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syrianotes.bsky.social
Syria Notes
@syrianotes.bsky.social
6.9K followers 430 following 1.2K posts
Informing UK policy debates on Syria. Focused on human rights and accountability.
Web: https://www.syrianotes.org/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SyriaNotes/
YouTube: http://youtube.com/@syrianotes5908
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syrianotes.bsky.social
It is also worth reading the father’s call for the release of hostages which he posted shortly after.
Facebook post in Arabic dated 10 Oct. 2023. Google Translate: When Saladin liberated Jerusalem, the rules of engagement were clear: We will not take elderly men and women or children as prisoners. These people are entitled to our protection and must be returned safely to their families. We will not destroy any trees, nor will we kill any prisoners or threaten them in any way. If you truly desire victory, rely on God and follow the teachings of our Prophet regarding warfare. Do not think that capturing the elderly will increase your strength, nor that releasing them will weaken you. If you truly believe that victory comes from God, not from your own strength, then release the elderly and children. What you have done so far is a miracle by any standard; do not spoil it with an act of anger. There is no place for such actions in warfare. May God grant you victory, strengthen you, and guide you on the straight path in this battle, which history will record as the beginning of the liberation of Jerusalem, God willing.
October 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
A last-minute Syria-Israel agreement driven by US urgency will remain susceptible to collapse under the weight of Netanyahu’s “peace through force” doctrine, @haidhaid22.bsky.social writes.
en.majalla.com/node/327415/...

Image: Israeli aims in southern Syria mapped by @thestudyofwar.bsky.social
Israeli territorial ambitions in southern Syria mapped by The Institute for the Study of War.
September 19, 2025 at 7:46 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Hamzeh Al-Amareen, Manager of a White Helmets Emergency Response Center, was abducted on Wednesday while he was on a mission to evacuate a United Nations team in the city of Suwayda at their request.
whitehelmets.org/node/2446
Portrait photo of Hamzeh Al-Amareen, Manager of a White Helmets Emergency Response Center, who was abducted on Wednesday 16 July while he was on a mission to evacuate a United Nations team in the city of Suwayda at their request.
July 19, 2025 at 8:05 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
ETANA: There are signs that the Israel-Iran war could harden Israel’s presence in south-west Syria in violation of Syria’s sovereignty, following a wave of recent housing demolitions & airstrikes to prevent any armed group from approaching Quneitra’s border strip.
etanasyria.org/analysis-syr...
ETANA map of Israeli operations in southwest Syria, 12-20 June 2025.
June 22, 2025 at 10:43 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
UK asylum figures for the latest year saw applications by Syrian nationals up 46% to 6,175, but the latest quarter, January to March 2025, saw the overall number of Syrian claims fall by 81%, down to 443 compared to 2,280 in October to December 2024.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Chart showing rise and recent fall in the number of Syrians applying for asylum in the UK.
May 22, 2025 at 9:33 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
From our archive seven years ago, a special issue on reconstruction and human rights.

www.syrianotes.org/2018/07/syri...

A different time, but all these years later, for most the work has yet to begin.
Cover of Syria Notes no. 23, summer 2018. Syria, map of control, May 2018. Syrian Legal Development Programme event on reconstruction and human rights at Chatham House, 2018. Syrian Legal Development Programme event on reconstruction and human rights at Chatham House, 2018.
May 18, 2025 at 6:45 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Trump meets Syrian president, says he is looking into normalising ties
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in this handout released on May 14, 2025. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
May 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
President Donald Trump: “I expect all sanctions on Syria to be lifted. Erdogan and other regional leaders have requested this, and we will make a decision soon.”

Via @faredalmahlool.bsky.social
May 12, 2025 at 5:16 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
What we do is done on a shoestring.

We would like to do more.

www.syrianotes.org/p/donate.html

Help out if you can via our Donate page.
Print copies of the latest issue of Syria Notes for distribution to the UK Parliament.
May 12, 2025 at 6:56 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
‘I should like to draw a line...’

www.syrianotes.org/2022/03/i-sh...

For our 2022 issue on Rukban Camp, we talked to the historians James Barr and Elizabeth F Thompson about how the Syria‑Jordan border came into existence.
Cover of Syria Notes no. 28, published in spring 2022, titled Area 55, Stories from Syria’s twilight zone. The cover image shows a manipulated photograph of a US military Osprey aircraft operating in the Syrian desert near Tanf base.
May 10, 2025 at 5:23 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
For the latest issue of Syria Notes, our cover painting shows Marjeh Square in Damascus, where many families have posted pictures of their missing relatives, hoping to learn something of their fate.
www.syrianotes.org/2025/05/free...
May 7, 2025 at 3:40 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Invasion timeline

For our latest issue, as part of our look at Syrian independent media, we drew on reporting by Enab Baladi for a timeline of Israel’s advance into Syria beyond the 1974 ceasefire lines.

www.syrianotes.org/2025/05/inva...

Map: New Israeli military bases in Syria since 8 December.
Map: New Israeli military bases in Syria since 8 December 2024.
May 5, 2025 at 12:33 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Video of Israeli aircraft dropping food and ammunition south of Sweida at the Kafr airstrip.
— Omar Alhariri
x.com/omar_alharir...
May 2, 2025 at 10:20 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Some 70% are optimistic about the overall direction of the country.

Happiest province is Idlib, where 99 of 100 respondents  optimistic.

Tartus is the saddest. Even there, 49 optimistic, 23% pessimistic.
Chart published by the Economist Title: Getting better Syria, % responding weighted by best available data for age, religion, region, and Kurdish identity. The graph is visual, with markers for 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%. Change in freedom: less than 10% negative, more than 80% positive. Al-Sharaa job approval: less than 20% negative, more than 80% positive. Direction of country, less than 20% negative, approx. 70% positive. Change in safety: less than 30% negative, more than 60% positive. Change in economy: less than 30% negative, more than 40% positive. Change in women's rights: less than 20% negative, more than 20% positive. Sources: Middle East Consulting Solutions, The Economist.
April 4, 2025 at 11:31 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
For the second consecutive day, Israel continues its airstrikes on southern Syria.
— Hussam Hammoud
x.com/HussamHamoud...
Plume of smoke or dust on the horizon, rising against a darkening evening sky, and lit by fire. In the dark mid ground, a few lights are on in urban buildings.
April 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Video of today’s funeral in Nawa city, Daraa, of those killed by invading Israeli forces.

Longer video:
x.com/omar_alharir...
April 3, 2025 at 1:18 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Funeral today in Nawa city, Daraa for those killed by invading Israeli forces last night.

Nine names in Alt text.

Two of those killed were brothers.

One other was the fourth brother killed from one family, and yet another was the third brother killed from his family.
Composite of eight portrait photos. Original post by Omar Alhariri: The city of #Nawa in the countryside of #Daraa invites you to participate in the funeral of its martyred sons today after the noon prayer. The gathering place will be "Reefal Revival Center." Nawa City Martyrs in the Face of the Israeli Occupation • Martyr, God willing, Imran Muhammad Arar • Martyr, God willing, Ali Riad Tayasneh • Martyr, God willing, Bashar Tayasneh • Martyr, God willing, Hisham Batha • Martyr, God willing, Abdullah Batha • Martyr, God willing, Issa Al-Saqr • Martyr, God willing, Muhammad Al-Batal • Martyr, God willing, Muhammad Al-Rifai • Martyr, God willing, Qais Al-Jundi Some of them followed in the footsteps of their brothers who preceded them to martyrdom. One of them was the fourth martyr of his brothers, another the third martyr of his brothers, while two brothers were martyred together. Source post: x.com/omar_alharir/status/1907696393516453900
April 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns latest wave of Israeli agression, a deliberate attempt to destabilise Syria.

When Syria is trying to rebuild, these repeated attacks form part of a clear Israeli strategy to normalise violence.
www.facebook.com/story.php?st...
Statement: Escalation of Israeli agression against the Syrian Arab Republic Damascus 3 April 2025 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the latest wave of Israeli agression against Syria. In a blatant violation of international law and Syrian sovereignty, Israeli forces launched airstrikes on five locations across the country in 30 minutes, resulting in the near-total destruction of Hama Military Airport and injuring dozens of civilians and military personnel. This unjustified escalation is a deliberate attempt to destabilise Syria and exacerbate the suffering of its people. At a time when Syria is striving to rebuild after 14 years of war, these repeated attacks form part of a clear Israeli strategy to normalise violence once again within the country, undermining recovery efforts and entrenching a culture of impunity. The Syrian Arab Republic calls on the international community to take a firm stance and exert pressure on Israel to cease its agression, respect international law, and uphold its commitments under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. We also urge the United Nations and all relevant international bodies to take immediate action to halt this escalation and prevent further violations.
April 2, 2025 at 11:53 PM
syrianotes.bsky.social
David Taylor MP: “It was a privilege to facilitate this meeting of Syrian civil society”

Meeting 1 April between Hamish Falconer MP and organisations including British Syrian Consortium, Syrian Civil Defence, Madaniya, Syrian Legal Development Programme.

Photo via H Falconer
x.com/DavidTaylor8...
Meeting in Westminster between Hamish Falconer MP and Syrian organisations including British Syrian Consortium, Syrian Civil Defence, Madaniya, Syrian Legal Development Programme, 1 April 2025.
April 2, 2025 at 8:25 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
Foreign Secretary David Lammy responds on Syria’s interim constitution: “I recognise his concerns…”
April 1, 2025 at 11:37 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
The second question comes from Rt Hon Mark Pritchard MP, with concerns about Syria’s interim constitutional declaration.
April 1, 2025 at 11:34 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
David Lammy responds: “… Clearly the recent violence that we saw was incredibly horrific and alarming. We will continue to work with the new government as best we can to ensure the inclusive political decision that we all want to see.”
April 1, 2025 at 11:32 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
First question from Fabian Hamilton MP on recent sectarian killings.
April 1, 2025 at 11:27 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
During House of Commons Foreign, Commonwealth and Development questions today, two questions on Syria.

Opening remarks by Foreign Secretary David Lammy:
April 1, 2025 at 11:24 AM
syrianotes.bsky.social
And if the sectoral sanctions are fully lifted, what is the potential for Syria’s economic future? “I think the potential is huge,” Vittorio Maresca di Serracapriola says.“The Syrian people are rich in terms of human capital.”
www.syrianotes.org/2025/03/the-...
Drawing of Vittorio Maresca di Serracapriola, with the quote, “The Syrian people are rich in terms of human capital.” Illustration credit: Lucinda Rogers Logo: Syria Notes
March 28, 2025 at 1:35 PM