At
peace talks in Astana, the presidents of the
Russian Federation and
Turkey announced their support for the creation of "safe zones" in Syria. Representatives of the
Syrian rebels walked out of a press conference on the talks in protest at the inclusion of the Islamic Republic of
Iran in the deal.[1]
The Russian delegation at the Astana talks announced that the "safe zone" (or "de-escalation zone") agreement sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey - covering four areas, in the
Idlib Governorate, the northern rebel-controlled parts of the
Homs Governorate, the rebel-controlled eastern
Ghouta, and the
Badia region - would come into effect at 12:00 P.M. Damascus Time.[3][4] Neither the rebels nor the main
Syrian Kurdish party, the
Democratic Union Party (Syria) (PYD), recognised the zones.[4]
SDF forces have completed the capture of the town of Tabqa and the adjacent
Tabqa Dam from Islamic State forces.[9]
16 May
A U.S.-led Coalition bombing kills 42 civilians in
al-Bokamal city, including 11 children and 6 women.[10]
22 May
Dozens of rebels are killed or wounded by an Islamic State bombing of Ahrar al-Sham headquarters in a village east of Saraqeb in Idlib Province in northwest Syria.[11]
26 May
A U.S.-led Coalition bombing reportedly kills over 108 civilians in Mayadin.[12]
Syrian government forces retake the
Damascus–
Palmyra highway from ISIL.[13]
Government forces and allies captured areas of Al-‘Alb, Bi’r Dahlon and Sharat Dahlon in Eastern
Homs Governorate from ISIL.[14] They reported to have captured over 6,000 km2 of ISIL-held territory.[15]
CNN reported that a U.S. F-16 shot down an Iranian-made drone near al-Tanf.[22]
21 June
The Royal Australian Air Force announced a resumption of military air operations in Syria.[23]
22 June
The United States is sending a civilian team of State Department officials and security team to help stabilise areas that have been captured from ISIL by American-backed forces.[24]
24 June
Israeli airforce attacks Syrian government positions in the
Quneitra province after fighting between rebels and the Syrian government spilled over the Israeli controlled
Golan Heights.[25]
30 June
The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights reports that the Islamic State withdrew from Aleppo province[26]
A fifth round of talks organized by Russia, Turkey and Iran takes place in
Astana,
Kazakhstan discussing the implementation of safe zones in Syria.[28]
11 July
The Syrian Observatory of Human rights confirm the death of
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Caliph of the Islamic State and the Levant.[29]
13 July
An improvised device blast an
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region building in Al-Baroon Street, Aleppo. The attack left the Secretary Fadil Najar killed and five other people were wounded in the blast.[30][31]
14 July
Syrian Arab Army claims that
Free Syrian Army commander of Regiment 107 is killed by a roadside bomb planted by the SAA in Daraa.[32]
According to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Syrian government carried out several airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta, in violation of the cessation of hostilities it had declared on the previous day.[34]
24 July
The Russian General Staff announced the introduction of new "de-escalation zones" in Syria, including in the north of the city of Homs and in East Ghouta region.[35]
26 July
A FSA military commander of the
Syrian Revolutionaries Front, Bashair al-Numairi, is targeted and killed by an
IED at the road between the towns of Zimrin and Um Al-Uosaj in northern Daraa, according to a pro-government source.[36]
29 July
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant loses 6,000 square kilometers during the first month of the 4th year of its creation. Over 5,635 square kilometers are lost to government forces and the rest to
SDF forces, according to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.[37]
31 July
According to the
Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Syrian government dropped 244 barrel bombs in July, in the "de-escalation zones", targeting Daraa governorate, the Damascus suburbs, Suwayda, Hama and Homs.[38]
August 2017
3 August
The Syrian government shells rebel towns in Eastern Ghouta:
Ein Tarma town targeted with 10 ground-to-ground local FIL missiles, killing a woman and child and wounding others; and four people are wounded when the city of
Harasta is shelled with mortars.[39]
4 August
Nearly 8,000 Syrian refugees and fighters arrived in rebel-held central Syria from Lebanon as part of a ceasefire deal between
Hezballah and
Fateh al-Sham.[40]
9 August
Syrian government shelling killed five civilians and wounded 10 more in the town of
Kafr Batna.[41]
10 August
Syrian government forces bombed two areas in
Tal Dahab village near Houla town in “de-escalation zones”, killing least four people, while captured at least 30km border with Jordan from rebel control.[41]
A woman, a man and a child were killed, and seven more people were wounded in shelling on a town of Hammuriyeh in the Eastern Ghouta area near the capital, Damascus.[41]
A Bulgarian newspaper published a report that appeared to show that Eastern European-made weapons supplied by the United States, Saudi Arabia and the UAE reached the hands of militants and terror groups in the Middle East via 350 diplomatic flights on
Azerbaijan's
Silk Way Airlines.[42]
Former US ambassador to Syria
Robert Ford said that Syrian President Assad's victory in Syria and the Iranian role in the region are realities.[43]
ISIL forces agree to withdrawal from Qalamoun to Abu Kamal in Iblid,[44] and 600 are bused under Syrian army escort into ISIL-controlled territory in a deal negotiated by Hezbollah, thus allowing Lebanese and Syrian Forces to gain control of their borders in the first time since six years.[45][46] The transfer deal is met with objections in Iraq and Lebanon, including condemnation from the Iraqi prime minister.[47]