August Sleeper Cell Report – unrest in Deir ez-Zor takes headlines.

,
Deir ez-Zor Military Council leaders in al-Kasra town, Deir ez-Zor. Key Points 22 confirmed ISIS sleeper cell attacks occurred in NES; more than double that of July. 10 military personnel were killed, 14 military personnel were injured,…

Explainer: Deir ez-Zor

  Abu Khawla, leader of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council. On the 27th of August, with the advent of a "Security Enhancement Operation" in the Deir ez-Zor area, reportedly targeting ISIS sleeper cells and drug dealers, the Syrian Democratic…

July Sleeper Cell Report – ISIS Psychological Warfare Remains Strong in Deir ez-Zor, UN Joins Calls for Repatriation

,
Children of ISIS during training. Screen capture from a video report of YPJ Information which includes footage collected from foreign women affiliated with ISIS. Key Points: 10 confirmed ISIS sleeper cell attacks in July, a decrease…

Environmental leaders in North and East Syria – interviews with Jazira Canton Municipality and ‘Keziyen Kesk’ organization

,
In the face of an array of ecological challenges, a range of actors in NES have been working to cultivate an “environmentally minded population”. RIC spoke with Berivan Omer, a member of Jazira region’s leadership board and the women’s…

After the Earthquake: Impacts of the Natural Disaster Within War-Torn AANES Territories

, , , ,
The earthquake that hit the regions of southern Turkey and north-west Syria in the early morning of February 6th 2023 with a magnitude of 7.8 was the strongest in the region since 1939. The epicenter was the city of Pazarcık, Turkey. While…

June Sleeper Cell Report – Trials of Foreign ISIS Fighters to Commence Amid Repatriation Woes, US Soldier Pleads Guilty to Aiding ISIS

,
A Danish delegation meets with the Autonomous Administration to repatriate a woman and two children from Roj Camp, June 22. (Photo: AANES) Key Points: 24 sleeper cell attacks in June, an 85% increase from 13 in May  11 military…

When Jihadism Learns to Smile: HTS’ Evolution and its Current Presence in North and Northwestern Syria

, ,
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has spent the last year branching out from its Idlib stronghold to plant itself within SNA-held northern Syria. As it expands politically and militarily into northern Syria, HTS - a designated terrorist organization…

May Sleeper Cell Report – Turkish Strikes Weaken Security of Al-Hol Camp, ISIS Cells Expand Extortion Efforts

Weapons, equipment, and documents captured from an ISIS cell during an SDF raid in al-Dashisha, Heseke region. (Photo: SDF Press) Key Points: 13 confirmed sleeper cell attacks across NES in May, a decrease from 20 in April One military…

Elections opportunity for Kurdish-Turkish de-escalation – US think tank

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The upcoming Turkish elections on May 14, especially if they yield an opposition victory, will be “a rare opportunity” for the US to broker a Turkish-Kurdish peace, argues a new report by the New Lines Institute,…

Overcoming the Siege: Shehba Region Beyond the Refugee Camps

, ,
Shehba region is another example of the absence of a solution for the Syrian Civil War, and the consequences that this entails. The limbo in which the region finds itself is the result of the development of the war, but also of the aspirations…