{"id":21953,"date":"2015-01-21T05:15:25","date_gmt":"2015-01-21T10:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?p=21953"},"modified":"2015-01-21T22:55:14","modified_gmt":"2015-01-22T03:55:14","slug":"news-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/news-round\/","title":{"rendered":"News Round-Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Frontline Developments: <\/strong><\/h2>\n

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From a friend:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Souriatna is a rebel newspaper distributed in rebel territory. In a recent issue they printed a full page “je suis charlie” poster (viewable here, page 9: http:\/\/issuu.com\/souriatna\/docs\/souriatna_173<\/a>). Nusra found out about it and started knocking down doors to find the place that published it. They attacked the Radio Fresh station in Idlib where Hadi al-Abdallah, the guy from the Qussair battle, was working. They accused him of insulting Mohammad and beat him, then realised that they got the wrong guy and apologized. They then proceeded to raid a women’s center across from the radio station and beat the women there and insulted them for not wearing hijab. Then they realized again that they got the wrong people and apologized and left.\u00a0 Post from the newspaper about the events here\u00a0http:\/\/www.souriatnapress.net\/?p=8905# <\/a>. Subsequent video purports to show<\/a> Ahrar al-Sham burning Souritatna and three other magazines, saying they’re now banned for supporting Charlie Hebdo.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Mapping of the recent and continuing 3-way conflict between Kurdish YPG, Syrian regime, and IS in Hasakeh<\/strong> from Agathocle de Syracuse<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\"Hasakah\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The clashes started on January 17; reports Loyalists attempted to set-up checkpoints near the industry area and in the north entrance following YPG reinforcement in the city. YPG\u00a0initially seized industry & silos area as well as police station, capturing 30 Loyalists forces members. Heavy clashes followed in the city center, near Assyrian church and Pullman garage, Marsho round-about, and along the control line in Mufti and Azizieh neighborhoods. Mutual shelling forced people to flee from Tall Hajar, Mufti and Kashman areas. On Jan 19 in the morning, a cease-fire was agreed although sporadic clashes continued<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These regime-Kurd clashes started last Saturday:<\/strong> Kurds Battle Assad\u2019s Forces in Syria, Opening New Front in Civil War<\/a> \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n

…violence broke out when army soldiers and allied militiamen took control of buildings in an area that both sides had agreed would stay demilitarised, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.<\/span>..<\/p>\n

…Syrian Kurds, who say they suffered years of marginalisation under Assad, had on occasion fought with the president’s loyalists in territorial disputes, but never in sustained clashes…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First Peshmerga killed in Kobane fighting<\/a> – Rudaw<\/p>\n

Iraq:<\/strong> New German and French Weapons Reach Peshmerga on Frontlines<\/a> \u2013 BasNews<\/p>\n

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi claims that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been injured in airstrike in Syria:<\/strong> ISIS leader Baghdadi injured, stays in Syria<\/a> – al-Arabiya<\/p>\n

Iraq:<\/strong> First ground combat between IS and Western forces:<\/strong> Canada Special Forces Clash with IS in Iraq<\/a> \u2013 The Daily Star<\/p>\n

…Ottawa: Canadian special forces<\/a> exchanged gunfire with Islamic State fighters in Iraq<\/a> in recent days, in the first confirmed ground battle between Western troops and IS, a senior officer said Monday.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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“My troops had completed a planning session with senior Iraqi leaders several kilometers behind the front lines,” Canadian special forces commander Brigadier General Michael Rouleau<\/a> said. “When they moved forward to confirm the planning at the front lines in order to visualize what they had discussed over a map, they came under immediate and effective mortar and machine gunfire.”<\/p>\n

The general said the Canadians<\/a> used sniper fire to “neutralize both threats” and there were no Canadian injuries… Canada has some 600 troops in the region participating in airstrikes against the Islamic State…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Are Israel, Jabhat al-Nusra coordinating on attacks in Syria?<\/a> \u2013 al-Monitor<\/p>\n

\u2026UN reports published in December appear to vindicate the regime\u2019s arguments that Israel is involved with the southern rebels.<\/p>\n

According to a UN report covering the period from March to May 2014, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) detected\u00a0contact between rebels and the Israeli army<\/a>\u00a0across the Golan cease-fire line, particularly during fierce clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels. The report also confirmed that the UN forces spotted rebels transporting 89 wounded across the cease-fire line into the Israeli occupied zone, where they were handed over 19 people who had received medical treatment in addition to two dead. The UN forces also noted that the Israeli army delivered two boxes to rebels on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.<\/p>\n

Communications increased between rebels and the Israeli army before the eruption of the southern front in\u00a0Daraa and Quneitra\u00a0in September, according to Quneitra opposition activist\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ISIL threatens to kill Japanese hostages<\/a> – al-Jazeera<\/p>\n

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group has\u00a0released a video threatening to kill two Japanese hostages unless they receive $200m in 72 hours, directly demanding the ransom from Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, during his visit to the Middle East…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Strike on IS-held village kills dozens<\/a> – BBC<\/p>\n

Refugees\/Children:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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We are Failing the Children of Syria and Lebanon. This Tragedy is Avoidable<\/a> \u2013 Guardian \u2013 Gordon Brown<\/p>\n

That Smallest Victims: Syria\u2019s Children<\/a> \u2013 Mashable \u2013 Cengiz Yar Jr.<\/p>\n

\"Syrias-Children-Cengiz-Yar-Jr-03b\"<\/a><\/p>\n

U.S. Policy On IS: <\/strong><\/h2>\n

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IS Gaining Ground in Syria, Despite U.S. Strikes<\/a> \u2013 Daily Beast \u2013 Tim Mak and Nancy A. Youssef<\/p>\n

\"150113-mak-syria-map-jan-embed\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pentagon to Deploy 400 Troops to Train Syrian Rebels<\/a> \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n

Western Intervention Can Only Strengthen Jihadis<\/a> \u2013 Daily Star \u2013 Fareed Zakaria<\/p>\n

Hammer and Anvil<\/a> \u2013 Foreign Affairs \u2013 Robert Pape<\/p>\n

\u2026Defeating ISIS requires a new strategy for retaking Sunni territory. The strategy should incrementally build on the current hammer-and-anvil approach that has successfully blunted ISIS\u2019 expansion into Kurdish and Shia areas. The conditions are ripest for a Sunni anvil in Nineveh and Anbar provinces in Iraq, so these areas should be the focus of a new plan with four components\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Robert<\/a>\"Robert<\/a><\/p>\n

Turkey:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Escape to Syria of Charlie Hebdo Suspect Shows Turkey\u2019s Role as Jihadi Highway<\/a> \u2013 McClatchy<\/p>\n

Dutch opposition says has documents proving Turkey sent arms to Syrian jihadists<\/a> \u2013 Today\u2019s Zaman<\/p>\n

Turkish Military Says MIT Shipped Weapons to Al-Qaeda<\/a> – Al-Moniter<\/p>\n

Explaining the Turkish Military\u2019s Opposition to Combating ISIS<\/a> \u2013 The Washington Institute \u2013 Ed Stafford<\/p>\n

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Hezbollah in Syria: <\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Israel Strike Underscores Security Concerns in Syrian Beyond ISIS, Upping Stakes for U.S.<\/a> \u2013 Huffington Post \u2013 Akbar Shahid Ahmed<\/p>\n

This is not your Father\u2019s Hezbollah<\/a> \u2013 Foreign Policy \u2013 Susannah George<\/p>\n

Corruption in the ranks. Spies in their midst. Discipline problems. How the Syrian war is changing Lebanon\u2019s most infamous militia…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Israel on high alert for possible Hezbollah retaliation<\/a> – WP<\/p>\n

Hezbollah Chief Threatens Israel Over Syria Strikes<\/a> \u2013 AFP<\/p>\n

Israel Strike Kills Son of Top Hezbollah Commander<\/a> \u2013 CNN<\/p>\n

Hezbollah Says Israeli Helicopter Strike Killed 5 Fighters in Syria<\/a> \u2013 NYT<\/p>\n

Are Hezbollah and Israel on the Verge of Open War?<\/a> \u2013 Al-Arabiya<\/p>\n

Tehran Threatens to Open the Golan Front in Response to Israeli Strike<\/a> \u2013 Al-Akhbar<\/p>\n

Russia and Iran sign military cooperation deal<\/a> – AP<\/p>\n

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Foreign Jihadis:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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The Clear Banner: Tajik Fighters in Iraq and Syria<\/a> \u2013 Jihadology – Lemon<\/p>\n

Syria Calling: Radicalisation in Central Asia<\/a> \u2013 International Crisis Group<\/p>\n

British Jihadist who Faked Death Admits Terror Offences<\/a> \u2013 BBC<\/p>\n

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Miscellaneous:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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French source on opposition (National Coalition)<\/a><\/p>\n

Recent from Aron Lund: <\/strong>Russia Fails to Sway the Syrian Opposition<\/a> \u2013 Carnegie \u2013 Aron Lund<\/p>\n

…The bar seems to have been set very low, with Russia not even attempting to bring onboard the armed rebels that actually matter for the outcome of the conflict.<\/span>..<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Recent from Tamimi:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Special Report: Northern Storm and the Situation in Azaz (Syria)<\/a> \u2013 MERIA – Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi<\/p>\n

The Impasse in Iraq: Part 1<\/a> (The Shi’a Side); Part 2<\/a> (The Sunni Side)<\/p>\n

Aspects of Islamic State (IS) Administration in Ninawa Province: Part I<\/a> & Part 2<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Does the Islamic State Pose a Threat to Morocco and Jordan?<\/a> – Nick Heras & Amanda Claypool<\/p>\n

Nearly Killed for Satire, Syrian Cartoonist Stands Proud<\/a> \u2013 CNN \u2013 Amanpour
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