Syrian Armed Opposition Powerbrokers
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Child Soldiers Continue to Be Deployed to Libya
www.stj-sy.org Child Soldiers Continue to be Deployed to Libya More than 55 minor Syrian children spotted in a military camp in Tripoli, despite demands to expel mercenaries from the conflict Page | 2 www.stj-sy.org Despite an October 2020 ceasefire agreement and repeated international calls to expel all foreign forces and mercenaries from the Libyan conflict, recruitment operations continue to enlist and transfer Syrian mercenaries into Libya – including children under the age of 18. In 2021, the recruitments have largely been carried out by Russia and Turkey. In July 2021, Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) obtained new testimonies on the deployment of new groups of children to Tripoli, Libya’s capital, since March 2021. Notably, we heard from a 16-year-old child soldier, a fighter in the al-Hamza/al-Hamzat Division, and a medical worker who treated a number of recruited children in a hospital in Tripoli. We contacted sources via phone and through encrypted online applications. Sources confirmed the spread of 55 new Syrian child recruits in areas overseen by the Government of National Accord (GNA), including makeshift camp near Mitiga International Airport, al-Sahbah camp, Hadaba project and al-Na’am camp. Image 1 – A map of locations where Syrian child soldiers have been observed in Libya. Military Groups Recruiting Children Sources provided STJ with the names of military groups formed by the opposition-Syrian National Army (SNA) who are confirmed to have children serving among their ranks in Libya. The groups include the Auxiliary Forces/al-Quwat al-Radifa, Front and Alert Units, and Special Intrusion Units. -
Syria: "Torture Was My Punishment": Abductions, Torture and Summary
‘TORTURE WAS MY PUNISHMENT’ ABDUCTIONS, TORTURE AND SUMMARY KILLINGS UNDER ARMED GROUP RULE IN ALEPPO AND IDLEB, SYRIA Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. © Amnesty International 2016 Cover photo: Armed group fighters prepare to launch a rocket in the Saif al-Dawla district of the Except where otherwise noted, content in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on 21 April 2013. (attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives, international 4.0) licence. © Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode For more information please visit the permissions page on our website: www.amnesty.org Where material is attributed to a copyright owner other than Amnesty International this material is not subject to the Creative Commons licence. First published in 2016 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW, UK Index: MDE 24/4227/2016 July 2016 Original language: English amnesty.org CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 METHODOLOGY 7 1. BACKGROUND 9 1.1 Armed group rule in Aleppo and Idleb 9 1.2 Violations by other actors 13 2. ABDUCTIONS 15 2.1 Journalists and media activists 15 2.2 Lawyers, political activists and others 18 2.3 Children 21 2.4 Minorities 22 3. -
The Potential for an Assad Statelet in Syria
THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ASSAD STATELET IN SYRIA Nicholas A. Heras THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ASSAD STATELET IN SYRIA Nicholas A. Heras policy focus 132 | december 2013 the washington institute for near east policy www.washingtoninstitute.org The opinions expressed in this Policy Focus are those of the author and not necessar- ily those of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, its Board of Trustees, or its Board of Advisors. MAPS Fig. 1 based on map designed by W.D. Langeraar of Michael Moran & Associates that incorporates data from National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, UNEP- WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, and iPC. Figs. 2, 3, and 4: detail from The Tourist Atlas of Syria, Syria Ministry of Tourism, Directorate of Tourist Relations, Damascus. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publica- tion may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. © 2013 by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy The Washington Institute for Near East Policy 1828 L Street NW, Suite 1050 Washington, DC 20036 Cover: Digitally rendered montage incorporating an interior photo of the tomb of Hafez al-Assad and a partial view of the wheel tapestry found in the Sheikh Daher Shrine—a 500-year-old Alawite place of worship situated in an ancient grove of wild oak; both are situated in al-Qurdaha, Syria. Photographs by Andrew Tabler/TWI; design and montage by 1000colors. -
In Numbers Highlights
WFP Syria Crisis Regional Response Situation Report September 2018 In Numbers Highlights 5.6 million refugees from Syria • In September, WFP reached more than 3.2 million refugees – out of a total of 5.6 million registered Syrian refugees – and 3.2 million Syrian refugees assisted in July host community members across Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, USD 4.0 billion injected into local economies of and Turkey through various food and cash-based assistance Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey programmes under the Country Strategic Plan (CSPs) in Egypt and Lebanon, and Transitional Interim CSPs in the three through cash-based transfers, local food countries. procurement and other expenditure since 2012. • Self-organized refugee returns verified by UNHCR in 2018 totalled 28,251 as of September 2018. Results from UNHCR People assisted 49% 51% return intention surveys showed that voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity remains the preferred durable solution for September 2018 Syrian refugees in the region. Overall: Situation Update Regional Refugee US$ 4.4 billion and Resilience Plan Regional WFP share: • As of September 2018, there are around 5.6 million refugees (3RP) 2018-2019 US$ 1.5 billion from Syria in the neighbouring countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. • According to UNHCR’s Return Perception and Intention WFP Net Funding Requirements Surveys conducted in 2018, 76 percent of Syrian refugees (November 2018 – April 2019)* hoped to return to Syria one day, up from 51 percent in 2017, while 19 percent noted that they do not want to come back. Voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity remains the Regional US$ 307.4 million preferred durable solution for Syrian refugees in the region. -
EASTERN GHOUTA, SYRIA Amnesty International Is a Global Movement of More Than 7 Million People Who Campaign for a World Where Human Rights Are Enjoyed by All
‘LEFT TO DIE UNDER SIEGE’ WAR CRIMES AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN EASTERN GHOUTA, SYRIA Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. First published in 2015 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW United Kingdom © Amnesty International 2015 Index: MDE 24/2079/2015 Original language: English Printed by Amnesty International, International Secretariat, United Kingdom All rights reserved. This publication is copyright, but may be reproduced by any method without fee for advocacy, campaigning and teaching purposes, but not for resale. The copyright holders request that all such use be registered with them for impact assessment purposes. For copying in any other circumstances, or for reuse in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from the publishers, and a fee may be payable. To request permission, or for any other inquiries, please contact [email protected] Cover photo: Residents search through rubble for survivors in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus. Activists said the damage was the result of an air strike by forces loyal to President Bashar -
The Islamic Front by Aaron Y
MENU Policy Analysis / PolicyWatch 2177 Rebels Consolidating Strength in Syria: The Islamic Front by Aaron Y. Zelin Dec 3, 2013 ABOUT THE AUTHORS Aaron Y. Zelin Aaron Y. Zelin is the Richard Borow Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy where his research focuses on Sunni Arab jihadi groups in North Africa and Syria as well as the trend of foreign fighting and online jihadism. Brief Analysis The latest umbrella organization for key rebel factions in Syria may not include U.S.-designated terrorist groups, but it does oppose many U.S. objectives. he recent merger of several Syrian rebel groups into the Islamic Front (IF) is one of the war's most important T developments. Although the political and military opposition has long been fragmented, the new umbrella organization brings seven groups and their combined force of 45,000-60,000 fighters under one command. It also links the fight in the north and the south. Most notably, though, it affirms the troubles Washington will have setting policy in Syria going forward. WHO ARE THEY? F ormally announced on November 22, the IF includes groups from three prior umbrella organizations: the Syrian Islamic Front (SIF), the Syrian Islamic Liberation Front (SILF), and the Kurdish Islamic Front (KIF). From the SIF, Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya (HASI), Kataib Ansar al-Sham, and Liwa al-Haqq joined, as did the KIF as a whole and former SILF brigades Suqur al-Sham, Liwa al-Tawhid, and Jaish al-Islam. None of these groups has been designated by the U.S. -
In Numbers Highlights
WFP Syria Crisis Regional Response Situation Report August 2018 In Numbers Highlights 5.6 million refugees from Syria • In August, WFP reached an estimated 3.0 million refugees – out of a total of 5.6 million registered Syrian refugees – and 3.0 million Syrian refugees assisted in July host community members across Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, USD 4.0 billion injected into local economies of and Turkey through various food and cash-based assistance Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey programmes under the Country Strategic Plan (CSPs) in Egypt and Lebanon and Transitional Interim CSPs in the three through cash-based transfers, local food countries. procurement and other expenditure since 2012. • Self-organized refugee returns registered by UNHCR in 2018 totalled 23,416 as of August 2018. The United Nations People assisted 49% 51% maintains that it does not promote refugee returns to Syria until conditions for voluntary, safe and dignified returns are in August 2018 place. Overall: Situation Update Regional Refugee US$ 4.4 billion and Resilience Plan Regional WFP share: • As of August 2018, there are around 5.6 million refugees from (3RP) 2018-2019 US$ 1.5 billion Syria in the neighbouring countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. WFP Net Funding Requirements Jordan (October 2018 – March 2019)* • The Nasib border crossing between Syria and Jordan remains closed for now. Media reports in August said that the crossing is ready to receive Syrian refugees’ return from Jordan. Nasib Regional US$ 256.4 million has been vital for the transport of goods from Lebanon and Syria to Jordan and the Gulf states until it was closed off in Egypt US$ 14.8 million 2015, when it fell to Syrian opposition factions. -
Bashar Al-Assad's Struggle for Survival
Bashar al-Assad’s Struggle for Survival: Has the Miracle Occurred? Eyal Zisser The summer of 2014 marked the beginning of a turn in the tide of the civil war in Syria. The accomplishments of the rebels in battles against the regime tilted the scales in their favor and raised doubts regarding Bashar al-Assad’s ability to continue securing his rule, even in the heart of the Syrian state – the thin strip stretching from the capital Damascus to the city of Aleppo, to the Alawite coastal region in the north, and perhaps also to the city of Daraa and the Druze Mountain in the south. This changing tide in the Syrian war was the result of the ongoing depletion of the ranks of the Syrian regime and the exhaustion of the manpower at its disposal. Marked by fatigue and low morale, Bashar’s army was in growing need of members of his Alawite community who remained willing to fight and even die for him, as well as the Hizbollah fighters who were sent to his aid from neighboring Lebanon. The rebels, on the other hand, proved motivated, determined, and capable of perseverance. Indeed, they succeeded in unifying their ranks, and today, in contrast to the hundreds of groups that had been operating throughout the country, there are now only a few groups operating – all, incidentally, of radical Islamic character. Countries coming to the aid of the rebels also included Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, who decided to topple the Assad regime and showed determination equal to that of Bashar’s allies – Iran, Hizbollah, and Russia. -
WEEKLY REPORT 21 – 28 May 2021
WEEKLY REPORT 21 – 28 May 2021 KEY DYNAMICS Presidential elections .................................................................................................... 2 Assad elected for 4th term .......................................................................... 2 IDPs stranded ................................................................................................................. 3 Um Batna families deported ....................................................................... 3 Self-Administration, ISIS concerns ............................................................................ 4 ISIS continue to attack .................................................................................. 4 MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS WEEKLY REPORT, 21 – 28 May 2021 1 Presidential elections Voter turnout low, contrary to government media reports Assad elected for 4th term Despite pro-government media claiming that Bashar al-Assad has been re-elected president of voter turnout was high, reports from local Syria in a landslide victory, in which he officially sources directly contradict this. Election centers received 95.1% of the votes. The result, although in Syrian government areas were largely empty ultimately unsurprising due to both the lack of save for a few where pro-government citizens viable opposition candidates and expected and Baath party members gathered in front of fraudulency of the elections themselves, did not cameras to welcome government officials going come without disruptions. to vote. Voters were for -
Islamism Within a Civil War: the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's Struggle For
RETHINKING POLITICAL ISLAM SERIES August 2015 Islamism within a civil war: The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood’s struggle for survival WORKING PAPER Raphaël Lefèvre, Carnegie Middle East Center SUMMARY: After 30 years in exile outside of Syria, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood has become an important component of the western-backed Syrian opposition. Despite its influence, the expansion and radicalization of the Islamist scene in Syria challenges the legitimacy of the Brotherhood’s gradualist approach and constrains its presence on the ground. About this Series: The Rethinking Political Islam series is an innovative effort to understand how the developments following the Arab uprisings have shaped—and in some cases altered—the strategies, agendas, and self-conceptions of Islamist movements throughout the Muslim world. The project engages scholars of political Islam through in-depth research and dialogue to provide a systematic, cross-country comparison of the trajectory of political Islam in 12 key countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Libya, Pakistan, as well as Malaysia and Indonesia. This is accomplished through three stages: A working paper for each country, produced by an author who has conducted on-the-ground research and engaged with the relevant Islamist actors. A reaction essay in which authors reflect on and respond to the other country cases. A final draft incorporating the insights gleaned from the months of dialogue and discussion. The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. -
ICT Jihadi Monitoring Group
ICT Jihadi Monitoring Group PERIODIC REVIEW Bimonthly Report Summary of Information on Jihadist Websites The First Half of September 2014 International Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) Additional resources are available on the ICT Website: www.ict.org.il Highlights This report summarizes notable events discussed on jihadist Web forums during the first half of September 2014. Following are the main points covered in the report: Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda, announces the establishment of a new Al- Qaeda branch in the Indian subcontinent. According to him, the new branch is meant to focus on spreading the faith in the Oneness of God, liberating occupied Muslim lands, revitalizing the institution of the Caliphate, and supporting persecuted Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. Sheikh Assem Omar, the leader of the new branch, and Usama Mahmoud, the spokesperson for the branch, clarify that they are loyal to al-Zawahiri and that they will work for the sake of the Muslim people in the Indian subcontinent who are being persecuted by the regimes. The spokesperson for Al-Qaeda, Sheikh Sheikh Hussam Abd al-Rauf, claims that there is a false propaganda campaign being waged against Al-Qaeda and its leader, Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri. According to him, despite all of the unfounded analyses and forecasts, the organization continues to maintain its power and its control of its branches, and to expand into new arenas of jihad. According to him, local regimes are collaborating with foreign forces hostile to Islam, with the goal of repressing the civil revolutions known as the Arab Spring and thwarting the efforts of the mujahideen to impose shari’a. -
The Formation of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham in اﺳم اﻟﻣوﺿوع : Syria: Motives and Goals the Formation of Hay'at Tahri
The Formation of Hay¶at Tahrir al-Sham in : ωϭοϭϣϟϡγ Syria: Motives and Goals The Formation of Hay¶at Tahrir al-Sham in : ωϭοϭϣϟϥϭϧϋ Syria: Motives and Goals 23/02/2017 : έηϧϟΦϳέΎΗ ΔϣΩϘΗϣϟΕΎγέΩϟϭΙΎΣΑϸϟϝΑϘΗγϣϟίϛέϣ : ΏΗΎϛϟϡγ : ωϭοϭϣϟ 9/29/2021 1:10:18 PM 1 / 2 The establishment of Hay¶at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), or the µOrganization for the Liberation of the Levant¶on January 28, 2017, constituted a significant transformation in the position of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front). JFS succeeded in forming a merger of a number of small-armed factions into HTS, due to political and military developments. Such developments include the Astana conference, which took place on January 23 and 24 of this year between the Assad regime and various factions of the Syrian opposition. Other developments include the escalating and widening conflict between JFS and other armed factions, such as the Islamic State-affiliated Jund al-Aqsa. In addition, there is an increasing armed confrontation between HTS and the militant group Ahrar al-Sham. The conflict became evident when HTS sought to take over positions, previously controlled by Ahrar al-Sham in Darat Izza, only five days after Ahrar al-Sham had established itself in these locations. However, HTS eventually withdrew from these positions after intermediaries between the two parties intervened. A New CoalitionIn addition to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the coalition, which makes up Hay¶at Tahrir al-Sham, includes the Nour al-Din al- Zenki Movement, which is active in Aleppo, Liwa al-Haqq in Aleppo, Idlib and Hama, the Ansar al-Din Front, and Jaysh al-Sunna in Homs.