Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jan 2017 08:28

Bassem ‏@BBassem7
Agreement between Russia and Turkey to halt Turkish incursion into Al Bab, and make it a Syrian army operation.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jan 2017 09:16

Turkish leo2a4 near albab with turret blown off

https://mobile.twitter.com/Souria4Syria ... 24/photo/1

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jan 2017 10:03

10 isis incl 2 suicide bombers captured alive in deir azzor cemetary. Looks like left as portable landmines to hit any saa advance

Heavy rains today so daesh will be trying to take advantage of it as no syaf strikes...elite eu and chechen squads are leading and planning

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 21 Jan 2017 22:41

[urlhttps://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/822802718398042112]Backfires are back[/url]

Six #RuAF #Russia AF's Tu-22M3s bombed #ISIL positions in #DeirEzzor #Syria just four hours ago after refuelling at #Hamedan #Iran ©Russia24

Brasco_Aad ‏@Brasco_Aad 5h5 hours ago
RUSSIAN HEAVY STRATEGIC BOMBERS CONDUCTED MASSIVE BOMBING RAIDS AGAINST #ISIS TERRORISTS IN #DEIREZZOR #SYRIA

But WHOM are the isis-pasand AF bombing this time?

It's not the ISIS - they refer to "Al Qaeda".

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 21 Jan 2017 22:43

If you believe any of this....

A single U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber and an undisclosed number of drones dropped 14 precision-guided bombs at noon eastern time Thursday on an Al Qaeda “basic training” camp in Syria west of the city of Aleppo near the border with Turkey, according to the official.

The official described the fighters as "core Al Qaeda." A Petagon statement said the camp had been operational since at least 2013. It was not immediately clear why the camp had not been targeted earlier.

The latest strike, likely President Barack Obama’s last as commander-in-chief, comes a day after the Pentagon said two Air Force B-2 nuclear-capable bombers dropped 108 precision-guided bombs on two ISIS training camps in Libya killing 85 fighters, according to officials.

The round-the-world strike took roughly 30 hours Wednesday, as both B-2 bombers refueled five times in mid-air flying from their base in Missouri. Fifteen U.S. Air Force tankers from five bases on three continents assisted in the refueling.

B-2 BOMBERS KILL NEARLY 100 ISIS TERRORISTS IN LIBYA

A detachment of B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana have been deployed since April to the Middle East nation of Qatar to participate in strike missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The official said Russia had previously tried to take out the Al Qaeda training camp, but had been unsuccessful. The Russian Air Force conducts the majority of their strikes using unguided weapons during the day time. U.S. Air Force and Navy jets fly primarily at night using satellite-guided bombs.

It is not immediately clear if President Obama authorized the strike in Syria. The official said the U.S. military is authorized to conduct counter-terrorism missions against Al Qaeda anytime.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 21 Jan 2017 22:49

So I suspect that US commanders went ahead and used the blanket authority, reasoning that by the time the complaints reached the WHOTUS it would be under new management. 100 in Libya, 100 in Syria, how about 100 each in Iraq and Afghanistan I wonder.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 21 Jan 2017 23:51

Russian Tu-22M3 bombers target ISIS positions in Deir ez-Zor, Syria - Defense Ministry

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 06:58

Cheap unguided bombs from high level. Ok against oil refinery but wasteful and erratic vs point and tactical targets as the isis around deir azzor....if these woukd be 1000lb lgb with a laser pointer thats useful

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 07:03

Al-Masdar News ‏@TheArabSource
ISIS member filmed burning Turkish soldiers alive in #Syria was imprisoned by #Turkey in 2012: report https://aml.ink/FnbLq

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 07:05

If we see more contractor grade b52 level strikes by jan30 would indicate a definite turn in usa policy

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 08:24

fighting in cemetary deir azzor - http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3a3_1484936339 - a vast area of mounds, ravines, graves ...
(dec 5) what seems like a metis atgm destroys a saa tank deir azzor - http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5f0_1480974607

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Jan 2017 12:39

French special forces operations in Iraq

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 14:29

The 'Nimr' Tiger ‏@Souria4Syrians
Reports that ISIS have discharged its Deir Ezzor commander and replaced him with Abu Hamza Ghab due to huge losses & little progress

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Jan 2017 14:35

Su-24M, Jan 2017

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 14:46

Washington: Describing journalists as the most dishonest human beings on Earth, US President Donald Trump has said he has been "running a war" with the media and warned them of consequences for falsely reporting that less number of people attended his inauguration.
"We had a massive field of people. You saw them. Packed. I get up this morning, I turn on one of the networks, and they show an empty field," Trump said.

"I say, wait a minute, I made a speech. I looked out, it looked like a million, million and a half people. They showed a field where there were practically nobody standing there.
They (media) said, Donald Trump did not draw well. I said, it was almost raining, the rain should have scared them away, but God looked down and he said, we're not going to let it rain on your speech," he said.
"Then I walked off and it poured right after I left. It poured. But, we have something that's amazing because, it looked like a million and a half people. Whatever it was, it was.But it went all the way back to the Washington Monument.
And I turn on -- and by mistake I get this network, and it showed an empty field. And it said we drew 250,000 people," he said.
"Now, that's not bad, but it's a lie. We had 250,000 people literally around in the little bowl that we constructed. That was 250,000 people. The rest of the 20-block area, all the way back to the Washington Monument, was packed.
So we caught them, and we caught them in a beauty. I think they're going to pay a big price," Trump warned.
Trump was speaking at the CIA headquarters.
He told his top spy agency that this is the reason for him visiting the CIA headquarters as the media has portrayed that he has differences with the intelligence community.
"The reason you're my first stop is that, as you know, I have a running war with the media. They are among the most dishonest human beings on Earth," Trump said amidst applause and laughter from the CIA officials attending his maiden address to them.
"They sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community. And I just want to let you know, the reason you're the number-one stop is exactly the opposite.
They understand that, too," he said and then said that the crown strength of his inauguration was being accurately being written by the media.
Then Trump listed out another incident. So a reporter wrote that Trump took down the bust, of Martin Luther King.
"It was right there. But there was a cameraman that was in front of it. So a reporter writes a story about I took
down. I would never do that because I have great respect for Martin Luther King. But this is how dishonest the media is," Trump alleged.
"I only like to say that because I love honesty. I like honest reporting.I will tell you, final time -- when you let in your thousands of other people that have been trying to come in -- because I am coming back -- we're going to have to get you a larger room," Trump said indicating that he would have a bigger room for the White House press corps.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 17:24

Syrian Rebellion Obs – ‏@Syria_Rebel_Obs

#SRO - Do you know some #Deir_Ezzor tribes are really strong inside #IS sect ? One of them is the Bakir clans from #DeZ countryside (1).
8:05 am - 12 Jan 2017
14 RETWEETS12 LIKES.

Reply to @Syria_Rebel_Obs
Replies
Syrian Rebellion Obs
Jan 12
Syrian Rebellion Obs ‏@Syria_Rebel_Obs
#SRO - In april 2014, battalions from this tribe decided to create Jaysh Zalzal al-Bakir. This "army" served as a #IS strong unit (2).
Syrian Rebellion Obs
Jan 12
Syrian Rebellion Obs ‏@Syria_Rebel_Obs
#SRO - Jaysh Zalzal al-Bakir led assaults on their former brothers, supported by #IS elite forces as against #Bukamal in June 2014 (3).
Syrian Rebellion Obs
Jan 12
Syrian Rebellion Obs ‏@Syria_Rebel_Obs
#SRO - 2017, this force is no more called under this name but still strong inside #IS : Bakir tribesmen are at #DeZ airport frontline (END).
Ray's Yeomanry
Jan 18
Ray's Yeomanry ‏@raytheonunited
@Syria_Rebel_Obs Led by Col. Salameh al-Bakir ex-SAA Artillery and his cousin Faisal al-Bakir former Baath Party District Secretary,

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 17:25

At the core both the nusrats and isis have seasoned military and ex mil types who switched sides for ideology money power etc. There are also chechen and bosnian units.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 19:36

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha
JFS commander Abo Mus'ab al-Jazrawi has been killed by a drone strike in Aqrabat, Idlib countryside https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/ ... 6554209282 …

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 19:37

All non nusrats in idlib have formed a joint ops room to deal with the nusrats..this includes those who got tow missiles

Expecting a series of heavy american strikes on nusra in idlib...lot of cleaning needed

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 21:09

deir azzor repelled another daesh attack today , on panorama roundabout in the west. every able bodied including middle aged women have been issued rifles and they will fight to the end, because they know surrender or ceasefire is not an option.

saa are creeping slowly through the cemetary area that divides the town from the airport.

the garrison is a mix of republican guard , the remnants of a regular army reserve division, small units of lebanese and iraqi hezbollah, NDF from all over syria and local town/tribal militia.

meantime in other towns near deirazzor, ISIS kicked patients out of hospitals so their wounded could be cared for exclusively which has led to some shootings and riots by angry relatives . In a fit of rage IS had killed some 900 people of al shaitat tribe in one day in the past.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 21:14

if iraqis want to help they could send a PMU column off the tal afar front , avoid any places like mayadeen or al-qaim, instead cross the border south of shahdadi and make direct for deir azzor

would be enough of a diversion to pull some units off deir azzor ... the PMU are quite experienced in the desert and have no lack of ATGM

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 21:22

unverified reports by al masdar of around 500 daeshis killed so far.

in eastern aleppo, the tiger forces are on the verge of moving past deir hafr into the isis heartlands .... SDF has reached within sight of the Tabqa dam. this region from Al bab to Tabqa is about the major cultivable land holding left in ISIS hands now ... food thats needed to run a caliphate

rest of it like east homs / palmyra / deir azzor are more oil and gas bone dry areas.

iraq mein to kuch raha nahin....today some 100 isis got killed trying to ferry supplies across the river in mosul

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 22:16

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity
Amazing news from northern #Mosul:

#Iraq's army (9th Div.) reportedly killed 85 Da'ish militants during heavy fighting in Al-Qusayat today.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 22:17

Daesh surged out of tal afar to attack pmu today

End result 20 rats dead and 4 vehicles smashed

Atgm seems to be a hashd thing like koreans do archery and they do it really well.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 22:29

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:55 P.M.) - A large gorup comprised of Hezbollah and Syrian special forces arrived in the Khanasser Plain on Saturday to lead the military operations against the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists near the Al-Raqqa Governorate border.

The Syrian special forces were comprised of several units from the army's Republican Guard that were originally deployed to Aleppo city to participate in the provincial capital's offensive.

Once Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) and their allies surrendered the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, the Republican Guard units were free to be redeoployed to another front in northern Syria.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 22:30

This area is between deir hafr and tabqa and has a strategic jirah helibase

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 22 Jan 2017 22:34

Why is the Assad gang going about these things while things are so dire in Deir Ez Zor? Why not have these Special Forces hit the ISIS from behind?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jan 2017 22:52

There is no ability to airlift and supply such units.

All these are moves to activate more fronts and force isis to disperse from deir azzor

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 22 Jan 2017 22:59

Hope they are hitting the supply lines all round.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 23 Jan 2017 06:24

Peto Lucem ‏@PetoLucem 8h8 hours ago

NEW MAP: #SAA repelled a huge #ISIS attack on Panorama area and is advancing inside the cemetery + in Workers' District. #DeirEzzor #Syria

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 07:33

Qamishli is a govt enclave in the far east in hasakah area, the assyrians there are pro-assad and anti-kurd due to kurds throwing their weight around and bullying them. the govt retains a presence there and a airport.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/el ... eir-ezzor/

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:15 P.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army's elite Republican Guard forces were transported from Damascus to the Qamishli Military Airport after a long stint in the Syrian capital.

According to a military source close to Al-Masdar, the Syrian Arab Army's 104th Airborne Brigade was redeployed to the Deir Ezzor Governorate to assist the other wing of their Republican Guard unit.

The military source added that these forces will be transported by helicopter to the 137th Artillery Brigade's headquarters in Deir Ezzor; they will remain in this desert province indefinitely.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 07:48

widening the supply chain to aleppo on both sides - these are lightly defended areas by isis on the right and hama jihadis on left

pix of ships unloaded gear for new 5th corps show mostly old but reconditioned and functional eqpt from Rus depots btw.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 07:53

footage sent by issam zahreddines son of fighting in cemetary area

https://twitter.com/Syria_Protector/sta ... 4133490693

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 07:56

the mount Shabeeth in above map is also marked in map below. after the jaboul salt lake meanders out is the heartland of daesh country , Quila e khalifa, the Maskaneh plain in yellow. on extreme right you can see the Tabqa dam SDF has reached the opposite shore and released pics

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Jan 2017 07:59

https://twitter.com/DefenseOne/status/8 ... 0417387520

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 08:05

SDF actually reached tabqa dam around Jan7 and have moved past it toward Raqqa now. it will be well defended as right across is the town and airbase on south bank

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 08:10

the OV10 is impressively cheap! but weak in payload - couple of rocket pods, couple of HMG in those stub wings

a reaper carries a dozen hellfires with far more endurance
flooding the area with reapers for targets of opportunity like moving columns

and F-solah/B52 for bigger fixed targets

americans definitely have a lot of platforms if POTUS is willing and can make the pentagon do this bidding

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Jan 2017 08:12

some rumours that russian a/c from the coast refuel at qamishli for strikes into deir azzor

Farooq · Post by **Farooq** » 23 Jan 2017 09:28

The blurred lines of the war in Iraq and Syria...

The Yezidis have often accused the Kurds of helping ISIS during the Sinjar massacre. Here is a footage of Kurdish Peshmerga meeting ISIS soldier on friendly terms in Iraq in the Yezidi Post.

http://yezidipost.com/2016/12/07/newly- ... ance-isis/

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Jan 2017 09:59

Singha wrote:the OV10 is impressively cheap! but weak in payload - couple of rocket pods, couple of HMG in those stub wings

a reaper carries a dozen hellfires with far more endurance
flooding the area with reapers for targets of opportunity like moving columns

and F-solah/B52 for bigger fixed targets

americans definitely have a lot of platforms if POTUS is willing and can make the pentagon do this bidding

Agreed in this Syrian role for 80 % of the Task a Long Endurance UAV like Reaper would be more apt , Flood the Area with dozen 24x7 flying armed UAV and strike at any target of opportunities.

For other roles F-16/Su-24 types are good and for carpet bombing B-52/Tu-22M3 should be fine