Timeline of the Syrian Civil War (May–August 2020)

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war from May to August 2020. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

Main article: Timeline of the Syrian Civil War

May 2020

On 11 May, reports from Amnesty International suggested that 18 attacks were carried out on civilian facilities, including medical facilities, in northwestern Syria between May 5 2019 and February 25 2020, by the Syrian government. The report said that the Syrian military intentionally attacked civilian facilities such as schools and hospitals.[1][2][3]

On 18 May, the UN envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen urged Russia and the US to take advantage of the partial cooling down of the situation in the region, and sue for peace so as to bring the conflict to an end.[4] Pedersen said that the lack of dialogue between the two countries had left the people of Syria to pay the consequences. He also mentioned that Russia, Turkey and Iran, are all integral to the establishment of a ceasefire in the region. Pedersen is the fourth mediator serving in the capacity of UN envoy to Syria who has attempted to resolve the differences in the war-torn country.[5][6][7]

On 27 May, pro-Syrian government militias destroyed and desecrated the grave of the eighth Umayyad Caliph Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz, located in the village of Deir Sharqi in the area of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man in the north-west province of Idlib, and with the contents exhumed and disappeared.[8]

On 29 May, the Russian government proposed a dialogue with Assad’s government, in an attempt to increase its military facilities in the country. President Vladimir Putin ordered the defense and foreign ministries to oversee the negotiation with the Syrian government in having access to more facilities on both land and sea.[9][10]

June 2020

On 1 June, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported that the death toll of civilians in the month of May in Syria had reached a total of 125. Out of 125 people that were killed, 26 children and 6 women were believed to be among the casualties.[11][12] In addition, the group disclosed that eight people were killed as a result of torture, with seven of them killed by the Syrian government forces and another by the Syrian Democratic forces.[13][14]

On 3 June, the last rebel stronghold/de-escalation zone was attacked by a series of airstrikes, carried out by Russian jets.[15] Based on reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the airstrikes were launched where the borders of Hama, Idlib, and Latakia provinces converge.[16] According to the Daily Sabah, no casualties have been reported yet.[17]

On 7 June, the towns of Manarah and Fatrah were captured by Hurras al-Din jihadists in Idlib Governorate, but after Russian airstrikes the Syrian Army managed to recapture the towns on the same day.[18][19] The fighting left 22 rebels or jihadist and 19 government soldiers killed according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.[18]

On 20 June, In light of the increase in number of COVID-19 cases, activists urged for the release of political prisoners in Syria. Officials of the UN have shown concerns over the larger possibility of the virus spreading in prisons.[20][21]

On 22 June, A Syrian doctor residing in Germany was detained on the allegation of committing crimes against humanity at a prison, back in Syria. Dr. Alaa Mousa, who was detained on Friday, is believed to be the third former Syrian official to be detained in Germany, according to The New York Times.[22][23] When Mousa was working at a prison in Syria’s Homs in 2011, he reportedly engaged in beating a detainee that was assigned to him for treatment with a plastic pipe.[24] According to the German prosecutors’ office, at the time of the incident, the detainee was said to be suffering from an epileptic seizure after being arrested for participating in a protest.[25] The doctor was believed to have been summoned the next day to attend to the detainee, but came along with another doctor who also had a plastic pipe with him, as they continued beating and kicking the victim until he became unconscious and incapacitated.[26]

The State news agency reported that Israeli missiles were launched in southern and eastern Syria on 23 June, killing at least two Syrian soldiers, leaving four others injured. According to Al Jazeera, the attacks are believed to be aimed at bases owned by Iranian-backed militias.[27][28] Apart from the two Syrian soldiers killed in the southern province of Sweida, five members of the pro-Iranian militia were also killed, summing up the death toll to seven people, the Times of Israel reported.[29] However, the Israeli army has not made any comments about the attack, despite the fact that Israeli military officials have stated that it would seek the overhaul of Iranian presence in Syria.[30] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights disclosed that the Syrian air defenses responded to the attacks, while intercepting a huge number of missiles.[31]

Continued economic crisis

In southwest Syria, several protesters gathered on the streets on Sunday, demanding for the removal of President Assad’s government amid worsening economic conditions.[32] The protests erupted in Sweida, which had generally been regarded as a city that was supportive of Assad; however in this protest, groups of young men were chanting anti-government slogans.[33]

The following day, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the provincial governor's office regardless of the security forces that had been deployed in the area, calling for Syrian allies Iran and Russia to vacate the country. Also, in a video footage shown by Suwayda24, a local news outlet, women and children could be seen close to the building of the provincial governor, further rallying throughout the streets of the city and chanting anti-government slogans.[34][35] However, the state media is yet to make mention of the anti-government protests, according to Straits Times.[36]

In June 2020, the Syrian pound underwent a dramatic collapse. The US Government stated via US Envoy James Jeffrey that the collapse would be exacerbated due to sanctions, and offered to help President Bashar al-Assad if he agreed to meet certain conditions for political reform.[37]

There were reports in June 2020 that American and Russian troops had faced each other in a standoff in Northeast Syria.[38]

On 8 June, several towns in Syria’s northwest Idlib province were attacked by Russian jets, which led to the deaths of at least two civilians, according to Al Jazeera. Many others were wounded as a result of artillery shelling, according to the civil defense group, the White Helmets.[39][40] The attack, which is reported to be the first since the ceasefire by Turkey and Russia was put in place three months ago, targeted a village in Jabal al-Zawiya and two other towns in west of Hama province, and forced hundreds of civilians to be displaced.[41][42]

On 10 June, hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Sweida for the fourth consecutive day, rallying against the collapse of the country’s economy, as the Syrian pound plummeted to 3,000 to the dollar within the past week.[43]

On 11 June, Prime Minister Imad Khamis was dismissed by President Bashar al-Assad, amid anti-government protests over deteriorating economic conditions.[44] The new lows for the Syrian currency, and the dramatic increase in sanctions, began to appear to raise new threats to the survival of the Assad government.[45][46][47]

Analysts noted that a resolution to the current banking crisis in Lebanon might be crucial to restoring stability in Syria.[48]

Some analysts began to raise concerns that Assad might be on the verge of losing power; but that any such collapse in the regime might cause conditions to worsen, as the result might be mass chaos, rather than an improvement in political or economic conditions.[49][50][51] Russia continued to expand its influence and military role in the areas of Syria where the main military conflict was occurring.[52]

On June 14, at a conference in Damascus between the Syrian government and business leaders, a number of business leaders agreed to a plan to reduce prices on important consumer staples and necessities, including food and clothing.[53] Meanwhile, Syrian media outlets alleged that Turkish forces were imposing Turkish currency over areas of northern Syria.[54]

Sanctions and international actions

Analysts noted that the upcoming implementation of new heavy sanctions under the US Caesar Act could devastate the Syrian economy, ruin any chances of recovery, destroy regional stability, and do nothing but destabilize the entire region.[55] The first new sanctions will take effect on June 17th. there will be additional sanctions implemented in August, in three different groups. There are increasing reports that food is becoming difficult to find, the country's economy is under severe pressure, and the whole regime could collapse due to the sanctions. [56]

Some experts and some major Western media outlets noted the potential adverse effects on the population; e.g. the Associated Press noted that the sanctions could "be a heavy blow to a country where eight out of 10 people make less than $100 a month." [57] The sanctions are designed to discourage any organizations from providing aid to help in Syria's reconstruction. any international organizations and any foreign governments that sought to help the Syrian government in any way, economic or otherwise. Under this legislation, the Trump Administration can penalize any organization that invests in certain economic sectors of Syria, or that lends any money to the Syrian government. [58][59][60]

The provisions of the legislation specifically state the terms below, penalizing new areas and forms of aid to the Syrian government.

On and after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a foreign person if the President determines that the foreign person, on or after such date of enactment, knowingly engages in an activity described in paragraph (2).

(2) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—A foreign person engages in an activity described in this paragraph if the foreign person—

(A) knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support to, or knowingly engages in a significant transaction with—

(i) the Government of Syria (including any entity owned or controlled by the Government of Syria) or a senior political figure of the Government of Syria;

(ii) a foreign person that is a military contractor, mercenary, or a paramilitary force knowingly operating in a military capacity inside Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria, the Government of the Russian Federation, or the Government of Iran; or

(iii) a foreign person subject to sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) with respect to Syria or any other provision of law that imposes sanctions with respect to Syria;

(B) knowingly sells or provides significant goods, services, technology, information, or other support that significantly facilitates the maintenance or expansion of the Government of Syria's domestic production of natural gas, petroleum, or petroleum products;

(C) knowingly sells or provides aircraft or spare aircraft parts that are used for military purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign person operating in an area directly or indirectly controlled by the Government of Syria or foreign forces associated with the Government of Syria;

(D) knowingly provides significant goods or services associated with the operation of aircraft that are used for military purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign person operating in an area described in subparagraph (C); or

(E) knowingly, directly or indirectly, provides significant construction or engineering services to the Government of Syria.

(3) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that, in implementing this section, the President should consider financial support under paragraph (2)(A) to include the provision of loans, credits, or export credits.[61]

As early as January 2020, experts in Western countries were already noting the adverse effects the sanctions would have on ordinary Syrians, and questioned whether the sanctions would making any real impact on improving political conditions, or counteracting Syrian government excesses against human rights. Dr. Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma’s Center for Middle East Studies Program, stated “The act will severely delay the effort to rebuild after the war or to provide Syrians with electricity, heating, cooking gas, and other basic commodities needed for existence,....America’s sanctions are not smart, They go after entire industries and particularly those that are most essential to providing state services, such as energy.”[62]

A leading analyst, Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said:

“Assad is absolutely the prime driver of Syria’s ongoing collapse. [But] the US position now appears to be fundamentally driven by great power politics and the goal of ensuring that Russia and Iran can’t claim a win. My fear is that Caesar will achieve the exact opposite of its stated goals, fuelling the worst impulses of the Syrian regime and wider conflict. The US self-declared maximum pressure campaign aims to bring the regime to its knees and force its backers to concede defeat but the regime knows how to brutally hold onto power and it’s clear that its key backers aren’t for moving.

“The Syrian people have been brutalised for a decade now and the country is devastated by conflict but we appear to be staring into the precipice of a dangerous new stage of the conflict … which risks a devastating new unravelling.”[55]

Russia publicly stated that it would support the existing government of Syria. [63] Russia stepped in to provide mediation between Turkish and Syrian forces, to avert conflict between the two countries on the ground in Syria. Russian forces also carried out joint patrols with Turkish forces, creating a commonality of interest between the Syrian and Turkish governments. [64]

Russia and the United States continuously argued publicly over the role played by each country in Syrian politics. Russia noted that its military presence had the approval of Syria's government. [65] The Russian Ambassador, Alexander Yevimov, said that Russia would seek to help Syria to recover and to develop its economy positively. [66]

Some analysts said that Assad would need support from major Sunni countries to stay in power, and that he would need the US to facilitate such support. [67]

In Spain, the Director-General of Cooperation and Human Rights of the Regional Government of La Rioja, Mayra Moro-Coco said that Caesar act would massively increase the suffering of the Syrian population, and would not improve conditions or human rights at all. [68]

Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, asked the UN for assistance, and said that sanctions by the US and the EU were unfairly harming the general population of Syria. [69]

July 2020

On 4 July, 20 Russian soldiers took control of Al-Ward, a major oil field in Abu Kamal countryside, after expelling the Syrian government military security personnel from it. Later, Russian forces deployed 15 military vehicles in the field, raised barricades and fortified its surroundings with heavy machine guns.[70]

On 9 July, Russia and China failed in a second U.N. Security Council bid to cut aid access to Syria from Turkey, and the council would now vote on a last-ditch attempt to extend approval for cross-border aid deliveries before it expires on 10 July.[71]

On 14 July, a joint Russian-Turkish patrol was attacked by a SVBIED, injuring several Russian and Turkish soldiers. Also, five civilians were believed to have been wounded during the explosion, according to civil defense groups. The Russians responded by carrying out several airstrikes against rebel positions in greater Idlib.[72][73]

On 15 July, unknown aircraft, suspected to be Russian, carried out airstrikes on the city of al-Bab, controlled by the Syrian National Army and Turkey. An apartment complex was destroyed in the attack.[74] One civilian was killed and at least 10 others were injured in the airstrikes. It was the first airstrike on the town since it was captured from ISIL in 2017.[75]

On 16 July, an unknown UAV suspected to be Turkish carried out a strike against a Russian coordination point south of Al-Darbasiyah, which is controlled by the SDF but with Syrian Army and Russian military police forces present.[76] Two Russian soldiers, one SAA member and two members of the Asayish were injured in the strike.[77]

On 17 July, the Syrian National Army was put on high alert and reinforced checkpoints and frontlines amid flyovers by unknown jets.[78]

On 19 July, a car bomb exploded in Azaz, leaving five dead and 43 wounded, according to Turkish state media.[79]

See also

• 2020 in Syria
• 2020 in politics and government

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