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.
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Publications
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.
Iraq Situation Report: October 27 - November 2, 2015
November 2, 2015 - Patrick Martin
PM Haidar al-Abadi suffered a serious blow in his bid to reform and lead the government on November 2 when the Council of Representatives (CoR) unanimously ruled to withdraw his ability to launch reform packages unilaterally.
Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 23 - November 1, 2015
November 2, 2015 - Genevieve CasagrandeThe Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) discontinued the release of daily airstrike reports from October 28 – November 1 amidst multilateral talks on the Syrian Civil War held in Vienna on October 30 and continued reports of civilian casualties. Nevertheless, credible local sources continued to report airstrikes in Dera’a, Damascus, Homs, Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo from October 31 – November 1.
Russian Airstrikes in Syria: October 23 - November 1, 2015
November 2, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) discontinued the release of daily airstrike reports from October 28 – November 1 amidst multilateral talks on the Syrian Civil War held in Vienna on October 30 and continued reports of civilian casualties. Nevertheless, credible local sources continued to report airstrikes in Dera’a, Damascus, Homs, Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo from October 31 – November 1.
Russian Airstrikes in Syria: September 30 - October 30, 2015
October 31, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
The Russian air campaign in Syria reportedly expanded into the southern province of Dera’a one month after Russian airstrikes in Syria commenced. Credible local sources reported that Russian warplanes conducted overnight strikes near Tel al-Harra and other nearby villages east of the Golan Heights in Dera’a Province on October 28. Tel al-Harra is the location of a Russian signals intelligence facility, which was seized by rebels in October 2014.
Russian Airstrikes in Syria: September 30 - October 28, 2015
October 30, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande
Key Takeaway: Russian airstrikes near Aleppo targeted rebels from October 27-28 as the Syrian regime’s ground offensives suffered setbacks. Syrian regime ground offensives against rebels in the southern countryside of Aleppo and against ISIS near the besieged Kuweires Airbase east of Aleppo City largely stalled following ISIS's offensive against the regime-held town of Safira in the southeastern Aleppo countryside on October 26.