Hidden Battlefields: Rehabilitating ISIS Affiliates and Building a Democratic Culture in Their Former Territories

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You can download the full report here. A “general amnesty” for all Syrian nationals held in Hol Camp was recently announced by the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political authority representing the autonomous regions…

Fox News – ISIS sleeper cell attacks in Syria reach record low, data shows

November marked the lowest number of ISIS attacks in 18 months

GIWPS – How COVID-19 Underscores the Urgent Need to Repatriate Women and Children from Northeast Syria Camps

Original Article by Agathe Christien, Emma Jouenne and Elena Scott-Kakures, Georgetown GIWPS, 09 December, 2020 It has become urgent to repatriate women and children from Northeast Syria camps as COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in Syria. Following…

Persecution – Report: Turkey – Challenges facing Christians 2016-2020

Original Report by International Christian Concern, Persecution, 07 December, 2020 From the Introduction: “TURKEY: Challenges Facing Christians 2016-2020 reviews the period between 2016 – 2020. It analyzes how the dynamics…

Report: ISIS sleeper-cell attacks reach record low despite mass releases, multiple Hol Camp fatalities

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Releases from Hol Camp have not led to more sleeper cell attacks, though the camp itself is still a flashpoint Key Points - November 2020 saw the lowest number of sleeper-cell attacks since records began since ISIS' territorial defeat…

Sheikh Maqsud Council member: “You cannot separate Sheikh Maqsud from Aleppo. We have to cooperate.”

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Sheikh Maqsud is a unique enclave within Aleppo, one of the oldest and most populous cities in Syria. Aleppo is under Syrian Government control, but the majority-Kurdish Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiya neighborhoods retain autonomy and ties to…

US Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn: US “ready to use sanctions” to prevent Turkish attack on NES

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Mr. Rayburn has just replaced James Jeffrey as the US Special Envoy for Syria following Mr. Jeffrey's retirement Rojava Information Center put questions to the U.S. State Department’s incoming Special Envoy for Syria, Joel Rayburn, during…

Update: Coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria – November 2020

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Our latest monthly report on the coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria finds: • New quarantine in place across North and East Syria (NES) as coronavirus cases continue to rise• NES faces worst economic hardship in Syria as a…

Translation: Reforms announced in response to Syrian Democratic Council public consultations

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The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) this year held 13 public consultations across all the contiguous regions of North and East Syria (NES). Along with ordinary civilians then Kurdish and Arabic opposition groups, Arab tribal representatives,…

Report: ISIS sleeper-cell attacks down, Hol Camp and Deir-ez-Zor remain flashpoints

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An Iraqi IDP caught in the crossfire during an attempted ISIS shooting in Hol Camp, November 2020 (Picture credit: NPA) Key Points Overall attacks decreased 11% (51, 45) in October, with 69% of those attacks taking place in Deir-ez-Zor…