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Thursday, March 2, 2017

Syria Situation Report: February 24 - March 2, 2017

By ISW Syria Team and Syria Direct

Opposition groups backed by Turkey in Operation Euphrates Shield attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near Manbij in Northern Aleppo Province on March 1.  The SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council later claimed on March 2 that its fighters will turn over a number of frontline villages outside of Manbij to pro-regime ‘border guards’ as part of a deal brokered by Russia to deescalate the clashes and prevent further expansion by Turkey in Northern Syria.  Meanwhile, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - the successor of Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fatah al-Sham - conducted simultaneous attacks targeting two regime intelligence branches in Homs City with gunfire, IEDs, and SVESTs on February 25.  HTS Military Emir Abu Mohammad al-Joulani stated that the attacks aimed to undermine the ongoing Geneva Talks on the Syrian Civil War.  Finally, pro-regime forces recaptured Palmyra in Eastern Homs Province on March 2 after ISIS withdrew from the city.  ISIS recaptured Palmyra in December 2016 while pro-regime forces conducted operations to seize full control of Aleppo City. 

These graphics mark the latest installment of our Syria SITREP Map made possible through a partnership between the Institute for the Study of War andSyria Direct.  The graphic depicts significant recent developments in the Syrian Civil War.  The control of terrain represented on the graphic is accurate as of February 16, 2017.