A Message to Readers from James Miller

James Miller writes to EA readers:

It has been my honor to write for EA Worldview for the last 2 1/2 years. Now, however, I am leaving EA to pursue new projects.

This is a bittersweet moment for me. I am excited about the new directions in which my life is headed, and I anticipate wonderful things for EA; at the same time I will miss a place that has been my "home".

One of the opportunities I am pursuing is The Public Eye Journalism Project in conjunction with Professor Matt Sienkiewicz of Boston College. Still in beta, PEJ is dedicated to using open-sources to investigate international events of legal, political and historical importance.

Our first case is the examination of the double bombing on January 15th that left 80 students dead at Aleppo University in Syria.

I wish Scott Lucas, the writers and staff at EA, and all of the readers --- many of whom I have come to know well --- all the best.

Syria Exclusive: Definitive Evidence of Regime Airstrikes on Aleppo University

Video of the airstrike at Aleppo University on January 15th.

On Wednesday, we posted an article, Syria Exclusive: Proving the Assad Jet Fighter's Attack on Aleppo University, where we compiled evidence that a regime airstrike was responsible for the 15 January attack that left more than 80 students dead.

Today we have received new information which --- when added to our audio and video evidence, eyewitness testimony, and expert analysis --- definitively establishes that a fighter jet was responsible for this attack. Evidence also suggests that a missile, not a bomb, was used.

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There is now conclusive evidence that the explosions at Aleppo University were caused by an airstrike, not a ballistic missile strike and certainly not a car bomb.

Well-placed Western government officials in the region, with access to "technical" information about the strike, have told EA that they "can say with 'certainty' that the missiles were delivered by a jet, flying at altitude".

The officials were specific that their evidence showed that the explosion was not from a ballistic missile fired from the ground or a bomb dropped from the aircraft.

Click to read more ...

Syria Exclusive: Proving the Assad Jet Fighter's Attack on Aleppo University

UPDATE: We have posted an important follow-up story with additional evidence. See Syria Exclusive: Definitive Evidence of Regime Airstrikes on Aleppo University.

Original article is below:

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On 15 January, two explosions, three minutes apart, ripped through Aleppo University during the first day of final exams. At least 80 students were killed, and many more were wounded.

Within minutes, reports flooded social media that a regime warplane had fired two missiles at the campus. A student posted on Twitter:

A plane hit with two shells. We saw the plane with our own eyes. I am not going to doubt my eyes and believe regime media.

When the plane roamed above the university following the shelling, the university guards and soldiers told us, "Hide, the plane is back!"

Click to read more ...

Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Deaths at the University

2018 GMT: Syria. Activists are still counting the bodies of those killed today, still collecting the names. Beyond this, scores more were injured in many areas today, but most notable are the deaths and injuries in the capital, Damascus. According to reports that continue to come in, from Damascus to Homs to Idlib to Daraa, the gunfire has not stopped despite the late hour.

Death, however, is not the main headline. The most important thing that occurred today were extremely large and extremely widespread protests. Though widespread protest is now common on Fridays, today's protests were much larger than in recent weeks, a show that the resolve of the peaceful demonstrators has not been eroded by 14 months of relentless violence.

And the protests have lasted well into the night, even after the regime intensified its attacks on protesting civilians.

This video was reportedly taken this evening in the Naher Aisha district of Damascus, where large protests also took place earlier today:

An evening protest in Daraa province:

Click to read more ...