November, 2021

• 13 November

  CIA Director had rare conversation with Putin while in Moscow last week

  CIA Director Bill Burns held a rare conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week, to convey “serious” US concerns about Russia’s military buildup along the Ukrainian border and to attempt to determine Russian intentions, two sources with direct knowledge told CNN. Putin’s spokesperson also confirmed there was …

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• 13 November

  Analysis | Israel Broadens Strikes Against Iran in Syria, and Russia Doesn’t Seem to Mind

  

  Attacks on weapons shipments and Iranian interests in Syria don’t appear to be of much concern to Assad either, and the Americans have more pressing matters to attend to – including the NSO scandal and Israel’s response to it Israel’s alleged aerial strike in Syria on Monday would be the …

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• 13 November

  Russia vehicles unload landmines in North Syria countryside

  

  Russian military vehicles have unloaded large numbers of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines in northern Syria’s countryside of Tal Rifaat, which is controlled by the YPG/PKK, Anadolu Agency reported on Friday. Members of the YPG/PKK group, designated a terror group by Turkey, were seen planting the mines in northern Syria. This …

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• 13 November

  Russia Makes New Arrangements in Northeast Syria

  

  Russia arranged for the Syrian army to enter into some areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in an attempt to organize the situation in the east of the country. Earlier, Russian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Moscow is exerting intensive efforts to contain the military escalation …

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• 13 November

  SOHR: 900 Syrian fighters return from Nagorno-Karabakh

  

  More than 900 pro-Turkish Syrian fighters have returned to Syria after the end of fighting in the disputed area of Nagorno-Karabakh, a British-based Syrian war monitor said Wednesday. A November 9 truce ended more than a month of fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the ethnic Armenian enclave that broke …

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• 13 November

  SDF separatist forces between Turkey and Russia

  

  On the evening of Tuesday 9 November, Turkish warplanes targeted separatist elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Syrian city of Qamishli. The drone attack is not the first of its kind in the city, as it was preceded by similar attacks in the city and Ain Al-Arab …

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• 13 November

  Secret Document for Normalization of Ties with Damascus Includes Exit of Foreign Forces

  

  Jordan’s document and its confidential addendum for normalizing ties with Damascus display that the final goal for Arab countries restoring their relationship with the Syrian capital is that foreign forces and fighters exit Syria. According to the document, which Asharq Al-Awsat reviewed, US and International Coalition forces in northeastern Syria …

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• 13 November

  Iraq’s Election Raises More Questions Than Answers

  

  One-time U.S. foe emerges as top vote-getter but could still struggle to form the next government. Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shia cleric whose Mahdi Army followers battled U.S. forces during the years of the occupation, made big gains in Iraq’s parliamentary election on October 10. His victory could pose problems for …

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• 13 November

  A Risky Role for Russian Peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh

  When Russian peacekeepers arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a ceasefire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenian, they found it empty, blanketed in a thick November fog. After 44 days of brutal war, most [people] had fled, not believing the fighting was over. A year later, the region’s main city of …

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• 13 November

  Palestinian Politics Are More Divided Than Ever

  

  The cease-fire that entered into force last Friday brought an end to 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas, leaving behind at least 248 Palestinian and 12 Israeli dead, as well as untold destruction in Gaza. Yet even as the fragile truce is holding thus far, the power struggle …

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