Dear Deeply Readers,

Welcome to the archives of Syria Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on May 15, 2018, and transitioned some of our coverage to Peacebuilding Deeply, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Syrian conflict. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.

We continue to produce events and special projects while we explore where the on-site journalism goes next. If you’d like to reach us with feedback or ideas for collaboration you can do so at [email protected].

BROWSE THE SYRIA DEEPLY ARCHIVES

Executive Summary for February 28th

We review key developments in Syria, including the opposition calling on Russia to pressure the Syrian government, Turkey saying Manbij is its next target and the Syrian military and SDF opening trade routes in northern Syria.

Published on Feb. 28, 2017 Read time Approx. 2 minutes

Russia Should Pressure Syrian Government, Opposition Says

Russia needs to put more pressure on the Syrian government for the peace process to work, Syria’s main opposition group said in Geneva on Monday, Al Jazeera reported.

“We hope … to see support [from Moscow] for the peace process which will ultimately lead to peace by putting pressure on the regime,” said lead opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri after meeting with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. special envoy for Syria.

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which represents the Syrian opposition, said it will meet with a Russian delegation on Tuesday. Russia is a key ally of the Syrian government, and brokered the fragile December 30 cease-fire alongside Turkey and Iran.

“We hope … that we will see real, positive and constructive support to the political process,” al-Hariri said.

Manbij Is Turkey’s Next Target in Syria

Manbij is the next target for the Turkish-backed military operation in Syria, Turkish president Recip Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

The Turkish operation known as Euphrates Shield has now completed its planned objectives in al-Bab, Erdogan said. Ankara launched the offensive in August 2016, providing warplanes, tanks, troops and support for Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.

The operation aims to push back the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) from Turkey’s border and thwart Syrian-Kurdish ambitions of consolidating territory in northern Syria.

Turkey views the main Syrian-Kurdish fighting force, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of its own Kurdish insurgency, led by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it has been fighting since the 1980s.

The YPG is the key ground ally for the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS. An alliance of Arab and Kurdish forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of Manbij in August 2016 after a two-month battle with ISIS militants.

Erdogan also said that the YPG should move east of the Euphrates River. Turkey and the YPG have previously said they will not work together to target ISIS in its de facto capital, Raqqa.

Syrian Military and Kurdish-Led Forces Open Trade Routes in Northern Syria

The Syrian military and a U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters have opened trade and transportation routes, according to pro-government website Al-Masdar News.

The Syrian military and the SDF agreed to open routes between areas they control in northern Syria. This would allow for the official trade of goods for the first time since 2012, as well as allow people in the respective areas to move freely.

The government opposes the idea of an independent Kurdish authority in Syria, but will work together with the SDF to target common enemies like Turkey and ISIS, according to Al-Masdar.

RECOMMENDED READS:

Suggest your story or issue.

Send

Share Your Story.

Have a story idea? Interested in adding your voice to our growing community?

Learn more