Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 07:47

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 10h10 hours ago
Hassan Ridha Retweeted Hassan Ridha
Following leadership meeting, SDF announces that Wrath of Euphrates operation has entered its 2nd phase & will start soon

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 07:54

IE

As Iraqi forces advanced toward the al-Salam hospital in Mosul earlier this week, encountering only light resistance from Islamic State fighters, commanders decided to seize the facility instead of sweeping the neighborhoods along the road leading to it.
A few hours later, as the sun set Tuesday evening, the trap was sprung. First came the suicide car bombs, and then the hospital was surrounded by hundreds of militants firing bursts of heavy machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
`We thought we were going to die, all we could think about was saving our lives,” Pvt. Mithad Abdulzahra of the Iraqi army’s 9th Division said later, as he recovered in a hospital bed in the nearby city of Irbil from gunshots that shattered his right arm. The IS fighters eventually fought their way inside the al-Salam hospital. Of the 100 or so Iraqi soldiers trapped there, nearly all were killed or wounded, he said.
Seven weeks into the Iraqi operation to retake Mosul, IS fighters are still contesting every block of Iraq’s second largest city, and the battle will likely continue well into next year. The battle for the al-Salam hospital highlights the challenges Iraqi forces face as they move deeper into the city.
“Every time we would fight off one unit of IS fighters, another would appear,” said Col. Haider Hatem, who was wounded early on by a sniper’s bullet. He said he called in U.S.-led airstrikes but was told that the IS fighters were so close that hitting them from the air would endanger his forces.

Over the next 24 hours, the IS fighters unleashed 15 suicide car bombs.
On Wednesday morning, Iraqi special forces were pulled away from another front in eastern Mosul and tasked with launching a rescue mission. The elite force has served as the tip of the spear in the Mosul offensive, but has also taken heavy losses. The special forces eventually fought their way to the hospital, opening up a route of retreat for the embattled soldiers of the 9th Division.
“When we reached them, they barely had any bullets left,” a special forces officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.
As Iraqi forces retreated, U.S.-led warplanes hit both the hospital and the abandoned Iraqi army vehicles. IS often uses hospitals as bases to fire on Iraqi troops. The coalition says it is reluctant to strike them for fear of damaging vital infrastructure.
Col. John Dorrian, a coalition spokesman, said the strike was carried out at the request of Iraqi ground forces and the hospital was hit because IS fighters were using it to fire down on Iraqi troops.
In all, more than 20 Iraqi soldiers were killed in the battle, and a handful of armored Iraqi vehicles were captured by IS, the special forces officer said. An IS video posted online Thursday showed what appeared to be about a dozen destroyed Iraqi army vehicles near the al-Salam hospital. The video could not be independently verified.
The battle for the Mosul is the biggest operation Iraq has carried out since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and comes just two years after Iraqi forces crumbled in the face of the lightning IS advance in the summer of 2014.
Iraqi forces have retaken a number of cities and towns over the past year, but few units have experience in urban combat. The 9th Division is an armored force, designed for conventional battles against other armies on open terrain. Iraq’s special forces are better equipped for the street battles in Mosul, but there aren’t enough of them to retake the city on their own.
Abdulzahra, the soldier who was hospitalized after the battle, says he doesn’t believe his commanders will learn from their missteps. “Of course these mistakes will keep happening,” he said. “They happen every time.”

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 07:55

IE

ALEPPO: Syria's army today halted its attacks in Aleppo to allow for trapped civilians to be evacuated, Russia's foreign minister announced, after advancing regime forces cornered rebels in the city.

"I can tell you that today combat operations by the Syrian army have been halted in eastern Aleppo because there is a large operation underway to evacuate civilians," said Sergei Lavrov, who held talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in the German city of Hamburg.

"There is going to be to a column of 8,000 evacuees" travelling five kilometres, added Lavrov, attending a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that Lavrov's announcement was "an indication that something positive could happen".

There was no immediate reaction from Damascus, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, confirmed that the fighting had eased. Air strikes halted and artillery fire was far less intense, according to the AFP correspondent in east Aleppo

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 08:03

guardian analyst having wet dreams but beaten down by his own brit public in the comments...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... lict-assad

habal · Post by **habal** » 09 Dec 2016 09:48

CNN has just found the last doctor in aleppo.
an ob-gyn at that. She is busy delivering jihad-lets and white-helmetlets.

I think that is one doctor too many.

Get em.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 09 Dec 2016 11:56

habal wrote:CNN has just found the last doctor in aleppo.
an ob-gyn at that. She is busy delivering jihad-lets and white-helmetlets.

I think that is one doctor too many.

Get em.

also delivering clowns. very fierce enemies of assad, russia and hezboolah........

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 11:58

the crap plans of western activists and their constant whining for "aid projects" is to sustain their own high expense ratio lifestyles as both the mediators of such aid and controlling the narrative of who needs aid and why.

reminds of this from the middle ages.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Crusade

Traditional accounts[edit]
The variants of the long-standing story of the Children's Crusade have similar themes.[2] A boy began preaching in either France or Germany claiming that he had been visited by Jesus and told to lead a Crusade to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. Through a series of portents and miracles he gained a considerable following, including up to 30,000 children. He led his followers south towards the Mediterranean Sea, in the belief that the sea would part on their arrival, allowing him and his followers to march to Jerusalem, but this did not happen. They were sold to two merchants (Hugh the Iron and William of Posqueres) who gave free passage on boats to as many of the children as were willing, but then they were either taken to Tunisia and sold into slavery by the merchants, or died in a shipwreck on San Pietro Island off Sardinia during a gale. Some may have failed to reach the sea, dying or giving up from starvation and exhaustion. They were betrayed by some of the adults in their group.

Modern accounts[edit]
According to more recent researchers[who?] there seem to have actually been two movements of people (of all ages) in 1212 in Germany and France.[1][2] The similarities of the two allowed later chroniclers to combine and embellish the tales.

Germany – Nicholas of Cologne[edit]
In the first movement, Nicholas, an eloquent shepherd from the Rhineland in Germany,[3] tried to lead a group across the Alps and into Italy in the early spring of 1212. Nicholas said that the sea would dry up before them and allow his followers to cross into the Holy Land. Rather than intending to fight the Saracens, he said that the Muslim kingdoms would be defeated when their citizens converted to Christianity.[3] His disciples went off to preach the call for the "Crusade" across the German lands, and they massed in Cologne after a few weeks. Splitting into two groups, the crowds took different roads through Switzerland. Two out of every three people on the journey died, while many others returned to their homes.[3] About 7,000 arrived in Genoa in late August. They immediately marched to the harbor, expecting the sea to divide before them; when it did not many became bitterly disappointed. A few accused Nicholas of betraying them, while others settled down to wait for God to change his mind, since they believed that it was unthinkable he would not eventually do so. The Genoese authorities were impressed by the little band, and they offered citizenship to those who wished to settle in their city. Most of the would-be Crusaders took up this opportunity.[3] Nicholas refused to say he was defeated and traveled to Pisa, his movement continuing to break up along the way. He and a few loyal followers continued to the Papal States, where they met Pope Innocent III. The remaining ones departed for Germany after the Pontiff exhorted them to be good and to return home to their families. Nicholas did not survive the second attempt across the Alps; back home his father was arrested and hanged under pressure from angry families whose relatives had perished while following the child.[3]

Some of the most dedicated members of this Crusade were later reported to have wandered to Ancona and Brindisi; none are known to have reached the Holy Land.[3]

France – Stephan of Cloyes[edit]
The second movement was led by a twelve-year-old[3] French shepherd boy named Stephan of Cloyes, who said in June that he bore a letter for the king of France from Jesus. Large gangs of youth around his age were drawn to him, most of whom claimed to possess special gifts of God and thought themselves miracle workers. Attracting a following of over 30,000 adults and children, he went to Saint-Denis, where he was seen to cause miracles. On the orders of Philip II, advised by the University of Paris, the people were implored to return home. Philip himself did not appear impressed, especially since his unexpected visitors were led by a mere child, and refused to take them seriously. Stephan, however, was not dissuaded, and began preaching at a nearby abbey. From Saint-Denis, Stephan traveled around France, spreading his messages as he went, promising to lead charges of Christ to Jerusalem. Although the Church was skeptical, many adults were impressed by his teaching.[3] A few of those who initially joined him possessed his activeness; it is estimated that there were less than half the initial 30,000 remaining, a figure that was shrinking rapidly, rather than growing as perhaps anticipated.

At the end of June 1212, Stephan led his largely juvenile Crusaders from Vendôme to Marseilles. They survived by begging for food, while the vast majority seem to have been disheartened by the hardship of this journey and returned to their families.[3]

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 12:02

the mighty FSA al hamza division heading to capture al-bab
hardly a couple of ZSU
no real artillery or atgms
very scarce manpower
no tanks or ifv
these are lightly armed bandits suitable for raiding and pillaging unarmed civilians not a proper fight

if this is the best Erdoganji has on his bench , ISIS would roll up euphrates shield if they were not busy with raqqa.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 12:59

Singha wrote:IE

commanders decided to seize the facility instead of sweeping the neighborhoods along the road leading to it.
A few hours later, as the sun set Tuesday evening, the trap was sprung.
`We thought we were going to die, all we could think about was saving our lives,” IS fighters eventually fought their way inside the al-Salam hospital. Of the 100 or so Iraqi soldiers trapped there, nearly all were killed or wounded, he said.
He said he called in U.S.-led airstrikes but was told that the IS fighters were so close that hitting them from the air would endanger his forces.

Iraqi special forces were pulled away from another front in eastern Mosul and tasked with launching a rescue mission. taken heavy losses. opening up a route of retreat for the embattled soldiers of the 9th Division.
“When we reached them, they barely had any bullets left,”
As Iraqi forces retreated, U.S.-led warplanes hit both the hospital and the abandoned Iraqi army vehicles. IS often uses hospitals as bases to fire on Iraqi troops.
Col. John Dorrian, a coalition spokesman, said the strike was carried out at the request of Iraqi ground forces and the hospital was hit because IS fighters were using it to fire down on Iraqi troops. {this is only in Eyerak. In Syria the Moderate US-Funded Child-Beheaders screw-pull-us ly avoid militarizing hospitals and kitten shelters which cover all the ground in East Aleppo}
The 9th Division is an armored force, designed for conventional battles against other armies on open terrain. Iraq’s special forces are better equipped for the street battles in Mosul, but there aren’t enough of them to retake the city on their own.
Abdulzahra, the soldier who was hospitalized after the battle, says he doesn’t believe his commanders will learn from their missteps. “Of course these mistakes will keep happening,” he said. “They happen every time.”

Maybe because they are intentional? Is intel so bad that they allowed the armored division to go occupy "a hospital too far"?

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 09 Dec 2016 14:54

Pathetic.LIttle reports in the western media about the hamering the "rebels" are getting in Aleppo,barring the Guardian's report of them "pleading" for mercy.Had this been Mosul about to fall,it wouldve recd. such tumultous coverage ,as if it was the fall of Berlin! Now the West has to take Mosul by any means. A failure to do so will show up the West as being militarily incompetent,inferior to the allied (beleagured} Assad forces,Russian air power and Iranian backed militias.Any wonder Trump is filled with disgust at this miserable showing for spending biillions upon billiuons in attemtpting regime change in Syria for years with zero success. "All the king's horses..sorry,asses, and all the king's men,couldn't knock off Humpty Dumpty (Basher Assad) of his perch Syrian!

Foot-in-mouth-artist sublime,Brit Foreign Sec,BoJo,does it again!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... les-riyadh

This time it’s Saudi Arabia: even when Boris Johnson gets it right, he’s wrong
Simon Tisdall
If our bigmouth of a foreign secretary is serious about saving children in Yemen, he should suspend UK arms sales to Riyadh, and support Saudi reformers
Boris Johnson in a group photo of Nato ministers

Thursday 8 December 2016
Boris Johnson’s criticisms of Saudi Arabia’s illegal bombing in Yemen and lethal proxy war with Iran in Syria are broadly accurate. Sadly, they do not signal a shift in British policy – as the government’s statement distancing itself from his comments makes very clear. Rather, they are further proof of the foreign secretary’s talent for posturing – and his unfitness as Britain’s chief diplomat.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, a proposition Johnson reinforces whenever he opens his mouth. His scathing remarks about the Saudi leadership in Rome last week, revealed by the Guardian, were no exception. Remarkably, Johnson was on the Andrew Marr show only days later, defending the same unpleasant regime.

Boris Johnson: ‘Saudi Arabia and Iran puppeteering in Middle East’ – video
It’s true, the Saudis are propping up Yemen’s feeble half-government against a rebellion by Iranian-backed tribal militias. It is not unreasonable to describe Riyadh’s leaders as “puppeteers”. It’s true, according to the UN, that Saudi-led air raids have been responsible for 60% of the 2,067 civilians killed in Yemen since July last year. (The casualty figure is a low estimate.)

It’s true that in January a UN panel concluded that 119 airstrikes potentially broke international human rights law. And it’s true that among the millions displaced, Yemeni children are among the chief sufferers. But when he is sticking to his official brief, rather than winging it, Johnson continues to maintain that Britain and Saudi Arabia are close allies acting in concert, and that a legal and moral “threshold” has not been crossed by Saudi actions in Yemen. Johnson’s talk of a Sunni-Shia political divide that abuses Islam, and an absence of enlightened regional leaders willing to overcome it, is another truism. In recent years a more assertive Iran, run by a Shia Muslim theocracy, has mounted multiple challenges to Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia’s role as guardian and leader of the Islamic world.

But Britain has taken sides in this fight. It has broadly gone along with US and Israeli efforts to isolate and weaken Tehran, especially since 9/11, using as a lever Iran’s unproven pursuit of nuclear weapons. At the same time, it is one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest arms suppliers.

Britain continues, in effect, to turn a blind eye to Saudi’s human rights abuses, its appalling record of judicial executions, and its repression and jailing of human rights campaigners in its Bahrain satrap. On persistent allegations, vehemently denied by Riyadh, that wealthy Saudi individuals have funded Islamic State and al-Qaida, now and in the past, Britain keeps silent. Last month, after two parliamentary committees recommended the suspension of arms sales to Riyadh, Johnson’s Foreign Office pooh-poohed their advice. Johnson previously opposed a Labour move to halt arms sales, saying it would eliminate British influence with the Saudis “at a stroke”. Ironically, Johnson’s clumsily truthful, insulting comments in Rome may achieve exactly this result.

So what does Johnson now propose should happen? Britain’s relationship with the Saudi regime has long been toxic, corrupting and unhealthy. Those who support it, including all governments in recent times, argue the alliance is of strategic value. David Cameron claimed last year that Saudi intelligence cooperation helped prevent terrorist attacks in Britain.

There is no doubting the value to British industry, in terms of cash and jobs, of Saudi arms contracts. While Iran’s behaviour remains unpredictable, it is argued, the Saudis are a key bulwark. And Theresa May has found another reason for making nice. She was in the Gulf this week laying the ground for post-Brexit bilateral trade deals. Forget maimed children in Sana’a. Sign here, and here.

If Johnson has even a bit of courage to match his Rome convictions, he should now push for a more interrogatory relationship. Since we know from the leave campaign that he is strong on British values, how about taking the Saudis to task for their sectarian puppeteering and rights abuses in a substantive, as opposed to rhetorical way?

Suspend UK arms sales until the UN certifies that Riyadh is respecting international law. Stand up for the defenders of human rights in Bahrain. Encourage Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his supposed push for internal reform, especially women’s rights. Defy Donald Trump and deepen Barack Obama’s opening to Iran. Work to break the Saudi-Sunni mindset of religious war-making.

In other words, Boris, put your money where your big mouth is.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 09 Dec 2016 16:00

Ammanpour : Debate: How to end the Syria war

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/1 ... /amanpour/

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 16:47

why Mosul is so difficult : We were told there are 5-6000 IS militants against odd army of 50 000 comprising of Iq army ,khan certified Golden division , PMU militias & 1000s of Shite militias , still they can't hammer down IS in Mosul with air support of US?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 17:23

Air support for who?

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 17:25

At least 50,000 militants from so-called Islamic State have been killed since the US-led coalition started fighting in Iraq and Syria two years ago, a US military official has said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38252092
(kindly note misleading emphasis on US led when Mosul is proving to be tough nut and US had an anti Assad role in Syria)

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 17:51

that 50k number is a overestimate . given the low tempo of airstrikes and the thin dispersion of IS people at targets, I would not imagine anything more than 5k.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 17:55

looks like sheik saeed is taken . the remaining areas are populated esp sukkari and bustan al qasr and perhaps will be left alone in hopes of a surrender

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 17:59

tiger forces ops room showing drone footage.
the shaven head guy looks russian...

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 18:03

another major battle brewing is the Qila-e-Islam in east ghouta - the town of Douma , near Jobar ... it is near the Damascus Homs highway and a stronghold of the faithful.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 18:38

Email cache proves Turkish oil minister’s links to Isis oil trade, WikiLeaks claims

WikiLeaks has released a cache of thousands of personal emails allegedly from the account of senior Turkish government minister Berat Albayrak, son-in-law of the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which it says shows the extent of links between Mr Albayrak and a company implicated in deals with Isis-controlled oil fields.

The 60,000 strong searchable cache, released on Monday, spans the time period between April 2000 - September 23 2016, and shows Mr Albayrak had intimate knowledge of staffing and salary issues at Powertrans, a company which was controversially given a monopoly on the road and rail transportation of oil into the country from Iraqi Kurdistan.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 60736.html

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 18:52

Turkey will not be happy

Obama clears path to arm Kurds to fight in Raqqa

US President Barack Obama has waived prohibitions in the US Arms Export Control Act which will allow the country to arm groups that are currently fighting in Syria’s civil war.

The waived sections of the law will allow the US to provide “defence articles and services” to forces within Syria allied to the US, the White House said on Thursday, a decision which is “essential to national security interests.”

It is believed that the move will allow President Obama to arm the mainly Kurdish coalition fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are currently gearing up to retake the northern city of Raqqa from Isis.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 65101.html

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 18:57

Turkey to send 300 commandos in Raqqa

Turkey has undertaken Operation Euphrates Shield inside Syria in a declared bid to support the Free Syrian Army militants and rid the border area of Daesh terrorists and fighters from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD).

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 19:07

In the meanwhile Turkey economic crisis continues to spiral down hill and Lira is crashing more and more, therefore Erdogan has asked people to shun US $$ and start using & doing business in Lira instead. As a result a few businessmen are offering services like 'if you can show receipt of having changed US 200 $ to Liras we offer you free hair cut and shave or Pizza etc.

habal · Post by **habal** » 09 Dec 2016 19:40

One of many dozens of warehouses that resisted the savage Russian and Syrian bombing. Enough food and ammo to survive for years. IF they cooperated with each other since Russia bombed a large number of known depots and some terrorist groups ran out of hiding places including the M10 hospital that was used as an underground bunker but Russia used a bunker buster to burn it down..

https://twitter.com/walid970721/status/ ... 1622827008

The terrorists claimed that ppl were starving in East #Aleppo when in fact huge amounts of food & medicine were being hoarded by them #Syria

habal · Post by **habal** » 09 Dec 2016 19:41

https://twitter.com/maytham956/status/8 ... 5486317568

Large warehouses full of medical supplies and UN aid hidden in al bustan.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 09 Dec 2016 19:43

Basically all UN aid ended up in hands of jihadi piglets: was it intended?

habal · Post by **habal** » 09 Dec 2016 19:45

Russian de-miners say that handmade explosives in #Aleppo share the same blueprint as the ones they found in Palmyra. “Same instructor.”

VERY IMPORTANT STATEMENT. It says most everything that is happening in Syria is organized and implemented by just one party. Most likely another Soros pet project using a variety and various NGO’s but all under his control. Soros himself is another project.. the old goat may not even be able to figure out where his own asshole is by himself.

habal · Post by **habal** » 09 Dec 2016 19:45

SAA soldier in front of his fathers shop [located in Old Aleppo]. He hasn’t seen it in 4 years

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 20:44

the aleppo jihadis were the fattest among all syrian jihadis. all food, little need to exercise.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Dec 2016 22:03

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzPvVKHUUAEtXJM.jpg

new emir of aleppo....abu amir....his reign will be short

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 22:43

What's with the renewed attack on Palmyra? How do these rats crawl across so much desert without the attentions of Ivan?

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 10 Dec 2016 02:56

this pic discussed by us over here has made it to top pics of the year 2016 : A car bomb explodes next to Iraqi special forces armoured vehicles in Mosul, Iraq

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 10 Dec 2016 02:59

Iraq says it destroys Mosul car bomb factories

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 06:46

UlanBatori wrote:What's with the renewed attack on Palmyra? How do these rats crawl across so much desert without the attentions of Ivan?

the pus filled pocket in eastern homs was always uncleared north of palmyra. the salamiyah - ithiryah - tabqah belt remains under IS control.

to the south there is another vast region whom nobody really owns or polices...

you'd need an army india's size to properly control all of syrias desert areas.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 06:59

The 'Nimr' Tiger ‏@Souria4Syrians 3h3 hours ago
Map shows the scale of ISIS attack by activating 3 fronts #Palmyra T4
Green: areas of clashes
Blue: areas captured by ISIS
Red: Syrian Army

The 'Nimr' Tiger ‏@Souria4Syrians 4h4 hours ago
Pro-ISIS sources say Palmyra attack is the largest in Syria since February Shaddadi/Tal Abyad offensives against YPG

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 07:01

note these are rugged deserts and mountains and no continuous defensive line exists...there are outposts and strongpoints with gaps between them. the colours mean nothing much than a polygon joining all these. a strong thrust can change the polygon shapes in days.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 07:04

Yusha Yuseef ‏@MIG29_ 11h11 hours ago
Russian mod : 1000 militants Surrendered to Syrian Army from east #Aleppo

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 07:08

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 4h4 hours ago
SOHR: IS sends 500 fighters from Iraq to Syria; 200 arrive at al-Bab and 300 to Tadmor

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 Dec 2016 07:10

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 8h8 hours ago
Turkish Army & Euphrates Shield begin storming of al-Bab
3 replies 38 retweets 20 likes

habal · Post by **habal** » 10 Dec 2016 08:47

Afghan Shias who sacrificed their lives for liberation of aleppo

habal · Post by **habal** » 10 Dec 2016 09:01

Attack on Palmyra at this juncture and by ISIS rats (questionable when they are under pressure @ al-bab, mosul, raqqa) was a NATO ploy to divert SAA forces from Aleppo city. Do keep in mind that 2-3 months ago the same happened in northern Hama and delayed the offensive in Aleppo for 2 months. But it seems the memorandum arrived late to ISIS, Aleppo is about be completely liberated.
The situation in Palmyra continues to be very serious.

my reading is not more than 2000 ISIS can be involved in this attack because they are squeezed in north and east and have little to spare for NATO. Or even more likely this is NATO itself in ISIS mufti.