Syrian Civil War Developments

[tantalus]

No problem. Pro-regime dispatches are rather open with who the various task forces are made up of in addition to the remnants of the old army.

Here is another good read by my buddy Tom

Great stuff, I'm going to get greedy and ask if there is any solid info on opposition numbers and foreign manpower...

[troung]

I'll scare up some articles later on

Syrian Army foils major ISIS assault on Kuweires Airbase


By Leith Fadel -
15/09/2016

ALEPPO, SYRIA (9:45 P.M.) - The Islamic State of Iraq and AL-Sham (ISIS) launched a large-scale assault at the Kuweires Military Airport area of east Aleppo on Thursday, targeting the surrounding villages of Hazarah and Tal Maksour.

ISIS began the assault by launching a simultaneous attack at both Tal Maksour and Hazarah, while hammering the Kuweires Airbase with mortar shells from afar.

Attempting to overrun the Syrian Armed Forces using surprise tactics, the Islamic State militants struck the government's front-lines with several fighters.



However, the Islamic State militants were unable to infiltrate the Syrian Arab Army's defenses after several hours of battle; this ultimately resulted in their swift withdrawal to the northern countryside of the Kuweires MIlitary Airbase.

According to a Syrian Arab Army source, the Islamic State lost approximately 15 fighters during the battle, along with an armored vehicle that was mounted with a 23 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.

US fails to provide data on moderate rebels
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...derate-rebels/

By News Desk -
15/09/2016


(TASS) General Viktor Poznikhir stated on Thursday that his American counterparts have not yet provided the Russian military with accurate data on the exact locations and number of "moderate opposition" in Syria, which hampers the fight against militants and jeopardizes the delivery of humanitarian aid.

"The American partners have not yet provided us with accurate information on the exact locations of opposition units. The materials handed over by the American side contain only a general list of units controlled by them. They mention neither the districts where these units are operating nor numbers or field commanders’ names," Poznikhir noted.

According to the general, this approach by the American side "not only hampers the fight against Jabhat al-Nusra irreconcilable militants, but also jeopardizes the delivery of humanitarian aid."



"We are calling on the U.S. side to step up efforts to observe the regime of cessation of hostilities in Syria," Poznikhir told a briefing at the Russian National Defense Control Center.

"Russia systematically implements its commitments taken on under the Russian-U.S. agreement," Poznikhir emphasized.

The Russian center for reconciliation has held negotiations with US partners in Washington and Geneva, marking a need for the US side to comply with its commitments within the framework of the Russian-US agreements, the head of the Russian center, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Savchenko said.

"At 8 pm yesterday, I conducted negotiations with our American colleagues in Geneva and Washington via the restored direct communications channel," the general said.

"During the negotiations I drew attention to a need for an early implementation by the US side of commitments on separating the moderate opposition from Jabhat al-Nusra (the terrorist organization outlawed in Russia) and abidance by the ceasefire regime by US controlled militant units," Savchenko said in a video conference with the Russian National Defense Center.



READ Syrian Army foils major ISIS assault on Kuweires Airbase

Besides, the US side received data on all violations of the ceasefire fixed by the Russian side, with location, time, the weapons used and areas from which the fire came, specified.

[astralis]

https://news.vice.com/article/us-spe...holds-in-syria

emphasis mine. sometimes i think we should just give the Kurds whatever it is they want and just turn a blind eye afterwards. at least the Kurds know the meaning of gratitude.

====

US special forces are helping Turkey clear out ISIS strongholds in Syria

By Justin Ling
September 16, 2016 | 1:55 pm

American special forces will be heading to northern Syria to help clear Islamic State-held towns, alongside Turkish forces, the Department of Defense announced on Friday. But a confrontation in a strategic border town highlights the myriad of problems that could be awaiting the Americans when they arrive.

The announcement of the expanded mission, which will see 40 special forces embedded within the Turkish military near the border, came on Friday, just hours after video surfaced from the rural town of al-Rai which, supposedly showing rebel groups chanting anti-American slogans as US troops leave town.

The troop commitment and the, yet unconfirmed, video both paint a picture of the complex relationships existing in the area, especially as the influence and strength of the Islamic State wanes in the region, leaving long-standing rivalries and mistrust.

Up until now, American forces had only been embedded with vetted rebel and Kurdish groups. The Department of Defense says this mission marks the first time they've embedded with Turkish units.

"Looking forward, there remain several areas in the border region that must be liberated from ISIL control to further limit their freedom of movement," Major Adrian J.T. Rankine-Galloway, with the Marine Corps, said in a statement provided to VICE News. "To help accomplish these objectives, and in addition to continued US airstrikes against ISIL, pursuant to a Turkish request, US special operations forces have been approved to accompany Turkish and vetted Syrian opposition forces as they continue to clear territory from ISIL."

The statement characterizes the deployment as a "train, advises and assist" mission, but the mission will undoubtedly put American forces directly in the theatre of combat.

American special forces in the region have, thus far, mostly been embedded with the Syrian Democratic Forces, made up predominantly of Kurdish fighters but with a mix of others.

Those units have, at different times, faced a three-front fight against IS, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, and the Turkish military. The US commandos embedded in those units are so close to the fighting that airstrikes on the Kurdish forces have come dangerously close to hitting American forces, the Pentagon confirmed in August.

Specifics on the American deployment in the region remain sketchy. There are more than 4,000 American military personnel currently deployed to Iraq, with an additional 900 special forces in that country, while there are some 300 additional forces in Syria, including the 40 commandos announced on Friday.

Given the considerable special forces deployment in the region, and the secrecy surrounding the mission, there is no clear explanation as to why some 25 American soldiers were in al-Rai.

Video from multiple sources, posted to Twitter on Friday afternoon local time, purport to show the US troops rolling out of al-Rai, with multiple onlookers speaking about "Americans" in Arabic. The caravan of vehicles includes what appears to be a Turkish Sabra M60T tank. One photo shows a camouflage-sporting soldier with an American flag patch on his arm.

A translation by the Middle East Eye, an online news portal, reports that those in the video, which it refers to as members of the anti-Assad Free Syrian Army, called the Americans "pigs," and yelled "down with America."

The early reports accompanying the video suggested that the 25 special forces, as well as a few advisors, had been embedded with the Turkish military. CNN's Turkish station reported on Friday that the US special forces "supported" a Turkish operation in al-Rai.

Both the Department of Defense and the US Central Command in the region told VICE News they were aware of the reports, but could not confirm.

Al-Rai has, since the outset of the Syrian civil war, switched hands repeatedly, and is considered a strategic foothold, sitting just miles north of al-Bab, an IS fortress near Aleppo. In the last two years, the Islamic State and free Syrian forces have traded control of the Turkish border town, but it was thought to be controlled by free Syrians as of late August, after a Turkish-backed offensive.

Turkey, along with the free Syrian forces, have worked to block the Kurds from northern Syria, in order to prevent separatist militants from fortifying the area, like they've managed to do in neighbouring Iraq.

Those long-standing rivalries underscore the difficulties presented to the Western coalition trying to oust IS while keeping the region from falling back to in-fighting.

[troung]

I tend to agree.

So the head chopping moderates hate us?

'Crusaders! Infidels! Dogs! Get out!' American-backed rebels force US commandos to leave Syrian town
Publicado: 16 Sep 2016 | 16:37 GMT
FILE PHOTO: US special operations forces in Syria. © DELIL SOULEIMAN
AFP /
“Five or six” US special forces troops had to withdraw from the town of al-Rai on Syria’s border with Turkey, after allies from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) had driven them out, calling them “infidels” and “crusaders,” several media outlets have reported.
The Turkish military, which last month openly crossed the Syrian border to fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), has admitted that US soldiers are providing a supporting and coordinating role in the operation being carried out between the Syrian towns of Azaz and al-Rai, Reuters reports.

At least two videos circulated on Twitter on Friday evening appeared to show that they were not welcome in al-Rai.

The footage shows a group of agitated men, gathered in the town square, shouting anti-American slogans in Arabic, as a cavalcade of vehicles passes by.

The chants include: "Down with America," "Get out you dogs," and "They are coming to Syria to occupy it." Voices in the background call the US troops “pigs” and “crusaders.”

"We don't want a single American fighting in Syria alongside us," says a man in the second video. "We are Muslims, we are not infidels. Get out!"

Reuters cited a US official and a “senior rebel commander,” who confirmed that a protest had taken place, which ended with US troops making their way back towards the Turkish border.

Later, a group of rebels purporting to be representatives of Ahrar al-Sharqiya, a militia operating in the area, circulated a video statement, saying that US support of Kurds, who are also fighting Islamic State, was behind their protest.

"We and other FSA groups fighting in and around Aleppo say that we remain a free army, and refuse to fight on the side of Americans, who support the terrorist Kurdish PKK. We are halting all military activities until US troops leave the region."

The US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the "rhetoric" used by the rebels was “not appropriate” and acknowledged that the opposition “is not a monolith,” but still praised the overall success of Turkey’s operation inside northern Syria.

“We knew all along that the Turkish forces would be teaming up with some opposition forces, and in this they have been successful. So, let’s keep in mind the greater goal, which was to choke off that stretch of border so that [ISIS] can’t use it,” he said during a press briefing in Washington.

“We’ve discovered this many times in Muslim world, where the US deploys its troops, whether it’s Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Syria, it is seen as the enemy, the occupier. Secondly, the incident highlights the problems the US has been having in identifying moderate Syrian rebels – despite spending billions of dollars 'developing' them - and the fact that this is coming from the supposed allies in the FSA isn’t actually surprising,” Max Abrahms, an associate professor of political science at Northwestern told RT.

The Pentagon says it has allocated 40 special operations forces combatants to participate in the Turkish incursion. According to CNN, the joint effort has been labeled Operation Noble Lance, and is the first time the two forces have fought side by side on Syrian soil since the start of the conflict.

The Damascus government of Bashar Assad earlier condemned Turkey’s crossing of the border a “breach of sovereignty.

[zraver]

No problem. Pro-regime dispatches are rather open with who the various task forces are made up of in addition to the remnants of the old army.

Here is another good read by my buddy Tom

So Assad has recreated the themata... Not like the other than Salafist Sunnis have much choice, if Assad loses, they are going to be exterminated. The Sufi Sunni, Shia, Christian and Druze don't have a choice... support Assad or die. Only that order is coming from the rebels not the government.

[troung]

o Assad has recreated the themata...

Central army made up of the guard, foreign mercenaries/auxiliaries, remaining loyal units, alongside mobile regional units raised by grandees being the core of offensive operations backed by local units raised through assistance of the elite but operating under the theoretical framework of the military; does sound kind of feudal...

Not like the other than Salafist Sunnis have much choice, if Assad loses, they are going to be exterminated. The Sufi Sunni, Shia, Christian and Druze don't have a choice... support Assad or die. Only that order is coming from the rebels not the government.

And as it stands the US is supporting the side which wants to set up a Taliban style government.
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SF advisors being chased off by Ahrar al-sham and now the US bombs the SAA enabling ISIS to seize positions. Well done.

at Sep 17, 2016 | 2:06 PM EDT
Syrian army says U.S.-led coalition jets bombed it in support of Islamic State
X
Syria's army general command said warplanes from the U.S.-led coalition bombed a Syrian army position at Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport on Saturday, paving the way for Islamic State fighters to overun it.

The air strike killed Syrian soldiers and was "conclusive evidence" that the U.S. and its allies support the jihadist group, the Syrian army said in a statement, noting that the strike was "dangerous and blatant aggression".

The U.S.-led coalition has been conducting air strikes against Islamic State since September 2014. In December Damascus accused the coalition of striking an army camp near Deir al-Zor, but Washington said it was done by Russian jets.

A strike list issued by the U.S. on Saturday said it had carried out a strike at Deir al-Zor against five Islamic State supply routes, as well as strikes near Raqqa and elsewhere in Syria.

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Syria's army controls Deir al-Zor airport and parts of the city which are otherwise entirely surrounded by territory held by Islamic State.

The United States and Russia agreed a deal on Syria last week, involving a ceasefire which came into effect on Monday, aid deliveries to besieged areas and eventual joint targeting of militant jihadist groups if the truce works out.

Syria's five-year civil war between President Bashar al-Assad and rebels seeking to topple him has drawn in regional and global powers and allowed militant jihadist groups including Islamic State to gain territory and inspire attacks.

(Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Syrian Army recovers territory in Deir Ezzor after US attacks their positions
By Leith Fadel - 17/09/201612


DEIR EZZOR, SYRIA (8:50 P.M.) - Soldiers from the Qassem Units (Special Forces) of the Syrian Arab Army told Al-Masdar moments ago that their forces have recaptured several points in Jabal Thardeh after retreating due U.S. airstrikes on their positions.

The groups leading the counter-attack in Jabal Thardeh are the Qassem Units and 137th Artillery Brigade of the 17th Reserve Division.

Intense clashes are still ongoing at Jabal Thardeh, as the Syrian Arab Army attempts to recapture all of the territory they lost over the last 30 minutes.


The death toll from the U.S. airstrikes is still unknown; however, preliminary estimates put the number between 15-20 dead

Jihadist rebels launch new attack in the Golan Heights
By Leith Fadel - 17/09/20160


GOLAN HEIGHTS, SYRIA (7:45 P.M.) - The jihadist rebels of Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (formerly Nusra Front), backed by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, launched a new assault in the Golan Heights of Al-Quneitra on Saturday, targeting the Syrian Arab Army's positions on Battalion 4 Hill.

According to a military source in the Golan Heights, the Syrian Armed Forces were able to repel the jihadist assault after a one hour long battle at the Battalion 4 Hill.

The Syrian Armed Forces reported no casualties during the battle; meanwhile, the jihadist rebels lost 3 fighters.


The Golan front is now quiet after the Israeli Air Force carried out an attack at 7:00 P.M. (Damascus Time).

Syria
[Exclusive] Over 1,000 elite Syrian Army soldiers arrive in Deir Ezzor
By Leith Fadel - 17/09/201611


DEIR EZZOR, SYRIA (3:45 P.M.) - Al-Masdar News was given exclusive information on Saturday, regarding the recent arrival of over 1,000 soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army's Republican Guard in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

According to a military source from Damascus, over 1,000 newly trained soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army's 105th Brigade of the Republican Guard were deployed to the Deir Ezzor Governorate after spending several months training in Deir 'Attiyeh.

With the arrival of these fresh soldiers from the 105th Brigade, the Syrian Armed Forces have received a major boost to their defenses around the provincial capital.


The Syrian Armed Forces in Deir Ezzor are comprised of the 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard under Major General Issam Zahreddine, Qassam Units (Special Forces) under General Ghassan Taraf, and the 137th Artillery Brigade of the 17th Reserve Division under Major General Hassan Mohammad

Some pictures from the fighting in Homs - Desert Hawks and Hazaras of the Fatimiun

[troung]

Syrian Army still in control of mountain near Deir Ezzor
By Paul Antonopoulos -
17/09/2016 5

U.S. airstrikes that targeted Syrian Army positions in Thardah mountain, that massacred at least 80 soldiers, led to an ISIS offensive.

The terrorist group captured most of the mountain before the Syrian Army launched a counter-offensive and recaptured all lost points.

Since then, opposition sources have claimed that ISIS recaptured the mountain again. This has been proven to be a falsity by al-Masdar ground sources who state that the mountain is still securely in the army's control.

http://spioenkop.blogspot.com/2014/1...asts-t-55.html

The now almost four-year long Civil War continues to impact Syria's tank fleet and the way it operates. It is now scattered across Syria, providing fire-support to many factions in the conflict. In this new series Syria's steel beasts will be put in the spotlight.

Who actually operates Assad's tanks in Syria remains somewhat unclear: although many believe the Syrian Arab Army (SyAA) remains responsible for all combat tasks within Syria, the SyAA saw much of its manpower and equipment transferred to the National Defence Force (NDF) and other militias. However, the Syrian Arab Army still remains responsible for a number of brigades and for the many garrisons dotted around Syria. Any tanks found there remain under the command of the Syrian Arab Army.

The tank fleet can be divided into three major types: the T-55, the T-62 and the T-72. Two additional types, the T-54 and the PT-76, were also once in Syrian service, but most of the surviving T-54s were donated to Lebanon and others stored. It is only now that a number are being brought back into service. The PT-76 fleet is believed to have been scrapped at the end of the last decade.

It is commonly believed Syria was in the possession of nearly 5000 tanks, roughly divided between 2000 T-54/55s, 1000 T-62s and 1500 T-72s, before the Civil War began. However, these figures are largely distorted, and the actual number of tanks operated by Syria at the start of this decade lays closer to 2500, divided between around 1200 T-55s, 500 T-62s and 700 T-72s. Not all 2500 tanks were active at the same time, with large portions of the T-55 and T-62 fleet in reserve and stored.

Of these 2500 tanks, over 1000 have been lost over the course of the Civil War. While the majority of these have been T-55s, the large size of that fleet makes up for these losses. An estimated 700 T-55s maintain their operational capabilities as of late 2014. Many groups fighting for control over Syria also continue to operate various T-55s. A notable operator is the Islamic State, which became a major user after capturing dozens at Brigade 93. Much of the Brigade 93's inventory was later fielded in the Islamic State's offensive on Kobanê.

The T-55s can be divided into four variants: the standard T-55A, the North Korean upgraded T-55, the T-55AM and the T-55MV. Of these, the T-55A is most numerous type in service, followed by the North Korean upgraded examples, the T-55MV and the T-55AM. The T-55A and the North Korean upgraded T-55s are mostly found with the NDF, while the remaining T-55AMs and T-55MVs continue to soldier on with the SyAA.

The North Korean variants feature a North Korean designed laser rangefinder (LRF) and some even smoke grenade launchers and a 14.5mm KPV heavy machine gun. At least two North Korean produced LRFs are known to be installed on Syrian T-54/55s. The upgrade for these tanks, based on lessons learned in the 1973 war, was carried out in the early seventies and eighties as a cheaper alternative to the Soviet T-55 upgrade, which brought a part of Syria's fleet up to T-55AM standard. This upgrade included the KTD-2 laser-range finder, side skirts and smoke grenade launchers. The addition of BDD appliqué armour for the turret and front of the hull was ommited due budget constrictions however. A T-55AM operated by the rebel Ghurabaa' Houran Battalion operating in the Dara'a Governorate can be seen below.

The T-55MV is by far the most modern T-55 variant in service within Syria, one could argue their combat effectiveness would even surpass that of Syria's T-72s. 200 T-55s were upgraded to MV standard in Ukraine in 1997.[1] Opposed to Syria's T-55AMs, the T-55MVs were fully upgraded, including a new engine and explosive reactive armour (ERA) blocks for increased armour protection against rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

Syrian T-55MVs are also equipped with the 9M117M Bastion anti-tank missile fired through the T-55's 100mm main gun. Although the 9M117M was previously unknown to be in Syrian service, rebels captured around a dozen of them near Tel Ahmar, Quneitra Governorate. Quneitra has traditionally been home to the T-55MV fleet, and these missiles would have been a nasty suprise for Israeli armour in case of war. Due to the cost of these missiles, each tank only carries a few. Most of the missiles remain stockpiled in ammunition depots, like Tel Ahmar, along the Golan Heights for possible future use against Israeli armour.


Some T-55MVs also received a mysterious device mounted over the laser-range finder. This device most likely functions as a sort of camera. A similar looking device was also spotted on an BMP-1 upgrade offered by the Ukraine. Only footage showing the interior of the tank can provide definitive proof.


Similar to what has already been seen on the Republican Guard's T-72s, the T-55 fleet is now gradually receiving cage armour reinforced by sandbags to improve protection against RPGs. A T-55 with such cage armour can be seen below. Most upgraded T-55s only received cage armour around the turret however.

While the NDF continues to operate its T-55s in an offensive role engaging rebel strongholds from a safe distance, the Syrian Arab Army uses most of its T-55s as static pillboxes, making them an easy prey for the rebels' anti-tank missiles. A large part of the tank losses in Syria are a direct result of this often fruitless attempt at strenghtening local garrisons and checkpoints.

Due to the large size of the T-55 fleet, there's no immediate threat to the Syrian Arab Army and the National Defence Force of running out of tanks to provide fire-support to its soldiers. The biggest threat to the Syrian tank fleet is the harrowing lack of fuel. Most of the available fuel goes to units like the Republican Guard or Suqur al-Sahara (Desert Falcons).

The lack of fuel already forced the widespread use of tank trailers, as there simply isn't enough fuel for the tanks to drive to their deployment zone by themself. A situation that likely isn't going to improve unless the oilfields around Deir ez-Zor are recaptured.

How the Tiger Forces became the most effective fighting force in Syria
By Izat Charkatli -
11/07/2016 11

From the battlefields of the Ghab plains, to the mountainous desert of the Shaer oil fields, and the fertile plains of east Aleppo, the Tiger Forces have become the center of attention of all those who follow the raging Syrian war.

Feared by the enemies, revered by the allies, little is known about the underlying factors and tactics that make the Tiger Forces the formidable force they are.

They generally work quietly and attempt to withhold information about their preparations and whereabouts until news of their thunderous advances storm the media battlegrounds. Tiger Forces don't announce the capture of an area until they become fully confident they will not concede it.

To understand what truly makes the Tiger Forces the force to be reckoned with in the battles against the various jihadist factions, we must understand the tactics and strategies of the opposing force.

Jihadists rely on three types of units: suicide bombers, "Inghimassiyeen"(suicide fighters), and "Moqtahimeen"(storming forces).

Suicide bombers are typically men who volunteer to drive armored VBIEDs into enemy front lines to break them and scatter their morale dealing a ton of damage in equipment and lives with their explosives-packed vehicles. They're usually sent at the beginning of any battle.

Then come the Inghimassiyeen (suicide fighters). Those are entire suicide teams sent to infiltrate the enemy front lines and blow their suicide belts up further fragmenting the defensive positions and trenches of the opposing force, demoralizing and breaking them potentially forcing them to flee and abandon their positions.

Following the previous two waves of suicide units, the Iqtiham units (storming forces) begin their attack. Those are regular infantry given the task of seizing and fortifying the enemy positions targeted by the bombers. This whole combination of attackers makes the jihadists a formidable and fearful force in the face of their opponents.

On the other hand, the Tiger Forces prioritize targeting the opposing TOW and ATGM rebel teams in any region they aim to capture. Moreover, they have teams dedicated to spotting enemy ATGMs and dealing with them.

Secondly, they have units assigned to track and target VBIEDs before they reach their intended targets. Those units are especially skilled in this field because of their unrivaled experience the previous fall when the Tiger Forces were tasked with lifting the siege off Kuweirus airbase. ISIS fighters would rely heavily on car bombs and suicide attacks to push back the advancing enemy.
READ US War on Terror spent nearly $5 trillion - report

Thirdly, Tiger Force soldiers have unparalleled close-quarter combat training. Units placed in advanced ambush points are tasked with dealing with the "Inghimassiyeen"(suicide fighters) and neutralizing their threat. They also were gifted with an ample experience from the east Aleppo battles with the ISIS terror group.

Most importantly, the commanders of the Tiger Forces are always on the front lines with their soldiers, leading them by example and keeping their morale high. Units from the Tiger Forces never receive orders to storm or defend certain areas without their field commanders being on their sides guiding them and boosting their spirits. Colonel Suheil Al Hassan himself is known to accompany his men in the front lines of the battle to an extent that he was injured several times- on some occasions more serious than others.

However, the trade off of maintaining his troops' high spirits makes the risk worth it. A myth shared and believed widely by many Syrians and avid followers of the Syrian war is that when Colonel Hassan is tasked with seizing an area, no matter the length of time it may take him to capture it or the tactics and methods he uses, he will capture it.

It is childish to peddle in mere myths, but his track record of heroic and mystical military victories has held up the claim so far. Distinguished and talented military figures like Suheil Al Hassan and General Issam Zahreddine have become household names whom kids take as role models and yearn to become like them one day.

Whatever the future may hold for the Syrian conflict, the elite Tiger Forces are destined to be an integral part of it.

Tiger Forces

[troung]

Fragile Syrian cease-fire receives new blows with airstrikes, shelling
U.S. lashes out at Russia over emergency meeting

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Saturday hit out at Russia over its calling of an emergency UN meeting to discuss a U.S. airstrike that reportedly left many Syrian government troops dead. Russia slammed the U.S. for "heavy-handedness."
Tribune news servicesContact Reporter

Syria's fragile cease-fire started to unravel on Sunday with the first aerial attacks on rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo and a southern village that killed at least eight people, violations that came as tensions between the American and Russian brokers of the deal worsened following a deadly U.S. strike on Syrian government forces.

The air raid by the U.S.-led coalition killed dozens of Syrian soldiers and led to a harsh verbal attack on Washington by Damascus and Moscow. The U.S. military says it may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops while carrying out a raid against the Islamic State group in eastern Syria on Saturday.

The seven-day cease-fire is supposed to end at midnight Sunday, according to a Syrian army statement issued last week. The U.S. and Russia have said that if it holds for seven days, it should be followed by the establishment of a Joint Implementation Center for both countries to coordinate the targeting of Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked militants.

Despite largely holding, the cease-fire has been repeatedly violated by both sides, and aid convoys have not reached besieged rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one-time commercial center, which has been the center of violence in recent months. Aid delivery to Aleppo is part of the U.S.-Russia cease-fire deal.

Earlier this month, Syrian government forces and their allies captured areas they lost south of the city, re-imposing a siege on its opposition-held eastern neighborhoods. More than 2,000 people were killed in 40 days of fighting in the city, including 700 civilians, among them 160 children, according to a Syrian activist group.

Syrian state TV reported Sunday that dozens of residents had left rebel-held areas in Aleppo and were taken to shelters in the government-controlled part of the city.

Also Sunday, Aleppo's governor, Hussein Diab, called on insurgents in the eastern neighborhoods to turn themselves in, hand over their weapons and take advantage of an amnesty decree issued recently by Syrian President Bashar Assad.
U.S. airstrike may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops, killing at least 62
U.S. airstrike may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops, killing at least 62

"We are at a new stage that requires making the decision to embrace reconciliation," Diab said in a statement carried by the state news agency, SANA. He urged insurgents to halt what he called the bloodshed and destruction and affirmed that all who turned themselves in and surrendered their weapons would be treated well and allowed to return to normal life.

Moscow laid the blame for Sunday's violence squarely on the opposition. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in an emailed statement that both "terrorists and the opposition" are using the truce to "boost their forces and prepare for renewed hostilities."

Konashenkov says Moscow still has not been able to contact the U.S.-backed opposition to coordinate cease-fire efforts despite Washington's assurances. He said the U.S. has not even tried to get the opposition to hold its fire.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry fired back in an interview with CNN, saying Russia needs to stop Assad from attacking the opposition and blocking aid delivery.
Aid convoys for Syria's Aleppo delayed amid rising violence
Aid convoys for Syria's Aleppo delayed amid rising violence

Kerry said Assad was a "spoiler" in the cease-fire, and called on Moscow to "stop the grandstanding, stop the showboating, and get the humanitarian assistance going."

Kerry also said it was important to set up the Joint Implementation Center in order to prevent the "terrible thing that happened yesterday, that we all acknowledge and regret but it happens when you have conflict." He appeared to be referring to the U.S.-led airstrikes in eastern Syria.

Earlier Sunday, Islamic State militants shot down a Syrian warplane as Syrian forces regained ground lost to the extremists following Saturday's airstrike, state media said.

Syria called Saturday's U.S.-led strikes on the outskirts of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour a "dangerous and blatant aggression against the Syrian Arab Republic and its army."

The Foreign Ministry's statement, sent to the U.N. Security Council, said American warplanes repeatedly attacked Syrian army positions on Saturday afternoon. It said the airstrikes were "on purpose and planned in advance," and killed dozens of Syrian soldiers.

Russia's military said it was told by the Syrian army that at least 62 Syrian soldiers were killed in the Deir el-Zour air raid and more than 100 wounded. The Russian air force has been carrying out strikes across Syria to bolster Assad's forces for nearly a year, and the two militaries work in close coordination.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria, put the toll higher, saying the U.S.-led coalition struck army positions in Tharda mountain and a nearby artillery division, killing 90 troops and wounding 110.

Russia said the United States was being obstructive and deceptive regarding the airstrike. A Foreign Ministry statement on Sunday said that in an emergency U.N. Security Council session the United States took "an unconstructive and indistinct position."

The Americans "not only turned out to be unable to give an adequate explanation of what happened, but also tried, as is their custom, to turn everything upside down," the statement said.

Iran, another close ally of Syria's government, also condemned the U.S. raid, saying it violated Syria's sovereignty and "showed that terrorist groups enjoy U.S. support in Syria."

Earlier Sunday, the state-run SANA news agency quoted an unnamed military official as saying that dozens of IS fighters were killed in the air and ground offensive on Tharda mountain. IS had claimed that its fighters captured Tharda mountain, which overlooks the city's government-controlled airport.

The Syrian military official said government troops had regained control of areas the extremists captured "as a result of the American aircraft aggression."

State TV later reported that a Syrian warplane was shot down while carrying out attacks on IS militants in Deir el-Zour province, adding that the pilot was killed. IS-linked media also reported the incident.

The Observatory said that intense airstrikes by Russian warplanes had killed at least 38 IS fighters since Saturday.

The Syrian military said the coalition airstrike hit a base in Deir el-Zour that was surrounded by IS, allowing the extremists to advance and overrun Syrian army positions in the area.

Tens of thousands of people live in government-held neighborhoods of Deir el-Zour under an IS siege. Government areas have been relying on airlifted aid. IS also controls much of the surrounding province, which borders Iraq.

Also Sunday, the Syrian government and opposition reported violations of the cease-fire. The cease-fire does not include IS and al-Qaida-linked militants.

Syrian state media said insurgents shelled residential areas in the northern city of Aleppo and the central province of Homs.

The Observatory and Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in the southern province of Daraa, said government helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the village of Dael, killing at least eight and wounding a large number of people. In Aleppo, warplanes fired missiles at three neighborhoods, wounding several people, according to the activist-run Local Coordination Committees and the Observatory.

Associated Press

Syrian Army launches fresh assault in southern Aleppo
By Leith Fadel -
18/09/2016 8

ALEPPO, SYRIA (9:20 P.M.) - Minutes ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), backed by Liwaa Al-Quds (Palestinian paramilitary) and Ba'ath Battalions, launched a fresh assault on the 1070 Al-Hamdaniyah Housing Project in southern Aleppo, targeting the southern sector of this strategic district.

Led by the elite "Tiger Forces," the Syrian Arab Army and their allies stormed Jaysh Al-Fateh's (Army of Conquest) first line of defense at the 1070 Project's southern sector; this resulted in a fierce battle that is still ongoing at the moment.

Backing their ground units storming the district, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAYF) conducted their first airstrikes over the southern Aleppo countryside, hitting several Jaysh Al-Fateh targets along the Aleppo-Damascus Highway (M-5 Highway).

This latest attack by the Syrian Armed Forces does not violate the ceasefire agreement because it is not against "moderate" rebel groups.

Jaysh Al-Fateh is comprised of several jihadist rebel groups, making them a legitimate target for the Syrian Armed Forces and the Russian Air Force, per the ceasefire agreement.

Syrian Army captures Ramouseh Artillery Base in southern Aleppo – Map update
By Chris Tomson -
04/09/2016 12

In a major new development, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has fully retaken the Ramouseh Artillery Base in southern Aleppo after attacking the fortification from two flanks.

This news comes just hours after the SAA captured the adjacent Armament School.

Furthermore, SAA forces have imposed full control over Jamaiyat hill and Ammarah hill, two high points near the military base.

The government offensive was spearheaded by the SAA's Tiger Forces.

Effectively, as of noon today, rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo are once again under siege. Ramouseh Artillery Base and several nearby villages were otherwise seized by Jaish al-Fateh one month ago, temporarily lifting the siege.

Around 30 Islamist fighters, primarily from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra) were killed at Ramouseh Artillery Base, a military source informed Al-Masdar News.

However, preliminary reports of the SAA capturing Khan Touman storage base and entering the Ramouseh neighbourhood are false.

Heavy shelling and sporadic clashes are ongoing in southern Aleppo as we speak - for now, the brunt of the advances have stopped as Syrian government troops try to familiarize and fortify their newly captured sites.

Hezbollah, Syrian Army destroy jihadist rebel tunnel in Zabadani
By Leith Fadel -
18/09/2016 2

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (11:00 A.M.) - Hezbollah, backed by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), unearthed a massive tunnel inside the key town of Al-Zabadani in the western countryside of Damascus on Saturday night, a local military source told Al-Masdar this afternoon.

The large tunnel belonged to Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (formerly Jabhat Al-Nusra); it was used to resupply the besieged militants fighting the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Hezbollah.

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition, explosives, rockets, and mortar shells were uncovered, resulting in the confiscation of these supplies by the Syrian Arab Army and Hezbollah on Saturday night.

Zabadani is filled with large tunnels that were built by the jihadist rebels to launch attacks against the Syrian government forces and their allies.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...nnel-zabadani/

Jihadist rebels mobilize for new Aleppo offensive
By Leith Fadel -
19/09/2016 0

ALEPPO, SYRIA (4:35 P.M.) - The jihadist rebels of Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) are reportedly mobilizing for a new offensive in the southern part of Aleppo city after losing almost all the territory they captured from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in early August.

With the nationwide ceasefire quickly collapsing, the jihadist rebels have taken it upon themselves to regroup and reinforce several fronts in the Aleppo Governorate, including the Khan Touman area.

Jaysh Al-Fateh will have a much harder time trying to capture the Al-Ramouseh District and nearby Artillery College this time around, thanks in large part to the significant presence of Syrian Arab Army personnel in this area.

On Sunday, the Syrian Arab Army's "Tiger Forces" launched their first assault in southern Aleppo after several days of inactivity due to the nationwide ceasefire.

Clashes are still ongoing in the 1070 Al-Hamdaniyah Housing Project, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attempts to seize the entire district from the Jaysh Al-Fateh militants.

[bestellen]

Were the Syrian intelligence services, army, police and government totally unaware of the building of the tunnels when they first started being built? I am guessing they already had some built and perhaps even networks of them before the hostilities took off in March 2011? Looking back with 20/20 hindsight were there clues and strange things being ignored or passed off as regular construction work? I mean were people calling the police about strange sightings and dirt mounds or dirt being trucked off (and to where)? Were there people calling about strange noises seeming to come from underneath or the basements of buildings or below the streets?

[troung]

Both sides like to tunnel, both to move stuff and to blowup enemy positions.

Syrian Army makes huge advance in Deir Ezzor after carrying out special operation
By Leith Fadel -
19/09/2016 5
Syrian soldiers from the Al-Qassem group in the Al-Sina'a District
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...ial-operation/
DEIR EZZOR, SYRIA (6:45 P.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army's elite "Qassem Units," under the direction of field commander General Ghassan Taraf, carried out a special operation inside the provincial capital of Deir Ezzor on Monday, targeting the Islamic State's only positions at the Industrial District (Hayy Al-Sina'a).

The Qassem Units began the operation by detonating 3 tunnel bombs under the Islamic State's positions in Al-Sina'a, destroying several of the terrorist group's trenches and equipment.

Following the tunnel bombings, the Qassem Units stormed the Islamic State's defenses, capturing a large chunk of territory between Al-Sina'a and Saqr Island (Hawija Al-Saqr) after a fierce battle.

According to a military source from the Qassem Units, their soldiers managed to capture the Islamic State's main industrial structures, measuring at a depth of 85 meters and 75 meters.

The Islamic State terrorists were forced to withdraw across the Euphrates after the Qassem Units overran their positions on Monday afternoon.

Tens of Islamic State terrorists were killed as a result of this special operation in Deir Ezzor, including several foreigners from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, and Uzbekistan.

Syria conflict: Aid convoy hit by 'air strike' near Aleppo

43 minutes ago
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37413411

A convoy of aid trucks has been hit by an air strike near the Syrian city of Aleppo, reports say, hours after the military declared the current cessation of violence was over.

One unconfirmed report said 12 people were killed in the attack near the town of Urm al-Kubra.

A UN spokesman said at least 18 of 31 trucks had been hit but could not confirm it was by an air strike.

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said it was an "outrage".

"The convoy was the outcome of a long process of permission and preparations to assist isolated civilians," he said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

The Syrian Red Crescent said the convoy had been making a routine delivery from Aleppo to rural rebel-held areas. Images posted online showed lorries and trailers engulfed by flames.

Activist group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said 12 people - aid workers and truck drivers - had died in a strike by Syrian or Russian warplanes. The Syrian government has not commented.

A witness told Reuters by phone that about five missile strikes had hit the lorries, which were parked at a centre belonging to the Syrian Red Crescent in Urm al-Kubra.

Mr de Mistura's humanitarian adviser, Jan Egeland, said the convoy had been "bombarded" while offloading at warehouses. About 78,000 people are in need of aid around Urm al-Kubra.

Ingy Sedky, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, described the situation at the scene as "very chaotic".

"We are deeply shocked that humanitarian workers and missions have yet again suffered from the brutality of this conflict," she told AFP.

Syrian Army foils massive jihadist attack in southern Aleppo
By Leith Fadel -
19/09/2016 2

ALEPPO, SYRIA (12:45 A.M.) - The jihadist rebels of "Jaysh Al-Fateh" (Army of Conquest) launched a massive assault at the southern districts of Aleppo on Monday, targeting the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) controlled parts of Al-Ramouseh and the 1070 Al-Hamdaniyah Housing Project.

Jaysh Al-Fateh began their assault just before the nationwide ceasefire expired, hitting Syrian Arab Army positions at the 1070 Housing Project with a significant number of mortar shells and rockets.

The jihadist group would follow up this bombardment by storming several sites in southern Aleppo; this resulted in a series of intense clashes that lasted for most of the day on Monday.

In addition to the attacks on the 1070 and Al-Rashiddeen districts, the jihadist rebels also targeted the Aqrab-Rashidden axis, where they attempted to breach the Syrian Arab Army's defenses.

However, despite their best efforts, Jaysh Al-Fateh was unable to capture any significant points from the Syrian Arab Army; instead, they suffered heavy casualties as a result of their human wave attacks.

[troung]

Jihadist Ties to Turkish-Backed Free Syrian Army Rebels Raises Questions
September 19, 2016 12:15 PM

Dorian Jones

FILE - A Free Syrian Army tank fires in Ramousah area, southwest of Aleppo, Syria, Aug. 2, 2016.

FILE - A Free Syrian Army tank fires in Ramousah area, southwest of Aleppo, Syria, Aug. 2, 2016.
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ISTANBUL —

In Turkey, questions are being raised about the makeup of the Free Syrian Army rebels fighting with Turkish forces in Syria. Opposition deputies accuse the forces of being composed of jihadists, which threatens to have wider regional consequences.

A recently published video shows U.S. Special Forces being forced out of a Syrian town captured by the Free Syrian Army not long ago, to the chants of “Death to America” and “No to U.S. imperialism.”

The FSA forces are part of the Turkish-backed intervention into Syria, aimed at removing Islamic State.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking Monday before leaving for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, downplayed the incident. Erdogan said it was rebel anger toward Washington over what he called its "failed Syria policy." Opposition parties in Turkey say it is further evidence of the Ankara-backed forces' links to radical Jihadist groups.

Ankara has dismissed such concerns, saying all the groups it is backing belong to the moderate opposition.

Well-founded concerns

Political columnist Kadri Gursel of Turkey’s Cumhuriyet newspaper says such concerns are well-founded, even though the groups involved are linked to the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.

”These are eight to 10 groups equipped, armed and trained by Qatari and Saudi money organized by Turkey and also helped by the CIA. I do not subscribe to this moderate presentation; they are jihadists, all of them are jihadists and jihadists do cannibalize each other. And we can see former ISIS militants turn to moderate Islamists overnight.”

Ankara has been reluctant to give detailed information on the makeup of the FSA elements it is supporting in Syria. Critics point out that understanding the rebel forces is complicated by the tendency of fighters to rename their organizations or simply join another group.

With FSA forces securing increasing territory, most notably the border town of Jarablus, how they behave will be a key test, says Turkish columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor website.
Jarablus, Syria

Jarablus, Syria

“They now have Jarablus under their control, and Turkey says that it will not be Turkey running the place, but the people themselves, and their army, the Free Syrian Army. Now how they behave there, and what kind of restrictions or liberties or freedoms they allow, this will also determine also how the West and Russia look on some of Turkey’s allies,” said Idiz.

Analysts say Moscow and Tehran have given tacit approval of Turkey’s military incursion into Syria, offering only mild criticism.

That could change with Erdogan announcing Turkish-backed rebel forces may expand their operation to control as much as 5,000 square kilometers of Syria.

Such an expansion would take Turkish armed forces and the Free Syrian Army elements it is supporting close to the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed forces.

Former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served extensively in the region, warns a deepening Turkish military role carries serious risks for Ankara.

“In the worst case scenario, this military operation inside Syria can spiral out of control. There can be all sides in military conflict around this small area, al- Bab Manbij,” said Selcen.

Analysts warn Ankara may then find it more difficult to control the Free Syrian Armed forces.

http://www.voanews.com/a/jihadists-f...y/3515339.html

America's errors are aiding former Al Qaeda group

Hassan Hassan

September 18, 2016 Updated: September 18, 2016 05:52 PM

Related

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One-page article

A week ago, the United States was on track to launch a campaign against Jabhat Fateh Al Sham, formerly Jabhat Al Nusra, in collaboration with Russia. But the deal has so far led to further division between the two countries and deeper solidarity with JFS from a diverse range of Syrian rebel forces and individuals.

Diplomatic tension between Washington and Moscow escalated on the weekend due to Russia’s failure to help aid convoys enter Aleppo. The US gave Russia until Monday to ensure the delivery of aid. Tension peaked after the US-led anti-ISIL coalition killed "by mistake" dozens of Syrian military forces in Deir Ezzor on Saturday.

Meanwhile, JFS – the focus of the latest US effort in Syria – appears to be gaining in some quarters. On the day that the US-Russian diplomatic spat reached a high point, the group’s leader, Abu Muhammad Al Jolani, appeared on Al Jazeera to talk about the international plan to fight his group.

For the first time since its rebranding on July 28, JFS’s tone and conduct seem to be changing amid a noticeable increase in solidarity among various forces in Syria, even as many doubt the group’s true disengagement from Al Qaeda.

Al Jolani highlighted issues to which many in rebel-held areas relate and which jihadist groups often neglect. One was the lack of education for thousands of children in rebel areas, which he said would cause those children to engage in crimes as they grow up. He also suggested an armed struggle would continue "until the toppling of the regime".

Another interesting aspect of his remarks was his favourable tone towards the regional order. He referred to the resistance in Syria as a cornerstone for Arab Sunnis’ opposition to Iranian hegemony in the region, referring to certain countries by their official name, in contrast to the pejorative way his former "emir", Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri, refers to them.

Recent messaging by JFS echoes that tone. The group released a letter of gratitude to rebel organisations that opposed the US-Russian plan to target it. The statement contradicted a fatwa issued only days before by Abu Muhammad Al Maqdisi, a notorious Al Qaeda ideologue who said rebels who co-operated with Turkey against ISIL in northern Syria were apostates. The way the statement was worded specifically targeted the takfiri attitude within Syria.

Whether JFS has truly split from Al Qaeda is still in question, but many in Syria now view it differently. More importantly, the American plan to target the group is pushing more people to support it, since the US-Russian deal is seen as aiding the regime of Bashar Al Assad.

Even as Washington doubts the group’s disengagement from Al Qaeda – as do many, including this author – the US cannot pretend that nothing has happened since July 28, when the group recast itself as a Syrian group committed to a Syrian cause. In this sense, JFS outplayed the US by its rebranding, and the change in perception requires a new way of dealing with it, regardless of whether American officials believe the group has truly changed its ideology and allegiance.

For many ordinary Syrians, fairly or not, the US targets JFS not because of its ideology but because it is emerging as a powerful rebel force in Syria. The group, they say, has demonstrated time and again that it is committed to the fight against the regime and not to the forceful implementation of sharia, as ISIL did. It then announced publicly, through its leader in May last year, that the group was forbidden by Al Qaeda to use Syria to launch attacks in the West. Finally, it abandoned the name of Al Qaeda in its public discourse.

On top of these concessions, America’s alliance with Russia to target JFS has given the impression that the US is simply not interested. Increased military interdependency between the rebels and JFS, especially in critical areas such as Aleppo and Idlib, means US action against JFS now will be viewed more than ever before as help to the regime – especially as it happens in cahoots with the regime’s backers.

Washington is undoubtedly making a policy mistake in the way it seeks to fight JFS. But it is also sending the wrong messages. On Saturday, for example, it apologised and offered compensation to the regime for the wrongful targeting of regime soldiers in Deir Ezzor. While Russia clearly did not make good on its promises in accordance with the deal, the US still desperately clings to the agreement without showing the ability to ensure compliance.

Even if the deal holds, the war against JFS has serious limitations. Air strikes are unlikely to weaken the group without the use of ground forces. The key to the plan’s success was the prospect of the Syrian rebels co-operating with the US to weaken JFS, or at least strengthen the moderate forces at its expense.

But the way the US has conducted itself since the deal was agreed a week ago is not promising. On the contrary, JFS seems poised to gain from the botched agreement.

Hassan Hassan is a resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy and co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/co...eda-group#full
On Twitter: @hxhassan

[troung]

AMN Al Masdar News المصدر نيوز
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Zero hour approaches northern Hama as the Syrian Army readies for massive offensive
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Home Syria
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Zero hour approaches northern Hama as the Syrian Army readies for massive offensive
By Leith Fadel - 20/09/20160


HAMA, SYRIA (2:30 P.M.) - Zero hour has arrived in the northern Hama countryside tonight, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) prepares to launch their long-awaited counter-offensive to recapture all of the territory they lost to the jihadist rebels earlier this month.

Led by their Tiger Forces (Special Forces), the Syrian Arab Army is expected to attack Jund Al-Aqsa's (Syrian Al-Qaeda franchise) defenses at several axes around the northern Hama countryside, while the Syrian Air Force pounds the jihadist supply lines from the Idlib Governorate.

The Syrian Air Force has already begun to pound the jihadist defenses at the villages of Taybat Al-Imam, Souran, Kawkab, Al-Lataminah, Kafr Zita, and Halfaya; these airstrikes have causes significant damage to Jund Al-Aqsa's fortifications.


Fighting alongside the Tiger Forces during this large-scale offensive will be the following units:

47th Regiment of the 11th Tank Division
555th Regiment of the 4th Mechanized Division
Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) - Mhardeh and Suqaylabiyah divisions
National Defense Forces (NDF) - Mhardeh, Suqaylabiyah, Taybat Al-Imam, Hama City, and Masyaf units
Sahabat Group of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence

...

[troung]

Qatar which support JAN is calling us out...

Qatar's emir, a U.S. ally, assails Obama's Syria policy
The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani addresses the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 20, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar
The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani addresses the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 20, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Qatar's emir criticized U.S. President Barack Obama's policy on Syria on Tuesday, highlighting the growing frustration among U.S. allies at what they perceive to be Washington's lackluster action towards the protracted civil war.

Qatar, home to a U.S. base, is a vocal critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and, like the United States, has supported rebels seeking to topple Assad.

Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, criticized Obama's so-called "red line" on Syria.

In August 2013, Obama abruptly canceled plans for U.S. air strikes that he had vowed to order if Assad's forces crossed a "red line" and used chemical weapons. Nine days earlier, a Sarin gas attack killed as many as 1,400 Syrians.

"Red lines were set for the regime who has violated them, yet those who demarcated those lines have not felt provoked to raise a finger," Tamim said according to an English transcript of his prepared remarks.

"The red line continued to be shifted until the regime became aware of the fact that there is no ceiling for what it could perpetrate without accountability," Tamim said.

Obama's Syria policy has been predicated on the goal of avoiding deeper military entanglements in the chaotic Middle East. Critics accuse Obama of being hesitant and risk averse. Obama's limited intervention has focused on fighting Islamic State militants who control a swath of Syria and Iraq and which has inspired attacks in the United States.

(Reporting by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Howard Goller and Grant McCool)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...-idUSKCN11Q2RX

Jaysh Al-Fateh’s defenses crumble as the Syrian Army swiftly advances in southern Aleppo
By Leith Fadel -
21/09/2016 0

ALEPPO, SYRIA (4:30 A.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), backed by Hezbollah and Liwaa Al-Quds (Palestinian paramilitary), launched a large-scale offensive in southern Aleppo tonight, targeting the 1070 Al-Hamdaniyah Housing Project, Souq Al-Jabas (Aqrab), and Hikmah Hill.

Led by the 4th Mechanized Division and Republican Guard, the Syrian Arab Army and their allies managed to capture most of Hikmah Hill and Souq Al-Jabas after a fierce battle with Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) tonight.

According to an Al-Masdar correspondent that is embedded with the Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army and their allies are on the verge of establishing full control over Hikmah School and Souq Al-Jabal, which means the jihadist rebels will be forced to retreat from the 1070 Housing Project.

In addition to their gains at Hikmah Hill and Souq Al-Jabas, the Syrian Armed Forces and their allies are applying pressure on the jihadist defenses at the 1070 Housing project; this has paved the way for their comrades to advance elsewhere.

Hezbollah, backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary) launched a new attack on the Khan Touman axis of southern Aleppo tonight, striking Jaysh Al-Fateh's positions near the key village of Qarassi - firefights are still ongoing.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...uthern-aleppo/

[tantalus]

I'am confused on the aid strike by the Russians regarding motive. Seems to be very bad PR. Can we assume its targeting was an error?

[astralis]

emphasis mine. sometimes i think we should just give the Kurds whatever it is they want and just turn a blind eye afterwards. at least the Kurds know the meaning of gratitude.

did i call this or what.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/22/wo...commandos.html

Obama Administration Considers Arming Syrian Kurds Against ISIS

SEPT. 21, 2016

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is weighing a military plan to directly arm Syrian Kurdish fighters combating the Islamic State, a major policy shift that could speed up the offensive against the terrorist group but also sharply escalate tensions between Turkey and the United States.

The plan has been under discussion by the National Security Council staff at a moment when President Obama has directed aides to examine all proposals that could accelerate the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Mr. Obama has told aides that he wants an offensive well underway before he leaves office that is aimed at routing the Islamic State from Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital in northern Syria.

Deciding whether to arm the Syrian Kurds is a difficult decision for Mr. Obama, who is caught in the middle trying to balance the territorial and political ambitions of Turkey and the Syrian Kurds, two warring American allies that Washington needs to combat the Islamic insurgency.

Directly providing weapons for the first time to the Syrian Kurds, whom American commanders view as their most effective ground partner against the Islamic State, would help build momentum for the assault on Raqqa. But arming them would also aggravate Mr. Obama’s already tense relations with Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The United States and Turkey sharply disagree over Syria’s Kurdish militias, which Turkey sees as its main enemy in Syria.

The plan has filtered up through the Pentagon’s Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East. It calls for providing the Syrian Kurds with small arms and ammunition, and some other supplies, for specific missions, but no heavy weapons such as antitank or antiaircraft weapons.

American officials note that the proposal has not yet been presented at the administration’s highest levels for decision. White House officials declined to comment on it.

The review of the military plan comes as American commanders fear that their timetable to take Raqqa was set back after Turkey recently plunged into Syria with ground forces for the first time. The Turkish offensive cut off a crucial Islamic State supply route but also rolled back the territorial gains of Kurdish militias, who despite help on the ground from American Special Operations advisers have criticized the United States for allying with Turkey.

American commanders view the plan to arm the Syrian Kurds, whose population straddles the border with Turkey, as an incentive to keep them on board for the fight against the Islamic State. Asked if the recent volatile military and political situation around the Syrian-Turkish border had slowed the pace for taking Raqqa, Gen. Joseph L. Votel, the head of Central Command, said last week that it might have.

“We don’t necessarily control the timeline ourselves,” General Votel told a security conference here sponsored by the Institute for the Study of War.

Associates of General Votel say he has expressed much greater concern in private over maintaining momentum in the fight against the Islamic State, especially if the Syrian Kurds and Turkey continue to clash with each other.

In the past two years the Pentagon has provided small arms, ammunition and other supplies to a group acceptable to Turkey — the Syrian Arabs, a minority in the Kurdish-dominated umbrella group that is fighting the Islamic State. About 350 resupply deliveries have been made by air or by land to the Syrian Arab militias, according to the American military command in Iraq.

But out of deference to Turkey, the United States has not directly armed the Kurdish fighters themselves.

Many analysts say the Pentagon’s support to the Syrian Arabs is basically cover for aid to the Syrian Kurds, who call the shots in the wider alliance, coordinate airstrikes with the United States, and are considered the most capable fighters. But arming the Kurds directly, even for just specific missions, would still be a significant shift practically and symbolically.

“If this happened, the fig leaf would disappear and it would be a very serious, contentious issue between the two countries,” said Soner Cagaptay, a specialist on Turkey at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Five senior American officials who have been briefed on the proposal discussed it on the condition that they not be identified because the plan is still under review. They all said that any direct aid to the Kurds would be one piece of a larger strategy to defeat the Islamic State in Syria.

One practical goal of the plan is to equip the Syrian Kurds after their spearheading of several fiercely fought battles against the Islamic State in the past several months, starting near Syria’s border with Iraq to, most recently, the strategically important city of Manbij, where the terrorist group had established processing centers for hundreds of newly arrived recruits. The city was also a final way-stop for more seasoned fighters heading back to Europe through Turkey.

The Kurds have also recently lost one regular source of arms — the Syrian government — as a result of the political rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, and clashes between Kurds and Syrian Army troops.

Politically, the aid would also seek to assuage the hard feelings the Syrian Kurds have felt toward their American allies since the Turkish offensive into Syria, American officials said.

Just last week, American Special Operations forces arrived in northern Syria to work alongside Turkish troops combating the Islamic State, the Pentagon said Friday, emphasizing that the approximately three dozen Americans would serve in an “advise and assist” capacity.

Turkish news outlets reported this month that Mr. Erdogan had suggested that his country was prepared to conduct a joint operation with the United States to defeat the Islamic State in Raqqa. American officials, however, have played down that discussion, and have said the United States is still trying to figure how to assemble enough ground forces to take back Raqqa.

Across the border in Iraq, security forces will be ready to push into Mosul in October, the top American general said Monday.

Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him aboard a United States military aircraft that the final decision on when to retake Mosul rests with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, according to Reuters. The general added that “our job is to actually help the Iraqis generate the forces and the support necessary for operations in Mosul, and we’ll be ready for that in October.”