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

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 05 Mar 2016 20:22

Perhaps the poor BONATO CouW is blessed with Les Peacocks d'France, which never fly, and RAF which is waiting for Cameron to find his missing 70,000 Syrian Fleedom Fighters.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 05 Mar 2016 21:08

Meanwhile in Turkey, Turdogan continues to rape Turkey's constitution and muzzles press:

Turkish police raid Zaman HQs, fire tear gas on readers after gov’t takeover - Mar04 2016

Turkish police fired tear gas and used water cannon on a crowd to forcibly enter the country's top-selling newspaper on Friday after a court ordered its confiscation.

An İstanbul court appointed trustees to take over the management of the Feza Media Group, which includes Turkey’s biggest-selling newspaper, the Zaman daily, as well as the Today’s Zaman daily and the Cihan news agency, dealing a fresh blow to the already battered media freedom in Turkey.

Police in riot gear pushed back Zaman supporters who stood in the rain outside its İstanbul office where they waved Turkish flags and carried placards reading "Hands off my newspaper" before they were overcome by clouds of tear gas.

Officers then forcibly broke down a gate and rushed into the building. The footage showed them scuffling with Zaman staff inside the offices

Turdogan Jr aka Turkey's Raul Gandy leaves Italy amid 'security concern'

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son Bilal Erdoğan, who moved to Italy in October of last year to finish his doctorate, which he started in 2007, has left Bologna citing security concerns, an local Italian daily claimed on Thursday.

Bologna-based ll Resto del Carlino claimed that Erdoğan recently sent farewell messages to his friends in Bologna, telling them that they decided to go back to İstanbul.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 05 Mar 2016 21:10

Check this JANES report has many pics

Analysis: Bulgarian ammo features heavily in Syrian weapons seizures

http://www.janes.com/article/58544/anal ... s-seizures

Shreeman · Post by **Shreeman** » 05 Mar 2016 21:12

Singha wrote:are they the mysterious League of Shadows who operate in the night, are formless and have been known to assassinate isolated ISIS patrols even in heart of deir azzor leaving graffitti on walls before vanishing.
read about some incidents of that nature.

could be resistance fighter of the Al-shaitat tribe who live along the euphrates from deir right down to iraq border....biding their time and keeping off the radar , until the time is right to slaughter the IS goats with the long knives. lets not forget some 900 members of the tribe were butchered by IS in a single day or so. in the Deir pocket they fight alongside the SAA.

No. This new syrian army is a "moderate" sunni group jordan is starting at the behest of saudis. They want to carve out a physical presence in the desert to guarantee a seat at the table and perhaps capture an oil field or two.

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 06 Mar 2016 00:40

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/03/05 ... ates-Obama

Erdogan suggests ‘new city’ in Syria to house refugees

The comments come as Ankara has been unsuccessfully pushing for the creation of a buffer zone or no-fly zone inside Syria that stretches 110 kilometers (68 miles) long and 28 kilometers (17 miles) wide between the southern Turkish towns of Karkamis and Oncupinar.
Earlier in the month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the buffer zone is planned to cover a border area between two Kurdish enclaves, “a combination of whose strength Turkey deems absolutely unacceptable for itself at least because that will block Turkey’s ability to provide supplies to militants in Syria and to receive contraband from them.”

Russians are calling a spade a spade and causing a lot of discomfort to Erdogan.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:22

Furiouskurd ‏@Furiouskurd
Cornered by sunni turks and kurds, persecuted by Ottomans alevi kurds are known to be most fierce of fighters. MKLP is alevi kurdish org.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:25

Turkish gameplan IMO

1. Help jn to hold onto idlib

2. It's massing jihadis is azaz picket and biding time until Isis pulls back from.north to defend raqqa.
Then unleash jihadis to take over North Syria from azaz to jarablous and block the ypg from linking to Eastern sector.
Azaz was crucial to retain this beachead and launch point.
Govt should let ypg pass through lines and attack Isis in El bab with SAA support to head off this move

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:50

Unconfirmed claims of a civilian uprising against isis in raqqa. If true it will be a massacre as nobody is near enough to help them yet

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:51

Road from falluja ramadi up north to Mosul across the desert cut following fierce clashes with pmf

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:51

According to an Al-Masdar battlefield correspondent in Damascus, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) is preparing for a large-scale offensive to capture the strategic city of Al-Salamiyah after launching preliminary assault in the Hama Governorate’s southeastern countryside on Saturday afternoon. The Al-Masdar correspondent cited a Syrian military intelligence report about a large transfer of ISIS fighters from the Iraqi city of Mosul to the Al-Raqqa Governorate. The report was based on the information provided by their Russian military advisers, who cited satellite images of ISIS’ massive concentration of terrorists to the southeastern Hama front. ISIS’ decision to attack the Al-Salamiyah countryside instead of another volatile front is likely due to their need to alleviate the pressure being put on the Tabaqa Military Airport and east Aleppo by the Syrian Armed Forces. Following the recapture of Khanasser and the reopening of their only supply route to the Aleppo Governorate, the Syrian Armed Forces once against advanced along the Salamiyah-Raqqa Highway towards the Tabaqa Military Airport in the Al-Raqqa Governorate. Currently, the Syrian Arab Army’s 555th Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division is positioned at the outskirts of Zakiyah village; if captured, they will have once again reentered the Al-Raqqa Governorate.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... salamiyah/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 11:52

So the battle of bulge last major offensive soon

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 12:52

FreeKurdistan ‏@loyaday 10h10 hours ago
FreeKurdistan Retweeted REbar era
#YPG is 55 km from #DeirEzzor city and 25 km from Kobar on the Euphrates river

they seem to be using deep battle book of avoiding the highly defended main routes N-S and just driving across the countryside to occupy points well in the rear to make the ISIS lines weak and low in morale knowing their escape routes are blocked...challenging them to stand and fight or escape to the east into iraq where the PMF are waiting with baygon spray

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 12:53

Stand With Kurdistan ‏@StandWKurdistan Mar 3
Nearly 300 ISIS militants killed, 6 captivated by Syrian Kurds in Tel Abyad(Gire Spi) clashes

video of rats here https://twitter.com/Furiouskurd/status/ ... 4260187136

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 12:57

this might become a mt suribachi type famous photo after the war. YPJ woman tears down the ISIS flag in shahdadi and puts up the yellow banner

https://twitter.com/RebellionKurde/stat ... 7500918785

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 13:22

The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) has been relentless in the Deir Ezzor countryside recently, launching several attacks on the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) defenses near the provincial capital and the Thardeh Mountains. On Saturday morning, ISIS conducted another large-scale attack inside the Al-Baghayliyah District, targeting the Syrian Arab Army’s defenses at the Al-Jazeera University Facility and Al-Rawad Hill near the western bank of the Euphrates River. Unlike their assault yesterday, ISIS only launched 6 suicide attacks

inside the Al-Baghayliyah District; however, all of the terrorists were stopped before they could reach their intended targets. According to a military source from the Syrian Arab Army’s 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard, ISIS was repelled after a 7 hour long battle on Saturday that resulted in the death of over 20 enemy combatants and the destruction of 4 armored vehicles. These recent ISIS offensives have been extremely costly for the aforementioned terrorist group, as over 80 combatants have been killed over the last 5 days in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sy ... eir-ezzor/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 13:43

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 6h6 hours ago
#IS regained control of Tanef border crossing after expelling #FSA #NSA from the building in the middle of the desert - #SOHR

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 13:48

Singha wrote:FreeKurdistan ‏@loyaday 10h10 hours ago
FreeKurdistan Retweeted REbar era
#YPG is 55 km from #DeirEzzor city and 25 km from Kobar on the Euphrates river

they seem to be using deep battle book of avoiding the highly defended main routes N-S and just driving across the countryside to occupy points well in the rear to make the ISIS lines weak and low in morale knowing their escape routes are blocked...challenging them to stand and fight or escape to the east into iraq where the PMF are waiting with baygon spray

The map will give a good idea :

If YPG take the east bak of Euphrates (anywhere - Kobar or at ez Zor) and SAA seal Tabaqah; ISIS in Raqqa and Modul will be cut off from Jordan hence Saudi Arabia. In which case they will not be in a mood to handover Northern territories west of Jarabulus to Nusra front.

While YPG has been rolling in, SAA has hardly gained any major territory in the last week.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 14:11

SAA seems to be busy moving forces to expand the safety zone @ khanaser, prepare for IS counteroffensive @ east homs, push ahead in palmyra and regain the posts they lost on Ithriah-tabqah axis during the last 2 weeks. latakia forces are likely being relocated to jisr al shugour front.

the offensive to tabqah has resumed and will gather momentum next week.

"taking territory" is relative. SAA has to fight for every km. SDF has simply occupied large unmanned territory after shahdadi...no reports of any major fighting except in abdul-aziz mountains some skirmishes. they are waging deep battle by bypassing the IS strongpoints for now. maybe the US arranges for food & ammo drops from their new airbase to the widely dispersed columns. keeps IS guessing where the next set of attacks will come from. drones will be online 24x7 for IS spotting.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 14:52

A lot of developments since yesterday
YPG (SDF) have made massive gains in Hasakah / Dier ez Zot province

Unite Kurdistan
‏@UniteKurdistan
Update: Area liberated by SDF in 3 days of Operation.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 14:56

ISIS has taken a beating yesterday - again:

RuAF hitting oil routes
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... r-palmyra/

YPG (SDF) gains in northern Raqqa
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ku ... ern-raqqa/

The 'Rebels' got hold of a few ISIS deserters.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/re ... rn-aleppo/

The civilian revolt against ISIS in Raqq has been posted by Singha Ji. This may turn out to be very bad for the civilians.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 15:01

SAA+ are looking to advance on Jisr Al Shughour

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sy ... -2-flanks/

Russian and other intelligence sources have warned of large ISIS build up on Eastern Hama for a possible attack on Salamiyah town by ISIS.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... salamiyah/

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 15:07

If you were wondering what is the New Syrian Army?

https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/706212420935622656

Elijah J. Magnier
‏@EjmAlrai
Ghazal al Sarhan: 1 photo holding an #ISIS flag. 2d photo commander in #USA proxy "New Syria Army", said @Abduhark

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 17:18

Looks like a agile Rascal who will do no real work but swaer fealty to whoever fills his plate with mutton and haleem

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Mar 2016 17:28

Why is he posing in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue pose, with the ISIS flag covering all of the vast vast Strategic Areas and Strategic Assets in his domain? Shortage of carnations to stick behind ear?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 19:27

he is the old chowkidar of the border gate. happy to pose with the flag of whoever pays him or points a gun in his direction. can't blame the guy - its a couple buildings in middle of desert, and no backup if things head south...one has to be adaptable in such places.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 19:32

B52's in Syria & Iraq from April '16

https://www.rt.com/usa/334625-b-52-syri ... ikes-isis/

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 19:38

seems turkey conducted another massacre of kurds in dersim 1938
here soldiers proudly posing with the beheaded head of a kurd
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cc0POEKWoAAJ7Py.jpg

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 19:40

deejay wrote:B52's in Syria & Iraq from April '16

https://www.rt.com/usa/334625-b-52-syri ... ikes-isis/

thats about when ISIS will be more concentrated into some pockets like deir and raqqa. an opportunity for the b52 to find large juicy targets.

I really hope the russis are also converting the blackjack into the conventional bombing role....with its swing wings its quite capable of flying low and slow if need be.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 06 Mar 2016 19:55

Blackjack , Tu-95 and Backfire can do conventional bombing but they have been less used in that role, using bomber is akin to carpet bombing, like B-52 were used against Taliban during Tora Bora mountain bombing.

If Ruskies does that Western press will shout murder for using dumb bombs targeting ISIS civilians

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 06 Mar 2016 20:00

it is unlikely the B-52 will be used to carpet bomb....at least not on Obama's watch.

despite what you may think about the US bombing hospitals, wedding parties, etc......civilian casualties way heavily on O's mind.

Hillary may feel differently.......she may not like the mutual suicide pact thinking....

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 20:44

B-52 is equipped with LDP and fully capable of releasing tens of guided bombs on small individual targets and indeed thats what the B1 was also doing including in kobane. this is something all the 3 russian bombers lack as rus never used them in that role. the tu22 can release preprogrammed glonass guided bombs probably but not laser guided.
having a few B-52 gives the option of on-demand fire support all day long.

juicy targets like shomali plains are not so common.

B52 with litening pod
http://www.minot.af.mil/shared/media/ph ... 4R-013.jpg

B1 with sniper pod
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... RuDSHcZ3QT

for moving convoys of technicals, they can use the proven CBU105 SFW..from 250lb to 5000lb, khan saheb has a soln for every kind of target. if all else fails MOAB would be devastating if it falls on some static target.

armed drones like reapers could also be brought in for fleeting targets of opportunity.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2016 21:04

other than Raqqa there is no significant IS target or presence east of the euphrates now. I suspect they will hold civilians hostage when raqqa is besieged and rest fight west of the euphrates where the syrian army still has huge gaps and the YPG may leave it to SAA per their secret covenants.

there is no easy solution to a besieged town with civilians are seen in aleppo, ramadi and falluja.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 21:33

Map towards Palmyra:

Peto Lucem ‏@PetoLucem now2 minutes ago
NEW MAP: Military situation in eastern #Homs Governorate. #Syria #SAA #ISIS
HD version: https://imgur.com/nhhZGSy

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Mar 2016 21:40

The above map has an HD link. A good look at the map will show roads leading out of SAA held territories. Essentially, this is where ISIS is sitting and the rest of the desert is unimportant. Even on these roads, it is the initial few 100 mtrs and then the next point of conflict is the next village town.

A large full fledged army will just blast through the opposition like ISIS (there will be casualties). But SAA is severely undermanned and hence the long frontlines are slowing down advances even further.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 07 Mar 2016 01:22

With my vast experience of commanding armies: If The Americans would send a couple of AC-130s cruising back and forth above the Highway 45, they could clear it, and the SAA could close the trap and greatly shorten the frontline, hain? But nah! That would actually kill some ISIS, and the WHOTUS can't have that. Speaking of POTUS Clintonia, by the time she takes over the ISIS frontline will be much closer - the English Channel. I hope I am not flying through Oirope the day all the VBIEDs go off simultaneously with the fleets of ~~White Toyota~~ Les Boogs Blancs showing up inside every major European city from Madrid to Oslo.

Shreeman · Post by **Shreeman** » 07 Mar 2016 03:52

Louk, the difference in this war vs other wars is clear from the video upload requirement for further supplies. This is a guided missile war. Probably the first one where it doesnt matter what you are hiding in. The VBIED is a guided ground cruise missile, their MOAB and there is no answer to this. The 10,000s ATGMs have made the pricepoint of mowing down higher but rendered the whole training and accuracy business moot. And the casualty rates much higher.

Until very recently, syria itself wasnt using its stock. Syria could theoretically do any and all of what is suggested above and claim victory but then will have to suffer houthi style situation or talipaan or boko haraam or whatever. They are really clearing the ground as they move or you would still be seeing many many VBIEDs in damascus itself.

The NLI has occupied the heights. Note the Mt. IamAsmallHillinSyria all along all front lines.

Usually in these situations, assymetry is still your friend. Border control still doesnt exist anywhere along the frontier. What else can you do except for blindly rushing up every hill on foot? A whack a mole solution will work only if the tap from outside is shut. And then it will take years. And then the population at the end will look very different.

edit -- saw this unrelated news https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 444&type=3 somewhere else. The theatres are awash with the unwashed washing their hardware. Really unless some sort of production control is exercised, inventory will keep finding innovative ways of utilization. If this is by sea, then by land is probably trivial. One draws, hesitantly, a lot of dhoti shivering analogies too.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2016 08:53

PMF by some miracle have captured and defused a VBIED near tharthar lake.
takes balls of steel to be anywhere near this thing
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/ ... 9708056580

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2016 08:53

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 11h11 hours ago
#IS says it has captured 20 Filipino soldiers in Lano city #Philippines

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2016 09:00

Earlier today, Major General Suheil al-Hassan, commander-in-chief of the Tiger Forces, was officially deployed to the Palmyra frontline after carrying out two succesful offensives against ISIS at Kuweiris Airbase and along the Ithriya-Khanasser supply route to Aleppo city. According to intel delivered to al-Masdar exclusively, General Suheil Al-Hassan brought with him the ‘shock troops’ of the Tiger Forces and the Suqur al-Sahara Brigade (Desert Falcons). Both these units are specialized in offensive warfare and outflanking ambushes; thus, their redeployment hints at the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) intentions to recapture the strategic city of Palmyra. This desert city holds several historical monuments which are listed at UNESCO’s World Heritage; however, Palmyra (often refered to as Tadmur) was captured by ISIS in March of last year and has remained under the group’s control ever since. Currently, government troops are some 10 kilometers west of Palmyra as ISIS fighters and SAA soldiers are fighting to capture the disputed village of Al-Dawah. However, unless ISIS fighters are able to call in reinforcements from the Islamic State motherland, the Syrian Arab Army will likely capture the city of Palmyra before long. Nevertheless, a costly battle to come with many casualties on both sides seems inevitable at this point. Palmyra is regarded by many as the ‘beating heart of Syria’ as it lies in the centre of the country. Also, if government forces are able to capture Palmyra, this will be the last major hurdle before they can push towards their besieged comrades inside Deir Ezzor city. To do so, the Syrian Army must carry on eastwards along the M7-Highway which lies in the remote deserts of Syria and remains under complete ISIS control for now.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/pr ... offensive/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2016 09:03

^^ with ISIS massing for a attack on Salamiyah in the north of palmyra, plan might be to hit them from the south and make them pull back or run the danger of being trapped.