The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Russian intervention in Syria in 2019: thousands of airstrikes, 1178 dead, and tolerating ISIS in Al-Badia, while political deals make Moscow the ultimate winner.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

January 2020

A new year comes with no prospects for solutions to the Syrian war to save Syrians from the humanitarian catastrophe they are suffering, while the various parties of the conflict continue their violations against the Syrian people, without paying attention to the number of victims, which exceeded hundreds of thousands, not to mention the displaced, the refugees and the injured. With the end another year of the conflict, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the outcome of Russian interventions in Syria over the period between December 30, 2018 and December 30, 2019, as Moscow continued to be strongly involved in the Syrian crisis. At the same time, Moscow committed countless massacres against Syrian people, not to mention the political agreements that were concluded in favor of Assad’s regime, turning Russia into the ultimate winner of the year and perhaps the overall conflict.

On September 30, 2015, the Council of the Russian Federation granted Russian President Vladimir Putin the mandate to militarily engage in the Syria crisis. At that time, Putin announced that Russian intervention would be limited to airstrikes in order to defeat the “Islamic State” and other extremists in the legitimate war of the Syrian army against these groups, upon the request of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Russian forces immediately began launching air strikes on “Islamic State” positions, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, after which Russian forces launched series of strikes, raids and military and political aid to Assad’s regime, resulting in the Syrian regime to regain control of about 71.7% of the total Syrian territories it controlled only small parts of Syria. With 50 months of the Russian intervention in the Syrian war, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights continues to document and monitor the repercussions of Russia’s intervention and the development of political and military scenes over the past 4 years and two months since Moscow launched its first airstrikes in Syria.

Developments in 2019 eventually led Russia and regime forces to regain an area of 132,750.8 km2, equivalent to roughly 71.7% of the total Syrian territory, as the regime recovered these areas through Russian aid, whether militarily  or politically, and through the agreements Russia secured with Turkey through the “Astana” and “Sochi” talks.

Military operations, patrols, and supervision: Moscow, the ultimate winner and civilians the ultimate losers

Since December 30, 2018 to December 30, 2019, the Russian killing machine did not stop claiming the lives of thousands of civilians as a result of daily air strikes of Russian warplanes. Despite the relative calm that prevailed the Syrian airspace in September and October 2019 because of the reduction of Russian air strikes and the decrease in the number of casualties due to the Russian-Turkish agreements that halted military operations within the “Putin-Erdogan” de-escalation zone, the area saw further escalation during November, as more civilians were being killed daily at the hands of Russian forces under the pretext of “fighting terrorism”, not to mention the millions of Syrians who were internally and externally displaced because  of the Russia’s military operations.

According to SOHR statistics, the past twelve months witnessed the death of 439 civilians, of whom 245 were men, 81 women and 104 children; in addition to the death of 728 faction and jihadi fighters and 11 members of the “Islamic State”. with a tragic rising death toll, the number of people killed by Russia since the start of it military involvement has reached 19,274 people, including 8,427 civilians, of whom 5107 were men, 1280 women and 2,040 children; in addition to 5,603 jihadists and 5,244 members of the “Islamic State”.

The Russian killing machine that was launched in Syria in 2015 was not confined to air strikes and supporting regime forces in all traditional military methods, but rather, Russian forces resorted to using unconventional methods which are internationally forbidden. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored Russian warplanes using “Thermite”, which consists of aluminum powder and oxide Iron, and causes burns because it continues to ignite for about 180 seconds. According to SOHR eyewitness accounts, “Russian bombs were loaded with that material inside the bombs that Russian planes have dropped over Syrian territories. These type of bombs is cluster bombs (RBK-500 ZAB 2.5 SM) weighing about 500 kilograms, which are dropped from a military warplane, and it carries a small size (AO 2.5 RTM) anti-personnel and machinery bombs of 50-110 bombs stuffed with Thermite, which is fragmented when used in the bombing, so that the anti-personnel and machinery bomb range is 20-30 meters.”

Russia and regime forces regained 115 regions since April 2019

April 2019 marked a turning point for Idlib, with the start of the most violent escalation, regime forces managed to control at least 115 districts in two phases; the first 70 districts they regained with Russian land and air support during the period from last April until December 2019. On November 2019, regime forces also regained control of (Mushairefah, Zarzour and Umm al-Khalakhil, southeast of Idlib), while on August it controlled (Al-Khawain farms, Al-Zarzour, Al-Tammana and its farms, Skiyat, Tal Agbar, Al-Arba’een, Al-Zakkat, Al-Sakhr, Al-Jaysat, Al-Sayyad, Tal Al-Sayyad, Kafrzita Town, Al-Latamna, Al-Bawaida, Marakba, Lattam, Lahaya and Mork, Northern Hama countryside), in addition to (Khan Sheikhoun, Al-Sakek, Tal Skeik, Tare, Tal-Tare, Al-Habit, Abdeen, Mughr Al-Hamam, Mughr Al-Huntah, Kifrein, Tal Aas, Adayma, Al-Mirdam, Al-Mantar Farms, Kafridon and Al-Sibaghya, as well as several hills, farms and other points in the southern sector of Idlib’s countryside). As for the areas that they regained control from the end of April to the beginning of August, they are: (Al Qasabiya, Hamirat, Hardanah, Karoutia and Qaratah, in addition to Al-Madeek castle, Al-Karakat, Al-Twaina, Kafr Nabudah Al-Bana, Tal Othman, Al-Mitriha, Al-Shari’a, Bab Al-Taqah, Al-Jabriya, Tal Hawash, Al-Tawbah, Sheikh Idris, Al-Muhajireen, Al-Hamra, Al-Hawiz, Hasraya, Abu Raida, Al-Aziziyah and Al-Ray).

December 19, Russian and regime forces open the ‘gates of hell’ in Idlib

The second phase to regain control of 115 regions started on December 17th, when Russian and regime forces launched  their newest and most brutal military operation in Idlib ever Since then regime forces took control of 45 new areas: Umm Jalal, Umm al-Tuwainah, al-Khuraibah, al-Sha`irah, Baranan, Sahal, al-Farajah, Abu Bead, al-Raffa, al-Saraj, Harran, al-Sayyad, Tal al-Dam, Qatrah, al-Sheikh, al-Baraisah, al-Ali farms, al-Burj, al-Haraki, al-Munadhir, Tahtaya, al-Halbah, al-Qaraty, Qarastana, al-Ma`esruna, Sa`qiyya, al-Sarman, Abu Makki, Ma`rata, Fa’lol, al-Haditha, Abu Dafna, Taqanah, Jrzinaz, Almtrauh, khirbet Srouny, al-Bustan, Khirbet Arnaba, Museibth, Abu Shargi, samaka, and Jadidat Nawaf.

According to SOHR statistics, during the past year, regime forces lost 129 of their fighters and loyal militiamen, while 165 fighters were killed, of whom 33 were opposition faction’s fighters and the rest were jihadist fighters. Since the start of the escalation, in which regime ground artillery and Russian and Syria fighter jets and helicopters were used, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the death of 80 civilians of whom 18 were women and 14 children. Of the total civilian death toll (80),  37 civilians were killed by Russian aircraft (among them 8 children and 5 women) and the rest were killed by regime warplanes and ground forces attacks. Meanwhile, these very attacks resulted in wounded and injured 255 persons.

Due to the intensity of bombardment, which appeared to be a retaliatory or ‘revenge’ operation against the residents of Idlib, approximately 105,000 civilians have been displaced from their homes and areas during the past 14 days since December 17. This means that the number of IDPs from these areas since the beginning of this month increased to more than 160 thousand civilians. According to what SOHR managed to document, mass exodus of people originated from the eastern countryside of Ma`rat al-Nu`man (villages from Umm Jalal to Ma`saran and from Ma`rat al-Nu`man to the vicinity of Abu al-Dhuhur), and the towns and villages of Jabal al-Zawiyah south of Idlib, and villages east of Saraqeb east of Idlib’s countryside.

Northern Syria and Turkey’s “Spring Peace” : Political deals, SDF loss of territory, and Russia and regime filling the vacuum.

Since Turkey launched its operation “Peace Spring” in northern Syria on October 9, Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions advanced inside the SDF-held areas with an extensive air and land cover in a total area of ​​4875 km2 (9.2% of the total area previously controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces), which is more than a quarter of the area of ​​Lebanon. At the same time, regime forces deployed in the region under an agreement between SDF and the regime through Russian mediation, into an area estimated at 18,821 km2 (35.6% of the total area of the SDF), which means that the SDF lost control of 23,641 km2, after it has been in control of an area of ​​52,916 square kilometers (28.6% of the total area of ​​Syria) before the start of the Turkish military operation, meaning that “SDF” now only controls 15.7% of the total Syrian territories.

US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from northern Syria on October 6 marked a green light for the Turkish military operation and a green light to redraw the map of alliances and influence in the entire region. The US withdrawal led the SDF to resort to Russia and the regime to deploy regime border guards on the borders with Turkey in exchange for the withdrawal of SDF forces from that region. With the successive withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces in accordance with the Russian-Turkish agreement reached in “Sochi” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the areas of control began to be clear and take shape. For now, the area from Qamishli to Ain Dewar is under US influence, while the region from Qamishli to Ras Al-Ain (Sri Kaniyee) and from Tal Abyad to Ain Al-Arab (Kobani) is under Russian influence. Meanwhile, the area from Ras al-Ain To Tal Abyad is subject to Turkish influence and the Turkish-backed, at a time when areas in “Abu Rasin” and “Tal Tamr” countryside, which connects to Ras Al-Ain, witness renewed clashes between SDF and the Turkish-backed factions, as the case for the area between Ain Issa And Tal Abyad.

According to SOHR eyewitness accounts over the past two months; “Sochi” agreements between Russia and Turkey led to the deployment of regime forces to many areas for the first time in several years since they withdrew from them. Regime forces deployed in the eastern countryside of al-Qamishli for the first time in 7 years, in addition to the area extending from al-Qamishli to al-Qahtaniyah which extends to more than 20 km. All of this happened according to a Russian-Turkish-American agreement that returned many areas north and northeast of Syria to regime control in accordance with an agreement concluded between SDF, the regime and Russia in order to confront the Turkish military operation “Peace Spring”. The SOHR also monitored regime forces deploying in the entire western countryside of al-Darbasiyah, in north of Abu Rasin (Zarkan), Ain Issa, Ain al-Arab countryside and Manbej countryside, not to mention Russia’s control of 5 bases previously occupied by US and International Coalition forces, after the US forces withdrew of them in accordance with the US President’s decision.

According to reliable information (initially denied but later confirmed by Russia) obtained by the SOHR, the Syrian regime agreed to lease al-Qamishli airport to the Russian forces for 49 years, as it would be the headquarters of the Russian forces similar to what happened at the Khmeimim base. The SOHR monitored Russian forces transporting a number of helicopters from the Khmeimim base to al-Qamishli airport in northeastern Syria on the border with Turkey, as part of Russia’s measures to secure the military police patrolling northern Syria within the framework of the Russian-Turkish agreement. Also, the SOHR monitored the deployment of the Russian air defense systems, Pantsir, at the airport to protect the helicopters, as a military transport helicopter of the type “Mi – 8” landed at the airport, while two others of the type “Mi – 35” were working in the airspace to secure the airport.

A whole year in which the Syrians suffered the scourge of the Russian intervention, which seems to resemble a kind of revenge and retaliation against Syrians for protesting against the regime that committed the worst violations against its own people. At a time when the map of alliances and power balances is changing, Russia has become the ultimate winner, succeeding in helping the Syrian regime regaining control over about two-thirds of the country after losing control of most of its territory. Moscow used the pretext of “the war on terror” to commit massacres against civilians, and sponsored and struck agreements which soon after abandoned. Moscow and its war machine spilt in the blood of Syrians despite claiming to be “political mediator” or “broker” that can deal with all parties to the conflict.

With all recent changes in the balance of powers, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights renews its appeals to the international community to put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression against the Syrians, and to find a political solution to end the Syrian crisis that is nearing its ninth year. Given what the SOHR has documented and observed of Russia’s military intervention and announcements and claims, both officially and publicly, of its role and presence in Syria as “fighting terrorism”, it is incumbent on Russia to explain why it is overlooking or perhaps tolerating the presence of “Islamic State” in Al-Badia region, an area of about 4000 km2 (1.8% of the total Syrian territories) extending from Jabal Abu-Rajmin in the northeast of Palmyra to the desert of Deir Al-Zour and its western countryside, and in Sokhna’s desert and in north of the administrative borders of Suwayda. This can only mean the real objective of Russia’s military intervention is not fighting ‘terrorism’ but killing and displacing civilians, destroying  houses and properties, and helping the regime win the war.