Syria Situation Report: March 18 - 31, 2020
April 2, 2020 - ISW Press
Syria Situation Report: March 18 - 31, 2020
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Publications
Iran's Proxies Accelerate Soleimani's Campaign to Compel U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq
April 2, 2020 - ISW Press
Iran continues to escalate proxy attacks against the U.S. in Iraq, demonstrating that it remains undeterred despite the January 3 strike that killed IRGC - Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani and key Iraqi proxy leader Abu Mehdi al-Muhandis and subsequent U.S. strikes. Iran’s proxy network in Iraq is advancing its campaign to compel an American withdrawal by increasing the operational tempo of its attacks on U.S. and allied personnel. Iran’s proxies are responsible for at least 15 attacks on American and U.S.-led Coalition personnel since January 3. A new militia group, Usbat al-Thairen, claimed several recent attacks, indicating that the proxy network may be reorganizing in observance of the shared vision of Soleimani and Muhandis and that Iran may have reached a new phase in its campaign to expel U.S. forces form Iraq.
Turkey’s Military Buildup in Syria’s Idlib Province
March 31, 2020 -
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) deployed roughly a division (over 20,000 soldiers) to Greater Idlib Province between February 1 and March 31, 2020. This map provides a partial assessment of which types of units Turkey deployed to each location based on publicly available information.
Iraq Situation Report: March 18 - 24, 2020
March 27, 2020 - ISW Press
U.S. forces began one of three planned withdrawals from small bases in Iraq, two of which have been targets of frequent Iranian-proxy mortar attacks. The Pentagon described the withdrawal as a planned consolidation of forces.
Russia in Review: Putin Accelerates Ukraine Campaign Amid Converging Crises
March 24, 2020 - ISW Press
Russia in Review is a weekly intelligence summary (INTSUM) produced by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This ISW INTSUM series sheds light on key trends and developments related to the Russian government’s objectives and its efforts to secure them.
Syria Situation Report: March 4 - 17, 2020
March 20, 2020 - Michael Land
By Michael Land (ISW Syria Team) and Nada Atieh (Syria Direct)
Iraq Situation Update: March 11 - 17, 2020
March 20, 2020 - ISW Press
The U.S. began a planned drawdown from three Iraqi bases after Iran’s proxy network in Iraq intensified its campaign of rocket attacks against U.S.-led Coalition forces.
US-Iran Escalation Timeline: March 2020 Update
March 20, 2020 - ISW Press
Iranian proxies in Iraq have sustained attacks since the killing of Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani in an attempt to provoke a US response that will lead to the expulsion of American forces from the country. View the latest interactive timeline and map within.
Turkey Commits to Idlib
March 18, 2020 - Jennifer Cafarella
The U.S. has an opportunity in Idlib to exploit the largest rift between Turkey and Russia in Syria to date while addressing a grave and dangerous humanitarian crisis, which will worsen in coming months without a robust international response. Turkey’s intervention in Idlib Province changed the military balance in northwest Syria and created an opportunity for the U.S. and Europe to engage at relatively low cost.
Iraq Situation Report: March 4 -10, 2020
March 14, 2020 -
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN), a U.S. Designated Terrorist Group and Iranian proxy, may have begun a round of escalations against U.S. personnel in Iraq. The group has escalated its rhetorical threats against U.S. persons since mid-February and may have graduated to rocket attacks directed at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.