Syrian American Council Spreads Love And Hope To Displaced Syrians On Valentine’s Day Mission

The Syrian American Council is leading a team to the border of Syria and Turkey to show solidarity with the thousands of Syrians who have been displaced by the Russian-led assault on Idlib.

WASHINGTON D.C., February 16, 2020 – The Syrian American Council, alongside Global Solidarity with Idlib (GSI), the Mulham Team, and Kids Paradise, is leading a mission to the Turkish and Syrian border. The trip included a visit by an international team of activists and journalists to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from northern Syria in Turkey.

Syrian American Council Calls for US-Turkish Cooperation to Protect Civilians in Syria’s Idlib Province

Syrian civilians flee toward Turkish border as Russian-backed Syrian forces march toward Idlib, violence between Syrian and Turkish forces increase

WASHINGTON D.C., February 11, 2020 – The escalating tensions between Turkey and the Assad regime in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib have erupted into escalated violence with the deaths of more than a dozen Turkish soldiers in attacks by pro-regime forces. Approximately 700,000 Syrian civilians have fled toward the Turkish border since December, as the Assad regime, backed by Russia, has intensified attacks on civilian areas. The Syrian American Council calls on the United States to uphold its responsibility to its NATO ally and to work with Turkey to protect civilians in Idlib.

Syrian American Council Calls for Urgent Action to Halt Massive Displacement of Civilians Underway in Syria’s Idlib

Tens of thousands flee for border with Turkey as Assad regime forces overrun Maarat al-Numan, Idlib’s second largest city

WASHINGTON D.C., January 29, 2020 – Despite a ceasefire announced by Russia earlier this month, civilians in Idlib province, Syria’s largest haven of internally displaced persons (IDPs), are on the run again as Russian-led Syrian forces press a ferocious campaign to overtake the northwestern province. Swelling an already large IDP population struggling with extreme cold and winter weather in the border area, the recent mass exodus was prompted by a scorched-earth blitzkrieg on large population centers such as Maarat al-Numan, the second-largest city in Idlib. Now a ghost town in ruins, Maarat al-Numan, once a hub for peaceful anti-Assad regime demonstrations and the site of the longest-running protest against the presence of al-Qaeda in Syria, was reportedly captured by regime forces last night.

Soleimani’s Legacy is the Spread of Violence, Suffering, Fear and Division Across the Middle East

US leaders must protect civilians in wake of general’s death 

WASHINGTON D.C., January 3, 2020 – The United States Department of Defense confirmed that it conducted an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Soleimani was an architect of terror and suffering on a massive scale for Syrians and the people of the region. As Quds Force commander, Soleimani was instrumental in expanding Iranian military influence and sectarianism throughout the Middle East, and in the process destabilizing communities and imposing violent militia control on civilian populations.

Syrian American Organizations Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Idlib, Syria

Tens of thousands of civilians under constant and escalating bombing campaign by Syrian, Russian, and Iranian forces, with further displacement threatening the worst humanitarian catastrophe of Syrian crisis.

WASHINGTON D.C., December 24, 2019 – More than 400 airstrikes in a 24-hour period over the weekend have left the almost three million civilians in Syria's Idlib province and the surrounding countryside fearing death and displacement. With sights set on Idlib, the last area outside of regime control, Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian regime forces have already begun their latest bombing campaign, made significant advances on heavily populated areas, and stand ready to brutally seize territory, slaughtering all in their path. Syrian American organizations echo the calls from the Syria Civil Defence, the humanitarian aid group better known as the White Helmets, to end the carnage in Idlib, protect its civilians, and provide safe channels for those wishing to leave.

Caesar Act Becomes Law, War Criminals in Syria to be Held Accountable

Enforcement of the bipartisan Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act will be urgently tested in Idlib, where civilians are under constant and escalating violence

WASHINGTON D.C., December 20, 2019 – As Russia and the Assad regime bombard innocent civilians in Idlib, Syria, President Trump today signed into law the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (S. 52/H.R. 31), as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will sanction Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies. Syrian American organizations applaud this signing and look to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to impose these sanctions, ultimately holding perpetrators of atrocities in Syria accountable at long last.

Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act Passes US House and Senate 

The bipartisan bill, which imposes sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and allies, must be signed by the president

WASHINGTON D.C., December 17, 2019 – The United States Senate today passed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (S. 52), included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), after being passed by the House of Representatives (H.R. 31) on December 11. The bipartisan legislation would hold Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies accountable for war crimes against civilians in Syria. The Syrian American Council extends its gratitude to the members of U.S. Congress for moving this long-awaited bill forward and urges President Trump to quickly sign the bill into law.

Syrian American Council Calls on Syrian Opposition to Abandon Failed Astana Talks 

Russian-led talks lack credibility and force opposition to validate murder of Syrians

WASHINGTON D.C., DECEMBER 9, 2019 – The Syrian American Council calls on the Syrian opposition to abandon the failed Astana talks, which were created and continue to be led by Russia, one of the main perpetrators in the slaughter of Syrian civilians. The opposition should not be manipulated into giving cover and credence to Assad’s Russian- and Iranian-backed genocide by participating in the Astana talks.

Deadly Attack on IDP Camp in Northwest Syria Reconfirms Need for Safe Zone

Syrian American Council calls for an end to the violence and immediate political transition

WASHINGTON D.C., NOVEMBER 21, 2019 – In a horrific act of violence Wednesday night, two ballistic missiles carrying cluster munitions were launched at the crowded al-Qah camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northwest Syria, near the Turkish border. The missiles are believed to have originated from an Iranian militia base outside of Aleppo city.

Hundreds of Attacks Carried Out in Week-long Escalation in Northwest Syria

Syrian American Council calls for a no-fly zone, increased humanitarian aid, and funding to strengthen civil society amidst intensified bombing

WASHINGTON D.C., NOVEMBER 8, 2019 – Russia and the Assad regime have increased the intensity of attacks in northwest Syria over the past week, bombing dozens of towns in Idlib, Aleppo, and Hama, carrying out a total of 162 attacks from October 30 – November 6, as documented by the Syrian Network for Human Rights. These attacks targeted medical centers, first responders, bakeries, schools, and civilian homes, constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity. On Tuesday, a Russian airstrike on a home in Dar al-Kabira village, Idlib, killed three young siblings – Israa, Baraa, and Hakem – and injured their mother.