Publications

Russian Airstrikes in Syria: November 11 - 29, 2015

November 29, 2015 - Genevieve Casagrande

Iraq Control of Terrain Map: November 25, 2015

November 25, 2015 - Patrick Martin

Kurdish forces recaptured the Yazidi-majority district of Sinjar, west of Mosul from ISIS on November 13. Confrontations between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) will grow increasingly likely as both seek to control Sinjar, while Kurdish control over the mixed-demographic district is already leading to heightened tensions between Yazidis and Sunni Arabs.

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

November 9, 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

The Fight for Aleppo: October 21-28, 2015

October 30, 2015 - Chris Kozak
ISIS launched a multi-phase counterattack against the Syrian regime and its allies in Aleppo Province which threatens the regime’s control over its primary ground line of communication (GLOC) to Aleppo City. ISIS seized multiple checkpoints along the highway between the towns of Khanaser and Ithriya in southern Aleppo Province on 23 OCT. These gains blocked the route used by the Syrian regime to deploy reinforcements to Aleppo from Hama and Homs Provinces. ISIS subsequently initiated a major attack targeting the key regime-held town of Safira southeast of Aleppo City.

Iraq Control of Terrain Map: October 30, 2015

October 30, 2015 - Patrick Martin

Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and "Popular Mobilization" recaptured the Baiji Oil Refinery on October 21 following operations to recapture Baiji city on October 14. Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi then visited Baiji city on October 23, marking the city's full recapture. ISW is thus upgrading Baiji and the Baiji Oil Refinery from Contested to ISF-held locations. PUK Peshmerga have also maintained limited gains in villages in southern Kirkuk near Taza and Daquq as part of anti-ISIS operations that began on September 12.

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