This Week in Northern Syria [49.2025] December 17 - 23: another round of al-Sheikh Maqsoud clashes, Gov't and SDF trade proposals, Caesar act repealed, and more...

This week’s newsletter featuring the latest round of Govt/Asayish clashes around the al-Sheikh Maqsoud enclave, the US’s repeal of its Caesar Act sanctions, integration negotiation news, among other news items.

akmckeever.substack.com/p/this-week-...

IS claim yesterday's IED attack targeting a parked Ministry of Defense car in al-Bukamal, Deir ez-Zour. Still no mention of the Palmyra attack, increasingly unlikely they'll claim it whether or not they were behind it.

www.syria.tv/%D8%A7%D9%86...

Syria, Rebuilding Its Military, Relies on Loyalists and Religious Teaching

"A Syrian defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the government had not decided whether minorities would be allowed to enlist [in the military]."

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/w...

Turkish authorities intensify crackdown on pro-Kurdish opposition in 2024: report - Turkish Minute Turkish authorities detained at least 3,948 people and arrested 632 in 2024 as part of an intensified crackdown on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and affiliated groups,...

Turkish authorities intensify crackdown on pro-Kurdish opposition in 2024: report

Post-Asad Syria: the actors at play Remaining questions and the general picture in the northeast

My general overview of the post-Dec 8th picture. Next post will focus more specifically on SDF/SNA/Turkey developments: Manbij, Deir ez-Zour, civilian casualties, protests, Qamishli airstrikes etc.

akmckeever.substack.com/p/post-asad-...

People already protesting against SNA and their looting and criminal behavior in Manbij. 80% of the shops have closed down.
Live will not be easy under SNA gangs, thats for sure.

Our colleague Kamal Chomani (@kamalchomani.bsky.social) recently published a book review titled "Between Diplomacy and Non-Diplomacy: Foreign Relations of Kurdistan-Iraq and Palestine" in the Kurdish Studies Journal. You can check out his review here: brill.com/view/journal....

After 4 days, SDF is retreating from Deir Ezzor city.

Basically, that means that different militia, gangs, and perhaps criminals will take over. But SDF has other priorities and not enough resources

www.youtube.com/live/7Jpj9Oh...

3 former men, suspected to be former Regime member were executed in Idlib, with their corpses publicly dragged and whipped. Idlib is Joulanis power base, full under his control, not just some chaotic corner of Syria.

just hours later, gangs belonging to turkman al-Hamzat and Ahrar al-Shamare fighting each other over loot and stolen goods.

Congratulation to those Manbijis who celebrated SDF retreat

This Dier Ezzor tribes are still backing SDF and made a statement in support of SDF:

Al-‘Aqīdāt
Al-Bakkāra
Qays ‘Aylān
Banī Khālid
Al-Busrāyā
Al-Bū Sha‘bān

2 videos reportedly showing the execution of 4 men by SNA fighters during recent offensive. One shows fighters briefly interrogating badly wounded hospital patients before killing them (one IDs self as 'Border Guard'), another shows two detained men executed on the street. Working on verification

The Story of the Yazidi Genocide Isn’t Over A decade later, activist and politician Feleknas Uca is still seeking justice for her community.

A decade later, the Yazidi genocide isn’t over. A portrait of Yazidi politician and activist Feleknas Uca and of the cause she is fighting for by @fgeerdink.bsky.social:

26 killed as Turkish-backed Syrian groups attack Kurdish-held area in north - Turkish Minute At least 26 combatants were killed Sunday as Turkish-backed Syrian fighters launched an offensive on the northern Manbij area, days after seizing a Kurdish-held enclave, Agence France-Presse reported.

26 killed as Turkish-backed Syrian groups attack Kurdish-held area in north

Will Kurds Survive in the New Syria?

jacobin.com/2024/12/kurd...