The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

65 months of International Coalition operations in Syria: Cooperation continues to eliminate ISIS cells … Tension between U.S. and Russia rises in NE Syria … Silence continues over the issues of detainees and abductees by ISIS

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

February 2020

International Coalition forces fighting Islamic State are still trying to contain the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw his troops from Syria-Turkey border on October 6, 2019. After 65 month of involvement in Syria, International Coalition forces are still working to fight ISIS more actively in cooperation with SDF by targeting ISIS sleeper cells in SDF-held areas, as well as by continuing to provide SDF with logistical and material assistance and bring in more military reinforcement to SDF-held areas.

From January 23, 2020 to February 23, 2020, the International Coalition has brought in dozens of trucks carrying logistical and material support to strengthen its presence in northeastern Syria, after it had voluntarily withdrawn from half of the territory it controlled on October 9, 2019. Now Coalition forces control only a smaller mass of territory, mainly areas containing oil and gas installations in Deir ez-Zor.

After 65 months of Coalition’s involvement in Syria, the situation in northeastern Syria became more stable as the map of alliances, areas of control and influence appear to have stabilized. The Coalition’s control of the eastern Euphrates and Deir ez-Zor areas is now confined to oil resources only, where the International Coalition is strongly consolidating its influence by cooperating with SDF on humanitarian and military levels.

Countering Islamic State remnants: International Coalition continues to cooperate with SDF to eliminate ISIS cells

Although ISIS was declared defeated on March 2019, the International Coalition continued its military operations in Syria, yet the group only lost ground in northeastern Syria.

The group’s presence, its sympathizer and cells are far from being defeated. The group’s sleeper cells are still operating in various areas held by SDF, carrying out assassinations and bombings as part of the security chaos in those areas.

In an effort to bolster its allies’ military capabilities, the International Coalition has established a ‘training centre’ for the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) at Al-Omar oilfields, east of the Euphrates River in rural Deir ez-Zor.

On January 30, SOHR sources reported that an International Coalition convoy, consisting of more than 50 trucks carrying logistical and military supplies, entered Syrian territory via Simalka border crossing with the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The supplies are believed to be part of preparations by US forces for setting up two bases at Tal Baydar and Tal Brak.

On January 26, Observatory sources reported that a convoy of U.S. forces trucks set off from their bases in southern Al-Hasakeh countryside to Tal Baydar base, which has been expanded, near the international road M4 at Al-Derbasiya-Al Hasakeh junction, while more than 75 trucks carrying heavy weapons, military armours and logistical equipment arrived at Tal Baydar base.

From January 31, 2020 to February 23, SDF, with International Coalition air support, carried out several raids in the town of Diban in eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, arresting seven people for belonging and collaborating with ISIS, four others were arrested several days earlier in Al-Busayrah city, east of Deir ez-Zor. A young man, defected from regime forces, was also arrested for inciting demonstrations demanding better living conditions and distributing oil revenues to people.

Over the past months, the International Coalition seem to have abandoned its biggest achievement and prize, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Coalition’s most reliable partner in the fight against ISIS over the past five years. The International Coalition chose to cooperate with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, mainly formed from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

The International Coalition chose to cooperate with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, mainly formed from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

International Coalition-backed SDF controlled until September 30 about 28.8 percent of Syria, with a total area of 53396 km2 of the north and east of Syria, including Manbij and countryside in the west of the Euphrates River, and the entire east of the Euphrates area except for some areas controlled by regime forces and allies in the east of the Euphrates, opposite the city of Deir Ezzor.

However, the situation has changed following the Turkish military intervention. SDF was left with only 29220 km2, 55.2 percent of the total area it controlled before October 9, with the regime taking control of 18821 km2 (35.6 percent of the total area of SDF’s before the Turkish operation).

SOHR has observed that, since mid-December 2018, the map of alliances has taken on a new shape following the first announcement by US President Donald Trump to withdraw from Syria, before he partially reversed his decision and announced changes in the International Coalition’s goals in Syria, from eliminating Islamic State to countering Iranian influence and “keeping the oil”.

Nevertheless, on October 6, the telephone call between the US president and his Turkish counterpart changed the scene dramatically by withdrawing US troops from the border with Turkey, and allowing Turkish forces and Syrian proxy factions to intervene militarily in northern Syria and launch operation “Peace Spring”.

At political level, a delegation of the International Coalition forces met with members of the “People’s Municipality” in the town of Hajyan in eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor. The delegation pledged to provide all necessary public services in Hajyan town, and discussed the presence of American troops in the region until the Iranian project and the Islamic State cells are eliminated completely.

Tension continues to rise between U.S. forces and Russian forces as each side tries to extend influence over the north east of Syria, especially the strategic highway of Al-Haskah – Aleppo. Recently, tension has reached fever-pitch with daily skirmishes and altercations reported taking place between both sides as U.S. forces havr repeatedly intercepted Russian patrols in several areas.

A significant increase in skirmishes between Coalition and Russian forces is still taking place primarily in northeastern region of Syria. An incident between U.S. and Russian forces occurred on February 19the M4 between Russian and U.S. armored vehicles, where the U.S. side accused the Russians of being responsible for violating the de-conflict resolution protocols concluded between the two sides and for approaching U.S. forces without taking proper precautions.

Abductees forgotten by coalition and SDF

11 months have passed since the International Coalition’s official declaration of the elimination of Islamic State as a dominating force over east of the Euphrates River. Despite all the developments that took place over the past month, the Coalition and SDF’s silence continues regarding ISIS abductees.  No details on the fate of thousands of abductees are provided; and no information about the results of the interrogations of ISIS member is available, as thousands are held by SDF and the Coalition, east of the Euphrates.

Concerns about the abductees’ lives and fate are growing, including the fate of father Paulo Dall’Oglio, Bishop John Ibrahim, Paul Yaziji, Abdullah al-Khalil, a British journalist, Sky News journalist, and other journalists, and hundreds of abductees from Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) and Afrin and other people from Deir Ezzor.

February 2020 … another month passes and no investigation into alleged Coalition massacres

Over the past month, from December 23, 2019 to February 23, 2020, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights called upon all international actors, International Coalition and SDF to announce the results of interrogations with ISIS detainees and what happened to the thousands of abductees.

The Syrian Observatory had previously called upon the international community to investigate reports regarding the killing of 200 ISIS operatives and their families, women and children, in a massacre committed by the Coalition’s jets by bombing al-Baghouz camp on March 21, 2019. According to information obtained by SOHR, 200 bodies were buried at dawn on that particular day, without information as to whether the International Coalition was aware of the presence of children and women from ISIS families inside the camp or not.

However, all these appeals remain unanswered. Therefore, SOHR renews its appeals to all relevant parties to announce the whole facts and hold accountable those responsible for the massacres and violations over the past five years during which the Coalition were actively involved in the Syrian crisis.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, while providing adequate monitoring of Coalition operations in Syria, stresses once more that it would have been possible to avoid the heavy losses of Syrian civilian lives if the International Coalition had not ignored SOHR’s calls to spare and protect civilians from its military operations, where the presence of Islamic State militants or other jihadist groups in a civilian area does not in any way justify the blank and discriminate bombardment of area and the loss of civilian lives.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also stresses that the negative impact of Turkish military intervention on civilians could have been avoided, if the US President had applied enough pressure on his Turkish counterpart to stop a new humanitarian crisis, displacing thousands and killing and injuring hundreds.

On the other hand, we at SOHR would like to remind the world that the oil and gas resources, controlled by the International Coalition, belong only to the Syrian people. Therefore, all the concerned parties are obliged under international laws and norms to preserve these resources and ensure that they will not be stolen or seized in any way; these resources do not belong to the “regime”, “Iran” or any other party; they belong only to the people of Syria, who have been suffering the brutalities of an ongoing war for over nine years. SOHR also warns of repercussions of exploiting these sources, seizing them or depriving the Syrians of their rights in resources.