MEI Syria Program

The 48th session of the General Assembly of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO) has begun, hosted by the @SYRedCrescent in #Damascus📍 attended by presidents and representatives from the Red Crescent and Red Cross societies of Arab countries @arabrcrc

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (@SNHR) released its 13th annual report on torture crimes in #Syria. The report revealed that at least 157,287 individuals remain under detention or forcibly disappeared in detention centers affiliated with warring parties. Among these, more than 112,713 were forcibly disappeared between March 2011 and 2024. The SNHR report said at least 15,383 individuals were tortured to death, including 199 children and 115 women, since the Syrian regime began suppressing protests in 2011. The regime is the primary party responsible for these crimes, with 15,098 individuals dying in its prisons. The Syrian Democratic Forces ranked second, with 105 individuals killed, followed by armed opposition factions, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, #ISIS and others. #Homs (2,530 cases), #Daraa (2,500) and #Damascus (1,916) are the provinces with the highest number of victims in detention. The regime continues to commit crimes of torture and enforced disappearance despite the International Court of Justice's ruling on the matter on November 16, 2023. From that date until May 16, #SNHR documented 534 cases of arbitrary detention, 471 of whom were forcibly disappeared. The regime killed 29 of these detainees in its detention centers, delivering only one body to the victim’s family, and added 14 names to the civil registry death records.

Pro-#Assad forces launched a significant anti-#ISIS "clearing operation" this past week, involving Syrian Army, #Iran proxies, local militias & #Russia's airforce -- but #ISIS appears to have done more damage. Analysis in the 1st edition of Syria Weekly: syriaweekly.substack.com/p/syria-june-1…

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36hrs ago, @MEI_Syria, @ACMideast, @Eurpeace & @MadaniyaNetwork launched the #Syria Strategy Project -- a major new international initiative. You can re-watch the whole launch event here -- featuring an array of high-level speakers & panels: youtube.com/watch?v=sA1K14…

In 10 days, @MEI_Syria will launch a major new project, in collaboration with @AtlanticCouncil & @Eurpeace. The #Syria Strategy Project has gathered 80+ experts & 25+ Syrian stakeholders & governments to deliberate on a meaningful & realistic international approach to #Syria.

US ally, experts warn something's up with #ISIS in #Syria - and it's not good "ISIS activities are increasing" the #SDF's political wing tells @VOANews Analysts say the numbers back it up- "ISIS has been able to rebuild..." voanews.com/a/islamic-stat…

It's now been 3 days since an #Iran-made drone killed 3 U.S. soldiers & injured 40+ more at T22 on #Jordan's border with #Syria. #Biden says he's decided on what military action will follow & senior USG officials say that it'll be "tiered," "sequenced" & not a one-off action.

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@annaborsh @Levitt_Matt @Andrewtabler @missy_ryan @washingtonpost From 1045-1215 ET: - The Humanitarian Crisis in Northeast #Syria Featuring @ICRC #Syria Coordinator Marianne Gasser, Anne Chabord from the UN Rapporteur for CT & Human Rights, @hrw's @lettatayler & moderated by @ckubeNBC. RSVP here, in person or Zoom: mei.edu/events/resolvi…