🟡 Syria Update — Day 15:
🟡 Independent UN experts have decried Israel’s targeted aerial strikes on Syria as blatantly unlawful, with their clear attempt at preemptively disarming Syria in order to render it defenseless against further acts of aggression. George Katrougalos, UN special rapporteur on the promotion of democratic and equitable international order, described the strikes as “attacks without provocation against a sovereign state.”
🟡 The de-facto authorities in Damascus have reportedly set in motion a campaign to confiscate firearms from civilians. Critics say this move could help entrench HTS rule and root out the possibility of any major opposition. Others point to the ruling being issued in light of weapons being looted from numerous storage facilities.
🟡 Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, has commented on Assad’s toppling, saying that the event did cause disruption to the Axis of Resistance, but that the Axis will adapt to the new circumstances and come out stronger.
🟡 The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, which up until Sunday December 8 had ruled Syria continuously since 1963, has decided to disband all activities in the country, marking the end for the Ba’ath Party in Syria.
🟡 The tomb of Syria’s late President Hafez Al-Assad, father of the deposed President Bashar Al-Assad, has been burned down by rebel fighters in Damascus.
🟡 Religious and ethnic minorities in Syria continue to face uncertainty about their safety in the country. Armed rebel gunmen reportedly entered the shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab in Damascus, which holds significance for Shiite Muslims worldwide.
🟡 The Pentagon will maintain its 900-strong troop contingency in Syria under the pretext that ISIS could possibly grow stronger and exploit the power vacuum in the country.
🟡 Commander-in-Chief of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdî, stated that his troops have been forced to pause anti-ISIS operations due to the persistent threat from Turkish-backed SNA forces. Commander Abdî further noted that they have already seen ISIS exploiting the new power vacuum to grow stronger.
🟡 The Turkish Air Force struck the public security headquarters of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the city of Raqqa in eastern Syria. Experts noted that it is highly unusual for Turkey to strike this deep inside Syrian territory.
🟡 Independent UN experts have decried Israel’s targeted aerial strikes on Syria as blatantly unlawful, with their clear attempt at preemptively disarming Syria in order to render it defenseless against further acts of aggression. George Katrougalos, UN special rapporteur on the promotion of democratic and equitable international order, described the strikes as “attacks without provocation against a sovereign state.”
🟡 The de-facto authorities in Damascus have reportedly set in motion a campaign to confiscate firearms from civilians. Critics say this move could help entrench HTS rule and root out the possibility of any major opposition. Others point to the ruling being issued in light of weapons being looted from numerous storage facilities.
🟡 Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, has commented on Assad’s toppling, saying that the event did cause disruption to the Axis of Resistance, but that the Axis will adapt to the new circumstances and come out stronger.
🟡 The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, which up until Sunday December 8 had ruled Syria continuously since 1963, has decided to disband all activities in the country, marking the end for the Ba’ath Party in Syria.
🟡 The tomb of Syria’s late President Hafez Al-Assad, father of the deposed President Bashar Al-Assad, has been burned down by rebel fighters in Damascus.
🟡 Religious and ethnic minorities in Syria continue to face uncertainty about their safety in the country. Armed rebel gunmen reportedly entered the shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab in Damascus, which holds significance for Shiite Muslims worldwide.
🟡 The Pentagon will maintain its 900-strong troop contingency in Syria under the pretext that ISIS could possibly grow stronger and exploit the power vacuum in the country.
🟡 Commander-in-Chief of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdî, stated that his troops have been forced to pause anti-ISIS operations due to the persistent threat from Turkish-backed SNA forces. Commander Abdî further noted that they have already seen ISIS exploiting the new power vacuum to grow stronger.
🟡 The Turkish Air Force struck the public security headquarters of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the city of Raqqa in eastern Syria. Experts noted that it is highly unusual for Turkey to strike this deep inside Syrian territory.