November 17, 2014
On November 16, 2014, the Islamic State killed yet another American citizen, aid-worker Abdulrahman (Peter) Kassig. The video didn’t follow the usual pattern at all. In former videos of the beheading of Western hostages, the victim was dressed in an orange jump suit (referring to the clothing in Guantanamo Bay) and was forced to read…
November 17, 2014
By Bellingcat Investigation Team
We the undersigned express our condemnation at the deceptive nature of the film directed by Lars Klevberg and funded by the Norwegian Film Institute and Arts Council Norway about Syria. It is reckless and irresponsible to distribute a fictional film as real footage thus belittling the very real suffering of Syria’s children and the very…
November 3, 2014
By Oryx
The recent Islamic State offensive in Homs supposedly now also threatens Syria’s largest and most important airbase; T4. Sharing the name of the nearby pumping station, T4 is often incorrectly named Tiyas or even Tayas, Tayfur, Al Tifor or Al Tifour due to the Arabic rendering of ‘T4’. The release of a video by a…
October 6, 2014
By Oryx
On the 5th of October 2014, the Free Syrian Army captured the Центр С – المركز س – Center S SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) facility (logo on top) jointly operated by the Russian Osnaz GRU radio electronic intelligence agency (logo on the right) and one of the Syrian Intelligence Agencies (logo on the left). Situated near…
October 6, 2014
Recent video published by Amak News Agency shows Islamic State taking up position on Mount Mishtenur a little over a mile outside of Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town on Turkey’s border. Despite reports of a US Predator flying overhead possibly collecting intelligence for strikes, the Islamic State continues to advance on key areas of interest. Kobane, also…
October 1, 2014
By Aaron Stein
After weeks of clashes between the Islamic State and the Kurdish YPG in Kobane, the Turkish government has beefed up security at the border. Turkey has reportedly deployed between five and fifteen tanks between the Mursitpinar and Yumurtalik border crossings. The tanks were deployed after the fighting prompted thousands of Kurds to flee from Kobane…
September 24, 2014
U.S. and Arab allies launched air-strikes across Syrian territory targeting Islamic State and the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group. On 23SEPT14, Pentagon officials briefing the press described the successful air-strikes as part “of a credible and sustainable persistent campaign to degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State. US forces hit targets focusing on the organization’s command and…
September 23, 2014
Following last night’s air strikes on targets inside Syria by US led forces, a number of claims were made about civilian victims of the air strikes. After 3 years of conflict Syrian opposition groups have already established social media networks that have allowed them to quickly share and disseminate images and reports from the conflict,…
September 5, 2014
By Aaron Stein
The United States appears to now be flying unarmed surveillance drones over the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria. The pictures thus far suggest that the drone being used is the Predator. The two photos show the distinct downward facing V-shaped tail used on Predator drones, and the aircraft does not appear to be carrying any…
September 1, 2014
Last week, the OHCHR’s independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic published their latest report on the conflict in Syria, with one section detailing the use of chlorine gas as a chemical weapons by Syrian government forces. The report states Reasonable grounds exist to believe that chemical agents, likely chlorine, were used on…
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