Levant crisis - III

The Strategic Issues & International Relations Forum is a venue to discuss issues pertaining to India's security environment, her strategic outlook on global affairs and as well as the effect of international relations in the Indian Subcontinent. We request members to kindly stay within the mandate of this forum and keep their exchanges of views, on a civilised level, however vehemently any disagreement may be felt. All feedback regarding forum usage may be sent to the moderators using the Feedback Form or by clicking the Report Post Icon in any objectionable post for proper action. Please note that the views expressed by the Members and Moderators on these discussion boards are that of the individuals only and do not reflect the official policy or view of the Bharat-Rakshak.com Website. Copyright Violation is strictly prohibited and may result in revocation of your posting rights - please read the FAQ for full details. Users must also abide by the Forum Guidelines at all times.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

savage ruaf attacks near al bukamal
https://muraselon.com/en/2017/10/video- ... ier-ezzor/

in the first strike, the explosion of vehicle triggers its gun which impacts the road a little away
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Yusha Yuseef Verified account @MIG29_ 18h18 hours ago
More
US STATE DEPT APPROVES $15 BLN THAAD MISSILE DEFENSE FOR SAUDI ARABIA - PENTAGON
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

thaad is now in cash cow phase. anyone in range of iran and noko the duly anointed rogue states will be sold huge weapons.
peace with iran will have little financial dividend for the weapons complex.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

rather than firing kalibers, russia needs to airlift a few smerch and otr21 units to DEZ airport, site them at the airport itself and pound anything in a 100km radius on demand. maybe a few MSTA 152mm tracked units also.

cheaper and more volume than kalibers or aircraft flying 500km from coast.
Austin
BRF Oldie
Posts: 23387
Joined: 23 Jul 2000 11:31

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Austin »

It is matter of time Iran will opt for S-400 system too but Iran has something saudi or no ME state has indigenous MIC and inguinity.

Saudi can buy all weapons money can buy but they don't have a MIC or inguinity , if Yemen ops are any thing to go by they have poor military leadership and planning with best weapons money can buy , Iran just showed the opposite in Syria war, old weapons but good execution and leadership
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

another kaliber salvo few hrs ago per observers in tartous who see it cross the coast...

Saudi buys of thaad and s400 if it happens are not meant for defence but payoffs to keep the P2 happy and off their case. it could be anything - supercomputer, space capsule, oats, vodka, palo alto property...these are just payoff deals.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

tiger forces and tribal militias staged out of thardeh mountain and advanced 27km through deserts west of the main river highway to mayadin , something called the 'old mayadin road' to reach the western outskirts which they have now crossed and fighting is ongoing in the town.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... ital-city/

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:48 A.M.) – Elite forces of the Syrian Arab Army are pushing hard on the Islamic State’s capital, capturing half the city from the terrorist group in a matter of hours.

According to military sources exclusive to Al-Masdar News, the Syrian Army’s elite Tiger Forces have battled their way into the heart of the Islamic State capital of Al-Mayadeen in southwest Deir Ezzor Governorate.

Entering from the western gates of the Al-Mayadeen, the Tiger Forces have managed to wrest control over about 50 percent of the strategic city, killing scores of jihadist militants in the wake of their advance.


It is worth clarifying that all reports circulating on social media saying that ISIS retreated from Al-Mayadeen are false.

Military sources say that the Tiger Forces are advancing under cover of heavy rocket and howitzer fire which is currently targeting ISIS positions and rally points in the city center and in the eastern districts of Al-Mayadeen.

One Syrian Army source, speaking to Al-Masdar News, said that Al-Mayadeen should be fully liberated from ISIS terrorists within twelve hours.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article ... r-support/

As predicted the ehpshield jihadis erdogan paid will now
Fight nusrats with ruaf support

Should be interesting
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

The'Nimr'Tiger
The'Nimr'Tiger @Souria4Syrians
·
6h
YPG lost 3,500 fighters in Raqqa battle between dead or permanently disabled.

YPG now controls 80% of city
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/08/w ... ender.html
ISIS Fighters, Having Pledged to Fight or Die, Surrender en Masse - NYTimes.com
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

earlier, turkey has also jailed some us citizens of turk origin who were visiting.

(CNN)Both the United States and Turkey have suspended all non-immigrant visa services for travel between the two countries, after last week's arrest of a US consulate employee in Istanbul.

With some exceptions, the move effectively blocks Turks from travel to the United States, and vice versa, indefinitely.
The United States said it was "deeply disturbed" by the employee's arrest, after he was charged over alleged links to Pennsylvania-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

al masdar news
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (12:00 P.M.) – Throughout Sunday, the Turkish Armed Forces shelled northwestern Idlib in a massive artillery barrage against Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).

Meanwhile, Turkish-backed rebel factions began their first probing attacks on HTS’ frontier lines while Turkish engineers dismantled large sections of the otherwise newly constructed border wall with Idlib.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

An update:

ISIS pocket in Uqayrebat is finished. Some ISIS fighters from the pocket surrendered. Some got KIA. Some took to mountains near Qaryatayn and opened a pocket there including capturing the city. Some slipped across territory to eastern Hama territory under HTS (al Nusra) control and have captured a few villages there.

https://twitter.com/IvanSidorenko1/stat ... 4875600903
#Syria #Homs #EasternHoms New video from ISIS as they still have full control of #Qaryatayn & some of the hills in the outskirts of city
In DeZ, SAA is fighting to capture Al Mayadeen and RuAF are scoring big kills with their bombing.

In Idlib, the Turkish invasion post Astana agreement is taking a turkish turn of events with no one sure as to who is Trurkey attacking and who is it siding with. There have been some movement of troops from Turkey into Idlib but no reports of large scale clashes.

In Iraq, the ISIS Hawija pocket is gone. 1000s of ISIS have surrendered to Kurds for safety.

In Raqqa, YPG has captured some more neighbourhoods but has taken heavy losses. There are rumours of safe passage to ISIS stuck in Raqqa to avoid further losses.
Austin
BRF Oldie
Posts: 23387
Joined: 23 Jul 2000 11:31

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Austin »

Russian Su-24 Warplane Crashes in Syria, All Crew Members Dead

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2017 ... lane-crew/

"On October 10, when accelerating ahead of takeoff from the Hmeymim airfield in Syria, a Su-24 aircraft veered off the runway and crashed. The crew of the plane did not eject in time and died," the Russian Defense Ministry statement said.
Austin
BRF Oldie
Posts: 23387
Joined: 23 Jul 2000 11:31

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Austin »

Short Video: Quintessentially spetsnaz, quintessentially dangerous.

https://twitter.com/Russian_Defence/sta ... 7917223936
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

The Czar of the Middle East! It isn't as if Putin wanted to be another Putin,sorry...Peter the Great,but if one dispassionately reviews events over the last few years,one can see that he was reluctantly forced to take certain hard decisions which he never wavered from once taken.

It all began with the Sochi Winter Olympics.There was concerted effort to downgrade the games,which were brilliantly organised,embarrass Russia,etc. A simultaneous revolt in the UKR was orchestrated sending the pro-Russian leader Yanukovich running for his life-in fact Putin said that Russia saved his life.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQbZ0JchF4) PL. watch this ,v.interesting how he was saved.
This was done with clear western/EU covert and overt ops,where seen EU politicos were seen in Kiev urging on the demonstrators.This led to the division of the UKR with the West and neo-Nazis forces This led to Putin determining that Crimea (handed over to Kiev earlier,but which was always Russian) should be returned to Russia.As they say the rest was history.Putin swiftly through a referendum saw to it that the Crimes was back in Russian control and a grand victory celeb. was held in the Kremlin for the world to see.The West defeated in its intent to oust Russian influence in the UKR was determined to damage Putin's reputation and used all manner of tricks including the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner ,blaming it on Russian separatists.
As many analysts have said,Russian ones too,the West/NATO reneged upon the deal made between Reagan and Gorbachev about not advancing into Eastern European nations by NATO membership,which reached Russia's borders with the planned UKR coup.It was the last straw for Russia.Putin got what eh wanted most,the Crimea,a strategic prize without price and saw to it that a cease-fire was orchestrated through the Minsk agreement.

In the Middle east,the West and its Sunni Arab potentates,wanted to overthrow/regime change again,the Syrian govt. as they did in Libya,etc. They used the old Afghan tricks,sponsoring anti-govt. demos,acts of terror,funding and training so-called 'rebels" and launched an attempt to oust Assad using a two-front strategy.ISIS, a Western/Arab/Saudi creation,where even the Turks were doing business with ISIS, and the motley group of Syrian 'rebels" made a massive attempt to oust Assad.Unfortunately, for Assad and the Syrian people/regime,it was either fight to the death or get thrown into the Meditt. Sea. At a crucial moment,when US chicanery was evident in all is loathing and duplicity,pretending to combat ISIS when in fact it was protecting it,Putin intervened to preserve Russia's legitimate rights in the region.In a matter of a few weeks he had stooped ISIS in its tracks,then with the help of Syrian and Iranian backed militias,he turned the tide and sent ISIS on a course of retreat from which they never could break out of.City by city fell to the pro-Assad forces and even Turkey which shot down a Russian fighter,have made an about turn and have established close ties with Russia to the extent of Russia providing it with S-400 ABM missiles!

The Sunni potentates,bum-chums of the US for decades,suddenly woke up and smelt the samovar! They realised that it was Putin who was a real man,who never flinched from doing the biz.They now want his blessings for their won survival as they know that Russia could in days destroy their mil capability amply demonstrated in Syria.Russia's traditional close ties to Shiite Iran also worry them,therefore the pilgrimage top Moscow by the Saudi king,etc.All this achieved despite the worst ever sanctions and anti-Russia campaign by the West,US and UK in aprticular.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/10/how ... ddle-east/
How Putin came to rule the Middle East
Syria and Libya are just two examples of how the Russian leader has been running rings around the West

John R. Bradley

(Illustration by Christian Adams)
John R. Bradley
7 October 2017
9:00 AM
When Russia entered the Syrian civil war in September 2015 the then US secretary of defense, Ash Carter, predicted catastrophe for the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin was ‘pouring gasoline on the fire’ of the conflict, he said, and his strategy of fighting Isis while backing the Assad regime was ‘doomed to failure’. Two years on, Putin has emerged triumphant and Bashar al-Assad’s future is secure. They will soon declare victory over Isis inside the country.

The dismal failure turned out to be our cynical effort to install a Sunni regime in Damascus by adopting the Afghanistan playbook from the 1980s. We would train, fund and arm jihadis, foreign and domestic, in partnership with the Gulf Arab despots. This way we would rob Russia of its only warm-water naval base, Tartus, on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. In the process we would create a buffer between Iran and its Lebanon-based proxy, Hezbollah, to divide the anti-Israel Shia axis. And we would further marginalise Iran by extending the influence of our Sunni Gulf allies from Lebanon deeper into the Levant. Half a million Syrians were slaughtered as a consequence of this hare-brained scheme, which geo-politically has resulted in the exact opposite of the intended outcome.

Putin, though, had grasped the reality at the outset. Unlike Afghans, ordinary Syrians were used to living in a liberal, diverse culture that, while politically repressive, championed peaceful religious co-existence. Most of them were nervous about seeing their country transformed into a Wahhabi theocracy. Assad, for all his faults, was the buffer between them and internecine carnage. They stuck with the devil they knew, and there was no popular revolution against Assad — nothing compared to the Tahrir uprising that ousted the hated Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. The millions-strong demonstrations in Damascus were pro-regime. Among the two-thirds of the Syrian population now living in government–controlled parts of the country, Assad is more popular than ever, and Putin is a hero.

Small wonder Putin recently mocked Washington for ‘not knowing the difference between Austria and Australia’. The same charge could, alas, be levelled at Nato leaders generally. At a UN meeting last month, the Orwellian-named Friends of Syria group — the western and Gulf Arab alliance that unleashed jihad — stated they would not engage in reconstruction efforts until (in Boris Johnson’s words) there was a political ‘move away from’ Assad. But weeks earlier, a massive international conference on reconstruction had taken place in Damascus. During it, Assad had ruled out awarding the multi-billion-dollar contracts up for grabs to hostile western and Arab countries on the grounds that they had destroyed his country. Instead, Syria would look east, and especially to Russia, Iran and China. Already Moscow is busy shipping thousands of tons of materials and more than 40 pieces of construction equipment — including bulldozers and cranes — to Syria, which does not want or need our assistance.

An inability to acknowledge, still less confront, Russia’s expanding regional role on the back of Syria was similarly highlighted during a whirlwind trip Johnson made to Libya in August. There, he had a brief meeting with secular strongman Khalifa Haftar, a former general in Gaddafi’s army whose forces now dominate eastern Libya — including Benghazi and most of the country’s major oil fields. He is determined to overrun Tripoli, and probably will. Haftar has ties with Moscow going back to the early 1970s and has been in Putin’s pocket for at least two years, repeatedly meeting with Russian officials on an aircraft-carrier off the Mediterranean coast. A week before shaking hands with Johnson, Haftar had visited Moscow to hold extensive discussions with top officials from the defence and foreign ministries. They cemented plans to move fragmented Libya towards statehood under Haftar as an all-powerful defence minister, with direct Russian military aid. The Kremlin has already deployed troops and fighter jets to western Egypt to join that country and the UAE, which is also backing Haftar in his unifying fight against the Islamists. As with Syria, for decades before the fall of Gaddafi, Russia was Libya’s biggest arms supplier and closest international ally, and Moscow has long been eyeing a naval base on the Libyan coastline to complement its (now much beefed-up) base in Tartus. Given all this, as Johnson suggested that Haftar may have a ‘role to play’ in any future political reconciliation, while insisting that he abide by an internationally brokered ceasefire, the latter must have found it hard to contain his laughter.

Syria and Libya, though, are just two examples of how Russia is running rings around the West in its determination to achieve superpower status in the Middle East. Putin has just inked a deal with Turkey — which has Nato’s second-largest standing army — to sell the latter its most advanced S-400 air defence system. (The S-400 has already been deployed across Syria, while Iran has been given the less advanced but still formidable S-300.) Shortly after Russia entered the Syrian war, Turkey had shot down one of its planes. It was a deliberate attempt to provoke a wider war by President Recep Erdogan, who was furious that Putin was, by way of a relentless bombing campaign, putting an end to his support for Isis foot soldiers inside Syria and his purchasing of oil from the caliphate. (Nato had ignored all this duplicity in the hope that Isis would weaken Assad.) It is testament to Putin’s extraordinary diplomatic skills that Russia and Turkey are these days singing each other’s praises as never before. And under Russian auspices, Turkey is working with Iran and Iraq to contain the fallout from the Kurdish referendum on independence.

When King Salman arrived in Moscow this week, it was the first time that a Saudi leader paid an official visit to Russia — but just the latest in more than two dozen face-to-face meetings Putin has had with Middle Eastern leaders. Russia, of course, is not the Soviet Union, and it is easy to see why the Saudi and other Gulf tyrannies believe they can do business with an authoritarian leader like Putin. He shares their contempt for western-style democracy; and, unlike whoever happens to inhabit the White House, he is a man of his word, promotes stability not chaos, and has no complicating human rights agenda.

On the Saudi agenda in Moscow: the rise of Iran as a dominant regional player, Syria’s de-escalation zones, and billions of dollars in Russian arms sales and direct mutual economic investment. Riyadh is still outraged that the Obama administration had agreed a nuclear deal with Iran, the Saudis’ rival for regional hegemony, and is sulking over the Syria debacle. They have only Russia to turn to in an effort to limit Tehran’s influence in Syria. For the same reason, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been holding meetings with Putin. During one, he was almost in tears as he, like the Saudis, begged the Russian leader to rein in Iran and Hezbollah, which seek the Jewish state’s destruction.

In a desperate last-ditch effort to stop the Putin power grab in his tracks, the Trump administration will almost certainly decertify the Iranian nuclear deal on October 15, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency, EU and UN being adamant that Tehran is abiding by its terms. The aim is to provoke military confrontation with Iran, or at the least create more regional turmoil to undermine the Kremlin. The reckless and unjustified move will throw a spanner in the works, but in the long-term is — like intervention in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria — doomed to failure.

Putin is well ahead of the curve, having pulled off the seemingly impossible diplomatic feat of fighting alongside Hezbollah in Syria while allowing Israel to bomb Hezbollah and Syrian regime targets inside the country. Last week, a delegation from the Palestinian terror outfit Hamas visited Moscow for talks on the peace process after reconciling with arch-rival Fatah following yet another successful direct intervention by Putin. And Netanyahu has been told that, although Russia considers Israel an important partner, Iran will, come what may, remain its indispensable ally. Putin might therefore already have the diplomatic leverage needed to defuse tensions between Iran and Israel, once again leaving Washington sidelined and humiliated. For while the consequences of Netanyahu beating the war drums over Iran used to be non-existent, now Moscow could give the green light to battle–hardened Iran, Syria and Hezbollah to unleash hellfire against the Jewish state.

It is easy to understand why Netanyahu is quaking in his boots, but should we in Europe be alarmed at Putin’s Middle East triumph? Not unduly so. You do not have to be a Putin groupie to acknowledge that it isn’t him who has been launching one illegal invasion after another in the region, leaving millions dead, maimed and displaced. And he has not only stemmed the flow of Syrian refugees into our continent, but started to reverse the trend. Half a million Syrians have returned to their country this year alone.

And while no side has emerged with their hands clean from one of the most brutal civil wars in modern history, it is also hugely heartening that there were so few defections from a Syrian army overwhelmingly made up of Sunni Muslims (80 per cent by some accounts). They were battling against myriad Sunni jihadi groups in the name of an Alawite-dominated regime, alongside Russian soldiers appalled (unlike us) by the carnage unleashed against their fellow Christians, as well as hardline Shia militias sent by Iran and Hezbollah likewise determined to protect their own sect. Given how Tunisia and Turkey — the two historically secular Muslim countries in the region — are fast embracing Islamism, and how Sunni–Shia infighting continues to tear apart much of the rest of the Middle East, the victory of pluralism and secularism over the wicked Wahhabi jihad in Syria is ultimately uplifting.

John R. Bradley is the author of books on Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Arab Spring, and has been covering the Middle East for two decades.
[/quote]
Rudradev
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4226
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 12:31

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Rudradev »

Very insightful article, Philip.

The real reason for US antagonism and rivalry towards Russia was never Communism per se. It was that Russia after WW2 was the last remaining old-world European nation to retain a functioning global empire state. The US saw its manifest destiny as including the total inheritance, incorporation and subsumption of all European colonial empires within its exclusive geopolitical ambit. Russia was and is the holdout, just as Bahmani sultans were the holdouts against Mughals all the way to Aurangzeb's time.

Reagan let this slip with his description of the USSR as an "evil empire".
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by ramana »

The older conflict is between Roman Catholicism and its Protestant derivatives versus the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Still going on.
Austin
BRF Oldie
Posts: 23387
Joined: 23 Jul 2000 11:31

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Austin »

ramana wrote:The older conflict is between Roman Catholicism and its Protestant derivatives versus the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Still going on.
RC and Orthodox have least theology conflict compared to RC and Protestant.
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

The Sultan losing his marbles? Offending Russia over the Crimea may see his S-400s not being delivered!
http://www.pravdareport.com/world/asia/ ... _russia-0/
Erdogan's lack of sleep becomes a very serious problem to many
12.10.2017
*(watch the v-clip!)

Erdogan's lack of sleep becomes a very serious problem to many. 61446.jpeg
Turkish President Recep Erdogan suffers from sleep deprivation. This became apparent in Kiev, during his joint press conference with Petro Poroshenko. There are a few reasons, which may make the Turkish leader give way to depression.

The whole world has seen the video of the Turkish president yawning, closing his eyes and taking a nap while his Ukrainian counterpart was delivering a boring speech about Ukraine's achievements. When Poroshenko noticed Ergodan falling asleep, he "incidentally" tapped the palm of his hand on the table to wake the Turkish president up. :rotfl:

Psychologists said that Erdogan's tired face and drowsiness at the press conference indicated his depression. There are a few huge reasons, for which the Turkish leader may feel depressed and sleepy.

Turkey's relationship with EU leader state - Germany - has deteriorated to the level of no communication between Erdogan and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Now it is the turn to burn bridges with Washington.

Last week, the USA announced humiliating visa sanctions for Ankara. The USA stopped issuing non-immigrant visas to Turkish citizens after the Turkish authorities arrested a member of the consulate, Turkish citizen Metin Topuz. He was accused of involvement in last year's attempted military coup in Turkey, which, according to the investigation, was led by Erdogan's sworn enemy Fethullah Gülen, who is hiding in the US. Turkey responded symmetrically to the United States and stopped issuing this category of visas to the Americans.

We can see the visa war in full swing between the US and Turkey. Erdogan said in his characteristic emotional manner that he refused to recognize the authority of US Ambassador to Ankara, John Bass, as he could no longer consider him a representative of the United States in Turkey.

Needless to say that such an emotional statement from the head of Turkey did not find any support in the White House, taking into consideration the fact that during Erdogan's recent visit to the USA the two leaders spared no compliments to the fraternal peoples of the USA and Turkey.

During his recent visit to Kiev, the Turkish leader made another mistake. Recep Erdogan publicly condemned Russia's "annextion of the Crimea" and said that Ankara would never recognize the Crimea as part of Russia. It's no secret for anyone in the Kremlin that Turkey declared in the spring of 2014 that it would not recognize the Crimea as a Russian territory.

Nevertheless, Ankara could have showed some sensitivity not to declare its position on the Crimea in a manner that Russia found offensive. Following Erdogan's statement in Ukraine, Russian MPs and policy-makers said that Russia should not trust Erdogan's statements about his dedication to friendship with Russia.

After coming to power in Turkey in 2002 and becoming the country's full-fledged ruler, Recep Erdogan has never learned the rules of international diplomacy. His impulsiveness and emotionality have turned him into an outcast in the eyes of two leading countries of the Group of Seven. Apparently, this is only the beginning.

Aydin Mehtiyev
Pravda.Ru
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Iraq has seen some interesting developments in the last 02 days.

It started with the Kurdish referendum for freedom of Kurdish controlled territories from Iraq. This was followed by the Iraqi Army advance in Hawija against ISIS and coming in within striking distance of Kirkuk.

02 nights earlier, Iraqi army entered Kirkuk despite Kurdish warnings of fight to the last. As it happened Kirkuk was manned by Peshmerga (Iraqi Kurds), PUK (Iranian Kurds)and possibly PKK which had been called in to defend Kirkuk from Turkey.

However, as the Iraqi Army advanced, the Kurds vacated their positions and withdrew out of Kirkuk except for stray resistance here and there. A lot of Kurdish supporters have also fled including the Governor of Kirkuk. Kurds are busy blaming each other for this debacle. They have also withdrawn from Oil fields North and East of Kirkuk which are among the largest in the region. Barzani, the Peshmerga leader is under a lot of fire and Kurds are also accusing US, EU and allies of betrayal.

Iran has sealed its borders with Kudish regions. Turkey has closed airspace over Kurdish area and of course Iraqis are celebrating. Iraqi armed forces have been ordered to retake disputed territories in Diyala and Nineveh province too. Will the Kurds fight or will they withdraw just like they withdrew in Sinjar against ISIS?

An interesting tweet :

https://twitter.com/Hayder_alKhoei/stat ... 1984878592
ISIS convinced Shias, Sunnis and Kurds to be on the same side.

Barzani convinced Iraq, Iran and Turkey to be on the same side.
Brief news report:
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ir ... rds-video/
Last edited by deejay on 17 Oct 2017 11:21, edited 2 times in total.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

ISIS in Syria has seen major set backs losing all gains in the northern Hama pocket to HTS (Al Nusra). Some getting killed despite surrendering. They have also lost most areas in Al Qaryatayn pocket to SAA but still hold on to the city,

In DeZ, SAA has captured the makeshift ISIS capital of Al Mayadin completely. SAA has also captured critical areas in the DeZ city itself and made impressive advances on the Eastern bank of Euphrates with Tiger forces leading the charge. SAA has also retaken most of the territories lost to ISIS on the DeZ - Al Sukkhana road.

YPG has mostly retaken Raqqa with a US backed deal for surrendering of trapped ISIS fighters. Some of those fighters have been shipped out on buses to eastern DeZ. Though YPG says no foreign fighters have been allowed to leave, reports have emerged of the deal permitting even foreign fighters.

ISIS has struck back at YPG at positions lost in eastern DeZ and has put on display its usual brutality with killed YPG fighters.
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

The poor Turds...oops! Sorry,Kurds,betrayed time and time again by Uncle Sam and his cohorts. They never learn. They would be better off making deals with Turkey,Iran and Iraq, for better autonomy short of a separate state,J&K style. Asking for more brings them into conflict with larger entities with powerful backers in the wider geo-strat. context who would drop them whenever reqd.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Huh! almost a prophetic mention of Sinjar in my post above. Peshmerga have vacated Sinjar and the town is now under control of Iraqi backed Yezidi led forces part of Hashd al Shaábi (PMU).

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... e-control/
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:40 A.M.) – For the second time in three years, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces have abandoned the city of Sinjar in northwestern Iraq.

With the Peshmerga withdrawal today, the Yazidi-led Hashd Al-Sha’abi (Popular Mobilization Units) forces have asserted full control of this city in the historic Nineveh Governorate.

No clashes were reported in Sinjar before the Peshmerga retreat this morning.

The loss of Sinjar marks the second major city in Iraq that the Peshmarga forces have conceded to the government forces in the last 24 hours – the first was Kirkuk.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Israel bombed SAA positions near Damascus 02 days ago. This was in response to SAA targeting Israeli fighters. Russian Defence Minister was in Israel to discuss and Israel insisted that they have a right to strike SAA positions. Syria maintains that Isreali jets crossed over to Syrian airspace.

Nice muddle. And now SouthFront is reporting this (SouthFront is definitely pro Russia / Syria)

https://southfront.org/israel-hiding-st ... e-reports/

Image
It looks that the Israeli “demonstration of power” during the recent visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has turned into a total failure.

On October 16, Shoigu arrived Israel for meetings with Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The sides were reportedly set to discuss the situation in the region, including Syria, the fight against terrorism as well as military and technical cooperation.

At the same day, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that its warplanes targeted an anti-aircraft battery of the Syrian Air Defense Forces that had launched a missile at Israeli aircraft flying over Lebanon.

16 Oct
IDF ✔ @IDFSpokesperson
Earlier today,an anti-aircraft missile was launched from Syria towards IDF aircraft during a routine flight over Lebanon. No hits confirmed
Follow
IDF ✔@IDFSpokesperson
In response, IDF aircraft targeted the anti-aircraft battery in Syria.
15:15 - 16 Oct 2017
12 12 Replies 88 88 Retweets 155 155 likes
Twitter Ads information and privacy
The IDF added that the Syrian missile didn’t hit any Israeli aircraft.

Follow
IDF ✔@IDFSpokesperson
Earlier today,an anti-aircraft missile was launched from Syria towards IDF aircraft during a routine flight over Lebanon. No hits confirmed
15:07 - 16 Oct 2017
132 132 Replies 261 261 Retweets 392 392 likes
Twitter Ads information and privacy
“The army targeted the battery with four bombs and, according to the IDF, the battery was damaged to the extent it was no longer operational. The army said the battery targeted was the same that fired at Israeli jets last March, prompting Israel make use of its Arrow anti-missile system for the first time,” the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on the issue.

The Syrian military confirmed the Israeli strikes and said that they caused “material damage.”

It’s interesting to note that, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry statement, Israeli warplanes violated Syria’s airspace on the border with Lebanon in Baalbek area. The incident took place at 8:51 am local time.

Could the Israeli Air Force intentionally provoke the reaction from the Syrian military in order to justify the strike on the Syrian air defense battery?

Furthermore, some pro-Israeli experts and media activists clearly linked the incident with the visit of the Russian defense minister to Tel Aviv saying that it was a nice demonstration of power to the Russian-Iranian-Syrian alliance.

However, something went wrong.

According to the available information, the Syrian Defense Forces used a S-200 missile against the Israeli warplane. This Soviet-made missile is the most advanced long range anti-aircraft system opearated by the Syrian military. Even in this case, it’s old-fashioned in terms of the modern warfare.

Despite this, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in its statement that government forces responded to the violation of the airspace and “directly hit one of the jets, forcing [Israeli aircraft] to retreat.” This statement contradicts to the Israeli claim that “no hit” was confirmed.

Few hours after the missile incident with Syria, the Israeli media reported that the Israeli Air Force’s F-35 stealth multirole fighter went unserviceable as a result of an alleged bird collision during a training flight.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Arms haul at Mayadeen (DeZ) by SAA
Ivan Sidorenko‏ @IvanSidorenko1 4m4 minutes ago
More
#Syria #DeirEzZor Photo's from #Mayadeen #Mayadin #SAA #SyrianArmy #SyrianArabArmy & Allied Forces.
Image
Image
Image
Image

Similar large arms haul from ISIS and other terrorists across Syria including communication equipment have been reported from various places. It is obvious that the flow of weapons has not subsided.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Iraq's new alignments post Kurdish withdrawal are similar to 2003. Here is a map from sourced from SouthFront timeline:

Image
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

In Syria this is the DeZ situation on map (source PetoLucem)

Image

SAA has also crossed east of Euphrates east of Mayadeen where they have a bridge intact. Their next objectives could be Omar Oil Fields about 10 kms due east from the bridge in Mayadeen.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

And finally a map of present situation in Iraq and Syria together (Source South Front, about a day old)

Image
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

The Sultan displays typical Ottoman duplicity,no wonder why the Turks and Pakis get along so well! He can kiss his S-=400s goodbye then.

http://www.pravdareport.com/world/asia/ ... ionship-0/
Turkey suddenly backpedals on its alliance with Russia

Ukrainian President Pedro Poroshenko, when meeting his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Kiev, offered Turkey to join the "group of friends for the de-occupation of the Crimea." Erdogan responded that Turkey still supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine and will not recognize Crimea's reunification with Russia. "We have not recognized and will not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimea," Turkish President Erdogan stated.

The relationship between Russia and Turkey has been quite volatile lately. Despite regular declarations from Putin and Erdogan about the need to strengthen and expand the Russian-Turkish cooperation, Ankara has unexpectedly set new rules to import agricultural products from Russia to Turkey.

From now on, Russian exporters will have to obtain special permits at the Turkish trade mission or diplomatic departments to be able to export their products to Turkey. Experts found the move as a response to Russia's recent decision to import vegetables only from nine Turkish companies, although Ankara denies such allegations.

To crown it all, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated on October 9 that Ankara may rethink the contract for the purchase of S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia. According to the minister, the contract will materialize only if Russia opens joint production of these complexes in Turkey.

"If Russia is negative about this, we may conclude an agreement with another country," the diplomat unequivocally stated. It is worthy of note that Turkey has already made an advance payment under the agreement.

Pravda.Ru requested an expert opinion on the subject from Viktor Nadein-Raevsky, Ph.D. in Philosophy, senior researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to the expert, the restoration of the Russian-Turkish relationship has not been completed. The process goes with difficulties, such as the import of Turkish goods to Russia, which is "not very important for Russia", but it is of paramount importance for Ankara. Turkey continues making attempts to put pressure on Russia in a hope to resolve the issue once and for all.

Russia still preserves unilateral restrictions against Turkey, and the matter is not about the imports of Turkish tomatoes only. Turkey introduced a visa-free regime for Russian tourists, but has not received a symmetrical response. The Russian Federation only facilitated the visa regime for Turkish businessmen and builders.

"There are fears in Russia that Turkey remains a transit territory for Islamists, because most of them got to Syria and Iraq via Turkey," the expert said.

As for the question of the joint production of S-400 systems, Turkey has raised it from the start, and this is their standard requirement for such purchases. "Much will depend on the volume of contracts, and whether it is going to be profitable enough for Russia. If we are going to create joint ventures, one has to regulate the process of how those products are going to be sold and where, whether Russia will have to issue special permits or Turkey will be able to sell the products of Russian-Turkish joint ventures independently."
Pravda.Ru
Читайте больше на http://www.pravdareport.com/world/asia/ ... ionship-0/
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Breaking to be confirmed with time:

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/920597001930231808
ijah J. Magnier‏
@ejmalrai
Following Following @ejmalrai
More
#SAA General Issam Zahreddine, the hero of Deir-ezzour and commander of Presidential Guards killed in Hawijay saqr by an ISIS mine #Syria.
3:56 PM - 18 Oct 2017
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... eir-ezzor/

Image
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – The prominent Syrian Arab Army (SAA) officer, Major General Issam Zahreddine, was killed today in Deir Ezzor after his convoy struck a land mine planted by the Islamic State (ISIS).

According to a military source, General Zahreddine was conducting a special operation at Saqr Island in Deir Ezzor, when his vehicle struck the land mine.

General Zahreddine was the commander of the elite 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard that heroically fought off the Islamic State (ISIS) for several years, while under siege and under supplied.

The General was born in rural Sweida village of Tarba and was 56 years old at the time of his death.
Suresh S
BRFite
Posts: 857
Joined: 25 Dec 2008 22:19

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Suresh S »

Rest in peace great soldier. You died fighting for your country.You will be remembered in Syria forever.
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

A great loss but it emphasises the intense patriotism and endurance of the Syrian people who have survived the worst that the Western and Sunni world threw at them but have come through the longest night.The Syrians are akin to the Vietnamese who suffered much the same decades ago .Yet again has the US' s military and dpl. global policies failed.MEA and pro-US bumchums in Lutyens Delhi are you watching what's happening?
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Terrible news. His name will live on in syria and among free people all over. Rest in peace Sir.

I believe he is aurvived by a son who also serves in dez garrison
Gyan
BRFite
Posts: 1596
Joined: 26 Aug 2016 19:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Gyan »

Can someone post a map of Kurdistan to show, which are the areas from which Kurds have been pushed out by recent action of Iraq?
Satya_anveshi
BRF Oldie
Posts: 3532
Joined: 08 Jan 2007 02:37

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Satya_anveshi »

deejay wrote:
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – The prominent Syrian Arab Army (SAA) officer, Major General Issam Zahreddine, was killed today in Deir Ezzor after his convoy struck a land mine planted by the Islamic State (ISIS).
A life worth living and dying for.

I hope his life is studied by Indian analysts and taught in academy.

Salute Sir! If Moksha is still away, India is still in the neighborhood.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Ali‏ @Ali_Kourani 18h18 hours ago
“And do not think those who have been slain in God’s cause are dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Sustainer have they their sustenance”
Image
Post Reply