The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc) - II

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 01 Apr 2016 17:57

I believe flame-throwers (hoses with burning stuff shooting out) were used liberally against the caves, trenches and tunnels in the Pacific war. Perhaps by both sides. Wonder what is the modern equivalent, other than the gas-cylinder-mortars which are pretty inaccurate.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Apr 2016 18:43

In ods , amrikan bulldozers buried alive many Iraqi troops fighting from bunkers it was reported

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Apr 2016 19:23

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity
Reports in #Iraq of a massacre in central #Fallujah. 35 civilians reportedly executed by Da'ish militants after they tried to flee the city.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 01 Apr 2016 19:49

Singha wrote:Probing attacks are sometimes launched to ID and map enemy positions. A shrewd player prepares two lines, and hides in back line when barrages come in, then move forward as infantry advances again thinking all is good.

Japanese used such tactics in Tarawa Okinawa etc hiding in bunkers and caves as usn ships and planes pounded known places, then in comes Marines and murderous gunfire erupts again.

However I don't think Isis has such rocky terrain and materials to stage a Tarawa here

you still have to sit up listening posts (called LP's in US grunt patois) or you can get infiltrated.

not a fun job and usually rotated every day among the grunts.

the post is silent and hopefully not easily observable. communication is non verbal consisting of muted clicks over a small 2 way radio.

I have been told it gets very lonely, very quickly out there at two in the morning,

there be monsters out there........

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 01 Apr 2016 20:06

Wonder if that wasn't what happened to the Russian 25-year-old SF soldier.

habal · Post by **habal** » 01 Apr 2016 20:09

he was intercepted by someone rumoredly the seppos. Only they have the capabilities in those neck of the woods to do something like that.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 01 Apr 2016 20:20

TSJones wrote:...

you still have to sit up listening posts (called LP's in US grunt patois) or you can get infiltrated.

not a fun job and usually rotated every day among the grunts.

the post is silent and hopefully not easily observable. communication is non verbal consisting of muted clicks over a small 2 way radio.

I have been told it gets very lonely, very quickly out there at two in the morning,

there be monsters out there........

It is a standard operating procedure across armies with some variation.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 01 Apr 2016 22:08

Mass grave found in Palmyra:

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... n-palmyra/

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has uncovered a mass grave of 25+ victims that were allegedly massacred by the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) during the first days of their invasion in May of 2015. According to a report from the Syrian Armed Forces, the mass grave was uncovered in the Military Housing Area of Palmyra, where the families of Syrian officers were living when ISIS invaded the city. The report added that most of the bodies discovered in this mass grave were of women and children.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... n-palmyra/ | Al-Masdar News

It seems the SAA is going to be very slow in reaching Sukhanah. The entire highway is mined. They've barely cleared 04 kms of highway so far. ISIS have not only mined the road but entire countryside.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 01 Apr 2016 22:13

Kurds are getting ready for the Al Raqqa offensive.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ku ... yd-leader/

According to the head of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Saleh Muslim, Kurdish militants loyal to the SDF are now mobilizing for an offensive which ultimately looks to capture the city of ar-Raqqah from the Islamic State (ISIS). In the statement, which was released to the media in Paris yesterday (Thursday), the PYD leader said his forces were currently attempting to take control of a 70-kilometer corridor in and around Raqqah. He added that the “Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are preparing with the [US] coalition to liberate Raqqa”. However, Saleh Muslim said that his Kurdish fighters “would need the support of up to 50,000 Arab residents based in the Raqqa region” if these troops were to succeed in capturing the ISIS capital of Raqqa. Optimized by Komoona Furthermore, Muslim noted that the ISIS fighters who had fled Palmyra when the Syrian government troops captured the city last week are now heading towards northern Syria. Therefore, he stressed that “the corridor between Turkey and Raqqa must be closed, with the help of [US] coalition air support”.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ku ... yd-leader/ | Al-Masdar News

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 01 Apr 2016 22:30

Turkey is key supplier of weapons, military hardware to ISIS - Russian envoy to UN

https://www.rt.com/news/338038-isis-wea ... y-churkin/

Moscow has submitted data on Turkey’s illegal arms and military hardware supply to Islamic State in Syria to the UN Security Council. Supplies are supervised by the Turkish intelligence service, Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said as cited by Russian media.
"The main supplier of weapons and military equipment to ISIL fighters is Turkey, which is doing so through non-governmental organizations. Work in this area is overseen by the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey," Churkin wrote.

According to the envoy, transportation "mainly involves vehicles, including as part of humanitarian aid convoys."

Read more
Islamic State documents, including invoices, which militants abandoned while retreating in haste.ISIS, oil & Turkey: What RT found in Syrian town liberated from jihadists by Kurds (EXCLUSIVE)
The letter mentioned several NGOs – funded from Turkish and foreign sources – which sent different cargo, including military equipment, to Syria last year.

“The Besar foundation (President — D. Sanli) is most actively engaged in pursuing these objectives and, in 2015, formed around 50 convoys to the Turkmen areas of Bayirbucak and Kiziltepe (260km north of Damascus),” Churkin stressed, adding that the Iyilikder Foundation and the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms were also involved.

According to the Russian envoy, terrorist groups operating in Syria received explosive materials worth $1.9 million from Turkey last year.

"Total supplies to terrorists through Turkey were as follows in 2015: 2,500 tons of ammonium nitrate (worth approximately US$788,700); 456 tons of potassium nitrate ($468,700); 75 tons of aluminum powder ($496,500); sodium nitrate ($19,400); glycerin ($102,500); and nitric acid ($34,000)," Churkin wrote.

Calls have intensified for an international investigation into Turkey’s links with Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants, following RT’s reports implicating Ankara in IS’s illegal oil trade and the smuggling of looted antiquities.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Apr 2016 22:41

Habal what are seppos? Bedouins?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Apr 2016 23:07

New chariot in the right
Ashkan ‏@Zarathoustra96
#BREAKING: #Iran has reportedly launched balistic missiles on IS's positions near Makhmur in #Iraq for supporting Iraqi Army's offensive.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Apr 2016 23:13

CNN
ISIS presents a nuclear threat like we've never seen," said Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
"We think we now have a group that's sophisticated enough, rich enough and has a global network big enough that they can get the material and deliver it with ease," he noted.
Cirincione said that ISIS would only need 10 grams of radiological material and a small amount of conventional explosive to fashion a dirty bomb for a major city capable of rendering 10 square city blocks "uninhabitable for years" with potentially devastating physiological, medical and economic effects.
Noting that ISIS had "penetrated the heart of Europe" and that radiological material was poorly secured throughout Europe, "everyone who has looked at this intensely is surprised it has not happened."
"If the terror threats continue to grow and our controls don't grow faster, it's inevitable that we'll see a dirty bomb used," he warned.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 01 Apr 2016 23:38

nah. The entire highway is mined. They've barely cleared 04 kms of highway so far. ISIS have not only mined the road but entire countryside.

And no one knows about it?! It took Russians to inform UN that Turkey is supplying ISIL ammunition. A big lesson there.

Prolly ISRO could launch a satellite for Syria and see what are the various NGOs actually doing.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 01 Apr 2016 23:44

Singha wrote:Habal what are seppos? Bedouins?

derogatory term for Americans......more specifically CIA/USSOCOM (You-sock-'em

) as prolly intended by habal ji.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 01 Apr 2016 23:51

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Seppo

Yup...not sure why habal think its them. But it could just be ISIS finding out the soldier.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 06:08

Reports of daish deserting fights and heading for Syria
Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity
30 militants have been executed by Da'ish for deserting their positions during battles with #Iraq's army near Makhmur, southeast of #Mosul.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 06:39

Saleh Muslim wants Kurds to capture raqqa first and deny SAA entry

Barzani wants 20% of Iraqi cabinet now and non binding referendum of kurd separation from Iraq this year

Jinnah brand of politics in full flow

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 06:45

Heavy clashes in South aleppo tel AL ais.

Parts of fsa have joined nusra in attack like division 13

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 02 Apr 2016 07:17

vishvak wrote:
nah. The entire highway is mined. They've barely cleared 04 kms of highway so far. ISIS have not only mined the road but entire countryside.
And no one knows about it?! It took Russians to inform UN that Turkey is supplying ISIL ammunition. A big lesson there.

Prolly ISRO could launch a satellite for Syria and see what are the various NGOs actually doing.

you cannot wake up a person who is only pretending to be asleep.

The US and it's poodles are highly complicit in all this.

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Apr 2016 08:25

For accurately honing in on a position from a radio signal, you need triangulation.
it reduces CEP which is resultant of going with only a single source.

In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly (trilateration).

satellite triangulation

but if satellites are not in position, then triangulation can be achieved with suitably placed E3C, Ground station & satellite or E3C+E3C+Satellite or any combination of above.

Now which of these assets does isis field. It may have a listening station on ground, but that is it.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 08:30

This capability is likely in sigint payload of reapers and global hawk as well for all those drone strikes we hear of

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 02 Apr 2016 11:18

Good Writeup

Obama and Russia: A Partnership Thrown Away

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 02 Apr 2016 13:07

Major flare up in conflict between Azerbijan and Armenia (Is there a thread where this news should go?). An Azeri helicopter has been claimed to be shot down by Armenians and Azeris deny. Azeris seem to have started the campaign.

http://m.sputniknews.com/europe/2016040 ... shortening

09:17 02.04.2016(updated 10:51 02.04.2016)
Armenia and Azerbaijan reported that the Karabakh conflict is turning violent and accused each other of conducting offensive warfare.
"The Armed Forces of Armenia violated the truce along the line of contact 127 times over the past 24 hours," Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday.
It added that Armenian military used mortars and heavy machine-guns.
The Armenian Defense Ministry issued a statement reporting about "active offensive combat waged by the opposing side on the night of April 1" with the use of "battle tanks, artillery and aviation".
"Active combat is currently underway. The Armenian Army has launched a counterattack… There are victims on both sides but the opposing side has sustained huge losses in manpower and equipment, a [Azerbaijani] helicopter has been shot down," the Armenian Defense Ministry's spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on Facebook.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 02 Apr 2016 13:38

^^This is going to get interesting. The Turks at play again.

In the Azeri/Armenia thingie, both sides have first class nutcases in Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhichevan (both disputed). Met someone a few years ago, who had first-hand and prolonged dealings with both sides.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 02 Apr 2016 18:18

I assume the Armenians are not strongly pro-Turkish

but how are relations between Putin and Field Marshal Armeniovsky?
If the answer is "good", then those hastily-withdrawn Su-24s have found a new purpose in life, hain?
The timing of the conflict is what looks a bit fishy... does Turkey really need this now, or do they think Gen. Vodkov cannot handle a 2-front love-fest, when in both of those, the solution is to bomb the ~~pakistan~~erdogan out of Turkey?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 18:43

Armenia has no direct border with Russia
Turkey has no direct border with Azerbaijan

Russia can reach Armenia via Iran
Turkey cab reach Azerbaijan via Georgia

Russia can.hit Azerbaijan via Caspian
Turkey can hit Armenia via land border

But in reality both are clients of Russian arms and security cover I think

Santosh · Post by **Santosh** » 02 Apr 2016 19:18

Russia has in December stationed fixed wing fighter aircraft, helicopters and air defense missiles in Armenia. It doesn't look like Armenia is a willing partner in this larger Russia Turkey conflict. In this case Russia sells defense equipment on both sides of the border

Russian equipment in Armenia seem to threaten Turkey more than Azerbaijan. But you never know. With Ergo being an megalomaniac that he is, those equipment may turn on his proxy.

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Apr 2016 19:59

Russian Combat Experts to Lead Imminent Anti-ISIL Operation in Homs

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950114000769

"Russian military experts have arrived in Southeastern Homs province and have been deployed at the government forces' headquarters to lead the Syrian army's imminent operation to liberate the ancient Assyrian town of Quaryatayn."

"With Palmyra city under control, military operations against ISIL will expand starting from this springboard towards various axes and directions, on top being Deir Ezzur and Raqqa, especially that this victory helps in further tightening the noose around ISIL terrorists and cutting off their supply routes in areas under their control until having these areas fully freed, the statement explained."

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Apr 2016 20:07

ISIL ka #1 ally kaun ?

USA USA

US Helicopter Fails to Rescue ISIL Leader in Ta’iz Province.

A US airborne operation to rescue a senior ISIL leader in Southern Zobab city in Ta’iz province failed after the Yemeni army and popular forces killed the terrorist commander, Arab media reports disclosed on Thursday. “Abu Ayoub al-Ansari was killed by the Yemeni army and popular forces before the US helicopter could rescue him and take him out of the battlefield."
Meantime, another ISIL leader, Abu Hameh, was also killed by the Yemeni army in recent days.

https://syrianfreepress.wordpress.com/2 ... aesh-army/

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Apr 2016 20:09

Russia's Lavrov urges closure of the Syrian-Turkish border

MOSCOW, April 1 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday in a phone call with the U.S. State Secretary John Kerry urged to close the Syrian-Turkish border to curb the flow of terrorists.

"Lavrov reiterated that the Turkey-Syria border remains 'full of holes' and is actively used for infiltration of terrorists into Syria via Turkey," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Lavrov noted the border must be sealed, and called for an agreement on necessary measures to resolve this issue, including under the framework of the UN Security Council," the statement said.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 02 Apr 2016 20:26

Habal ji, the fact that ISIS, Al Nusra, Turkey, Jordan, FSA, Israel is born out by the joint actions of these entities almost everywhere. When Palmyra fell to SAA we had reports of how the ceasefire was helping SAA overcome ISIS. As the SAA focused on Quraytayn, Al Nusra and friends struck SAA positions in Southern Aleppo and Northern Lattakia to ease off the pressure on ISIS.

маяковский ‏@moscow_ghost now34 minutes ago
Advances on #ISIS are a window of opportunity for #AlQaeda-led rebels to breach #SyriaCeasefire on a large scale

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 02 Apr 2016 20:44

under the framework of the UN Security Council,"

Interesting. Russia and China will probably vote yes. Frogs will sit on the wall. Which leaves the US and Poodle vetoing, showing very very clearly who sponsors ISIS.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Apr 2016 21:14

Isis is planning to use drones to spray radioavtive materials on target cities per David cameron

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 02 Apr 2016 22:08

SAA has entered the outskirts of Al Quraytayn. Fighting is on.

In Southern Aleppo, SAA has recaptured all lost positions to Al Nusra except part of El Eis town since yesterday's assault by Nusra and friends.

In Northern Latakkia, SAA has withdrawn from 02 hills east of Kinsibba. RuAF and SAA artillery are pulverizing the neighbourhood since the FSA (Div 13) and Al Nusra offensive here.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 02 Apr 2016 22:09

In Armenia vs. Azerbaijan

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity now40 minutes ago
#Armenia's forces killed 12 #Azerbaijan troops + downed a helicopter during fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 03 Apr 2016 03:35

This Azeri-Armenian flare up is very interesting.

1. Azerbaijan, though a predominantly Shia muslim country, have had a series of tussles with Iran,
and it is being strongly wooed by Israel.

2. Azerbaizan has been licking its wounds since 1994 ever since Nagorno-Karabach has become a
defacto independent entity with men and material support from Armenia.

3. Since Armenia is a nemesis of Turkey, and Israel+Turkey alliance is opposed to Iran, hence Azerbaijan
is becoming a poodle of Israel+Turkey, and by default of Uncle. Uncle's oil companies are heavily invested in Azeri oil-fields.

4. But instigating this Azeri-Armenian conflict, how does it help the west? Not sure. At best it is just creating a little extra headache for Russia since both these landlocked countries are dependent on Russia for supplies. Russia is not going to take sides here since it has good business relationship with both the countries.

5. Anything extra that we are missing in this jig-saw puzzle?

fanne · Post by **fanne** » 03 Apr 2016 04:59

precipitate a c crisis so that Russia is forced to choose a side or sacrifices for keeping the balance? Keep them busy?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Apr 2016 06:17

Dailymail.CO.UK
Saudi Arabia is preparing for the end of the oil age by creating a $2trillion investment fund which is set to be ‘the largest on Earth’.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) established by the kingdom’s second-in-line to the throne will eventually be large enough to buy Google, Apple and Microsoft with money to spare.

Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who oversees the fund, claims that the initial public offering could happen as soon as next year.

It comes as Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, insists that it will only freeze its oil output if other key producers, including Iran, take a similar measure.

‘What is left now is to diversify investments,’ the 30-year-old prince told Bloomberg, during an interview from the royal compound in the kingdom’s capital, Riyadh.

‘So within 20 years, we will be an economy or state that doesn’t depend mainly on oil.’

It is nearly 80 years since the first oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia but, with crude prices plummeting worldwide, the nation plans to shake its dependence on the market.

One of the first steps will be for Saudi Arabia to sell shares in Aramco’s parent company, which will transform the oil giant into an 'industrial conglomerate'.

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According to the prince, the son of King Salman, the sale of Aramco could come as early as 2017.

What is left now is to diversify investments, so within 20 years, we will be an economy or state that doesn’t depend mainly on oil.
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

But if all goes to plan, the fund will eventually be large enough to buy all four of the world’s largest publicly traded companies – Apple Inc., Google parent company Alphabet Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Although the proportion of foreign investments is currently at just five per cent of the fund, PIF plans to increase it to 50 per cent by 2020.

But Prince Mohammed said he doesn’t believe the kingdom has a ‘real problem’ when it comes to low oil prices, despite the fact the price of a barrel of crude oil has more than halved.

‘Undoubtedly, it will be the largest fund on Earth,’ added the prince. ‘This will happen as soon as Aramco goes public.’

The prince went on to confirm that Saudi Arabia will only freeze its oil output if other key producers, including Iran, take a similar measure.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Apr 2016 06:32

Helping to.fight urgent problems like Isis

Demonstrating its commitment to a "free" and "secure" Europe, the United States deployed 12 F-15C Eagles and approximately 350 airmen to Iceland and the Netherlands on Friday, the Air Force announced.