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.
UlanBatori
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14045
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by UlanBatori »

Probably Qatari and Saudi, if the parallels to Kunduz are correct. I find it difficult to believe that even DupliCity would be silly enough to order American soldiers to serve as advisors to ISIS. Such things have a habit of coming out in hearings or via Assange-stan.
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by ramana »

UlanBatori wrote:Probably Qatari and Saudi, if the parallels to Kunduz are correct. I find it difficult to believe that even DupliCity would be silly enough to order American soldiers to serve as advisors to ISIS. Such things have a habit of coming out in hearings or via Assange-stan.
This would be fatal to those two states as it brings the ISIS cancer home.
Recall 5 years after Kunduz, Lal Majid festivities started......

Could be sooner as KSA and Qatar don't have the TSP structures in place.
UlanBatori
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14045
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by UlanBatori »

Strange thing is that in YooEss there are all these claimed-PTSD cases where someone stores of AR15s, then one day goes postal. How come we don't hear of such in KSA and Qatar I wonder. Is it so much harder to get weapons to keep at home? Royal Bodyguards don't have anyone like this?
Avarachan
BRFite
Posts: 567
Joined: 04 Jul 2006 21:06

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Avarachan »

UlanBatori wrote:Strange thing is that in YooEss there are all these claimed-PTSD cases where someone stores of AR15s, then one day goes postal. How come we don't hear of such in KSA and Qatar I wonder. Is it so much harder to get weapons to keep at home? Royal Bodyguards don't have anyone like this?
I recommend researching Project MK ULTRA.
Www.whale.to/b/rappoport_i.html
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 - the shia crescent highway from tehran to beirut is now complete.

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:15 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has officially liberated the Islamic State’s (ISIS) last stronghold, Albukamal, this evening, a military source told Al-Masdar News.

Led by the Syrian Army and Hashd Al-Sha’abi (Iraqi paramilitary), the government forces entered Albukamal from its eastern perimeter after the Iraqi government permitted an assault from the neighboring city of Al-Qa’im.


ISIS was then forced to withdraw from the city towards the western countryside of Albukamal after the Syrian Arab Army and their allies broke-through their defenses in the eastern part of the city.

With Albukamal’s liberation tonight, the Syrian Arab Army has taken control of all major cities in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

The Syrian Army and their allies will now concentrate on the Al-Mayadeen and Albukamal countrysides in a bid to end the Islamic State’s presence in Syria.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

there is a huge area between sukhnah to al bukamal in the desert that will be sanitized now.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Al Bukamal is not done yet and I will be surprised if it finishes fast. Some in SAA expect to find Bag daddy there.

It is an interesting phase with the Saudi threat on Lebanon may force Hezbollah to withdraw from most locations in Syria. Also, expect Iranians to come under pressure from both Saudis and Israelis.

Northern Hama and southern Idlib are itching for action but the Tiger Forces continue to remain in Dier Ez Zor and I think that is what is delaying the big Idlib offensive. Syrian govt has passed a law meanwhile mandating compulsory military service or severe penalties otherwise.

The video below is slightly dated but the Russian talks about their role in Syria and an assessment of other forces like Hezbollah, Iranians and Kurds in Syria (English subtitles)

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/is ... cure-city/

al bukamal has been regained by ISIS. the southern irani-hezbollah led prong did not have enough resources to secure the area and withdrew under pressure.

as usual the tigers will have to come down from mayadin axis to sort out this mess. but there are many populated towns and villages yet.

iraqi govt seems in firm control of al qaim, but the area to east of al bukamal east of the river is crawling with ISIS, as are large unpoliced areas stretching back up to Sukhnah!

PMU is starting long sweeps through rural anbar to catch ISIS escapees and cave dwellers...similar to what was done along tharthar lake .... you should have seen some of the creatures that crawled out of holes and small caves...whole area was a explosive making cottage industry and R&R 'base'

syrians are probably taking a operational pause to rest and rebuild units , build up fresh supply depots along the DEZ mayadin axis. a stadium in DEZ used to store piles of ammo was hit by a ISIS drone and devastated.

they have to plan not just for ISIS but future conflicts with the SDF along the euphrates front.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

iran has built a mil base in syria claims pics
https://muraselon.com/en/2017/11/pictur ... ia-report/
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Posting 02 videos made by Russian journalists with English subtitles. One is during the Dier Ez Zor liberation and the other after the liberation. Interesting to see SAA and Russian de mining efforts. Also in the first video look for the speed with which the air arm reacts once the ISIS spotter for mortar fire on a convoy is detected.

The amount of Russian support- military, weapons, advisors, tactics, strategy, logistics, medical and even coverage is humongous. The Russian state is truly backing the forces it supports unlike the US which is more of a covert support to its allies (probably because it does not want to appear embedded with terrorists).



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

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

Another video (for context ). This one is of Mar-Apr 2017 when DeZ was still beseiged. Gen Zehereddine training troops. Also look for "one bullet, one terrorist".

Lisa
BRFite
Posts: 1718
Joined: 04 May 2008 11:25

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Lisa »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt ... rty_secret

Raqqa’s dirty secret

Shocking story.

It appears that some Isis followers were allowed to escape by certain 'powers'. I am really so shocked. Can anyone corroborate this story? :wink:
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

that is well known. raqqa is a heap of ruins after 4 months of siege and the last gangs of holdouts were given a pass to end it and reduce YPG casualties and more civilian deaths.
UlanBatori
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14045
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by UlanBatori »

In the spirit of the old Kennedy/Nehru story:

"Those were the US Ambassadors to Syria, Iraq and Lebanon".
periaswamy
BRFite
Posts: 448
Joined: 07 Jul 2017 20:50

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by periaswamy »

All the US-pasand ISIS operators on twitter are trying to discredit the Russian reportage of US saving the butts of ISIS leader. These guys are pretending that the Russian satellite photos are from a video game. Disinformation increases to hide the truth as the distance from the actual event increases -- happened during the Kunduz air lifts and the Dostum container express too.
@rafsanchez
Russian defence ministry says it has "irrefutable evidence" of US collusion with ISIS. The evidence turns out to be screenshots from a video game.
https://t.co/VeD0Jgxzxq
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOlnkulWkAAgfDw.jpg
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Brasco ad twitter

#France was against the deal between the #US Government & #ISIS to allow 1000s of terrorists to exit #Raqqa. The #UK didn't know so many terrorists were allowed to leave with their weapons & now the #Dutch Government is also demanding answers from the #US


... eu shitting bricks now as their offshore talent returns home
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

The spokesman of sdf the bald headed gen talal silo
Has defected to turkey via jarablous. Says sdf project
Is collapsing and in internal chaos
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

He commanded a turkmen formation called seljuk
Brigade and must have kin and contacts in turkey
Turkey would love the sdf arabs to turn on the ypg who oit considers nothing but the back end of pkk

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mide ... SKBN1DF29Q

Meantime after days of shelling damascus, the ruaf started heavy bombing of saudi funded east damascus jihadis
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Assad Is working with tribal leaders to wean them away from sdf into his camp and thus splinter the sdf
UlanBatori
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14045
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by UlanBatori »

One of the primary rationalizations of the Russian air enterprise, used by Putin, was that they preferred to kill the RUSSIAN (chechen etc) terrorists in Syria rather than wait for them to come to Moscow.
These words may be echoing now between the ears of the EU and UK netas. All of their precious citizenry whom they could have nicely buried in pieces in Raqqa - now coming back home.
When Jamil comes marching home, hurrah, hurrah!
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Russia has meantime airlifted some few 45 wives and kids of its jihadis back to rodina. Might induce some to surrender

Video here https://twitter.com/MuradGazdiev/status ... 43393?s=17

As they speak russian must be from ussr zone...isis wives
All of them. Some were stay at home soccer moms..some
Were given work to manage the harems full of captured
Comfort women ... some were in itvity i am sure...some perhaps in logistical roles like tailors and cooks for isis
periaswamy
BRFite
Posts: 448
Joined: 07 Jul 2017 20:50

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by periaswamy »

UB: These words may be echoing now between the ears of the EU and UK netas. All of their precious citizenry whom they could have nicely buried in pieces in Raqqa - now coming back home.
Sweden has the great idea of not just welcoming these returning ISIS jihadis but giving them a free apartment etc. All ISIS fellas must be eager to move to Sweden (and they actually are, even the ones in Canada). Really touching story --brings tears to one's eyes to see such a civilized country like sweden.

Sweden reintegrates ISIS into its society
UlanBatori
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14045
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by UlanBatori »

What's wrong with the Swedes? They are fairly sensible ppl, I thought. At least they have learned to survive the long swedish winters.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

trying to bribe bad people to leave one alone is a hallmark of all peaceful societies. people pay hafta in india whether individually or collectively to palacate the goons and govt rent seekers. this is just another variant of it, where the cradle to grave nanny state has stepped into the fray. seldom does society rise from bottom up to confront evil, mostly its govt when it happens. inertia not to rock the boat and wish to hold on to what one has is strong.

swedish prisons are also among the best 'benefits'
https://mic.com/articles/109138/sweden- ... .csJN33F9y

this is way better than hostel rooms anywhere in india even today not to speak of our oldie times

Image

this is better than my house's kitchen :((

Image

this is his logdings. looks more like a dorm room in berkeley or caltech with our physics phd guru in residence doing deep thinking
Image
Aditya_V
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14332
Joined: 05 Apr 2006 16:25

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Aditya_V »

It will work only in low desinty cold areas, Nordic countries have the benefit of being really cold with lots of Land. They do not need too many jobs, so not easy to fill the place with outsiders.

Thats why even today nobody leaves Pakjabistan and settles in GB or Neelum valley, which are very beautiful places but difficult to make a living there.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

the 100 bus and truckloads of ISIS fighters with heavy weapons who were allowed to leave raqqa via markadah are now mostly in al bu kamal - ready to kill more pro-assad syrians
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/pi ... ng-battle/

if civilians have already left the place, better to sent in Bears with large napalm and thermobaric weapons and flatten the place from a distance.
periaswamy
BRFite
Posts: 448
Joined: 07 Jul 2017 20:50

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by periaswamy »

It will work only in low desinty cold areas, Nordic countries have the benefit of being really cold with lots of Land. They do not need too many jobs, so not easy to fill the place with outsiders.
There are mosques all the way upto the arctic circle, so temperature is not really deterrent as far as Islamism is concerned

Ramzan in the arctic

Way things are going, EU will be fully islamic, given a few decades -- ISIS sympathizers already populate the place and roam freely, after a stint in Syria..who knows what the priorities of these brave ISIS fighters will be after a holiday in Malmo or some other nice swedish suburb to rejuvenate their spirit. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of colonial leftovers.
Riddick: Somewhere along the way, I lost a step. I got sloppy. Dulled my own edge. Maybe I went and did the worst crime of all... I got civilized.
Aditya_V
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14332
Joined: 05 Apr 2006 16:25

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Aditya_V »

I don't think so, Europeans are far smarter,t hey give an impression of being far more liberal than what they are. India is in far greater danger than these European countries
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Yusra M.‏
@Temimi_Yusra
6h6 hours ago

RIP Rana Al-Ajili, first female martyr from the PMF media team. The car she was in hit an explosive device near Al-Qaim, by the Iraq-Syria borders. Her final post was: “Nothing is left of you (ISIS) but a past memory, a distortion in the name of religion”

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

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

More Sam Tamiz Retweeted Azadeh Moaveni
The poodle has spoken

Sam Tamiz added,
Azadeh Moaveni

@AzadehMoaveni
Tony Blair on @BBCRadio4 — the battle in the Middle East is not over sect or power, but between forces of religious tolerance led by MbS and Iranian extremism.
4 replies 14 retweets 34 likes
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

hariri is flying to france soon and macron will receive him. it seems he had french, lebanese and saudi passports.

Tariq‏
@TariqZarif
Nov 16
More
Replying to @ejmalrai @saadhariri
Would be surprising they didn't know he had French citizenship. But maybe they didn't anticipate the sequence of events that unrolled, in particular the response of the Lebanese political spectrum quasi-unanimously calling the Saudi bluff.
1 reply 5 retweets 13 likes
Reply 1 Retweet 5 Like 13 Direct message

Elijah J. Magnier‏
@ejmalrai
Nov 16
More
Replying to @ejmalrai @saadhariri
#SaudiArabia didn't think that the Lebanese Prime Minster holds the Saudi, Lebanese and French nationalities. This allowed #France to intervene & disrupt #saudi kidnapping plans.
5 replies 28 retweets 26 likes
Reply 5 Retweet 28
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 »

Dzsihad Hadelli
@ Libyen_Insider
Nov 12
more
Who controls what in # Libya ? My latest map on the political situation. #

Libya...a land of vast desert and mystery...a decade after the West gave it peace and demcracy...

Image
bahdada
BRFite
Posts: 164
Joined: 27 Nov 2008 19:50

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by bahdada »

Image
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 march on al bukamal from north. 20km is left

https://muraselon.com/en/2017/11/syrian ... rates-map/
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

the western part of Al bukamal has fallen to SAA+ , with isis emirs retreating back to more isis friendly areas in the east nominally being 'fought' with SDF.

everything was thrown in, including daily visits by backfires, Tochka missiles, heavy artillery....

tiger forces are still some distance out, mopping up a string of small towns south of mayadin.

but a substantial part of al bukamal town is on the east bank.....this is the cue for SDF to mysteriously race dozens of kilometers through 'isis territory' to plant their flag and for all of isis to mysteriously vanish again to reappear anywhere they can cause trouble to SAA like in Al tanf or north hama perhaps for lack of places.
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

SouthFront‏
@southfronteng
Nov 17
More
Saudi King To Step Down And Hand Over Crown To His Son Planning War With Hezbollah – The Daily Mail http://dlvr.it/Q1VrKJ
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Singha »

Qassem suleimani visited al bukamal today, drank tea and announced that road from tehran to beirut and latakia was now clear
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by Philip »

ISIS defeated in Syria? Let's hope it is not another "mission (un) accomplished statement that simpleton Dubya Bush uttered and the world mistakenly took him at his word.

Iran declares 'the end of Isis' in live state TV broadcast

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 66551.html
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has declared the end of Isis in an address broadcast live on state TV.

A senior commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Major General Qassem Soleimani, also declared the end of the jihadist group operating in Syria and Iraq in a message published on Tuesday on Sepah News, the Guards' news site.
*(3 hearty cheers for Gen. QS,a latter-day Rommel and "Orenz" rolled into one.His brilliant orchestration of the rout of ISIS has made amockery of the enntire military wizards of the West/US and their Arab co-sponsors of ISIS the Soothis and Gulf co.,hose new latter-day Saladin,one Mad Bull Salman-ud-din,wants to emulate the famous Muslim conqueoror of Jerusalem.)

The Revolutionary Guards' statement also thanked its ally, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, for its "decisive" role in the fight.

Saudi Arabia has 'declared war' on Lebanon and detained Lebanese PM, says Hezbollah leader
Iranian militias have helped shore up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule since 2014 against both moderate opposition and extremists. At least 1,000 Iranian fighters, some of them Afghan refugee recruits, are thought to have died in the fighting.

Across the border in Iraq, Iranian-funded Shia militias form part of the US-backed Iraqi coalition which drove Isis out of its de facto Iraqi capital of Mosul in June and has almost succeeded in eliminating Isis as a land-holding force in the country.

In a televised speech from Beirut on Monday night, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that the group was ready to withdraw its troops from Iraq once the central government declares a decisive victory.

The situation in Yemen

Both Rouhani and Nasrallah's comments come in the wake of an Arab League meeting in Cairo on Sunday in which Saudi Arabia called on the region to unite against Iran, its regional rival, over its role in the Middle East's many conflicts.

Tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are running high following a 4 November Houthi rebel ballistic missile fired from Yemen towards Saudi Arabia and the shock resignation of Lebanon's Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a move widely believed to have been orchestrated by the Saudi authorities.

More follows…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... ssia-talks
Syria military operation 'wrapping up', Putin tells Assad in Russia talks
Russian president meets Syrian counterpart for first time in two years and praises their ‘joint work in fighting terrorism’
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad meets Russian president Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Monday.

Tuesday 21 November 2017 06.49 GMT
Vladimir Putin has hosted Bashar al-Assad for talks during which the two presidents agreed the focus in the Syrian conflict was switching from military operations to the search for a political solution.

Critical week for Syria as parallel talks get under way

In comments released by the Kremlin early on Tuesday, the Russian president told his Syrian counterpart that he wanted to meet him before a gathering, planned for this week in Russia, with the leaders of Turkey and Iran – two other powers heavily involved in the conflict in Syria.

Putin also said he would follow up his meeting with Assad with telephone calls to Donald Trump and Middle Eastern leaders including the emir of Qatar.

“We still have a long way to go before we achieve a complete victory over terrorists. But as far as our joint work in fighting terrorism on the territory of Syria is concerned, this military operation is indeed wrapping up,” Putin said. “I think that now the most important thing, of course, is to move on the political questions, and I note with satisfaction your readiness to work with all those who want peace and a solution [to the conflict].”

Vladimir Putin praised their ‘joint work in fighting terrorism’ in Syria. Photograph: Sputnik/Reuters
According to the Kremlin, the meeting happened on Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, where Putin has a residence. Details were not released until Tuesday morning.

Assad told the Russian leader: “At this stage, especially after we achieved victory over terrorists, it is in our interests to move forward with the political process. And we believe that the situation we now have on the ground and in the political sense permits us to expect progress in the political process. We count on the support of Russia to ensure the non-interference of outside players in the political process.”

Putin and Assad last met on 20 October 2015 in Moscow, a few weeks after Russia launched a military operation in Syria that turned the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favour.
deejay
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4024
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:14

Re: Levant crisis - III

Post by deejay »

^ The entity of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is defeated not the organisation. It exists, there are members who exist and the thought continues to influence. Ignore at your own peril.
Post Reply