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Charles Lister

Jul 22, 2022 • 8 tweets • 10 min read • Read on X

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Heartbreaking scenes from the village of Al-Jadidah in western #Idlib today, as #Russia airstrikes hit a farm, killing 7 civilians, 5 of them children under 10.

We’re in the 12th year of #Syria’s crisis & this continues to happen — with total impunity.

Enough now.

https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1549498386012839944

Note -- the village of al-Jadidah, #Idlib is still home to a long-standing, small Christian community.

Several Christian notables joined the delegation meeting #HTS leader Jolani earlier this week.

Already some speculation that #Russia's massacre today was a response to that.

https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1549498386012839944

Warning - this is hard to see, but it must be seen. No more disinterest.

#Russia killed 4 children & 3 adult civilians this morning in #Idlib. Parents are now mourning.

Syrians never got air defenses or heavy weaponry - they just sit there, defenseless.

It's been nearly 7yrs since #Russia's military intervention in #Syria & in that time, it's killed ~7,000 civilians, including ~2,050 children.

And believe it or not, **not a single sanction** has been placed on #Russia as a result.

Not a single one.

Shame on the world. Shame.

@UN

When the @UN provided #Russia with the coordinates of dozens of hospitals in NW #Syria in a "deconfliction" arrangement, #Moscow used the coordinates to launch a campaign of precision airstrikes, methodically destroying hospitals, one by one.

The result?

Not a single sanction.

@UN

@UN On April 4, 2017, #Assad forces loaded munitions with Sarin gas onto jets at Shayrat AB -- and dropped them on Khan Sheikhoun, killing 89 civilians & injuring 500+.

Intel: #Russia troops were present.

The U.S. struck Shayrat 3 days later -- *but not before pre-warning #Russia.*

@UN

@UN Their names were:

Ikhlas, 8
Yusra, 6
Jana, 4
& Mohammed, 1.

Killed by #Russia missiles while at home in #Idlib, this morning.

@UN

@UN Not only is #Russia's military killing children in #Syria & #Ukraine -- it's also stealing them & giving them to families back at home.

There are no limits for #Putin's #Russia.

https://twitter.com/peterbakernyt/status/1550533304688209925

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More from @Charles_Lister

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 16

2 weeks before #Assad fell, I wrote that the US mustn't leave #Syria, as the D-#ISIS mission is far from over & the practical cost of staying is wholly affordable.

It's still *vital* we stay, but conditions have changed -- a 🧵:

mei.edu/blog/dont-leav…

In 2024, #ISIS has *tripled* its operational tempo in #Syria compared to 2023, while expanding its geographic reach, increasing recruitment & attack scale & sophistication.

Every alarm bell has been ringing for months.

syriaweekly.com/p/nov-2024-isi…

The fall of #Assad has made the U.S operating environment *much* more complicated -- with our #SDF partners facing a potentially existential challenge from #Turkey, the #SNA & the surge in revolutionary sentiment across #Syria.

nytimes.com/2024/12/15/opi…

Read 12 tweets

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 10

Seeing #Assad's former cabinet meeting with #HTS's Salvation Government in #Damascus is truly a staggering thing.

For many years, Syrians aligned with the state risked being disappeared merely for exchanging messages with opposition-aligned people. A 🧵:

In years past, I was involved in a large-scale effort to bring Syrians together from across the crisis spectrum -- for days-long meetings abroad, in neutral venues. Getting people from #Assad-held areas was an enormous logistical & security challenge (for them).

To extend an invite would normally mean first meeting in a neighboring country -- exchanging phone messages or emails whilst in #Syria was a potentially life-threatening thing. Travel would need a cover: a vacation, business meeting, or a family visit.

Read 6 tweets

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 9

Over the past week, almost all attention on #Syria has been directed at the #HTS/opposition vs. #Assad dynamic -- and the change of power in #Damascus.

Meanwhile, the #SDF in northeast #Syria has been dealt a tough hand of cards -- a 🧵:

As the anti-#Assad advance gained steam in western #Syria, the Arab tribal component of the #SDF sought to take the fight to #Assad in the east. That happened in Deir ez Zour, but it was hard at times, and complex. It frayed some Arab-YPG ties.

The #SDF also found itself assuming control of resource-intensive areas in #Hasakeh & #Raqqa abandoned by #Assad -- good in theory, but it stretched resources while the #Turkey-backed #SNA launched offensive moves into Tel Rifat & then #Manbij.

Read 5 tweets

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 8

#HTS's tip-of-the-spear advance across #Syria has presented international actors with a huge legal/policy dilemma -- a 🧵

After 2 days of #Syria diplomatic talks, it's clear most are considering the likelihood that designations may need re-considering.

For several years, the U.S. & Europeans have been aware of #HTS's ideological & behavioral change in #Idlib, and the Salvation Govt too -- but the lack of investment in serious #Syria policy meant there was little need to do more than acknowledge & monitor.

On a simple level: #Jolani has a $10 million reward on his head, but he's spent years operating in the open, with no concern for his safety. US drones continued to operate, meanwhile.

If his designation (& #HTS's) were still rock-solid, he'd be dead by now.

Read 8 tweets

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 6

NEW -- since the fall of #Hama yesterday, #Syria is witnessing extraordinary developments.

#Assad's future now looks VERY much in question. A 🧵:

Opposition forces are now at the gates of #Homs, preparing to launch a major push into the city. Elite frontline fighters (incl. from #HTS's Asaib al-Hamra) are prepped on four axes, while #Assad's regime has evacuated its #Homs leadership to #Damascus.

Insurgent factions & former opposition groups in #Daraa have declared their intent to liberate the province from #Assad's regime.

The primary crossing with #Jordan, Nassib, has been captured -- expelling the 4th Division north towards #Damascus.

Read 9 tweets

Charles Lister

@Charles_Lister

Dec 5

Having worked on #Syria full-time since the crisis began nearly 14yrs ago, there really is no understating how remarkable the losses imposed on #Assad's regime have been over the past week.

A large reason for this lies with #HTS — a 🧵:

Militarily, #HTS has invested enormously since 2020 in enhancing combat capabilities, improving professionalism, tightening its structure & command/control etc.

From an 'officer' class, to special forces, night-time units & an entire drone force - it's changed the game.

The expansion of units like Asaib al-Hamra & introduction of Saraya al-Harari and Kataib Shaheen -- along with large-scale indigenous rocket & missile production -- has created a force that #Assad's regime has seriously struggled to defend against, let alone outmaneuver.