By Jodi Brignola
Russia
continues to target opposition forces and civilian infrastructure after
brokering a “cessation of hostilities” agreement through the International
Syrian Support Group (ISSG) on February 11. Russian air operations against the armed
opposition have continued unhindered since the announcement of the agreement. Russian
officials have reiterated that they have no plans to halt their air campaign against “terrorists,” which they have
broadly defined to include all opposition groups threatening the Assad regime,
including some receiving U.S. support. The “cessation of hostilities” agreement
will ultimately leave Russian and other pro-regime forces free to continue
anti-opposition operations throughout Syria. Meanwhile, aid organizations accused
Russian warplanes of targeting four hospitals and one
school in Aleppo and Idlib Provinces on February 15 alone. The reported attacks
are a continuation of
Russian targeting of vital
civilian infrastructure, likely in an effort to soften the resolve of the
Syrian armed opposition. Russia also has ratcheted up its military power in
Syria since the agreement, with the deployment of the advanced Tu-214R
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to the Bassel
al-Assad International Airport on February 15. The Tu-214R will likely work in
coordination with the
new Russian Su-35S warplanes to conduct quick and accurate precision
strikes. Its deployment is another indication that Russia and the regime
continue to pursue a military solution to the conflict in Syria.
Russian-enabled
Kurdish advances have applied additional pressure against opposition forces
already strained by recent regime advances northwest of Aleppo City. Kurdish forces
cleared over 10 kilometers of opposition-held terrain north of the city, seizing
the town of Tel Rifaat, the Menagh
Airbase, and at least five other villages from the armed
opposition from February 6 - 16 with the assistance of Russian airstrikes. Given
recent gains, Kurdish forces are positioned to seize the opposition stronghold
of Mare’a located along the frontline with ISIS. Kurdish forces are also
positioned to seize the town of Azaz located 10 kilometers south of Turkish
border. Russian air support for Kurdish forces further escalates tensions with
Turkey, which has responded to recent Kurdish gains by
shelling recently seized villages adjacent to Azaz . Turkish officials
called for the formation of a “secure
strip” along Syria’s northern border with Turkey to protect the area from
additional Kurdish advances on February 16, and have increasingly pressured the
U.S. to cease support for Kurdish forces in the conflict.
The following graphic depicts ISW’s assessment of Russian airstrike locations based on reports from local Syrian activist networks, Syrian state-run media, and statements by Russian and Western officials. This map represents locations targeted by Russia’s air campaign, rather than the number of individual strikes or sorties.
High-Confidence reporting. ISW places high confidence in reports corroborated both by official government statements reported through credible channels and documentation from rebel factions or activist networks on the ground in Syria deemed to be credible.
Low-Confidence reporting. ISW places low confidence in secondary sources that have not been confirmed or sources deemed likely to contain disinformation.