Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 07:33

iraq prepares a huge force to retake Hawija - this will end ISIS in central iraq finally.

https://southfront.org/42000-iraq-troop ... um=twitter

42,000 Iraqi soldiers will reportedly patricide in the operation. The sources added that 8,000 vehicles, 650 armored vehicles and 200 battle tanks of the Iraqi Army will engage in the upcoming battle in al-Hawijah.

The operation aims to liberate 4,081 square kilometers between Kirkuk, Biji and al-Sharqat cities. Furthermore, the Iraqi Army will work to evacuate more than 100,000 civilians who are now in the ISIS-held area in al-Hawijah.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 08:50

https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/stat ... 9964101633

teenage dazed khalifa cub captured near kobajeb. either high on captagon or mentally pervert ... useful tool of violence either way. could have been a camp follower doing stuff like cooking and cleaning for the adult jihadis. a padawan.

BSR Murthy · Post by **BSR Murthy** » 05 Sep 2017 09:16

Singha wrote:iraq prepares a huge force to retake Hawija - this will end ISIS in central iraq finally.

https://southfront.org/42000-iraq-troop ... um=twitter

42,000 Iraqi soldiers will reportedly patricide in the operation. The sources added that 8,000 vehicles, 650 armored vehicles and 200 battle tanks of the Iraqi Army will engage in the upcoming battle in al-Hawijah.

The operation aims to liberate 4,081 square kilometers between Kirkuk, Biji and al-Sharqat cities. Furthermore, the Iraqi Army will work to evacuate more than 100,000 civilians who are now in the ISIS-held area in al-Hawijah.

Typo in the original text.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 10:13

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast ... y,amp.html
Syria may be in ruins, but it looks like Assad 'has won the war militarily'

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 05 Sep 2017 11:08

Singha wrote:http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast ... y,amp.html
Syria may be in ruins, but it looks like Assad 'has won the war militarily'

Syria may be in ruins but without winning militarily they would be in constant state of war and terror strikes in the capital , so they have to win first to restore some sort of Law and Order followed by rebuilding and economic development and political negotiations

When Damscus was just 3 months away from Falling and when Russia entered in the war two years back I though this would be like a 5-10 years military adventure and they would be in pertetual state of war and internal strife like we are seeing in Iraq for almost decade now.

The Hizbs ,Iran ground forces and SAA and Russia deserves credit , this is a Shia win against GCC/US sponsored IS/FSA

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 13:53

but a good chunk of syrian army is sunni. it would be fair to say the SAA stuck together because of nationalistic reasons and because the rebels would murder them whatever be their sect.
same reason the syrian political and economic elites stuck to Assad - the rebels did not offer to coopt them and offer a glide path to sharing power, it was wholesale uprooting of old order followed by murder and burning.

the difference in rebels was only that some were ok with alawites/shias/druze paying jaziya while other end wanted conversion and another segment wanted them killed with no mercy.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 13:55

Wiki data may be a motivated plant but even it concedes that most of syrian army is infact sunni.
same disproportionate military could be seen in india among segments of jats and sikhs. its not a crime to be a career soldier.

----
The majority of the Syrian military are Sunni, but most of the military leadership are Alawites. Alawites make up 12 percent of the Syrian population but are estimated to make up 70 percent of the career soldiers in the Syrian Army.[13][45] A similar imbalance is seen in the officer corps where some 80 percent of the officers are Alawites. The military’s most elite divisions, the Republican Guard and the 4th Armoured Division, which are commanded by Bashar al-Assad's brother Maher, are exclusively Alawite. Most of Syria’s 300,000 conscripts were, however, Sunni but that number is speculated to be changing now.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 14:08

so it seems while tigers will reach the gate first, the column from ash shulah will head for the airbase via also capturing jabal thardeh and cleaning up the southern perimeter to secure the town from attacks

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 05 Sep 2017 14:49

Cruise Missile Attack by Kalbir on IS Targets today

https://rns.online/military/Rossiiskii- ... 017-09-05/

Russian frigate "Admiral Essen" struck "Caliber" on terrorists in Syria

"The blow was struck against a fortified area in the vicinity of the city of Ash Shola, which was being held by a bandit formation based on militants from Russia and the CIS," the report said.

According to the information of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, as a result of a missile strike, control points and a communication center, warehouses with weapons and ammunition, as well as a factory for repairing armored vehicles for terrorists and a large concentration of militants were destroyed.

"The effectiveness of the missile strike is confirmed by reconnaissance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The launches of the Caliber cruise missiles ensured the success of the advancement of the Syrian government troops, and also contributed to the disruption of the plans of the IGIL militants to regroup the forces and strengthen the positions of terrorists in the vicinity of the settlement of Deir Ez-Zor, "the report said.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 15:25

Hassan Ridha‏ @sayed_ridha 17m17 minutes ago
Syrian Army and allies in DeirEzzor pocket launch coordinated attacks on IS positions from Military Airport surroundings until al-Baghiliyah

Russian MoD announces Kalibr cruise missiles launched from warship off Syrian coast hit IS targets in DeirEzzor

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 15:50

video of 3 kalibr firing https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2017 ... ia-strike/

there are 2 more corvettes and 1 sub lurking off the coast. in coming days we might see them unload. the current ship also has a battery of 8 so might have 5 left to use.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 05 Sep 2017 17:23

Leith Fadel #BREAKING: #Syrian regime forces and #Hezbollah militia announce the break of siege calling on Deir Ezzor

Ivan Sidorenko: Ivan Sidorenko‏ @IvanSidorenko1 24m24 minutes ago

#Syria #DeirEzZor According to a #SAA field Commander in Brigade 137 Siege Lifting troops arrived 50 Minutes ago.

Ivan Sidorenko‏ @IvanSidorenko1 30m30 minutes ago

#Syria #DeirEzZor multiple vehicles and tanks of siege lifting troops have arrived. Next objective is to lift siege of airport.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 05 Sep 2017 17:28

Peto-Lucem / Al Masdar News:

Turkish Army suffers heavy casualties (8 killed) after attack by all-female Kurdish unit https://aml.ink/xeTBY #PKK

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 05 Sep 2017 19:40

Effect of todays Kalbir Strike

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 20:09

Dez forces are working toward airport to link the two pockets

Ash sholah and kobbajep are surrounded by saa but still in isis hands . They will be taken next to open main supply route to palmyra homs and damascus and the long road needs checkpoints

To clear the areas south of this road the saa near humaymah advanced 17km north east today

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 21:42

TØM CΛT‏
@TomtheBasedCat
BREAKING: HAWIJA IS LAUNCHED.

I SAY AGAIN, HAWIJA IS LAUNCHED.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Sep 2017 22:04

a ARV led the way into 137 base, breaking through the sand berms
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/vi ... eir-ezzor/

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 08:10

Ivan Sidorenko‏ @IvanSidorenko1 44m44 minutes ago
More
#Syria #DeirEzZor Message from Brigadier Suheil al-Hassan Via the walkie talkie to every mother who lost her son in #Deir_Ezzor Soil

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 08:17

syrian tribal reinforcements moving into deir azzor town
https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/stat ... 0991940609

the main aid convoys are waiting for the sukhnah highway to be cleared as semi-trailers can move on that route - medical aid, food, clothing, fuel would be prime needs followed by construction materials, tools etc to restore the citys economy.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Sep 2017 08:56

The fight at Dier Ez Zor was by my understanding an incredible feat of survival. On a smaller scale mirrors the fight of the Syrian Govt throughout Syria. They hung in and finally the big relieving forces came in to lift the siege.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 09:23

^^ i think reason why they could not defend raqqa in same way was DEZ was a major military and af base with a huge store of weapons and munitions before the war started . the 17th reserve division was forming up at that time. so they already had a few 1000 soldiers onsite and someone got the idea of building up huge berms to build a Quilla and survive. raqqa has no airport nearest being tabqa far out on other shore. just before rebels closed the road to palmyra, Gen Zahredinne arrived with convoy of 80 vehicles of light weapons and republican guards. the people found their icon to rally around. and those repub guards look very seasoned soldiers , uncaring of dress or rank but good fighters.

in dez they gradually lost parts of the city, saker island and finally the hills and cemetary in jan 2017. they could no longer get fresh supplies of tanks, BMPs, ZSUs and technicals and kept losing a few each month to attrition. the SyAF had to cease ops from the airport once the hills were lost and direct LOS ATGM fire was there on the hangers.

i was thinking the airport would be swarmed and overwhelmed once they lost the cemetary but it holds on.

Aleppo was successfully defended despite even the khanasser road being cut for a few months and the city islanded in a sea of green. the tigers opened that road again and took kuweires afb to set events in motion.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 06 Sep 2017 11:49

^^^I had seen a Vice report on Raqqa when ISIS had just broken through to Iraq. Then the Tabqa airbase was still holding out. There were some 300 men in the airbase. Later and not part of the Vice report, Tabqa fell to ISIS and the survivors were taken prisoners by ISIS and later marched into the desert and slaughtered.

Also near Raqqa, SAA could not rally local support like they could near DeZ.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 12:04

those men in Tabqa were abandoned by panicked commanders probably who failed to inform them to clear out. murder. same as the camp speicher massacre of air force recruits. a bunch of army officers and commanders in the eastern syria must have either deserted or defected.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 12:08

watanisy‏ @watanisy 12h12 hours ago
Division 17 , Brigade 93 , Regiment 121 , Tabqa airbase .... wish we could reach you too . rest in peace to all martyrs of the east

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 12:12

^^^ all in and around raqqa and hasakah.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 17:57

tigers are heading for this range of hills to clear out ISIS observation posts and bunkers for this area and force them back to madaan

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 18:14

shared by @Le_Carabinier . 1920 french map showing all season and dry season driving roads in Syria

dashed lines are dry seasons "seche"

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 18:20

the assyrians of nineveh province once had a guerilla force , that with the kurds fought against saddam hussein in 80s and 90s

note the icon of their winged lion god Lamassu

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 18:23

daesh mortar workshop captured by manbij military council - they look like meaty 120mm heavy mortars than usual 81mm

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 18:30

a set of thoughts of how the post- DEZ phase of the war could play out
https://twitter.com/tobiaschneider/stat ... 2980171776

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Sep 2017 21:59

40 trucks with 1000 ton of food and medical supplies have started off for dez

The main highway still some 15km stretch is not cleared

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 07 Sep 2017 07:20

Israeli airstrike reported inside Syria. unconfirmed report of one aircraft shot down, fell in Lebanese territory.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 08:43

russian aid convoy leading elements have made it inside DEZ via the temporary route opened by tigers.

kobajep has been captured. march is on to capture ash sholah and then a series of ISIS defensive strongpoints near panorama circle will need to be rolled back to really open the main road.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 08:48

issam zahredine waving the syrian and hezbollah flag.https://twitter.com/nasseratta5/status/ ... 5506388992
he said in a statement that deir azzor was the rock on which they shattered all isis dreams breaking wave after wave of attacks.

meantime the tiger has flown into dez and might lead the work to clean out the city and relieve the airport.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 08:51

al masdar news
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... ation-mod/

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:25 P.M.) – Over 1,000 Islamic State (ISIL) terrorists were killed by the Russian Aerospace Forces during the ‘Uqayribat operation, General Sergei Surovikin stated on Wednesday.

“In the interests of the offensive of the Syrian army, the aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted 329 strikes, destroying 27 armored vehicles, 48 pickups mounted with heavy weapons and over 1,000 militants in the area of Akerbat,” Col. Gen. Sergei Surovikin said, as quoted by Sputnik News.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 08:52

and these were seasoned ISIS fighters and good eqpt lost to the khalifa now. good move to trap them in hama pocket and not leave any escape route.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 09:13

aftermath of the kalibr * 3 attack on kobbajep. shows the impact of time sensitive missile strikes

https://www.rt.com/news/402133-syria-ai ... h-footage/

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 14:23

al masdar news

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:05 A.M.) – The prominent commander of the Syrian Arab Army’s Al-Qassem Group, General Ghassan Iskendar Taraf, was badly injured on Wednesday when his vehicle struck a land mine placed by the Islamic State (ISIL) in the western countryside of the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

According to reports from Deir Ezzor, General Taraf (AKA “Al-Qassem”) suffered serious wounds to his legs, resulting in his immediate hospitalization in the provincial capital.

General Taraf is considered one of the Syrian Army’s most elite and battle-hardened commanders; he has served on several fronts in the past and was recently transferred Deir Ezzor in 2016.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 14:23

fighting is ongoing in ash sholah town where a large ISIS force is trying to repel the advancing syrian units from the west.

its a 1km sized town.

1000s of isis fighters are reported to be in the stretch between ash sholah and panorama area of DEZ trying to keep a grip on things. they will need to be defeated before the airport relief ops start. must be plenty of hidden bunkers tunnels and minefields. the rats do a good job of it under the ground.

so syrians are likely not to rush things but address basic issues like encircling the whole town by crossing the euphrates, building new berms and slowly draining the pus filled areas. the last thing they want is a huge ISIS counterattack led by VBIED swarms causing mayhem.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Sep 2017 19:57

my prediction a few hours ago was correct. they are in no hurry to get bogged down like raqqa in urban battle.
tiger and zahreddine are smart players.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sy ... expansion/

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is planning to cross the Euphrates in the Deir Ezzor Governorate after liberating several areas along the western bank of this vast river.

Syrian Army reinforcements were seen, Thursday, transporting several boats to the Deir Ezzor Governorate for what is expected to be the government’s first attempt during this war to cross the Euphrates and push into these eastern territories.

Crossing the Euphrates River will provide the Syrian Army many advantages, including the ability to cutoff the Islamic State’s (ISIL) main supply line and obstruct the U.S.’ expansion into the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

For the Syrian Army, allowing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to capture this part of the Deir Ezzor Governorate would be disastrous because it would give the Americans control of the most important border-crossing into Iraq.

The Syrian Army’s High Command views the liberation of the Deir Ezzor border-city of Albukamal as an imperative military endeavor that cannot be dictated by the U.S. Coalition and their allies.