Few observations regarding ‘independent journalists on the ground’, in Syria:
There are no ‘independent journalists on the ground’ — especially not on the regime’s side. Sure, there are two local (Syrian) media…
Few observations regarding ‘independent journalists on the ground’, in Syria:
There are no ‘independent journalists on the ground’ — especially not on the regime’s side. Sure, there are two local (Syrian) media outlets that appear to be independent from the regime, but even their work is carefully monitored by several ‘security/intelligence’ agencies.
Working as a foreign journo — even as a historian — in Syria requires special permissions. Until today, all the foreigners with such jobs are carefully screened already before getting their visas for entry to Syria (from local consulates). Once inside Syria, they are all the time carefully monitored by at least two, more often four ‘tails’ (or ‘minders’). Even before the war, and if a journalist or historian attempted to work in Syria ‘incognito’ (say: as a ‘tourist just travelling around the country’), everybody was assigned at least two tails — usually declared as ‘guides’, ‘translators’, ‘drivers’ etc. ‘Curiously’, all of these had at least the rank of captain or major in the Syrian military/intelligence system (my ‘top ranking driver/tourist guide’ had a rank of a full colonel).
The tails/minders in question are responsible to let the journos see or hear what the regime (or any of its allies) wants them to see or hear: attempts to get to see or hear ‘anything/something else’ are usually resulting in orders to leave Syria. Pronto. Whenever clearly identified by the regime, people contacted under circumstances ‘outside the control of the regime’ are picked up by agents of one of security/intelligence services, soon afterwards.
Regardless if the journo in question was invited to visit Syria by the regime or is visiting Syria at own initiative, whenever he or she is out his/her hotel room, this is carefully examined by intelligence operatives — ‘just to make sure’.
Regarding what’s going on in Aleppo:
The last insurgent-held pocket inside the city, containing about 2,000 insurgents and 40,000 civilians (all figures are estimates), is surrounded by a mix of loyalist- and IRGC-controlled militias, and the Russian military (partially regular army, partially Russian PMCs).
Since more than a week, there are Russo-Turkish negotiations about a cease-fire and evacuation of these people. So far, these negotiations resulted in at least three, perhaps four agreements about cease-fire and evacuation. The first three were all interrupted by IRGC-controlled militias. Firefights are erupting repeatedly in between and sometimes during these three evacuations.
These negotiations are getting ever more complex, because in return for permitting evacuation of insurgents and civilians from that pocket inside Aleppo, the IRGC meanwhile demands at least partial evacuation of people from the Fouah/Kefraya pocket, north of Idlib city, predominantly populated by Syrian Shi’a, and besieged foremost by jihadists of the JFS (ex-JAN, aka ‘Nusra’).
And if that’s not complex enough, there are reports that the IRGC and the JFS want to have similar deals regarding insurgent/jihadist-controlled pockets in Madaya and Zabadani (in Damascus area), included in any related deal, too.
Hope, that’s of some help.