Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Feb 2017 20:20

Al-Masdar News ‏@TheArabSource
Turkey bombards #YPG positions in Afrin province https://aml.ink/rDkW2 #Syria

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 07 Feb 2017 21:25

I am not sure whats a great plan to manage this.

Capture several pieces of tunnel, pump massive amounts of flammable liquid/gas and boom. The Mother Of All IEDmubaraks. Few civilians left either, of course. There is really no alternative that I can see. Concussion grenades will knock out the civilians more, so they can't escape. ISIS not concerned about children starving to death so siege not an option.
Losing 1 soldier per terrorist is not an option: they have tens of thousands on reserve.

BTW, the Soviet Army used this tunnel-cleaning Drano process quite effectively in Afghanistan. I remember the RoDo about that.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 07 Feb 2017 21:41

If done right, the above can lead to "DDT": Deflagration to Detonation Transition. boom becomes BOOM

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Feb 2017 21:44

my plan:
- daily bombard the place from B52 and C17 but small packets of food, enough so that it falls on every house and ISIS will not find it possible to seize food stocks
- drop some big sacks of food - if ISIS toughs come out to take it away, drone them out
- make heavily armoured "turtle" type trojan horse vehicles to enter areas and disgorge troops in all directions in heavy body armour and ballistic shields.
- flood the whole place with swarms of pigs and heavy metal music on loudspeakers to drown out "nasheed" daeshi music
- huge teams of snipers all over , including portable towers on western side, with 50cal rifles

Bhurishravas · Post by **Bhurishravas** » 07 Feb 2017 21:48

Singha wrote:one thing I have not figured out is the phenomenon of western volunteers going off to fight with the YPG. at first I thought they were embedded ex-SOCOM advisory types. but no they are just normal people with a few ex-armymen among them .

can it be the idealistic socialist ideology that drew them to the cause ? its hard to even get where the YPG operates by commercial flights or roads ....

They cant fight with hezbollah or ISIS, can they?
YPG is left oriented and is seen fighting against islamic extremists. Apart from the fact that, the kurds have been historically suppressed by all in the levant. Saddam, Assad or the turks.

The kurd politicians in Turkey talk a lot of sense too unlike Erdogan the Sultan.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Feb 2017 23:05

ISIS tunnel tour south of al-bab. incredible. they have dug 100s of such tunnels

https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/stat ... 7918760960

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 08:39

al masdar

While the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is stepping up its efforts to retake the vital gas fields in eastern Homs with the support of Russian airpower, the US-led coalition has increased its sorties against ISIS insurgents in the ancient city of Palmyra itself.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the coalition noted: “Near Palmyra, nine airstrikes destroyed 17 heavy equipment vehicles, 11 vehicles, four dump trucks, three front-end loaders, three VBIED’s and two tanks”.

This follows the alleged destruction of 14 ISIS tanks on Dec. 15 due to an intensive coalition air raid on Palmyra city. The armored vehicles are believed to have been captured by the Islamic State during the fall of the city a few days earlier.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 08:41

syrians have now advanced into the jaboul salt lake flats in eastern aleppo, opening a new active area south of deir hafr

https://media.almasdarnews.com/wp-conte ... 68x776.jpg

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 08:42

al masdar

Uzbek Jihadi Abou Rafik, the commander of “Malhama tactical” consulting company, wass killed in a Russian airstrike last night in Idlib city, according to opposition sources.

“Malhama tactical” provides training for several Jihadi groups in Syria including al-Nusra, Ajnad Kavkaz and Turkistan Islamic Party.

Abou Rafik served in the Russian army in the special forces.

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With this experience and knowledge, he used it to train jihadists in Syria.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 08:43

al masdar

BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:00 P.M.) – The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) launched a powerful counter-attack this past weekend to retake the Hayyan Gas Fields and expand their presence around the western countryside of Palmyra.

ISIS began the assault almost immediately after they conceded the Hayyan Gas Fields over to the Syrian Arab Army; they would attack the latter’s defenses from two different flanks around the gas company area.

Unable to hold their ground, the Syrian Arab Army’s 18th Tank Division was forced to withdraw from the Hayyan Gas Fields in order to avoid suffering anymore casualties at the hands of the swarming Islamic State terrorists.

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Despite the loss of the Hayyan Gas Fields again, the Syrian Arab Army is in much better position to storm the site and recover their lost ground from the Islamic State militants in the western countryside of Palmyra.

However, this battle will not get any easier for the Syrian Army, as the Islamic State is committed to holding this ground, unlike other sites they abandoned in order to concentrate their fighters at more pressing fronts.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 08:46

in about a month I expect ISIS position in north syria will not be tenable, and they will choose to retreat to new defence lines near Tabqah abandoning the eastern aleppo region .... but the die hards will remain back in al-bab and heir-hafr to fight to the last.

palmyra region will also fall . it is a problem of syrians finding the resources for it. terrain wise those wide open deserts are not defensible by isis.

they do not have much reserves of manpower left as SDF is also pressing in on raqqa from all sides . Al-Qaim will be attacked soon by Iraqi army and the mosul front is closed without a major retreat possible.

everyone should attack them in small ways on all fronts forcing them to make a choice and constantly concede on some fronts - same situation the germans were forced into in WW2 both in the air and on the ground. periodically they will lash out and make some sudden gains but the overall trend must be to broadly roll them back into raqqa from all sides.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 08 Feb 2017 09:56

Yemeni Huthis ballistic missile Burkan 2

Off to Riyadh Burkan 2

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2421852.html

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 10:49

looks like they are using a smaller warhead to increase range. looks in 500kg class of warhead.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 16:30

Sputnik news

The Syrian Arab Army and armed rebel groups have repelled a Daesh attack in east Qalamoun, a mountains area to the northeast of Damascus, in what appears to be a first joint campaign involving government-led forces and the opposition as both sides appear to be increasingly willing to work together to defeat terrorists.

"Government forces along with opposition groups have managed to disrupt an offensive mounted by [Daesh] in east Qalamoun. Six settlements in this area with a total population of 25,000 have joined the reconciliation process," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, the chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, reported.

Destruction in Al Soukari, the last liberated district in Eastern Aleppo
© SPUTNIK/ MOHAMAD MARUF
Inside Syria: What’s Really Happening on the Ground
Political analyst Andrei Manoilo, a member of the Scholarly Council of Russia's Security Council, told RT that this is a "game-changing" moment since the Syrian Arab Army and armed opposition groups are "increasingly coordinating" their counterterrorism activities against Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other affiliated organizations.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 16:37

Multiple sources claim the turks have finally broken through the western of al bab last night.

In themess syria forum. Aqil is a hill on west of town.
......quote.....
Aqil and hospital are done for, for now.

Surprisingly enough "FSA" were ballsy enough to join TSK for their first night op. There were vehicle transfers earlier in the day, M60T Sabra's with remotely controlled M2 towers. This probably explains why those were fitted... Fighting is in Al Bab itself now.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 19:23

Which ends predictably...

4h
Hemze Bab‏ @SemirHemzaa
Panic among paid FSA mercenaries ranks. FSA soldiers near Al Bab hospital are deserting from their positions.

Furiouskurd Retweeted
4h
Hemze Bab‏ @SemirHemzaa
Islamic State soldiers advancing against Turkish army & FSA in Al Bab. Over 10 Turkish killed or injured as result of ISIS offensive.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 19:27

4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
@gdk9933 It is not right to publish these recordings and maybe destroy their lives for good in a conservative society for sake of publicity.

in reply to @Furiouskurd
4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
@gdk9933 Working on video evidence, but it is important to protect the victims here. Many of these child soldiers are no more then 12-14 yrs

in reply to @gdk9933
4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
@gdk9933 It is a very trusted source, otherwise it wouldn't be mentioned here. He have been given correct info many times prior times too.

in reply to @Furiouskurd
4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
There is some sort of recordings of these events taped by the turks themselves. If possible we will share them here.

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in reply to @Furiouskurd
4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
Turkish soldiers are accused by some FSA members to give money, alcohol and narcotics to younger FSA soldier and then use them sexually.

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in reply to @Furiouskurd
4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
As anger grows amongs our arab brethren over the tyrany & misconduct of #euphrateshield these sorts of actions can trigger bigger protests.

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4h
Furiouskurd‏ @Furiouskurd
According to a FSA source on Telegram some turkish soldiers are accused of sexual relationships with minors (child soldiers) in Sultan Murad

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 19:28

Sultan murad is a turkoman militia closest to turkish handlers....

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 19:54

Sdf prong has reached10km from raqqa now from east

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:14

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 4h4 hours ago
More
Turkey announces death of 2 soldiers + 15 wounded in clashes with IS in the Syrian city of al-Bab, ~1,500 Turks involved in assault on city

Turkish PM Yıldırım: FSA/ES are inside al-Bab + coordination with Russia to avoid conflict with the Syrian Army

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:18

jaboul salt flats quietly conceded by ISIS

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

from daesh factory near mosul - the front concave caps of the infamous EFP (explosively formed penetrators) which was favourite of the iraqi insurgents

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:25

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosive ... penetrator

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:28

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:29

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 22:31

Rojava Defense Units ‏@DefenseUnits Jan 29
More
10s of #Daesh's dead have been discovered in a mass grave in #Manbij, most likely executed by the group after withdrawal in Aug. 2016 battle

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2017 23:02

iraqi PMU culled a couple dozen isis today, some were inghimasi wearing suicide belts for opportunistic suicide attacks

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Feb 2017 00:40

as war in escalates in Al Bab residents flee for life

harsh weather in Al Bab scene of latest fight

http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/isl ... USRTX3012J
[more pics]

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 07:08

The turks have managed to hold the aqil hill i think..overlooks the town . Hospital was in dispute on the plain below yesterday.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 07:14

https://mobile.twitter.com/sayed_ridha/ ... 72/photo/1

Detailed al bab situation map.

Turkish army lost 5 ...4 to isis and 1 to syaf

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 07:26

Al bab is a ruin. Tsk have no skills in nimble urban war. Tigeris clever and wont embroil his forces but stay on margins to profit from it. As for the fsa the al zinki factions vets of aleppo are not there.

Turks are enthusiastically going to use howitzers to kill everyone they can ...civilians had best flee fast to syrian lines

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 08:31

salt lake area jabboul SE of aleppo

In a bid to relieve the collapsing Al-Bab front, the Islamic State ordered hundreds of its fighters to attack the government-held road near Khanassir in southern Aleppo.

Beginning after dark on Tuesday, ISIS militants stormed the town of Um Mayyal and its surrounding checkpoints with armored vehicles and a significant number of combattants.

Initially, the offensive appeared somewhat succesful as ISIS took control of several checkpoints south of Um Mayyal and began attacking the town itself from two directions.

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Unfortunately for the advancing ISIS units, their jihadist fighters were met by stiff resistance from a batch of seasoned Republican Guard soldiers stationed at Um Mayyal that had linked up with the regular troops whom had abandoned their initial positions.

As the hours continued into the night amid fierce skirmishes, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) finally went on the counter-attack and quickly routed ISIS from their newly captured positions, thus recovering all lost points.

With status quo eventually upheld on the battlefield, the warring parties did sustain significant casualties with approximately 20 troops either injured or killed on both sides.

Despite ISIS briefly severing the Aleppo supply route several times in the past years, the main road itself was never really in danger as the clashes occurred roughly 10 kilometers east of it.

According to an Al-Masdar News source, the vast majority of the Islamic State’s attacks occur during the night in order to reduce the impact of Russian airpower.

Read more at https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/is ... RVsIhjc.99

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 08:33

SS21 Scarab ie Tochka - delivering 50 in one lot - thats the kind of production we want to see in india for pralay, prahaar, shourya....

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:25 A.M.) – The Russian military completed its largest missile delivery to Syria to-date this week, a U.S. official told Fox News on Wednesday.

Russia has just sent Syria the largest shipment of missiles between the two countries to date, the latest delivery between the two allies that could further change the stakes in the Middle East, U.S. officials told Fox News on Wednesday.

According to this U.S. official sourced by Fox News, the Russian military delivered a large shipment of 50 SS-21 short-range ballistic missiles to the Syrian coastal city of Tartous over the last two days.

The SS-21, which comes in different types, has a range of roughly 100 miles.

Al-Masdar News is unable to confirm the validity of this report.

Read more at https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... ErEGeT2.99

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 08:38

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 08:41

video - jordan AF struck the isis franchise jaish khalid bin walid on daraa border a few nights ago

https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/ ... 4780355584

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 09 Feb 2017 12:07

Russia,the new sherrif of the Middle East what?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02 ... em-libyas/

Italy and Britain may court Russian-backed general to help stem Libya's migrant crisis
General Khalifa Haftar, commander in the Libyan National Army (LNA), after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow,
Russia, November 29, 2016
Roland Oliphant Ben Farmer Nick Squires, rome
9 FEBRUARY 2017 • 12:01AM
Italy’s prime minister will call on Britain to take a greater role in solving the Libya migrant crisis amid increasing Russian involvement in the war-torn country when he meets Theresa May for the first time on Monday.

Paolo Gentiloni is expected to urge the Prime Minister to take a more pragmatic approach to restoring order in Libya, including by acknowledging how Russian support for a renegade general has changed the balance of power on the ground.

General Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the self proclaimed Libyan National Army, visited Moscow twice last year and was recently hosted on a Russian aircraft carrier, fueling speculation that the Kremlin may back him in a power-grab against the country's UN-recognised government.

Last week a spokesman for his army said dozens of fighters had been flown to Moscow for medical treatment, in the latest sign of a deepening relationship with the Kremlin.

Gen Khaftar spoke to Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu by a video link when he visited the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in January.

An Italian government source said Italy wants to talk to all stakeholders in Libya, including the Russians, in order to try to bring stability to the country – a process that would help staunch the relentless exodus of migrants across the Mediterranean.

“Russia is playing more and more of an active role across the Mediterranean,” the source said. “Italy has always taken a pragmatic approach towards Russia, whereas some other countries have always taken a dogmatic approach.”

More than 181,000 migrants reached Italy last year and there are fears that even greater numbers will attempt the crossing this year, as chaos in Libya grows and the EU plans a crackdown on the boats – a tough new approach that was most recently discussed at a meeting in Malta last Friday.

Libya was plunged into civil war after Muammar Gadaffi, the military dictator for four decades, was killed in a Western-backed uprising in 2011.

A political agreement establishing a UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) was signed in December 2015, but critics say the new government is largely toothless and has failed to impose order even in the capital.

Members of the Libyan National Army (LNA) gesture as they hold a position during fighting against jihadists in Qanfudah, on the southern outskirts of Benghazi in January

The largest military factions in the country today include Gen Haftar's LNA, based in the eastern cities of Tobruk and Benghazi, and an alliance of groups based in the western city of Misrata.

Both factions have received foreign backing to fight terror groups including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

Gen Haftar, who enjoys strong backing from Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government in Egypt, is seen by some as a potential secular “strong man” ruler who could re-establish some degree of security and crack-down hard on Islamist movements there.

Mrs May last night faced calls from within her own party to recognise that the Russian-backed general must play a role in any solution in Libya.

"The view is that the GNA solution isn't working and we still have a massive humanitarian crisis in terms of migrants and casualties in the Mediterranean," said Kwasi Kwarteng, the Conservative MP for Spelthorne. "There has to be some kind of transition."

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, said earlier this week that Gen Haftar should be integrated into the current government of national accord.

The Russian foreign ministry said last week that is was talking to both groups in the hope of promoting dialogue and keeping Libya intact.

Hafez al-Sarraj, the head of the UN-backed, Tripoli-based government, is expected to visit Moscow this month.

Sub-Saharan migrants crowd a dinghy as they are rescued by members of the Proactiva Open Arms NGO about 20 miles north of Ra's Tajura, Libya, in January

"We are carrying out consistent work with both centers of power in Libya," said Maria Zakharova, a ministry spokeswoman.

"We are trying to encourage them to overcome their internal differences and seek compromises on all contentious questions."

Angelino Alfano, the Italian foreign minister, held talks on Libya with Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, last week. Mr Alfano said he received “positive signals” from the Russians.

“Everyone needs to recognize that Libya – for us in terms of immigration and for others, security – has a strategic significance that cannot be underestimated.

“Everyone must do their bit to create synergies, in that way we can head towards peace,” said Mr Alfano.

Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, will meet his Italian counterpart in Rome on Thursday to discuss Libya and the migrant exodus, among other topics.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, he said that the UK is considering extending a training program for Libya’s coast guard in support of operations to tackle human smugglers and arms traffickers.

A small team of Royal Navy personnel trained Libyan coast guards in search and rescue and vessel boarding techniques before Christmas.

The Italian embassy in London said: “Stabilisation of Libya is one of the top priorities of Italian foreign policy. To that end we are cooperating with the UN, the EU and our major partners, such as the UK and the US. We also deem it necessary to engage with all players who could help to achieve such a goal, including Russia”.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Feb 2017 15:50

That pic is interesting Singha saar.
Lebanon is a democracy. In fact Lebanon was the only Christian dominated country in ME. It became a successful financial capital in ME thanks to West style banking, free society etc. Lebanon allowed almost free borders and Muslims got into hoping to live a better life but soon turned Lebanon into another Islamic caliphate, many Christians flee into West then.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Feb 2017 16:16

yes I think the oldest christian cities in the world were in the lebanon-syrian_coast belt - antioch, tyre, acre , sidon down to jerusalem... the people are ancient phoenicians/french leftovers from the crusades/greco-romans from various times upto heraclius, the sea traders of the mediterranean basin.
such a crossroad of industrious folks produces good educational & business culture.

nicholas nassem taleb is a lebanese born btw

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Feb 2017 18:13

ISIS claims responsibility for rocket attack in Israel

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Feb 2017 18:19

SS-21 is nyookular-capable, hain? Not saying that they put those on right now, but that could be a different shipment.