Field Report [23-29April 2018]

 23 April 2018

1. In clashes between regime forces and its allied militias with Daesh and rebel groups in southern Damascus, 18 deaths have been reported among regime forces and its allied militias.
2. The regime has bombarded rebel-held territories in northern Homs.
3. The Assad regime’s air force has targeted Idlib’s Khan Sheikhoun and its surroundings.
4. Phosphor bombs are said to have been used in an attack on northern Hama’s Kafr Zita town

24 April 2018

5. In the district of Hajr Aswad in southern Damascus, mortar strikes by Daesh has led to 5 deaths and 22 wounded in Damascus city.
6. Jaish al Islam commander major Abu Jamal Said Nekrash has been reportedly arrested by HTS in Darya.
7. The offensive started by the Assad regime and its allied forces to the northeast of Homs was repelled by rebel fighters who killed and captured many regime forces as a result.
8. After the evacuations in Eastern Qalamoun, Assad regime forces raised the regime flag in Jayroud’s center after entering the town.

25 April 2018

9. In a conference for humanitarian aid held in Brussels for civilians affected by the Syrian conflict, 4.4 billion dollars was raised.
10. In Humeimim, the Russian airbase, air defense systems have shot down an unspecified number of drones.
11. Prominent members of the opposition body Syrian National Coalition (SNC) Khalid Khoja, George Sabra and Suhir Atasi have resigned from their posts.
12. In southern Aleppo, HTS and Hezbollah have executed a hostage exchange deal.

26 April 2018

13. Bashar Assad’s brother Maher Assad has been appointed as the commander of the Syrian Arab Army’s 4. Legion.
14. In southern Damascus’ Hajer Aswad district, regime forces and its allied militias continue to clash with Daesh militants.
15. French Special Forces have arrived at Rumaylan military base in eastern Syria.
16. Opposition fighters have shot down a drone belonging to the Assad regime in northern Latakia.

 27 April 2018

17. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and the US’ new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have met for the first time, announcing they would move together on the issue of Manbij.
18. In Yarmouk Camp, to the south of Damascus, bombardment by Assad regime forces has led to the deaths of 17 civilians, among whom 7 children.
19. In Idlib in the last 24 hours, a total of 16 assassinations which target opposition figures have been reported.
20. A prominent religious scholar Abdullah Al Muhaysini has been reported to have been the target of an assassination attempt.

28 April 2018

21. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and the Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu proclaimed that their meeting was important because it would lay the groundwork for new steps taken for the solution of the conflict.
22. Assad regime forces and its allied militias have continued their assault on the district of Hajer Aswad in southern Damascus which is held by Daesh.
23. Wounded evacuees from southern Damascus have reached the territory of Euphrates Shield.
24. A hostage exchange deal has been carried out between HTS and Jabhat Tahrir Suriyah.

29 April 2018

25. Near Hama, overnight, attacks have targeted the Assad regime and the Iranian Republican Guard’s brigade. Severe explosions were reported which led to dozens of dead and wounded.
26. To the east of Deir ez Zor, the International Coalition-backed SDF/YPG forces have repelled an assault by the Assad regime.
27. In a bombardment by the Assad regime in northern Homs on the opposition-controlled territory, a hospital was severely damaged.
28. HTS has announced it has arrested two activist journalists in Jisr es Shughour

In the last weeks, various fronts in Syria have seen a continuation of low level clashes, while the Assad regime forces and its allied militias continue their assault on Yarmouk Camp, to the south of Damascus, which is split territorially between Daesh and HTS. The regime’s assault on the opposition-controlled territory in northern Homs continues as well. On the 25th of April, the regime has consolidated control over northern Damascus, with Eastern Qalamoun in particular, while it seeks to do the same in southern Damascus and northern Homs. The regime will in the coming weeks seek to enforce the same evacuation deals in both territories, as it has done before. Negotiations are continuing for these forced evacuation deals at both fronts. In Idlib, a significant rise in assassination attempts has been recorded, as last week more than twenty assassinations have been estimated to have occurred. In eastern Syria, despite the regime’s efforts, no change has occurred on the frontlines.