signed with the US.” - On April 11, the White House released a declassified report drawn up by the National Security Council which confirmed that the Assad regime used sarin gas on its own people, and accused Russia for shielding for its allies. - On April 12, the Security Council held a meeting to vote on the P3 revised draft resolution (4th draft), which incorporated the language from resolution 2118 proposed in the E10 draft; after the SE had provided the council with his monthly briefing on the assessment of the intra-Syrian talks held in Geneva. Ten members voted in favor of the text, China, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan abstained, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting against it. It is Russia's eighth veto against a Syria-related resolution. - On April 14, the evacuation of residents from the Shi'ite towns of al-Foua and Kafraya (besieged by opposition groups) began and their convoys headed towards the government-held Aleppo; meanwhile rebel fighters and their families left the town of Madaya (besieged by government forces) and headed towards Idlib. While the evacuation from Zabadani was delayed and expected to begin later the day. The four towns agreement began with the exchange of thirty prisoners and nine bodies on April 12. The evacuations resumed after a suicide attack that targeted a government loyalties convoy killing some hundred people including women, children and rebel fighters on April 15. - On April 19-20, over 2000 opposition fighters and civilians were evacuated from the besieged towns of Zabadani and Madaya in exchange for the evacuation of nearly 8000 pro-regime fighters and civilians from the besieged towns of al-Foua and Kafraya in Idlib Province. - On April 24, the US sanctioned 271 Syrians employed by the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, related to the development of chemical weapons. The sanction froze the individuals' assets and prohibited US companies to conduct business with them.

May 2017: - On May 3-4, military experts from the three guarantors held technical consultations ahead of the two-day fourth round of the Astana process, with the participation of the Director of the UN Mine Action Service Agnes Marcaillou. The SE de Mistura and Nawaf Uasfi Tel, Political Adviser to Jordan's Foreign Minister attended as observers, and the US was represented at a higher-level (for the first time) by US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Stuart Jones. - Despite the Syrian Opposition delegation suspended their participation in opposition to the ongoing bombardments across Syria, the three guarantors signed the Memorandum on the creation of de-escalation areas in Syria, setting up four "de-escalation zones" in Idlib, parts of Homs, Eastern Ghouta, and parts of Deraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria. The Syrian government welcomed the Russian initiative while the Opposition rejected Iran's involvement as a guarantor. - On May 5, Russia sought UN endorsement to the agreement reached in Astana, and circulated a draft resolution calling on member states to contribute to the implementation of the Memorandum on the creation of de-escalation zones in Syria. The resolution failed to pass for a vote on May 8, as western member states had reservations on the draft. - On May 6, was elected as the sixth president of the SOC, beating Khaled Khoja with 58 votes from the 102 member coalition. He would replace the current head Anas al-Abdeh, who was elected in March 2016. Also, Abdulrahman Mustafa and Salwa Ktaw were elected as vice presidents. - On May 8, the evacuation process of the government-besieged Damascus suburb of Barzeh began, around 1,022 people, including 568 rebels, headed towards Idlib and northern town of Jarablus near the Turkish borders; the second convoy of 700 rebels moved on May 12. While Walid al-Muallem, the Syrian Foreign Minister, rejected any international forces under UN supervision to monitor the de-escalation zones deal. Meanwhile, the White House approved providing arms to Kurdish fighters as support to their operation to retake al-Raqqa City, despite Turkey's strong opposition. - On May 16, the FFM's report confirmed the use of sulfur mustard in the attack on Aleppo on Sept. 16, 2016, and was made public. The report was raised to the UN Security Council on May 5. The FFM, also, confirmed in its report, regarding its investigation of the April 4 attack on Khan Shaykhun, the use of sarin-gas or a sarin-like substance. The FFM is only mandated for indicating whether chemical weapons were used, while the JIM is mandated to determine responsibility for the attacks. - While the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned ten additional entities for providing support to the Syrian regime. - On May 16-19, the UN SE held the sixth round of the Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, which ended without covering the four baskets of the agenda, only focusing on the constitutional issues. The SE shared a proposal with the parties to establish “a Technical Consultative Mechanism on Constitutional and Legal Issues;” the proposal would identify “options for the process of constitutional drafting, and for the conduct of a national conference/national dialogue, and identify for review specific options for ensuring a sound constitutional and legal basis for any framework agreed in Geneva embodying a package and including providing for credible, all- inclusive, non-sectarian governance,” and that is through UN-facilitated expert-level meetings with both Syrian sides. - On May 18, while the EU Parliament adopted a resolution pertaining the EU Strategy on Syria, which the European Council for Foreign Affairs had passed on 3 April 2017; the US-led coalition's airstrikes destroyed a pro-Syrian regime convoy of the Iraqi Shi'ite militia of Kata'ib Imam Ali, that advanced along the Damascus-Baghdad Highway towards al-Tanf base (where the US, UK and Jordan train fighters of Jaysh Mughawir al-Thawra against IS in Eastern Syria). - On May 20-21, the evacuation of nearly 3000 people, some 700 fighters and their families, was completed from al-Waer district, the last opposition-held district in the province of Homs. According to Talal Barazi, Governor of Homs, more than 14,000 people had left al-Waer in several phases since the “reconciliation deal” began to be implemented in March. Among them were some 3,700 rebels, allowed to leave with their light weapons. Russia later deployed 50 to 150 Military Police into the district. - On May 22, the SE briefed the Security Council on the latest developments, and on the last round of the Intra-Syrian talks. He commended the Astana process for the reduction of violence in the agreed de-escalation areas, and urged its guarantors to finalize their agreement addressing the subjects of detainees, abductees and humanitarian demining. The SE asserted that the rounds’ focus on legal and constitutional issues does not rule out “the principle of parallelism” in addressing the agenda, and that a new consultative process at a technical level was introduced to discuss relevant constitutional and legal matters. - On May 25, NATO leaders agreed in Brussels to become full members of the Global Coalition against ISIS; the organization would not engage in combat operations, but would provide air refueling to the Coalition's aircrafts, capacity building through the deployment of special forces to train local partners, and would establish an intelligence information cell to ensure information- sharing on foreign fighters. - On May 29, the final convoy of fighters and their families moved from the opposition-held besieged district of Barzeh in Damascus to Idlib Province; estimately more than 4000 fighters and civilians were evacuated from Barzeh and Eastern Ghouta under the Russian-brokered deal. - On May 30, the US delivered its first shipment of arms to the Kurdish-led SDF, which had advanced against IS in the eastern outskirts of al-Raqqa, seizing eight villages and taking control over the Ba’ath Dam. - On May 31, Russia's Grigorovich-Class Frigate Admiral Essen and Kilo-Class Submarine Krasnodar launched four cruise missiles targeting IS near Palmyra; it targetted arms depots of fighters relocating from al-Raqqa to Eastern Homs. Russia had notified the US, Turkey, and Israel of the strikes-On June 2, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini met with newly- elected President of the Syrian Opposition Council (SOC), Riad Seif, and Syrian Interim Government (SIG) Prime Minister, Jawad Abou Hatab, to discuss the political process and EU support for Syrian resilience. Both parties reiterated their commitment to the UN-led Geneva process.

June 2017: -On June 4, pro-government forces gained control of Maskanah city, the last remaining ISIS stronghold in Aleppo governorate. The advances brought pro-government forces within 10 km of Raqqa’s provincial border. -US-backed SDF captured a hydroelectric facility (Baath Dam) from ISIS militants, securing the final of three major along the Euphrates river.

-On June 5, pro-government forces captured the areas of al-Alb, Bir Dahlon and Sharot Dahlon in Eastern Homs governorate, reportedly capturing over 6,000 sq km of ISIS-held territory.

-On June 6, US-backed SDF announced the launch of the fifth phase of the campaign to capture Raqqa, ISIS’ self-declared capital, with forces advancing from the north, east and west and the US-led Coalition supporting the offensive with air and artillery strikes. - The US-led Coalition conducted airstrikes against pro-government forces advancing near al- Tanf, a de-confliction zone in southeastern Syria. This marks the second strike in the area in less than a month, amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran-backed forces over control of Syria’s southeastern frontier.

- On June 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with the UNSE de Mistura in Moscow to discuss “the consolidation of the cessation of hostilities, the fight against terrorism, the continuation of the political settlement on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254," according to the Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. The consultations were held prior to the fifth round of the Astana Process, which was set to take place in June, but was later postponed till the month of July.

-On June 9, during a press briefing in Geneva at the conclusion of a meeting of the humanitarian task force set up by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), the SE declared that the time was not right to resume the UN-led intra-Syrian talks.

-On June 13, the WFP delivered food to more than 80,000 displaced people in seven hard-to- reach areas in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates in northern Syria, where regular deliveries of humanitarian assistance had been suspended for over three years.

-On June 14, Chairman of the CoI, Paulo Pinheiro, expressed concern for the “staggering loss of civilian life” caused by US-led Coalition airstrikes as part of the Raqqa campaign, stating that airstrikes had led to the displacement of 160,000 civilians. He also stressed that the Astana agreement had led to a reduction in violence in just one of the four zones outlined in the memorandum.

-On June 15, during a briefing to Council members, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, noted that “some progress” had been made in the implementation of resolution 2118 (2013) on the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria. However, she highlighted the continued lack of safe access to two above-ground stationary facilities scheduled for destruction under OPCW supervision. -Pro-government forces targeted the opposition-held neighborhoods of Jobar and Eastern Ghouta in the first major attack since the announcement of four “de-escalation zones” at the Astana talks in May. Syrian Armed Forces seized the Arak gas field in the region of Badiya, which had been captured by IS since 2015; the SAF declared that it recaptured 20 percent of the Badiya region.

-On June 16, the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria declared that it had facilitated a meeting of technical experts from three opposition groups: the High Negotiating Committee, the Cairo Platform and the Moscow Platform as part of a technical consultation process announced at the end of the sixth round of intra-Syrian talks. The meetings focused on the timeline and process for drafting a new constitution.

-On June 17, the SE announced that the seventh round of intra-Syrian talks would begin in Geneva on July 10, with further rounds tentatively planned for August and September. -The Syrian government declared a 48-hour ceasefire in the southern city of Daraa. The agreement, reportedly brokered by Russia, the US and Jordan, comes after an escalation in violence between pro-government forces and AOGs in Daraa.

-On June 18, US-led coalition forces shot down a piloted Syrian government aircraft in southern Raqqa province. According to the Coalition statement, the aircraft was downed after it displayed hostile intent and advanced on coalition forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) released a statement following the incident claiming that the US shot down the Syrian jet while it was conducting an offensive against ISIS, and accusing the US of failing to use the “de- confliction channel”. The MOD statement announced that Russia was cutting off participation in the de-confliction channel pending an investigation and that all kinds of airborne vehicles operating in combat mission zones west of the Euphrates River would be tracked by Russia as air targets. -Iran launched several ballistic missiles targeting ISIS positions in eastern Syria, reportedly carried out in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Tehran two weeks prior. This was Iran’s first missile attack abroad in 15 years and its first in the Syrian conflict, representing an escalation of its role.

-On June 19, the Syria Institute and PAX published the Sixth Quarterly Siege Watch Report, covering events from February to April 2017.

-On June 20, an American fighter jet downed an “Iranian-made” armed drone in southern Syria after it "displayed hostile intent" when it approached coalition forces stationed at a base located in a de-escalation zone. It marked the second time in a month that the US had shot down an armed drone near Tanf camp.

-On June 21, after opening a new front to the south of Raqqa, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came within several kilometers of fully encircling the city after having already surrounded Raqqa to the north, east and west. - Turkey deployed reinforcements to the towns of Azaz and Marea in northern Syria, held by turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces, in preparation of anticipated battles with its rival Kurdish forces. - French President Emmanuel Macron, contradicting previous French policy, that France sees “no legitimate successor” to Assad and no longer considers his departure as a precondition to resolve the ongoing conflict. On July 5, the president met with Riad Hijab, Head of the HNC, to reiterate France’s support to the Syrian Opposition.

-On June 22, Turkish and Russian troops were deployed to Syria’s northern Idlib province as part of a de-escalation agreement brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran in May. - WFP announced that the first aid convoy had reached 15000 civilians in the city of Qamishli by land route, since it had been inaccessible in 2015, and humanitarian aid was sent through air drops instead.

-On June 24, the Syrian government released 672 detainees in a move it said was aimed at bolstering the reconciliation process.

-On June 27, the SE briefed the Council on the situation in Syria, expressing his readiness to facilitate direct talks between the Syrian government and opposition either at a formal or technical level.

-On June 28, OPCW-JIM published its sixth report updating the SC on the status of its review of two cases identified by the FFM concerning incidents reported in Umm Hawsh in Aleppo Governorate in September 2016 and Khan Shaykhun in Idlib Governorate on April 4, 2017.

-On June 29, OCHA head Stephen O’brien briefed the Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria, noting that despite a reduction in violence in some areas of the country, humanitarian convoys remained unable to reach civilians in besieged and hard-to-reach places due to bureaucratic restrictions. O’brien also detailed the Secretary-General’s monthly report on the situation in Syria, released June 23, that highlighted the Astana memorandum signed by Iran, Russia and Turkey in May and the escalation of anti-ISIS operations in Syria. -The OPCW released a report on progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons program, verifying the destruction of 25 of the 27 chemical weapons production facilities previously declared by the Syrian government. However, the OPCW continues to express consideration that the initial declaration was incomplete.

July 2017: -On July 1, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a strike against pro-government positions near al-Baath in Quneitra governorate in response to two stray artillery shells fired from Syria that landed in the Golan Heights. This is the fifth Israeli strike on pro-government positions near the area of al-Baath within a week.

-On July 3, the UNSC appointed Catherine Marchi-Uhel to head the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, the UN legal team tasked with collecting and preserving evidence of the most serious crimes committed in Syria since 2011 to be used by national courts or an international tribunal. The Mechanism was established by the General Assembly on December 21, 2016 despite fierce resistance from Russia, which had previously used its veto status to block criminal investigations into the conflict. -The Syrian Army announced the suspension of all combat operations in the southern governorates of Daraa, Suweida and Quneitra for four days ahead of upcoming peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. It is the second unilateral ceasefire by the Syrian Army; it had announced a ceasefire in Daraa along the border with Israel on June 17.

-On July 4-5, the fifth round of Astana talks co-sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey, convened in the Kazakh capital. The talks failed to finalize details on the boundaries and monitoring mechanisms of the four safe zones agreed to during the fourth round of Astana talks in May. In a joint statement, the guarantors welcomed the establishment of an expert-level joint working group tasked with finalizing the operational and technical parameters of the de-escalation zones, and scheduled the next Joint Working Group meeting in Tehran, on August 1-2.

-On July 6, Edmond Mulet, head of the three-member leadership panel of the OPCW-JIM briefed Security Council members on the June 28 report of its investigations into the culpability for chemical attacks in Syria and urged the international community to allow the Mechanism to conduct its work in an independent and impartial manner.

-On July 7, the United States, Russia and Jordan reached a ceasefire and “de-escalation” agreement for southwestern Syria to take effect July 9. The specificities of an enforcement mechanism and the precise boundaries of the ceasefire zone. Russian Foreign Minister stated that the ceasefire would cover the areas of Daraa, al-Suweida and Quneitra governorates without providing exact boundaries. The ceasefire agreement in southwestern Syria is separate from the Astana memorandum, and was reached during the meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg. The SG welcomed the ceasefire announcement, calling it a significant step towards reducing violence and humanitarian access in Syria; while Israel voiced its objections on the deal.

-On July 10, the seventh round of UN-led intra-Syrian talks convened in Geneva. The UN- sponsored talks were scheduled to focus on four points: drafting a new constitution, combating terrorism, governance and elections. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed hope that the talks would help solidify de-escalation zones created through the Astana process. The SE stated that de-escalation zones can be beneficial but must only be interim measure to avoid the partition of Syria. The Geneva talks ended July 14 with no apparent progress. Representatives of the HNC accused the Syrian government of refusing to enter into serious negotiations. The SE noted that there had been “no breakthrough, no breakdown” during the talks and expressed hope that recent international momentum would push the parties face-to-face for substantive discussions.

-On July 11, SOHR reported that it had “confirmed information” that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi had been killed in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. US-led Coalition Spokesperson Colonel Ryan Dillon could not confirm the report, nor could various media sources or Iraqi or Kurdish officials.

-On July 12, following the opening of a land route connecting Aleppo to Hasakah governorate, WFP announced that it had successfully delivered food aid to two locations in the for the first time in three years.

-On July 13, Brett McGurk, US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition fighting ISIS, revealed that Russia had expressed willingness to deploy military police to monitor compliance and prevent violations of the recently implemented ceasefire in southwestern Syria.

-On July 14, Russia’s parliament approved an agreement between Russian and Syrian officials that provides for the long-term deployment of Russian aircraft and personnel to Syria. Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov said the deal will help legalize Russia’s military activities in Syria “within an international framework”. -France proposed the creation of a contact group comprised of permanent members of the UN Security Council and regional actors to support UN efforts to formulate a political road map after the conflict ends.

-On July 17, the EU added 16 scientists and military officials to the list of those targeted by sanctions against the Syrian regime due to their suspected involvement in a chemical attack against civilians in April. - The Syrian army, backed by Iranian-militias managed to seize oil fields of Wahab, al Fahd, Dbaysan, al-Qseer, Abu al Qatat and Abu Qatash and several other villages in the southwest of Raqqa province, while Russian strikes targeted the town of Sukhna, the gateway to Deir ez-zour. - The Turkish state-run Andalou Agency exposed ten US military locations in northern Syria, giving exact numbers of US and French special forces stationed there. The US-led Coalition against ISIS condemned Turkey for “leaking sensitive military information shared between two allies.”

-On July 19, it was made public that President Donald Trump ended a covert CIA program that provided arms and training to Syrian rebel groups. The program was a central feature of the Obama Administration’s policy in Syria.

-On July 20, 150 fighters from the Turkey-backed Euphrates Shield operation had crossed from Turkey through Bab alhawa to support Ahrar al-Sham in its fight against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), dominated by the Fateh al-Sham faction formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, in Idlib.

-On July 21, the SG submitted to the Security Council the forty first report on the humanitarian situation in Syria for the period from 1 to 30 June 2017, highlighting the approximately 20,000 people displaced across northeast Syria in June due to the Raqqa offensive. According to the report, the Syrian government removed medical supplies sufficient for more than 84,000 treatments. -Hezbollah and the Syrian Army launched a joint offensive against militant groups in the town of Arsal and the western Qalamoun mountain range along the Lebanon-Syrian border, an area purported to hold over 3,000 militants, including al-Qaeda-linked insurgents and members of ISIS.

-On July 24, 14 heads of mission in Geneva signed a letter addressed to Security Council President, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi, raising “serious concerns” about the implementation of seven Security Council resolutions on humanitarian access and urging Liu to raise the issue at the upcoming Council meeting. The signatories include the United States, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France Turkey, Qatar, Japan, Australia, the European Union, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and Italy. -General Sergei Rudskoi, chief of the Russian General Staff, announced the deployment of Russian military police to monitor compliance after a ceasefire, mediated by the Egyptian government, was declared in the Eastern Ghouta area of Damascus on July 22. Despite the reported ceasefire, part of the four proposed “de-escalation zones” outlined in the Astana memorandum, Syrian government forces continued to attack several towns in Eastern Ghouta.

-On July 26, fighting on the Syrian-Lebanese border near the town of Arsal halted after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Hezbollah and HTS. The cessation of hostilities ended a six-day campaign to drive al-Qaeda-linked militants from the border region, which is also home to tens of thousands of refugees. The agreement included the evacuation of some 1000 HTS fighters, along with more than 6000 Syrians (in nearby refugee camps) from the Lebanese border town of Arsal to rebel-controlled Idlib province, as well as exchange of prisoners between Hezboallah, HTS and the Lebanese Armed Forces, which later took place on August 1.

-On July 27, Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, briefed Council members on the humanitarian situation in Syria, noting that despite reduced violence, there had not been a noticeable increase in areas reached for aid delivery. -The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates addressed two letters to the UNSG and the Security Council calling for immediate action in the militant-besieged towns of Kefraya and al-Foua. -The US-led coalition fighting ISIS told its local Syrian allies that they must exclusively fight ISIS, a directive that prompted Shohada al-Quartyan to depart a joint coalition base in Southern Syria to carry out independent operations against Syrian regime forces.

-On July 28, the OPCW released its monthly report, noting that the security situation now allows safe access to confirm the condition of the final two above-ground facilities with planning underway to verify their destruction.

-On July 30, for the first time in five years, UN aid was delivered to almost 7,2000 people in besieged al-Nashabiye located in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held area on the outskirts of Damascus.

August 2017: -On August 2, the evacuation of at least 7,000 people, including al-Qaeda-linked fighters and refugees, from Lebanese border enclave of Arsal for rebel-controlled Idlib province commenced. The transfer agreement, the largest formal repatriation of refugees to Syria since 2011, was carried out without the involvement of aid groups generating concern about the welfare of the refugees.

-On August 3, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced a ceasefire in northern Homs and southern Hama, in what is being billed as the third of four planned ceasefires agreed to under the Astana memorandum. Russia deployed police military to several checkpoints in northern Homs, later on August 4. Opposition groups called for a guarantor role for Turkey. According to SOHR, the ceasefire, which covered territory populated by more than 147,000 people, held for the first 10 hours before experiencing repeated violations by pro-government and rebel forces. -The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria of the Human Rights Council (CoI) called on the international community to recognize the crime of genocide being committed against the Yazidis in Iraq.

-On August 8, experts from the guarantor states met in Tehran to discuss ways to strengthen the de-escalation zones and determine the agenda for the upcoming sixth round of Astana talks. -On August 8-11, twenty-four FSA-affiliated groups formed new group “Liwa Tahrir Deir ez- Zour” to liberate the province of Deir ez-Zour from IS; the new faction welcomed any cooperation with local and international parties, ruling out the SDF.

-On August 9, OCHA expressed concern about the safety and protection of an estimated 10,000- 25,000 people trapped inside Raqqa without access to safe drinking water for 48 days. Due to the fighting on the ground, the UN has currently no access to Raqqa city. - Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya briefed the Security Council on the progress of establishing de-escalated zones in Syria, behind closed doors, and called on the UN to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance in those areas.

-On August 10, SDF US-backed forces encircled ISIS militants in central Raqqa, effectively cutting off ISIS’ last remaining route to the Euphrates.

-On August 12, the Syrian government captured al-Sukhna, the final ISIS stronghold in Homs governorate, as part of its multi-pronged campaign to take eastern Syria. The recent gains position the pro-government coalition 50 km (30 miles) away from Deir ez-Zour province, the last major ISIS foothold in Syria.

-On August 14, approximately 300 FSA-affiliated Saraya Ahl al-Sham fighters and 3,000 refugees began evacuating the Lebanese border town of Arsal as part of a repatriation agreement brokered in early August between Lebanese and Syrian officials. Lebanon’s Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who is overseeing the transfer, said that civilians will head to the government held area of Assal al-Ward. The rebel fighters and their families are destined for the rebel-held town of al- Ruhaiba in the Eastern Qalamoun region where, according to Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV, they have been granted amnesty by the Syrian government. Their departure leaves the Islamic State as the last militant force straddling the border near Arsal. -Nearly 50,000 people remain stranded on the Jordanian border, in an area known as the berm, and are facing an increasing scarcity of food, healthcare and other basic services. The UN stressed that it will continue to support Jordanian authorities in the protection of affected Syrians.

-On August 17, the UNSC adopted a presidential statement, read by Council President for August and Ambassador of , Joy Ogwu, in support of a political transition process in Syria in accordance with the principles of the Geneva Communique. The adoption of the text signals, for the first time in two years, the consensus of the Council and its five permanent members on the need to establish a transitional government.

-On August 17-20, Damascus hosted the 59th International Trade Fair, for the first time since 2011, and involved hundreds of delegations and private companies from at least forty-three states including Russia, Iran, China, and Egypt.

-On August 20, President Assad announced in a speech before Syrian diplomats that Syria would not work with any Western nations until they ended their support for opposition and insurgent groups.

-On August 21, UN experts launched an investigation into purported weapons deals between Syria and North Korea after two shipments to a Syrian government agency responsible for its chemical weapons program, the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), were intercepted. -Saudi-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC) met with delegations from the moderate Cairo and Moscow camps in Riyadh in an effort to establish a unified front for upcoming peace talks. Despite pressure from international allies calling for a more pragmatic approach, the HNC refused to accept a transition scenario in which Assad retained power.

-On August 22, the next round of Astana talks was pushed back from late August to mid- September to allow the guarantor states to hold a technical meeting to set the meeting agenda.

-On 23 August, a joint monitoring center was established in Amman for the southwestern de- escalation zone, which is located in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra. The center is tasked with ensuring ceasefire compliance, ensuring humanitarian access and other forms of civilian assistance.

-On August 24, the UN called for a humanitarian pause in US-led Coalition airstrikes on Raqqa to permit civilians to leave the city. This comes after the release of an Amnesty International report calling for greater protection efforts for the estimated 20,000 remaining civilians in Raqqa.

-On August 25, the Russian army announced that it had dismantled the two remaining Syrian chemical weapons facilities targeted for destruction by OPCW. The OPCW has not confirmed the Russian report.

-On August 28, hundreds of ISIS fighters and their families were evacuated from the Lebanese- Syrian border to militant-held eastern Syria following simultaneous Lebanese army and Hezbollah campaigns against ISIS positions. The transfer marks the first time ISIS agreed to a forced evacuation from territory it held in Syria. - The Secretary-General presented his monthly report on the situation in Syria, highlighting the recent efforts to reduce violence through de-escalation agreements and expressing hope that the Astana guarantors will reach an agreement on the finalization of operational and technical modalities for all de-escalation areas.

-On August 30, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the Security Council on the political path forward which includes a new round of Astana and Geneva talks. The SE highlighted the important role Syrian opposition allies stand to play in fostering cohesion and unity among the AOGs. - In his final address to the Council after two years as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien appealed to members of the Council to take action to end the civil war in the name of common humanity, calling for a referral to the International Criminal Court.

-On August 31, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, stressed that the protection and assistance of citizens must take priority before defeating the Islamic State, citing reports of heavy civilian casualties in Raqqa as evidence of the threat the remaining 20,000 civilians face. -US airstrikes stalled a convoy of 300 ISIS fighters and their families in a government-controlled part of the Syrian desert in an effort to prevent their advancement into ISIS-held territory near the Iraqi border. The convoy was traveling from the Syrian-Lebanese border to Syria’s eastern province as part of an evacuation deal brokered between ISIS, Hezbollah and the Syrian Army. -Pro-government forces captured strategic al-Bishri mountain overlooking ISIS-controlled Deir Ezzor province, bringing government coalition forces within close range of ISIS positions.

September 2017: On September 1, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian rejected a role for Assad in a political transition in Syria. -The Syrian Islamic Council called for Syria’s AOGs to end their fragmentation and unite as one armed body under the Ministry of Defense in the Syrian Interim Government. Ahrar al-Sham, Failaq al-Sham, Liwa Ansar al-Sunnah and Jabha al-Shamiya supported the initiative. -SDF spokesperson, Jihan Ahmad, announced that the SDF had gained control over an estimated 65 percent of Raqqa city after capturing the Old City, the Great Mosque and al-Dariya neighborhood. SOHR reported that the SDF were still fighting to gain control over pockets of the Old City but added that the US-backed opposition forces held more than 90 percent of the surrounding area.

-On September 2, Russian Aerospace Forces reported they had destroyed a convoy of 12 ISIS trucks carrying ammunition and weapons in Deir Ezzor province. -It was made public that the British Ministry of Defense had quietly halted its FSA training program and called back its training forces from Syria in late June 2017.

-On September 3, pro-government coalition forces gained control of the remaining ISIS stronghold in Hama Governorate after capturing the town of Uqayribat and its surrounding areas.

-On September 4, Syrian Interim Government Prime Minister Jawad Abu Hatab was appointed interim Defense Minister as part of a unification initiative launched by the Syrian Islamic Council in early September. Free Syrian Army factions formed a committee to select a Chief of Staff in consultation with the Prime Minister.

-On September 5, the Secretary-General submitted the OPCW’s forty seventh monthly report on the progress to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria to the Security Council. The report highlighted the preparations underway to confirm the status of the two remaining stationary above-ground facilities now that the security situation allows safe access and the upcoming high- level consultations with Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, Dr. Faisal Mekdad, to clarify outstanding issues regarding the Syrian government’s initial declaration. -Pro-government coalition forces reached the western perimeter of Deir Ezzor city, breaking a three-year ISIS siege of the government-held areas that had impacted 93,500 people. In support of the offensive, a Russian warship located in the Mediterranean Sea launched cruise missiles at ISIS positions near Deir Ezzor.

-On September 6, SE Mistura said he expects a national ceasefire to follow shortly after ISIS has been pushed from its strongholds in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. Although he stressed that the government “cannot announce victory”, he called on opposition forces to accept defeat and focus on winning the peace through negotiations in October. -The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report on the major human rights and humanitarian law violations committed between March and July 2017. The Commission accused the Syrian government of using sarin gas in the April 4 Khan Sheikhoun attack and found US forces culpable of not taking “all feasible precautions” to protect civilians in the March 16 attack on al-Jinah Mosque. -According to Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, experts from Russia, Iran and Turkey made progress towards an agreement “on the parameters, configuration and methods of ensuring security in the de-escalation zone in the Idlib province” in Syria.

-On September 7, Israel conducted airstrikes on the Scientific Studies and Research Center, a facility believed to house a chemical weapons manufacturing center, and a military base storing surface-to-surface missiles near government-stronghold Masyaf in Hama province. The Syrian Foreign Ministry called on the Security Council to denounce the airstrikes. -US-led coalition forces fighting ISIS announced that airstrikes had killed two ISIS leaders near Mayadin in the Deir Ezzor province on September 4, 2017. -The Head of the High Negotiations Committee, Riyad Hijab, rejected the SE Mistura’s call for the opposition to accept defeat, declaring the UN mediation process a failure and calling on Syrians to demonstrate in support of the continuation of the revolution.

On September 8, a convoy of 42 trucks carrying humanitarian aid for 80,000 people reached Deir Ezzor for the first time by land in three years. -US-led coalition surveillance aircraft departed its position monitoring an 11-bus convoy of ISIS fighters and their families after attempting to prevent its advance into ISIS-held territory in Deir Ezzor since August 29. The surveillance aircraft departed the airspace at the request of Russian military officials who were conducting an operation with pro-government forces close to the convoy’s position. -The Syrian National Coalition (NCSRF) condemned calls from “regional and external parties” for Western-backed opposition groups Ahmed Al-Abdu and Ussoud Al-Sharqiya to cease fighting government forces in southeastern Syria and withdraw to Jordan. Both groups refused the request.

-On September 9, pro-government forces broke a years-long siege of Deir Ezzor airbase and captured the Damascus-Deir Ezzor highway from ISIS. -SDF launched Operation Jazeera Storm to liberate Deir Ezzor province from ISIS.

-On September 10, SDF reached the industrial zone to the east of Deir Ezzor city putting the US- backed coalition within 15 km (10 miles) of pro-government forces positioned to the west of the Euphrates river.

-On September 11, the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, declared the ceasefire brokered by Jordan, Russia and the United States in the southern Syrian provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Suweida on July 9 a success and reiterated their commitment to the establishment a de-escalation zone in the area as a step towards achieving a comprehensive cessation of hostilities and a political solution to the crisis.

On September 12, pro-government coalition forces continued their push into ISIS-held territory in Deir Ezzor city. Russia and Syria warplanes conduct heavy bombardment in support, killing an estimated 69 people over the course of 72 hours. -Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, declared the war in Syria over, referring to the remaining fighting as “scattered battles”. -ISIS defectors have massed in Syria’s Idlib province with many planning to cross into Turkey before continuing to other parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. -Iran and Syria sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Syria’s electricity sector. The arrangement, part of a series of bilateral deals formalizing Iran’s role in Syria’s reconstruction process, provides for the establishment of a new power generation station in Latakia and the rehabilitation of gas units and power generating plants in Damascus, Aleppo, Deir Ezzo and Homs.

-On September 13, the remaining buses of the convoy of ISIS fighters and their families stranded for over two weeks in the Syrian desert reportedly reached Mayadin, in militant-held Deir Ezzor province, following the withdrawal of US surveillance aircraft on September 8 in respect of de- confliction arrangements with Russia. -The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that pro-government coalition forces controlled 85 percent of Syrian territory. SOHR disputed the claim, saying government forces held 48 percent of Syria. -Experts from Russia, Iran and Turkey met ahead of the sixth round of talks in Astana, Kazakhstan to “lay the groundwork” for negotiations on the establishment of de-escalation zone in Idlib province.

-On September 14, Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesperson for the US-led coalition fighting ISIS, said SDF forces will not enter Deir Ezzor city, and will instead focus operations on areas south of the city along the Euphrates river. He also said US-backed SDF was in control of 63 percent of Raqqa city.

-On September 15, Ahmad Abu Khawla, commander of the SDF-affiliated Deir Ezzor Military Council, declared that it will not allow government forces to cross to the eastern banks of the Euphrates river. -Representatives from Russia, Iran and Turkey reached an agreement on the delineation and monitoring mechanism for the implementation of a de-escalation zone in Idlib province and agreed to position observers in “safe zones”. Russia circulated a draft resolution among the permanent members of the Council to welcome the outcome of the Astana talks.

-On September 16, the SDF and US Coalition officials accused pro-government forces of attacking one of their positions in the industrial zone east of Deir Ezzor city, injuring 6 SDF fighters. According to US Coalition sources, Russia conducted the airstrike after the United States had denied its request to target the area. Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov rejected the allegations, saying warplanes carried out “pinpoint strikes only on Islamic State targets that have been observed and confirmed through several channels.” -High-level consultations commenced between the Syrian government and the OPCW aimed at clarifying all outstanding issues regarding Syria’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons facilities.

-On September 17, a convoy of 80 Turkish military vehicles deployed to Turkey’s southern border, close to the Bab Al-Hawa and Rihaniyah crossings with Syria’s Idlib Governorate, ahead of the implementation of a de-escalation zone agreement brokered at the recent Astana talks.

-On September 18, pro-government coalition forces crossed to the eastern bank of the Euphrates river to within five kilometers of SDF positions. In the first sign of direct contact between the SDF and the pro-government forces, US-led coalition spokesperson Col. Ryan Dillon said “open lines” of communication were being maintained to prevent clashes between the two forces as they converge on ISIS positions. -After capturing the Deir Ezzor Military Airporst from ISIS fighters, pro-government forces began operating combat and supply missions from the airport. -The World Food Programme (WFP) reached formerly besieged parts of Deir Ezzor city by land for the first time since May 2014. WFP has discontinued its high-altitude airdrop operations in favor of road deliveries which will allow for more affordable, sustainable humanitarian access. -In a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Members of the “Friends of Syria” Group agreed they will not support reconstruction in Syria until there is a political transition “away from Assad.” -During its 36th session, the Human Rights Council held an interactive dialogue with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria to discuss the continued targeting of civilians and the use of chemical weapons in the conflict, appealing to all parties to redouble their efforts to protect civilians and preserve civilian infrastructure.

-On September 19, AOGs led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the Turkistan Islamic Party and Free Syrian Army affiliates launched an offensive against pro-government forces in northern Hama province in an effort to dismantle the de-escalation zone agreement on Idlib province brokered at the recent Astana talks. The offensive sparked intense Russian and Syrian bombardment of opposition-held territory in Hama and Idlib Governorates. Syrian government forces claimed the airstrikes targeted “terrorist supply lines” but SOHR alleged the strikes hit hospitals and towns, killing civilians. -The Syrian government asserted it will not accept Turkish forces on Syrian soil, effectively contradicting the outcome of the sixth Astana conference, which agreed that Russia, Iran and Turkey would monitor the implementation of the de-escalation zone in Idlib. -Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, briefed the UN Human Rights Council on the Commission’s latest report detailing the human rights law and international humanitarian law violations in Syria, highlighting the forced displacement of civilians under evacuation agreements. -Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used a Patriot Missile anti-air system to shoot down an Iranian- made UAV flying over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. -700 aid baskets containing enough food to support 3,500 people for 30 days reached Raqqa city, the first time humanitarian aid has reached the city since November 2016.

-On September 20, US coalition airstrikes forced ISIS militants to retreat from five key districts in Raqqa, bringing 90 percent of the city under SDF control. -The Russian Ministry of Defense accused the United States of initiating the Hayat Tahrir al- Sham-led offensive against pro-government forces in northern Hama in an attempt to delay Syrian military advances near Deir Ezzor. They also claimed US-backed SDF of firing on government troops near Deir Ezzor, and of opening a dam on the Euphrates to hamper the Russian crossing.

-On September 21, the Syrian government and ISIS finalized an evacuation deal allowing for civilians and ISIS fighters to evacuate besieged enclaves in Hama province to cross into militant- held territory in Idlib province or government IDP camps. This deal followed 18 days of clashes in eastern Hama province that left over 305 ISIS fighters and 138 pro-government forces dead. -On the margins of the UN General Assembly, the European Union convened a high-level meeting to address the stabilization efforts in Syria. EU High Representative Federica Mogherini reiterated the European Union’s willingness to provide for early recovery in the de-escalation zones and liberated areas of Syria and announced a second conference, to be held spring 2018, to launch the “Brussels Process.” This process will use the “convening power” of the European Union to support the Geneva talks on a negotiated political solution in line with UNSCR 2254. -Russian military officials accused Syrian opposition forces of shelling Russian positions in Deir Ezzor, and warned that further shelling would be “immediately curbed”. The SDF were at least 7km away from pro-government positions.

-On September 22, Syria’s semi-autonomous Kurdish-held regions voted to elect local community representatives for approximately 3,700 “communes” spread across the three northern regions. The election, the first of three, is part of a plan to shore up local governing institutions in an effort to strengthen regional autonomy. -Russian and US generals held a held a face-to-face meeting to discuss operations in Deir Ezzor in an effort to prevent a violent outbreak, the first meeting of its kind during the conflict in Syria. -Syrian activist and member of the Syrian Opposition Council, Orouba Barakat, and her journalist daughter, Halla Barakat, were found murdered in their Istanbul apartment.

-On September 23, Russian airstrikes targeted the Failaq Al-Sham headquarters in the area of Tal Mardigh, killing 50 fighters. Russian and Syrian bombardment of Hama and Idlib provinces have reportedly also struck the towns of Khan Sheikhoun, Jisr al-Shaqour and Saraqeb, ending six months of relative calm since the signing of ceasefire agreements this summer. The intensity of the air campaign that began on September 19 prompted Turkish foreign minister, Mavlut Cavusoglu, to ask Russia for restraint. -US-backed SDF captured Conoco gas plant from ISIS. The loss of the plant, one of the largest in Syria, strikes a blow to ISIS’ dwindling finances. -A 42-truck convoy delivered aid for 250,000 people in the besieged towns of East , Misraba and Modira in Eastern Ghouta, the first aid delivery in three months. -Turkish parliament approved a bill extending the mandate allowing Turkish troops to carry out cross-border operations in Syria to protect against national security threats.

-On September 24, the SDF announced the formation of a civilian council to administer Deir Ezzor province following the capture of territory from ISIS. SDF established fifteen committees and appointed 100 local leaders to elect a council to govern provincial affairs. --The Russian Ministry of Defense published a series of satellite images it alleges show evidence of US cooperation with ISIS forces in Deir Ezzor to provide safe passage for SDF along the Euphrates.

-On September 25, SDF officials claimed Russian warplanes of striking their position in the Conoco gas field, killing one fighter and wounding two others. Russian military officials denied the accusations. -Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that the Turkish government is working with Russia and Iran to establish a de-escalation zone in the area around Afrin city located in the province of Aleppo. -Russian bombardment of Idlib Governorate continued for the eighth day in a row in retaliation for the recent assault against pro-government forces in Hama province by a coalition of opposition groups. Russia denied reports that airstrikes had killed civilians, saying the strikes had targeted militants.

-On September 26, Syria’s Foreign Minister, Walid Muallem, said the Syrian government is open to negotiations with Kurds on their demands for greater autonomy within the Syrian state. -The Secretary-General submitted the forty-third report on the situation in Syria to the Security Council, noting that despite a notable reduction in violence stemming from the de-escalation zones and ceasefire agreements, campaigns in Deir Ezzor and Raqqa have caused an increase in the displacement of civilians in those areas.

-On September 27, pro-government forces almost completely encircled ISIS fighters in Deir Ezzor city, more than three weeks after first breaching the militant group’s three-year siege on the area. -Newly-appointed Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Syria, emphasizing continued violations of international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict despite a reduction in violence from the creation of the de-escalation zones. -Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the Security Council on the situation in Syria, stressing that “de-escalation should be a pre-cursor to a truly nation-wide ceasefire” negotiated through a renewed Geneva process.

-On September 28, ISIS fighters launched a counteroffensive on Al-Shola and Sukhna in Deir Ezzor province. The attacks threatened to cut government supply lines on the Damascus-Deir Ezzor highway and resulted in the temporary suspension of aid deliveries. -ISIS released an undated audio recording of leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi encouraging ISIS fighters to continue to fight the war. -French Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Agnes Romatet-Espagne, condemned Russia’s bombardment in Idlib province as violating international humanitarian law, and called on Russia to “respect the commitments made in Astana.” The Syrian Civil Defense reported they had uncovered at least 150 bodies and rescued approximately 300 people as a result of the recent airstrikes in Idlib. The Russian Ministry of Defense denied the claims, saying the strikes had not targeted towns or villages in order to avoid civilian casualties. -Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met to discuss the specifics of the establishment of a de-escalation zone in Idlib, and emphasized their efforts to create the conditions for the return of refugees to Syria.

-On September 29, pro-government forces secured the Damascus-Deir Ezzor Highway after their control had been threatened by an ISIS attack.

October 2017:

October 1, 2017: -US-led SDF encircled the last two ISIS positions in Raqqa city: the Raqqa Municipal Stadium and the Raqqa National Hospital. The SDF has already cleared over 90% of the city of ISIS forces.

October 2, 2017: -Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report revealing that Jordanian authorities have summarily deported approximately 400 registered refugees per month to Syria since the beginning of 2017. Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani denied the report’s allegations, claiming that return is voluntary and those that are deported are given a chance to petition to challenge their removal.

October 3, 2017: -Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is working to separate moderate and militant extremist opposition forces in Idlib province, one of four “de-escalation” zones established during peace talks sponsored by Iran, Russia and Turkey in Astana, Kazakhstan. The stated aim was to isolate and weaken the Al-Qaeda-linked HTS group in order to implement plans to deploy Turkish forces inside the province to enforce the “de-escalation” agreement.

October 4, 2017: -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in Tehran, pledging to work together to prevent the further disintegration of Iraq and Syria and rejecting the independence referendum in Iraq’s Kurdistan as a sectarian plot by foreign countries.

-A 61 truck inter-agency humanitarian convoy delivered water, sanitation and medicine to besieged Al-Houla in Homs and Harbinafsa in Hama.

-After launching a Russian-backed campaign against ISIS in Hama province in early September, pro-government Coalition forces drove ISIS fighters from their final remaining positions.

-The head of the OPCW, Ahmet Uzumcu, said sarin gas was used in an attack on Latamneh, a northern Syrian village 25 km (15 miles) south of Khan Sheikhoun, on 30 March 2017. The attack on 4 April 2017 in Khan Sheikhoun had previously been believed to have been the first use of sarin since August 2013 in Damascus.

October 5, 2017: -In the first visit to the Russian capital by a ruling Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a peace settlement in Syria that would preserve the country’s territorial integrity and reiterated their commitment to work together to unite the Syrian opposition.

-Panos Moumtzis, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, expressed concern over the recent escalation of violence in Syria, stating that September was the deadliest month of 2017 for civilians.

October 6, 2017: -In a letter to the Secretary-General, Russia outlined concerns about the methodology of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) fact-finding mission and OPCW-Joint Investigative Mechanism in regard to the chemical weapons attacks in Khan Sheihkoun, questioning why the FFM did not conduct an on-site visit and expressing hope that the JIM will conduct robust research in determining its own conclusions. In a non-paper affixed to the letter, Russia maintained that the crater resulting from the explosion that released chemical weapons at Khan Sheikhoun was consistent with an improvised explosive device and not with aerial bombardment.

-Pro-government Coalition forces advanced to within 10 km (7 miles) of al-Mayadin, viewed as ISIS’ final remaining base in Syria. In September, pro-government Coalition forces broke a three-year-long siege imposed by ISIS fighters on Deir Ezzor city before advancing 45 km southeast towards al-Mayadin which lies along the Euphrates valley.

October 8, 2017: -During a meeting with representatives of EU member states, Jordanian Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi said that Al-Rukban camp, an isolated IDP camp on the border with Syria, must be the responsibility of Syria and the international community. He stressed that Jordan will not accept a solution that would render the camp dependent on Jordan for humanitarian aid delivery. According to the UNHCR, approximately 50,000 people reside in Rukban and the last delivery of humanitarian aid took place between in early June.

October 14, 2017: -The US-led Coalition announced an evacuation deal reportedly brokered by local Syrian tribes and the SDF Raqqa Civilian Council. In its official statement, the Coalition reiterated its stance opposing any arrangement allowing ISIS fighters to escape the city without facing justice. However, some media sources and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights allege that the evacuation deal enabled the evacuation of ISIS militants as well as foreign fighters.

October 20, 2017: -The SDF declared the liberation of Raqqa city, which for over three years served as the de facto capital of ISIS and will now return to local governance and leadership. The US-led Coalition will continue to provide support to the SDF as it continues its fight against the “remnants” of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

October 24, 2017: -In an effort to de-link its renewal from its findings, the US tabled a draft resolution to extend the mandate of the OPCW-JIM, due to expire on 17 November 2017, two days before the release of its final report. Russia vetoed the draft, arguing that a vote on its renewal should not occur before the release of the report.

October 25, 2017: -The Secretary-General released the forty-fourth report on the humanitarian situation in Syria, emphasizing that an escalation in violence stemming from anti-ISIS campaigns in Deir Ezzor, Hama, Dara’a and Raqqa led to an increase in civilian casualties and their displacement.

October 26, 2017: -UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the Security Council on developments in Syria, announcing his intention to convene the eighth round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva on 28 November. He called for those with influence to press the parties to engage in substantive negotiations on the drafting of a new constitution and the requirements for UN-supervised elections as well as discussions on how to deal with detainees, abductees and missing persons.

-SARC delivered humanitarian assistance consisting of food, nutrition, medical supplies and hygiene kits for 35,000 people in need to the hard-to-reach towns of Yalda, Babila and in Damascus.

-The OPCW-JIM released its seventh and final report on its findings and conclusions regarding the chemical weapons attacks in Umm Hawsh on 15-16 September 2016 and Khan Shaykhun on 4 April 2017. The report stated that it was confident that ISIS was responsible for the use of sulfur mustard in Umm Hawsh while the Syrian government was responsible for the use of sarin gas in Khan Shaykhun.

October 27, 2017: -In a statement, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called the plight of at least 350,000 civilians in besieged Eastern Ghouta “an outrage”, saying “the deliberate starvation of civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to a crime against humanity and/or a war crime”. He called on those with influence on the parties involved in the conflict to facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.

October 30, 2017: -The seventh round of peace talks sponsored by Iran, Russia and Turkey opened in Astana, Kazakhstan. Representatives of the UN, US and Jordan as well as Syrian armed opposition groups were also in attendance. The talks concluded on 31 October without reaching consensus on issues of detainee exchanges and the further enforcement of the “de-escalation” zone agreement. In a joint statement, the Iran and Turkey agreed to discuss within the UN-led Geneva process, Russia’s proposal to convene a Syrian national dialogue congress.

-An alliance of 36 Syrian NGOs released a statement highlighting the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta and urging the “de-escalation” zone guarantors, Iran, Russia and Turkey, to work to open and maintain humanitarian access to the besieged neighborhoods.

-In cooperation with the UN, SARC delivered 49 trucks of humanitarian aid to the besieged communities of and in Eastern Ghouta.

-Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria, reiterating the urgent need for increased humanitarian access, in both “de-escalation” zones and hard-to-reach places. He also called for governments and UN partners to deliver humanitarian assistance by whatever modalities available including, cross-line, cross-border and regular programs.

November 2017:

November 1, 2017: -SARC, in cooperation with the UN and the ICRC, delivered humanitarian aid to 92, 750 people in Homs and Hama provinces.

November 2, 2017: -Russia and the United States circulated competing drafts to renew the OPCW-JIM’s mandate. The United States’ draft would extend its mandate by two years and characterized the information and conclusions in the JIM’s final report as “credible” and “reliable.” The Russian draft would extend the mandate by six months and, in keeping with Russia’s previously stated concerns about the methodology used in JIM’s final report, would require investigators to collect environmental samples from Khan Shaykhun.

November 3, 2017: -The OPCW-FFM released a report on its findings regarding the alleged use of chemical weapons in Lataminah on 30 March 2017, concluding that, despite limitations in some evidence, sarin was “more than likely used as a chemical weapon.”

-Despite the Syrian Arab Army’s declaration of the liberation of Deir Ezzor city, approximately 700 civilians remain trapped in the last remaining pocket under ISIS control in the neighborhood of Hweijet Qate, an island on the Euphrates river in the city.

-Following an escalation in violence in the town of Hader in Syria’s Quneitra province, which lies along the border in the Golan Heights, the Israeli Defense Forces declared its intention to intervene militarily to protect the majority-Druze population.

November 5, 2017: -Turkey announced that Russia was postponing the “Congress of Syrian National Dialogue” originally scheduled for November 18 in Sochi. This follows statements by Syrian opposition groups, including the HNC, the Turkey-based SNC and the Syrian Islamic Council, rejecting Russia's invitation to attend the conference. Turkey had also protested Russia’s invitation of the PYD.

November 7, 2017: -Edmond Mulet, head of the OPCW-JIM, briefed the Council on the findings of its final report, released 26 October, that attributed responsibility for the 15-16 September 2016 sulfur mustard attack in Um Hawsh to the ISIS and the 4 April 2017 sarin gas attack in Khan Shaykhun to the Syrian government. Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disamament Affairs, updated the Council on the progress to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria, saying that following a long delay in gaining access, the OPCW was now conducting visits to two stationary above-ground facilities to determine their status. After the briefings, Frederica Mogherini, the High Representative on behalf of the EU released a statement condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria, saying the EU is considering further sanctions against perpetrators in Syria.

-Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied postponing the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, saying that the date had never been officially set.

November 8, 2017: -Following Russia’s veto in October of a resolution that would have extended the mandate of the OPCW-JIM, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a joint statement reiterating their trust in the JIM’s findings and calling on the UN to both extend the OPCW-JIM and for the international community to take immediate action to prevent such future attacks.

-Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi declared that Iraqi Security Forces will continue to fight ISIS, even from within Syrian territory.

November 9, 2017: -Following a meeting of the Humanitarian Access Task Force, UN Humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland warned that the approximately 400,000 civilians in besieged Eastern Ghouta faced “complete catastrophe” due to continuing attacks, the lack of humanitarian access and the need for critical medical evacuations.

November 10, 2017: -UN Human Rights experts, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health Danius Puras and Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Hilal Elver, called on all parties in the conflict to uphold obligations to allow food and medical supplies to reach civilians trapped in Eastern Ghouta. They also urged the Syrian government to allow the evacuation of more than 430 patients requiring urgent medical care in rural areas outside of Damascus.

November 10, 2017: -Satellite images suggest that Iran is establishing a permanent military base at a site used by the Syrian Arab Army near the town of al-Kiswah south of Damascus and approximately 50 km (31 miles) from the Golan Heights.

November 11, 2017: -Following an economic conference in Vietnam, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin released a joint statement on Syria, reiterating their commitment to a political solution, the use of open military de-confliction channels as well as the continued expansion of the “de-escalation” zones, specifically the southwestern territory bordering Israel and Jordan. The agreement affirms a call for the “reduction and elimination” of all foreign fighters from southern Syria.

November 12, 2017: -An inter-agency convoy delivered humanitarian aid for 21,500 people to the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta for the first time since 17 August. Days after the delivery, an aid warehouse in Douma was bombarded by air strikes from the pro-government Coalition forces.

November 13, 2017: -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel would operate outside the recent United States-Russian agreement on the expansion of the de-escalation zone in southwestern Syria. According to Israeli officials, the agreement does not meet Israeli security concerns that Hezbollah or Iran-linked forces are increasing their operations along the Israel-Syria border. Reports emerged that US state department officials said Russia had agreed to cooperate with the Syrian government to remove Iranian-backed forces to within defined distances from the Golan Heights. The move, meant to keep rival factions inside Syria away from each other, would also effectively keep Iranian-backed forces at prescribed distances from the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

-Syria called on the UN to halt the US-led Coalition’s airstrikes in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces following reports of civilian casualties.

-According to a BBC report, the US-backed SDF, in conjunction with local authorities, allowed approximately 250 ISIS fighters and 3,5000 family members to evacuate Raqqa in a convoy up to 7 km (4 miles) long that made its way to the Turkish-Syrian border. The US-led Coalition has frequently stressed the importance of denying the movement of fighters in Syria and Iraq to other conflict zones. US-led Coalition spokesperson Colonel Ryan Dillon said that while the Coalition “did not fully agree” with the evacuation deal, it supported a “local solution to a local issue.”

November 14, 2017: -Humanitarian aid was delivered to more than 107,500 people in the besieged community of Rastan in Homs, the first delivery since 27 August.

November 16, 2017: -The Security Council voted on two draft resolutions that would renew the mandate of the OPCW-JIM, which is scheduled to end on 17 November. The Russian draft superseded a previous draft from 2 November and would renew the JIM mandate for a year and requests the JIM to dispatch investigative teams to the locations under investigation. After failing to receive sufficient votes in favor of a sequence of voting decision, Russia withdrew its draft and a vote was taken on the US draft. The US draft, would have renewed the mandate for a year and encouraged the JIM to inform the Council in instances when it is unable to safely access sites relevant to the investigation, received eleven votes in favor, two abstentions and two vetoes, including one from Russia. Bolivia re-tabled the Russian draft as its own, calling for a vote but did not receive sufficient votes for its adoption.

-The Secretary-General released the forty-fifth report on the humanitarian situation in Syria, calling for the re-authorization of cross-border humanitarian access as a “vital lifeline of assistance.”

November 17, 2017: -After previously vetoing two other draft resolutions to extend the mandate of the OPCW-JIM, Russia vetoed a draft resolution by Japan that would have renewed the JIM by 30 days and called for the Secretary-General to submit proposals to the Council as to how to conform the structure and methodology of the JIM to better reflect the views of Council members. Twelve members voted in favor, China abstained and Russia and Bolivia voted against the draft resolution. Following the veto, Council members met to discuss a potential compromise before the midnight expiration of the JIM’s mandate. Italy circulated a draft that would have extended JIM’s organizational and administrative arrangements until 31 December 2017 pending a final decision. Sweden and Uruguay also circulated a draft resolution requesting new investigation standards and extending the mandate for a year. Russia opposed both initiatives and the JIM’s mandate expired.

-As part of a campaign that began 14 November, 70 airstrikes and over 500 artillery shells have been launched on besieged Eastern Ghouta neighborhoods by pro-government Coalition forces, killed at least 22 civilians and injuring more than 100.

November 18, 2017: -Following multiple Russian vetoes of draft resolutions to extend the mandate of the OPCW- JIM, US representative to the UN Nikki Haley announced that the United States does not consider itself constrained by the Security Council and is willing to seek “justice” in Syria on its own terms. The failure to renew the JIM’s mandate came weeks after its final report had determined that the Syrian government was responsible for the use of sarin gas in an attack on Khan Shaykhun.

November 19, 2017: -Medical clinics associated with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) received 61 people, 15 of whom required hospitalization, suffering from symptoms associated with exposure to chemical compounds.

-The foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, and Iran met in a pre-emptive meeting before trilateral talks on the situation in Syria would commence on 22 November. The discussions concerned deploying troops as “ceasefire observers” in de-escalation zones in Idlib province, the organization of the “Syrian Congress of National Dialogue,” and the inclusion of Kurdish groups in future opposition meetings.

November 20, 2017: -Two days before a Saudi-hosted conference aimed at forming a new delegation to attend upcoming peace talks in Geneva, Riyad Hijab, head of the HNC, and other leading opposition figures resigned.

-In his first publicly-declared travel outside Syria since 2015, President Bashar Al-Assad met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi to discuss his vision on the political process and the role of the UN in the process, stressing the importance of Syrian national sovereignty and independent decision-making.

-For the first time in Idlib province, YPG and Turkish military forces exchanged fire. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to launch a military campaign against the YPG, which it considers a terrorist organization, in the town of Afrin in Idlib province.

November 21, 2017: -In separate statements, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Major General Qassem Soleimani, senior commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, declared victory over ISIS. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the defeat of ISIS was a “blow” against America, Israel and their allies who had helped to create the terrorist group.

-US-led SDF turned over control of multiple neighborhoods in the city of Raqqa including, Mashlab, Al-Jazrah and Al-Tayyar, to “Raqqa Internal Security Forces.”

November 22, 2017: -After a meeting in Sochi, the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey released a joint statement affirming their support of and participation in the Syrian national dialogue congress to be hosted by Russia in Sochi. Iran, Russia and Turkey said they will consult and agree on the conference participants.

November 24, 2017: -Following the resignation of Riyad Hijab, the HNC delegation named a new chief negotiator, Nasr Hariri. During the Saudi-hosted opposition conference in Riyadh, the opposition groups agreed to send a single negotiating bloc to the next round of UN-sponsored peace talks opening in Geneva.

-After reports emerged that US President Donald Trump told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan the US will stop arming Syrian Kurds, the Pentagon announced it was reviewing pending adjustments to the military support provided to its Kurdish partners, “as much as the military requirements” to defeat ISIS and stabilize Syria would allow.

November 27, 2017: -UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the Security Council on preparations for the upcoming eighth round of UN-led intra-Syrian talks, emphasizing the need for the parties to negotiate without preconditions to negotiate a work-plan focusing on the “12 living essential principles and the constitutional and election baskets.” He also revealed that the Syrian government delegation had yet to commit to attending the meeting, reportedly due to an opposition statement insisting that President Bashar Al-Assad be excluded from a political transition.

November 28, 2017: -Despite the Syrian government delegation delaying its arrival by one day, the eighth round of peace talks opened in Geneva. In a meeting with UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, the newly united opposition, under the banner of the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), announced that, for the first time, they were prepared to engage in direct talks with the Syrian government.

-SARC, in partnership with the UN, delivered humanitarian aid to an estimated 7,200 people in Nashabiyeh in Eastern Ghouta, the second aid delivery to reach the community in four years.

November 29, 2017: -Despite the recent agreement to a cease-fire in besieged Eastern Ghouta, heavy shelling broke out, targeting the towns of Douma and Arbin. The territory, designated one of the four “de- escalation zones,” has seen an escalation in violence since pro-government forces launched an offensive at the beginning of November in an effort to gain control of one of the last remaining opposition strongholds, resulting in the deaths of nearly 147 people.

-Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria, highlighting the deteriorating conditions in Eastern Ghouta following the recent escalation in violence. He urged the international community to address the growing medical and food crises as the population becomes increasingly isolated.

November 30, 2017: -UN Humanitarian Advisor Jan Egeland requested the medical evacuation of 500 people, including 167 children, from besieged Eastern Ghouta. Highlighting the urgency of the situation, he stressed that nine people had already died while waiting for evacuation. He emphasized that the UN had already organized the logistical and security requirements but was dependent upon Syrian government approval to conduct the evacuations.

-In an update on the status of the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura shared with the two delegations a document entitled, the 12 Living Intra-Syrian Essential Principles, which seeks to identify commonalities regarding the end-state in Syria that emerged from separate consultations with the government and opposition, previous Geneva peace talks as well as consultations with the Women’s Advisory Board and Syrian civil society.

December 2017:

December 1, 2017: -Syria’s government delegation quit UN-led peace talks, saying it would not return unless the opposition withdrew a statement made during a Saudi-sponsored meeting of Syrian opposition groups in Riyadh in November. The statement called for the departure of President Bashar al- Assad prior to any political transition.

-The OPCW released its monthly report on the progress to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria, stating that an initial inspection was conducted of the remaining two stationary above-ground facilities declared by the Syrian government.

-The Kurdish-majority areas in northern Syria voted in the second round of a three-stage process aimed at boosting the region’s de facto semi-autonomous status. This round saw residents elect representatives for city councils after previously choosing representatives for smaller-scale district councils in September. The final stage, expected to occur in January, culminates with voters electing a local assembly.

December 3, 2017: -During a joint press conference with YPG and Russian military officials, the YPG announced that, with the support of US and Russian forces, the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor had been cleared of ISIS fighters, marking the first official acknowledgement by Syria’s Kurdish forces that they are receiving Russian military support. Russian Military Defense Colonel General Leygini proposed the creation of a joint-command headquarters in Al-Salihiyah for Russian, Kurdish and Arab forces to continue clearing eastern Syria from ISIS forces.

-Former SDF spokesperson Talal Silo, who disappeared from Syria on 15 November before surfacing in Turkey, gave an interview to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency in which he claimed that thousands of ISIS fighters left Raqqa under a secret, US-approved evacuation agreement. In October, Silo had announced that fewer than 300 fighters left Raqqa with their families under a locally-brokered evacuation agreement but he claimed the real numbers were much higher and endorsed by the US which wanted to quickly end the Raqqa campaign to advance to Deir Ezzor. US officials called Silo’s comments in the interview “false and contrived” and refuted any accusation suggesting the Coalition colluded with ISIS.

December 5, 2017: -US Department of Defense spokesperson Eric Pahon announced that the US will maintain a military presence in Syria as long as necessary to stabilize liberated areas, combat the threat of a terrorist-led insurgency and prevent the resurgence of ISIS. The Pentagon’s most recent quarterly report puts the number of troops in Syria close to 1,720.

-Syrian state media said that Israel launched a missile strike against a military facility containing a government research center in near Damascus. This attack comes days after Israel reportedly struck a military position south of Damascus, causing material damage.

December 6, 2017: -Talks resumed between the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and the Syrian opposition delegation in the continued absence of the government delegation in Geneva, which left the eighth round of negotiations the previous week blaming its departure on an opposition statement barring President Bashar Al-Assad from playing a role in Syria’s future political transition.

December 7, 2017: -In a joint-press conference with UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, UN Humanitarian Advisor Jan Egeland declared that there were approximately 500 civilians requiring critical medical evacuation in Eastern Ghouta, revealing that 12 people had already died waiting for government approval for evacuation.

-The Russian Ministry of Defense declared its counterterrorism mission in Syria accomplished, saying that the country had been “completely liberated from the terrorist organization.”

December 10, 2017: -After walking out the previous week, the Syrian government’s delegation returned to Geneva to resume UN-backed peace talks, which are expected to continue until 15 December.

December 11, 2017: -Claiming victory over ISIS in Syria, President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial pullout of Russian forces from the country, pledging that Russia’s Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base would “continue to operate on a permanent basis.”

-Pro-government coalition forces expanded military operations against AOGs in eastern Hama and Idlib provinces.

-Representatives from Syrian political opposition groups and civic organizations from Raqqa province participated in a consultative meeting at the headquarters of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) on the political future of Raqqa. Calling for inclusive representation and independent local administration, participants established a preparatory committee to organize a general conference to further discuss Raqqa’s political future.

December 12, 2017: -General Sergei Surovikin, Russian commander in Syria, elaborated on the details of Russia’s partial military pullout from Syria, saying that it would include the removal a total of 23 warplanes, two helicopter gunships, special forces units, military police and field engineers over the course of a few months. Disputing Russian claims, Pentagon spokesperson Marine Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway stated that the US had not witnessed any significant signs of withdrawal since the announcement. Pentagon spokesperson Army Colonel Rob Manning argued that past announcements of Russian pullouts do not often correspond with actual troop reductions.

-President Trump claimed victory over the ISIS in Syria after White House officials voiced criticism of Russia’s declaration of victory in Syria as premature. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) contended that while ISIS’ central command had lost its capacity, ISIS forces still held roughly 8 percent of Deir Ezzor province, a small enclave in the northeastern province of Hassakeh, a remote area in Hama province, positions in Hajar al- Aswad and Tadamun in southern Damascus and two pockets in central Homs province.

-Turkish Foreign Minister Meylut Cavosoglu said Turkey would support the participation of Kurdish groups in a Russian-organized peace congress on Syria’s constitutional future but would oppose the invitation of the YPG to participate.

December 13, 2017: -UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura called on Russia to push the Syrian government into accepting a UN-sponsored peace agreement, saying “the government [must] accept that there has to be a new constitution and new elections, through the United Nations” to avoid the complete fragmentation of the country.

-The Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), a civil authority formed in Idlib province in early November and backed by hardline coalition Hay’at Tahrir a-Sham (HTS), gave its main political rival, the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), 72 hours to cease all operations in the country. This edict follows weeks of conflict between the two political entities as they seek to monopolize authority in northwestern Syria. The SIG, established by the moderate Syrian National Council (SNC) in 2013, has been the primary civilian authority throughout most of opposition-held Syria, currently presiding over 12 provincial councils, 400 local councils and a major Syrian-Turkish border crossing. The SIG has previously refused to work with the SSG.

December 14, 2017: -At a press conference following the conclusion of the eighth round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said that the Syrian government had effectively imposed a precondition on the talks by refusing to return to Geneva until the Syrian opposition withdrew a statement issued at the Riyadh II conference in November referencing the lack of a role for President Bashar Al-Assad during a political transition. Calling the recent talks a “missed opportunity,” he reiterated a need for the intra-Syrian negotiations to produce real progress on constitutional and electoral issues.

-US Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert commended Syrian opposition negotiators for their “constructive participation.” Similarly, French officials blamed the Syrian government delegation for the failed talks. Syrian officials rejected criticism that it was responsible for a lack of progress, saying the allegations were part of a campaign of “misdirection and lies.”

December 15, 2017: -The Secretary-General released the forty-sixth monthly report on the humanitarian situation in Syria, emphasizing continued restrictions on humanitarian access and the delivery of aid to besieged and hard-to-reach areas.

-The Al-Qaa/Jussiyeh border crossing connecting Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley to the Syrian city of Homs re-opened for the first time since 2012. The crossing is one of five Lebanese-Syrian border crossings closed since the violence escalated in 2011.

December 18, 2017: -The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta had reached a “critical point” following an escalation in fighting that began on 14 November and called for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid and medical attention to the civilian population.

December 19, 2017: -The Security Council adopted resolution 2393, drafted by Egypt, Japan and Sweden, authorizing the renewal of cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access to rebel-held territory in Syria for the coming year. The resolution was adopted with twelve votes in favor and three abstentions from Bolivia, China and Russia, who explained their decision to abstain as stemming from concerns over rolling back a provision originally devised as a temporary measure and the need to increase monitoring and transparency of the mechanisms used to deliver cross-border aid. In an effort to address these concerns, the resolution requests that the Secretary-General conduct an independent review of the UN humanitarian cross-border operations and provide recommendations for how to strengthen existing UN monitoring mechanisms within the first six months of the resolution’s adoption. Syrian Representative to the UN, Munzer Munzer, argued that the adoption of the resolution violates Syria’s sovereignty and is unnecessary in light of the de-escalation zone agreements.

-Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock briefed the Security Council on the situation in Eastern Ghouta, which has seen an escalation in fighting and continues to have limited access for humanitarian actors. He emphasized that despite the identification of over 500 critical cases requiring medical evacuation, only eight people were evacuated in November. At the same meeting, UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the Council on the outcome of the eighth round of intra-Syrian talks held between 28 November-14 December in Geneva. He reiterated that the UN was prepared to provide guidance and recommendations on the drafting of a new constitution and the process for holding elections.

-Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesperson for the US-led Coalition in Syria, revealed that, despite heavy losses, ISIS militants were still fighting in US-backed SDF in eastern Syria. He said this was likely a stalling tactic to allow other ISIS elements to disperse to areas in southwest and northwest Syria.

December 20, 2017: -After a meeting with President Bashar Al-Assad, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Russia would be the only country to help Syria rebuild its energy facilities. In one of the most recent reconstruction deals between the two countries, Russian energy company, Stroitransgaz, announced it would re-open operations in Syria for the first time since September 2015 and planned to complete construction of a gas processing plant near the city of Raqqa.

December 21, 2017: -The eighth round of Russian, Turkish and Iranian-sponsored peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan commenced with negotiations focusing on detainee releases, the delivery of humanitarian aid, humanitarian de-mining issues as well as the functioning of de-escalation zones.

December 22, 2017: -The eighth round of Astana peace talks concluded with Iran, Russia and Turkey reaffirming their commitment to the observance of de-escalation agreements in Syria, announcing the establishment of a working group for the release of detainees and abductees and on the exchange of information on missing persons. In a joint statement on humanitarian de-mining action, the parties announced plans to form a mine action group tasked with organizing efforts for the disposal of explosive hazards in Syria. The parties also announced they would convene a “Syrian National Dialogue Congress” in to be held 29-30 January in Sochi. UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura cautioned that any peace proposal should be assessed by its ability to support UN-led intra-Syrian talks on ending the war.

-Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said Australia will stop conducting airstrikes against ISIS positions in Syria and Iraq, but will continue to provide support to the US-led Coalition in Iraq through surveillance and the refueling of aircraft.

December 25, 2017: -Over 40 Syrian AOGs rejected Russia’s invitation to the Syrian National Dialogue Congress to be held in Sochi in January with most groups accusing Russia of perpetrating war crimes and using the conference to bypass the UN-based Geneva peace talks.

December 26, 2017: -For the first time in three years, the number of officially registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon fell below 1 million.

December 27, 2017: -In a joint conference with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that President Bashar Al-Assad should have no role to play in Syria’s future, describing him as a “terrorist who spreads state terrorism.”

-The OPCW published its fifty-first monthly report on the progress in the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria highlighting the OPCW’s ability to provide financial assistance to the Syrian government for the destruction of the two remaining declared chemical weapons production facilities. The report also confirmed the continued efforts of the fact-finding mission to study available information related to allegations of the use of chemical weapons and stressed the need to close the gap in collective efforts to identify those responsible for their use following the end of the mandate of the JIM.

December 29, 2017: -Syrian AOGs and civilians began evacuating the semi-besieged Beit Jinn enclave near the Golan Heights as part of a deal with the Syrian government. Following the evacuation of approximately 300 fighters and their families for Idlib and Daraa governorates, the strategic areas will be under complete government control.

-Russian President Vladimir Putin enacted a law enabling Russia to expand its operations at a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus.

-A final thirteen civilians requiring critical medical care were evacuated from besieged Eastern Ghouta, bringing the total number of medical evacuees to 29 since transfers began on 26 December. The evacuations were part of a prisoner swap agreement between the Syrian government and Jaysh al-Islam, in which the AOG agreed to release 29 government Coalition detainees in exchange for medical evacuations. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Jan Egeland denounced the idea of exchanging prisoners for medical evacuees, saying that children have a right to evacuation and must not become “bargaining chips in some tug of war.” During this period, heavy fighting broke out between government forces and AOGs as pro-Assad forces attempted to reach troops trapped inside a military installation near the suburb of Harasta in Eastern Ghouta.

December 30, 2017: -The Syrian Interim Government’s Defense Ministry announced the formation of the , which it plans to deploy throughout the country.

January 2018:

January 2, 2018: -President Bashar Al-Assad reshuffled his cabinet, naming Major General Ali Abdullah Ayoub as Minister of Defense, Imad Abdullah Sara as Minister of Information and Mohamed Mazen Ali Yousef as Minister of Industry.

-The Syrian government expressed its solidarity with the Iranian government amid protests in Iran. The Syrian Foreign Ministry simultaneously condemned the stances in support of protestors adopted by the United States and other Western governments, claiming the statements were a sign of ongoing efforts to destabilize and control the region.

January 4, 2018: -120 civil society organizations in the Working Group for Syria urged UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to decline an invitation to attend the Russia-sponsored “Syrian Congress on National Dialogue” to be held in Sochi at the end of the month, saying it represents a “dangerous departure from the [UN-led] Geneva process.

January 6, 2018: -In the first publicly released information about its numbers, an official from the Fatemiyoun Brigade, revealed that the group had suffered over 2,000 casualties in Syria. Comprised primarily of recruits from Afghanistan’s Shiite community, the Fatemiyoun Brigade is reportedly the largest Iran-backed military force fighting in Iraq and Syria.

January 8, 2018: -Russia’s Defense Ministry said it successfully thwarted a coordinated attack by 13 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on both its Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and naval base in Tartus over the weekend. Purportedly, the small drones were destroyed before causing any casualties or material damage. Russia refrained from ascribing responsibility to any specific country but argued that the data used in the attacks could only have been obtained from “countries that possess knowhow in satellite navigation.” The Defense Ministry’s statement also noted the "strange coincidence" that US surveillance aircraft were operating in the area at the same time as the bases came under attack. The Pentagon denied any involvement.

-The Israeli Interior Ministry announced it will hold local elections in the Golan Heights in October 2018. The elections will be the first since Israel occupied the Syrian territory in 1967. The region includes four majority-Druze towns, Buq’ata, Masadeh, Majdal Shams and Ein Kinya, and approximately 25,000 Arab citizens.

-3,000 parcels of humanitarian aid have been delivered to Rukban refugee camp after Jordan announced that it would allow a one-time aid deliver to be dropped over the border into the camp via a crane. An estimated 45,000-50,000 civilians are trapped in the remote camp, which Jordan has prevented from receiving aid deliveries for over of year out of security concerns.

-The Syrian military reported that Israel fired multiple missiles targeting outposts near Damascus and claiming that the shot down several of the missiles and struck an Israeli jet in retaliation. Israeli officials have yet to comment.

-The third round of elections in Kurdish-held northern Syria were postponed for “administrative” reasons with no new date announced. The third round was set to elect the semi-autonomous regions highest body, the governing People’s Democratic Council.

January 9, 2018: -Pro-government coalition forces continued their offensive in Idlib province, advancing to within ten kilometers of Abu al-Duhour airbase and displacing an estimated 100,000 civilians in the past week. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Syrian army’s campaign was undermining efforts to reach a political settlement.

January 10, 2018: -Turkey summoned the Iranian and Russian ambassadors in protest of the pro-government Coalition’s military offensive in rebel-held Idlib, calling on the governments to fulfill their duties under the “de-escalation zone” agreements reached last year. The Turkish government also summoned the United States charge d’affaires to Ankara to express concerns over US support for Kurdish YPG forces in Syria.

-In a letter circulated amongst Security Council members, the United States challenged Russia’s criticisms of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission and the JIM, calling Russia’s arguments “misleading, unprofessional, inconsistent and, at times, completely false.”

January 11, 2018: -Top UN humanitarian officials called for a pause in fighting in besieged Eastern Ghouta, saying the recent escalation in violence had killed 85 civilians and wounded 183 others since the beginning of the year.

-Following his first visit to Syria, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock outlined five areas where progress is needed including, ensuring regular cross-border humanitarian access, reaching an agreement to allow for medical evacuation for serious cases in Eastern Ghouta and agreeing on UN-supported aid convoys from Damascus to Rukban in south- eastern Syria.

January 12, 2018: -Multiple Syrian AOGs announced a coordinated campaign, called “Repelling Tyranny,” to counter the pro-government Coalition offensive in Idlib. Opposition forces claim to have captured approximately 15 villages and detained 60 government fighters in the early stages of the counteroffensive.

January 13, 2018: -A chlorine gas attack was carried out on the in Eastern Ghouta, resulting in six people being treated for minor breathing problems.

January 17, 2018: -In a Stanford University speech, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signaled an expansion of US strategy in Syria when he laid out five goals for US forces: the defeat of the Islamic State and Al- Qaeda in Syria, a UN-brokered peaceful resolution involving Bashar Al-Assad’s departure, the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria, countering Iran’s presence and creating the conditions for the safe return of refugees. In response, the Syrian Foreign Ministry described the continued US military presence in Syria as “illegitimate” and an “aggression” against national sovereignty.

-After criticism from Turkey, Russia and the Syrian government following the announcement of a plan to establish a 30,000-strong Kurdish-led border security force in Syria, the White House released a statement clarifying that it continues to train local “internally-focused” security forces linked to the Kurdish-led SDF in order to enhance security for displaced persons returning to their communities and to prevent the re-emergence of ISIS but will not create a conventional “border guard force.”

January 20, 2018: -Turkey launched “” to clear a 30 km (20 miles) “safe zone” in the Afrin area in Aleppo province near the Turkish-Syrian border. The campaign aims to drive YPG forces, viewed by the government as linked to the PKK, from the area. YPG forces condemned the campaign and blamed both Russia and Turkey for the escalation in violence. In a letter, Turkey informed the Security Council of the military campaign.

-Pro-government Coalition forces captured Abu al-Duhour airbase from opposition forces for the first time since 2015. The capture of the strategic military airbase enables pro-government Coalition forces to move deeper into rebel-held Idlib province as part of a military offensive launched in December that has displaced more than 212,000 people.

January 22, 2018: -SOHR and local medical staff accused the Syrian government of conducting a chlorine gas attack on the city of Douma in besieged Eastern Ghouta, injuring 21 people. The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons.

-A delegation from Syria’s HNC headed by Nasr al-Hariri met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shvoigo in Moscow to discuss issues related to the upcoming Syrian national dialogue conference, including the invitation list, the agenda and outcomes. While armed factions of the opposition have refused to participate in the conference, the HNC has not confirmed its decision.

-Russia circulated a letter amongst the Security Council members criticizing the United States’ assessment of Russia’s position regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

January 23, 2018: -The Secretary-General released the forty-seventh report on the humanitarian situation in Syria, focusing on the deteriorating situation for the civilians living in besieged Eastern Ghouta, the escalation of violence in Hama and Idlib provinces and stressed the need that all modalities of the delivery of humanitarian assistance must be used to support the civilian population, particularly those in hard-to-reach and besieged areas.

-Russia called for a Security Council meeting to address the accusations made by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson blaming Russia for shielding the Syrian government, enabling it to perpetrate ongoing chemical weapons attacks. Russia circulated a draft resolution aimed at establishing a new investigative mechanism to identify facts on the use of chemical weapons.

-France convened the first meeting of an international partnership aimed at combating impunity in the use of chemical weapons. Over 24 states signed the initiative’s declaration of principles which authorized the use of asset freezing, entry bans, criminal trials and publicizing information to identify and sanction individuals implicated in the use of chemical weapons and support existing work of organizations and various mechanisms.

-The US-led Coalition said that airstrikes targeting the As Shafah region in the past few days killed approximately 150 ISIS militants.

January 25, 2018: -A week after Turkey launched “Operation Olive Branch”, the self-autonomous government of Afrin called on the Syrian government to fulfill “its duty” by sending troops to secure its borders against the Turkish incursion.

-Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, alleged that 82, 000 fighters recruited from across the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan were operating in Syria under Iranian command. At the time, the figures had not been independently verified.

-Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura convened a special meeting of the intra-Syrian talks in Vienna in order to discuss the constitution-drafting process. Addressing the upcoming Russian- sponsored Sochi conference, he reiterated that “any political initiative launched by international actors should be assessed based on its contribution to and support of the UN-facilitated Geneva process.”

January 26, 2018: -The UN-led intra-Syrian talks in Vienna concluded with no agreement reached on the constitution-drafting process. Taking note of a Russian Federation statement saying that any outcome of the Sochi conference would be brought to Geneva as a contribution, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura stressed that a final agreement must be reached under the auspices of the United Nations, including on the “mandate and terms of reference, powers, rules of procedure, and selection criteria for the composition of a Constitutional Committee.”

January 27, 2018: -Syrian Ambassador to the UN and head of the government’s delegation to the intra-Syrian peace talks, Bashar al-Ja’afari, rejected an informal paper proposed by the France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom and the United States during intra-Syrian talks in Vienna. Reportedly, the peace proposal focused on reviving the political process in Geneva.

January 28, 2018: -A cease-fire, agreed to during UN-led peace talks in Vienna, failed to hold in Eastern Ghouta as clashes between government and AOGs escalated.

January 29, 2018: -Kurdish forces launched a counter-offensive to reclaim strategic Bursayah Hill, which separates the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin from the Turkish-controlled town of Azaz. The hill had been captured by Turkish forces one day prior as part of “Operation Olive Branch.”

-Ahead of a potential Turkish attack on the Kurdish-held town of Manbij, Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called on US military forces to withdraw from the area. General Joseph Votel, Commander of the United States Central Command, said that an exit from Manbij was not under consideration.

January 30, 2018: -The Russia-sponsored Syrian National Dialogue Congress ended after two days with participants adopting a 12-point statement outlining the principles which should serve as the foundation of a future political settlement. The document reiterates respect for Syria’s national and territorial sovereignty, determines that Syria’s future as a democratic and non-sectarian state can only be decided by its people in elections, and calls for the formation of a constitutional committee, whose mandate and composition will be decided as part of the Geneva intra-. Around 1,600 delegates representing a wide range of Syrian political factions attended the talks in Sochi. The event was boycotted by the HNC, one of the country’s most prominent political opposition groups. The Syrian government welcomed the results of the conference and stressed that the final statement affirmed that political progress in Syria cannot begin except under Syrian leadership and without any foreign interference.

-Regional Coordinator for the Syria Crisis Panos Moumtzis condemned a recent escalation in attacks targeting medical facilities in opposition-held Idlib province.

-Deputy Relief Coordinator and Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ursula Mueller told the SC that essential aid deliveries to besieged and hard-to-reach areas had been repeatedly blocked, and identified five areas for improvement including, the $3.5 billion humanitarian response plan, medical evacuations for the critically ill trapped in Eastern Ghouta, improved humanitarian access, agreement on UN-supported aid convoys from Damascus to Rukban in south-eastern Syria and better arrangements to support international groups and Syrian NGOs. February 2018

February 1: -The OPCW released its fifty-second monthly report on the progress in the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria, highlighting cooperation to assist the Syrian government in destroying the two remaining chemical weapons production facilities declared by the government. Noted the ongoing work of the FFM including a visit to Damascus in January and other allegations of the use of chemical weapons.

-The US announced it is willing to consider further military action in Syria to deter chemical weapons attacks, following reports that the Syrian government may be developing new methods of delivery and new types of chemical weapons. The statements came in the wake of another alleged chemical attack on opposition-held Douma.

-The Commission of Inquiry’s report at the thirty-seventh session of the HRC stressed that civilians have “often been deliberately targeted through unlawful means and methods of warfare.”

February 3: -Syrian opposition forces shot down a Russian warplane in Idlib province near the city of Saraqeb, killing the pilot once he reached the ground after ejection. Tahrir al-Sham, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility. Russian Defence Ministry purportedly retaliated with a strike that killed over 30 militant forces in the area the plan was downed.

-Staffan de Mistura called for a temporary pause in intra-Syria peace talks due to differences between the government and opposition delegations on the priority of humanitarian issues.

February 4: -Reports emerge of an alleged chemical weapons attack in the town of Saraqeb in Idlib with Syrian Civil Defense rescue workers and SAMS reporting several cases of breathing problems after the attack.

February 5: -Amid new reports of chemical weapons attacks, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu briefed Council members on the OPCW’s concerns that the initial declaration of the Syrian government is full of gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies. She also updated members on the status of the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal and the FFM’s work to verify allegations of chemical weapons use, the majority of which involve areas not under the control of the government. She stressed that following the conclusions of the pending FFM reports, the international community had an obligation to enact a meaningful response.

-Rescue workers and local medical groups reported that at least nine people were treated for breathing problems after a suspected chlorine chemical attack targeting Idlib. The Syrian government has also been accused of using chlorine gas against opposition-held Eastern Ghouta three times over the past month. The Syrian government has consistently denied the usage of chemical weapons.

-Turkish army forces moved to the site of a planned fourth observation point, as part of the Astana de-escalation zone agreement. If established, it would be Turkey’s deepest position inside northwest Syria.

February 6: -In a joint-statement, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and the UN Representatives in Syria call for an immediate cessation of hostilities for the period of one month to improve humanitarian access, drawing attention to the critical humanitarian situations in Afrin, Raqqa, Idlib, Eastern Ghouta, Foua and Kafraya and the Rukban camp. Kuwait and Sweden requested a SC briefing from USG for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock on 8 February.

-In a statement, the COI expressed deep concern over the further escalation of violence in Idlib and Eastern Ghouta, resulting in an upsurge of internal displacement with over a quarter of a million civilians fleeing the fighting. The Commission also said it was now investigating multiple reports that chlorine gas was used as a weapon in Saraqeb in Idlib and in Douma in Eastern Ghouta.

-At least 55 people were killed and over 200 wounded in one of the deadliest days in Eastern Ghouta since December. These strikes follow an escalation in bombardment targeting Eastern Ghouta that left 28 people dead one day prior and dozens suffering breathing problems after a reported chlorine gas attack.

February 7: -US-led Coalition forces killed more than 100 pro-government fighters after they launched what the US-led Coalition termed an "unprovoked" coordinated attack on US-backed forces in Deir Ezzor province. The clash occurred eight km (five miles) east of a “de-confliction” line designed to separate Russian and US-backed forces. In a letter to the SC, Syria described the incident as a “war crime” and called for the US-led Coalition to be disbanded.

-The OPCW announced the FFM was probing “all credible allegations" of the use of chemical weapons in Syria following a recent uptick in allegations. The statement comes after medics and rescue workers in Idlib province claimed that nine people suffered breathing problems following an alleged chlorine gas attack.

-The Syrian army said it intercepted an Israeli missile attack on a military outpost near Damascus. The target, Jamraya, which lies approximately 10 km (seven miles) northwest of Damascus, houses several military positions and a branch of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), which has been sanctioned by numerous countries for its alleged role in chemical weapons production. This is not Israel’s first attack targeting positions inside Syria.

February 8: -The SC considered voting on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow the delivery of aid and the evacuation of sick and wounded. Since the conflict began, Russia has cast 11 vetoes on possible SC action on Syria since the conflict began in 2011, with Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia calling this most recent proposal unrealistic.

-Following a lull in air strikes after the shooting down of a Russian warplane in Syria, the Turkish military resumed its strikes on Afrin, hitting 19 targets, including shelters, ammunition depots and gun positions belonging to terror organizations.

February 9: -Reports emerged alleging that pro-government forces granted ISIS fighters safe passage from a besieged pocket of territory at the intersection of Aleppo, Idlib and Hama provinces to opposition-held territory in southern Idlib.

-Approximately 75 people were killed in pro-government Coalition airstrikes targeting Eastern Ghouta, part of a government offensive that has killed 228 civilians in four days.

February 10: -The SG released a statement characterizing the current moment in Syria as “one of the most violent periods in nearly seven years of conflict,” referencing deadly airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib. Escalated attacks on Eastern Ghouta coincided with a surge in violence in other parts of Syria, including opposition-held Idlib province and the Kurdish enclave of Afrin. The rising violence has led to “hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, massive displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities,” according to a statement released by UN Humanitarian Coordinator Ali al-Za’tari.

-High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called for “urgent international action after a week of soaring violence and bloodshed,” saying the UN Human Rights Office had received reports indicating at least 277 civilians were killed between 4-9 February with 230 of the fatalities caused by pro-government Coalition airstrikes.

-Kurdish YPG forces downed a Turkish helicopter near Afrin, killing two soldiers, in the first confirmed downing of a Turkish aircraft in Syria since the start of the conflict.

February 14: - SE Staffan de Mistura briefed Council members on his efforts to bring about a constitutional committee, which was the main outcome of the Syrian National Dialogue Conference hosted in Sochie 29-30 January. To reiterate the coherence between its initiative in Sochi and the intra- Syrian talks in Geneva, Russia circulated the final statement of the conference as an official document of the Council.

-A UN-SARC convoy delivered humanitarian aid for 7,200 people in Nashabieh in the first inter- agency aid convoy to reach the area in Eastern Ghouta in three months.

February 15: -Airstrikes targeting the village of Hass in Idlib province damaged the last functioning hospital in the southeastern area of the opposition-held province. The attack on the hospital was the seventh strike on a medical facility in the province in two weeks.

-The Turkish army established its sixth observation point in northern Syria as part of the de- escalation zone agreement brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran in May 2017, in which Turkey agreed to set up 12 observation points in northern Syria. The latest deployment is the “deepest position Turkey’s armed forces have established so far inside northwest Syria.”

February 16: -Reports emerge of a chemical weapons attack in Afrin. Kurdish YPG forces alleged that six people suffered breathing problems after a Turkish bombardment of a village northwest of Afrin. Turkey dismissed the accusations as “baseless.”

February 18: -AOGs Ahrar a-Sham and Harakat Nour e-Din a-Zinki announced a merger, forming Jabhat Tahrir Souria (JTS). The fledgling group has been attacking HTS positions in opposition-held Idlib province and in western Aleppo, marking some of the fiercest battles between opposition groups in months.

-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened direct action against Iran during the annual Munich Security Conference. The threat comes after the downing of an Israeli warplane after a strike on Syrian air defenses near Palmyra. Israel claimed the airbase had been used by Iranian- backed forces as a launching site for a drone that penetrated Israeli airspace. Iran denied those claims. In retaliation for the crash, Israel carried out attacks on 12 additional Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

February 19: -In a statement, RHC Panos Moumtzis expressed alarm by the escalation in hostilities in Eastern Ghouta which “has resulted in the deaths of over 40 civilians” since 15 February.

February 20: -The SG’s 48th monthly report on the situation in Syria emphasized the humanitarian consequences of the recent escalation in hostilities, including the large-scale displacement of over 300,000 people between 15 December through 29 January.

-In a dramatic escalation of violence, over 250 people were killed in a pro-government campaign targeting opposition-held areas in Eastern Ghouta, the highest 48-hour death toll in the area since a 2013 chemical weapons attack. In a statement, the SG reminded all parties, particularly the guarantors of the Astana agreements, of their commitment to ensure the security of the de- escalation zones, which includes Eastern Ghouta.

-The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that several dozens of Russian citizens had been involved in recent clashes in Syria. The statement comes one week after a Reuters report alleged that more than 300 private Russian military contractors were either killed or injured in clashes with US-led Coalition forces in Deir Ezzor province on 7 February. The Russian statement did not confirm the death toll reported by Reuters nor whether the Russian citizens were working for a private military contractor. Prior to Russia’s statement, the US and Russia both said they had no information on Russian mercenaries being killed during the clashes, which marked the first time both parties directly confronted each other in Syria. February 21: -High Commissioner Ra’ad Al Hussein called on the international community to take meaningful action to bring the “monstrous campaign of annihilation” in Eastern Ghouta to an end.

February 22: -USG Mark Lowcock urged Council members to take “meaningful action” to end violence in Eastern Ghouta. In response to a draft resolution proposed by Kuwait and Sweden, Russia reiterated a need for on-the-ground agreements and measures to ensure the implementation of the proposed 30-day ceasefire.

-Kurdish YPG fighters called on the Syrian government to defend its borders against Turkish forces in the Afrin region. Pro-government fighters from defense groups entered Afrin in recent days but regular Syrian army troops had not yet been deployed to the Kurdish enclave.

February 24: The SC unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 (2018) demanding that all parties immediately cease hostilities for 30 consecutive days throughout Syria. The resolution also demands that all parties lift the sieges of populated areas—including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya—and the immediate, unimpeded and sustained access to besieged and hard-to-reach locations for humanitarian convoys. The UN and its implementing partners must also be allowed to undertake safe, unconditional medical evacuations. Military operations against the Council- designated terrorist groups, including ISIS, al-Qaeda-affiliated groups and Al-Nusra Front are not covered by the ceasefire. The Syrian representative, Bashar al-Jaafari, welcomed the resolution but stressed that the government will continue to “exercise [its] sovereign rights of self-defense” and counter terrorism wherever it exists in Syria.

February 25: -Reports emerged of a chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta that injured some 18 people. In separate attacks, at least 14 people were killed in Eastern Ghouta despite UN ceasefire demands. Approximately 530 people have been killed since the Syrian government launched an offensive a week prior.

-President Emmanuel Macron said that the UN’s proposed 30-day ceasefire applies to Afrin, where Turkey has been waging a month-long offensive against the YPG. Despite welcoming Resolution 2401 (2018), Turkey said the UN-mandated ceasefire did not apply to its operations in Afrin, claiming the purpose was to “combat against terrorist organizations which target the integrity of Syria and the national security of Turkey.”

February 26: -At least 29 people were killed following attacks in Eastern Ghouta despite the recent adoption of Resolution 2401 (2018).

-The EU added Syria's Industry and Information Ministers to its sanctions list, bringing the total number of people who have had their assets frozen and are prevented from traveling in the EU to 257. -In a speech to the HRC, the SG stressed that “Security Council resolutions are only meaningful if they are effectively implemented,” reminding all parties that “efforts to combat terrorism do not supersede” obligations under international law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

February 27: -A Russian-backed "humanitarian pause" consisting of daily five-hour local ceasefires in Eastern Ghouta went into effect. The Russian-ordered truce is not part of a UNSC resolution adopted on 24 February mandating a 30-day countrywide ceasefire to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

-The OPCW-FFM opened an investigation to determine whether chemical weapons were used in attacks in Eastern Ghouta. The FFM will examine “all credible allegations of chemical weapons use” but does not plan to travel to the area because of safety concerns, instead gathering witness testimony, photographic and video evidence, and testimony from medical experts.

February 28: -Despite a Russian plan for five-hour daily ceasefires, the Syrian army launched a ground assault on the border of Eastern Ghouta, targeting the Hawsh al-Dawahra area, in a bid to gain territory. Since 18 February, attacks carried out by pro-government Coalition forces have killed more than 500 people.

-Following allegations that pro-government Coalition forces used chlorine gas in attacks in Eastern Ghouta, US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said Russia had violated its duty to guarantee the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile and prevent the government from using poison gas.

-JTS launched a campaign to capture territory in Idlib and Western Aleppo from HTS, gaining control of one-third of Syria’s rebel-hel northwest. In the summer of 2017, HTS had seized control of nearly all of Idlib province as well as neighboring rebel-held territory in Aleppo and Hama provinces and consolidated control over administrative affairs in these territories through the affiliated Syrian Salvation Government municipal entity.

-A leaked UN report found North Korea responsible for supplying Syria with equipment that could be used to develop chemical weapons, after unearthing evidence of 40 shipments of supplies made between 2012 and 2017. North Korea denied having helped the Syrian government develop chemical weapons.

-Mark Lowcock, USG for Humanitarian Affairs and ERC, briefed the Council on the SG’s latest report on Syria, saying the situation in Eastern Ghouta was worsening and it was likely that they would soon see more people dying from starvation and disease than bombing. The SG’s report conveyed the readiness of the UN and its partners to deploy humanitarian aid and undertake medical evacuation subsequent Syrian government approval. USG for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman cited reports of military airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta and an alleged chlorine gas attack as evidence of the failure to implement Resolution 2401 (2018). Syria’s ambassador to the UN, Bashar al-Jafaari, said that the government had opened a humanitarian corridor within hours of the resolution’s adoption but argued that the true effect of the resolution was to prevent the government from effectively targeting terrorist groups attacking Damascus, blaming terrorist groups for deteriorating conditions in Eastern Ghouta.

March 2018

March 1: -The OPCW’s fifty-third monthly report highlighted efforts to destroy two above-ground facilities, lingering questions regarding gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies in Syria’s initial declaration and the ongoing work of the FFM, whose current activities cover incidents that took place from the end of 2016.

-Jan Egeland, UN humanitarian advisor, criticized the Russian-ordered five-hour daily pauses in fighting in Eastern Ghouta as not enough to deliver aid or evacuate civilians.

-A 29-truck convoy carrying aid for 50,000 displaced people entered the Kurdish enclave of Afrin for the first time since the start of the Turkish offensive.

March 2: -The HRC held an urgent debate on the deteriorating human rights situation in Eastern Ghouta.

March 4: -In a statement on the implementation of Resolution 2401 (2018), the RHC for Syria, Panos Moumtzis, said that “instead of a much-needed reprieve, we continue to see more fighting, more death, and more disturbing reports of hunger and hospitals being bombed. This collective punishment of civilians is simply unacceptable.”

March 5: -14 of the 46 trucks in an inter-agency convoy by the UN, SARC and the ICRC were unable to fully offload humanitarian supplies meant to assist 27,500 people in need in Douma due to insecurity. The only other successful aid delivery to the area was in November 2017, reaching 7,200 people.

-The HRC adopted resolution 37/1 on the deteriorating human rights situation in Eastern Ghouta, welcoming Resolution 2401 (2018) and condemning the sustained denial of humanitarian access, the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons and aerial bombardments against civilians, and the alleged use of chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta. The resolution—adopted by a vote of 29 in favor, 4 against and 14 abstentions-- requested the COI to conduct an urgent comprehensive and independent inquiry into the events in Eastern Ghouta to provide an update at the HRC session in June.

March 6: -In a statement, the SG expressed concern about reports of continued violence in Eastern Ghouta, which reportedly claimed the lives of more than 100 people on 5 March, as well as reports of shelling in Damascus.

-Russia offered AOGs in Eastern Ghouta safe passage from the area if they agreed to surrender the enclave to government forces.

-Some 1,700 SDF fighters redeployed from the campaign against ISIS in Deir Ezzor to the Kurdish enclave of Afrin where Turkey is engaged in Operation Olive Branch. The US Pentagon announced an “operational pause” in the fight against ISIS due to Turkey’s campaign in Afrin.

March 7: -SE Staffan de Mistura and OCHA Director Lisa Doughten briefed Council members in consultations on the status of the implementation of Resolution 2401 (2018), stressing the continued lack of access for humanitarian convoys to Eastern Ghouta, despite the readiness of the UN and its partners to deloy to the area.

-A Russian military cargo plane crashed near Hmeimim military base, killing all 39 people on board. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the crash was likely caused by a technical failure.

March 8: -The COI released a report on sexual and gender-based violence in Syria, covering the period of March 2011 to December 2017, which concluded that parties to the conflict had used sexual and gender-based violence as a tool to instill fear, humiliate, punish and enforce social order.

-Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that more than 4,829 people were wounded and 1,005 were killed between 18 February and 3 March as a result of a military offensive on besieged Eastern Ghouta.

March 9: -After being unable to unload all of its supplies due to security issues on 5 March, a humanitarian aid convoy successfully completed its delivery of supplies to Eastern Ghouta.

March 11: -Pro-government forces isolated Douma and Harasta from the rest of the opposition enclave in Eastern Ghouta. The Russian military said that 52 civilians had been evacuated from the town of Misraba in Eastern Ghouta in one of the civilian evacuations since Russia opened a humanitarian corridor one week prior.

March 12: -The SG briefed the Council on the implementation of Resolution 2401 (2018), saying that there had been no cessation of hostilities and that violence continued in Eastern Ghouta, Afrin, Idlib and Damascus. Additionally, the delivery of humanitarian aid remained unsafe and restricted and no sieges had been lifted. Russia questioned the accuracy and validity of the figures and sources cited in the SG’s report.

-The US circulated draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta and Damascus with US Ambassador Nikki Haley warning that the US “remains prepared to act” in light of persistent allegations of chemical weapons attacks.

-At an Arria-formula meeting entitled “Implementing Syria’s Cessation of Hostilities: Syria’s Opposition Speaks,” members of the Syrian Negotiation Commission called for unilateral action in regards to the ongoing siege in Eastern Ghouta. Several Council members expressed reservations about pursuing action that would undermine the framework established by resolution 2401 (2018).

March 13: -The HRC held an interactive dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry to discuss its latest report, covering the period of 8 July 2017 to 15 January 2018, and concluding that civilians had been deliberately targeted through unlawful means and methods of warfare, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. The report also concluded that the international coalition had failed to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects in offensives to defeat ISIS. The HRC also held a high-level panel discussion violations of the human rights of children, emphasizing the fact that 2017 was the deadliest year for children with at least 910 killed and 361 injured.

-According to Russia’s ceasefire monitoring center, more than 300 civilians left Eastern Ghouta since Russia opened a humanitarian corridor two weeks ago, including more than 100 people evacuated today in the first round of medical evacuations since the government offensive began in February.

March 14: -More than 10,000 civilians reportedly fled Afrin in the past few days as Turkish forces ramped up efforts to clear the area.

-Pro-government forces captured parts of Hamuriyyeh in Eastern Ghouta. At least 25 people in need of urgent medical treatment exited Eastern Ghouta as part of a medical evacuation agreement between AOGs and Russia, with another 100 civilians expected to leave the area the following day.

March 15: -The US State Department called for an "urgent meeting" in Jordan to ensure compliance with the de-escalation zone agreement after Syrian airstrikes targeted Daraa province despite the area being under a US-backed de-escalation zone.

-A joint-UN-SARC-ICRC 25-truck convoy entered Eastern Ghouta providing aid for approximately 26,100 people.

March 16: -SE Stafan de Mistura briefed the Council on developments in Eastern Ghouta, ongoing efforts to establish a constitutional committee, and slow progress made by Iran, Russia, and Turkey on the issue of detainees, abductees, and missing persons despite concrete proposals offered by the UN ahead of the 15 March foreign minister-level meetings in Astana.

-France, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US sent a letter to the SC president, expressing concern about the lack of implementation of Resolution 2401 (2018) and saying that “it is imperative that this Council immediately pursue decisive action to achieve a full cessation of hostilities throughout Syria, to facilitate humanitarian access, and to protect the Syrian people.”

-Following two days of talks in Astana, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey released a joint-statement expressing commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity as well as continued commitment to the establishment of the Constitutional Commitment, as agreed at the National Syrian Congress in Sochi in January.

March 17: -Since 11 March, at least 20,000 people reportedly left Eastern Ghouta, the majority of whom left from the Hamuriyyeh area. At least 600 people were evacuated from Douma, among them 51 people were admitted to hospitals for medical treatment. Approximately 300 people left Eastern Harasta. Exact numbers of displaced civilians and medical evacuations remain unknown.

March 18: -Turkish forces seized the city of Afrin after nearly two months since beginning a campaign to clear the area of YPG forces. The ICRC called for access to the civilian population in the area, claiming the Turkish Red Crescent lacked “credibility” among the local population.

March 19: -High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, was expected to brief the Council in a public forum on the human rights situation in Syria. The meeting was requested by France, with the support of the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US. However, a procedural motion—called for by Russia—on whether to convene the meeting failed to receive sufficient votes. Instead, Al Hussein briefed the members in an Arria-formula format, criticizing the Syrian government’s five-year-long siege on Eastern Ghouta as involving “pervasive war crimes, the use of chemical weaponry, enforced starvation as a weapon of warfare and the denial of essential and life-saving aid.”

-The EU imposed sanctions on four more individuals for their alleged role in the “development and use of chemical weapons in Syria.”

-SE Staffan de Mistura briefed Council members on UN efforts to facilitate the conditions necessary to advance the implementation of Resolution 2401 (2018), stressing the readiness of the UN to offer its good offices to facilitate negotiations.

March 20: -Council members held an informal interactive dialogue on chemical weapons in Syria at the request of the Netherlands. UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, and the Director-General of the OPCW, Ahmet Uzumcu discussed elements of the 23 February OPCW report, conveyed to the Council on 1 March, which raised concerned regarding the limited cooperation of the Syrian government in addressing the gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies identified by the OPCW in Syria’s initial declaration. In a statement, the SG called for the Council to demonstrate a unified response to the “persistent allegations of the use of chemical weapons” in Syria. The SG presented his 49th monthly report on the humanitarian situation in Syria.

March 22: -Some 1,580 people, including 413 rebel fighters, left the Eastern Ghouta neighborhood of Harasta as part of a Russian-backed evacuation deal. This is the first evacuation agreement reached since government forces launched an offensive to retake Eastern Ghouta on 18 February. Failaq al-Rahman announced it had also reached a ceasefire agreement, days after at least 38 people were killed in attacks targeting territory under its control in Eastern Ghouta.

March 23: -The HRC voted to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria for a period of one year. The resolution (37/29) received 27 affirmative votes, four negative and 16 abstentions.

March 26: -Russia and Turkey reached an agreement allowing Turkey to assume control over Tal Rifaat, days after Turkey announced that the Kurdish-held town in northern Aleppo would be the next target of its military campaign in Syria.

March 27: -USG for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, briefed the Council on the failure to implement Resolution 2401 (2018), saying that more than 1,700 people had been killed in Eastern Ghouta and mass displacement had occurred in both Afrin and Eastern Ghouta.

March 28: -The OPCW’s 54th monthly report highlighted the ongoing arrangements for the destruction of the two remaining chemical weapons production facilities and expressed disappointment that the organization remained unable to verify that the Syrian government’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons program was accurate and complete.

-Turkey threatened to take action against Kurdish fighters if they did not withdraw from both the Manbij region and Deir Ezzor province, signaling a willingness to expand operations in Syria.

March 31: -The Syrian army declared full victory against terrorist groups in Eastern Ghouta “with full control established all over its cities and towns.”

April 2018

April 4: -Thomas Markram, Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, briefed the Council on the OPCW’s ongoing work to eliminate chemical weapons, highlighting the status of the planned destruction of two stationary aboveground chemical weapons production facilities and expressing ongoing concerns regarding the limited cooperation of the Syrian government in addressing the gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies identified in Syria’s initial declaration.

April 7: -Reports emerged of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma in Eastern Ghouta that reportedly killed at least 85 people. Nine SC members (Cote d’Ivoire, France, Kuwait, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US) called for an emergency meeting to discuss the allegations. The alleged chemical attack comes after a two-month-long pro- government coalition offensive to take control of the remaining opposition-held territory near Damascus. The pro-government forces had successfully divided rebel-held territory in Eastern Ghouta into three enclaves with two of the three remaining AOGs agreeing to evacuate. After the reported chemical attack, the last remaining AOG, Jaish al-Islam, which controlled Douma, agreed to evacuate its territory.

April 8: -An escalation in violence in Douma killed over 36 people in 48 hours, prompting the SG to issue statement calling for cessation of violence and the immediate implementation of resolution 2401 (2018).

-The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement calling reports of a chemical attack in Douma “false information.”

April 9: -The Council received briefings by SE Staffan de Mistura and the Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Thomas Markram, on the alleged chemical attack in Douma on 7 April. They stressed the need for full cooperation with the FFM team of special investigators tasked with determining the status of a chemical attack.

-High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein issued a statement stressing that the “[t]he world—and in particular the veto-wielding States on the Security Council—need to wake up, and wake up fast, to the irreparable damage that is being done to one of the most important planks of global arms control and prevention of human suffering.”

April 10: -The Council voted on three draft resolutions: two competing US and Russia drafts aimed at establishing a UN Independent Mechanism of Investigation (UNIMI) and a Russian draft resolution regarding the investigation by the OPCW into the reported use of chemical weapons in Douma in Eastern Ghouta on 7 April. The Russian draft--first circulated on 23 January--would establish a new mechanism for a period of one year, making on-site visits a sine qua non for the reaching of conclusions and raises the standard of proof by stressing that findings must be “beyond any reasonable doubt.” The US draft—first circulated in late February—establishes the new mechanism for one year, stressing the need for coordination with the UN Department of Safety and Security to ensure that the FFM and UNIMI can safely travel to sites deemed relevant to the investigation. Ahead of the 9 April meeting, Sweden circulated draft elements which Russia later altered—removing language regarding unfettered access of the FFM to suspected involved parties and measures in the event of non-compliance--and presented as a Russian draft. The US draft garnered twelve affirmative votes, two against (Bolivia and Russia) and one abstention (China). The Russian draft on UNIMI received six affirmative votes, seven vetoes (France, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US) and two abstentions (Cote d’Ivoire and Kuwait). The second Russian draft garnered five affirmative votes, four votes against (France, Poland, the UK and the US) and six abstentions (Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Peru and Sweden).

-In an emergency UNSC meeting, the SG condemned reports of the use of chemical weapons in Douma and called for a thorough investigation, reaffirming full support for the OPCW and FFM. RHC Panos Moumtzis expressed concern regarding the humanitarian crisis facing civilians in besieged Eastern Ghouta and noted that close to 700,000 Syrians had been displaced since the beginning of 2018.

-The OPCW announced plans to deploy a FFM team to Douma to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of chemical weapons.

April 11: -In a letter to the Council, the SG urged all States to act responsibly and called on the Council to fulfil its duties and establish an investigative mechanism.

April 13: -In the third meeting in five days on Syria, the SG briefed the Council on his concerns of the escalation of violence and expressed his “deep disappointment that the Security Council was unable to agree upon a dedicated mechanism to attribute responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.”

-France, the UK and the US carried out more than 100 airstrikes targeting Syrian military facilities reportedly involved in the storage and production of chemical weapons. Prime Minister Theresa May called the military action “a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region.” President Trump blamed Russia for failing to guarantee the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons. In a statement following the airstrikes, the SG called upon members of the Council to exercise restraint and “to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation and worsen the suffering of the Syrian people.”

-The Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a statement condemning the continuing reports of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, conveying that as of January, the commission had reported on 34 documented incidents of the use of chemical weapons by various parties to the conflict.

April 14: -At an emergency meeting requested by Russia, the SG reminded Council members of their obligation to adhere to the UN Charter and international law in all actions, urging member states to avoid military escalation. A Russian draft resolution condemning the “aggression” against Syria by the US, the UK and France as a violation of international law and the UN Charter failed to garner sufficient votes, receiving three affirmative votes, eight against (France, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US) and three abstentions (Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Peru). Bashar al-Jaafari, Syria’s representative at the UN, said the airstrikes were revenge for the defeat of “terrorist proxies” in Eastern Ghouta and that allies must refrain from “lying and fabricating allegations” to justify their intervention in Syria. The EU expressed its support of “all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons.”

-Following a Russian-mediated evacuation agreement brokered by Jaysh al-Islam and the Syrian government, the Syrian government gained control of the entirety of Eastern Ghouta for the first time since 2012, marking the end of a nearly two-month-long campaign that killed more than 1,600 people.

- The OPCW requested that the Syrian government to make the necessary arrangements for a deployment to Douma to establish facts around allegations of chemical weapons use on 7 April.

April 15: -US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the US would not pull of out Syria until three goals were accomplished: the US ensures chemical weapons are not used in a way that could harm national interests; ISIS is defeated; and the US has the capacity to monitor Iran’s presence in the region. Haley signaled that the US will impose new sanctions on Russia, targeting companies dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use. The White House appeared to change course the following day with President Trump saying there would be no new sanctions for now.

April 16: -Citing “pending security issues,” Russia said the recent airstrikes by the UK, US and France targeting suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities had delayed the FFM team’s access to Douma. In a closed-door session, delegates from the UK, US, and France to the OPCW alleged that Russian officials were deliberately impeding the FFM team’s access to Douma with US Ambassador to the OPCW, Kenneth Ward, suggesting that Russian officials may have “tampered” with evidence at the site.

April 17: -USG for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock briefed Council members on the humanitarian situation in Syria, highlighting the dire conditions facing civilians in Raqqa and Rukban as well as the precarious situation of civilians remaining in Eastern Ghouta and those who evacuated to Idlib and Aleppo. Syria’s representative said that Council members were ignoring the fact that Raqqa had been destroyed by the international coalition to combat terrorism.

-The Syrian army shelled one of the last remaining areas outside its control near Damascus in preparation for a wider assault targeting ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked militants in the Yarmouk camp and the Hajar al-Aswad district.

April 18: -SE Staffan de Mistura has undertaken a series of high-level consultations with the aim of re- launching a meaningful political process under the auspices of the UN.

-OPCW-FFM special investigators’ planned visit to Douma to probe a suspected chemical attack was delayed after a UN security team came under gunfire during a reconnaissance mission to the sites under investigation the previous day. The nine-strong FFM team has been waiting in Damascus since 14 April and in an update, the OPCW Director-General, Ahmet Uzumcu, said he did not know when the FFM team could be deployed to Douma.

-Some 500 refugees in southern Lebanon returned to the Beit Jinn district, southwest of Damascus, which was captured from rebel forces by the Syrian government in December. The UNHR announced it was not playing a role in the mass repatriation because of the "prevailing humanitarian and security situation in Syria."

-The US is reportedly in talks to establish a coalition of Arab military forces to replace US troops in Syria and serve as a stabilizing force once ISIS is defeated.

April 19: -The SG’s 50th monthly report on the humanitarian situation in Syria highlighted the failure to implement resolution 2401 (2018) resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and only limited humanitarian access across conflict lines in March.

-In coordination with the Syrian government, Iraq launched airstrikes against ISIS positions in Syria. Prime Minister Abadi previously ordered strikes in Syrian territory against ISIS in February 2017.

-In a press conference, Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said the joint-airstrikes conducted on 13 April with the UK and France were “successful in degrading Syria’s chemical weapons, research and storage facilities, without a single report of a civilian casualty,” saying Russian claims that Syrian air defense shot down a number of missiles were false.

April 20: -Pro-government forces established full control over Dumayr in the Eastern Qalamoun region after Jaysh al-Islam forces agreed to leave for opposition-held territory as part of a Russian- brokered evacuation deal. They are bound for the city of Jarablus.

April 21: -The OPCW-FFM team collected samples from Douma during to determine whether chemical weapons were used in an attack on 7 April.

-The Syrian government announced that armed groups from Al-Rheibeh, Jairoud and Al- Nasseriyeh in Eastern Qalamoun would transfer to opposition-held Jarablus and Idlib under an evacuation agreement.

April 23: -Syrian state media reported that hundreds of rebels and civilians departed Eastern Qalamoun for an opposition enclave northeast of Damascus. This evacuation was the third and final round of departures under an evacuation agreement reached 20 April that will see the entirety of the East Qalamoun region come under Syrian government control. The evacuations come days after opposition forces surrendered the town of Dumayr to government forces and about two weeks after rebels in Eastern Ghouta evacuated from their last pocket of territory.

April 24: -In a press conference with President Emmanual Macron, President Trump stated his desire to leave Syria as soon as possible while still leaving a “strong and lasting footprint” in the country.

-Following an “operational pause,” operations against ISIS in Deir Ezzor resumed with the return of SDF fighters and an uptick in the number of airstrikes. In March, SDF forces had redeployed to Afrin to defend the Kurdish enclave from a Turkish military operation.

April 25: -The UN and the EU co-chaired a two-day conference in Brussels on supporting the future of Syria. In a joint-declaration, they reaffirmed support for the political process and called for the immediate implementation of UNSC Resolution 2401 (2018). Aid pledges totaling $4.4 billion for 2018, as well as multi-year pledges of $3.4 billion for 2019-2020, fell short of the $7 billion- plus target set by the UN. A coalition of nine NGOs including Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision, released a statement saying the pledges were too low to provide adequate care to those in need.

-The OPCW-FFM carried out a visit to a second location in Douma to collect samples to determine whether a chemical attack occurred on 7 April.

-In a briefing to the SC, USG for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller stressed that despite UNSC Resolution 2401 (2018), attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have reached some of the highest levels since the beginning of the conflict with 13.1 million people still in need of humanitarian aid.

April 26: -Russia presented a group of Syrian civilians before the OPCW in an attempt to prove that the 7 April chemical attack in Douma was staged. In a joint statement, France, the UK and the US as well as 14 other member countries of OPCW called Russia’s actions a “crude propaganda exercise” and expressed their full confidence in the work of the OPCW.

April 29: -A suspected Israeli strike targeted military outposts in northern Syria, including an arms depot in Hama province containing surface-to-surface missiles belonging to Iranian militias and a military airport in Aleppo. The airstrikes killed at least 26 pro-government fighters, including a number of Iranians. The attack is the second suspected Israeli strike on pro-government military positions in April.

-US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said that the US would not pull out of Syria before the diplomats have "won the peace."

-Approximately 200 people--including Al-Qaeda-linked fighters and their families--departed from Yarmouk Camp and 42 abductees from the village of Eshtabraq were released as part of the first stage of an evacuation agreement to clear Yarmouk refugee camp of militant groups. Under the deal, HTS fighters and their families are granted safe passage to rebel-held Idlib province. In exchange, some 5,000 people besieged in the towns of Kefraya and al-Foua’a as well as those who have been abducted from the village of Eshtabraq will be released in two stages.

April 30: -In a counter-attack, the US-backed regained territory seized by pro-government forces in clashes in Deir Ezzor the previous day. The SDF and pro-government forces are both involved in anti-ISIS operations in the area with the Euphrates River serving as an approximate dividing line. The US and Russia reportedly used deconfliction channels to de-escalate the situation.

May 2018:

May 1: -US-backed announced the launch of the final phase of operations against ISIS in Deir Ezzor province. The international coalition and SDF are fighting ISIS in two main pockets of territory in Deir Ezzor—the town of Hajin and al-Dashisha—near the border with Iraq.

May 2: -Peter Maurer, head of the Red Cross, said that the conflict appeared to be entering a new stage with fewer “big-battle” moments. As such, he expects humanitarian aid in Syria to shift away from emergency assistance towards “rehabilitating devastated areas to help Syrians return home.”

May 3: -Two pilots were killed when a Russian fighter jet crashed off the coast of Syria shortly after taking off from the Hmeimim airbase in Lattakia province. The Russian defense ministry said the plane had not come under fire before the crash.

-As part of an evacuation agreement reached with the Syrian government, 32 buses carrying the first round of rebel fighters and their families left the Beit Sahem, Babila and Yalda neighborhoods near Damascus.

-UN humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland warned of the disastrous conseuences stemming from an escalation in violence in Idlib, saying the area is already “filled to the brim” with internally displaced civilians living in temporary shelters.

May 4: -Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, revealed that several countries are discussing the possibility of sending an Arab force to Syria. This comes one month after reports claimed the US was in talks to establish a coalition of Arab military forces that could stabilize the country after ISIS is defeated and counter Iran’s influence if the US chooses to pullout of Syria.

-The initial deployment of the FFM to gather facts in Douma is complete. While the samples are being analyzed, the FFM will continue its work to collect more information and material.

May 7: - High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu briefed Council members on the good offices carried out by the SG and herself to devise an attribution mechanism that would receive unanimous support from the Council.

-62 buses carrying rebel fighters and their families exited an enclave between the cities of Hama and Homs towards the opposition-held town of Jarablus as part of a Russian-brokered evacuation deal reached on 2 May between rebel AOGs and the Syrian government. The area is one of the last major besieged opposition enclaves in Syria.

-At least 42 pro-government fighters and 29 ISIS fighters were killed in clashes in the Yarmouk camp and neighboring areas. Since the government launched a campaign against ISIS in southern Damascus on 19 April, at least 162 pro-government fighters and 131 ISIS militants have been killed.

May 8: -Strikes were reported south of Damascus. Syrian state media attributed those strikes to Israel. Israel did not confirm the claim. Israel then said that it had detected “irregular Iranian activity” in the occupied Golan Heights.

-72 buses carrying rebel fighters and their families departed from the Hama and Homs cities in the second round of evacuations as part of a Russian-backed evacuation deal reached 2 May. Separate evacuations from the Damascus suburbs of Yada, Babila and Beit Sahem also took place.

May 9: -Israel carried out dozens of strikes against presumed Iranian and Syrian government military targets in southern Syria. Israeli authorities claimed the attacks were in response to Iranian rockets fired from Syrian territory in the occupied Golan Heights. In a letter to the SG and the President of the SC, Iran argued that Israeli military attacks intentionally targeted Iranian nationals and interests legitimately deployed in Syria. The letter reiterated Iran’s legitimate rights to self-defense and called upon the Council to uphold its responsibilities to condemn these acts of aggression.

May 10: -Three towns south of Damascus—Babila, Beit Sahem and Yalda—came under government control for the first time in years after a total of 8,400 fighters and their families left as part of a Russian-backed evacuation agreement.

-Israel launched its largest attack on Syria since the beginning of the conflict, firing more than 70 missiles at Iranian-linked military targets in Syria in response to rocket fire directed at Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights. Saying that Iran had crossed a red line, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that Israel would not “allow Iran to establish a military presence in Syria.” In identical letters to the SG and President of the SC, Israel condemned an Iranian barrage of approximately 20 rockets into Israeli territory on 9 May. In a letter, Syria condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes, reiterating its right to self-defense and stressing that “any efforts to support the crumbling terrorists is futile.”

-Following Israeli airstrikes in Syria, the SG called for an immediate halt to “all hostile acts” to avoid a new “a new conflagration” in the region.

-Reports emerged that US forces established a new base in the Kurdish-held town of Manbij some three months ago after Turkey threatened to target the area as part of its campaign to clear Afrin of Kurdish forces.

May 14= In a letter, Iran condemned recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military installations in Syria saying it was in Syria on the invitation of the Syrian government to assist in the fight against designated terrorist groups.

May 15, 2018: -Representatives of Russia, Turkey and Iran met for the ninth high-level meeting in Astana to discuss progress in brokering a settlement and how to avoid escalation in areas with an international military presence such as, Daraa, Idlib and the northeast. In a joint-statement, they reaffirmed their “strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.” The second meeting of the Working Group on the release of detainees/abductees, the handover of bodies and identification of missing persons commenced. In contrast to the previous rounds of talks, the US did not send observers.

-In coordination with the Syrian government, Iraq launched airstrikes in Syria on a building reportedly used as a command and logistics support center by ISIS.

-The Syrian government gained control of most of the Hajar al-Aswad district, one of the last remaining districts south of Damascus held by ISIS. Since the government campaign to retake territory south of Damascus began on 19 April, only Yarmouk Palestinian camp and al-Tadamon neighborhood remain under ISIS control.

In a report, the FFM determined that “chlorine, released from cylinders through mechanical impact, was likely used as a chemical weapon on 4 February 2018 in the al-Talil neighborhood of Saraqib.”

May 16: -In a briefing to the Council, SE Staffan de Mistura warned that a government assault on opposition-held Idlib province could be more destructive than the campaign on Eastern Ghouta, saying it “six times worse, affecting 2.3 million people.” Stressing that his office was assessing options to revive and advance intra-Syrian dialogue he outlined points of commonality among parties revealed during consultations, including the “need to de-escalate, to form a constitutional committee under UN auspices, to establish a safe, neutral environment and to respect Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.”

-The OPCW-FFM concluded “that chlorine, released from cylinders through mechanical impact, was likely used as a chemical weapon on 4 February 2018 in the Al Talil neighborhood of Saraqeb.”

-The Syrian military announced it had secured a large area between Homs and Hama cities. This comes after more than 30,000 people, including opposition fighters and their families, left the cities as part of a Russian-brokered evacuation deal granting them safe passage to opposition- held areas in northern Syria. For the first time since 2011, the Syrian government controls the roads between the three main population centers-Aleppo, Homs and Damascus.

May 18: - In a bilateral meeting in Sochi, President Putin congratulated President Bashar al-Assad on the success of the government forces in the fight against terrorist groups. Both leaders noted the need to create additional conditions for the resumption of a full-format political process in Syria. The visit marks President Bashar al-Assad’s second visit to Sochi and his third public visit to Russia since the start of the conflict In a transcript of the meeting, Assad noted that greater stability in Syria “opens the door to the political process.” President Putin said that a political settlement in Syria should encourage foreign countries to withdraw their troops from Syria. Putin’s envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said he had been referring to Iranian forces. In a rejection of that idea, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said its forces will remain in the country and continue fighting terrorism as long as the Syrian government wants.

- France convened a ministerial meeting of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, which was established in January. The partnership comprises 34 member states, including Council members Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland and Sweden in addition to the P3. In a joint statement, the partners reiterated their support of the work of the OPCW and called on Russia to reconsider its opposition to the renewal of the OPCW-JIM in November 2017.

May 19: -France froze assets belonging to companies based in Syria, Lebanon and China for six months after they were found to be linked to Syria’s chemical weapons program.

-The Syrian government launched airstrikes against the Tariq al-Sadd neighborhood in Daraa city despite the area being protected by a US-backed de-escalation zone agreement.

May 21: -The Syrian government announced it had gained complete control of Damascus and its surrounding suburbs for the first time in seven years after ISIS fighters left Yarmouk camp and Hajar al-Aswad between 19-20 February following an evacuation deal reached with the Syrian government. The push into these areas came after pro-government forces captured the last rebel- held southern and eastern suburbs of Damascus.

May 22: -The Russian MOD announced that its air defenses shot down a drone attempting to approach the Hmeimim airbase in Lattakia.

- In his monthly report, the SG noted that although the population that was besieged has dereased since the end of the and other areas, this has “too often [come] only after civilians have been exposed to prolonged periods of violence and deprivation, which [has] included the denial of critical humanitarian assistance.”

Glossary of Acronyms:

AOG Armed Opposition Groups CTF Ceasefire Task Force DFNS Democratic Federation of Northern Syria E10 Ten Elected Members of the Security Council FFM Fact Finding Mission (OPCW) FSA Free Syrian Army HNC High Negotiating Committee HTF Humanitarian Task Force HTS Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham ICC International Criminal Court IDP Internally Displaced Persons IS/ISIL Islamic State/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ISSG International Syria Support Group JIC Joint Implementation Center JIM UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism JSE Joint Special Envoy JSR Joint Special Representative LAS League of Arab States NDF National Defense Forces (pro-government forces) OPCW Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons PYD Kurdish Democratic Union Party SARC Syrian Arab Red Crescent SDF Syrian Democratic Forces SE United Nations Special Envoy for Syria SNC Syrian National Council SOC National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces UNSMIS United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria USG Under Secretary-General YPG Kurdish People’s Protection Units