Thread by @Suriyakmaps

With 2018 in it's last moments, a new stage of the Syrian war have started & the end of the war is aproaching as time passes. 2018 has been another important year with many political & military developments: (1)

#AbuDhuhur Op (26/12/2017 - 9/2/2018) : as a continuation of the operation (started on October 2017) #SAA began huge offensive from many axis against Rebels & #ISIS in #Hama, #Aleppo & #Idlib provinces. The result of operation was the liberation of 1/3 of "Greater #Idlib" (2)

With W. shore of #Euphrates river secured by #SAA on December 2017, #SDF continued securing the E. one against #ISIS . Between 3/1/2018-22/2/2018 troops secured entire Shu'aytat region. However, a new development N.W. #Syria will provoke the delay of #CizireStorm some months: (3)

#TSK / #TFSA launched #OliveBranchOp (21/1/2018-23/3/2018) in order to expell #SDF from #Afrin . With no agreement reached with government, #SDF lost the entire canton. Later, #SAA took control over Tall Refaat & #SDF will continue op as insurgency (#WrathOfOlives) in #Afrin (4)

With ceasefire reached in #Idlib & the construction of Turkish military outspots #SAA decided to focus on the remaining pockets between #Homs & #Damascus & deal with them by military & political solutions between February-June 2018 : (5)

#DamascusSteel OP (25/2/2018-12/4/2018): #SAA decided to eliminate all rebel presence in #Damascus & launched big operation in #Ghouta rebel bastion, consited of dividing Ghouta in 3 pockets & forced them to surrender. Operation finished with the evacuation of the militants (6)

Eastern #Qalamoun OP (18/4/2018-25/4/2018): #SAA #Tiger_Forces launched operation to force rebels to surrender. Operation only took 2 days as most of rebels accepted reconciliation/evacuation agreement while others withdraw to Tanf area. Now eyes was put to the North (7)

#Rastan pocket (2/4/2018 - 16/5/2018) : After some smalls operation without good progress #Tiger_Forces arrived to the pocket to deal with it. However, a reconciliation/evacuation agreement was reached before battle started & military & civilian losses were avoided (8)

South #Damascus OP (20/4/2018-21/5/2018) : The vast urban area made battle one of the bloodiest. Despite evacuation deals with rebels, #ISIS put heavy resistance & #SAA suffered big losses. Finally, an evacuation agreement towards #Suwayda put an end of the war in the Capital (9)

#Homs/#Damacus (2/4/2018-19/9/2018): #SAA launched a serie of sweeping operation in order to clean this vast desert area from #ISIS sleeper cells. Despite big progress has been reached & official announcement been spreaded still lot of work to do to eliminate #ISIS in desert (10)

With the end of rebel pockets & the possibility of continue N.W. #Syria offensive not available, #SAA put the eyes on S.W. #Syria : (11)

#SAA launched #BasaltOperation (19/6/2018-31/7/2018) in order to eliminate Southern Front Stronghold against Rebels & #ISIS . Operation was fast due to the implementation of reconciliation/evacuation agreements in many areas where army could enter without firing a bullet. (12)

On the Other hand #SDF restarted #CizireStorm operation: Between June-August troops managed to secure desert area between E. shore of #Euphrates river & border with #Iraq from #ISIS militants. Most of them withdrew to #Hajin pocket, their last inhabitant stronghold (13)

After #BasaltOp #SAA focused on "Greater #Idlib" & prepared the biggest operation of the year called #IdlibDawn . Due to Turkish political pressure & Sochi Agreement the operation was delayed by indefinite time & demilitary zone was created in order to deescalate situation (14)

Also after #BasaltOp #SAA continue the operation against #ISIS in #Suwayda/#Damascus #Safa Stronghold under the name of #OpDignity (7/6/2018-19/11/2018). Battle was difficult due to the rough volcanic ground. Many militants died, most of them withdrew to #Tanf & #Homs desert (15)

On September #SDF launched the last phase of #CizireStorm .Despite good progress made during the first 2 months an #ISIS attack provoke a collapse in #SDF lines & big retreat took place. However #SDF managed to restructure strategy & restarted op. reducing pocket until today (16)

In 2018 #SAA liberated 17705,23 Km^2 & now Syrian government controls more than 60% of #Syria . #SAA have consolidated their position of main pary of the Syrian war with the control of the Capital & S.W. & Central Syria including M-5 Highway, important for the trade recovery (17)

#SDF have won 6734,3 Km^2 & consolidate their control over Eastern Euphrates area (aproximate 1/3 of the country) whith their last victories against #ISIS . However, the recent events put in question the future & the existence of the party in #Syria (18)

Despite #OliveBranch Operation (Rebels won 1852,83 Km^2) Opposition have lost their presence in important areas of S. & C. #Syria , including the capital. Reducing their areas of control only to N.W #Syria & #Tanf area. A #TSK op is the last hope for rebels to hold territory (19)

#ISIS continue it's decadence as "State" & start adapting insurgence tactics like militants did in #Irak . The first weeks of 2019 will lost the control of all it's inhabitant territories. Despite this, still lot of work to do in order to eliminate it's presence in #Syria . (20)

2019 Will focus on 3 main points :
Fight against #ISIS remnants : #CizireStorm op will continue until Eastern shore of #Euphrates is secured of #ISIS while #SAA will launch new sweeping operations against #ISIS in #Homs/#DeirEzzor desert. (21)

- Eastern #Syria: With the announcement of US Withdrawal of #Syria . A new possibility to maintain the integrity of #Syria appeared. #SAA move to frontlines in order to enter in #SDF territory through agreements as we see in #Aleppo city, Tal Rifaat & Manbij ( situation now) (22)

At the same time, #TSK/#TFSA arrive to the fronts to launch the long-awaited offensive to eliminate #YPG threat as US protection will ended. While #Manbij could be safe, Kobane-Tal Abyad-Ra's al-Ayn still in danger (23)

- Idlib: Once E. #Syria subject has been solved. #SAA will finally focus on the liberation of "Greater #Idlib "
Sochi agreement & the establishment of DMZ not only hasn't de-escalated situation but have strengthened jihadist groups like #HTS This will force the #IdlibDawn op (24)

END. Thank you everybody for your time.
Map of Syrian Civil war 2018 : google.com/maps/d/viewer?…