Dani Ellis
@lapinesque.com
Engineer, Photographer, North-East Syria / Rojava volunteer
Huge flex by the main SDF spox here, dismissing claims that Turkish-backed forces have taken strategically vital Tishreen Dam by filming himself standing on it
"Today is a day of dignity, a day of honour. Because this is not war against a dam, or against a village, this is a war against everything"
"Today is a day of dignity, a day of honour. Because this is not war against a dam, or against a village, this is a war against everything"
December 26, 2024 at 4:17 PM
Huge flex by the main SDF spox here, dismissing claims that Turkish-backed forces have taken strategically vital Tishreen Dam by filming himself standing on it
"Today is a day of dignity, a day of honour. Because this is not war against a dam, or against a village, this is a war against everything"
"Today is a day of dignity, a day of honour. Because this is not war against a dam, or against a village, this is a war against everything"
Local journalists in North East Syria are so likely to be targeted by Turkey that their agencies get them to contribute to their own obituaries, while at the same time Western press are in Damascus asking the big questions like if Jolani will allow alcohol and christmas trees.
December 20, 2024 at 12:04 PM
Local journalists in North East Syria are so likely to be targeted by Turkey that their agencies get them to contribute to their own obituaries, while at the same time Western press are in Damascus asking the big questions like if Jolani will allow alcohol and christmas trees.
Devastated to learn Turkey just killed 2 much-loved Kurdish journalists in Syria in a targeted drone strike. Nazim (left) was the first local journo I met when I joined the RIC. Both were fearless in their reporting from Syria in the face of constant threats to their lives.
December 20, 2024 at 12:01 PM
Devastated to learn Turkey just killed 2 much-loved Kurdish journalists in Syria in a targeted drone strike. Nazim (left) was the first local journo I met when I joined the RIC. Both were fearless in their reporting from Syria in the face of constant threats to their lives.
Turkey's SNA forces in Syria are sharing a video of them questioning and then executing wounded soldiers as they lay in their hospital beds.
Not posting the video, but this is precisely the kind of thing we expected from Turkish forces based on previously documented warcrimes.
Not posting the video, but this is precisely the kind of thing we expected from Turkish forces based on previously documented warcrimes.
December 10, 2024 at 9:06 AM
Turkey's SNA forces in Syria are sharing a video of them questioning and then executing wounded soldiers as they lay in their hospital beds.
Not posting the video, but this is precisely the kind of thing we expected from Turkish forces based on previously documented warcrimes.
Not posting the video, but this is precisely the kind of thing we expected from Turkish forces based on previously documented warcrimes.
As details emerge from SDF and local sources, today’s impressive defence of Manbij is proof that a lightly armed but well prepared and highly disciplined defender can inflict intolerable losses on a more numerous & much better equipped attacker, even one with total air supremacy.
December 8, 2024 at 6:59 PM
As details emerge from SDF and local sources, today’s impressive defence of Manbij is proof that a lightly armed but well prepared and highly disciplined defender can inflict intolerable losses on a more numerous & much better equipped attacker, even one with total air supremacy.
"The era of tyranny is over"
Confident statement by NES's defacto foreign minister that follows similarly positive messaging from other noteable leaders. They've kept the democratic confederalist project alive until now, and I am cautiously optimitic they'll continue to do so.
Confident statement by NES's defacto foreign minister that follows similarly positive messaging from other noteable leaders. They've kept the democratic confederalist project alive until now, and I am cautiously optimitic they'll continue to do so.
December 8, 2024 at 6:59 AM
"The era of tyranny is over"
Confident statement by NES's defacto foreign minister that follows similarly positive messaging from other noteable leaders. They've kept the democratic confederalist project alive until now, and I am cautiously optimitic they'll continue to do so.
Confident statement by NES's defacto foreign minister that follows similarly positive messaging from other noteable leaders. They've kept the democratic confederalist project alive until now, and I am cautiously optimitic they'll continue to do so.
Entering a very dangerous period for Rojava; a massive assault on Manbij is underway. The SNA (opposition faction distinct from HTS) are attempting to capture the city from the SDF by attacking on 3 sides. The SNA have been responsible for some of the most apalling atrocities...
December 7, 2024 at 8:44 PM
Entering a very dangerous period for Rojava; a massive assault on Manbij is underway. The SNA (opposition faction distinct from HTS) are attempting to capture the city from the SDF by attacking on 3 sides. The SNA have been responsible for some of the most apalling atrocities...
End of an era in Qamişlo and Heseke as loyalist areas come under SDF control.
Many large posters of Assad, lots of Zahreddine too, and a really amateur statue of Hafaz on the corner of the park. All will be pulled down over the coming days.
Photo from my first full year in Rojava, 2019.
Many large posters of Assad, lots of Zahreddine too, and a really amateur statue of Hafaz on the corner of the park. All will be pulled down over the coming days.
Photo from my first full year in Rojava, 2019.
December 7, 2024 at 11:25 AM
End of an era in Qamişlo and Heseke as loyalist areas come under SDF control.
Many large posters of Assad, lots of Zahreddine too, and a really amateur statue of Hafaz on the corner of the park. All will be pulled down over the coming days.
Photo from my first full year in Rojava, 2019.
Many large posters of Assad, lots of Zahreddine too, and a really amateur statue of Hafaz on the corner of the park. All will be pulled down over the coming days.
Photo from my first full year in Rojava, 2019.
The Kurdish Red Crescent are actively calling for donations. They are currently the only NGO providing aid to the 200,000+ refugees arriving into Tabqa and Minbij, and will inevitably be responsible for building longer-term camps for them. Please donate if you can.
December 4, 2024 at 8:40 PM
The Kurdish Red Crescent are actively calling for donations. They are currently the only NGO providing aid to the 200,000+ refugees arriving into Tabqa and Minbij, and will inevitably be responsible for building longer-term camps for them. Please donate if you can.
3. Khasham Pocket
This is a small region East of the Euphrates that was nominally under SAA control since ISIS were pushed out. In reality it has been the main base of IRGC-backed groups that have been conducting regular raids and rocket attacks on the SDF and coalition bases.
Image
This is a small region East of the Euphrates that was nominally under SAA control since ISIS were pushed out. In reality it has been the main base of IRGC-backed groups that have been conducting regular raids and rocket attacks on the SDF and coalition bases.
Image
December 4, 2024 at 4:44 PM
3. Khasham Pocket
This is a small region East of the Euphrates that was nominally under SAA control since ISIS were pushed out. In reality it has been the main base of IRGC-backed groups that have been conducting regular raids and rocket attacks on the SDF and coalition bases.
Image
This is a small region East of the Euphrates that was nominally under SAA control since ISIS were pushed out. In reality it has been the main base of IRGC-backed groups that have been conducting regular raids and rocket attacks on the SDF and coalition bases.
Image
Some of these areas have a sizeable presence of small SDF units conducting ambushes and raids on the SNA advances. There's already videos confirming 30+ SNA dead from these. This goes for Deir Hefir and the villages around Minbij that the SNA have claimed.
December 4, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Some of these areas have a sizeable presence of small SDF units conducting ambushes and raids on the SNA advances. There's already videos confirming 30+ SNA dead from these. This goes for Deir Hefir and the villages around Minbij that the SNA have claimed.
Şêx Meksûd (N.Aleppo) is considered a fortress and a sizeable SDF presence will remain there as long as there are people to defend. This map released by HTS is broadly accurate - SDF maintain control over the neighbourhood and still have units North of Aleppo to harrass SNA.
December 4, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Şêx Meksûd (N.Aleppo) is considered a fortress and a sizeable SDF presence will remain there as long as there are people to defend. This map released by HTS is broadly accurate - SDF maintain control over the neighbourhood and still have units North of Aleppo to harrass SNA.
West of Minbij the SDF was spread over a large area with long supply lines (partially through SAA-held territory) and saliant at Tel Rifat stretching deep into areas under SNA. It was considered to costly to mount a defence and so a withdrawal was the most sensible option...
December 4, 2024 at 4:44 PM
West of Minbij the SDF was spread over a large area with long supply lines (partially through SAA-held territory) and saliant at Tel Rifat stretching deep into areas under SNA. It was considered to costly to mount a defence and so a withdrawal was the most sensible option...
The Kurdish Red Crescent are actively calling for donations. They are currently the only NGO providing aid to the 200,000+ refugees arriving into Tabqa and Minbij, and will inevitably be responsible for building longer-term camps for them. Please donate if you can.
December 4, 2024 at 10:45 AM
The Kurdish Red Crescent are actively calling for donations. They are currently the only NGO providing aid to the 200,000+ refugees arriving into Tabqa and Minbij, and will inevitably be responsible for building longer-term camps for them. Please donate if you can.
Honestly this is the single most comprehensible introduction to current situation in Syria and I wish I'd seen it 7 years ago. It's now my default response when a friend or family member asks me what's going on 'over there'.
December 4, 2024 at 10:45 AM
Honestly this is the single most comprehensible introduction to current situation in Syria and I wish I'd seen it 7 years ago. It's now my default response when a friend or family member asks me what's going on 'over there'.
Hard to explain to my friends that haven’t spent time in Rojava but if a single photo could describe the last 6 years of my life it would look something like this.
twitter.com/AliiAmmarrr/...
twitter.com/AliiAmmarrr/...
November 30, 2024 at 1:26 AM
Hard to explain to my friends that haven’t spent time in Rojava but if a single photo could describe the last 6 years of my life it would look something like this.
twitter.com/AliiAmmarrr/...
twitter.com/AliiAmmarrr/...
Heading to Tal Temir in the Springtime. Abdulaziz mountains in the distance.
November 24, 2024 at 7:54 PM
Heading to Tal Temir in the Springtime. Abdulaziz mountains in the distance.
$250 billion is equivalent to 57 days of NATO’s aggregate 2024 defence expenditure.
In fact the US on their own could pay the extra $250bn out of their defence budget and still have the highest defence expenditure on Earth
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
In fact the US on their own could pay the extra $250bn out of their defence budget and still have the highest defence expenditure on Earth
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
November 23, 2024 at 6:58 PM
$250 billion is equivalent to 57 days of NATO’s aggregate 2024 defence expenditure.
In fact the US on their own could pay the extra $250bn out of their defence budget and still have the highest defence expenditure on Earth
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
In fact the US on their own could pay the extra $250bn out of their defence budget and still have the highest defence expenditure on Earth
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
My first holiday in 6 years. Quite a change from Al-Hasakah
November 23, 2024 at 6:08 PM
My first holiday in 6 years. Quite a change from Al-Hasakah
Cooling off the in Euphrates, Raqqa, Syria.
November 23, 2024 at 2:34 PM
Cooling off the in Euphrates, Raqqa, Syria.
The final lie is possibly the most absurd:
Not only is the public, repeatedly-stated goal of those in NE Syria *not* separatism or division, but Turkey themselves occupy more than 10% of Syria, where they have instituted the Turkish language, currency and education curriculum.
Not only is the public, repeatedly-stated goal of those in NE Syria *not* separatism or division, but Turkey themselves occupy more than 10% of Syria, where they have instituted the Turkish language, currency and education curriculum.
November 22, 2024 at 9:40 AM
The final lie is possibly the most absurd:
Not only is the public, repeatedly-stated goal of those in NE Syria *not* separatism or division, but Turkey themselves occupy more than 10% of Syria, where they have instituted the Turkish language, currency and education curriculum.
Not only is the public, repeatedly-stated goal of those in NE Syria *not* separatism or division, but Turkey themselves occupy more than 10% of Syria, where they have instituted the Turkish language, currency and education curriculum.
... and, along with all its main tributaries, has been extensively dammed by successive Turkish governments. Take a look at this satellite image with border lines turned off and tell me where the border between Turkey and Syria lies:
November 22, 2024 at 9:40 AM
... and, along with all its main tributaries, has been extensively dammed by successive Turkish governments. Take a look at this satellite image with border lines turned off and tell me where the border between Turkey and Syria lies:
The second, that 'poor water management' has contributed to water shortages, is actually almost true, but not for the reason that Turkey implies. In fact it is Turkey's own malicious water policies that underpin this crisis.
The source of Syria's largest river, the Euphrates, is in Turkey...
The source of Syria's largest river, the Euphrates, is in Turkey...
November 22, 2024 at 9:40 AM
The second, that 'poor water management' has contributed to water shortages, is actually almost true, but not for the reason that Turkey implies. In fact it is Turkey's own malicious water policies that underpin this crisis.
The source of Syria's largest river, the Euphrates, is in Turkey...
The source of Syria's largest river, the Euphrates, is in Turkey...
The first lie, that the PKK 'militarises' facilities has already been rejected by the UN's own findings, but publicly available satellite imagery and local news reports cover in detail the nature of the destroyed facilities and the fact those killed working at them were all civilians.
November 22, 2024 at 9:40 AM
The first lie, that the PKK 'militarises' facilities has already been rejected by the UN's own findings, but publicly available satellite imagery and local news reports cover in detail the nature of the destroyed facilities and the fact those killed working at them were all civilians.