Syria

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – There was a difference of opinion in the Russian press about whether the Putin-Trump Helsinki summit was contentless or whether new agreements were reached, especially on strategy and Syria. BBC Monitoring of the Russian press reports an editorial in the Vedomosti business daily on the Helsinki summit, which says that […]

Russia

Backed by Putin Air Force, Syrian Army rapidly takes 90% of Daraa

Rouba El Husseini

Beirut (AFP) – Syrian regime forces backed by Russia made sweeping advances on Monday against rebels holding out in the country’s vital southern zone. For nearly one month, Syria’s government has worked to capture the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra with a mix of heavy bombardment, ground attacks and surrender deals brokered by Moscow. Despite […]

Syria

With 5 Powers fighting in Syria, who will come out on top? Netanyahu, Putin, or Trump?

Reese Erlich

San Francisco (48 Hills) – Russian bombs rained down on towns of southern Syria as an estimated 320,000 civilians fled for their lives. Over the past several weeks tens of thousands walked to the Jordanian and Israeli borders hoping to escape the onslaught. Rula Amin, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, based in […]

Syria

Syrian Army Raises Flag in Daraa, Cradle of Failed Revolution

Mohamad Abazeed

With Tony Gamal-Gabriel in Beirut Daraa (Syria) (AFP) – Syria’s army entered rebel-held parts of Daraa city on Thursday, state media said, raising the national flag in the cradle of the uprising that sparked the country’s seven-year war. After securing Damascus in May, President Bashar al-Assad is determined to oust rebels from a key southern […]

Syria

Syrian Government Recovers Economic Hub linking to Jordan, Gulf Oil States

AFP

By Rim Haddad | – Nassib (Syrie) (AFP) – Syrian army soldiers burned a rebel flag Saturday after they and Russian military police took over the crucial Nassib post on the border with Jordan. “The government has got its hands on a major economic hub that links Syria with other countries, above all Jordan and […]

Syria

In Syria’s Douma, UN finds likely Chlorine use, but not by Rebels

Brian Whitaker

London ( al-Bab.com) – The OPCW has now issued an interim report on the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, last April. Although the investigation is not yet complete, laboratory tests so far have found possible evidence of chlorine use but no evidence of sarin or a similar nerve agent. The OPCW also visited two […]

Featured

Syria: Reports of Rebel Collapse in Deraa as al-Assad and Putin win Yet Again

Juan Cole

Rebel sources are saying that they have reached a framework for surrender in Deraa with Russia and the al-Assad government. If these reports are true, it is another step toward complete victory. The rebels say they have declared a ceasefire and have put down their arms after they negotiated through the Russians. Regime troops have […]

Syria

As Syrian Government advances on Daraa, 250,000 Civilians Flee in Panic

Mohamad Abazeed

Daraa (Syria) (AFP) – More than a quarter of a million people have fled a Russian-backed government onslaught on southern Syria, the United Nations said Monday, in the latest civilian exodus in the seven-year war. For nearly two weeks, regime forces and their Russian allies have battered rebel-held parts of southern Syria with air strikes, […]

Syria

Regime reclaims more ground in south Syria: monitor

AFP

Daraa (Syria) (AFP) – A string of rebel-held locations in southern Syria passed into regime control Sunday as the government regained more ground under Russian-brokered deals, a war monitor said. Talks involving rebels, local officials and regime ally Russia saw agreements struck for four villages and a strategic town near the border with Jordan, extending […]