Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 16:18

Fares Shehabi ‏@ShehabiFares Dec 1
Civilians from E Aleppo confirmed that Omar Salkho of Zinki gang is the one who carried the attack on the safety corridor 2d ago.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 16:21

Doloroso ‏@Pyrmha108 16h16 hours ago
Turkish National Security Council says Turkey will invade N Iraq and expand its occupation of Northern Syria

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 16:23

the kurdish counter-proposal

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 16:27

the others in that gang are also identified .. all are marked men...they will not be spared if they fall into saa/liwa hands for sure.

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Dec 2016 16:32

http://sana.sy/en/?p=94985

Grand Mufti calls on European countries to not turn a deaf ear to the terrorists’ crimes in Syria

“In a speech addressing the Irish Parliament in Dublin, Mufti Hassoun invited the Europeans to visit Syria and to see for themselves the terrorists’ crimes and not rely for information on what is being published by the misleading media outlets that aim at giving a false picture of the situation in Syria.”

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Dec 2016 16:34

Vladimir Putin calls Erdogan, forces Turkey to back down against Assad

http://theduran.com/breaking-furious-pu ... overthrow/

Following telephone conversation with Russian President Putin, Turkish President Erdogan is forced humiliatingly to backtrack on his comments of a day before yesterday that the objective of Operation Euphrates Shield is the overthrow of Syrian President Assad.”

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Dec 2016 16:36

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha

Buses have entered al-Tell to begin evacuation of militants and their families, total number of people to be transferred out is around 2,000

Buses will go to Idlib, because rebels refused 1st deal, security in al-Tell will be immediately handed over to SAA instead of local committee

Defectors will have their cases settled and after a period of time will be able to return to their services in the SAA

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 16:52

why spare them? Won't they defect again?

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 16:55

The high-level of cooperation between the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the anti-ISIS battle for Mosul has exceeded the expectations of regional and international powers. Even Turkey was surprised by this cooperation, Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi PM also said that he believes that the Kurdish president Masoud Barzani is committed to previous agreements to withdraw Kurdish Peshmerga forces from areas liberated as part of the Mosul operation launched in mid October.

http://aranews.net/2016/11/iraqi-pm-aba ... operation/

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 16:57

Putin and Erdogan CLASH during make-or-break call over Turkey’s 'anti-Assad' aims in Syria

RUSSIA has demanded an explanation from Turkey after president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to “end the rule of the tyrant al-Assad” - despite Putin’s alliance with the Syrian president.

Express UK

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 17:28

At least 1,959 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed across the country in November, the UN says.

"In its desperate attempt to cling on to territory it controls in Mosul and Nineveh areas, [IS] has been employing the most vicious tactics, using civilians' homes as firing positions as well as abducting and forcibly moving civilians, effectively using them as human shields," he added

compare this with Sy tactics to bomb every thing to oblivion , which is better?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38173574

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 02 Dec 2016 18:04

IndraD wrote:The high-level of cooperation between the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the anti-ISIS battle for Mosul has exceeded the expectations of regional and international powers. Even Turkey was surprised by this cooperation, Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi PM also said that he believes that the Kurdish president Masoud Barzani is committed to previous agreements to withdraw Kurdish Peshmerga forces from areas liberated as part of the Mosul operation launched in mid October.

http://aranews.net/2016/11/iraqi-pm-aba ... operation/

the kurds have tried to sell oil from their district to western countries w/o Iraqi government permission. and failed. can't do it.

they have to play well with others up to a certain point.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 19:24

Isis tried to kill iraqi leadership in tal afar airport which is los from the town via a artillery strike perhaps cued by drone. Fortunatelt the pm Abadi had left 15 mins earlier but a top leader of Al Badr militia was wounded.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 19:29

Al masdar

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:30 P.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a major offensive in the southeastern neighborhoods of Aleppo on Friday, targeting three areas that are located near the Aleppo International Airport.

Led by the Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army attacked Fatah Halab's defenses at the Al-Jazmati, Al-Helwaniyeh, and Al-Mayssar districts; this resulted in a fierce battle that is still ongoing at the moment.

According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent, at least 50 percent of the Al-Jazmati Neighborhood has been captured by the Syrian Arab Army after they managed to overrun Fatah Halab's first line of defense.

These three neighborhoods serve a strategic purpose to the Syrian Arab Army's High Command because of their proximity to the Aleppo International Airport.

If the Syrian Arab Army can secure these neighborhoods, they will have successfully cleared the area around the western countryside of the Aleppo International Airport.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 19:48

TSJones wrote:the kurds have tried to sell oil from their district to western countries w/o Iraqi government permission. and failed. can't do it.

they have to play well with others up to a certain point.

OK . Thanks.

Sunnis outraged by Iraq law legalizing Shiite-led militias
Sunni politicians raised an alarm Monday after the Iraqi Parliament passed a law recognizing Iraq's Shiite-led Hashad al-Shabbi, known as the Popular Mobilization Units, or PMU, as an independent military force.

The more than 110,000 strong fighting group has been at the forefront of the fight against ISIS in Iraq.

Its role is critical but controversial with human rights groups, which allege the units have committed atrocities in the battlefield against the minority Sunni population.

The bill, officially passed Saturday, makes the units an independent entity of the Iraqi Armed Forces that answers directly to the Prime Minister. Under the new rules, the units will be overseen by the Popular Mobilization Unit Committees, or PMUC.

Critics argue this effectively legitimizes a militia, which does not maintain the same standards of training or battlefield conduct as the national military. Of the 328-seat Parliament, 208 voted in favor of the law. A majority of the Sunni members boycotted and left the chamber.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 20:09

Without the pmu the iraqi army cannot hold down the vast western reaches from anbar to tal afar or get perimeter security. Plus it gives young men some job security and accountability rather than privately funded militias.

Inside the tent is better than outside

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 21:26

Businessinsider

Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, began its first-ever combat deployment to Syria with plenty of fanfare, but a recent report from IHS Jane's indicates that Russia has given up on launching strikes from the carrier entirely.
Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's shows the Su-33s and one MiG-29KR jets previously aboard the carrier now stationed at the Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, alongside land-based planes from Russia's air force.
The Kuznetsov, never an entirely reliable system, had one of its MiG-29KRs crash in November, and another pilot had to eject after the Kuznetsov's landing gear failed and couldn't receive the aircraft, Jane's reports.
mig 29k
Military analysts speculated before the deployment that the Kuznetsov added "nothing" to the battle, as Moscow already has a wealth of strike aircraft in Syria, and cruise missiles fired from the Russian navy ships stationed in the Mediterranean don't offer any significant advantages over the cheap, unguided bombs Russian planes freely drop in the uncontested airspace above Syria.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did manage to crank out a few high-quality videos during the two or so weeks the Kuznetsov actually sustained operations, which fits the narrative put forth by the US Naval Institute's news service that the deployment was "propaganda, not practical."

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 02 Dec 2016 21:28

With 30% of ground based mtow due to low takeoff speed, very small a2g payload plus 2 aam is feasible

Same issues plagues and non catapult carriers like vikky liaoning ads....these are air defence ships and not strike carriers

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 02 Dec 2016 22:10

so Admiral Kuz was for cosmetic purpose only ? Huge diesel run smoke billowing white elephant > Why did Putin undertake the exercise?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 02 Dec 2016 23:55

Singha wrote:Businessinsider

Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, began its first-ever combat deployment to Syria with plenty of fanfare, but a recent report from IHS Jane's indicates that Russia has given up on launching strikes from the carrier entirely.
Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's shows the Su-33s and one MiG-29KR jets previously aboard the carrier now stationed at the Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, alongside land-based planes from Russia's air force.
The Kuznetsov, never an entirely reliable system, had one of its MiG-29KRs crash in November, and another pilot had to eject after the Kuznetsov's landing gear failed and couldn't receive the aircraft, Jane's reports.
mig 29k
Military analysts speculated before the deployment that the Kuznetsov added "nothing" to the battle, as Moscow already has a wealth of strike aircraft in Syria, and cruise missiles fired from the Russian navy ships stationed in the Mediterranean don't offer any significant advantages over the cheap, unguided bombs Russian planes freely drop in the uncontested airspace above Syria.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did manage to crank out a few high-quality videos during the two or so weeks the Kuznetsov actually sustained operations, which fits the narrative put forth by the US Naval Institute's news service that the deployment was "propaganda, not practical."

All kind of speculation there and to argue why deploy aircraft carrier is to ask why the USN deploys cbg when it has plenty of airfields and aircraft nearby from GCC etc that can do the job

It is about get experience and to fix issue that show up in real battle field that will not show in tons of exercise and the climatic condition tactics weapons etc Syria offers a great opportunity to put them all together and test it and see how it works and how to fix that don't or make it better that did.

The kind of rich experience Syria gave is something Russians would never learn in any internal exercise or joint exercise these things are always learnt in war and no money can buy this out.

There is jst one loss of aircraft on cbg which was essentially ditched due to low fuel which is good , they will have to fix the cable for landing till it can take aircraft on it , it is broken and needs time to fix , that itself is a learning experience for them.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 03 Dec 2016 00:17

Buoyed by its rapid capture of several whole neighborhoods, the government on Friday took journalists on an escorted tour of the ruined northeast Aleppo districts which fell on Sunday and Monday, and which the army is sweeping for mines.

The army's advances have allowed it to reopen the northern section of the city's ring road, state TV reported, a move that may improve its transit and communications options near the new front line on another stretch of that highway near the airport.

A Syrian army officer escorting journalists on a tour of Aleppo's recaptured northeast said the army had to evict militants from all parts of the city. "This will happen soon," the officer told Reuters TV during the tour.

He said militants who had already given up their arms would benefit from an amnesty, but those who continued to fight "will have another fate".

Recently captured districts of Aleppo bore the marks of the recent fighting. Buildings in several districts had partly collapsed or been damaged by the bombardment. Burnt-out cars and buses had been used as a barricade.

Soldiers in dark green and brown camouflage uniforms carried their weapons as they walked, or rode on the back of trucks through the area. In one place, a vehicle loaded with missiles stood by the roadside.

In the south of their sector, rebels retook some positions from the army and its allies in the Sheikh Saeed district where fighting in past days has been concentrated, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said.

Reuters UK

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 03 Dec 2016 00:21

Finally reality sinking in

We have to accept that Assad will win in Syria – and the West should be ashamed of how we drew the conflict out
There will be claims, in the aftermath, that the anti-Assad opposition was betrayed by its Western backers, and accusations of 'appeasement' – but the truth is that the opposition to Assad was always too fractious to complete the task it set out to do.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/syr ... 50336.html

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 03 Dec 2016 01:30

Singha wrote:Businessinsider

Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, began its first-ever combat deployment to Syria with plenty of fanfare, but a recent report from IHS Jane's indicates that Russia has given up on launching strikes from the carrier entirely.
Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's shows the Su-33s and one MiG-29KR jets previously aboard the carrier now stationed at the Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, alongside land-based planes from Russia's air force.
The Kuznetsov, never an entirely reliable system, had one of its MiG-29KRs crash in November, and another pilot had to eject after the Kuznetsov's landing gear failed and couldn't receive the aircraft, Jane's reports.
mig 29k
Military analysts speculated before the deployment that the Kuznetsov added "nothing" to the battle, as Moscow already has a wealth of strike aircraft in Syria, and cruise missiles fired from the Russian navy ships stationed in the Mediterranean don't offer any significant advantages over the cheap, unguided bombs Russian planes freely drop in the uncontested airspace above Syria.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did manage to crank out a few high-quality videos during the two or so weeks the Kuznetsov actually sustained operations, which fits the narrative put forth by the US Naval Institute's news service that the deployment was "propaganda, not practical."

As expected; although I was hoping the Russians would at least manage to fly air superiority missions from the carrier. Alas it seems they have abandoned that idea as well.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 03 Dec 2016 01:50

you have to admit it made for some nice photo ops.

looked scary didn't it?

made the brits wrinkle their brows,

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 03 Dec 2016 04:08

Probably made the French carrier race back to Marseilles too. Or run up a white flag.
Has the Kuznetsov returned? If not, this is all speculation. Maybe they don't believe in launching combat missions just for the heck of it. Russian ground facilities in Syria are closer to the combat zones, and functioning quite well. Note that the threat of war between NATO and Rus in Syria has receded, so why have carrier ops? The article is usual sneering sh1t-peddling.

I assume that the Kuznetsov also still has its full complement of missiles on board, plus its wider air defence capabilities.

Aarvee · Post by **Aarvee** » 03 Dec 2016 04:43

OT

Not sure if posted before. And US cries about Russian/Syrian air strikes on hospitals.....

http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/12/03/the ... airstrike/

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Dec 2016 05:21

If the arresting cable system is broken they have to fix it first..might take a while or need work dockside .... could be a spare cable was not readily found

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 03 Dec 2016 08:23

Hey, this vaunted Mosul Offensive with all the US Advisors and all, seems to be an utter c*ck-up: 2000 (TWO THOUSAND) Iraqi soldiers killed!!!!! This despite total air superiority??

Rishi Verma · Post by **Rishi Verma** » 03 Dec 2016 09:33

Austin wrote:
Singha wrote:Businessinsider

Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, began its first-ever combat deployment to Syria with plenty of fanfare, but a recent report from IHS Jane's indicates that Russia has given up on launching strikes from the carrier entirely.
Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's shows the Su-33s and one MiG-29KR jets previously aboard the carrier now stationed at the Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, alongside land-based planes from Russia's air force.
...
Military analysts speculated before the deployment that the Kuznetsov added "nothing" to the battle....

The Russian Ministry of Defense did manage to crank out a few high-quality videos....
All kind of speculation there and to argue why deploy aircraft carrier is to ask why USN...

Hardly any "speculation ", in love of Russia and in hate of the US one should not twist the facts.

Article's technical point as mentioned by Singha was lack of catapult to launch heavily loaded planes on bombing missions... that was based on satellite imagery and not speculation, besides its a technical fact that cat-launch would allow heavier planes taking off

Other point was fancy videos. Some of the videos of Russian planes posted by Austin were themselves poorly edited propagandu.

It failed logic why this love of everything -Russia needs to be brought in this forum. People are smart they know which country has what capability.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 10:09

For the love of US stopping putting your US propaganda here ,we have all seen the achievement of US in Syria with their airforce and in 100 of numbers .Needles to say it achieved nothing than bombing civilians infra and acting as Isis airforce in Syria

Every one here on this thread knows what USAF achieved in Syria

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 10:25

Looks like Englishstan got some Khujli

Russian MoD: UK Not Providing Aid to Aleppo, Must Refrain From Sabotaging Help

https://en.ria.ru/middleeast/2016120310 ... eppo-help/

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

The Daily Mail cited Theresa May’s spokeswoman as saying earlier this week that Moscow was allegedly stopping aid supplies to Aleppo because it would not agree to a ceasefire to allow its safe passage. "All this time, residents of eastern neighborhoods [in Aleppo] have been receiving daily humanitarian aid, medicine and warm clothing from the Russian Center for reconciliation and the Syrian government. The United Kingdom, in the course of all the years of civil war in Syria has not allocated a single gram of flour, a single pill or blanket to help civilians," Konashenkov stressed on Saturday.

The defense ministry spokesman said that all conditions exist for the United Kingdom to provide humanitarian aid supplies to Aleppo. "It seems like amid russophobia the British government has lost an objective perspective on what is happening in Syria, including in Aleppo," Konashenkov said, emphasizing that "if there is no British humanitarian aid for Aleppo, stop getting in the way of others’ help."

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 10:37

Iraq - Mil Mi-28ne Night Hunter Attack Helicopter in Mosul

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 10:41

^^ Quite nice shot of Rockets and Guns firing from pilot pov

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 03 Dec 2016 10:59

UlanBatori wrote:Hey, this vaunted Mosul Offensive with all the US Advisors and all, seems to be an utter c*ck-up: 2000 (TWO THOUSAND) Iraqi soldiers killed!!!!! This despite total air superiority??

that's because Mosul is a far tougher battle. the Iraqi government is not fighting guys wearing white helmets or clown suites like Assad is doing in Aleppo.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 11:58

Russian sappers are heading to Aleppo city:

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Dec 2016 12:12

Good Read

In Aleppo, I Saw Why Assad Is Winning

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... sad-214494

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 03 Dec 2016 14:33

Not fair sir @TSJ

Syrian army is not as well equipped as Iraqi who are fully US backed in their attire, gear to air support.
Much superior air support in Iraq & intelligence cover: Sy is running low on resources yet fighting IS effectively .
Not to mention dozens of frequency jamming facilities used by US in Iraq which Sy army does not have.
Articles questioning Iraqi strategy on Mosul are coming from West media not Ru .

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 03 Dec 2016 14:35

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/ar ... ategy.html

Battle for Mosul: a key test for US military strategy

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Dec 2016 16:12

Close to two-thirds of rebel-held areas of east Aleppo have now fallen to the Syrian government after another district was seized.
A UK-based monitor said the Tariq al-Bab district fell on Friday, opening up a link between government-held areas and Aleppo's airport.

BBC

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 03 Dec 2016 16:32

TSJones wrote:
UlanBatori wrote:Hey, this vaunted Mosul Offensive with all the US Advisors and all, seems to be an utter c*ck-up: 2000 (TWO THOUSAND) Iraqi soldiers killed!!!!! This despite total air superiority??
that's because Mosul is a far tougher battle. the Iraqi government is not fighting guys wearing white helmets or clown suites like Assad is doing in Aleppo.

Ah! That explains it, thanks! Plus of course Mosul simply does not have its ground area covered with pediatric hospitals and kitten shelters.
IOW, it IS incompetence, no other excuse. Except maybe the "air superiority" is in providing accurate target info to BO's friends the Saudis/ISIS. "ISIS drones" - how the heck do those survive more than 2 minutes in the air if the USAF is allowed to do their job properly?