2023 Round-up of Syrian War

Syrian war witnessed some unexpected turns during 2023. The year brought the first decrease in Southern Syria insurgency over the past few years but Assad’s regime faces a setback in terms of increased Israeli airstrikes, specially after Al-Aqsa storm operation by Hamas.

Another unexpected event for Assad and Syrian army is the increased number of Generals they lost despite absence of any offensive.

ISIS insurgency in Badia (South Eastern Syria also known as Syrian desert) during 2023 have also seen a huge increase.

Another setback for Assad regime is the record number of Captagon pills also known as Jihadist drug seized in MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Smuggling of Captagon pills is one of the main financial source for Assad regime in ongoing Syrian War.

Statistics and data about Syrian War in 2023 is:

In 2023 Israel bombed Syria at least 48 times (32 times in 2022), a +50% increase from 2022:

• Area of Damascus struck 22 times
• Aleppo & Damascus airports repeatedly hit. At least 62 dead including SAA (mostly Air Defense), Hezbollah & IRGC Officers (& a General).

In 2023, SAA lost at least 39 Generals (significant increase compared to 2022: +50%) despite zero Offensive:

• 6 were killed in attacks (3 by Rebels including 2 in Homs College strike, 2 by ISIS & 1 by Turkey)
• 1 died in 6 Feb. SEISM
• Over 80% were from pro-Assad hardcore areas.

Southern Syria insurgency witnessed in 2023 its first decrease (-24%). 280 men killed:

• 168 Regime members backed by 24 reconcilied Rebels
• 9 Assad Officials
• 18 insurgents
• 17 ex-Rebels (civilians)
• 24 drug dealers
  Attacks against pro-Assad forces collapsed during last 4 months.

In 2023 Rebels killed at least 233 pro-Assad fighters on Greater Idlib fronts (123 killed in 2022), a 89% increase:

• a General slain in Idlib & a Russian Colonel in Latakia
• several high-quality operations deep behind the fronts (new)
• 1st tunnel bomb attack since 2016
• ~30 Inghimasi attacks, mostly by HTS

In 2023 a record 272+ million Captagon pills were seized in MENA. Top 5 countries:

• Saudi Arabia: 98.5 million (108 million in 2022)
• UAE: 96 million (2nd position due to giant bust of 86.2 million pills)
• Lebanon: 23.3 million
• Iraq: 17 million (31 million in 2022)
• Jordan: 13 million (54.5 million in 2022)

In 2023 Daraa was the most violent province in Syria.
506 people were killed there, an average of 42 per month. 278 were civilians, including 40 women & children.