Publications

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 29 - November 8, 2015

November 8, 2015 - Jennifer Cafarella
Key Takeaway: The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed airstrikes in Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Lattakia, Homs, Hama, and Raqqa from November 6 – November 8. Credible local sources substantiated strike claims in Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Homs, and Hama during this time period, but failed to verify reports of Russian airstrikes in Raqqa province. Russian airstrikes continued to support regime ground operations with limited effect.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 29 - November 8, 2015

November 8, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
Key Takeaway: The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed airstrikes in Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Lattakia, Homs, Hama, and Raqqa from November 6 – November 8. Credible local sources substantiated strike claims in Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Homs, and Hama during this time period, but failed to verify reports of Russian airstrikes in Raqqa province. Russian airstrikes continued to support regime ground operations with limited effect.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 27 - November 5th, 2015

November 6, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
Key Takeaway: Russian warplanes continued to target core ISIS-held terrain in Syria following regime anti-ISIS operations in Homs and Aleppo. Russian airstrikes targeted ISIS’s positions in ar-Raqqa, Homs, and reportedly Deir ez-Zour from November 4 - 5. Local sources reported that Russian airstrikes targeted the ISIS-held town of Albu Kamal near the Iraqi border in Deir ez-Zour Province on November 5, claiming that the strikes killed over 50 civilians.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 27 - November 5, 2015

November 6, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande

Russian warplanes continued to target core ISIS-held terrain in Syria following regime anti-ISIS operations in Homs and Aleppo. Russian airstrikes targeted ISIS’s positions in ar-Raqqa, Homs, and reportedly Deir ez-Zour from November 4 - 5. The majority of Russian strikes, however, targeted rebel-held areas in the provinces of Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, and Aleppo.

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 25 - November 3, 2015

November 4, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
Key Takeaway: Russian airstrikes largely shifted to target ISIS following new advances by the group in southern Homs Province.

Russian Military Activity: October 27-November 3, 2015

November 3, 2015 - Hugo Spaulding

Russia continues to leverage its military intervention in Syria to assert its great power status in the Middle East. Following inconclusive multilateral talks in Vienna on October 30, Russia claimed to have conducted airstrikes in direct coordination with the Syrian opposition in order to present itself as a cooperative actor, and possibly to sow distrust among rebel groups. Russia strengthened its military partnership with Iran by closing in on an agreement over a previously-stalled contract to provide S-300 anti-aircraft systems to Tehran.

U.S. Options For A Syrian No-Fly Zone

November 3, 2015 -

The U.S. can and should act decisively in Syria in order to protect its national security interests and those of its allies. The current exodus of refugees from Syria presents significant economic and security challenges to America’s allies in Europe and the Middle East, and directly benefits the Syrian Assad regime, Iran, Hezbollah, Russia, the Al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (JN), and the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS).

ISIS-Linked Regional Activity: October 2015

November 3, 2015 - Harleen Gambhir
ISIS targeted Shi'a civilians in Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before and during celebrations for Ashura, a Shi'a religious holiday in October 2015. ISIS's affiliates and supporters also targeted Sunni Arab rivals in Turkey and in Yemen. ISIS is attempting to rally the Muslim world against Israel simultaneously, encouraging supporters to attack Jews and rival militant Palestinian groups. ISIS's regional strategy depends upon victory against all three foes.

ISIS-Linked Regional Activity: October 2015

November 3, 2015 - Harleen Gambhir

ISIS targeted Shi'a civilians in Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before and during celebrations for Ashura, a Shi'a religious holiday in October 2015. ISIS's affiliates and supporters also targeted Sunni Arab rivals in Turkey and in Yemen. ISIS is attempting to rally the Muslim world against Israel simultaneously, encouraging supporters to attack Jews and rival militant Palestinian groups. ISIS's regional strategy depends upon victory against all three foes. It also depends upon the defeat of foreign powers in the region, including Russia.

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