Field Report [2-8 April 2018]

2 April 2018

1. As part of the Astana process, a delegation of the TAF visited Hama’s north in order to scout for locations to construct new observation posts.
2. A group which calls itself the “The People’s Resistance of the East”, has proclaimed that it will target the US base near Ayn İssa that lies to the north of Raqqa.
3. The US has stated that it has sent reinforcements to the Manbij area.
4. After the clashes between Daesh militants and Shia militias in Abu Kamal the last two days, Hashd Shabi forces have been sent to the Iraqi-Syrian border near Abu Kamal.

3 April 2018

5. To the east of Deir ez Zor where there are oilfields, Daesh militants have seized many locations after starting an offensive against SDF/YPG forces.
6. An airstrike on the town of Ariha in Idlib which targeted a market square, many deaths and wounded were reported.
7. As per the evacuation of Eastern Ghouta, a group of Jaish al Islam fighters have reached the Euphrates Shield area. Jaish al Islam has claimed that the evacuees were merely consisting of the wounded.
8. Under the protection of the US, the PKK/YPG presence in Manbij has expanded by the construction of 2 new bases, one of which is 4 km away from the Euphrates Shield area frontlines, whereas the other is 8 km away.

4 April 2018

9. The “Turkey-Russia-Iran Trilateral Summit” took place in Ankara, where the president Erdoğan, Russian President Putin and Iran’s president Rouhani met.
10. After the airstrike in El-Bare town in southern Idlib, many wounded were reported.
11. An oil-well was captured by Daesh after its militants started an offensive to the east of Deir ez Zor.
12. The TAF allegedly targeted a YPG position near the Iraqi-Syrian border.

5 April 2018

13. YPG’s asayish militants (interior military police) have given the villagers of the Em Kahif village to the south of Qamishli an ultimatum to abandon their houses after their family members were said to have joined the Operation Olive Branch.
14. Many deaths and wounded were reported after Assad regime forces attacked many different locations in Daraa.
15. Assad regime’s artillery units have bombarded Kafr Zeyta and Latamne villages to the north of Hama.
16. An aistrike said to be executed by the Russian air force targeted the oil-well captured by Daesh to the east of Deir ez Zor.

6 April 2018

17. The TAF is said to have targeted YPG positions near Tal Abyad.
18. Daesh militants have attacked Assad regime positions overnight along the Damascus-Baghdad highway.
19. After 42 airstrikes on Douma in Eastern Ghouta, 27 people were known to have lost their lives, of which 5 were children.
20. In Daraa, clashes have been reported between the Assad regime and opposition forces.

7 April 2018

21. Assad regime forces have executed a chemical weapons attack on Douma in Eastern Ghouta, the besieged area in eastern Damascus, overnight, killing 75 and wounding hundreds.
22. A convoy consisting of 100 vehicles belonging to the TAF, have entered Idlib to set up the new observation post in northern Hama’s Morek.
23. A car bomb exploded in Al Bab, killing 7 and wounding many.
24. Two military leaders of FSA’s Jaish al Izze have been killed because of a bomb attack.

8 April 2018

25. US president Trump used the words “Animal Assad” for the Syrian president Bashar Assad when speaking about the chemical attack in Douma and Trump stated that he would pay a price for the attack.
26. After the chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta, an airstrike hit the T4 airbase that lies to the east of Homs.
27. The rebel groups in Eastern Qalamoun are said to have come to an agreement with the regime with Russian mediation.
28. Assad regime sources have claimed that they have reached an agreement with Jaish al Islam, and that in the 48 hours following the agreement, eight thousand fighters and their families will be evacuated to the Euphrates Shield area.

The last week many important developments have unfolded in Syria’s many fronts. The most important development of the week was the chemical attack in Douma. The Assad regime has conquered most of Eastern Ghouta with the exception of Douma where Jaish al Islam is in control. In order to force Jaish al Islam out of Douma, the Assad regime continued its attacks, resulting in many deaths and wounded. 75 people were killed and hundreds were wounded after the chemical attack that happened on Saturday. After this attack, the Assad regime directly came to an agreement with Jaish al Islam for the evacuation of their fighters and families. In Syria’s east, Daesh militants have started offensives again as they have attacked Assad regime forces and Shia militias over the past two weeks. These Daesh militants have captured an oil-well to the east of Deir ez Zor and attacked Assad regime forces overnight along the Damascus-Baghdad highway. In Ankara the “Turkey-Russia-Iran Trilateral Summit” was held where president Erdoğan, Russian president Putin and Iranian president Rouhani met. As part of the Astana process, in Idlib, the construction of observation posts continues. Last week, the TAF constructed a new observation post in Hama’s north, in the town of Morek as part of this Astana process.