al-Iza’a Hill | Today in Syria

3 men were executed by Jabhat al-Nusra in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib on charges of working with government forces.
Staff who distributed measles vaccines in Idlib last week that resulted in the death of 36 children have turned themselves in to the court in Khan Sheikhoun. None
- The vaccines, distributed by the Interim Government, are thought to have have accidentally had a muscle relaxant that was stored in the same container dissolved in them as a diluent.
The FSA shelling the al-Masmakeh checkpoint in Taybet al-Ayman in Idlib:
An aircraft flying over Kafr Takharim in Idlib: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.113749&lon=36.511517&z=13&m=b&search=kafr%20takharim
A live stream from Ruptly on the Syrian-Turkish border:
Fighting between the Islamic State and the YPG occurred within 7 km of Kobani, in Aleppo. At least 20 IS fighters and 16 YPG fighters have been killed today.
- The YPG claimed to have pushed back the IS to 10-15 km away from the city on the southern front. The IS had advanced to within 10 km yesterday.
- Coalition airstrikes hit IS positions around the city yesterday. The Syrian air force has notably not conducted any air strikes on the IS in the area during this offensive on Kobani.
  - Airstrikes yesterday targeted the IS west of Kobani in Zarik, east of Kobani in Qara Qozak and Serrin, and southeast of Kobani in Korbinkar.
  - The IS has now massed its forces being used in the offensive closer to Kobani in an effort to avoid further airstrikes.
- 30 IS fighters were reported to have been captured by a YPG west of Kobani on al-Iza’a Hill, although I haven’t seen photos to back up the claim.
  - The YPG was able to surround them on the hill after attacking the villages of Susan and Ashkafr farther west. An IS tank was also destroyed.
- An al-Monitor article on the battle: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/is-progress-kobani-kurds-syrians-alliance.html
- A tank hit by the YPG on the southern front:
- Dead IS fighters being buried near Kobani:
- The FSA attacking the IS near Kobani:
- People watching the YPG fighting around Kobani.
  
  People watching the YPG fighting around Kobani.
  
  People watching the YPG fighting around Kobani.
  
  People watching the YPG fighting around Kobani.
  
  A Turkish military vehicle on the border.
  
  YPG fighters around Kobani.
  
  YPG fighters on Kobani’s eastern front.
  
  A tank hit by the YPG.
  
  People standing along the Kobani border.
  
  Islamic State fighters killed by the YPG.
  
  An Islamic State fighter killed by the YPG.
  
  Islamic State fighters killed by the YPG.
  
  A funeral for a YPG fighter.
A protest in Aleppo against coalition airstrikes:
Rebels shelling government positions in the Khalidiyeh neighborhood of Aleppo:
The Islamic Front shelling government positions in Aziza in Aleppo:
The military captured the Industrial quarter of Adra from rebels in Eastern Ghouta: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.617764&lon=36.563530&z=12&m=b&search=damascus
- The government recently stepped up its offensive on Adra in order to try and open up another front in their fighting in Eastern Ghouta.Adra was captured by rebels in December 2013.
- Yesterday rebels made charges of a chemical weapon attack on Adra that killed 7 people. They uploaded photos and videos showing casualties.
- The military claimed to have killed 46 fighters from the Islamic Front and wounded and captured 31.
- A video of people being treated yesterday after the claimed chemical weapon attack:
- A video from Adra showing NDF fighters:
An al-Monitor article on the government offensive around Eastern Ghouta: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/rebels-syria-ghouta-rockets-fall-regime-forces.html
Rubble from an airstrike on Douma in Rif Dimashq:
Rebels fighting in the al-Dukhaniyya neighborhood of Damascus: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.501610&lon=36.338096&z=15&m=b
Shelling on Jobar, next to Damascus:
The coalition continued airstrikes against the Islamic State for the third day.
- Yesterday the airstrikes targeted 12 oil refineries controlled by the IS with jets and cruise missiles. The IS controls the majority of Syria’s oil and gas fields, and selling it on the black market is a major source of revenue.
  - 5 civilians, including a child, were reported to have been killed by airstrikes targeting refineries in the al-Houl area of al-Hasakah.
- Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the US State Department has no information that civilians have been killed and that the footage of civilians casualties is fake, including videos of civilians being dug out of the rubble in Kafr Deryan where a Jabhat al-Nusra HQ was targeted and which has been reported as killing between 11 and 15 civilians.
  - http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/pentagon-no-evidence-that-airstrikes-killed-civilians-despite-reports-1.304887
- Airstrikes in Deir Ez Zor hit the al-Hsayyan oilfield near al-Bukumal, an oilfield outside of Deir Ez Zor city, and oil refineries outside of Badeyet al-Qureyyi.
- An airstrike on a refinery:
- An airstrike yesterday on an oil refinery near al-Mayadin:
- An IS car that was hit by an airstrike in Deir Ez Zor:
- Airstrikes from 2 days ago on an IS position near al-Tabaqa in ar-Raqqa:
- A refinery before it was hit by airstrikes.
  
  A refinery after it was hit by airstrikes.
  
  A refinery before it was hit by airstrikes.
  
  A refinery after it was hit by airstrikes.
The UN Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution to combat “foreign terrorist fighters”: http://un-report.blogspot.com/2014/09/us-draft-resolution-on-foreign.html
- The session was attended by the Heads of State of all 15 members for only the 6th time in the Security Council’s history. 104 states sponsored the resolution.
- Obama said that the measure’s purpose was to tackle the “unprecedented flow of fighters in recent years to conflict zones, most recently Syria and Iraq”.
- The resolution says that all UN members must suppress the recruitment and supply of fighters and materials for the purpose of travelling to another country to “take part in terrorist acts or training” and “prevent the movement of terrorists or terrorist groups” within their countries through border security and documentation.
The US has listed Jaish al-Mujahireen wal-Ansar as a “terrorist organization”. It also designated the group’s leader, Abu Omar al-Shishani, as a “terrorist”.
- The group is largely Chechen and has been active since 2013.
- The group was charged by the US State Department of cooperating with the Islamic State , and of attacking and kidnapping civilians and foreigners.
- Harakat Sham al-Islam, a Moroccan rebel group in Syria, was aso designated as a “terrorist organization” in the same release.
Francois Hollande, the French President, said that the Syrian Opposition is the sole representative of the Syrian people.
Talbiseh, north of Homs, has seen around 80 people killed and 200 wounded by government attacks over the last week, most of whom are civilians.
- The town is suffering bread and water shortages, and as a result of the high number of casualties it also now had medicine shortages. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent has been prevented by the government from giving aid to the town for the last 8 months.
- Farming in the area has also declined by 80% since last year due to a drought and fighting.
- The local town council has informed the Interim Government of the shortages, but said they have received to action.
Rebels captured a government checkpoint south of al-Rastan in Homs: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.921971&lon=36.736565&z=13&m=b
5 barrel bombs were dropped on Zafarana in Homs: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.716394&lon=36.465297&z=15&m=b
The Lebanese army stormed refugee camps around the town of Arsal and the Abou Samra area near Tripoli, arresting dozens of men on charges of involvement in the fighting against the Lebanese military around Arsal in August and of firing at Lebanese military stations around Tripoli.
- The Lebanese Armed Forces have renewed fighting this week against gunmen around Arsal.
- Refugees have been beat during the arrests today, and refugee tents have been set on fire.
- http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.406910&lon=35.847874&z=13&m=b, http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.166363&lon=36.417274&z=12&m=b
- The LAF said 1 person was killed and 2 people were wounded.
- A protest in Arsal against the LAF ‘s actions:
Rebels captured the al-Madajin checkpoint, south of Morek, in Hama.
- Rebels attacking government forces in Morek.
  - Jabhat al-Nusra fighters in Morek.
SAA and NDF forces in al-Laminat and al-Safsafiyah in Hama: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.267486&lon=36.506968&z=14&m=b
A barrel bomb on Kafr Zita in Hama:
The Islamic State released prisoners in al-Raqqa, including Jabhat al-Nusra fighters.
A truck-mounted TOW fired at government forces around Nimer in Daraa: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.020899&lon=36.015072&z=14&m=b&search=namir
More than 20 rebel commanders from the Supreme Military Council and the Syriac Military Council, which is mainly Christian, signed an alliance to fight the Islamic State and Assad during a meeting in Turkey.
- The meeting was facilitated by the US and the US congressmen Adam Kinzinger and George Holding were present.
CNN was the only news agency present at the meeting: http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/world/meast/us-syria-rebel-agreement/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Part 4 of Ghosts of Aleppo by Vice:
A rebel convoy on its way to Khan Sheikhoun in Western Ghouta.

A an ambulance driver in Aleppo who buys $4 worth of meat every day to feed 150 cats.

A Syrian Civil Defense member poses for a photo.