[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Inside Syria
US-led airstrikes 'kill 52 civilians in northern Syria' Syrian civilians suffer as coalition strikes continue to take the lives of many, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Syria's political and armed opposition agree on five points The Syrian National Coalition discusses political, military and assistance affairs of the Syrian revolution. Most importantly, they point out that a solution in Syria is futile without deposing of the Assad regime.
An eroding Syrian Army points to strain Four years ago, Syria’s army was a larger and more centralized force. Today, the forces are started to resemble a combination of insurgents and pro-government militia members.
Syria army cuts key rebel supply route from Jordan Regime forces cut off a vital rebel supply route in southern Syria that opposition fighters used to transport weapons from Jordan, the army and an activist group said.
Radicalized Western mothers lead children into Islamic State Brenda Stoter reports that many Western women have joined the Islamic State, often bringing their children along with them to Syria, where they train and go to school.
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: أمّهات غربيّات متطرّفات يدفعن بأولادهنّ للانضمام إلى تنظيم الدولة الإسلاميّة
'In Syria there is no black and white,' says this Syrian filmmaker In his documentary film "The Cow Farm", Syrian filmmaker Ali Sheikh Khudr challenges the dichotomous narrative of the Syrian war. "Now in Syria there is no black and white, there is no evil and good," he says. He simply wants the different sides in Syria start listening to each other.
Syria faces decisive battles in north, south Edward Dark reports "Rebels are making gains in the south while government forces are closing on Aleppo city, and the outcomes of these battles may determine how final negotiations proceed".
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: سوريا تواجه معارك حاسمة في الشمال والجنوب
Monitor: US Strikes Have Killed Over 2,000 in Syria “Monitor group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has issued a report today on US airstrikes in the country, which began in September.They reported a total of 2,079 deaths in the US and coalition attacks.”
Escaping from Syria, Risking the "Caravan of Death" Ayn Aasan writes about the Syrian tragedy, “Escaping the horrors of war and in search of a better life, thousands of Syrians have risked death travelling via smuggling routes in a bid to flee the country.”
Syrian regime continues destruction of Aleppo Mohammed al-Khatieb reports from Aleppo that Airstrikes continue to pound the city, and despite mounting casualties and public discontent, the regime does not seem likely to budge.
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: حلب في مواجهة الإبادة
Syria as a Global Metaphor Yassin al-Haj Saleh provides an insight into how the Syrian Revolution revealed and challenged the concealed connection between three levels of under-representation of the Syrian population: with regards to their labour, their political participation, and the conceptual and aesthetic representation of their reality.
Abductions in Syria cause widespread fear Massoud Hamed reports that "The Islamic State and the Kurdish People's Protection Units have been carrying out kidnappings in Syria, both seemingly working toward the same goal: terrorizing those who do not support them."
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: الحراك الثوريّ وعمليّات الخطف الممنهجة ضدّهم في سوريا
Regional and International Perspectives
Is Bashar al-Assad finished, for real, this time, again? Joshua Landis and Fred Hof give their insight and start to wonder if rebel group advances are the tipping point, fundamentally weakening Assad.
ISIL seems to be losing appeal and here’s why The Islamic State is losing a degree of support to Syrian rebel coalition, according to Hassan Hassan.
Reports of Assad’s (pending) demise may be greatly exaggerated Lionel Beehner on the key factors that kept Assad in power, an analysis of Syria and its “strategic depth”, and how the Syrian war should be handled.
ANALYSIS: Syrian rebel successes in Idlib could be game changer Alex MacDonald on the victories of Syrian rebels in Idlib.
Exclusive: Pentagon admits anti-ISIS strikes killed civilians“Because of these political and strategic calculations, the care given to civilian avoiding and counting civilian casualties rests largely with the same forces conducting the operations.”
“If Israel gives up Assad, he’s finished” In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom in Paris, a key figure in the Free Syrian Army says, "If Israel decides to abandon Assad, he is finished. The Syrian people would not forget this gesture, The Free Syrian Army."
On Independence Day, moderate Syrian rebels send warm wishes “Along with warm words from world leaders on the occasion of its 67th year of independence, the Israeli government also received on Thursday a surprise letter of congratulations from an unexpected source.”
Armenian genocide: To continue to deny the truth of this mass human cruelty is close to a criminal lie Robert Fisk writes about the commemoration of 100th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide, “Armenians must surely now compile a list of the brave Turks who saved their lives during their people’s persecution.”
Six youths arrested in US for trying to travel to Syria to join Islamist militants “Authorities said a handful of Minnesota residents have gone to Syria to fight with militants within the last year. At least one has died while fighting for the Islamic State group.”
Syrian Blogger Stabbed in His Istanbul Home After Receiving Threats Online Syrian blogger and journalist Assad Hanna, who is also a Global Voices author, was attacked and stabbed four times in the stomach in his home in Istanbul, Turkey”
Exclusive: Pentagon Map Hides ISIS Gains Tim Mak analyzes the Pentagon Map which Hides ISIS Gains,“[t]he Pentagon’s map assessing the so-called Islamic State’s strength has only two categories: territory held by ISIS currently, and territory lost by ISIS since coalition airstrikes began in August 2014. The category that would illustrate American setbacks—where ISIS has actually gained territory since the coalition effort began—is not included.”
ISIS Replace Injured Leader Baghdadi With Former Physics Teacher Jack Moore writes about the recent reports that claim "the terror group's caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was seriously wounded in a U.S. coalition airstrike in western Iraq in March, leaving him with injuries which allegedly rendered him incapable of carrying out the day-to-day duties as caliph."
Isis militants embrace 'gay' men before 'stoning them to death in public' in Syria Heather Saul writes about the newly released pictures by ISIS that "show two allegedly homosexual men being embraced by militants before they were brutally stoned to death in public."
Angelina Jolie slams UN for Syria paralysis “Angelina Jolie's humanitarian reputation addressed the U.N. Security Council with an impassioned plea to do something, and quickly, about the civil war in Syria.”
Where the Islamic State Gets Its Weapons C. J. Chivers writes about the recent investigation by Conflict Armament Research in Syria, which led to the discovery of Chinese CQ, an M-16 knockoff that resembles its predecessor but has a starkly different arms-trafficking history.
The Syrian uprising – art in the diaspora Donatella Della Ratta writes about the crucial role of arts and culture in contributing to change in Syrian society even when political change is unlikely.
Stumbling Into a Wider War According to The New York Times, "some regional members of the anti-ISIS coalition of more than 60 nations, according to a report in The Times, are now pressing the administration to carry the fight to other terrorist groups that have declared themselves “provinces” of the Islamic State."
The Assad Regime: The Beginning of the End? Robert S. Ford, former U.S. ambassador to Syria, writes” The Assad regime still enjoys some military advantages and support from Iran and Russia, which helps to prolong the conflict. Yet some recent developments may in fact be indicators of the beginning of the end.”
Policy and Reports
"An army in all corners:" Assad's campaign strategy in Syria Christopher Kozak gives a detailed report on the current status quo trend in the Syrian Civil War and the Syrian Regime.
Statement on a Syrian Policy Framework According to the Crisis Group's report, "The Syrian conflict involves an array of destructive phenomena: the regime’s use of chemical weapons, ballistic missiles and barrel bombs against its own people; mass detention, torture and execution by state security services; collective punishment through starvation and indiscriminate shelling by both sides, on different scales; sectarian cleansing; suicide-bomb attacks; foreign volunteer fighters; warlordism and gangsterism; rape as a weapon of war; and, with the break-down of public services, epidemics."
U.N. Refugee Official Calls Situation in Syria and Iraq ‘Unsustainable’ Rick Gladstone reports about the tragedy of the Syrian refugees, "The war that has engulfed Syria and spread into Iraq has displaced 14 million people, including four million Syrian refugees scattered to neighboring countries, and it has created “host fatigue,” which has further aggravated the crisis, United Nations officials said Friday."
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: هل بدأت نهاية نظام الأسد؟...بقلم: روبرت فورد
Documentaries, Special Reports, and Other Media
A risky route from Syria to Europe A Syrian family and their journey to a find better life, away from the grief and despair of war.
Syrian Studies Association Bulletin The new Bulletin of the Syrian Studies Association, an international association created to promote research and scholarly understanding of Syria.
Chlorine gas attack reported in Syria A new horrific video shows a family with three small children suffering from a chlorine gas attack in Syria. CNN's Atika Shubert has the details.
Photo/Video Essay From Yarmouk Denouncing Syria UN Representative Claims: “Yarmouk is Empty” On the 25th of April 2015, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari claimed that Yarmouk’s population doesn’t exceed 1000 person following ISIS assault on the camp. Consequently, Yarmouk’s residents gathered today under the slogan: “We Are Here To Remain….In Yarmouk”, in order to convey a clear and sharp message to Jaafari, the Syrian government and any other party.
من ينقذ المعتقلين السوريين في سجن رومية في لبنان؟ In this audio interview at Radio Al-Kul, a Syrian woman shares her experience in organizing a sit-in front of Roumieh prison in Lebanon.
إنفوغرافيك: تعرّف على أعداد القتلى الصحفيين في سوريا This infographic portrays the numbers of journalists who were killed in the Syrian war.
مع "صادق جلال العظم" - الحلقة 1 - من انتاج "السوري الجديد" The first episode of a series of interviews, produced by New Syrian, with the Syrian philosopher Sadiq Jalal al-Azm in which he provides his insights into the Syrian conflict.
Arabic Links:
شباب الثورة والسلاح.. تحوّلات ومآلات Mohammad Dibo explores the issue of arming the Syrian uprising youth and argues that economic factor more than ideological factor plays a significant role in this matter.
حلّ «القاعدة»... انتصار للبغدادي أم تكتيك جديد للظواهري؟ Tariq Azizeh comments on the recent claims that Ayman Zawahiri “intends” to dissolve Al-Qaeda.
The English version of this article can be found here: Al-Qaeda breakup: has Baghdadi won, or is Zawahiri changing tack?
زهران علوش في تركيا: أين رزان وسميرة ووائل وناظم؟ Ziad Majed comments on Zahran Alloush's, the commander of Jaysh al-Islam, visit to Turkey and urges actions against him due to the case of kidnapping Razan Zaitouneh, Wael Hamadeh, Samira Khalil and Nazem Hammadi.
تداعيات الأزمة السورية تكشف حجم الخراب وتنبئ بالأسوأ Ammar Daioub explores the repercussions of the Syrian crisis in light of a new report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research.
عن ثورة لم تَعُد كذلك.. وعن الجيش Thaer A. Deeb provides an insight into the how the Syrian revolution has transformed from a peaceful movement into a destructive war and he emphasizes the necessity restructuring the army.
روزنة ودولتي تطلقان مشروع "إنفوغرافيك سوريا" Rozana radio and Dawlaty project launched a new project "Infographic Syria," that highlights main events in Syria's modern history.
ثمة من يحبنا في بيروت ... ثلاثة أيام سورية في لبنا Hanady El Khatib shares the story of her recent visit to Beirut and comments on the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon and highlights the solidarity of some Lebanese with the refugee.
مستقبل السويداء إن تحرّرت درعا This article explores the future of As-Suwayda if the Syrian opposition liberated Dar’a.
ماذا يريد السوريون؟ Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj shares his perspective about what the Syrian people want from the "future" state.
هيثم حقي: "وجوه وأماكن" عن وجع سورية وأملها Basmah El Khatib interviews Haitham Hakki about his new TV series "Faces and Places."
الشعب السوري غائباً ومفهوماً حاضراً Mohammad Dibo analyzes the concept of the "Syrian people" as it relates to Syrian modern national identity.
قوانين دولة الخلافة تتحكم بمصير المرضى Hussam Al-Jaber demonstrates the ways in which ISIS laws negatively affects the lives, health and well-being of Syrians.
مناهج كفرنبل التربوية صورة عن تعدد السلطات Hadia Mansour highlights the current situation of educational curriculum in Kafr Nabl.
الانتقال السياسي في سوريا ومسألة الطائفية Ammar Daioub explores how the sectarian issue can be tackled in time of political transition in Syria.
إلا اتفاق الطائف! Mohammad Dibo warns from a peace agreement in Syria similar to the Taif Agreement in Lebanon.
طائرة الجثامين الصباحية Mohammad Darious writes about the flights of death that return from the frontlines carrying dozens of corpses of the Syrian soldiers in coffins.
خاطف النشطاء المدنيين مستعرضاً جنده مقابل قصر الشعب Hazem al-Amin criticized the commander of Jaysh al-Islam, Zahran Alloush, who attended a military parade through the Eastern Ghouta area on the outskirts of Damascus.