– Syrian rebels recapture village from regime forces in western Syria; Russia, Turkey discuss Syria
– Mustard gas used in Syria in August
– Russian air strikes kill forty-two in Raqqa
– Turkish police detain twenty ISIS suspects; Crackdown on Gulen continues

Syrian rebels recapture village from regime forces in western Syria; Russia, Turkey discuss Syria
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and other activist groups say rebels have recaptured a village in western Syria, days after it was seized by government troops as part of a major offensive. SOHR reported that a coalition of rebel fighters regained control over the village of Atshan in Hama province on Friday, fighting back multiple offensives by the Syrian army and allied militiamen supported by Russian air strikes. Also on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu discussed the search for a political solution in Syria on the phone. [AP, Reuters, 11/6/2015]

Mustard gas used in Syria in August
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) experts have concluded for the first time that mustard gas was used during fighting in Syria in August. The deadly gas was used in the town Marea in the northern province of Aleppo on August 21. “We have determined the facts, but we have not determined who was responsible,” the OPCW source said, asking not to be named. Syrian rebels and aid groups said that the end of August saw dozens of people affected by a chemical attack on Marea, where moderate opposition rebels and ISIS militants had clashed. The OPCW report said a baby “very likely” died as a result of its use. [AFP, BBC,Al Jazeera, Reuters, AP, 11/6/2015]

Russian air strikes kill forty-two in Raqqa
Air strikes by Russian warplanes on the ISIS-held Syrian city of Raqqa killed forty-two people earlier this week, including twenty-seven civilians and fifteen ISIS fighters according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The bombings add to a civilian death toll from Russian strikes, which the Syrian Network for Human Rights, another activist group, said Monday stood at 254 people killed in just over a month. [Reuters, 11/6/2015]

Turkish police detain twenty ISIS suspects; Crackdown on Gulen continues
Turkish police have detained twenty ISIS suspects in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya ahead of a G20 summit being attended by world leaders there, local media reported Friday. US President Barack Obama is among G20 leaders who will be at the summit in Antalya on November 15-16. There was no further information about the Antalya raids and no immediate comment from the prime minister’s office. Also on Friday, Turkish policesearched offices of a business association close to Fethullah Gulen, sustaining a crackdown on the Muslim cleric’s supporters after Sunday’s election. The search of the TUSKON business confederation and related groups in Ankara was carried out on the order of the Ankara state prosecutor’s office, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. [AFP, 11/6/2015]