Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• Turkish Deputy PM Urges US to Help Avoid Face-Off Between Troops in Syria Sputnik 31 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag on Wednesday urged Washington to pursue efforts to avoid confrontations between the countries' troops within Ankara's military operation against US-backed Kurdish militia in the Syrian northern district of Afrin.
• Russia says hundreds, including civilians, killed in Turkish operation in Syria's Afrin Press TV 31 Jan 2018 -- Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says several hundred people, including civilians, have been killed during Turkey's military operation in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin.
• Kurdish militants shell Turkish town, kill 1: Report Press TV 31 Jan 2018 -- Turkish media say Kurdish militants have fired two rockets from the northern Syrian region of Afrin at a Turkish border town, killing a teenage girl and wounding another person.
• Syrian Congress of National Dialog: Final statement Press TV 31 Jan 2018 -- The following is the final statement of the Syrian Congress of National Dialog, which was hosted by Russia in the resort city of Sochi on January 29 and 30, 2018, with delegates from the Syrian government and opposition in attendance:
• Russian-Backed Syria Forces Up Pressure on Rebels' Last Province VOA 31 Jan 2018 -- Nearly 200 civilians have reportedly been killed in Syrian government airstrikes launched in the past 37 days as part an offensive to retake territory in the northwest province of Idlib, the last province in the war-torn country remaining in the hands of insurgents battling to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
• Turkey says 5 soldiers killed in Syria's Afrin as offensive continues Press TV 30 Jan 2018 -- Turkey's Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli says five Turkish soldiers and 24 allied militants from the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) have lost their lives in the ongoing cross-border offensive in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
• Five Turkish Servicemen Killed During Ankara's Op in Afrin - Defense Minister Sputnik 30 Jan 2018 -- A total of five Turkish troops have been killed since the start of Ankara's military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria's Afrin district, the country's Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said Tuesday.
• Turkey's General Staff Refutes Rumors of Using Napalm in Syria's Afrin Sputnik 30 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish armed forces are not using napalm, biological or chemical weapons during their operation in Syria's district of Afrin, the Turkish General Staff said Tuesday in a statement.
• Turkish Warplanes Reportedly Hit Targets in Iraq Amid Afrin Op Sputnik 30 Jan 2018 -- Baghdad has yet to comment on the information. The reported strikes take place days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Ankara aims to clear its borders from terrorists up until Iraq.
• Iran military advisory forces will leave Syria after terror fight success: Diplomat Press TV 30 Jan 2018 -- A senior Iranian official says Iranian military advisory forces entered Syria at the request of the Syrian government and will leave the Arab country after the success of the fight against terrorism.
• 8,500 Syrian refugees still held in Jordanian no-go camp: Aid groups Press TV 30 Jan 2018 -- International aid groups say about 8,500 Syrian refugees are still locked up behind barbed wire in a no-go section of Jordan's second-largest refugee camp.
• Russia's Sochi hosts final day of Syria talks Press TV 30 Jan 2018 -- Talks between the Syrian government and the opposition in the Russian resort city of Sochi enter their second and final day in the hope of paving the way for a peaceful settlement of the conflict gripping the Arab state.
• Syria targets Turkish military convoy with artillery fire: Reports Press TV 30 Jan 2018 -- Media reports have surfaced suggesting the Syrian army has targeted a Turkish military convoy traveling in the Arab country's northwest with artillery fire.
• Russia-Hosted Syria Conference Calls For 'Democratic' Path RFE/RL 30 Jan 2018 -- A conference in Russia aimed at helping resolve Syria's seven-year civil war concluded on January 30 with a final statement that endorsed the country's territorial integrity and called for self-determination through "democratic" elections.
• Relentless fighting in Syria continues to exact terrible toll on civilians, says UN deputy aid chief UN News 30 Jan 2018 -- Hostilities in Syria continues to drive hundreds of thousands from their homes and the number of displaced in the seemingly unending conflict continues to rise along with the suffering of affected communities, the United Nations deputy humanitarian chief said Tuesday, calling on all parties to ensure the safety and protection of civilians caught up in the violence.
• Parties at Syria Talks Agree to Establish a Constitutional Committee VOA 30 Jan 2018 -- The U.N. Special Envoy on Syria says participants at peace talks in Sochi, Russia, have agreed to establish a committee that will draft the country's new constitution.
• US has no plan to withdraw troops from Syria's Manbij: General Press TV 29 Jan 2018 -- The United States has no plans to pull out troops stationed near the town of Manbij in northern Syria despite warnings from Turkey to remove its forces immediately.
• Syria peace effort on track as delegates gather in Sochi Press TV 29 Jan 2018 -- A new round of peace talks between the Syrian government and the opposition aimed at solving the country's crisis begins in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday.
• Sochi Conference On Syria Opens Despite Opposition Boycott RFE/RL 29 Jan 2018 -- Delegates have gathered in the southern Russian city of Sochi for a two-day conference aimed at helping resolve the seven-year civil war in Syria, but the main groups opposing the Syrian government are boycotting the event.
• Russian MoD Urges Damascus to Hold Talks With Opposition in Eastern Ghouta Sputnik 29 Jan 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has called on Damascus to hold direct talks with the opposition in Eastern Ghouta on the evacuation of the sick.
• US Has No Plan to Withdraw From Syrian Manbij, Despite Turkey's Warning Sputnik 29 Jan 2018 -- After launching its Olive Branch operation in Syria's Afrin, the Turkish authorities said that the operation was likely to expand towards the neighboring city of Manbij, where the US has some 2,000 of its military personnel deployed.
• Erdogan says Turkey to clear entire Syrian border of terrorists Press TV 28 Jan 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will "clean" its entire border with Syria as Ankara continues its operation against the Kurdish militants supported by the United States in the Arab country.
• Turkey's Syria operation damages ancient temple in Afrin Press TV 28 Jan 2018 -- An ancient temple has seriously been damaged in Syria's northwestern city of Afrin, where Turkey is leading an operation against US-backed Kurdish militants.
• Erdogan: Turkey Will Clean Its Entire Border With Syria From Terrorists Sputnik 28 Jan 2018 -- Turkey started a military operation dubbed Olive Branch in Syrian Afrin on January 20 to protect its borders from Kurdish militia, considered by Ankara as posing a terrorist threat to the country's security.
• Kurds Accuse Turks of Dropping Napalm VOA 28 Jan 2018 -- Kurdish officials say Turkish forces have been dropping napalm shells in what they describe as indiscriminate bombing of the countryside around Afrin, a Kurdish enclave that's taking the brunt of a Turkish offensive launched a week ago and called, inexplicably, Operation Olive Branch.
• Syria Kurds boycott Russia peace talks over Turkish incursion Press TV 28 Jan 2018 -- Syria's main Kurdish militant group has announced that it will boycott upcoming peace talks in Russia over a military incursion by Turkey into territories held by Kurds in northern Syria.
• Kurdish SDF Report of Turkish Airstrikes on Dam in Afrin Sputnik 28 Jan 2018 -- Since Turkey launched the "Olive Branch" military operation in Syrian Afrin on January 20, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) vowed to protect Kurdish people. One female YPJ fighter lost her life while blowing up a Turkish tank.
• Syria's Kurds Won't Take Part in Sochi Peace Talks Amid Turkish Op - Reports Sputnik 28 Jan 2018 -- The escalation between Turkey and Syrian Kurds broke through another threshold last week after Ankara had launched its Olive Branch operation in the Kurdish-majority Syrian town of Afrin.
• Top Fateh al-Sham militant cmdr. slain in Syria's Aleppo infighting Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- A high-ranking commander of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, has been killed in a fierce exchange of gunfire with a group of rival militants in Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo.
• Syria resolute in continuing anti-terror fight with help of Iran, Russia: Assad Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- President Bashar al-Assad has reiterated Syria's resolve to continue battling terrorism with the help of Iran and Russia, amid efforts for the peaceful settlement of the crisis in the Arab country.
• UN to send envoy to Syria peace talks in Russia's Sochi despite opposition boycott Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has decided to send his special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to an upcoming Syrian peace conference in Russia next week, a UN spokesman says.
• US needs to withdraw from Syria's Manbij region immediately, says Turkey Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says US military forces need to immediately withdraw from Syria's northern region of Manbij as Turkish troops are engaged in an operation in the Arab country's Afrin region against militants from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
• US promises Turkey to stop arming Kurds, again Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- Turkey says the United States has promised it for a second time to stop arming Syria-based Kurdish militants whom Ankara considers a threat to its security, as the American support for them risks pitting the two NATO members against one another.
• Peace proposal by US, Saudi Arabia 'not even worth the ink': Syria Press TV 27 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations and head of the government delegation to intra-Syrian peace talks has strongly rejected a proposal offered by some countries, including the US and Saudi Arabia, for the resolution of the Syrian crisis, saying the so-called peace plan is "not even worth the ink."
• Syrian Opposition Plans Boycott Of Russia's 'Peace Congress' RFE/RL 27 Jan 2018 -- United Nations Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura will attend a Russia-sponsored "peace congress" in Sochi next week, despite the main Syrian opposition group's refusal to participate in the meeting.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Urges Immediate US Withdrawal From Syria's Manbij Sputnik 27 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that the United States should take concrete steps to prove the end of support for Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), rather than rhetoric.
• McMaster Confirms to Turkey, US Not to Give Weapons to Kurds - Reports Sputnik 27 Jan 2018 -- Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin held phone talks with US National Security Adviser Herbert Raymond McMaster, during which McMaster confirmed that the US would not provide further weapons to Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Anadolu news agency reported Saturday.
• Syrian Kurdish YPG Reports Repelling Major Assault in Afrin Region Sputnik 27 Jan 2018 -- Syria's Kurdish militia YPG repelled a major offensive overnight by pro-Turkish Syrian rebels in the northwestern region of Afrin, killing dozens of fighters, the YPG command told Sputnik on Saturday.
• UN envoy for Syria to attend Russia-sponsored talks in Sochi UN News 27 Jan 2018 -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will send his Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to Sochi next week to attend the Russia-sponsored Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue, talks reportedly on a political solution towards ending the seven- year Syrian conflict.
• UN to Send Envoy to Russia-Sponsored Syria Talks VOA 27 Jan 2018 -- The United Nations says it will participate in the Russian-sponsored Syrian peace meeting at the Black Sea resort of Sochi next week now that some of its concerns have been allayed. The U.N. has just wrapped up two days of U.N.-mediated peace talks with Syrian government and opposition delegations in Vienna.
• Turkey: US to End Arms Supplies to Syrian Kurds VOA 27 Jan 2018 -- Turkey said Saturday that Washington has pledged to stop giving arms to YPG Kurdish forces in Syria, as Turkey's offensive against the U.S.-backed group there enters its eight day.
• OIR Officials Report Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq AFPS 26 Jan 2018 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between Jan. 19-25, conducting 60 strikes consisting of 93 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Erdogan: Syria offensive could expand as far as Iraq border Press TV 26 Jan 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey may extend its operation against the Afrin region in Syria to other cities as far east as the Iraqi border.
• Olive Branch Op: Battle to 'Continue Till Victorious End for the Turkish People' Sputnik 26 Jan 2018 -- Deputy of the Turkish ruling AKP party, Metin Kulunk, in an interview with Sputnik Turkey said that the operation in Manjib will continue until the complete destruction of the Kurdish YPG forces.
• Turkey Not to Limit Anti-Terrorist Op to Syria, Ready to Fight in Iraq - Ankara Sputnik 26 Jan 2018 -- Turkey is not going to limit its military operation to the Syrian Afrin region, and is ready to fight in Iraq, if necessary, in its effort to destroy terrorism, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.
• SDF Forces Claim 308 Turkish Soldiers Have Died During Olive Branch Op in Afrin Sputnik 26 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian Defense Forces' press service reported of 308 Turkish servicemen killed since the start of the Olive Branch operation in Afrin. This number contradicts Ankara's reports.
• Erdogan: Turkey's Battles to Continue Until No Terrorist is Left on Iraqi Border Sputnik 26 Jan 2018 -- Friday marks the seventh day of Turkey's third military operation in Syria, dubbed the Olive Branch. According to Turkish military, a total of "343 terrorists" have been neutralized in the course of the campaign.
• Hidden Forces: Israeli Ambassador Claims Iran has 82,000-Strong Army in Syria Sputnik 27 Jan 2018 -- On Tuesday, Israel's envoy to the UN Danny Danon said that Iran controls a force of 82,000 fighters in Syria: 60,000 Syrian troops; 10,000 Shiite militiamen from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan; 9,000 members of the Lebanese Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah; and 3,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
• Syrian Kurds call for Damascus help in face of Turkish operation Press TV 26 Jan 2018 -- Kurdish authorities in Syria's Afrin district have called on the Syrian government to send troops to help defend them from a Turkish incursion in line with protecting the country's sovereignty.
• US airstrikes kill 15 civilians in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr Press TV 25 Jan 2018 -- Fresh air raids conducted by the US have claimed the lives of 15 civilians, including seven women, in Syria's eastern Dayr al-Zawr Province.
• Turkey's Assault on Kurdish Fighters Concerns United States, Officials Say AFPS 25 Jan 2018 -- As Turkey continues its attack on Kurdish forces along the Syrian border town of Afrin, the Defense Department says the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is the common threat in the region, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White told reporters today.
• Pentagon calls Turkey's military action in Syria a 'distraction' Press TV 25 Jan 2018 -- The US military has called on Turkey to halt its military action in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin against Kurdish fighters and focus on combating Daesh terrorists.
• Erdogan Vows To Continue Syria Operation Despite Trump Warning RFE/RL 25 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish president has vowed to push forward with the cross-border operation against the Kurdish-run Afrin enclave in northern Syria that has raised concerns among many of Ankara's allies.
• Turkish Forces Have No Intention of Attacking Syrian Gov't Troops - Minister Sputnik 25 Jan 2018 -- As the sixth day of Ankara's Operation Olive Branch in Syria is drawing to a close, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu answered some journalists' questions, revealing the country's stance on official Damascus as well as the current state of the US-Turkey row over Washington's support for the Syrian Kurds.
• Ankara Believes Too Early to Discuss US Proposal on Security Zone in Syria Sputnik 25 Jan 2018 -- US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has proposed to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu the creation of a 30-km security zone in the north of Syria to avoid clashes between US and Turkish forces amid Olive Branch operation.
• Turkey Says Its Forces Neutralized Over 300 Terrorists in Syria's Afrin Sputnik 25 Jan 2018 -- Ankara's operation Olive Branch against Kurdish groups considered as terrorists by Turkey has entered its sixth day, with the Turkish prime minister stating that the offensive is aimed at protecting not only the country's borders, but also providing security for the whole Europe.
• US to Turkey: De-escalate Tensions in Northern Syria, Focus on Fighting Islamic State VOA 25 Jan 2018 -- The United States is urging Turkey to de-escalate tensions over its military operations in Syria and focus on the fight to defeat the Islamic State militants, amid a growing distrust between two NATO allies.
• Trump Urges Turkey to Limit Offensive in Northern Syria VOA 25 Jan 2018 -- President Donald Trump has urged Turkey to deescalate its military action in northern Syria to avoid a possible conflict between U.S. and Turkish forces.
• Ninth Syria Peace Talks start in Vienna IRNA 25 Jan 2018 -- The ninth round of Syria Peace Talks, hosted by the United nations and attended by the sides involved in the country's conflict, started in Vienna on Thursday.
• Russia: US seeks Syria breakup, not political resolution of crisis Press TV 25 Jan 2018 -- Russia has accused the US of not contributing to a political settlement of the Syria crisis but rather seeking to divide the war-torn Arab country.
• 'Last Hope' Syria Peace Talks End First Day In Vienna RFE/RL 25 Jan 2018 -- Negotiators met in Vienna on January 25 for the first of two days of UN-sponsored talks aimed at finding a political solution to Syria's nearly seven-year war.
• US Does Not Provide Weapons, Training to Kurds in Afrin Pocket - Pentagon Sputnik 25 Jan 2018 -- The United States does not provide any training or arms to the Kurds located in the Afrin area, Pentagon's Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. told reporters on Thursday.
• Kurdish-Run Afrin Urges Damascus to Deploy Troops Along Turkish Border - Reports Sputnik 25 Jan 2018 -- Earlier on Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Ankara doesn't plan to attack Syrian government forces during its military operation in the Afrin region, which is entering its sixth day.
• Trump urges Erdogan not to 'risk conflict' with US forces in Syria Press TV 24 Jan 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has cautioned his Turkish counterpart to avoid any measures in Syria that "might risk conflict" between the two countries.
• Turkey says will foil border 'games' as offensive against Syria continues Press TV 24 Jan 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will "thwart games" along its borders, starting with the northwestern Syrian city of Manbij, as Ankara presses ahead with its operation against US-backed Kurdish militants in the war-torn Arab country.
• Casualties Mount on Day Five of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in North Syria Sputnik 24 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish intervention into Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces-controlled areas in Afrin, northwest Syria has intensified, entering its fifth day on Wednesday. Sputnik offers a summary of the day's most important military reports and political and diplomatic announcements.
• Turkish Military Hits 47 Targets in Syria's Afrin - General Staff Sputnik 24 Jan 2018 -- Turkey is not going to limit its military operation to the Syrian Afrin region, and is ready to fight in Iraq, if necessary, in its effort to destroy terrorism, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.
• Turkish Military Column Reportedly Enters Aleppo Province in Pursuit of Kurds Sputnik 24 Jan 2018 -- Earlier, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said that Ankara was going to "thwart games" along its borders amid the ongoing Olive Branch Operation.
• Over 650 Syrian civilians killed in US-led airstrikes in 40 months: SOHR Press TV 24 Jan 2018 -- A monitoring group says more than 600 children have lost their lives ever since the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group started its aerial assaults against residential areas across Syria back in September 2014.
• Russia Rejects U.S. Criticism On Syrian Chemical Weapons RFE/RL 24 Jan 2018 -- Russia has lashed out over a U.S. charge that Moscow bears responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and accused Washington of seeking to stymie efforts to end the war in the Middle Eastern country.
• Erdogan Calls On Trump to Stop Support of Kurdish Armed Groups in Syria Sputnik 24 Jan 2018 -- Trkish President and his US counterpart have discussed the situation in Syria's Afrin, where Ankara is currently conducting a military operation.
• SDF Says it Killed Tens of Turkish Troops, Allied Rebels Since Start of Afrin Op Sputnik 24 Jan 2018 -- After the Turkish General Staff announced on Saturday the launch of the operation in Afrin against the PKK and the YPG on Saturday, the SDF expressed readiness to "defend ourselves and our people."
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 23 Jan 2018 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.
• Coalition Precision Strikes Kill Scores of ISIS Terrorists in Syria AFPS 23 Jan 2018 -- Precision strikes killed an estimated 145-150 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorists near Shafah, Syria, Jan. 20, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Syrian Army Reportedly Repels Nusra Attack in Northwestern Province Sputnik 23 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian army and its allied units on Tuesday repelled an attack by the Jabhat Fatal al Sham terror group (formerly known as Nusra Front) in the northwestern province of Latakia, local media reported, citing a military source.
• Kurds Say Drive FSA Forces Out of Syria's Village Bordering Turkey Sputnik 23 Jan 2018 -- The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) pushed the forces of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army from a settlement located close to the village of Bulbul in northern Syria near the Turkish border, the YPG spokesman in Afrin told Sputnik on Tuesday.
• New Batch of US-backed Forces Finish Border Training in Northern Syria VOA 22 Jan 2018 -- The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria concluded a training course for 500 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces this week. The goal is to prepare them to protect their borders after the removal of IS in northern Syria.
• Iran closely monitoring Turkey's operation in Syria's Afrin ISNA 22 Jan 2018 -- Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says the country is concerned about and closely watching Turkey's ongoing operation in Syria's Afrin, and hopes that the operation would be immediately terminated so as to prevent the deepening of crisis in northern Syria.
• EU's Mogherini 'extremely worried' about Turkish offensive in Syria Press TV 22 Jan 2018 -- The European Union foreign policy chief has expressed grave concern about Turkey's military operation against Kurdish militants in northern Syria, saying she would seek urgent talks with officials in Ankara.
• Turkey in agreement with Russia over operations in Syria's Afrin: Erdogan Press TV 22 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey has reached an agreement with Russia over Ankara's latest military operation against US-backed Kurdish militants in northern Syria, vowing that his country would not retreat a step from the ongoing operation.
• Turkey 'Won't Step Back' From Syria Operation RFE/RL 22 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed there will be no stepping back in its operation against a Kurdish-run enclave in northern Syria that has stoked concern among Ankara's allies.
• UN Security Council Sets Session On Turkey's Operation In Syria RFE/RL 22 Jan 2018 -- The United Nations Security Council is set to discuss the humanitarian situation in Syria's Afrin region after Turkish troops and warplanes led a military operation in the Kurdish-run enclave.
• EU's Mogherini 'Extremely Worried' About Turkish Op in Syria's Afrin Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- Ankara has been conducting Operation Olive Branch in Afrin since Saturday in order to bring security along the Turkish borders under control.
• Turkey's New Syrian Offensive Divides Global Community Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- The recently launched Turkish military operation against Kurdish militia forces entrenched in the Afrin district of Syria has already left dozens killed and wounded on both sides, according to various sources. The global community is looking upon the new crisis from a number of different perspectives.
• Turkish Army Launches Operation in Syria's Azaz to the East of Afrin - Reports Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- On Saturday, the Turkish leadership announced a military campaign in Syrian Kurdish-controlled Afrin, with the operation on the ground starting the following day.
• Iran Calls on Turkey to Immediately End Olive Branch Operation Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- At least nine people, including six civilians were killed as a result of the Turkish airstrikes carried out on Saturday under the military operation in Syria's northwestern Afrin district, a source in Afrin's local authorities told Sputnik on Sunday.
• Turkey Steps Up Offensive Against Syrian Kurdish Militia VOA 22 Jan 2018 -- Turkish forces shelled northern Syria on Monday, pressing a campaign to push Kurdish militia out of the Afrin area, while officials said the operation will be over quickly.
• Civilian Casualties Reported as Turkey Intensifies Operation Against Syrian Kurds VOA 22 Jan 2018 -- Turkey's military operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG), a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia, has entered its third day with reports of growing civilian casualties.
• Russia: US actions in Syria either provocative or ill-informed Press TV 22 Jan 2018 -- Russia has slammed US actions in Syria that "encourage separatist sentiments among Kurds" as either a provocation or ill-informed after Turkey launched a major operation against US-backed militants in the Arab country.
• US-Backed SDF Considering Sending Reinforcements to Afrin Amid Turkish Op Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- On Saturday, the Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the United States, issued a statement expressing readiness to defend themselves and the Kurdish people against the Turkish military operation.
• Rocket Hits Turkish Camp Where FSA Troops Located, 12 Injured - Reports Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows attackers to pay a heavy price as missile hits Turkish camp.
• Syrian Kurds Force Turkish Army to Retreat From its Territory - Representative Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- During the fighting, the Syrian Kurds forced Turkish troops and Ankara-backed rebels to retreat from their territory, representative of the Syrian Kurdistan in Moscow, Rodi Osman, told RIA Novosti.
• Syrian Troops Start Op to Eliminate Nusra Front Militants in Idlib - Russian MoD Sputnik 22 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government troops and local militia units have started the operation to eliminate al-Nusra Front terrorists, who have been surrounded in the eastern part of Idlib province, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
• Erdogan vows Turkish troops will crush YPG Kurdish militants in northern Syria Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that his troops would crush the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria, saying the militant group could not rely on Washington's support to defeat the Anatolian country.
• Iran calls for immediate cessation of Turkey's operations in Syria Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Iran says it is closely monitoring Turkish military assault on Syria's northwestern region of Afrin, calling for the swift cessation of the operation in the Arab country.
• France urges Turkey to stop war in Syria, calls for UNSC meeting on 'humanitarian risks' Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- France has strongly urged Turkey to end its major offensive in Syria and called for a UN Security Council meeting to be held on the "humanitarian risks" of the new military intervention in the war-torn country.
• Turkey continues Syria offensive, hits 150 targets in Afrin Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkey pushes ahead with its operation against US-backed Kurdish militants based in Afrin, saying its forces have crossed into the northwestern Syrian city and hit over 150 Kurdish militant targets so far.
• Turkish City Reyhanli Hit by Rocket Attack From Afrin: 1 Killed, 32 Wounded Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish city of Reyhanli was reportedly hit by a rocket fire from the territory of Syrian Afrin on Sunday, killing one and injuring 32 people.
• Iran, Egypt Calls for End of Turkish 'Disruptive' Offensive in Syria Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Iran has called on Turkey to end its offensive in Syria's Afrin as it may help terrorists in the region, state news agency IRNA reported Sunday.
• Erdogan Vows to Eliminate PKK, YPG, PYD, Urges US to Refrain From Provocations Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has addressed the United States, blaming them for supporting the Kurdish militia in Syria.
• Erdogan: Turkey to Quickly Conclude Op in Syria as Terrorists Already Fleeing Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has commented on the progress of the country's ongoing military operation dubbed Olive Branch in the Syrian city of Afrin.
• Situation on Turkish-Syrian Border on Second Day of Ankara's Military Operation Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish General Staff announced the launch of the military offensive dubbed Olive Branch in Syria's city of Afrin on January 20. Meanwhile, Ankara started a ground operation in the area at 11:05 local time [08:05 GMT] on Sunday.
• Turkey to Create 30-Km Security Zone in Syria, PM Confirms Start of Ground Op Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has confirmed the beginning of a ground operation in Syria's Afrin, the NTV broadcaster said Sunday.
• Turkish Military Enters Syrian Afrin For Ground Operation - Reports Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish tanks and military personnel have entered Syrian territory amid preparations for the ground operation in Syrian northern district of Afrin, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported on Sunday.
• Olive Branch: Turkey Preparing Ground Offensive Against YPG in Syria - Reports Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish tanks have reportedly reached the outskirts of the Syrian town of Azaz and are moving toward the Kurdish stronghold of Afrin, Bloomberg reported, citing local media outlets and its sources.
• Mattis: Turkey Alerted US Before Striking Kurds in Syria VOA 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkey alerted the United States before striking a U.S.-allied Kurdish militia in northern Syria, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
• Turkey Steps Up Offensive Against Syrian Kurdish Militia Amid Growing Diplomatic Pressure VOA 21 Jan 2018 -- Turkish land forces have advanced into Syria trying to push a Kurdish militia out of the Afrin area. Over 40 targets were hit by Turkish jets and artillery, and there are reports of civilian casualities.
• Syrian FM: US persisting Syria intervention IRNA 21 Jan 2018 -- Despite significant developments in Syria, the US is still insisting on intervention in the country, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said.
• Iran underscores protecting Syria territorial integrity IRNA 21 Jan 2018 -- Iran emphasizes maintaining territorial integrity of Syria and respecting the national sovereignty of the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
• Syria forces totally liberate vital airbase in Idlib: Army Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Syria says it has totally liberated the strategic military airbase of Abu al-Duhur in the northwestern province of Idlib, wresting full control over the key airbase after flushing out militants from the area.
• Iran: Turkey operation must not harm Syria's sovereignty Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri says Turkish military operations in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin must not harm the Arab country's territorial integrity, independence and national sovereignty.
• Assad blasts Turkey's support for terror groups in Syria Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has condemned Turkish military operation in the country's northwestern region of Afrin, stating that the offensive is part of Ankara's support for Takfiri terrorist groups operating inside the conflict-plagued Arab country.
• Russia: US arms deliveries to Syria militants prompted Turkey's offensive Press TV 21 Jan 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has accused the US of fueling tensions in northern Syria by supplying arms to militant groups.
• US Unilateral Actions in Syria Provoked Turkey to Fury - Moscow Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has pointed to the United States' "destructive role in foreign affairs" in an interview with Russia's Kommersant newspaper.
• Turkish Op in Afrin is Part of Ankara's Strategy to Support Terrorists - Assad Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- According to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish offensive in Afrin is part of Ankara's strategy based on supporting terrorists.
• Syrian Army Retakes Abu Duhur Airfield Controlled by Militants Since 2015 - MoD Sputnik 21 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government troops have retaken the Abu Dhuhur airfield in Idlib province, which has been controlled by militants since September 2015, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.
• Manbij next, says Erdogan as Turkey warplanes bomb Syria's Afrin Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara plans to launch an operation against US-backed Kurdish militants in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as Turkish warplanes launch airstrikes on positions of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria.
• Turkey pounds US-backed forces in Syria for second day Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- Turkish troops have started a second day of military strikes against US-backed Kurdish militants in Syria.
• Turkish Air Strikes Target Kurdish Militia In Syria RFE/RL 20 Jan 2018 -- Turkey on January 20 launched a new ground and air operation against an enclave controlled by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in northwestern Syria, disregarding U.S. warnings that such a move could destabilize the region further.
• Turkey's Land Forces to Carry Out 'Necessary Activities' in Syria on Sunday - PM Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Prime Minsiter Binali Yildrim stated that nearly all targets had been destroyed with air strikes as part of the military operation in Syria's Afrin.
• Turkish Jets Hit Menagh Airbase Used by US to Supply Arms to Kurds - Reports Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- More than 70 Turkish military aircraft have been engaged in Ankara's Olive Branch operation in northern Syria against the Kurdish troop, according to Turkey' General Staff.
• Turkish Army Launches New Strikes on Syrian Kurds Day After Afrin Op Launched Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- The Turkish Armed Forces have launched news airstrikes on Kurds militia in Syria, the statement issued by the Turkish military said Saturday.
• Syria condemns Turkey's 'brutal aggression' on Kurdish enclave Afrin Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian government has condemned the "brutal Turkish aggression" against the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, rejecting Ankara's claim about having informed Damascus of the operation.
• Russia 'concerned' about Turkey's military operation in Syria, calls for restraint Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- Russia has voiced concern about a Turkish military operation in Syria's Kurdish-controlled Afrin region, calling on the sides to exercise restraint.
• Syria forces wrest control of airbase in Idlib, liberate villages in Idlib, Aleppo Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government troops have retaken full control of the strategic military airbase of Abu al-Duhur in the northwestern province of Idlib. They also managed to liberate several villages in Idlib and the northern province of Aleppo from the grips of terrorist outfits.
• Russian FM slams US efforts to create 'alternative authority' in Syria Press TV 20 Jan 2018 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has lashed out at the US for undermining the territorial integrity of Syria through efforts to form "alternative bodies of authority" across the Middle Eastern country.
• Damascus Resolutely Condemns Turkish Military Operation in Afrin Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- Earlier on Saturday, Ankara has officially kicked off a military operation codenamed "Olive Branch" against Kurdish forces in the Syrian city of Afrin, and claimed it had notified the Syrian government about it. The Syrian side has reportedly denied receiving any notification.
• SDF Announces Readiness to Defend Kurds From Turkish Offensive in Syrian Afrin Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- The Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the United States, on Saturday issued a statement expressing readiness to defend themselves and the Kurdish people against the Turkish military operation near the Syrian town of Afrin.
• Syrian Army Reportedly Regains Control of Airbase in Idlib Sputnik 20 Jan 2018 -- The base was lost to militants in 2015. Its capture means a significant achievement for the Syrian Army in its offensive in Idlib, which started in December.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 19 Jan 2018 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between Jan. 12 and Jan. 18, conducting 63 strikes consisting of 102 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• US Military Stationed 1,000 PYD Militants on Turkey-Syria Border - Reports Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- The US military reportedly deployed about 1,000 fighters of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the Syrian Tel-Abyad area on the Syrian-Turkish border.
• Afrin operation should start with no delay: Turkish defense chief Press TV 19 Jan 2018 -- Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli says no troops have gone into Syria's Kurdish-controlled Afrin region but the operation has started "de facto" with cross-border shelling.
• Turkey Launches Operation Against U.S.-Backed Kurdish Fighters In Syria RFE/RL 19 Jan 2018 -- Turkey's Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli says Turkey has begun a military operation against U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria's Afrin region.
• Turkey's Operation in Syria's Afrin Does Not Serve Its Interests - US State Dept Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- The reported military operation by Turkey in Syria's northern province of Afrin does not serve the interests of Ankara or the region, a senior US Department of State official told reporters on Friday.
• Turkish Army Shells Syrian YPG Positions - Reports Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- The shelling was reportedly carried out from the Turkey's Hatay province.
• Turkish-Backed Forces Cross Syrian Border as Afrin Op 'De Facto' Starts - Media Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has previously urged Turkey not to engage in any invasion of Syria's Afrin.
• US Warns Turkey Against Actions on Syrian Kurds Amid Afrin Tensions Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- While Turkey has been threatening with an operation against the Syrian Kurdish fighters, which are the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighting Daesh, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Turkey not to engage in any invasion of the Syrian city Afrin.
• US Criticizes Turkish Shelling of Kurdish-Held Syria Region VOA 19 Jan 2018 -- While the United States supports Turkey's concern about a safe and secure Turkish-Syrian border, military operations by Turkey into northeast Syria will not advance regional stability, the State Department said Friday.
• Why Is Turkey Threatening Incursion Into Kurdish Enclave in Northern Syria? VOA 19 Jan 2018 -- The border between Turkey and Syria recently has been the scene of major Turkish military buildup in preparation for what Turkish officials call an "imminent" assault on the northern Syria's Afrin region.
• Kurds in Syria's Afrin to Resist Turkey's Potential Attack - Kurdish Politician Sputnik 19 Jan 2018 -- The Kurds in Syria's northern district of Afrin would not allow the Turkish army to freely enter the city in case of a potential offensive by Ankara, Kurdish politician Reizan Hedu told Sputnik.
• Briefing on Syria US Dept. of State 19 Jan 2018 -- Special Briefing by Senior State Department Official
• Syria: UN rights officials decry 'devastating' impact of surging violence on civilians UN News 19 Jan 2018 -- Concerned over the devastating impact of escalating violence in Syria, where dozens of people in eastern Ghouta have been killed in recent airstrikes, and schools and hospitals are being deliberately destroyed, senior United Nations officials have underscored the obligation on all parties to the conflict, and the international community, to protect civilians from atrocity crimes.
• Syria air defense to destroy Turkish jets if they attack: Deputy FM Press TV 18 Jan 2018 -- Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad has warned Turkey against launching a military operation in the country's northwestern region of Afrin, stressing that Syrian air defense systems are prepared to repel such an attack.
• Syria slams US military presence as 'act of aggression' Press TV 18 Jan 2018 -- Syria has strongly condemned a US plan to maintain its military presence in the Arab country as interference in its internal affairs and a blatant violation of international law.
• Tillerson: U.S. Troops Staying In Syria To Counter Assad, Iran RFE/RL 18 Jan 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said that U.S. troops will remain in Syria indefinitely not just to fight militants but also to counter the power of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Iran.
• Syrian Air Defense Ready to Destroy Turkish Aviation if They Attack - Deputy FM Sputnik 18 Jan 2018 -- Turkey threatens to launch a military operation in Syria's Afrin amid reports that the country has been shelling the area.
• Food Shortages, Hunger Growing in War-Torn Syria, Says WFP VOA 18 Jan 2018 -- The World Food Program warns a growing number of civilians in war-torn Syria face food shortages at a time when many people are suffering from acute hunger.
• U.S. Continues to Train Local Security Forces in Syria DoD 17 Jan 2018 -- The U.S. continues to train local security forces in Syria. The training is designed to enhance security for displaced persons returning to their devastated communities. It is also essential so that ISIS cannot reemerge in liberated and ungoverned areas. This is not a new "army" or conventional "border guard" force.
• Planned military operation in Syria could expand beyond Afrin: Turkey FM Press TV 17 Jan 2018 -- Turkey says the military operation it plans to launch against US-backed Kurdish militants in the northwestern Syrian city of Afrin could expand to the nearby city of Manbij.
• Ankara to Take All Measures to Thwart US Plans for Syria Border Security Force Sputnik 17 Jan 2018 -- The National Security Council of Turkey stated that Ankara is going to take all necessary measures, preventing the creation of "US border security forces" in Syria.
• Turkey May Expand Syrian Operation to Manbij, East of Euphrates Amid YPG Worries Sputnik 17 Jan 2018 -- According to Turkish media reports on Tuesday, Turkey's possible offensive in Syria's northern Kurdish-controlled Afrin enclave is set to start with airstrikes on 149 targets of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
• Tillerson says US will keep open-ended military presence in Syria Press TV 17 Jan 2018 -- US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has announced that US military will remain in Syria indefinitely, spelled out a US plan to advance a political transition in the country, and also called for closer cooperation with Russia to avoid conflict in "de-escalation zones."
• 10,000 bodies buried in mass graves across Syria's Raqqah: Official Press TV 17 Jan 2018 -- A senior Syrian medical official says members of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group have executed 10,000 people and buried their bodies in mass graves across the country's northern city of Raqqah.
• Iran Joins Russia In Opposing U.S. Plan To Guard Syrian Border RFE/RL 17 Jan 2018 -- Iranian President Hassan Rohani has joined Russia, Syria, and Turkey in opposing a new 30,000-strong border guard force inside Syria that the United States says is needed to keep Islamic State extremists out of the country.
• Tillerson Signals Open-Ended U.S. Military Presence In Syria RFE/RL 17 Jan 2018 -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said that the U.S. military will remain in Syria for the foreseeable future to prevent the resurgence of the extremist group Islamic State (IS).
• Remarks on The Way Forward for the United States Regarding Syria US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2018 -- Remarks by Rex W. Tillerson, Secretary of State
• Intensified fighting across Syria having 'devastating' impact on civilians, warn UN agencies UN News 17 Jan 2018 -- Intensification in hostilities across Syria is having a "devastating" impact on civilians, United Nations agencies in the war-ravaged country said Wednesday, warning that the fighting is also severely limiting life-saving humanitarian operations.
• Department Of Defense Press Briefing By Brig. Gen. Glynn Via Teleconference From Baghdad, Iraq DoD 16 Jan 2018 -- Presenter: Brigadier General James F. Glynn, deputy commanding general, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve; Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway, Pentagon Spokesman
• Millions Liberated From 'Evil of ISIS,' OIR Official Says AFPS 16 Jan 2018 -- Coalition and Iraqi forces have liberated millions of people from the "evil of ISIS," with the efforts putting Iraq on a path toward greater security, an Operation Inherent Resolve official said today in Baghdad.
• Turkey sends armored vehicles to southern border with Syria: Sources Press TV 16 Jan 2018 -- Turkey has reportedly dispatched a convoy of over 40 military vehicles and tanks to the southern regions along the Syrian frontier amid growing Ankara-Washington tensions over a US plan to create a "border force" at Turkey's doorstep.
• Ankara to Prevent All Military Support to Syrian Kurds' YPG Militia Sputnik 16 Jan 2018 -- Ankara intends to prevent all military support to Syrian Kurds' People's Protection Units (YPG), which it considers an extension of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and urges NATO to treat all terrorist groups equally, Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, Gen. Hulusi Akar said.
• Turkey to Assault Syrian Afrin With Airstrikes on 149 Kurdish Targets - Reports Sputnik 16 Jan 2018 -- Turkey's possible offensive in Syria's northern Kurdish-controlled Afrin enclave will start with airstrikes on 149 targets of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), Turkish media reported on Tuesday.
• Erdogan Hopes to Continue Talks on Syria With Putin Rather Than Trump Sputnik 16 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that he was not planning to discuss the US intentions to create "border security forces" northern Syria with US President Donald Trump, but would maintain contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Turkish President Steps Up Threats on US-backed Militia in Syria VOA 16 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Erdogan on Tuesday stepped up threats to launch a cross-border operation against the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which the U.S. backs in the war against Islamic State militants. Ankara sees the YPG as a terrorist organization linked to an ongoing Kurdish insurgency in Turkey.
• Rouhani: New US plan plot against territorial integrity, security of Syria IRNA 16 Jan 2018 -- President Hassan Rouhani condemned presence of the US forces in Syria and said that the new plan of the US for Syria is contrary to the international regulations and is a plot for territorial integrity and security of Syria and the region.
• President in a meeting with Syrian Parliament Speaker: ISNA 16 Jan 2018 -- The president met with the Speaker of the People's Council of Syria Hammouda Youssef Sabbagh on Tuesday and emphasized that the two countries should boost efforts to develop and strengthen close, inclusive relations between Tehran and Damascus.
• US plan to set up new border force blatant interference in Syria's internal affairs: Iran ISNA 16 Jan 2018 -- Iranian foreign ministry spokesman emphasized on Tuesday that US' plan to set up a new border force in Syria is blatant interference in internal affairs of the Arab country and leads to escalation of the crisis.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 15 Jan 2018 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Turkish army to nip US-backed 'terror army' in northern Syria: Erdogan Press TV 15 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the United States over its support for the creation of a 30,000-strong “terror army” on the country’s southern borders with Syria, vowing to crush the force before it was even set up.
• Syria vows to end US presence; Russia, Turkey warn over 'border force' plan Press TV 15 Jan 2018 -- Damascus says it is determined to end US military presence after Washington declared plans to build a 30,000-member "border force" in the Arab country that Russia says could lead to Syria’s partition.
• Russia, Turkey Slam Plan For Kurdish-Led 'Terror Army' On Syrian Border RFE/RL 15 Jan 2018 -- Russia and Turkey have criticized the United States for helping an allied Kurdish-led militia set up a 30,000-strong border security force in Syria.
• Erdogan Vows to 'Strangle' Syrian Border Force Formed by US Sputnik 15 Jan 2018 -- Since the US confirmed training new force in northern Syria, tensions with Turkey have been running high, with Ankara accusing Washington of building a "terrorist army."
• US 'Playing With Fire' by Building 'Terrorist Army' in Syria - Turkish Deputy PM Sputnik 15 Jan 2018 -- The plans of the US-led coalition to form new "Border Defense Force" have sparked angry reaction from Turkey as Ankara has repeatedly accused the US of arming some of Syrian Kurds, which the Turkish side regards as terrorist groups.
• Syria Considers US Plan on Creating Border Security Force 'Blatant Aggression' Sputnik 15 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry has slammed Washington's intention to form a 30,000-strong force inside the country with the proclaimed goal of maintaining security along its borders.
• Russia May 'Undertake Measures' After US Decision on Border Force in Syria Sputnik 15 Jan 2018 -- Russia and its partners will undertake measures as a response to the US-led coalition's decision to create the so-called "Border Security Force" on the Syrian territory controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces militia, Chairman of the Defense Committee of Russia’s State Duma Vladimir Shamanov told Sputnik on Sunday.
• Turkish military to attack Syria's Kurd-held Afrin within next few days: Erdogan Press TV 14 Jan 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country's military forces will continue to fight terrorism on the southern borders with Syria, threatening to attack the Kurdish town of Afrin in the northwestern Syrian province of Aleppo "in the days ahead" to clear it of "terrorists."
• Erdogan Pledges to 'Purge Terrorism' in Kurdish Enclave in Northern Syria Sputnik 14 Jan 2018 -- The proposal to move into Afrin will follow Ankara's Operation Euphrates Shield completed in March 2017, which was aimed at eliminating Daesh terrorists in northern Syria as well as Syrian Kurdish militants considered as terror groups by Turkey.
• Turkish Forces Shell Syrian Kurds Targets in Northern Syria - Reports Sputnik 14 Jan 2018 -- Turkish security forces conducted shelling of Syria's northern Aleppo province targeting forces of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), local media reported.
• Syrian army, allies make fresh gains in southwestern Aleppo Press TV 14 Jan 2018 -- Syrian army forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have recorded more victories in battles against terrorists from the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, in the southern sector of the country's northwestern province of Aleppo, inflicting stinging blows to the extremists.
• US-led coalition intends to create large new border force in Syria: Report Press TV 14 Jan 2018 -- The so-called military coalition led by the United States in Syria is reportedly planning to set up a new large border force of up to 30,000 personnel with the aid of its militia allies in war-torn country, a move that will further infuriate Turkey, a NATO ally that is already angry over Washington's strong support for Kurdish-dominated forces in the Arab country.
• US-Led Coalition Goes Ahead With Training New Border Force in Syria - Reports Sputnik 14 Jan 2018 -- The plans of the coalition have fueled Ankara's resentment over US arming and supporting Kurdish forces in Syria and prompted Turkey to summon a US top diplomat.
• Syrian govt. forces, allies retake towns lost to militants in Aleppo Press TV 13 Jan 2018 -- Syrian army forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have managed to retake complete control over all the towns lost a day earlier to members of the Takfiri Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group in the country's northwestern province of Aleppo.
• Syria commanders accuse Turkey of masterminding militant attack Press TV 13 Jan 2018 -- Syrian field commanders say Turkey has helped Takfiri militants conduct an attack in the northwest this week to counter the government forces' advances.
• UN: Three-quarters of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Live Below Poverty Line VOA 13 Jan 2018 -- A survey by three leading U.N. agencies - the U.N. refugee agency, U.N. Children's Fund and World Food Program - finds that more than three-quarters of the more than 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon are living below the poverty line of less than $4 per day.
• Military Strikes Target ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 12 Jan 2018 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between Jan. 5 and Jan. 11, conducting 96 strikes consisting of 160 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• A-10s Bring Thunder to Fight Against ISIS AFPS 12 Jan 2018 -- The 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is wrapping up a deployment here that saw heavy involvement in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
• Syria commanders accuse Turkey of masterminding militant attack Press TV 12 Jan 2018 -- Syrian field commanders say Turkey has helped Takfiri militants conduct an attack in the northwest this week to counter the government forces' advances.
• Russian military eliminates militants behind Syria air base attack Press TV 12 Jan 2018 -- Russia says its artillery units have wiped out a group of foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists, who lobbed a barrage of mortar shells at the Russia-run Hmeimim air base in Syria's western coastal province of Latakia late last year.
• Unauthorized foreign presence on Syria soil unacceptable: Deputy FM Press TV 12 Jan 2018 -- Syria says the foreign forces who have made their way into the country and established bases there without the consent of Damascus are occupiers and should leave Syrian soil.
• Putin's envoy, Assad hold talks on terror fight, peace process in Damascus Press TV 12 Jan 2018 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's point man has met with Syrian President Assad for talks on counterterrorism fight and the Arab country's path towards peace and reconstruction.
• Syrian Deputy FM Urges US, Turkey to Withdraw Troops From Syria Sputnik 12 Jan 2018 -- The US and Turkey have deployed their troops in Syria without any mandate and have still refused to withdraw them, despite Damascus' warnings.
• Pentagon Officials Say Coalition Aims to Defeat ISIS' Brand AFPS 11 Jan 2018 -- The physical caliphate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is in pieces and operations against ISIS continue in the Euphrates River valley, but the ISIS "brand" remains to be defeated, Pentagon officials said here today.
• Military offensive in Idlib targeting terrorist groups: Syria Press TV 11 Jan 2018 -- Syria has defended its military offensive against militants in the northwestern province of Idlib, condemning France 'great ignorance' about what is happening in the militant-held region.
• Syrian forces liberate 23 towns, villages from terrorists in Idlib Press TV 11 Jan 2018 -- Syrian forces have regained control of 30 villages and towns from foreign-backed militants in the country's provinces of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo.
• US 'Not Involved' With Drone Attacks on Russian Bases in Syria - Pentagon Sputnik 11 Jan 2018 -- The United States was not involved in any way with the recent drone attacks on Russian bases in Syria, Joint Staff Director Kenneth McKenzie said during a press briefing on Thursday.
• In Damascus, UN aid chief outlines measures to improve response to Syrian crisis in 2018 UN News 11 Jan 2018 -- After seven years of bloody conflict, the Syrian war has wreaked a "colossal toll" on the country and its people, the United Nations relief chief said on Thursday from the capital, Damascus, where he outlined ways to sustain and improve humanitarian assistance and protection for everyone affected by the crisis this year.
• Turkey summons US charge d'affaires over YPG support in Syria Press TV 10 Jan 2018 -- Turkey has summoned the US charge d'affaires in Ankara over Washington's arming and training of Kurdish forces in Syria.
• US may have been involved in raids on Russia in Syria Press TV 10 Jan 2018 -- Russia says it detected an American spy aircraft circling in the skies between Russian bases in two Syrian cities during recent drone attacks on the facilities, implying that the United States may have been involved in the raids.
• Syrian Army Regains Control of Airbase in Idlib Province - Source Sputnik 10 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian government forces have regained control of the Abu Duhur airbase in Idlib province, a source at the scene told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
• Syria: UN rights chief condemns spike in civilian casualties in 'de-escalation' areas UN News 10 Jan 2018 -- The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday condemned an upsurge in civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta in Syria amid the recent escalation in airstrikes and ground-based attacks by Government forces and their allies, noting that at least 85 civilians have been killed since 31 December.
• Syrian Offensive Threatens Turkish Cooperation with Russia, Iran VOA 10 Jan 2018 -- Turkey on Wednesday assailed Russia and Iran for failing to stop the Syrian government's ongoing military offensive in Syria's rebel enclave of Idlib, threatening the prospects of Ankara's continued cooperation with Tehran and Moscow in the Syrian conflict.
• Turkey to continue military operation in northern Syria: Erdogan Press TV 09 Jan 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is to keep up its so-called Euphrates Shield military operation in northern Syria, which serves to keep Kurdish militants away from its borders.
• Turkey Will Continue Euphrates Shield Op in Syria's Afrin, Manbij - Erdogan Sputnik 09 Jan 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday during a parliamentary address to his party that Turkish the military will continue its Euphrates Shield operation in Syria's Afrin and Manbij regions.
• Russian troops remaining in Syria can fight terror attacks on bases: Kremlin Press TV 09 Jan 2018 -- Moscow says the number of Russian troops remaining in Syria following the collapse of Daesh is sufficient for defending its bases against any possible militant attack.
• 'Syrian army hits Israeli jet, intercepts missiles near Damascus' Press TV 09 Jan 2018 -- Syria's army says its air defense systems have hit an Israeli aircraft and intercepted a number of rockets fired at targets on Syrian soil as the Tel Aviv regime continues its acts of aggression against the Arab country.
• Russia Hints At U.S. Involvement In Drone Attack On Its Air Base, Naval Facility In Syria RFE/RL 09 Jan 2018 -- Russia has hinted at U.S. involvement in recent drone attacks against its air base and its naval facility in western Syria.
• Turkey Summons Russian, Iranian Envoys Over Syria Safe Zone Violation - Reports Sputnik 09 Jan 2018 -- Turkey has lodged a diplomatic protest over claims about attacks in Syria's Idlib safe zone by the Syrian army, Daily Sabah reports citing sources in Ankara's Foreign Ministry.
• Syrian Army Reports Israeli Missile Attack on Greater Damascus Sputnik 09 Jan 2018 -- According to Syria's state media, the Syrian Army reported that Israel had attacked targets near the war-torn nation's capital with jets and ground-to-ground missiles early on Tuesday, causing damage.
• As Syria war grinds on, Syrian refugees in Lebanon are becoming poorer, more vulnerable - UN UN News 09 Jan 2018 -- More than half the war-weary Syrian refugees in Lebanon are living in extreme poverty and borrowing money for food and to pay rent has become commonplace, the United Nations reported Tuesday.
• Pentagon Spokesman Details Progress in Defeating ISIS AFPS 08 Jan 2018 -- Coalition and partnered forces are building upon progress in Iraq and Syria to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the director of press operations at the Pentagon told reporters here today.
• Syrian army forces, allies inflict further losses on terrorists in Idlib Press TV 08 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have carried out fresh operations against foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists in the country's northwestern province of Idlib, inflicting substantial losses on them and liberating more areas.
• Syrian troops break militant siege on army base in Eastern Ghouta Press TV 08 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government forces have managed to break a siege imposed by the foreign-backed Takfiri militants on a strategic army base in Eastern Ghouta near the capital, Damascus.
• Russian military repels attack by militant drones in Syria: Moscow Press TV 08 Jan 2018 -- Russia says its troops have successfully repelled multiple drone attacks launched by militants on its naval and air bases in Syria.
• Russia Says 13 Drones Used In Attack On Its Air Base, Naval Facility In Syria RFE/RL 08 Jan 2018 -- Russia says 13 armed drones have recently been used to attack its air base and its naval facility in western Syria.
• Russian Military Prevents Drone Attack by Militants on Its Bases in Syria Sputnik 08 Jan 2018 -- Overnight on January 6, militants in Syria launched a massive attack against Russian military facilities, including the Tartus Naval base and Hmeimin airbase, with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
• Syria: 13 million people in desperate need as seventh war-torn winter sets in, UN warns UN News 08 Jan 2018 -- With millions of desperate people across Syria now facing their seventh winter of war, the United Nations warned on Tuesday that intensified military operations in the country's north are forcing families to flee, in the cold, to areas without enough resources to support them.
• Car bombing leaves over 20 people dead in Syria's Idlib Press TV 07 Jan 2018 -- Nearly two dozen people have been killed and scores of others injured when a powerful explosion ripped through a residential area in Syria's northwestern city of Idlib, where Syrian army forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, continue to gain ground against foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists.
• Jordan agrees to aid drop for stranded Syrians Press TV 07 Jan 2018 -- Jordan has agreed to a request by the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced Syrians stranded in harsh conditions near a border crossing between Jordan and Syria.
• Syrian army, allies recapture key militant stronghold in Idlib Press TV 07 Jan 2018 -- Syrian army forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have managed to regain control over a key stronghold of foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists in the country's northwestern province of Idlib as they are engaged in a major military offensive to break the siege on a strategic air base in the province.
• Car Bombs Rip Through Syria's Idlib, Killing Dozens Sputnik 07 Jan 2018 -- Dozens of people were killed and injured after terrorists had set off two car bombs in the Syrian province.
• Syrian Army Liberates Strategic Settlement of Sinjar in Idlib Province - Source Sputnik 07 Jan 2018 -- Syrian troops supported by allied forces liberated the settlement of Sinjar southeast of the Idlib province from the militants of the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as Nusra Front) terrorist group, outlawed in Russia, a well-informed source told Sputnik on Sunday.
• Syrian army soldiers, allied fighters score fresh gains in Idlib Press TV 06 Jan 2018 -- Syrian army soldiers, supported by pro-government fighters from popular defense groups, have made fresh territorial gains against terrorists from the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, in the southern part of the country's northwestern province of Idlib.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 05 Jan 2018 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between Dec. 29, 2017, and yesterday, conducting 58 strikes consisting of 84 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• US, coalition forces ready to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS in 2018 Army News 05 Jan 2018 -- Today, the 70 nations and four organizations that comprise the coalition that is dedicated to the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria reflect on progress made in 2017 and look forward to 2018, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported Monday.
• Defence Secretary praises UK efforts as RAF operations against Daesh continue UK MOD 05 Jan 2018 -- In a visit to Kuwait, Iraq and Cyprus, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson commended UK personnel deployed in the fight against Daesh.
• Syrian army makes significant advancements in Idlib: Observatory Press TV 05 Jan 2018 -- Syrian army forces have made significant advancements against Takfiri terrorists in the northwestern province of Idlib, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.
• Coalition Engineers Erect Steel Bridge in Syria AFPS 04 Jan 2018 -- A coalition team working with Syrian partners erected a steel bridge in only 16 hours Dec. 27 near the village of Hawi al-Hawa, west of Syria's Raqqa Province.
• Russia Says Two Soldiers Killed In Mortar Attack In Syria RFE/RL 04 Jan 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says two of its soldiers were killed in a mortar attack by antigovernment forces in Syria on New Year's Eve.
• Two Russian Servicemen Killed on Dec. 31 in Shelling of Hmeymim Base - MoD Sputnik 04 Jan 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has refuted media reports about the alleged destruction of seven Russian military aircraft by militants during an attack at the Hmeymim air base in Syria.
• Syrian Army Liberates Six Settlements in Hama Province - Source Sputnik 03 Jan 2018 -- Syrian government forces have liberated six settlements from militants of the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as Nusra Front) terrorist group, outlawed in Russia, in Hama province, a Syrian military source told Sputnik.
• UN aid wing sounds alarm on behalf of civilians caught up in rising violence in northern Syria UN News 03 Jan 2018 -- The United Nations humanitarian wing and its partners in Syria on Wednesday expressed deep concern about the protection and wellbeing of tens of thousands of civilians in north-eastern Hama and southern Idlib governorates, following increased hostilities, which have reportedly resulted in scores of deaths and injuries and displacement in the area.
• Russia confirms copter crash in Syria, cites technical fault Press TV 03 Jan 2018 -- Russia has confirmed that a Russian military helicopter earlier crashed in northwestern Syria, killing two pilots and injuring a technician.
• Syrian Army Completes Operation, Restores Control in Western Ghouta - Reports Sputnik 02 Jan 2018 -- The Syrian government forces have pushed terrorists from Western Ghouta, located in the southwestern part of Damascus countryside, and completed a military operation in the area, Sana news agency reported on Tuesday.
• Defeat-ISIS Coalition Reflects on 2017, Looks Forward to 2018 AFPS 01 Jan 2018 -- Today, the 70 nations and four organizations that comprise the coalition that's dedicated to the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria reflect on progress made in 2017 and look forward to 2018, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Syria's Assad replaces three key ministers in cabinet reshuffle Press TV 01 Jan 2018 -- Syrian President Basher al-Assad has partially reshuffled his cabinet by replacing three key ministers.
• Dozen civilians killed in new US-led strikes in eastern Syria Press TV 01 Jan 2018 -- A so-called monitoring group says at least a dozen civilians have lost their lives when the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group carried out a series of aerial assaults in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.
• Assad Reportedly Appoints Syria's Chief of General Staff as New Defense Minister Sputnik 01 Jan 2018 -- Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a decree on Monday appointing Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Arab Army Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub as the country's new defense minister, local media reported.