Syria in 2016 (January-March)

[OUTLAW 09]

DoS SCC here are 15 more "potholes if we count each separate air strike as a single "pothole"......

BREAKING
More than 15 #Russia airstrikes on #Kurds_Mount & #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia cs #Syria MAR 1
pic.twitter.com/36Dd0fLN2A

DoS SCC I would urgently notify your Russian counterparts that Turkey has clearly stated they will not allow the border to be closed by anyone including the Russians...that is unless you really think the Russians want a war with Turkey...then I would not call as it is coming anyway.

Russia wants Syrian border with Turkey closed: Lavrov
http://www.dailystar.com.lb//News/Middle-East/2016/Mar-01/339982-russia-... …


Agence France Presse

GENEVA: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Tuesday for the closure of Syria's border with Turkey to cut off outside supplies to "terrorists," including through humanitarian convoys.

"Of course, neither in ceasefire agreements, nor in the process of political settlement is there a place for terrorists and extremists," Lavrov told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"A very special task is to cut the terrorists' supply from the outside. For this purpose it is important to close the Syrian-Turkish border, since across this border those gangs receive arms, including with humanitarian convoys," Lavrov said, according to an official transcript in English of his remarks.

He insisted that a "landslide defeat of (ISIS) ... al-Nusra and those of their kind is a necessary precondition for securing the rights of long-suffering peoples of Syria" and the rest of the region.

[OUTLAW 09]

For those that did not follow the Ukrainian military thread there is an amazing similarity in the Russian military tactics used in eastern Ukraine after the so called Minsk 2 ceasefire came into effect and now the Russian RuAF tactics during the now Syrian cessation of hostilities.....almost a perfect pattern. In eastern Ukraine it was ground power in Syria air power.


Footage
Nonstop Russian air strikes on Hirbnafsah throughout the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oomnb4EW1iw …

I counted at least 25 so far ... only on video.

Russia uses the #SyriaCeasefire exactly like it did in #Ukraine.
All firepower on 2-3 spots as the other side may not attack anywhere.

This tactic led to the fall of Donetsk airport and Debaltseve and it will lead to the fall of Hirbnafsah and villages in Latakia province.

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the UN knows the cessation of hostilities are not really working......but the Russian Coordination Center and the US DoS Syrian Coordination Center......states..."the CoH is largely holding".......

DeMistura: "Syrian Talks may postpone if 'ceasefire' doesn't progress"

Footage
Many Russian air strikes hit rebel positions,villages @ the #Idlib-#Latakia border
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdyWg7OlZCg …

BreakingFootage
Syrian rebels fire back at the thermal power plant near Hirbnafsah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3BfgvIeQg …

SAA airstrikes targeted direct hit a #Ambulance in Eastern #Ghouta
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 1

BREAKING
#SAA & #RUSSIA shelling targeting #alHambushiyah village
#Idlib cs #Syria - #Turkey borders MAR 1

SAA shelling on #Khan_Sheykhoun now
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 1

Dozens of air strikes and intense shelling on Har Banafsa in rural Hama during continued attempts to invade town.

RUSSIA carried out more than 10 airstrikes targeting #alKibane village in #Kurds_Mount
#Latakia cs #Syria MAR 1 

[OUTLAW 09]

The speed of the social media open source analysis even surprises me......

The attack was geo located 7km south of the Turkish border.....

Analysis #Map
Exact location of the Kinsabba attack on journalists, 7 km south of #Turkey.
#Syria #FalseFlag
pic.twitter.com/iB00gl97aV

Social media is calling the attack a false flag attack as the Russians were attempting to allude to either JaN and or Turkey....

BTW often used by Russian military in eastern Ukraine to blame the UAF.....

More on the Russian false flag attack trying to blame Turkey.......

The #Russian Army moved journalists to a village in #Latakia.
The THIS happens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwznXGiZaBE …

No sound of incoming fire before the explosion.
Just a show to frighten journalists and make propaganda vs. #Turkey

Reference this Russian journalist..so called international reporter with the group.....

Interesting!
Within 2 hrs,the same Russian media guy reports "live" from #Khanaser & comes under fire in #Latakia..

Immediately after the explosion he used twitter with the following tweet........
Let everyone knows....Turkey hit us on the border...hit all media team......

He conveniently forgot to say he was 7kms south of the border and nowhere even close to the Turkish border.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Watch this video of Assad regime humiliating prisoners now tell me is this a government?
http://eldorar.com/node/95220

Someone with a conscience: A Senior official in Syrian "PKK" defected after being shocked by human rights abuses
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1603

News
Syrian rebels uses the calm near the Turkish border to resume attacks on #ISIS in #QarahKubri & #Doudyan.
pic.twitter.com/H017efWxyf

Dozens of air strikes and intense shelling on Har Banafsa in rural Hama during continued attempts to invade town.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat......this is an interesting French article on the use by the Russians of the reserved Swiss frequencies by their newest recon spy plane that is in Syrian......


RTSinfo ✔ @RTSinfo

Un avion espion russe actif en Syrie utilise un code arien rserv aux vols Swiss
http://ow.ly/YW4NH
pic.twitter.com/ryYGmev89A

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat...how do you like this UN Syrian Special envoy comment today


"The moment we have, God willing, a real cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, and implementation of these three points – new governance, constitution and elections - I can bet that many of them not only will not leave but will return, especially if we have a massive 'Marshall Plan' to rebuild Syria," de Mistura said.

Any idea what planet he is on?????

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-israel-idUSKCN0W356M

Tue Mar 1, 2016 11:52am EST

Israel says Syrian government used chemical weapons during truce

JERUSALEM


Israel said on Tuesday that Syrian government forces have used chemical weapons against civilians since the start of a ceasefire aimed at preparing the way for an end to the five-year civil war.

The truce, sponsored by Russia and the United States, began on Saturday and has been dogged by opposition charges of non-compliance by Damascus - something President Bashar al-Assad has denied. It does not apply to missions against jihadist rebels.

"The Syrians used military grade chemical weapons and lately have been using materials, chlorine, against civilians, including in these very days, after the supposed ceasefire, dropping barrels of chlorine on civilians," Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said in a speech to a conference organized by the New Tech military and aviation group in Airport City, near Tel Aviv. He did not provide further details.

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the UN knows the cessation of hostilities are not really working......but the Russian Coordination Center and the US DoS Syrian Coordination Center......states..."the CoH is largely holding".......

DeMistura: "Syrian Talks may postpone if 'ceasefire' doesn't progress"

Footage
Many Russian air strikes hit rebel positions,villages @ the #Idlib-#Latakia border
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdyWg7OlZCg …

BreakingFootage
Syrian rebels fire back at the thermal power plant near Hirbnafsah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3BfgvIeQg …

SAA airstrikes targeted direct hit a #Ambulance in Eastern #Ghouta
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 1

BREAKING
#SAA & #RUSSIA shelling targeting #alHambushiyah village
#Idlib cs #Syria - #Turkey borders MAR 1

SAA shelling on #Khan_Sheykhoun now
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 1

Dozens of air strikes and intense shelling on Har Banafsa in rural Hama during continued attempts to invade town.

RUSSIA carried out more than 10 airstrikes targeting #alKibane village in #Kurds_Mount
#Latakia cs #Syria MAR 1 


MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: Ceasefire regime in #Syria is becoming more stable regardless of few violations
http://sptnkne.ws/aJQ8

[OUTLAW 09]

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: Ceasefire regime in #Syria is becoming more stable regardless of few violations
http://sptnkne.ws/aJQ8

"There are some violations, but neither our UN colleagues, nor our other partners are inclined to dramatize them," Lavrov added.

[OUTLAW 09]

"There are some violations, but neither our UN colleagues, nor our other partners are inclined to dramatize them," Lavrov added.


"There are some violations, but neither our UN colleagues, nor our other partners are inclined to dramatize them," Lavrov added.

The Points that Russians and regime broke ceasefire
27 Feb between 01 March
http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/valkryv-the-points-that-russians-broke-ceasefire-2_73402#7/34.620/39.056 …

Airstrikes close to Al-Yamamah #refugee camp in #Latakia mountains at #Turkey border

Homs: Syrian Rebels repel Assad regime attack in Houla
http://fb.me/4gk2aqdXX

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat..just how accurate is this Daily Beast article on Ahrar al Ssham.....

In the Syrian Ceasefire Shell Game, the Good Guys May Be Bad Guys
http://thebea.st/1QoGDIA via @thedailybeast

From what I understand al Sham had in fact stated that they will not sign on to the HNC list of groups that support the truce BUT will not attack unless attacked then the Russian put an air strike on their HQs....and had not attacked anyone before being hit by the RuAF.......

[OUTLAW 09]

"There are some violations, but neither our UN colleagues, nor our other partners are inclined to dramatize them," Lavrov added.


Another "pothole" on the road to implementation of the CoH.....

Wonder if the DoS SCC recorded this particular "pothole violation"..seriously doubt it as it falls under genocide and war crimes by Assad....not the CoH.....

This is exactly the Assad Syria that Putin and Lavrov does not want you to fully understand and what was the exact reason for the Sunni rebellion starting in 2011...and why it is strange that when Obama and Congress use the word genocide when talking about IS THEY totally forget Assad...currently there are over 200K plus Sunni prisoners in an Assad maze of prisons that the Obama WH does in fact know about but does not want to talk about nor for you to learn about...

Little boy from #Erbeen arrested by #SAA in #Damascus FEB 27
TORTURED to death, his body returned today
#Syria MAR 1
pic.twitter.com/F3HC7mVOaX

Why is it that Kerry and Obama have such an exceptionally hard time using the words genocide and war crimes?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Not less than 4.000 #RUSSIA airstrikes in #Aleppo and it's countryside in the month of February 2016 - HNN

SCD collecting #RUSSIA Cluster Bombs in #Kafr_Hamra, aftermath it's airstrikes
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 1

SAA terrorists helicopters dropped barrel bombs over #Maraand village in #Jisr_alShghour
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 1

RUSSIA Cluster Bombs aftermath bombardment in #alMastouma
2 martyrs including a child
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 1 PT

[OUTLAW 09]

The Assad regime has used "military grade chemical weapons...against civilians" since the "ceasefire" began.
http://reut.rs/1oMui9T

The possibilities of lexicography have been extended yet further by #Syria: We have a 'ceasefire' that remains intact even after gas attacks

BUT WAIT how can Assad have military grade chemical weapons WHEN Russia verified to the US they had all been destroyed?????

Defected Syrian General:
"I Was Ordered To Use Chemical Weapons"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB_43l9Hb6c&feature=youtu.be …

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports of #Jordan-ian special forces doing an op near nrthrn twn of #Irbid, presumably against Salafis. Some claim #ISIS.

Latakia = integral part of the strategically viable Alawite safe zone #Putin wants to create before peace in #Syria https://twitter.com/ArtWendeley/status/703532383207886848 …

Fully equipped #Russia|n army soldier guarding aid distribution center in the occupied #Latakia countryside #Syria
pic.twitter.com/xNif4oamhw

Heavy night clashes at #Rastan frontline in northern #Homs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVCUbDNWtAg …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34.926545&lon=36.736221&z=14&m=b …

As expected #Russia doesn't accept truce in #Latakia.
https://twitter.com/thearabsource/status/704737854832807937 …


The Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade (commandos) of the Republican Guard are nearing the end of their Latakia operations after they seized the remaining 18 percent of the province that was under the control of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jabhat Al-Nusra (Syrian Al-Qaeda group). However, one final battle remains before the Syrian Armed Forces can seize the Latakia Governorate’s border with Idlib and enter the strategic Jisr Al-Shughour District after a 10 month hiatus. While it is not as important as the rebel strongholds of Kinsibba, Salma, or Rabi’iyah, the mountaintop village of Kabani is the final obstacle for the Syrian Armed Forces in the Kurdish Mountains (Jabal Al-Akrad) of northeastern Latakia. Once Kabani is captured, the Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade and their allies will be able to push their way downhill towards the villages surrounding Jisr Al-Shughur’s southwestern countryside. On Tuesday afternoon, the Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade – backed by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), the 48th Special Forces Regiment, Liwaa Suqour Al-Sahra (Desert Hawks Brigade), and the Syrian Marines – have launched a preliminary assault from two different flanks, hitting the Kabani countryside from the villages of ‘Ikko and Barisha. The Syrian Armed Forces are expected to intensify the assault on Kabani this coming weekend, as they look seize the Idlib once and for all.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia, Syria using migrant crisis as 'weapon': NATO commander
http://f24.my/1RjSojp

News
2 killed, 8 injured (all civilians) in cluster-bombing of Al-Mastumah (#Idlib prov.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0pZzaZ2Yg8 …

CEASEFIRE IN SYRIA TURNS PUTIN'S EYE ON UKRAINE ONCE AGAIN
http://europe.newsweek.com/ceasefire-syria-turns-putins-eye-ukraine-once-again-431465?rm=eu …

[OUTLAW 09]

"Nearly 850 militants in Syria lay down arms after talks — Russian Defense Ministry"
http://tass.ru/en/politics/859945 …


MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. Nearly 850 militants in Syria have agreed to give up armed struggle as a result of negotiations, the Russian center for the reconciliation of rival factions in Syria has said on the ministry’s website.

Russian representatives have mediated a meeting between the authorities of the Daraa province with the residents of six communities with more than one thousand people taking part. After the meeting 842 members of the armed groups Jaish al-Islam, Free Syrian Army and the Yarmuk Brigade put their signatures to a statement they were giving up armed struggle and returning to peaceful life," the statement runs.

The meeting took place despite attempts by radical groups to disrupt it. On the way to the meeting place several local residents were beaten up by militants. Former Syrian army colonel Zaidan Alnserat, one of the initiators of the meeting, was taken hostage


The Russians are really smoking something these days but their altered state of reality is something to read.

[OUTLAW 09]

40 Martyrs
[7 Fighters 3Tortured 2 Children 1woman]
10 Homs
7 Hama
8 Idlib
3 Damascus
3 Latakia
3 DeirEzzor
3 Aleppo
3 Daraa
#Syria MAR 1st

UN Refugee Agency ‏@Refugees
Yesterday 51 trucks reached besieged Moadamiyeh, #Syria where residents are living w/o water, electricity + medicine

Remembering the school children in #Daraa who ignited the Syrian Revolution in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrwKIm0mkY&feature=youtu.be …

Reports that #isis blew up #SAA tunnel in #alMouazafin neighborhood
#DeirEzzor #Syria Mar 2

Russia Cluster Bombs airstrikes targeting villages in #Turkmen_mount
#Latakia cs #Syria MAR 2

BREAKING
Multiple explosions reported in #DeirEzzor
#Syria MAR 2

[OUTLAW 09]

AND the Russians blamed JaN naturally BUT WAIT even the German journalist accepts they are there when they are nowhere in the area of the shellings.....

Dirk Emmerich ✔ @DEmmerich
70 km n #Latakia, Grenze #Trkei. Wir geraten unter Beschuss. Syrische Armee macht #alnusra verantwortlich, die #Waffenruhe nicht mittrgt

Interesting!
Within 2 hrs,the same Russian media guy reports "live" from #Khanaser & comes under fire in #Latakia..
pic.twitter.com/10NPelnCrg

Syria: #Russia'n army "rescue" #Putin-TV-reporters after explosion
(at border to #Turkey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwznXGiZaBE
pic.twitter.com/RSsIYa2jsD

Note BTR-80 with antennae again. Often seen with civilians/journalists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwznXGiZaBE ,

Another Russian BTR equipped with IED jammers in #Syria,
pic.twitter.com/GAW92xopG1

Here you find a similar incident in Ukraine, Donetsk Airport, where Russians tried to kill BBC-crew with mortar.
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.nl/2015/02/russian-proxies-tried-to-kill-bbc-crew.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express......have the Turks escalated......???

For the first time the Turkish trailing escort ships normally one has been suddenly increased to 4.......

A whole new treatment by Tr CG; surrounded escort. Novocherkassk's northbound transit. Type80+Kaan+Saget+Sea Police

Need to see if this trend continues as it might a Turkish signal to Putin they are about to slow down his Syrian sea resupply as they can demand a longer notification period for military ships passing through and they can demand ship safety inspections as the Treaty foresees this right is the Turks feel "threatened"....

[OUTLAW 09]

Exact same Russian eastern Ukraine tactics...heavy shelling, ground attacks and THEN accusing the UAF that they are violating the Minsk 2 agreements....

NOW even Assad is following the Russian pattern.......

Syria's Assad: We've shown restraint after partial truce, but "everything has a limit"
http://cnn.it/1RlMsXg
pic.twitter.com/cwC1KPbyTU

[CrowBat]

CrowBat..just how accurate is this Daily Beast article on Ahrar al Ssham.....

In the Syrian Ceasefire Shell Game, the Good Guys May Be Bad Guys
http://thebea.st/1QoGDIA via @thedailybeast
For a change, it's a very good report by TDB. Got nothing to add to it.


From what I understand al Sham had in fact stated that they will not sign on to the HNC list of groups that support the truce BUT will not attack unless attacked then the Russian put an air strike on their HQs....and had not attacked anyone before being hit by the RuAF.......That's right: the AAS didn't sign the cease-fire but said it would respect it if the other side would do so.

That said, cannot but observe here that those curious about monitoring this war - and especially those having a problem to understand what is going wrong there - should... not: they MUST - read the book .

Yup, it's about Afghanistan, not Syria, but everything is explained there, including such aspects like:
- Russian campaigns of de-populating large parts of the country (including extensive aerial strikes aiming to exterminate locals), resulting in millions of refugees, raise of extremism etc.;

- complete chaos between insurgents when their supporters are insisting on locals making political and religious statements before the war is over, and - especially - when these foreign supporters are insisting on supporting own favourites on basis of predilections and political/religious affiliations, instead of battlefield merits;

- and so many, many other things...

That with picking allies by their political/religious statements didn't work in Afghanistan of the 1980s (on the contrary: it resulted in the chaos of 1989-1995), so no surprise it's not working in Syria now.

For me, it's rather surprising that all the 'experts' running such ops - whether in the USA, EU, or anywhere around the middle east - are so insistent on ignoring this problem.

[CrowBat]

"Nearly 850 militants in Syria lay down arms after talks — Russian Defense Ministry"
http://tass.ru/en/politics/859945 …

The Russians are really smoking something these days but their altered state of reality is something to read.
Best of all is that all the photos and videos of 'militants' in question show civilians aged 45+...

[OUTLAW 09]

SCD found Russian Smerch remnants of #RUSSIA Rockets at #Bedama in #Jisr_alShghour
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjPKgmOUJUc …

Civilians burned to death inside their home, victims of #SAA shelling on #alRastan #Homs #Syria MAR 1

News
Fighting between #Assad & rebels continues ard. #Hirbnafsah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1KhJ1O9znU …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j90rzosVqdM …

Footage
Fighting continues around Kurdish #ShaikhMaqsoud.
#YPG advances against rebels.

YPG advances in northern #Aleppo city
No #Russian planes in action so far from what I see.
Southern Hama / northern Homs front quiet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6oT4uO6XKI …

Update
#Assad missile & air strikes on the #Latakia / #Idlib border near Jisr al-Shughur
Artillery attacks fr #KhanTuman in #Aleppo

Syria govt supported by #Russia strikes trying 2capture Kabani hill in Latakia;overlooks rebel towns Jisr al Shughur,Ghab plain

Footage of the aerial support for #Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_uZ5DngQas …

32 civilians were killed by #Putin's and #Assad's armies on the 4th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.
- LCC

DAY THREE truce footage.......
Footage
#Assad attacks in northern #Hama province.
Title says it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXbAWzXPjLw …

[OUTLAW 09]

Here you find a similar incident in Ukraine, Donetsk Airport, where Russians tried to kill BBC-crew with mortar.
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.nl/2015/02/russian-proxies-tried-to-kill-bbc-crew.html

both Assad propaganda and Russian propaganda drumbeated the shelling having come from the Turkish side of the border......BUT the photo that both used was a photo on social media of the Assad artillery shelling a FSA position.....

News
#Assad's news agency keeps blaming #Turkey for yesterday's explosions near journalists in #Latakia province.

Of course with a picture of ITS OWN shelling of Kinsabba ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-#Assad forces continue offensive operations in northern #Latakia province, backed by artillery and helicopters.

YPG spokesperson about casualties in recent #TellAbiad battle:
43 #YPG
291 #ISIS
23 #civilians
Blames Turkey of course.

Report
The #YPG captured a hill north of #SheikhMaqsoud and now fires on civilians,using the only road to #Aleppo.

Qasioun reports the same now.
Rebels resume attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud after #YPG effectively cut off Aleppo city.
http://qasioun.net/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B5%D8%AF-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%84%D 9%88/9596/ …

Source is Haleb Today TV, which also says, rebel forces resume fighting after the capture and attacks.
Mortars and heavy MG being used.

[OUTLAW 09]

Fascinating natural cloud formations across the Latakia mountains yday as "the ceasefire was mostly holding"

And 10 more of these phenomena yesterday afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09FYTYlRDEg …

32 civilians were killed by #Putin's and #Assad's armies on the 4th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.
- LCC

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-#Assad forces continue offensive operations in northern #Latakia province, backed by artillery and helicopters.

YPG spokesperson about casualties in recent #TellAbiad battle:
43 #YPG
291 #ISIS
23 #civilians
Blames Turkey of course.

Report
The #YPG captured a hill north of #SheikhMaqsoud and now fires on civilians,using the only road to #Aleppo.

Qasioun reports the same now.
Rebels resume attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud after #YPG effectively cut off Aleppo city.
http://qasioun.net/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B5%D8%AF-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%84%D 9%88/9596/ …

Source is Haleb Today TV, which also says, rebel forces resume fighting after the capture and attacks.
Mortars and heavy MG being used.

So #YPG also ignores the ceasefire, taking more strategic soil in northern #Aleppo city! ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Fascinating natural cloud formations across the Latakia mountains yday as "the ceasefire was mostly holding"

And 10 more of these phenomena yesterday afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09FYTYlRDEg …

32 civilians were killed by #Putin's and #Assad's armies on the 4th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.
- LCC

This is just a #Russian mushroom in #Syria.
Because the #SyriaCeasefire is "mostly holding"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbPoo54Pq9Y …

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad forces at the Jorin military camp targeting Bidama & its surroundings in #Idlib today with artillery & rockets

Another day of the Russian cessation of hostilities and yet more lies.....they simply are "forgetting a number of their own air strikes it appears........

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Zakharova:There've been 31 ceasefire violations in #Syria; number of local ceasefire agreements has increased to 38
pic.twitter.com/4t2CXTs7oh

Sure hope they are not using the Kerry DoS violation verification process in determining anything during this CoH........Kerry actually stated that yes even the video of a Russian fighter conducting a bombing run does not answer WHO actually dropped the bomb and on WHOM it landed......?????

[CrowBat]

Here's another 'funny detail' about this war, perhaps a 'mystery' similar to that surrounding 'disappearaince then re-appearance' of Soleimani....

This time our story is starring Assadist 'biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig war hero', multiply-decorated (by Russians too), Colonel Sohail Hassan, commander of the Tiger Force.

Photos showing him the last few months are more than strange, actually. Yes, the appearance is 'very Solhail-like', no doubt. The size, stature, etc. But now there's that - always perfectly - trimmed beard, he's always posing.... and then, his face...

Well, sigh... has he got a comprehensive surgical operation including 500kg of botox there... or a similar amount of fat from his backside...?

... or he's got KIA and this is simply somebody else (pay attention not only at entirely different cheeks, but foremost at eyes and lips)...

[OUTLAW 09]

Noticed NATO did not include the Russian A2Ad bubbles built up in Syria and along the NATO Turkish border........

NATO Summits ✔ @NATOsummits

Russian A2/AD systems not only present in the Kaliningrad Oblast, Crimea & Syria. Pay attention to the High North.
pic.twitter.com/NrtLLtbRdq

[OUTLAW 09]

Hassan Hassan
‏@hxhassan
Iranian foreign ministry condemns the GCC's designation of Hizbillah as a terrorist organisation http://arabic.sputniknews.com/arab_world/20160302/1017702545.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Here's another 'funny detail' about this war, perhaps a 'mystery' similar to that surrounding 'disappearaince then re-appearance' of Soleimani....

This time our story is starring Assadist 'biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig war hero', multiply-decorated (by Russians too), Colonel Sohail Hassan, commander of the Tiger Force.

Photos showing him the last few months are more than strange, actually. Yes, the appearance is 'very Solhail-like', no doubt. The size, stature, etc. But now there's that - always perfectly - trimmed beard, he's always posing.... and then, his face...

Well, sigh... has he got a comprehensive surgical operation including 500kg of botox there... or a similar amount of fat from his backside...?

... or he's got KIA and this is simply somebody else (pay attention not only at entirely different cheeks, but foremost at eyes and lips)...

CrowBat..our IRGC Commander simply has not a formal talking interview since his injury, he has been photo'd and or videoed at a demo in Tehran but again he was simply walking and not saying anything and then with the Russian solider that actually appeared photoshopped and he was not smiling ...he had a rather bland facial features and a far away stare.

The video of him in Tehran had him walking but with a slight tilt in his body to the right as if the was not able to walk stiff and fully upright as an IRGC Commander usually does......

[OUTLAW 09]

Wow...that highly paid DoS Staff assigned to the Syrian Coordination Center with their 1-800 and worldwide email address...seems to not be present in their call center..... maybe it was outsourced to China.....

Syrian journalists' reporting of ceasefire violations hampered by poor response on special US hotline @SyriaDirect
http://syriadirect.org/news/communication-breakdown-on-the-line-with-the... …

BUT WAIT would have not helped anyway based on the Kerry comment yesterday...."even if there are videos of Russian fighters in the area of the bombings....we still need to know who dropped it and on whom it was dropped".

Based on this reasoning there will be virtually no CoH violations.

Would really like to know just how many Syrians were able to get through on the 1-800 number and how many reached DoS via email...notice DoS has not said a word about the numbers......



Continued.......

Ceasefire violations in the land of Pepsi

On Monday, Syria Direct’s Osama Abu Zeid called the hotline number advertised by the State Department’s Twitter account (1-202-736-7829) to report a series of Russian airstrikes on villages in southern Hama province earlier in the day.

The first State Department employee to answer the phone told Osama, in stilted Arabic, that he had the “wrong number” before disconnecting the line.

Osama redialed the same number, and another employee answered the call.

“Ok sir, I’m a Syrian journalist and I’d like to report a breach of the hudna [ceasefire] involving multiple airstrikes in the countryside south of Hama city—at the area where Hama governorate meets northern Homs province,” Osama said. [For additional reporting on this reported ceasefire violation, the Hama News Agency’s coverage is here.]

During the four-minute phone call, the operator struggled to ask basic questions regarding the incident.

At one point, when attempting to ask Osama if the strikes had resulted in any casualties, the operator instead said what appeared to be an accidental string of expletives.

Osama explained that local residents believed that Russian planes were responsible for the airstrikes based on the “intensity of the strikes” and the “number of planes” participating. Following this detailed explanation, the operator replied: “Russian.”

During the call Osama told the operator the name of the village (Hirbinifsah) four times and spelled it out.

However, when Osama asked whether the operator knew where the village was, he responded: “Yes, Harb Bebsi,” the latter being the word for “Pepsi” in Arabic.
Continued......

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #SDF military leader injured in rural #Hasaka

Clashes bet. rebels & regime continue in Jabal Akrad as regime tries to push into Kabani & Sirmaniya under intense rocket & artillery fire

Remains of what looks like a 9N210/9N235 submunition from an Assad MLRS attack on Mastouma, #Idlib yesterday

Saudis #KSA declare #Lebanon's Shiite #Hezbollah militia to a
"terrorist organisation"

Regime assault try to seperate the #Houla from the #Rastan rebel-area
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHVDH0QcvpY …

The so called SDF forces who we know already is pro Assad also breaks truce & attacks Rebels in Aleppo
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1613

Assad's intelligence arrests a number of Kurdish lawyers in Efrin city
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1614

Pro Assad militias tried to advance towards villages of Hadad & Ķabane in Latakia VIOLATING ceasefire.

Aleppo: large casualties of Iranian militia while trying to advance toward village of Rasm Amisha in the south. Serves them right!

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria'n regime helicopters & #Russia'n fighter jets still very busy to bomb villages in #Latakia mountains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_uZ5DngQas …

The ceasefire in Syria is a joke & 99% of the areas under siege still haven't received any aid as part of the agreement!

The Points that Russians and regime broke ceasefire
27 Feb between 01 March
http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/valkryv-the-points-that-russians-broke-ceasefire-2_73402#7/34.620/39.056 …

Reports of many young men arrested in #Efrin checkpoint and sent to #Nubl, forced to join #SAA there
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 2

Car bomb explosion targeting #FSA #SF at #alAesha Checkpoint
#Quneitra #Syria MAR 2

6 martyrs(3 Kids,1women) victims of #RUSSIA airstrikes on #Aazaz
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 2
They were from Deir Ezzor..

[OUTLAW 09]

both Assad propaganda and Russian propaganda drumbeated the shelling having come from the Turkish side of the border......BUT the photo that both used was a photo on social media of the Assad artillery shelling a FSA position.....

News
#Assad's news agency keeps blaming #Turkey for yesterday's explosions near journalists in #Latakia province.

Of course with a picture of ITS OWN shelling of Kinsabba ...

Turkey, ISIS, Nusra !
Russian propaganda still doesn't get their story on the journalist "shelling" straight! ...
pic.twitter.com/d5OJJCs50q

[CrowBat]

Here another 'must read':
Syrian Journalist Rami Jarrah: ‘The Russians Are The Airforce Of ISIS’ (http://www.mo.be/en/interview/syrian-journalist-rami-jarrah-russians-are-airforce-isis)

Q: Have you seen evidence that the Russians mostly attack the rebels and not ISIS?

Jarrah: Yes. I was on the front lines where rebels attack ISIS daily. They are face to face with the world’s biggest enemy and are being bombed by Russian airplanes. Not one single bomb landed on the ISIS-side of the front line, one kilometer away. On a hill the ISIS-flag was clearly visible.

Q: Basically, Russian airplanes can’t see such obvious targets but they can see the small checkpoints of the rebels?

The Russians attack areas and targets that aren’t legitimized by the Security Council. But the Security Council hasn’t explained this properly and thus the UN has given a sort of silent agreement to the Russian bombings. ISIS has a great interest in the Russian bombings. The Russians are destroying the enemy of ISIS and are almost playing the role of ISIS’s air force.

Q: In your video reports you seemed to be embarrassed when you ask people at a Russian bombing site if ISIS had been there.

Jarrah: Only ten per cent of all the people who I ask such questions are willing to talk to me. The majority just laughs at my face. I try to explain to them that the world needs to know that ISIS is nowhere around there. But then they laugh even harder. It is too complicated to explain to those exhausted people that my reports could increase the pressure and develop a counter-narrative. After some time I was disgusted with myself because I kept on asking that question. I felt like I wasn’t from this country, while in fact I am.
...

And of SPECIAL INTEREST for all those declaring all the Syrians for 'Nusra terrorists', while explaining it's 'good' the West (starting with Oblabla, of course) 'held itself out of Syria':

Q: Have you met such people?

Jarrah: A friend of mine is an Ismaïli, a minority within Shia Islam. They are secular and open. Women don’t wear headscarves. Of all people he became a salafist fighting in Damascus.

With another friend I worked with in the Free Damascenes for Peaceful Change at the beginning of the uprising. He eagerly wanted to show our democratic movement to the world. But soon he was brought to the notorious prison of the Air force Intelligence.

Rumor has it that when you enter this prison you don’t come out. His brother contacted me a few months later. He wasn’t an activist, but wanted to join our movement. He was frustrated about his brother. We gave him the task of filming the protests.

Q: But he wanted to do something concrete for his brother?

Jarrah: Indeed. Soon he told me our actions were pointless. On top of that he had heard that his brother was severely tortured in prison. He joined the rebels of the Free Syrian Army. After eight months the Free Army also disappointed him. They would never be able to take over the prison and liberate the prisoners. There wasn’t enough support coming from abroad. So he joined a smaller, but radical group that had been formed a short while before. He drove a car filled with TNT into the prison. Everything blew up in the air, himself and his brother included. Because he felt there was no other solution. That group was the Nusra-Front. He hails from a communist family. These youngsters go down a road of radicalisation. They seek justice, but find only revenge.

As usually: congratulations Oblabla...

[OUTLAW 09]

Foreign Affairs ✔ @ForeignAffairs

Putin may find open-ended wars in Ukraine and Syria unaffordable:
http://ow.ly/YYSEc
pic.twitter.com/iz3FbS49lS

AFP news agency ✔ @AFP
#BREAKING White House says concerned by reports of Syrian tank, artillery attacks

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebel with a MANPADS in Latakia 27/04/15
pic.twitter.com/cmgIPBDZt0

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express..........

Video of FLOT's BDK A. Otrakovsky on Bosphorus
https://youtu.be/4RRsuEgS-og

[CrowBat]

Wow...that highly paid DoS Staff assigned to the Syrian Coordination Center with their 1-800 and worldwide email address...seems to not be present in their call center..... maybe it was outsourced to China.....

Syrian journalists' reporting of ceasefire violations hampered by poor response on special US hotline @SyriaDirect
http://syriadirect.org/news/communication-breakdown-on-the-line-with-the... …...and I thought that your critique of Oblabla, the Mentalist and State Dilap... erm... Department would be sometimes much too harsh.

Nah: there's just no way anybody could harsh enough to them.

[OUTLAW 09]

A car bomb hit a "#Syria Revolutionary Front" meeting in #Quneitra prov, killing 20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGndAsl0L_U …

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: U.S. State Dept. says aware of reports of possible chemical weapons use by Syrian government since cessation of hostilities

Syrian opposition casts doubt on U.N. peace talk plan
http://reut.rs/1QLX8xB

[davidbfpo]

Now this is interesting, notably the numbers involved and the report starts with:
A few months ago, in a remote town in Idlib province, northern Syria, an unusual foreign militant presence alarmed Syrian locals. The fighters were reportedly of the Muslim Uighur minority from Xinjiang (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-16860974)province in Western China. For a population which has grown used to the multinational nature of the militancy, two aspects of these new fighters struck them: their large numbers and their ethnicity. A year ago, they were barely hundreds of Uighur fighters, belonging to the Al-Nusra Front-allied Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP). Today, according to several sources in the province, there are a few thousand Uighur fighters, and many of them arrived with their families after a long and treacherous journey from China and central Asia.
Link:http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2016/03/02/China-s-proxy-war-in-Syria-Revealing-the-role-of-Uighur-fighters-.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Tank at the entrance to #Madaya, besieged by Syrian and Hezbollah forces. #Syria
pic.twitter.com/uc9XEvPW28

Syrian and Russian forces have deliberately targeted hospitals near Aleppo
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/syrian-and-russian-forces-have-deliberately-targeted-hospitals-near-aleppo#.VteHJMffrQp.twitter …

the @UN doing airdrops in Syria yesterday?
pic.twitter.com/LjjLw9SWO6

[OUTLAW 09]

Surprise, surprise Russian AF has not dropped a single bomb nor has Assad in the last 24 hours...there were a number of Assad ground attacks as well as YPG ground attacks...largely all beaten back.

Question is ...did in fact the massive amount of social media videos actually force Russia to adhere to their own proposed CoH??????

[OUTLAW 09]

Update
Rebel "capture" of #Bachmra is most probably propaganda.
Footage was from Sheikh Aqil!
So still with #YPG!

Update
31 civilians were killed by pro-#Assad forces and terrorists on the 5th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.

Footage
Pro-#Assad forces camp in southern #Hama prov.
Of course w/stolen @Refugees tents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRNtrGL-bvI …

[OUTLAW 09]

VIDEO: #SDF near Tel Abyad in #Syria destroy an #ISIS VBIED.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwZ2Zj-ZwB4 … pic.twitter.com/3WUqE4xhhT

The Obama WH cannot get the courage to talk about Assad/Russian/Iranian genocide and war crimes in Syria but it appears the US House can....

VOA: House Panel Accuses Assad, Russia, Iran of War Crimes in Syria - read on -
http://uatoday.tv http://uatoday.tv/news/voa-house-panel-accuses-assad-russia-iran-of-war-crimes-in-syria-603157.html …

WHO medical aid reaches besieged #Syria city near Damascus
http://uatoday.tv/politics/who-medical-aid-reaches-besieged-syria-city-near-damascus-603042.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

ISIS commander Abu Louai Abdulwahab was reportedly killed by JaI rebels in Dumair, rural #Damascus, #Syria

One of the Assad rockets that targeted Bidama in #Idlib yesterday #UXO #Syria
http://youtu.be/k8y-88648Ck

Smoke rises from one of the buildings blown up by Assad/Hezbollah in #Zabadani yesterday
http://youtu.be/aoPXd8KBs6Y

So now Assad and Hezbollah are moving to actually attacking these two besieged Sunni towns....

Assad & Hezbollah have blown up more houses in Buqain today & are reportedly still trying to advance into the ouskirts of Zabadani & Madaya

At least 18 killed inc SRF cmdr Capt Abu Hamzeh al-Naimi in the double car bomb attack on SRF HQ in #Quneitra today

Who else other than the IRGC would be behind this?

2 civilians wounded victims of explosions of remnants of #Russia cluster bombs in #Maridikh village of #Saraqeb
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 3

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian AF BACK in action........

#BreakingReport
#Russian air strikes and #Assad artillery fire on #Sirmaniyah since the morning.
#Hama #Syria
pic.twitter.com/L48fAGgLBY

Breaking-
Hama: more than 30 air raids on Habernafsah. What kind of ceasefire is this? #Syria

Assad regime and Hezbollah violate "ceasefire" in #Qalamoun and advance towards #Zabadani
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1628

Assad regime tortured to death 32 detainees last month #Syria
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1629

[OUTLAW 09]

Somehow the US chasing IS money funding overlooks the exact same money laundering for Shia jihadi's...........

Spider #company is a new one specialized in transferring #money to the families of the #Assad militia

Former Iraqi Finance Minister Rafi Al-Issawi:
There Is No Difference between ISIS and Shia Militias.

Big list (in Arabic) of all the latest killed Hezbollah operatives in Syria
http://fb.me/7zfRENeFE

Footage
An #Assad soldier in the #Ghab plain "defected to Jaish al-Nasr" via the channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGML0UwSN8w …
pic.twitter.com/lckGseSZCT

[OUTLAW 09]

AmnestyInternational ✔ @AmnestyOnline

Syrian & Russian forces are targeting hospitals as a strategy of war, say doctors in Aleppo
http://amn.st/6010BdQz4
pic.twitter.com/ttwkhORWVg

Russia calls for a federated Syria and now the Kurds puppet the same call....but then Russian and Assad continuously attack 70% of the civil society.....the Sunni's.

Which should then have 70% of the "federated areas".......

Erbil joins call for establishment of federal system in #Syria
http://rudaw.net/NewsDetails.aspx?pageid=198789 … pic.twitter.com/EecrGLRc5F

Internet is partially down across Syria....deliberate cut?????
BREAKING: Nation-wide power blackout reported in #Syria. Cause so far unclear.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/03/03/Nationwide-power-blackout-hits-Syria.html#.Vtgrpe11iWc.twitter …

Power back to some neighborhoods in #Damascus..

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express on the move with increased Turkish security escorts during their pass throughs....

#BМФ #ВФ Dvinitsa-50 transited under increased under increased escort as we witnessed 3times yesterday
pic.twitter.com/cVjYbel3rH

ВМФ Сф NF cargo ship Yauza transited Bosphorus & entered the Black Sea at 22:00GMT

Is this a joke? #NotFunny! Yauza's @MarineTraffic data set Odessa, UA as final destination:Get ready @SaakashviliM !

ВМФ Project 550M cargo ship, Сф NF Yauza returned from #Tartus #Syria in 12 days

Video of Ice breaker logistics vessel Yauza's northbound night pass
https://youtu.be/ZZCY6UNuFok

Now #SyriaExpress is under heavy escort! What changed ?

[OUTLAW 09]

URGENT
#SAA terrorists disguised as "civilians" in neighborhoods of #Damascus, arresting civilians for oppose ASSad, they are tracking social media of who oppose ASSad Regime, arresting civilians and checking their mobiles & houses
#Damascus #Syria MAR 3

Putin's murderous aircraft is closing all corridors to #Turkey + targeting hospitals in #Syria.
127 have been destroyed by #Russia

UNICEF AID trucks in #alWear neighborhood
#Homs #Syria MAR 3

[OUTLAW 09]

France and UK call for the ASSad Regime and it's allies to stop attacking the FSA
#SYRIA MAR 3

SAA terrorists shelling mortars on #Harbenafseh
#Hama/#Homs cs #Syria MAR 3

Beautiful closed skies in #Kafr_Sajna
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 3
Skies closed = no airstrikes..

What the heck NOW Russian air strikes are killing FSA cows and chickens......
RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Farms in #Mabij,animals & material losses
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 3

[OUTLAW 09]

Osama bin Laden's private letters: "Iran is our artery":
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-secret-will-bin-laden-wanted-his-fortune-to-keep-funding-war-on-west/2016/03/01/b3a03d6c-dfa4-11e5-846c-10191d1fc4ec_story.html …

When Iraq's national security adviser warned Assad about support for Jihadists:
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-asked-syrias-assad-not-aid-jihadists-former-official-1553468312 …

How Assad's regime fueled the post-Saddam Iraqi insurgency (45 minute Arabic documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZv5n7mTNdM …

"For several months, a foreign fighter sign-up station was located across the street from the US embassy in Damascus".

There's ample evidence that the main sponsor of the post-2003 Iraq insurgency were Syria and Iran:

When former Iraq PM Maliki warned Assad of support for Jihadists in Iraq (2009):
http://www.france24.com/en/20090901-maliki-blames-syria-attacks-assad-denies-claim- …

2007 US DoD report: Assad's Syria has supported Iraq Jihadist insurgency:
http://www.meforum.org/2579/syria-financial-support-jihad

2010 article cites 2003 study on Iraq foreign fighters, "Syria is the hub":
http://www.meforum.org/2513/syria-islamist-terrorism …

[OUTLAW 09]

Appeal from families in #alRastan suffering by #SAA blockade
https://youtu.be/krdKKF4BYnY
#Homs #Syria MAR 3

Children and civilians of #Madaya still there trapped by #SAA & #Hezbollah siege on the town as 1000s needs urgent go to Hospitals

Urgent
Heavy clashes between Rebels & #SAA terrorists in #alTamoura fronts
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 3

MORE YPG ethnic cleansing and YP has US advisors who should getting involved but evidently are not......

Those arrested are Sunni.....YPG simply looking for scapegoats for their total failures.....

Mass arrest of teenagers by #YPG in villages of #Ras_alAin on "charges" of facilitation of #Isis entry in the town
#Hasakah #Syria MAR 3

[OUTLAW 09]

Two civilians killed victims of shelling while digging trenches for #SAA in the front lines, these martyrs were arrested by #SAA at checkpoints of #alRashdeiyah neighborhood, #SAA continue arresting young men in the area for labor in the front lines to don't risk the "lives" of #SAA terrorists while digging the trenches
#DeirEzzor #Syria MAR 3

[OUTLAW 09]

...and I thought that your critique of Oblabla, the Mentalist and State Dilap... erm... Department would be sometimes much too harsh.

Nah: there's just no way anybody could harsh enough to them.

The US will review staffing of its truce-monitoring center after realizing only "some" staff speak Arabic --
http://www.france24.com/en/20160302

CrowBat...told you the SCC Call Center had been outsourced to China......

[OUTLAW 09]

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia Rus Centre specialists held meeting with representatives of Ministry for National Reconciliation of #SYRIA,humanit.aid deliveries discussed

BUT WAIT...based on UN and the Russian CoH it is up to Russia and the US that aid gets delivered not via Assad who has been starving and besieging his own people.........

To little and not under the UN banner...as per CoH and Munich 1938
Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Russian centre for reconciliation delivered 6 tons of humanitarian aid to #Marzaf and #Akebra in Hama province: food & water

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express...appears to mechanically wearing out their ships....

Saratov resumed RU-SYR transits after a 2 month break. Other Tapir cls vessel N.Filchenkov hasn't been around either

[OUTLAW 09]

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Rus Aerospace Forces didn't engage formations which observed ceasefire and gave their coordinates to Rus or US reconciliation centres

BUT WAIT what about the Assad military and shia mercenaries constantly attacking FSA positions......

So are the Russians now blaming the US for their bombing attacks in the first three days of their own CoH......appears so......

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Illegal armed groups operated from regions, coordinates of which were sent to Rus party by the American partners on February 27, 2016


Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Unidentified armed formations made mortar attack on positions of Syrian gov. troops near “School of Philosophy” and Al-Nayrab airport

Notice the Russian MoD concedes the Kurds are part and parcel of the Assad military.......

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA In districts Sheikh Maqsoud and #Ashrafiya (#Aleppo city),terrorists carried out 2 mortar attacks against Kurdish militia detachments

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA 14 attacks on inhabited areas and positions of the Syrian government troops have been registered in the course of the last 24 hours

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.......Russian MoD seems to be on a "altered state of reality" high again today........


Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Now negotiations with leaders of 5 armed formations, which are active in the provinces of #Damascus, #Daraa and #Homs, are being held

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Ceasefire application documents received from 18 moderate opposition units in #Daraa prov, 9 districts of Daraa city joined ceasefire


SYRIA For 24 hours, by mediation of Russian Federation,peacemaking agreement with elders of #Marzaf (#Hama province) has been signed

SYRIA Total number of reconciliation agreements has reached 44

SYRIA Leaders of a Jaish al-Islam grouping controlling Ruheiba (#Damascus province) made a decision to join the ceasefire agreement

Do you have any earthly idea what the heck they are talking about......."ceasefire application documents"......????

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.......Russian MoD seems to be on a "altered state of reality" high again today........


Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Now negotiations with leaders of 5 armed formations, which are active in the provinces of #Damascus, #Daraa and #Homs, are being held

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Ceasefire application documents received from 18 moderate opposition units in #Daraa prov, 9 districts of Daraa city joined ceasefire


SYRIA For 24 hours, by mediation of Russian Federation,peacemaking agreement with elders of #Marzaf (#Hama province) has been signed

SYRIA Total number of reconciliation agreements has reached 44

SYRIA Leaders of a Jaish al-Islam grouping controlling Ruheiba (#Damascus province) made a decision to join the ceasefire agreement

Do you have any earthly idea what the heck they are talking about......."ceasefire application documents"......????


Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Report of the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides (March 3, 2016)
http://on.fb.me/1p1E20M

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat......what do you think of this comment.....one could allude that the Hezbollah is pushing disinformation against Turkey but some initial comments about the time he was killed alluded to an ambush but that it occurred in Syria and then he was taken to a Lebanese hospital......but that could have been just a cover story...appears though the shooting part was valid...where is the question????

http://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Russias-military-intelligence-chief-killed-in-secret-operation-in-Lebanon-446755#article=6017NjcyMEIyMTE2Q0IyODZFOURFQzJERTM yNUY1NzcyRDI=

Report: Russia's military intelligence chief killed in secret operation in Lebanon

By MAAYAN GROISMAN

Thu, 03 Mar 2016, 10:24 AM


The Head of Russia's military intelligence service, Colonel-General Igor Sergun, was killed in January during a secret mission in the Lebanon's capital, Beirut, the Lebanese daily newspaper al-Akhbar reported Thursday.

The Kremlin announced the death of Sergun on January 4, saying that he died in Moscow after a heart attack. The military intelligence chief played a key role in the Russian seizure of Crimea in March 2014, and reportedly died three weeks after he was sent to Syria by Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand Syrian President Bashar Assad step aside.

However, according to a diplomatic source in London quoted by al-Akhbar, Sergun was killed in a complicated secret mission that several Arab and Middle Eastern intelligence agencies took part it.

The diplomatic source hinted that Turkey was involved in Sergun's assassination, and claimed that Ankara's involvement resulted in Russia's decision to confront Turkey, which increased tensions between the states on the Syrian front.

[OUTLAW 09]

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Report of the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides (March 3, 2016)
http://on.fb.me/1p1E20M

You are a rebel in #Syria and don't want to get bombed by #Russia?
Just call them and tell them where you are!

[OUTLAW 09]

5.000 peaceful protesters were gunned down by #Assad in 2011.
We are far beyond that as a solution for the conflict.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/12/syria-5000-dead-violence-un …

Jobar district in #Damascus
People come out of the ruins to peacefully protest the regime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdMIK7pubkU …

[OUTLAW 09]

Blackout in regime hold parts of #Syria
bc heavy fightings around Al Zara Thermal Power Plant in #Hama?!
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34.960809&lon=36.666613&z=14&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

No "roar" of warplanes today, but the result of it's warplanes airstrikes..
#Jisr_alShghour #Idlib cs #Syria MAR 3

On Iran-Qaeda ties:
- Syria: http://bit.ly/1QaIhQ4
- Afghanistan: http://natl.re/fjFnbO
- Unanswered Questions: https://goo.gl/Rk93Gn

[OUTLAW 09]

John Kerry urges Assad to show some 'decency'. Did he just miss 5 years-worth of war memos?
http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/02/253799.htm …

Fred Hof: Kerry negotiates in #Syria "with leverage amounting to a smile and a shoeshine"
http://bit.ly/1T4GDmR (That's in the 1st para)

[OUTLAW 09]

Israel: Iran is building up internat'l terror cells. But don't worry. They're moderate terror cells.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/middleeast/iran/12172506/Israel-accuses-Iran-of-building-up-international-terror-cells.html …

[CrowBat]

At least the US Congress appears to still include few sane minds: Congress goes after Assad for war crimes (http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/02/assad-war-crimes-russia-us-congress-persecution-cholera.html#)

The House Foreign Affairs panel on March 2 is set to mark up a resolution from Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., calling on the Obama administration to push for the creation of a war crimes tribunal to investigate and prosecute violations "whether committed by the officials of the Government of Syria or other parties to the civil war." The move comes as Republicans and some Democrats are convinced that Secretary of State John Kerry is caving in to Russian demands to keep Assad in power...

I'm all for them adding a few VKS crews to that list...

[CrowBat]

CrowBat......what do you think of this comment.....one could allude that the Hezbollah is pushing disinformation against Turkey but some initial comments about the time he was killed alluded to an ambush but that it occurred in Syria and then he was taken to a Lebanese hospital......but that could have been just a cover story...appears though the shooting part was valid...where is the question????Sorry to disapoint you: I've got no clue what happened there.

I know there are self-declared Messiahs babbling around that I'm working for Turkish intelligence (curiously enough, characters in question come from well-positioned IRGC-families). But my wife swears this is not truth, and some of Turks on ACIG.info forum have actually been threatened by certain agencies just for exchanging e-mails with me... so, I guess this is not the case after all.

[CrowBat]

How fitting, really hard to express it any better:
Aleppo is our Guernica — and some are cheering on the Luftwaffe (https://medium.com/@im_PULSE/aleppo-is-our-guernica-and-some-are-cheering-on-the-luftwaffe-ceb10b18a1ca#.vdziy81k2)

Imagine Guernica. On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the Basque town was bombed for three hours by Hitler’s Luftwaffe in support of Francisco Franco’s fascist regime, leaving over 1,600 people dead. Picasso immortalized the episode in a celebrated painting, Neruda wrote poems about it, and it became an enduring metaphor for people’s suffering in war.

Now imagine a different response to Guernica. Imagine people applauding the bombings, reproaching the victims, and slandering the witnesses. If you can imagine that, then you know Aleppo.
...

[OUTLAW 09]

The US DoS "expressed their concern" about the repeated Assad tank and artillery shellings.....APPEARS Russia does not view them as a CoH violation......

Civilians killed by Assad army artillery in Khan Shaykhun south #Idlib during the #ceasefire.

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russians and Assad do exactly the same drill as in eastern Ukraine...if the UAF is attacked by Russians and they respond for self protection the Russians deem it a Minsk 2 violation.....

Damascus Airstrikes & artillery hit Al-Shifuniyah near #Douma
httDamascus Airstrikes & artillery hit Al-Shifuniyah near #Douma
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.553394&lon=36.434870&z=15&m=b …p://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.553394&lon=36.434870&z=15&m=b …

Regime renewed shelling on Hirbnafsah in southern #Hama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m5H9zR8nGQ …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34.938930&lon=36.625757&z=14&m=b …

Damascus Regime airstrikes on Khan ash-Shih
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-D3pesIRFo …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9S0YfdG7A8 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.368814&lon=36.091805&z=13&m=b …
An #Assad regime helicopter dropped three bombs on Khan Alsheh, S-W of #Damascus.

Assad-forces shelling Al Hawash in #Hama's Ghab plain with Grad rockets
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.548709&lon=36.380539&z=14&m=b …

21 medical & civil defense staff killed in February by Assad, 13 of them by Russian strikes
http://goo.gl/vtUaBW

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad forces are still trying to advance in the Marj area in eastern Ghouta, clashes with rebels reported. #Damascus #Syria

3 civilians killed (women) & others wounded in an Assad artillery attack from Souran area on Khan Sheikhoun in south rural #Idlib this AM

Graphic vid of the aftermath of the Assad attack on Khan Sheikhoun in rural #Idlib this morning
http://youtu.be/zc_hC7setwI

Large explosions reported in #Daraa as Assad attacks the city with multiple high explosive rockets last night and this morning.

Power & Internet outage across most of #Syria cause "gas valves" according to Assad's ministry of electricity...time will tell what happened

Lots of places are still without power in #Syria, what I find strange is that no “terrorists” AFAIK were blamed for the blackout today :/

[OUTLAW 09]

Lately the Russians have been making a big deal out of the concept of "reconciliation".........in their "altered state of reality" MoD press releases.....
Report
Pro-#Assad militia slaughters 16 civilians in Maar Shahour.
They left rebel-held #Homs.
"Reconciliation"...

Talbisah today.
No comment needed.
#AmazingSyrians
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45lHFBaGs_w …

Douma this morning.
Anti-#Assad protest continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl-0gwjd0Lg …

BreakingNews
Here we go again!
#Hirbnafsah under #Assad artillery attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m5H9zR8nGQ …

Bombs hitting #KhanAlsheh as a result.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9S0YfdG7A8 …
#SyriaCeasefire

BreakingFootage
#Assad's killers are back in the air, dropping bombs S-W of #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-D3pesIRFo …

23 people were killed in armed violence (and starving) on the 6th day of the #SyriaCeasefire. - LCC
http://t.co/BRiRoaj1Xt

[OUTLAW 09]

Report from the #Castillo highway, #Aleppo's last lifeline under #YPG attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yznPG1EFCbI …

Clashes between #YPG forces, backed by #Assad artillery, and Syrian rebel continue around the only road to besieged #Aleppo city.

Protest against Nusra in Darkoush village in Idlib. Residents call on the FSA to enter the town. #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Lately the Russians have been making a big deal out of the concept of "reconciliation".........in their "altered state of reality" MoD press releases.....
Report
Pro-#Assad militia slaughters 16 civilians in Maar Shahour.
They left rebel-held #Homs.
"Reconciliation"...

Talbisah today.
No comment needed.
#AmazingSyrians
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45lHFBaGs_w …

Douma this morning.
Anti-#Assad protest continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl-0gwjd0Lg …

BreakingNews
Here we go again!
#Hirbnafsah under #Assad artillery attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m5H9zR8nGQ …

Bombs hitting #KhanAlsheh as a result.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9S0YfdG7A8 …
#SyriaCeasefire

BreakingFootage
#Assad's killers are back in the air, dropping bombs S-W of #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-D3pesIRFo …

23 people were killed in armed violence (and starving) on the 6th day of the #SyriaCeasefire. - LCC
http://t.co/BRiRoaj1Xt

Amazing Syrians all across the country come out again to protest the butcher
S of #Damascus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zucE-LEfZp8 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect propaganda coop between Russian state media & #YPG
Trucks go to Azaz
NO Nusra there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwe9Xy0hJHI …

Peaceful protest in #EinTarma near #Damascus today.
Syrians want #Assad to ... go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pNNpCtx5cA …

[OUTLAW 09]

MEMRI: Exclusive: Letter By ISIS Fighter To Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi Reveals ISIS-Sinai's Ties To Hamas
http://fw.to/sMvLrXX

OMG when will the rebels say: "It's enough, #Assad & #Putin continue to kill us, we must fight back on all frontlines!"?

All frontlines quiet in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ZLO7rxJY4 …

Printed on these bags of Russian humanitarian aid for Syria is "Russia is with you!" (in Russian, not Arabic)

[OUTLAW 09]

RP-377 series C-IED jammer protecting Russian takeover of Crimea and media & land ops in Syria.

First time I've seen suggestions of further sanctions against Russia for their actions in Syria. Watch this: https://twitter.com/cer_ianbond/status/705701787840417792 …

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russians and Assad do exactly the same drill as in eastern Ukraine...if the UAF is attacked by Russians and they respond for self protection the Russians deem it a Minsk 2 violation.....

Damascus Airstrikes & artillery hit Al-Shifuniyah near #Douma
httDamascus Airstrikes & artillery hit Al-Shifuniyah near #Douma
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.553394&lon=36.434870&z=15&m=b …p://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.553394&lon=36.434870&z=15&m=b …

Regime renewed shelling on Hirbnafsah in southern #Hama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m5H9zR8nGQ …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34.938930&lon=36.625757&z=14&m=b …

Damascus Regime airstrikes on Khan ash-Shih
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-D3pesIRFo …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9S0YfdG7A8 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.368814&lon=36.091805&z=13&m=b …
An #Assad regime helicopter dropped three bombs on Khan Alsheh, S-W of #Damascus.

Assad-forces shelling Al Hawash in #Hama's Ghab plain with Grad rockets
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.548709&lon=36.380539&z=14&m=b …

21 medical & civil defense staff killed in February by Assad, 13 of them by Russian strikes
http://goo.gl/vtUaBW

Continued air strikes targeting first responders......
SCD Abu Omar & more two injured due #SAA double-tap airstrikes on #Douma
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 4

SAA helicopters terrorists dropping 4 barrel bombs over #Khan_alShieh
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 4

Syria: the #SDF has announced the start of a new offensive, meant to capture the area between Shaddadi and Ayn Issa

[OUTLAW 09]

Really an interesting development and one the Russians cannot simply overlook ......where the rebellion controls there has been a massive outbreak of peaceful demonstrations such as they there were in 2011...If assad tries to hold April elections in the rebel zones....seriously doubt he would get a single vote so outside of the 16-19% he controls...his votes will not mean much of anything.

So much for the Russian MoD so called "reconciliation"......

Russia/Assad won the #SyriaCeasefire militarily, but politically—with the return of the peaceful demos—the opposition might have edged it.

At first chance, #Syria's opposition returned to peaceful means against Assad.
Some "terrorist conspiracy".

Marat al-Numan...
Extraordinary to see the resilience of #Syria’s revolutionary ideals. 5yrs on & its still alive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKgAUpEuFNk&feature=youtu.be …

Maarat al-Numan in the centre of the "Nusra-held area" according to #RussianPropaganda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oep_3ResqMA …

"We haven't protested in 3 years, so we almost didn't know what to say. But we were so happy to protest, we just started dancing."

It really is like back to the future: First chance #Syria got, peaceful protests recommenced.

Aleppo today
People demanding the overthrow of the regime.
Some islamists among them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwzUaXdvl2U …

[OUTLAW 09]

Kerry stated that the delivery of humanitarian aid was indeed a critical part of the cessation of hostilities......NOT much has been delivered as it is being held up by Assad, the UN and Russia as starvation is still a weapon Assad and Putin are intent on still using.

Assad has 43 sieges running; Jobar's 200 remaining people are suffering one of the six worst
http://bit.ly/1oNS7hJ

Many @UN staffers & #Syria opposition say @UN excessive accommodation of regime restrictions on aid "shameful"
http://on.wsj.com/1Qw8iY6

On the day East Ghouta is supposed to receive aid, @OrientNewsEn reports Douma is being bombarded for first time since #SyriaCeasefire began

Incidentally, of six worst siege zones, U.N. doesn't recognize three (Jobar, Madaya, Yarmouk) as under siege. Does: Douma, Zabadani, Daraya.

Daily: UN - #Assad Regime Holding Up Requests for Aid
http://eaworldview.com/2016/03/syria...ks-in-latakia/

For a full list of the sieges in Syria
http://bit.ly/1oNS7hJ
Note: Madaya not recognized by UN as besieged Although surrounded completely with minefields and Hezbollah troops...

This does not even begin to include the "hard to reach areas also cut off from aid and medical supplies....

AN estimated 470,000 are being actively starved by Assad and Putin.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Bin Laden’s Men in Tehran … Iran Heavily Indebted to Al-Qaeda
http://bit.ly/1QXeuxZ

The report says Sinjar was visited two months ago by Mohammad Reza Zahedi, head of IRGC in LEB, deputy Quds, key link to Hizballah + Assad.

Claim: #Iran has IRGC/Quds Force operating in Sinjar (which is under Kurdish control) to keep land-bridge to Syria.
http://bit.ly/1QvlaBa

#IS has lost some significant leaders recently (Adnan as-Suwaydawi, Fadel al-Hiyali, Wissam az-Zubaydi, now Amr al-Absi). Not enough tho.

Atheer, killed today, was secretly an #IS(IS) agent run by Haji Bakr before Nusra split; helped IS hold its ground.
http://bit.ly/1SFxiOU

Amr al-Absi (Abu Atheer) was important in #IS surviving Nusra split + bringing in foreigners, was released by Assad at start of uprising.

IS's then-deputy, Haji Bakr, a la the Saddam regime he had served, ran multiple lines of authority in Syria.
http://bit.ly/1SFxiOU

[CrowBat]

Really an interesting development and one the Russians cannot simply overlook ......where the rebellion controls there has been a massive outbreak of peaceful demonstrations such as they there were in 2011...If assad tries to hold April elections in the rebel zones....seriously doubt he would get a single vote so outside of the 16-19% he controls...his votes will not mean much of anything.

So much for the Russian MoD so called "reconciliation"......To make things 'better'...

Latest assessments about the size of that famed 'SAA' is that it's down to 40,000 - including air force (and its air defence branch). Everything else = sectarian militias.

[OUTLAW 09]

Exclusive Breaking : Rebels (#FSA Ahmed Salabdo & New Syrian army) captured Al Tanf border crossing.

Syria: video of a Kataib Shaheed Ahmed Abdo(#FSA) rebel driving towards the Tanf border crossing

BREAKING. #ISIS lines collapsing in E.Qalamoun, Rebels advancing on 3 axis. #Syria #Damascus #Homs provinces

We're back! The Islamic State going DIY, 122mm D-30 howitzers used as anti-aircraft guns:http://spioenkop.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/the-islamic-state-going-diy-122mm-d-30.html

[OUTLAW 09]

IMAGES: Today's protests across Syria are reminiscent of first days of the revolution...its spirit has been restored

Syrians return to protests as bombs quiet
http://mme.cm/RZAW00

Epic protest in Azaz, under attack by ISIS, Assad, & YPG, calling for freedom for ALL Syrians.

Syria: anti-regime protests in the city of #Daraa, the place where it all started years ago
https://youtu.be/WhrgOe_0ivQ

Syria: today #ArabSpring is alive again the city of Maarrat al-Numan (#Idlib)
https://youtu.be/dKgAUpEuFNk

Syria: hundreds of Syrians are out in Maarrat al-Numan today, protesting the #Assad regime
https://youtu.be/FNbt_DrUWFI

Syria: anti-regime protest in #Kafranbel (#Idlib)
https://youtu.be/Wzra1BRZa4c

[OUTLAW 09]

4 main #Syria hotspots after 1 week #ceasefire:
- #Latakia: Jebal Al Akrad
- #Aleppo: W. countryside + Sheikh Maqsud
- S. #Hama
- E. #Ghouta

Suqur Al Jebal video w/ dead Shia mil. from #Sheikh_Aqil, 2.5 km from #Bachmara. W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ7V6Mda9wQ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Exclusive Breaking : Rebels (#FSA Ahmed Salabdo & New Syrian army) captured Al Tanf border crossing.

Syria: video of a Kataib Shaheed Ahmed Abdo(#FSA) rebel driving towards the Tanf border crossing

BREAKING. #ISIS lines collapsing in E.Qalamoun, Rebels advancing on 3 axis. #Syria #Damascus #Homs provinces

We're back! The Islamic State going DIY, 122mm D-30 howitzers used as anti-aircraft guns
http://spioenkop.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-


It's a pro-regime source, so caution. But + Qalamoun reports earlier, seems rebels did #IS some damage today.

[OUTLAW 09]

IMAGES: Today's protests across Syria are reminiscent of first days of the revolution...its spirit has been restored

Syrians return to protests as bombs quiet
http://mme.cm/RZAW00

Epic protest in Azaz, under attack by ISIS, Assad, & YPG, calling for freedom for ALL Syrians.

Syria: anti-regime protests in the city of #Daraa, the place where it all started years ago
https://youtu.be/WhrgOe_0ivQ

Syria: today #ArabSpring is alive again the city of Maarrat al-Numan (#Idlib)
https://youtu.be/dKgAUpEuFNk

Syria: hundreds of Syrians are out in Maarrat al-Numan today, protesting the #Assad regime
https://youtu.be/FNbt_DrUWFI

Syria: anti-regime protest in #Kafranbel (#Idlib)
https://youtu.be/Wzra1BRZa4c

Total number of protests in Syria today: 104. One hundred and four.

[OUTLAW 09]

The demise of Amr al-Absi, an #IS leader crucial in infiltrating Syria, by @leloveluck
http://bit.ly/1Tw8BbI with a comment from me.

Militarizing the revolution and heightening sectarian tensions helps al-Qaeda et al. It's why Assad pushed it in that direction
peacefare.net ‏@DanielSerwer

#Syria'n regime complicity with #ISIS continues, either openly or tacitly, but not with Al Qaeda, says @Charles_Lister @MiddleEastInst

Foreign Policy 
‏@ForeignPolicy
In a small enclave between Syria and Israel, Hezbollah is preparing for what it says will be its biggest war ever.
http://atfp.co/1LC79BA

[OUTLAW 09]

A US-backed Syrian rebel group expelled ISIS from the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing al-Tanf at midday today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8xDrVWc5Rw&feature=youtu.be&a …

The group reportedly entered via Jordan under air cover from Jordan

Location of Turkish artillery firing into Syria, allegedly on 'IS targets' on March 4, 2016.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.669391&lon=37.317215&z=18&m=bs&search=kilis …

Info is from the Ruptly info war media outlet........

[CrowBat]

With situation on the battlefield 'stablizing a lil bit' (as far as this is possible, considering continuous violations by Assadists and Russians), it's about the time for some 'mopping up' in regards of news about battles of the last few days, weeks... perhaps few months and years too.

In regards of Daesh offensive on Khan Nassir, here a very interesting ANNA report (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=132_1457099597) - with English sub-titles.

In essence, the NDF held most of low hills around the town. Daesh captured most of these positions and then assaulted Khan Nassir.

Reporter (should be Abkhazian) was in the town when the Daesh attacked, then run away (together with some from the garrison) to one of these hills - and was lucky to pick up the right one. Got cut off there for a few days, until Hezbollah/Lebanon arrived (all the combatants in green fatiques seen in this video are Hezbollah; 'surprise, surprise', there's no trace of any kind of 'SAA' to be seen in all of this report).

Interesting are his finds of one of the Daesh 'special forces/recce' unit, Usud al-Qalifa ('Lions of Caliphate').

*********

The AJE (Arabic) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lydv7dr6qE) released today a documentary on Ahrar ash-Sham.

It contains a number of interviews with original founders and leaders (mostly killed in 2014). Initially, it's rather unsettling for any Western viewer: in essence, they're babbling about Salfism, establishing 'a state ruled with the rule of Allah', and usual nonsense.

Then they explain how they got into bigger cities like Raqqa and Aleppo, and began establishing Sharia Courts together with the JAN and then Daesh - only to find out the locals (yes, 'every-day Syrians') don't want them to do that.

Instead, Ahrar began running local town-hall meetings to find out what the people want.

And then it happened: that was the beginning of their own end, so to say - and that of a rift between Ahrar and JAN. Namely, JAN keeps on insisting on its version of Islam (which is Wahhabism), Ahrar began argumenting it's not Islamic to impose the legal code upon people who don't want it (which is Salafism - but genuine Salafism, which is non-militant and apolitical, in comparison to quasi-Salafism as we know it in the West). Indeed, Ahrar began insisting it is a movement, 'born in reaction to crimes our people have seen, in reaction to the regime and extremists (Daesh), because military means were the only ones they understand'.

Eventually, they concluded that the sheer fact they're still existing is an indication they're not particularly successful.

Boomer...

So, the group began transforming towards moderation. That's the essence of explanation for why their leaders are now so staunchly - and genuinely - convinced that cooperating with the FSyA and others is better, and why are they doing this.

...which, of course, is contrary to the legends spread by Assadists, PYD, and Russians and accepted by the West.

Hope, this is soon going to be properly translated and shown in AJE English, then this rose plenty of dust around the Middle East, and would be urgently necessary to be shown in the West too.

*********

Finally, news of the day is that this new, US/Jordan-supported 'New Syrian Army' appeared on the Iraqi-Syrian border, to launch an offensive that resulted in the capture of Tanf border crossing, between Iraq and Syria - from the Daesh. It appears they're receiving plentiful air support.

[OUTLAW 09]

With situation on the battlefield 'stablizing a lil bit' (as far as this is possible, considering continuous violations by Assadists and Russians), it's about the time for some 'mopping up' in regards of news about battles of the last few days, weeks... perhaps few months and years too.

In regards of Daesh offensive on Khan Nassir, here a very interesting ANNA report (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=132_1457099597) - with English sub-titles.

In essence, the NDF held most of low hills around the town. Daesh captured most of these positions and then assaulted Khan Nassir.

Reporter (should be Abkhazian) was in the town when the Daesh attacked, then run away (together with some from the garrison) to one of these hills - and was lucky to pick up the right one. Got cut off there for a few days, until Hezbollah/Lebanon arrived (all the combatants in green fatiques seen in this video are Hezbollah; 'surprise, surprise', there's no trace of any kind of 'SAA' to be seen in all of this report).

Interesting are his finds of one of the Daesh 'special forces/recce' unit, Usud al-Qalifa ('Lions of Caliphate').

*********

The AJE (Arabic) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lydv7dr6qE) released today a documentary on Ahrar ash-Sham.

It contains a number of interviews with original founders and leaders (mostly killed in 2014). Initially, it's rather unsettling for any Western viewer: in essence, they're babbling about Salfism, establishing 'a state ruled with the rule of Allah', and usual nonsense.

Then they explain how they got into bigger cities like Raqqa and Aleppo, and began establishing Sharia Courts together with the JAN and then Daesh - only to find out the locals (yes, 'every-day Syrians') don't want them to do that.

Instead, Ahrar began running local town-hall meetings to find out what the people want.

And then it happened: that was the beginning of their own end, so to say - and that of a rift between Ahrar and JAN. Namely, JAN keeps on insisting on its version of Islam (which is Wahhabism), Ahrar began argumenting it's not Islamic to impose the legal code upon people who don't want it (which is Salafism - but genuine Salafism, which is non-militant and apolitical, in comparison to quasi-Salafism as we know it in the West). Indeed, Ahrar began insisting it is a movement, 'born in reaction to crimes our people have seen, in reaction to the regime and extremists (Daesh), because military means were the only ones they understand'.

Eventually, they concluded that the sheer fact they're still existing is an indication they're not particularly successful.

Boomer...

So, the group began transforming towards moderation. That's the essence of explanation for why their leaders are now so staunchly - and genuinely - convinced that cooperating with the FSyA and others is better, and why are they doing this.

...which, of course, is contrary to the legends spread by Assadists, PYD, and Russians and accepted by the West.

Hope, this is soon going to be properly translated and shown in AJE English, then this rose plenty of dust around the Middle East, and would be urgently necessary to be shown in the West too.

*********

Finally, news of the day is that this new, US/Jordan-supported 'New Syrian Army' appeared on the Iraqi-Syrian border, to launch an offensive that resulted in the capture of Tanf border crossing, between Iraq and Syria - from the Daesh. It appears they're receiving plentiful air support.

CrowBat.....IMO the exact reason Russia wanted them on the terrorist list and exactly why they placed an air strike on their HQs.....Putin wants no opposition that is identifying with the civil society as that means in the end they must negotiate with them......

[CrowBat]

Yup, and here the reason why is not only Assad but also his Russian thugs committing so many war crimes against Syrian population:

A Review of biggest anti-Assad demos (https://leilashami.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/the-revolution-continues/) run in about 100 towns and villages held by insurgents yesterday.

But of course, 'Like all of the Middle East, Syria is incompatible with democracy/pluralism'... that's what every single of local tyrants, Israelis, and all of their fans here in West (whether fans of local tyrants or the Israelis) are teaching us since decades... :rolleyes:

Ah yes...and while our media is hailing Kurds as 'liberators', local Arabs are either very concerned - or fleeing: Civilians in Deir Ezzor are concerned that The Syrian Democratic Forces may continue to advance towards Deir Ezzor province (http://en.deirezzor24.net/civilians-in-deir-ezzor-are-concerned-that-the-syrian-democratic-forces-may-continue-to-advance-towards-deir-ezzor-province/)

...SDF militias have not shown any intentions or their willingness to attack ISIS-held areas in Deir Ezzor so far. However, the recent big gains they made against ISIS has led to the exposure of the shaky, fragile and exhausted military capabilities of the group, which might pushes SDF to gear up for new offensives against ISIS-held territories in the province of Deir Ezzor.

Both ISIS and SDF suffered heavy casualties during the recent U.S.-backed offensive to liberate Shaddadi. More than 120 ISIS members were killed and most of them were targeted by Coalition air strikes in support of SDF.

It should be pointed out that around 30.000 civilians have arrived in Deir Ezzor after fleeing from Shadadi town and villages adjacent to Mount Abdel Aziz due to ongoing clashes in those areas, and because of the YPG ethnic cleansing campaigns, that the militia has been conducting against Arab civilians in Hasakah province, Tel Abyad and Ayn al Arab for more than a year now.
...

[CrowBat]

...monitoring 'regime's' operations along Salamia - Ithriya - Khan Nassir road reminds of me of Goethe's 'The Sorrows of Young Werther'...

...certainly not of any kind of professional military operation...

...and monitoring related sorrows, pain and agony of all the possible Assad- and Putler-fans on the internet: even more so!

What am I talking about now?

Well, I guess everyobody monitoring this war in Syria has with at least 'half an eye' has caught some reports about that Daesh offensive on Khan Nassir, on 22-23 February, that cut off 50,000 IRGC, Hezbollah, and all other Russo-Assad thugs in Aleppo area (plus up to 1,5 million civilians living in that part of Syria)?

At least by 29 February, we've all ben 'fully informed', that the Daesh was kicked out of Khan Nassir in a high loop, and that road re-opened.

True enough, more careful observers between us (including the nifty thug writing these lines) knew better. For example, back on 25 February I reported (here and on ACIG forum) that in addition to assaulting Khan Nassir, the Daesh assaulted Sheikh Hilal too.

Why the hell should anybody care about some pis... erm... some place called Sheikh Hilal in Syria?

Well, perhaps because it is on the road connecting Salamia with Ithriya (and thus Ithriya with Khan Nassir and then further to western Aleppo). Which means: Daesh cut off the 'regime's' supply line not only in one (Khan Nassir), but in at least two places (add Sheikh Hilal).

Everything clear?

OK, let me continue. Every decent Assad fan, plus all the Putler fans (as described already several times: this part of Syrian war is 'non-existing' from the standpoint of Keystone Cops in Moscow) have cheered the 'liberation' of Khan Nassir from the Daesh, already on 29 February, at least on 1 March.

Sure, there was some 'rumour' about 'problems with reconstructing the road because of all the damage' and so on. But, nobody wasted 1 second of thinking about Sheikh Hilal.

If you think I'm discussing de-facto 'press-releases only' here, you're wrong. On the contrary: by now I can comfortably conclude that NOBODY within 'regime's' chain of command cared about that area either!

The 'regime' (read: IRGC HQ in Damascus) rushed one brigade of Hezbollah/Lebanon up the road, on 24 February, and these have 'liberated' Khan Nassir in five days of pitched and bloody battels.

...only to actually find the Daesh in their back too - yup, in Sheikh Hilal. Worse yet: after securing Sheikh Hilal on 25 February (i.e. one day after the Hezbollah passed by), the Daesh spread its control to an-Natahej and al-Azrib too, establishing control over a 5km long section of the crucial road.

...and then the 'regime' left the Daesh on its own for 7 days.

...indeed, the 'regime' then declared the Ithriya - Khan Nassir road for 'open' and 'secure from Daesh'.

Now, I've got no doubts that the road from Ithriya to Khan Nassir was something like 'secure' by 1 March, and probably 'useful for civilian cars' by 3 March or so. But, again: through all of this time, nobody on regime's side is talking about Salamia - Ithriya road.

Not only that the 'regime' is lacking troops to secure that road, and by side that nobody sane expect the NDF to stand any kind of a serious Daesh assault any more. But even the IRGC and Hezbollah are 'too busy elsewhere' but to pay attention. And, since the Hezbollah rushed its own brigade so quickly up the road, Russians didn't manage to move one of their Army battalions to secure the 'second line of defence', as usually. And by side the fact that all of this is happening _despite_ Russian claims they've got their '10 most advanced satellites' and other wiz-bang, super-turbo wunderwaffen, and intelligence-gatherers deployed in and above Syria...

Nah, it all doesn't matter. Assadists, IRGC and Russians collectivelly decided to forget about the issue of Daesh in Sheikh Hilal.

Guess, they work like Putler and his fans: 'if we ignore that problem for long enough, it's going to disappear on its own'.

...and so it came as a 'rude shock', indeed, 'outrageous claims' when it turned out the Daesh slaughtered between 70 and 100 'fighters for regime' (just citing reports by regime fans), destroyed at least 1 T-72 and one BMP in Sheikh Hilal area, the last 24 hours.

...today, the IRGC finally decided to 'do something'. So, they rushed the BPM's Liwa ad-Daher, Hezbollah/Syria's Liwa Imam al-Badr, and three gangs of Iraqi Shi'a Jiha... erm.. 'pilgrims' from Salamia towars Ithriya (the latter three should all be new arrivals in Syria, including Liwa al-Hammad, Liwa al-Hua al-Montazzan and Sarayya Ansar al-Qida). Result: 15-20 KIA and another T-72 knocked out - between their own troops (Daesh claims 20 'regime' KIA, for no own loss).

Overall, conclusion is on hand that for Assad, the IRGC and Putler, everything is better - repeat: everything (including thousands of losses between Iraqi Shi'a Jihadists and Afghan Hazara mercs) - but admitting own mistakes.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.....anything to this outside of their normal "altered state of reality"...

Минобороны России Verified account 
‏@mod_russia
#SYRIA was attacked by Turkey once again: Turkish tanks attacked #Dikmetash (#Idlib province) from Akcha Baglar at 4 p.m. on March 4, 2016

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Assad-forces launched assault in southern outskirts of #Aleppo & try encircle city
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.126645&lon=37.038088&z=14&m=b …

Warning Update: Pro-Regime Forces Continue Encirclement of Aleppo Despite Truce
http://iswresearch.blogspot.com/2016/03/warning-update-pro-regime-forces.html?utm_source=Warning+Update:+Pro-Regime+Forces+Continue+Encirclement+of+Aleppo+Desp ite+Truce&utm_campaign=Warning+Update:+Pro-Regime+Forces+Continue+Encirclement+of+Aleppo+Desp ite+Truce&utm_medium=email&m=1 …

Imam Hossein battalion (one of main Iranian fighting groups in #Syria) training near Afghan border
Looks like a #Hezbollah trainer was there too

FSA New Syria Army statement on liberating (w/ Coalition airstrike support) al-Tanf border crossing from #ISIS y’day

Castello road in #Aleppo barricaded to protect civilians from YPG sniper fire
http://youtu.be/Ogz5u04py54 #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Civilians wounded in an Assad artillery attack on the #Damascus suburb of #Harasta a little while ago

Russia|n airstrikes targeted Abu Dhuhur & Jarjanaz in rural #Idlib a few hours ago.

Looks like the #Ithria-#Khanaser-#as_Safira highway is under heavy assault by #ISIS today, cutting off #SAA forces in Aleppo once more.

Reports #ISIS has captured several key hills from Assad forces near Sheikh Hilal in east rural #Hama in a surprise attack today

Clashes ongoing between rebels & #ISIS around al-Tanf Syria/Iraq border crossing

3 airstrikes on Douma today, between 12:04-12:30pm. One was "double tap" to kill rescue workers.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/03/03/when-i-was-an-advisor-in-iraq-in-2012-i-was-implementing-a-fairy-tale-policy-while-iraq-was-drifting-toward-civil-war/


By Thomas E. Ricks
March 3, 2016

When I was an advisor in Iraq in 2012, I was implementing a fairy tale policy while Iraq was drifting toward civil war

By Noah Smith


I deployed to Iraq in 2012. On the way over, I was 27 years old and eager to fight. I headed into the international zone in the center of Baghdad. My mission to advise the Iraqi Special Operators to help them adjust to an environment in which they did not enjoy direct U.S. military support. We were their advocates and confidantes. I spent the next six months working with their commando school.

Little did I know I was heading into a deeply frustrating experience, perhaps the most confusing of my life.

It soon became clear to us that our mission would not succeed, because no matter what we did, Iraq was drifting toward civil war. Al Qaeda in Iraq was conducting assassinations and morphing into something powerful. ISIS was beginning to emerge.

Also, our Iraqi counterparts did not really trust us, and why should they? We had gone into Iraq, we had left, and now we were back — but for how long?

And so we had a hard time with the Iraqi government. We couldn’t get the amount of training ammo we needed for new recruits to be assessed and trained. Closed door conversations lent the strong suspicion that the government was stockpiling ammo as a preventative measure for the coming Shia — Sunni civil war.

Iran was on Iraq like white on rice. Mookie, Muqtada Al Sadr’, and his friends, Shiite militias like Asa’in Ahl Al-haq returned to Iraq, after exile in Iran. They quickly established a television channel and extended a welcome to Iranian sleeper cell surrogates. Every day, I felt as though my movements were observed and reported to Tehran.

Iraqis quietly expressed their concern to me that Iran was taking over Iraq, and no one was doing anything about it. The distrust of their comrades ran so deep that some would stop talking to me the second another soldier entered the room, regardless if the other one was a friend. Sunni soldiers gradually faded into the background, relatively unnoticed. Some went AWOL, supposedly because they preferred military prison to being in the regular Iraqi army. Almost all new recruits were Shia.

In the midst of all this, it was difficult for us to know what to do that would be in the best interest of our Iraq. Of course, there really is no such thing. It was never ours.

But it is now Tehran’s.

This is what it is like, I think, when policy is at odds with reality. The truth is that the strategy of going forward with a united Iraq was unrealistic in view of the political situation on the ground. We were not being realistic. The notion of a unified, non-sectarian Iraq was a fairy tale. My assignment was to implement that fairy tale and report progress.

That is an enormously demoralizing realization for any soldier. As I look back on it now, I think it was like working at the circus and showcasing a well-scripted performance whose source was vaguely known. It’s hard to fault any particular agency or department. My superiors were all part of the same circus, just different clowns in different outfits.

Why did we not do more to stop the trends pulling Iraq apart? I don’t know. But here is what I suspect: The American people don’t care, and neither do our politicians. So, decisions were made on the fly and without as deep of thought that was necessary. These are long term and complex challenges – they do and will affect our daily lives. It’s devastating to return home and find out the average doesn’t give a crap about these things that have shaped mine and many other’s adult lives.

But this is not just about me. It is about Iraq. The result of our miscalculations, intellectual laziness and errors is that we are putting Special Operators in a scenario to work with Shiite militias and help bomb their enemies. In other words, we are conducting air strikes for Iranian proxies.

This tells us that, contrary to what our bureaucratic institutions report, our Iraq foreign policy has failed. The Lion of Iran has inhaled Iraq. An adviser to the Iranian President Rouhani, Ali Younis boasted not long ago that, “Baghdad is now the Capitol of the Iranian empire.” The Iraqis trust the seasoned killers of ISIS more than they trust us. Why? Because we have left, come back, and may leave again — but the killers aren’t going anywhere. If ISIS wants to terrorize the local population, that’s fine with the Shiite militias.

My bottom line: I don’t know what to do but what we’re doing isn’t working. But what I do know is that we’re losing good people in Iraq and a nation we’ve spent over ten years and our own resources to help.

[OUTLAW 09]

IS established so quickly in #Syria b/c the jihadi infrastructure run by Assad was so extensive.
https://youtu.be/stJJiet73Qo v @Charles_Lister

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.....anything to this outside of their normal "altered state of reality"...

Минобороны России Verified account 
‏@mod_russia
#SYRIA was attacked by Turkey once again: Turkish tanks attacked #Dikmetash (#Idlib province) from Akcha Baglar at 4 p.m. on March 4, 2016

Russia's MoD invents another Turkish attack from/to fantasy towns
The entire border in #Idlib is under rebel crtl.

[OUTLAW 09]

BreakingNews
The intl. coalition flies attacks on #ISIS-held Herbel & Umm Hawsh, apparently preparing #SDF push.

Footage from yday
1 civilians killed, 6 injured in air raid on village near #Douma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v6Q0L-y-Cg …

[OUTLAW 09]

Haaretz.com ‏@haaretzcom
Russia’s new federal plan will allow it to divide and rule Syria
http://htz.li/4US

Update
31 people were killed on the 7th day of the #SyriaCeasefire by #Russia, #Assad and #ISIS.
- LCC

135 civilians killed by Assad & Putin during the so-called "ceasefire" in Syria
http://www.alaan.tv/news/world-news/150028/135-people-killed-first-week-the-truce-syria …

Homs: clashes between Syrian Rebels & ISIS in Maabar al Tanf. Just goes to show how suicidal & irrational ISIS are.

Deir Ezzor: clashes between Assad & ISIS in Al Hawiqah

[OUTLAW 09]

Islamic State: the enemy that refuses to die
https://shar.es/1CkcRM via @MiddleEastEye

[CrowBat]

CrowBat.....anything to this outside of their normal "altered state of reality"...Absolutely nothing. It seems they're now behaving in this fashion even when it comes to military operations. Of course, they can afford this - because casualties are not their (Russian), but primarily those of Iraqi Shi'a...

...a reason more to get surprised - or not at all? - when reading such nonsense as published in German Focus Online (http://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/nato-geheimpapier-russland-ist-nato-kraeften-in-syrien-ueberlegen_id_5336051.html), and immediately re-published by RT (https://www.rt.com/news/334642-russia-efficient-syria-nato/), of course.

Accordingly, some sort of 'NATO secret paper' declared the Russian ops in Syria for 'highly efficient'. The VKS deployed 'only' 40 aircraft, and these are performing 75 sorties a day, usually striking several targets on each flight - in comparison to CENTCOM CJTF that's operating 180 aircraft, and striking only about 20 targets a day. Overall, Russians should have 'bigger effect' upon what's going on on the ground.

Curiously, what the RT didn't translate is that only 20% of Russian air strikes have hit the Daesh, or that because of Russian aerial activity, there are no bigger insurgent troop movements since months. The Focus is here mixing insurgents and Daesh (as so often), and instantly continuing the same sentence with conclusion that the Daesh ceased PR-actions like driving long columns of vehicles through captured territories.

For their targeting purposes, Russians should be using Syrian aerial reconnaissance, or support from own special forces and spies on the ground.

**********

I'm a 'convinced and practicising' atheist, but I hope and pray that this 'report' was
- a) prepared at least 2-3 months ago, when actual 'precision', 'target selection', and ROEs of the VKS in Syria were still largely unknown, and
- b) when every single German and/or Austrian (just for example) general, colonel etc. I met or saw on the TV was 'deeply impressed' by 'professionalism, highest standards of equipment' and all other sorts of usual prejudical nonsense regarding Russians in Syria.

Namely, such POVs were expressed during different conferences, meetings etc. in, say, 'German language area' without an end all through October, November, December. They were - obviously, and definitely - foremost based on RT's reports aired on the TV. Certainly never on any kind of detailed studies of Russian ops in Syria. The few I know have tried to do the latter were all quickly 'sillenced', or they sillenced themselves - as soon as it was clear Russians are NOT bombing Daesh - for the sake of their careers.

Furthermore, the VKS has no 40 aircraft in Syria since longer, and these are not flying 70+ sorties a day. That's really nonsense. It's rather so that the VKS originally deployed 12 Su-24s, 14 Su-25s, and 4 Su-30s (total of 20 aircraft), 14 Mi-24s and 2 Mi-8s to Syria (16 helicopters), and that these all together flew about 50-60 sorties a day on average for most of October and November. Number of aircraft was then gradually increased through November, and particularly in December. By 28 February, totals reached (all the following was confirmed by visual sightings and cross-referencing of their serials, borts etc.):

- 4 Su-35S' (it is possible there are actually 5-8 of them there)
- 12 Su-34s
- 4 Su-30SMs
- 4 Su-27SMs
- 32-34 Su-24M/M2/SVP-24s (26 confirmed visually; rest is according to what the Keystone Cops in Moscow say)
- 12 Su-25SMs
- 2 Su-25UBMs
- 15 Mi-8 (including 5 brought in by An-124s in mid-February)
- 16 Mi-24
- 4 Mi-35M
- 1 Tu-214R, and
- 1 Il-20M
- 1 An-30
- 1 Tu-214R (withdrawn on 29 February)

That's a total of 70 combat aircraft and 35 helicopters, or '105 aircraft' in total. I.e. an increase of nearly 100% (note: on 29 February, four additional Su-24s were deployed to Syria, and - contrary to Jane's reports: NO A-50 was ever deployed to Syria).

Now pay attention: despite this increase in number of available aircraft, and after just a short period (less than two weeks) in December, the average number of sorties they flew DID NOT increase. For most of January, they flew about 55-65 sorties a day - and this despite the fact that starting in November the VKS began deploying Tu-22M3, Tu-95SM and Tu-160 bombers from bases in Russia.

Which means that despite increasing the total number of aircraft involved - whether deployed in Syria or operating from bases in Russia - Russians failed to increase the total number of sorties flown.

Reasons? Maintenance issues (especially with Su-24s and Su-34s), weather etc.

(BTW: if anybody wonders why are there never more than 25 or so aircraft to be seen on sat photos of Hmemmem AB: not all of them are deployed there; all of helicopters are meanwhile distributed between Sanobar AB [between Lattakia and Hmemmem] and Shayrat AB [Homs], while the other half of aircraft is said to be based at Khelkhleh AB, in southern Syria.)

Regarding 'effectiveness' and 'precision': think these have been discussed here more than 'to the legnth'. The fact the VKS has 'mass displacement of the enemy population' as a part of its doctrine, and that this is resulting in ROEs of the kind are unimaginable for any NATO air force (indeed: for any kind of decent military around the world), should be well-known by now.

Finally, while certainly hindering large-scale movement of insurgent forces between Azaz, Aleppo and Idlib in January, and surely depending on Assadist HUMINT for much of their targeting, Russians proved unable of tracking large-scale troop movements of their opponents over longer periods of time. There are several dozens of examples for this, the Daesh's offensive on Khan Nassir being only the newest one...

Bottom line: sorry, but, if there is really some kind of an ominous 'NATO intelligence report' really convinced Russians are ah so precise, and effective and whatever else, and if the NATO has no clue how about how many aircraft are Russians actually operating in Syria, then...

...sigh... then 'good night'... :rolleyes:

With such quality of 'intelligence', Russians could drive all the way through Poland, Germany and France to Spain - before anybody in Brssels would find out.

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Saudi airstrikes to assist FSA against #ISIS near Sweida in southern #Syria, a day after Jordan did so in Tanf -

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Saudi airstrikes to assist FSA against #ISIS near Sweida in southern #Syria, a day after Jordan did so in Tanf -

One week ago narrative was "GCC won't dare to support FSA with strikes in Syria", wait for the next change soon https://twitter.com/AmichaiStein1/status/706167723395571713 …


Al Arabiya English
✔ ‎@AlArabiya_Eng Saudi FM: Assad must cede power at the beginning of the transitional process
http://ara.tv/6brfq

[OUTLAW 09]

From the Ukrainian Defense intelligence briefing from yesterday....

Situation around Syrian conflict


On March 9, 2016, it is planned the projection of Su-34 aircrafts, as well as cockpit and engineering personnel of the 47th composite aviation regiment (Buturlinovka) of the 6th Army of the Air Force and AD of the Western Military Command to Khmeimim airbase (Syria).

The measures to ensure joint force grouping of the Russian Federation Armed Forces in Syria were, as follows:

flights of military transport aviation aircrafts en routes: Mozdok – Khmeimim (An-124); Khmeimim – Mozdok (Іл-76);

passage of the large-sized amphibious warfare ship "Tsezar Kunikov" (according to the technical specifications, it can carry different cargos, such as 150 marines and 13 armored combat vehicles; 150 marines and 10 tanks with crews; 500 tons of cargo) and Black Sea Fleet rescue tug “Profesor Nikolai Muru” through the Bosporus strait in the direction of the Mediterranean

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Saudi airstrikes to assist FSA against #ISIS near Sweida in southern #Syria, a day after Jordan did so in Tanf -

and Bir al-Qasab in Qalamoun as well

[OUTLAW 09]

TASS
✔ ‎@tassagency_en Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier to head for Mediterranean in summer — source
http://tass.ru/en/defense/860815 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Unconfirmed reports says Russia has frozen the delivery of S-300 to Iran
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Israeli-intel-prompts-Russia-to-freeze-missile-delivery-to-Iran-446973#article=6017M0Y1QjAxOUFCMjJFRTUwMEJFMTJFRUI wQTBGMTI0RDM= …
https://twitter.com/linforusse/status/706373976944218112 …

Appears Hezbollah was able to get their hands on Russian SA22s...

Nato centre analysts claim 2have evidence of ‘info war’ over migration crisis w/links to #Putin
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/05/russia-refugee-germany-angela-merkel-migration-vladimir-putin?CMP=share_btn_tw …

Russia had a track record of funding extremist forces in #Europe #MustRead via @STRATCOMCOE
https://twitter.com/2111015/status/706266289539563521 …

SNHR doc. gov &pro-gov (Russian)forces killing 12victims including 3children, 3women & 2victims by torture untill this moment in Sat, Mar 5

Two Syrian soldiers stationed at Joureen camp defected to the FSA in the Ghab plain. #Syria
http://youtu.be/qWNkQxQlXXI

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian warships sailing through Bosphorus strait frightens Turkey
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-warships-and-naval-assets-sailing-through-bosphorus-strait-has-turkey-frightened-a6914796.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Criminals not #Refugees!
2 German newspapers claim ~5000 #Shabiha (#Assad- mafia thugs) fled to #EU the past months

Enough: NATO should stop feeding the Russian troll
http://www.politico.eu/article/nato-stop-feeding-russia-troll-defense-alliance-syria-war-baltics/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express..........

Transport vessel "Yauza" completed 7-day transit from Tartus, Syria to Novorossiysk, RF (Feb 28-Mar 5)

Project 22870: Built at Astrakhan #Звездочка ; #ВМФ #ЧФ BSF Professor Nikolay Muru transits Bosphorus
https://youtu.be/FRNF-g0FUx8

ЧФ Nikolay Muru was named after the famous Russian ship constructor. #ВМФ tug entered the Marmara Sea 14:30GMT

Bosphorus: #ВМФ ‘Salvage & Rescue’ division insignia with diving helmet is on Professor Nikolay Muru

This is 2016's first Syria deployment for #ВМФ #ЧФ BSF 158 Tsezar Kunikov. Ropucha class LST is en route to #Tartus

SyriaExpress making up for the lost time: #ВМФ #ЧФ BSF 158 Tsezar Kunikov transits southbound Bosphorus towards Med

Video of #ВМФ #ЧФ Tapir class LST Saratov 150 transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus
http://youtu.be/t8q8C1GBL3o

Saratov resumed RU-SYR transits after a 2 month break. Other Tapir cls vessel N.Filchenkov hasn't been around either

ВМФ #ЧФ Tapir class LST Saratov 150 carried 6 short containers above the deck

Russian Maritime Register of Shipping's multipurpose salvage vessel Spasatel Demidov transited northbound Bosphorus

[OUTLAW 09]

The Independent
✔ ‎@Independent Nato claims it has proof Russia is trying to oust Angela Merkel
http://ind.pn/1QuyHaV

[OUTLAW 09]

3 Assad IRAM rockets have hit outskirts of Bait Nayem & al-Fadayiya near Marj in E. Ghouta less than an hour ago, no casulaties reported

FSA NSA commander says NSA still controls al-Tanf border crossing

Difficult to verify who controls what in al-Tanf border crossing tbh…both FSA NSA & ISIS claim they have control…time will tell I suppose

Heavy clashes reported between Ahrar rebels & regime forces at the Kisin front in #Homs

Syria: Faylaq a-Sham has secured a large-scale defection of fighters from IS in northern Rif Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/4d1ocMgRlh0

"The biggest beneficiaries of the nuclear deal are...Iran’s supreme leader and the Revolutionary Guards"
http://on.wsj.com/1UJ39kN

Pro-Assad media says the regime is close to retaking Palmyra *and* Raqqa City.
With legions of laser-equipped sharks and airborne swine.

Saudi FM: Assad has to leave "at the beginning of the process ... it's not going to be 18 months"
http://bit.ly/1YgOMnu #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting straw in the wind from "WikiBaghdady" on Abu al-Atheer: Atheer led a delegation to KSA to try to gain support for a caliphate.

Acc to "WikiBaghdady," al-Baghdadi reached out to Nasir al-Wuhayshi in advance of the caliphate declaration, and al-Wuhayshi rejected idea.

One Saudi shaykh Atheer met was Sulayman al-Alwan ("Al-Qaeda's Mufti") who rejected the caliphate proposal b/c scholars didn't support it.

[OUTLAW 09]

3 Assad IRAM rockets have hit outskirts of Bait Nayem & al-Fadayiya near Marj in E. Ghouta less than an hour ago, no casulaties reported

FSA NSA commander says NSA still controls al-Tanf border crossing

Difficult to verify who controls what in al-Tanf border crossing tbh…both FSA NSA & ISIS claim they have control…time will tell I suppose

Heavy clashes reported between Ahrar rebels & regime forces at the Kisin front in #Homs

Syria: Faylaq a-Sham has secured a large-scale defection of fighters from IS in northern Rif Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/4d1ocMgRlh0

"The biggest beneficiaries of the nuclear deal are...Iran’s supreme leader and the Revolutionary Guards"
http://on.wsj.com/1UJ39kN

Pro-Assad media says the regime is close to retaking Palmyra *and* Raqqa City.
With legions of laser-equipped sharks and airborne swine.

Saudi FM: Assad has to leave "at the beginning of the process ... it's not going to be 18 months"
http://bit.ly/1YgOMnu #Syria

SNHR
At least 253 breaches since the beginning of the truce in Syria in 27 Feb 2016
http://goo.gl/tg1oOd

Syria #Aleppo From frontline against kurdish #YPG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj6GsQgIga4 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.242110&lon=37.139797&z=16&m=b …

Assad-forces provoke also at #Aleppo's southern frontlines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqDhaLlcWao …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.120197&lon=37.041264&z=14&m=b …

Assad-forces shelling Al-Qahira in #Hama's Ghab plain with rockets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lPem0CqLp0 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.615233&lon=36.361914&z=14&m=b …

Mass destruction in #Aleppo's suburbs by #Russia'n airstrikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrGpPTcgzHY …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU8lGmBu3KI …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia'n airstrikes on Tel Rifat paved kurdish #YPG way to annex arab city from #FSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isgL6XcuA9c …

Smoke from regime violating the Cessation of Hostilities during Friday prayers in Khan alSheih #Damascus countryside

Regime violating the truce with airstrikes in eastern #Ghouta Sheifonyeh against the @SyriaCivilDef:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156786267610727&id=420796315726 …

29 regime tanks destroyed by the Free Syrian Army in February

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria, Deir Ezzor, Assad’s NDF and militias steal UN aids in Al Joura (controlled by regime)
https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/syria-deir-ezzor-assads-ndf-and-militias-steal-un-aids-in-al-joura-controlled-by-regime …

Acc to #SDF
Intl coalition starting to construct a 2nd air base in north #Syria, #Rojava.
Probably south #Kobani, close Lafarge cement plant

[OUTLAW 09]

Zahra n'hood #Aleppo 2day, regular heavy machne gun&sniper fire frm across f'line bhind these buildings.

Footage
#YPG with interesting IFV on T-55 chassis in Eastern #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmgej2DzIqo …

Twitter Reports Massive Increase in Russian Government’s Content Removal Requests
https://globalvoices.org/2016/03/06/twitter-reports-massive-increase-in-russian-governments-content-removal-requests/ …

Don’t Fall for #Putin|’s Game Warn Europ. Officials-Kremlin strategy distracts the West w/#propaganda
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/don-t-fall-for-putin-s-game-warn-european-officials …

Update
26 people were killed on the 8th day of the #SyriaCeasefire
- LCC

Russian satellite images show #ISIS preparing for massive offensive ...
http://bit.ly/1UJdygb

Over 6 medical facilities in #Aleppo bombed by #Russia/Regime in 12 weeks before #Hudna. #CoH must hold to end illegal attacks @amnesty

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad artillery shelling started targeting the #Damascus suburb of #Douma a little while ago

Regrettably another residential building was blown up by Assad & #Hezbollah terrorists in Zabadani today.

Zenki showing their defense vs. #Hazara & Iranian invaders in W-Aleppo
https://youtu.be/B0RnylYdhwY

Intense Assad MLRS attack on the villages of al-Kinda & al-Ruwaisa in rural #Latakia over an hour ago. #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

On Orient TV last night FSA Ahmad al-Abdo Martyr Forces cmdr Col Bakour al-Salim claims al-Tanf border crossing is still under rebel control

Ahmad al-Abdo (operating in E. Qalamoun & badiya) aim to open route to E. Qalamoun, encircle ISIS & cut road bet. Bir al-Qasab towards Raqqa

Confirms that capturing al-Tanf crossing was a joint op. between Ahmad al-Abdo groups & NSA (locals from eastern area trained in Jordan)

ADF front reposts stmt from Nov ‘15 following the announcement of the formation of the New Syria Army (NSA)

ADF reiterating that NSA is a component of ADF which aims to liberate the eastern area first then other areas until regime is gone

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports #ISIS is amassing east of Salamiya in east rural #Hama in preparation for a big offensive & Assad forces withdrawing to Saboura area

Looks like Assad will take revenge on the Ismaili city of Salamiya soon, Assad forces have already withdrawn from several checkpoints

[OUTLAW 09]

Nasrallah: we sent fighters to Iraq to help fight ISIS
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2016/Mar-06/340834-we-secretly-sent-fighters-to-iraq-to-help-fight-isis-hezbollah-chief.ashx …

Behind a paywall...summarization is that he sent Hezbollah secretly to fight Is in Iraq....BUT Hezbollah fighting in both Iraq and Syria was a widely"known secret"....not sure why he is saying this now???

[OUTLAW 09]

Interview w/ "New Syrian Army" commander.
Summary:
- Fighting ISIS
- No cooperation with SDF/FSA
- No word on Assad
http://jfldz.org/?p=2778

At a briefing in Damascus, Syria's deputy minister for reconciliation welcomed us "to the land of peace & love"

BREAKING: Russian defense ministry have claimed that mortar fire in Turkey's Metisl is to provoke Turkish intervention in Syria - Interfax.

Russian defence ministry says Turkey continues shelling of Kurdish units fighting against al-Nusra - @AlArabiya_Eng

[OUTLAW 09]

Iranian general & 6 Shia Pakistani fighters killed fighting for Assad in Syria
http://ln.is/www.aksalser.com/new/SazkV …

Latakia: Syrian Rebel carry out surprise attack against Assad forces in Jabal Al Akrad & kill 17 fighters
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1660

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat......have any idea just what the Russian MoD is trying to say...??????


Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides will assist in providing security of persons, who are chased by #ISIS militants

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA #ISIS militants started chasing leaders of towns and field commanders of “moderate” opposition, who signed ceasefire agreements

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Governors of #Idlib and #Latakia provinces held working sessions on issues concerning bringing peaceful life back to the towns

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Centre leaders and representatives of Syrian Ministries discussed raising of effectiveness of providing humanitarian aid

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Reconciliation Centre received appeals from leadership of 6 most damaged towns of #Damascus for proving humanitarian aid

BUT WAIT humanitarian aid is still not flowing to the major besieged Sunni towns and villages....as per the Russian pushed CoH........

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat......have any idea just what the Russian MoD is trying to say...??????

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides will assist in providing security of persons, who are chased by #ISIS militants

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA #ISIS militants started chasing leaders of towns and field commanders of “moderate” opposition, who signed ceasefire agreements

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Governors of #Idlib and #Latakia provinces held working sessions on issues concerning bringing peaceful life back to the towns

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Centre leaders and representatives of Syrian Ministries discussed raising of effectiveness of providing humanitarian aid

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Reconciliation Centre received appeals from leadership of 6 most damaged towns of #Damascus for proving humanitarian aid

BUT WAIT humanitarian aid is still not flowing to the major besieged Sunni towns and villages....as per the Russian pushed CoH........

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Russian ASF and Syrian AF didn't make strikes on units, which joined ceasefire and informed Russian or US Centre about their location

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Reconciliation Centre receives appeals from opposition representatives to participate in discussion of the new Syrian Constitution

Минобороны России
✔ ‎@mod_russia #SYRIA Report of the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides (March 6, 2016)
http://on.fb.me/1p8LuHo

[OUTLAW 09]

Report
The Lebanese army targeted rebels in Western Qalamoun w/ artillery.
Strange, #Russia never reports this ...

Report
7 civilians killed in air strike on #ISIS-held Dayr Hafir.
#Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

A noticed unusual activity between a Russian navel freighter and a commercial freighter........

Why Sovcomflot's NS Concord & Ofer managed Zodiac Maritime's Libra Sun are always near each other ? @alperboler

[OUTLAW 09]

European Neo-Nazis show their support for Assad, posing with his soldiers at Hamidiyeh market in Damascus.

28,707 torture photos taken secredtly by a photographer who had access to the various Assad torture centers.....in German......AND still no genocide or war crimes charges against Assad......

Fotos aus Syriens Folterkerkern: 28.707 Beweise gegen Assad - aber keine Anklage
http://spon.de/aeHjt via @SPIEGELONLINE

SNHR #Syria
Report: Not Less than 40 Massacres were Committed in February 2016
http://goo.gl/wkGyVR

Aleppo: 7 killed in airstrike by Assad regime in Deir Hafir just moments ago

[OUTLAW 09]

Keep checking this blog to see criminals fleeing Syria en route to Europe posing as "refugees"
https://unfetteredfreedom.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/list-of-shabiha-posing-as-refugees-in-europe/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Nasrallah: #Hezbollah will restore Arab's dignity and identity

Nasrallah: Arabs conspired with Israel in the past against Nasser & Egyptian Army & they weren't Shia, it is about protecting Israel

Nasrallah: Our participation in the Bosnian War was in defence of the Sunni Muslims & protecting homeland from fitna

[OUTLAW 09]

Nasrallah: #Hezbollah will restore Arab's dignity and identity

Nasrallah: Arabs conspired with Israel in the past against Nasser & Egyptian Army & they weren't Shia, it is about protecting Israel

Nasrallah: Arab states and the head of them Saudi sides with Israel against our struggle

Nasrallah: Our participation in the Bosnian War was in defence of the Sunni Muslims & protecting homeland from fitna


Nasrallah is verbally using the "Islamic revolutionary ideology" of Khomeini who wanted to lead the Arab Sunni's.......but was always blocked by the Saudi's.....

[OUTLAW 09]

German police detain Russian citizen suspected of ISIS links
http://en.abna24.com/l/739197.html

Russia's state-sponsored Vesti:
"The EU will use #Ukraine as a dump for Syrian refugees. Camps are being built now"

Reports at least 9 civilians were killed & wounded inc. women & children in Assad shelling of Sheikh Maqsoud district in #Aleppo today

[OUTLAW 09]

Decoding the changing nature of ISIL's insurgency
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/decoding-the-changing-nature-of-isils-insurgency …
via @TheNationalUAE

[OUTLAW 09]

Michael Weiss
✔ ‎@michaeldweiss Revealed: Britain's secret dossier of Putin's 'war crimes' in Syria
http://dailym.ai/21Rkdae
via @MailOnline

[OUTLAW 09]

RUSSIA warplanes carried out more airstrikes on #Deir_Hafir moments ago
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 6

ISIS published long video on Caucasus in Russian, urging Muslims in Russia to become "mujahiden" and fight
https://twitter.com/lumisis/status/706536732662038528 …

Urging attacks in Moscow, St.Petersburg, Caucasus, one of reasons - retaliation for bombing civilians in Syria

Multiple sources however claim shelling/rockets came from Assad controlled areas, wouldn’t be the first time Assad trageted Sheikh Maqsoud

[OUTLAW 09]

Not sure whether to laugh or cry: Russia's FM Lavrov claims USSR "never aimed to destroy entire nations"
http://tass.ru/en/politics/860354 …

[OUTLAW 09]

If a country is not willing to both use and "win" at cyber warfare and information warfare then do not even get into the fight....just take one's toys and go home.

Right now the US under the Obama WH is unwilling to use both...and thus they wonder why Russia just keeps on pushing.

One of the core failures of this administration has been it's strange reluctance to even define a strategic strategy on anything and that strategy must define exactly what a "win" must look like.

The Russian "Syrian reconciliation center" is randomly making stuff up and promulgating it; The US releases no information on anything...absolutely nothing just as they released nothing on the actual Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine....remember their word gymnastics with the word "incursion" vs. "invasion".

Remember that "information warfare" thing? This is why we lose.

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English
✔ ‎@AlArabiya_Eng BREAKING: #Syria opposition has noticed ceasefire violations have reduced in the last two days-spokesman tells Reuters

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Naval Express...more Russian naval fleet ships are moving towards the Med. in the last week......

LIVE on #Periscope: #ВМФ 472nd MarineSupport Battallion/9th SupportShips Brigade's Amur class floating workshop PM5… https://www.periscope.tv/w/aavDwTExMDMwNjB8MU95S0FScWVtUkRHYh_QiR5ksHeyfHoaRb sDHOOMRHqoNKtTxd_Hg4nycQ3w …

ВМФ #ЧФ BSF’s Kashin class guided missile destroyer Smetlivvy 870 completed Med-bound Bosphorus transit 06:10GMT

Project 304M, Amur II class repair ship PM56 returned from the Mediterranean #Tartus #Syria deployment after 149days

The Meaning of Russia’s Naval Deployments in the Mediterranean
https://lnkd.in/evWZwxb

[OUTLAW 09]

Unique ...
Same Shiite militia in #Iraq with #US humvees and #Iran/ian Safir jeeps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxyOxCfkB-o

Update
29 civilians were killed across #Syria on the 9th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.
Most in ISIS-held land.
- LCC

News
Clashes between #YPG and Syrian rebel factions around #SheikhMaqsood continue.
Report of 9 dead Kurdish civilians in shelling.

From yesterday.....
Death toll rises; 14 martyrs, several wounded victims of #SAA shelling Surface to Surface missiles in #Sheikh_Maqsoud
#Aleppo #Syria MAR 6

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Leaked video from #Hezbollah in northern #Aleppo talking about their fighting in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEA7kDKb5n4 …

Madaya: children still dying from starvation due to Assad/Hezbollah imposed siege!

Footage from #FSA/#NSA-assault on #IS at Tanf border crossing backed by #US airstrike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoRXGzttgQA …

Ongoing today.....clear Assad CoH violation.....
Assad forces in al-Dara, #Sweida are shelling rebel held Brigade 52 in Hrak, #Daraa with heavy artillery.

Statement by NSA cmdr Mohannad al-Talaa on liberating al-Tanf border crossing & other positions from #ISIS
http://youtu.be/6QMCEv7fDDo

Aleppo: Assad breaking truce in south Aleppo but repelled by rebels
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1664

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears to be a minor disconnect with Assad.....the very security structure that has brutally kept him in power is now to be disbanded.......they were responsible for the rape, torture, and disappearance of 1000s of Sunni's...and currently holds over 200K in their prisons...

Asad regime has abducted & detained tens of thousands #ReleaseThemNow #TheTimeisNow @SyrianHNC_en

Assad plans to dissolve Air Force and Military Intelligence in Syria
https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/14494.html

[OUTLAW 09]

#Latakia
Rebels in Jabel Turkman managed to liberate a strategic hilltop from the Shia-axis and killed +50

Syria 2 #Russia'n airstrikes on Khan al-Asal district in western outskirts of #Aleppo this morning http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.168784&lon=37.042723&z=14&m=b …

Assad lies that the revolution is extreme Islamist:
Proud Revolutionary flags at #Douma protest 13/04/2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNFMlZoZuZU …

Regime Forces have broke the Armistice by trying to storm Janabirah village in Hama

Assad Baathists & thugs with PYD/YPG protesting against GCC for declaring #Hezbollah a terror group #Qamishli #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad artillery target rebels near #Hrak
- Russian air strike on #DeirEzzor kills child
- Leaflets dropped ober #Talbisah

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad forces target rebel positions and villages in the #Ghab plain and near #JisrAlShughur with artillery.
Update
A number of killed civilians is reported now.
At least 10, local news say.

Footage
#Assad forces fired missiles at villages near As San in eastern #Homs prov.(w/rebels)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yFHf7LDB4s …

Syria Heavy artillery shelling #FSA positions near
Kensabba in #Latakia mountains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEDHowdsaA …

Kurdish #YPG/#SDF forces now ~60km north of #DeirEzzor city
-break the #IS-siege on #Assad-forces in city & airbase in next weeks?!

Several airstrikes on Abu al-Dhuhur in eastern #Idlib
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.743029&lon=37.036800&z=13&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

Tunisia Rashed Ghannouchi: Hizbollah not a terrorist group. As to its role in Syria, it's problematic & debatable."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P18kULxtAQ …

Not confirmed......
IS control Tanf border crossing on #Syria #Iraq border, capturing it from #Jordan & #US backed "moderate rebels"

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‏@Charles_Lister · Mar 5
Here’s my speech from yesterday’s @MiddleEastInst event focused on my book, "The Syrian Jihad” -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stJJiet73Qo …
Worth listening to.......

If you've ever wondered how RPG-22 self destruct function is removed to allow for longer range and indirect fire
https://youtube.com/watch?v=h0fke0wd6aA …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express...........

#ВМФ ropucha class LST Бф BF Minsk127 transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports that Jaish Al-Fateh has broken up a protest in #Idlib, #Syria, tore up rebel flag & arrested oppo activist.

Russian "altered state of reality on the go again today"

инобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA on March 6 (5 pm – 6.30 pm) Ahrar al-Sham militants attacked twice Fua city districts by mortars and AT missiles.3 civilans wounded

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA for 24 hrs,8 ceasefire violations registered(Hama–2,Aleppo,Idlib–3 in each).Attacks on #Fua & #Kafria (#Idlib province) are continued

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
Teleconference held with Chief of American Centre in #Amman,representative of intl support group of #Syria and US defence department

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA Parties discussed coordination of efforts on humanitarian help delivered for population of #Ruheiba (#Damascus province)

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA Officers of Rus Centre met reconciliation commission representatives,elders & public representatives of #Ruheiba (#Damascus province)

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA Total number of towns, which had joined the ceasefire agreements, remained 42 ones

[OUTLAW 09]

After Russia fired shells at a group of international journalists blaming first Turkey then later blamed JaN in a typical eastern Ukraine false flag attack (was against there a BBC news team and there they blamed the UAF)

Now this........

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA terrorists provoke Turkish military to fire in response & to bring troops on #SYRIA territory. It'll unfailingly tear down ceasefire

Минобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA Jabhat al-Nusra militants carried out several mortar attacks against Turkish territory near Metishli on March 6, 2016

BUT WAIT they totally missed all the recent Assad violations it seems......

нобороны России
✔‎@mod_russia
#SYRIA Terrorists are still taking efforts to set back the peacemaking process in Syria
45s

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting;YPG worshiper mentioning JN but Conflicts named as "FSA groups" In the end SAA shelling.. Not 1st time.
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/706844860775583744 …

Huge operation launched by #JN & #JAQ in southern #Aleppo countryside, against #Russia, #SAA & it's foreigners militias #Syria MAR 7

RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Sheikh_Helal #Hama cs #Syria MAR 7

BREAKING 20 martyrs so far several wounded victims of #RUSSIA airstrikes on #Abu_alDuhur #Idlib cs #Syria MAR 7

Moments #RUSSIA double-tap airstrikes on #Abu_alDuhur 20 martyrs reported #Idlib cs #Syria MAR 7

BREAKING #RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes "Mistakenly" targeted #SAA area in #Orqeibat village #Hama cs #Syria MAR 7

Rebels blow up a tank & a 23mm gun from #Iran lead militias with TOW in southern #Aleppo

RUSSIA airstrikes on #Deir_Hafir, casualties reported #Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 7

Airstrikes targeting villages in #DeirEzzor countryside now
#Syria MAR 7

Blackout in #Aleppo city and it's countryside now
#Syria MAR 7

2 martyrs & 2 wounded victims of #Hezbollah #SAA shelling on #Zabadani #Syria MAR 7
Martyr Sariyah Abdullah
Martyr Mohammed Abdullah Kashmir

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting;YPG worshiper mentioning JN but Conflicts named as "FSA groups" In the end SAA shelling.. Not 1st time.
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/706844860775583744 …

Huge operation launched by #JN & #JAQ in southern #Aleppo countryside, against #Russia, #SAA & it's foreigners militias #Syria MAR 7

RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Sheikh_Helal #Hama cs #Syria MAR 7

BREAKING 20 martyrs so far several wounded victims of #RUSSIA airstrikes on #Abu_alDuhur #Idlib cs #Syria MAR 7

Moments #RUSSIA double-tap airstrikes on #Abu_alDuhur 20 martyrs reported #Idlib cs #Syria MAR 7

BREAKING #RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes "Mistakenly" targeted #SAA area in #Orqeibat village #Hama cs #Syria MAR 7

Rebels blow up a tank & a 23mm gun from #Iran lead militias with TOW in southern #Aleppo

RUSSIA airstrikes on #Deir_Hafir, casualties reported #Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 7

Airstrikes targeting villages in #DeirEzzor countryside now
#Syria MAR 7

Blackout in #Aleppo city and it's countryside now
#Syria MAR 7

2 martyrs & 2 wounded victims of #Hezbollah #SAA shelling on #Zabadani #Syria MAR 7
Martyr Sariyah Abdullah
Martyr Mohammed Abdullah Kashmir

Breaking: Regime massacre in #Idlib Serious regime violation of truce as regime planes strike civilians a public market in Abu Dhour Idlib

Breaking 20 killed & 40 wounded in regime airstrikes massacre in public civilian market in Abu Dhour #Idlib

[OUTLAW 09]

Arabiya English ‏@AlArabiya_Eng
Opposition accuses #Syrian forces of massacre, unsure on peace talks
http://ara.tv/2tqvq

Al Arabiya English ‏@AlArabiya_Eng
#OPINION: #Russia and #Iran: #Unholy alliance for a new order? asks Mohamed Chebarro
http://ara.tv/96fsb


Mohamed Chebarro

Putin and Assad are exacerbating the refugees crisis in Europe to overwhelm EU countries and eventually break up the Union. These were the words of General Phil Breedlove, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Europe and head of the US European Command, during a testimony in the Congress.

Iran, on the other hand, is using militias and non-state actors to sew sectarian and religious driven violence in the Middle East Arabic speaking countries. Both Russia and Iran seem to be, in the short run, at least in sync to drive state system in two regions of the world toward fragmentation and destruction, and therefore maybe to replace them with a new order.

Russian Vladimir Putin's relationship with Europe is a list of dysfunctional entente. EU’s openness eastward after the breakup of the Soviet Union was never perceived easily in Moscow. Ukraine’s bid to unshackle itself of the Soviet era practices and reform its state institutions with western help alarmed Moscow.

Putin quickly annexed Crimea and opened a wound in the eastern part of the country between Ukrainians of Russian descent and their neighbors. This resulted in low intensity insurgencies calling with the help of Russia’s military to break up from Kiev Rule. Europe’s sanctions hit the Kremlin ego before it made its impact felt in the financial market.

Moscow’s isolation on the world stage followed and this was not digested by Putin in his third term in office during which his clear aim was to reinstate Russia as a world player.
Emboldened Iran

An emboldened Iran before and after the nuclear deal with the US, UN and EU led Tehran further into its belligerent proxy wars with Arab neighbors. From Gaza to Beirut, Baghdad to Damascus, Sanaa, and Manama, Iran’s tools are active at sewing dissent and sectarian tension. It is either in the name of defending the dispossessed Shiites in the world or for exporting its Islamic revolution or in the name of resisting Israeli Zionism, which wore off since the end of the 90s.

In Iraq, Shiite political and military forces linked to Iran have inherited the country in post Saddam Iraq. ISIS takeover of parts of Iraq two years ago followed years of sectarian discrimination by the central government in Baghdad against the country’s Sunni Arabs.

In Yemen, the Iranians did not shy away from claiming that they would defend Houthi militias when Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched military operation to reinstate the legitimate government of president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

This followed years of suspicion that Iran is working to prop up Houthis Shiite minority in northern Yemen to potentially undermine peace and security in the southern Saudi Arabian border towns with Yemen, also inhabited by the Shiites.

In Syria, Iran sent weapons, cash, advisors and mercenary Shiite militia from Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon to try to help Assad regime stay in power. The intervention began under the pretext of protecting Shiite shrines in and around Damascus. This religious or sectarian stance shifted when a crony of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said that allowing Assad regime to fall is tantamount to the "fall of Tehran".

The developments in Iraq, and the calls for its division, the calls to break up Syria and the Iranian control of Lebanon through Hezbollah militia are all indicative of Tehran's policy to encourage discord within neighboring Arab countries
Mohamed Chebarro

Last but not the least, Iran invested in the Lebanese Hezbollah, a sectarian Shiite party that championed the fight against Israel in the 90s. Though Hezbollah genesis in 1982 clearly called for an Islamic state in Lebanon modelled after the Iranian revolution in Iran, this was muted in the nineties as the party consolidated its grip on organs of the Lebanese state while developing under Iran patronage its international military cells in countries as far as Latin America and Asia and as close as the Gulf Arab states.

The latest Gulf Cooperation Council communique, naming Hezbollah a terrorist organization bent on recruiting Arab youth with the aim to radicalize them and turn them against their states and societies, is a clear indication of how Iran has worked to undermine its neighbors’ governments and potentially sow the seeds for a new order of state-lets dominated by Tehran.

The developments in Iraq, and the calls for its division, the calls to break up Syria and the Iranian control of Lebanon through Hezbollah militia are all indicative of Tehran's policy to encourage discord within neighboring Arab countries. The declaration of Hezbollah in Lebanon a terrorist entity is a step in the right direction to tell Iran that its proxy wars using Arab Shiite as tools will no longer be tolerated.

The declaration of Saudi Arabia that it is to form an Islamic and Arab armed coalition to ensure that Syria’s Assad is removed by diplomacy or through the use of force is another indication that some countries in the Middle East, like in Europe, are ready to stand with territorial unity of nations such as Iraq and Syria.

Doing otherwise is to leave the field wide open for Tsarist Russian ambitions, and Iranian ethnically fueled supremacy dreams. The regional drawing board might be opened since the US has disengaged and Europe is busy housing its refugees.

________________________

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English ‏@AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING Syrian opposition: Russian defense ministry map of where armed groups are does not correspond to reality

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English ‏@AlArabiya_Eng
#OPINION: @RaghidaDergham explains ‘The Role of #Iranian moderates in the #crisis with the #Gulf’
http://ara.tv/68qga


The Role of Iranian moderates in the crisis with the Gulf

Monday, 7 March 2016


The verbal war between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Iran escalated recently, with the designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist group in response to speeches by its secretary general Hassan Nasrallah challenging Saudi Arabia, accusing it of terrorism, and vowing to confront it in Yemen where Riyadh’s national security is directly affected. This happened in parallel with elections in Iran, which ended up trimming the wings of the hardliners with a significant victory for moderates and reformists.

These results have important implications that must be analyzed in order to forecast events in the proxy battlefields from Syria and Iraq to Yemen and Lebanon. Signs of anxiety over these elections were clear in Hezbollah’s escalation in a way that overtook Iranian attitudes, especially those coming from the moderate camp.

So which discourse and what strategy should the GCC nations adopt in this critical phase of the relations with Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah but also states like Russia and the United States? Should Moscow and Washington play any role to help bring de-escalation between the Gulf and Iran, stop the bleeding in war zones, and prevent a new arena for attrition from being launched in Lebanon?

Nasrallah’s speech this week brought justifications for the Gulf decisions, including the Saudi decision to suspend a grant to the Lebanese army and the designation of Hezbollah as a terror group. However, I believe, suspending the Saudi grant to the Lebanese army is not the right as I think that the policy of cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face benefits Hezbollah and Iran, and weakens their opponents, not to mention harms Lebanon’s fragile stability.

Nasrallah thankfully reassured the Lebanese people that the decision to take to the streets is in his hands, and not in the hands of a bunch of youths who can threaten stability. He was clear and firm in his television appearance. This followed riots by his supporters under the pretext of protesting against a television show that had mocked the Hezbollah chief.

However, Nasrallah implicated Lebanon in the war in Yemen in the same speech, claiming Lebanon’s national interests requires not remaining silent about what is happening in the south Arabian nation.

Public admission

In truth, Nasrallah's remarks are a public admission that Hezbollah is fighting in Yemen as the Arab coalition has accused it of doing. It also suggests that it is a partner on the ground of the Houthis and former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, just like it is a partner of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war, which has killed around half a million Syrians and displaced millions of others.

The most serious point in the speech was that Nasrallah decided to implicate Lebanon in the war in Yemen, when he spoke about the “national interest” in not remaining silent and taking part in the war. Since he decided to summon the whole of Saudi Arabia to a personal duel with him, he said: “The greatest thing I have done in my life is giving a speech on the second day of the Saudi war on Yemen”.

Thus, what the Hezbollah chief did was to declare the continuation of his war on the Arab coalition in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia. This position is one of the most important reasons behind the Gulf response against Hezbollah. Most likely, the Gulf nations will not reverse their travel bans against Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia will not reverse its decision to suspend the $4 billion grant to the Lebanese army, which both cost Lebanon dearly.

But did Nasrallah escalate on Yemen at Iran’s request or was it an independent decision? The escalation is not just verbal, as Nasrallah told us, but it is a military one. The escalation and implicating Lebanon in this manner undoes the reassurances Nasrallah made at the start of his speech.

The Russian and American leadership must realize how serious this is, and move immediately with Tehran to prevent Lebanon from getting involved in Yemen through Hezbollah. This is where American-Russian diplomacy could intervene to help mend Saudi-Iranian relations. Lebanon, more than any time in the past, is the necessary first stop. It is very crucial to uphold its neutrality and impose the election of a president there. Hezbollah must not be allowed to continue taking the country hostage amid the presidential vacuum, and drag Lebanon into others’ wars.

Saudi Arabia and the GCC nations must decide whether they want to be drawn into verbal provocation with their eyes wide shut or whether they want to adopt a comprehensive strategy including towards Iran with open minds. The traditional notion many in the Gulf is that “they are all the same” in reference to the ruling elites in Tehran, be they moderates or hardliners, and that the goal of the country is to export the Islamic Revolution to Arab countries and the implementation of regional domination.

Continued.......

The victory of the moderate President Hassan Rowhani in parliament dealt a heavy blow to the hardliners and the Revolutionary Guards. The victory of the moderates and reformists in the Assembly of Experts, whose members will elect the next supreme leader, has important implications. The majority of Iranians voted for moderates represented by Rowhani, former President Mohammad Khatami and head of the Expediency Council, Rafsanjani.

People close to Rowhani stressed repeatedly that he and his supporters have different programs from those of the hardliners, especially in terms of meddling in Arab nations and proxy wars with Saudi Arabia. According to informed sources, Rowhani told a European official during his recent visit that stability in Saudi Arabia is important for Iran and that Saudi destabilization at the hands of groups like ISIS or al-Qaeda is a threat to Tehran.

Continued............................

During the seminar in the framework of the Valdai Forum in Moscow, Iranian professor Mohammed Marandi, despite inciting against Saudi Arabia and using a provocative language towards Wahhabism, Saudi Arabia, and Saudi policies in Yemen, insisted that instability was undesirable in Saudi Arabia.

These positions, even if Riyadh questions them, are well worth building on them as part of a purposeful strategy. Riyadh can decide that verbal escalation is best ignored, and that the best tactic is to work seriously towards securing an Iranian pledge not to tamper with Saudi stability. This can be achieved either through direct channels with the moderates after the elections, or through Russian-American channels. Indeed, Russia is eager to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Secondly, the setback suffered by the hardliners could be a gateway to a different political discourse in the Gulf countries, by giving moderates a chance. This does not prevent insisting on key positions, but it is worthwhile to capitalize on the results of the elections as part of well thought out strategies.

Some say the American wager on empowering moderates in Iran as a result of the nuclear deal and the lifting of the sanctions has succeeded, and that American-Russian partnership in this regard has managed to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions and remove the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal, both key demands for Israel. The two partners in Syria and Iran have pursued an approach of containment by engagement with Tehran, and partnership instead of confrontation in Syria.

Both powers are saying there is no need to worry about having a long-term strategic relationship with Iran, citing the growth of the moderate camp in Iran at the expense of the hardliners. Both powers want the Gulf countries to pursue similar relations based on political realism instead of panic, polarization, and attrition.

Moscow’s strategy

These days there is talk about major new strategies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Lebanon. They say Moscow’s strategic relationship is not confined to Iran and Shiites, but is in the process of expanding into Sunni Arabs through Egypt and Algeria, while emphasizing on victory against terror in Syria and on safeguarding strategic interests including oil and gas.

Regarding Yemen, high-level Gulf sources confirmed that Russia has extended intelligence aid to the Arab alliance in addition to silent consent. Other non-Gulf sources say Russia and the US want to provide a way for a dignified exit strategy that would preserve Saudi national interests in Yemen. In Iraq, there is talk about US and Russian plans to appease Sunnis there, to be able to defeat ISIS in return for guarantees that their rights would be safeguarded in Iraq.

In Libya, Russia is ready to turn the page that had unleashed its nationalist tendencies, when it felt NATO had betrayed it through a Security Council resolution. It is believed that Moscow is not opposed to an American-European intervention there to prevent ISIS or al-Qaeda from taking over.

On Syria, sources close to the thinking in Tehran say Iran does not want to partition the country, as this would weaken its influence there after so much “investment” in Syria. The sources also say that Tehran, ultimately, and under the moderates’ rule, will not cling to Bashar al-Assad though it will not rush to declare this yet.

Continued.......

As for Lebanon, it is growing more fragile as major powers ignore it. It is time for major powers to take Lebanon’s brittleness seriously and to prevent its disintegration by adopting certain measures. This can begin by reining in of those who are implicating the country in the Yemeni war and turn it into a testing ground for Saudi-Iranian confidence building measures in the new Iranian era.

[OUTLAW 09]

Jund al-Aqsa & Nusra try to storm now Al-Eis town -held by #Iran lead militias
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.995508&lon=36.991053&z=14&m=b …

Do you suffer from Russophobia? The Kremlin thinks you might.
http://reut.rs/1QBmGSm


If Russian officials are to be believed, the reason people worry about what Russia might do next is because they suffer from Russophobia, an irrational fear of all things Russian.

In February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov assailed the “fashion of Russophobia in certain capitals” during a visit to Germany. Then Russia’s defense ministry accused General Philip Breedlove of Russophobia. The commander of U.S. forces in Europe had testified that the United States and its allies were “deterring Russia now and preparing to fight and win if necessary” following the Kremlin’s military adventures in Ukraine and Syria.

“Russophobe” has become a convenient label for anyone who disagrees with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive behavior at home and abroad. You are not criticizing an authoritarian leader and his erratic policies; you are instead attacking the Russian nation.

Russia’s state media churns out reports on how enemies are tirelessly seeking to isolate the country — when in fact it is Putin’s own actions that are closing off Russia.

When I first visited Moscow as a college student 25 years ago, the Soviet Union was in its last year of existence. Kremlin reformer Mikhail Gorbachev was opening up the country after more than seven decades of communism, and Russians were hungry to rejoin the world. Goodwill, curiosity and hope were the overriding feelings among Russians and Americans alike. My host parents in Moscow even displayed a picture of then-President George H.W. Bush in their living room.

The Cold War was finally over. I was fascinated by the parallel world that had existed behind the Iron Curtain and shocked by the deprivations that people endured. Later, as a journalist based in Moscow, I would encounter dozens of Russians who welcomed me into their homes and hearts. It helped, of course, that I tried my damnedest to speak Russian. But it never hurt to be American. Often it was an advantage.

My initial interest in Russia led me to explore other countries that had belonged to the Soviet empire: Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic states, the Central Asian republics. Although anti-Russian rhetoric has cheapened the political discourse in those places, the Russian language is still widely understood, if not actively used. Given their difficult history with Russia, eastern European countries viewed membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a prudent defensive measure. Putin’s surprise attack on Ukraine proved them right.

To me, the folly of Russophobia became most obvious in Ukraine. Most of my Ukrainian friends speak Russian as their first language, and many have parents or grandparents from Russia. They aren’t afraid of Russia but of its revanchist, autocratic government.

The crux of the problem between Russia and its former satellites is that nationalism was the driving force behind the independence movements that split apart the Soviet Union. Estonians, Lithuanians and Georgians knew who they were and what they wanted: their own countries.

But from Russians’ perspective, it looked like their neighbors were abandoning them. Russians never had to liberate themselves from the Soviet Union: They just woke up one day in its ideological ruins. Not surprisingly, Russian nationalism today ties together a jumble of monarchist, Orthodox Christian and communist strands.

The appeal of Russophobia isn’t just based on resentment about the breakup of an empire. It’s also rooted in the frustration that the Western model of governance proved a more attractive way of running a country.

Putin, now in his 17th year of ruling Russia, is preoccupied with regime survival. That’s one reason the Kremlin is working so hard to discredit liberal democracy as a system of government. Telling Russians to fear the West because the West hates Russia is a way of distracting the population from the deficiencies of one-man rule.

Ever since my first visit to Russia in 1991, Russians have asked me why I decided to learn their language and travel to their country. People were incredulous that an American without any Russian roots could be so interested in their country.

My answer was simple: the mellifluous Russian language, the richness of Russian literature, the vastness of the country’s geography and the diversity of its peoples. It was all about what Russians themselves call the “Russian soul” — a generosity of spirit and a knack for improvisation amid adversity.

In their bluster about a brave new Russky Mir (“Russian world”) to redeem the perceived humiliations of the past, Russia’s current rulers are putting their own insecurities on full display. In the process, they have squandered the country’s greatest resource, which isn’t oil and gas but Russia’s enormous soft power.

Ironically, the biggest Russophobes inhabit Russia’s highest political offices. They are the people who believe the essentialist argument that the Russian people are too immature for real democracy and can only be ruled by a strong leader.

Russophobia isn’t an international problem. It’s a domestic one.

[OUTLAW 09]

BreakingReport Russian cluster bomb attack on Urem Al-Kubra, 10 km west of #Aleppo. Unconfirmed so far.

[OUTLAW 09]

Finally EIGHT days into the CoH...DoS gets it right...well maybe.......?

U.S. Embassy Syria
‏@USEmbassySyria
.@StateDept's #Syria #CoH Team announces new phone # staffed by native Arabic speakers to receive violation reports:

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN0W91JQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter

Syrian opposition says truce breaches may preclude peace talks
GENEVA | By Tom Miles


Syria's opposition will decide this week whether to attend forthcoming peace talks in Geneva and has complained to the United Nations that Russian air strikes have carried on despite a truce, opposition coordinator Riad Hijab said on Monday.

Syrian government forces, backed by Russia's air force, Iranian troops and Iraqi militias, have continually breached the temporary ceasefire and used barrel bombs and toxic gas, he told reporters on a conference call.

Syria's armed forces have always denied using barrel bombs or chemical weapons.

"Just a few minutes before we came on this conference there was a massacre committed by the air forces of the Russians and the regime in Abu Dhuhour," he said, referring to a settlement in eastern Idlib governorate.

Tens of people had been killed and tens wounded, he said.

The opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) would consult military commanders and other leaders about whether to attend the talks, he said.

[OUTLAW 09]

Jund al Aqsa and Jabhat al Nusra have launched an offensive on al Eias south of Aleppo. Two Shia militia positions have been captured.

Regime forces targeted Zabadani with heavy machine guns and killed two people.

YPG moved forces from Efrin to Sheikh Maqsoud in Aleppo city through Nubul/Zahra corridor to participate in the fight against rebels.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-saudi-israeli-alliance-saudi-fm-secretly-visits-israel-after-israeli-officials-visit-riyadh-to-counter-iran/5511526

The Saudi-Israeli Alliance: Saudi FM Secretly Visits Israel after Israeli Officials Visit Riyadh to Counter Iran
By Alwaght Global Research, March 02, 2016


Alwaght- Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir [pictured left] accompanied by the Saudi intelligence chief Khaled al-Hamidan made a secret visit to Israel during the past few days.

Elsewhere other reports indicate that the visit was meant to discuss joint Israeli-Saudi military operations against Syria and Lebanon. During the clandestine visit, Adel al-Jubeir met with officials of the Israeli regime’s spy agency Mossad.

He also met with the regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu and urged Tel Avivi regime to intensify military operations against Syria with the aim of overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad.

Elsewhere, high-ranking Israeli regime officials visited the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in the last few weeks to plot against Iran.

In a report, Israeli regime’s channel 10 added that said that the delegation was headed by a prominent Israeli official.

The visit was not the first one to the Kingdom, but the Israeli regime’s Military Censor prohibits the reports talking about such visits, according to Channel 10.

King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and the Saudi princes are not embarrassed by having ties with the Israeli regime. However, they prefer they remain confidential, the report added.

Meanwhile, the Israeli channel 10 quoted Saudi officials as saying during the meetings that they are not interested in solving the Palestinian cause. However they want the Israeli regime to stand by Saudi Arabia against Iran.

Mid-February Netanyahu said it was time for Tel Aviv make public its close ties with some Arab countries.

Speaking during the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Netanyahu said that the so-called moderate Arab countries see Israel as their ally, not their enemy, as they share a common struggle against Iran among others.

Netanyahu’s remarks came the same day as the regime’s War Minister Moshe Ya’alon said there were open channels between Israel and other Arab states, but the “sensitive” situation prevents him from shaking hands with Arab officials in public. He later publicly shook the hand of Saudi Prince Turki bin Faisal al-Saud.

Representatives from the Israel regime and Saudi Arabia secretly met several times in 2014-15 to discuss their positions against Iran.

According to a Bloomberg report early June last year, five bilateral meetings were held over the a 17 month period in India, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

Reactionary Arab states have established close ties with the Israeli regime unmindful of its unprecedented war crimes, genocide, atrocities against Palestinians and occupation of Palestinian territories especially the third holiest Islamic site, the Al Aqsa Mosque.

[OUTLAW 09]

BreakingReport Russian cluster bomb attack on Urem Al-Kubra, 10 km west of #Aleppo. Unconfirmed so far.

Confirmed...........
BREAKING #Russia warplanes carried out Cluster Bombs airstrikes targeting #Aorum_alKubra village #Aleppo cs #Syria Mar 7

[CrowBat]

Appears to be a minor disconnect with Assad.....the very security structure that has brutally kept him in power is now to be disbanded.......they were responsible for the rape, torture, and disappearance of 1000s of Sunni's...and currently holds over 200K in their prisons...

Asad regime has abducted & detained tens of thousands #ReleaseThemNow #TheTimeisNow @SyrianHNC_en

Assad plans to dissolve Air Force and Military Intelligence in Syria
https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/14494.html
I don't believe a single word of this. The second he does that, he's out of power.

At best, he's going to announce their disbandment, then change their designations and keep them running as 'new organizations instead of old ones'.

[OUTLAW 09]

Daraya stats: 8300 civilians under siege for 1195 days 829 barrelbombs during February via @DarayaCouncil

Revolutionary demonstration in #Darkoosh today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZigxZ7YGvE …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.992556&lon=36.393113&z=16&m=b … #Idlib #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

I don't believe a single word of this. The second he does that, he's out of power.

At best, he's going to announce their disbandment, then change their designations and keep them running as 'new organizations instead of old ones'.

CrowBat...there might be something to the rebranding concept.........

Regime plans to dissolve 2 powerful intel departments to give immunity to members involved in war crimes
https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/14494.html


Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian regime plans to dissolve two powerful intelligence departments, a move seeks to give immunity to members involved in war crimes as well as before Russia and U.S. agree on Bashar al-Assad destiny, well-informed sources told Zaman Al Wasl.

Sources said al-Assad has plans to avoid any prosecution by the International Criminal Court for his loyalists and top commanders as well he is following a Russian advise to make some polishing for his bloody crackdown.

The notorious air force and military intelligence departments have committed war crimes against Syrian people since thousands of them were tortured to death and more than 200,000 have been arrested since the revolution erupted in March 2011.

In the recent few weeks, State Intelligence department has deployed its members on the main gates of Damascus, replacing air and military intelligence checkpoints.

Pro-regime activists doubted such news, saying its of pure imagination. Air and military intelligence are the army's backbone.

Opposition activists said Assad is making new trick. Torture and arbitrary disappearance will never be finished as long as Assad lives in Damascus.

[OUTLAW 09]

HNC.....Hijab: Russian suggestion of a future federal Syria is not acceptable at all #Syria

Hijab: #Assad must leave #Syria at start of transitional process, go before international justice and be held accountable for war crimes

HNC now voicing the same themes as the Saudi FM...........

[OUTLAW 09]

HNC.....Hijab: Russian suggestion of a future federal Syria is not acceptable at all #Syria

Hijab: #Assad must leave #Syria at start of transitional process, go before international justice and be held accountable for war crimes

HNC now voicing the same themes as the Saudi FM...........

Russian #ceasefire didn't stop Assad army and IRGC militias attacks on Akrad Mount, north #Hama, Marj al-Sultan and west #Aleppo areas.

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports Nusra attacked IRGC positions south #Aleppo captured al-Eis & pushing to al-Hader.
https://youtu.be/IwkfL264Hhg

[OUTLAW 09]

RuAF Su-24 serial number 83 ,no tail mark this confirms that Russians have moved in more Su-24

One of Tu-214r last landings in Hemiem
http://fb.me/7I1TKSc8t

More and more ATGM hits in north #Lattakia via @AboZain6
https://youtu.be/4bdmsZDhS_w

US court finds Syrian regime complicit in AQI bombing of Amman hotels. Huge judgment:
http://www.pressherald.com/?p=811890

Here's how the Syrian civil war has empowered Hezbollah. By Nour Samaha for @ForeignPolicy:
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/03/03/hezbollahs-death-valley/ …

Ahrar al-Sham denies any role in the assault on protesters in Idlib.
https://youtu.be/KX5QgFBT7Ug

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat..what do you know about this link: https://southfront.org/

[OUTLAW 09]

Unable to reduce N. #Homs pocket from N. & S. despite repeated attempts since Oct 2015, Regime forces retreating now from #Harbanafsah area.

Note: last Regime (read #Hezbollah) victories in #Homs province are from Summer 2013 with fall of #Quseir & #Khaldiyeh district.

BIG. First rebel offensive since ceasefire launched today on Shia militias in S. #Aleppo, especially in #Al_Eis. #TOW strikes also reported.

Many #TOW used in #Al_Eis Battle (S. #Aleppo) vs tanks, pick-up & field guns. Details soon.

[OUTLAW 09]

BIG. First rebel offensive since ceasefire launched today on Shia militias in S. #Aleppo, especially in #Al_Eis. #TOW strikes also reported.

Many #TOW used in #Al_Eis Battle (S. #Aleppo) vs tanks, pick-up & field guns. Details soon.

Offensive on #Al_Eis claimed as a revenge for massacre on Abu Duhur village today. Many groups involved

Aleppo Seems Nusra took entire control of Al Eis & its Tell Clashes continues on road to Al-Hader
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.997035&lon=37.002983&z=15&m=b …

Now confirmed by Nusra statement

[OUTLAW 09]

Bala & Marj areas in E. Ghouta under intense shelling & IRAM rocket fire by Assad militias in the Qaboun industrial area.

Russia's gas war against Turkey - Who can still claim that RUS energy projects are "purely commercial"?
http://www.intellinews.com/russia-launches-gas-war-against-turkey-92283/#.Vt25EI3fBJw.twitter …

SAA attack al-Rashidin in south-Western outskirts of #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.164055&lon=37.062421&z=15&m=b …

Anti-Assad protest in #Idlib, #Syria today, “We’re coming for you at the palace”
http://youtu.be/Mia-wCEoC4o

[OUTLAW 09]

Bala & Marj areas in E. Ghouta under intense shelling & IRAM rocket fire by Assad militias in the Qaboun industrial area.



Heavy clashes reported bet. rebels & Assad militias who are trying to advance in the Marj area under heavy artillery shelling & rocket fire

[davidbfpo]

CrowBat..what do you know about this link: https://southfront.org/

Not worth visiting. Quite a glossy look and some very basic research shown in the one article I viewed. A side-bar advert or supporter for a Canadian research outfit globalresearch.ca is enough to alert my senses and I'll not be visiting again.

Here is one review, which is not impartial:https://www.quora.com/Journalistic-Ethics-and-Norms/How-legitimate-is-The-Centre-for-Global-Research

[CrowBat]

RuAF Su-24 serial number 83 ,no tail mark this confirms that Russians have moved in more Su-24Nope. The photo is from November 2015: 83 was shot down by Turkish F-16.

Evidence of the VKS deploying 4 additional Su-24s to Syria on 28 February is available in form of videos taken in Homs area (their usual route for such deployments, and, as usually, accompanied by an Il-78 tanker):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ-liHbOVzM


CrowBat..what do you know about this link: https://southfront.org/Few enthusiastic Assad/Putler fans - but graphics are great.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat....an interesting question....on the Russian Syrian Express side there have been no fuel tankers spotted...where exactly is the sheer amount of aviation fuel coming from as Russian aircraft are not the most fuel economical flown these days....??

[OUTLAW 09]

Remarkable.
Since some days, #ISIS comes under heavy pressure in its strongholds near #Syria's border. First bordering #Jordan, now #Turkey.


Fighting continues in Eastern Qalamoun between FSA's 2nd Infantry Division & ISIS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QAaRWmHCKk …

Heavy fighting continues around Qizil Mazra'ah, Qarah Kubri and Doudyan with unconfirmed reports they were captured.

also Dodian + al-Tawaqli Rebels also expelled #IS from Dudiyan in northern #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.629856&lon=37.290258&z=14&m=b …

Jaish Usud al-Sharqiyeh (FSA) Rebels captured al-Waar battalion north of the Tanf border crossing with Iraq.
http://en.deirezzor24.net/jaysh-assud-sharqiya-a-fsa.../ …

Breaking
FINALLY, #Turkey seems to act.
After hours of Turkish artillery strikes on #ISIS, rebels took #AlToukli.

FSA expelled #IS from al-Tawaqli in northern #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.603746&lon=37.220306&z=14&m=b …
HalabTodayTV claim Doudyan under rebels

[OUTLAW 09]

More than 50 rockets have been fired at Jisr Ashughour/surrounding areas (Idlib) by pro-Assad forces stationed at Joreen military base.

Footage
#YPG destroys approaching #ISIS SVBIED.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQyXtuSbvMM …
(Though extremely cut and edited)

JN was absolutely clear about not accepting ceasefire. Yesterday's Aleppo attack no surprise at all. https://twitter.com/leithfadel/status/706952518274818048 …
People who talk about reconciliation under the #Assad regime and the ceasefire are either cynical or naïve.

Local activists confirmed IRGC shia militias recaptured all positions lost y'day in al-Eis south Aleppo.

SNHR: at least 5victims including 3 children& a woman died in ISIS artillery mortar shells fired on AL Qusour in Deir Ez-Zour, Mar 7

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage
The #Assad regime breaks the #SyriaCeasefire firing rockets at #Latakia villages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvAu9ExOP9A …

After Assad rocket attack on Jisr al-Shugour today woman says no fighters/Nusra/Ahrar here, why we being targeted http://youtu.be/g8wpU8HTdAg

Footage
Rebels & civilians in #Marea protest for the downfall of the #Assad regime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24mc5-bWwng …

Aleppo Huge explosion on top of Tel Eis before Nusra stormed it
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.002585&lon=36.997908&z=19&m=b …
Jabhat al-Nusra & its allies have withdrew from the recently captured Tal-Eis
Objective of their operation was a "hit & run" guerrilla raid

Reportedly rebels captured Syriatel hill after destroyed several IRGC tanks & technicals.
http://youtu.be/EwNfSJmqpYM

Residents, FSA & civil defense protest in Daraa with traditional Horani Dabke. #Syria
http://youtu.be/l6d9G-h2Jb4

Reports of at least one child killed, more civilians injured in #Jisr.
https://twitter.com/HadiAlabdallah/status/707079875023212545 …

[OUTLAW 09]

U.S. will get drawn in further as IS falters + new problems (the power of Iran's Shi'i militias and PYD/YPG) emerge.
http://goo.gl/C3DW45

Iraq: "US-designated terrorist Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis played a leading role in coordinating the op" against ISIS.
http://bit.ly/21U2XVb

Some of #Lebanon's most courageous opponents of #Hizbullah are Shia. @myraabdallah profiles a few key figures: https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/reportsfeatures/566691-the-challenges-of-anti-hezbollah-shiites …

ProDamascus opposition...what the heck is that and yet they are still alive so they must really be proAssad.......
The Syrian Observer
‏@observesyria
Pro-Damascus opposition meet at Russian-occupied air base to discuss forming group to draft new Syrian constitution http://www.syrianobserver.com/EN/News/30670/Internal_Opposition_Suggests_Team_Redraft_Syrian_C onstitution …

NOTICE Russia and Assad talk about creating a new Constitution but excludes the anti Assad opposition ...how is that going to workout??...it is not....

[OUTLAW 09]

CONFIRMED now........
BREAKINGNEWS
Confirmation, #Doudyan was liberated by the 'Sham Corps" and other Turkish-backed rebel groups from #ISIS terrorists.

Anti Assad opposition forces have done more to push back IS in the last weeks than SIX months of so called Russian air strikes on IS and an entire Shia/IRGC/Hezbollah mercenary army has achieved which was not much of anything......

All they need is US/Jordanian/Saudi CAS and Turkish artillery.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Oday Qadoura, media activist from Damascus,his family confirmed his death by torture in a gov detention center,Mar 7

And the Assad intelligence services just keep on killing and torturing......and the West does not charge him with genocide nor war crimes nor crimes against humanity......an estimated 200K Sunni's are still being imprisoned and tortured and more simply "disappear"........

Palestinian relief activist Oday Qadoura from Yarmouk camp was arrested by the regime & tortured to death.

[OUTLAW 09]

When it comes to delivering humanitarian aid as agreed to by Russia in their CoH....they still have not delivered much of anything to the estimated 470K Sunni besieged towns and hard to get to locations....but to besieged Assad towns.......they are full there.....

Russia air-drop humanitarian aid for Deir ez-Zor inhabitants!
#Syria
Via @Ruptly
https://amp.twimg.com/v/71830b6f-036c-4932-894f-0289e200bf9f …

BUT the UN/Russia contractors did manage to drop 21 tons to the Assad NDF in the same town with large fanfare though at first claiming the
entire 21 tons had been damaged and landed in a minefield BUT then had to retreat from that version of a minor white lie...since then the UN has not been seen delivering any aid anywhere in Syria...only Russian aid packaged in Russian colors and labelled in Russian is being distribute with great Russian fanfare.....

[CrowBat]

CrowBat....an interesting question....on the Russian Syrian Express side there have been no fuel tankers spotted...where exactly is the sheer amount of aviation fuel coming from as Russian aircraft are not the most fuel economical flown these days....??
From the same source like always: Iran.

[OUTLAW 09]

Hey Russia and Syria, "cessation of hostilities" doesn't mean bombing a market, killing 20 and wounding 40 plus
http://bit.ly/24MTNca

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria | #Assad advisor Bouthina Sha'aban says #Damascus supports Syrian Democratic Forces - Interview with #Hizbollah's Manar TV

What Assad seeks most of all is validation from the US - he's getting close

[OUTLAW 09]

From the same source like always: Iran.

CrowBat...tankered in or via pipeline??

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat......anything on your end on this advance....actual advance or info war statements?

Rebels (#FSA & New Syrian army) are now less than 45km away from entering Deir Ezor province, #Syria & advancing. Media blackout.

Commenter source for this is Bosno Sinj ‏@BosnjoBoy who reported the first time on the NSA/FSA attack on the border crossing before most even knew of the advances...

If advancing just who is exactly flying CAS for them--Jordanians, Saudi's or the US???

Noticed IS has given up claiming their control over the Iraq/Syrian border crossing point....after trying to claim for a number of days they still controlled it...

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.....what do you think of this series of comments...from today 8 MAR..

US-backed #FSA coalition (Quwat al-Shahid Ahmed Abdo, #NSA [former #DeZ #ADF], Usud ash-Sharqiya [former #DeZ #FSA forces], ...) about to open fronts to cut others #IS sect suplly lines including desert villages between #Suknah and #DeZ / #Bukamal

The S-W #DeZ countryside was one of the most important #FSA stronghold and anti-#IS sect area that tried to resist in summer 2014

By retaking control over the S-W #DeZ countryside, #FSA coalition to cut the #IS sect supply line to #Palmyra and its oilfields

According to contact, #FSA #Palmyra First Desert Division that #SRO reported creation, to join the campaign

More than 1000 #FSA fighters (backed by #US, #KSA and #Jordan) now mobilized in #Syria east desert from #Jayrud to al-#Tanf

#SDF to stop offensives on this front for now. Control over oilfields under shared-governance : local tribes and new municipalities

[B]Comments that came on 14 FEB.....
#Russia to accept east #Syria to #FSA and tribes control (under #KSA-led coming campaign). #US to accept North to #SDF.

Syria partition : #KSA to protect tribal allies in East #Syria. #SDF to create the #Rojava project. #Idlib governorate in islamists hands.

BUT all of this is being stated without apparent Turkish input as they will never allow a Rojava project sitting on the entire length of their Syrian border.....IMHO.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Update
Turkish artillery fire on #ISIS in al-Tawaqli resumes.
So quick it goes ...
#ISIS recaptured al-Tawaqli.

Here we go again!
#KhanAlsheh near #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh7k-W7Z0WE …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlQy3Jmfj40 …

BreakingNews
#Assad chopper bomb attack resume on Khan Alsheh, S-W of #Damascus.
8 drops so far.

Footage
#Assad regime tank assault on the front near #Rastan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZDCvoZxlwk …

News
#Russian air strikes and #Assad ground attacks on #Kabanah.
No letup in the offensive.

Putin tries through #Syria to regain the status of a global power.
http://mebriefing.com/?p=2190 .

[CrowBat]

CrowBat...tankered in or via pipeline??
Tankers. Sometimes Iranian, sometimes Chinese, Egyptian or else. Sometimes they bring Iranian, other times Venezuelan etc. oil.

Remember the nonsense about 'Chinese aircraft carrier about to dock in Tartous and launch air strikes...' from last autumn?

That 'aircraft carrier with escorts passing Suez Canal' were actually four small Chinese tankers.

Anyway, the crude is refined in Banias. The figures I've heard something like 2-3 years ago were 'worth about US$ 500 million a month' - delivered all the time since November 2011. Don't think that anything changed in this regards: it took them nearly a year to recover from all the shortages in 2012 and 2013.

[CrowBat]

CrowBat......anything on your end on this advance....actual advance or info war statements?

Rebels (#FSA & New Syrian army) are now less than 45km away from entering Deir Ezor province, #Syria & advancing. Media blackout.

Commenter source for this is Bosno Sinj ‏@BosnjoBoy who reported the first time on the NSA/FSA attack on the border crossing before most even knew of the advances...

If advancing just who is exactly flying CAS for them--Jordanians, Saudi's or the US???This is actually hard to explain...

This op is financed by Saudis and supported by Jordanians. Both are providing air cover, training, and weapons too. Under US supervision, of course.

Aims are three-fold, for the start:
- please Washington
- get the Daesh away from Jordanian border (and thus distract from fighting in Irbid)
- get FSyA units to fight Daesh, but NOT Assadists.

So, there are plenty of compromises and nonsense there.

The area... or shall I say: 'operational zone'... is largely empty gravel desert, quite flat too. Barely populated (if at all, primarily by traditional Bedu tribes grazing their sheep around). Semi-official aim is 'secure Daesh-controlled zone between Palmyra and Dayr az-Zawr'; 'cut off the Daesh supply line for Palmyra etc., i.e. 'fight Daesh, not anybody else'.

I don't believe this is going to really work. At least not over a longer period of time. Namely, involved Syrian insurgents 'understand' this differently. Their standpoint - or their preferences - would be something like: 'liberate Palmyra (staunchly anti-Assad place) before the regime can do so', 'establish link with insurgents in Dmeyr' (already held by FSyA and connected to a liberated zone comparable in size to the Ra'astan-Talbiseh Pocket north of Homs), 'advance on Dayr az-Zawr' (another staunchly anti-Assad place), etc. They can't do all of this openly, and even less so at the same time, though. Right now they've got to accept they're overdependent on pleasing Americans. Indeed, knowing how eager are their CYA-tails to cut off all supplies if they breach any of agreements... well, we'll not hear anything dependable about this before they've achieved and established a 'few facts on the ground'.

[OUTLAW 09]

This is actually hard to explain...

This op is financed by Saudis and supported by Jordanians. Both are providing air cover, training, and weapons too. Under US supervision, of course.

Aims are three-fold, for the start:
- please Washington
- get the Daesh away from Jordanian border (and thus distract from fighting in Irbid)
- get FSyA units to fight Daesh, but NOT Assadists.

So, there are plenty of compromises and nonsense there.

The area... or shall I say: 'operational zone'... is largely empty gravel desert, quite flat too. Barely populated (if at all, primarily by traditional Bedu tribes grazing their sheep around). Semi-official aim is 'secure Daesh-controlled zone between Palmyra and Dayr az-Zawr'; 'cut off the Daesh supply line for Palmyra etc., i.e. 'fight Daesh, not anybody else'.

I don't believe this is going to really work. At least not over a longer period of time. Namely, involved Syrian insurgents 'understand' this differently. Their standpoint - or their preferences - would be something like: 'liberate Palmyra (staunchly anti-Assad place) before the regime can do so', 'establish link with insurgents in Dmeyr' (already held by FSyA and connected to a liberated zone comparable in size to the Ra'astan-Talbiseh Pocket north of Homs), 'advance on Dayr az-Zawr' (another staunchly anti-Assad place), etc. They can't do all of this openly, and even less so at the same time, though. Right now they've got to accept they're overdependent on pleasing Americans. Indeed, knowing how eager are their CYA-tails to cut off all supplies if they breach any of agreements... well, we'll not hear anything dependable about this before they've achieved and established a 'few facts on the ground'.

Thus the "media blackout"...until they have taken what they want and need??

Then it sounds like the entire ops was against IS......

[CrowBat]

Exactly that's the 'crucial question' here, something like who's going to be 'the first to tell the story at the O-club tonight'...?

Is Oblabla going to be the first to - for example - declare this for (his) 'victory against the Daesh'...?

Or is this NSA going to be the first to - for example - 'flipp out of control' of its CYA-tails (and go after Assadists, IRGC etc.)...?

Or are Saudis going to be the first to - for example - declare themselves as 'propping moderates against the Daesh'...?

Guess, you know how important is to 'be the first' in such cases...

************

EDIT: one factor here - and then also something that all sorts of Assad/Putler-fans are going to insist upon in coming days and weeks - will be that the NSA is likely to end in control of something like one quarter of Syria. Though then precisely the quarter without any town bigger than Abu Kamal (on Iraqi border) or Dmeyr, and populated by less than 1% of Syrians. Through that advance, they'll serve the US purpose of cutting off Daesh's supply links.

But, and whether the CYA likes this or not, it's unavoidable for insurgents to go 'after something bigger' - be that Palmyra, Dayr az-Zawr or whatever other place. Anything else would be treachery from the standpoint of their own families, most of which are from Dera'a, Qunaitra, Damascus and Eastern Ghouta...

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA shelling Youth Housing north of Kurdish Sheik Maqsood, #Aleppo. No civilians there btw.
http://wikimapia.org/26711034 https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/707290959260704768 …

YPG's @RedurXelil reports CW attack on Kudish district of #Aleppo Sheik Maqsood. Would be chlorine probably. https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/707289548544286721 …

BREAKING: Russia disrupts natural gas supply to Turkey
http://neurope.eu/article/russia-disrupts-natural-gs-supply-turkey/ …

'Rocket projectiles' from #Syria kill two in SE #Turkey
http://aa.com.tr/en/turkey/-rocket-projectiles-from-syria-kill-two-in-se-turkey/533697 …

Update
#Turkey says #ISIS attacks it.
Heavy artillery response right now.

Turkey's plan seems for #FSA & Faylaq to expel #ISIL from Turkish borderline to Jarablus backed with artillery & equipped with new weapons.

Looks like Faylaq al-Sham & FSA forces captured Dudiyan from ISIL are equipped with US toys.
https://youtu.be/R3zbXLsOu7U

Several killed/wounded in Assad shelling of various areas in #Daraa today (Kafrnasj, Mal, Zimrin, Mashara, Yadouda)

[OUTLAW 09]

Faylaq al-Sham vid of the liberation of Dudyian in north rural #Aleppo from #ISIS
http://youtu.be/vBxOYof_Gzw

More than 30 bombs were dropped by Assad helicopters on Khan al-Sheeh in #Damascus #Syria today
http://youtu.be/Q_XX4emZatE

Note: FSA-linked unit Liwa Ahfad SalahDin is Kurdish & condemned #YPG offensive vs #FSA last month in N. #Aleppo.

IS shelling Kilis town in #Turkey from #Syria

Update: After #UN &@SYRedCrescent aid deliveries yesterday, pro-govt. forces launched a major attack in southern part of E. Ghouta #Damascus

VDC; Syrian monitoring group, recorded 52,674 detentions, of whom 1,477 were women and 55 were girls under the age of 18..
Numbers are higher, don’t include, those who have been picked up by the thuggish pro-ASSad militia Shabiha, ASSad "ultra-loyal enforcers"..

Numbers exceed 200,000 prisoners, including women and children. All of them unjustly arrested by ASSad brutal Regime..

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage
"#Russian" plane attacks rebel-held villages in #Latakia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT4V3jXFSXg …

I finally found #FSA troops (Faylaq Al-Sham), taking part in the liberation of #Doudyan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBxOYof_Gzw …

Especially,I like the M249.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVJb2m2EWYo …
Nice,somebody is getting serious about defeating ISIS in Syria.

Waiting for pro-#YPG comment on #Turkish-backed #Kurdish #FSA group, fighting against #ISIS "with the #jihadis" ...

Footage
#Russian Su-25 fires on #Nusra militants near #AlEis today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO-5Yhp5Vzc …

Footage
An #Assad helicopter fires at rebel positions at the #Latakia-#Idlib border
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_n9PiaO8IQ …

[CrowBat]

FSA shelling Youth Housing north of Kurdish Sheik Maqsood, #Aleppo. No civilians there btw.
http://wikimapia.org/26711034 https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/707290959260704768 …

YPG's @RedurXelil reports CW attack on Kudish district of #Aleppo Sheik Maqsood. Would be chlorine probably. https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/707289548544286721 …...if that was the FSyA - and not the regime. Why should the FSyA use CWs for attacking Kurds at this critical moment?


Looks like Faylaq al-Sham & FSA forces captured Dudiyan from ISIL are equipped with US toys.
https://youtu.be/R3zbXLsOu7U Actually, the group to be seen - and then the one that spearheaded that attack - is the Liwa Ahfad Sallahaddin, a Kurdish FSyA unit (true FSyA, not the US-sponsored part of the SDF).

Funny to see them fighting the Daesh, but the Oblabla's SDF 'sturmtruppen' moved via Turkey to Afrin enclave - not.

[CrowBat]

Here an interview with the CO of the Jaysh Ussud Sharqiya, which is another FSyA group now active in south-eastern Syria (http://en.deirezzor24.net/d24-exclusive-interview-with-a-commander-of-the-fsa-faction-jaysh-assud-sharqiya-abu-barzan-al-sultani/) - 'next' to that New Syrian Army.


2. What is Jaysh Aussd Sharqiya opinion on the Kurdish YPG, mainly after its recent progress towards Deir Ezzor?

Abu Barzan: The Kurdish YPG wants to carve out its own state in northern Syria, therefore, we are against any kind of cooperation or coordination with this militia and, at the same time, we announce that we are ready to coordinate operations with any Syrian FSA faction whose main goal is to drive both ISIS and Assad out of Syria.
...

6. Is there any type of coordination between Jaysh Sharqiya and the New Syrian Army?

Abu Barzan: There is no coordination between them and us for the moment. It is a new military faction whose goals remain vague and unknown to us, however, we (Jaysh Sharqiya) are open to coordinate and cooperate with any military faction whose main goal is to force ISIS and Assad-regime out of Syria.
...
...and their aim is clear: Dayr az-Zawr.

[munkitkat]

These guys were around in Idlib & were eventually kicked out because they kept stabbing Rebels in the back every time they tried to progress

If they were still around in Idlib. Then Idlib would never have been captured by rebel factions. Now they're back in Aleppo to help Assad

[OUTLAW 09]

Tasnim News Agency
✔ ‎@Tasnimnews_EN #BREAKING: #IRGC test-fired #Qadr ballistic #missile from #Alborz mountain near #Tehran

Iran continues missile tests with two more launches
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0WB0I9 …

But they're 'moderate' ballistic missiles, right?

[OUTLAW 09]

More nonsense.
If anything unusual, this was a #Chlorine gas attack on #SheikhMaqsoud.
And rebels don't possess it.

#Update
23 people were killed in armed violence (and starving) on the 6th day of the #SyriaCeasefire. - LCC

Update
31 people were killed on the 7th day of the #SyriaCeasefire by #Russia, #Assad and #ISIS.
- LCC

Update
26 people were killed on the 8th day of the #SyriaCeasefire
- LCC

Update
29 civilians were killed across #Syria on the 9th day of the #SyriaCeasefire.
Most in ISIS-held land.
- LCC

Update
61 people killed on the 10th day of the "#SyriaCeasefire" - LCC
Almost back to normal ...

Update
30 people were killed in the violence (95% by Assad & Russia) on the 11th day of the #SyriaCeasefire. - LCC

[OUTLAW 09]

The new #Assad army / Shiite militias offensive into #EastGhouta is one giant #SyriaCeasefireBreach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2US1AlET0Q …

Participants: #Assad friends, Assad lovers, Assad supporters etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elqGjjYcVJA …

D24 #EXCLUSIVE interview with a commander of the FSA faction Jaysh Assud Sharqiya Abu Barzan al-Sultani
http://en.deirezzor24.net/d24-exclusive-interview-with-a.../ …

Heavy clashes continue between rebels & regime & co around Bala in eastern Ghouta, #Damascus, #Syria

At least 40 towns/villages in Latakia, Idlib, Daraa, Aleppo, Hama, Homs & Damascus were targeted by Russia/Assad y'day
Targeted with heavy artillery, mortar shells, MLRS, airstrikes & barrel bombs

Reports of several civilians wounded at Castello road by YPG sniper fire from Sheikh Maqsoud. Need better barricades!

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad regime & Russia trying to advance in coastline's mountainous area & rural Idlib. Media largely ignoring these dangerous developments.

Russia continues airstrikes in #Latakia mountains #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT4V3jXFSXg …

Assad forces also targeted town of Bidama in Jisr Ashughour (Idlib) with rockets, destroying several residential buildings.

Mass destruction & several buildings on fire after Russian warplane strikes on Najiya, Jisr Ashughour, Idlib

FSA Usud al-Sharqiyah after liberating the al-Wa’ar company from #ISIS near al-Tanf #Syria/Iraq border crossing
http://youtu.be/5whXhFGwfJU

FSA Division 31 - Liwa Ahfad Salahudin after the liberation of Dudyan in north rural #Aleppo from #ISIS
http://youtu.be/DVJb2m2EWYo #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Tasnim News Agency
✔ ‎@Tasnimnews_EN #BREAKING: #IRGC test-fired #Qadr ballistic #missile from #Alborz mountain near #Tehran

Iran continues missile tests with two more launches
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0WB0I9 …

But they're 'moderate' ballistic missiles, right?

URGENT: TEHRAN, Iran (@AP) — Iran reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them.

[OUTLAW 09]

U.S. general wants to revive training of Syrians fighting Islamic State http://reut.rs/1U1JDAA via @Reuters

SNHR
At least 312 breaches since the beginning of the truce in Syria in 27 Feb 2016
http://goo.gl/Fvmc2V

al-Mutasem brigade launching mortar shells at #ISIS in al-Tawaqli near Dudyan in north rural #Aleppo

Ghouta: Syrian Rebels kill a "legendary" Assad regime revolutionary guard "Basil Ibrahim Qanbar"

New rebel military formation in southern Syria
https://youtu.be/p1CmMDJ-Mhc

[OUTLAW 09]

Can anyone explain just how is it that the Obama WH does more to support Iran, Hezbollah and Shia mercenaries in Syria than stepping up pressure on Iran to pull them out of Syria?????

Obama administration presses #SaudiArabia, Gulf states, to ease their financial campaign against #Lebanon.
http://on.wsj.com/1RxY0Xx

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad's forces sexually abused 7672;7244 women, 428 girls.
http://ow.ly/ZdqhS
WomensDay #Syria

Eliot Higgins
‏@EliotHiggins
In Aug 2013, a defector “Caesar” smuggled 53,275 photos out of #Syria. Get the story on this groundbreaking expose:
http://bit.ly/1Kbx3eS

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‎@Charles_Lister
So disingenuous. Article explicitly says Nusra & Jund al-Aqsa shut down protest. Ahrar uninvolved & condemned Nusra. https://twitter.com/joshua_landis/status/707260354623971328 …

[CrowBat]

Landis is really starting to disapoint me. In the case of that article, he's showing lack of knowledge even about Syrian flags:


The so-called “mandate flag” was used by the Syrian Republic during the period of the French mandate from 1920–1946, the latter being the year of Syria’s independence. The flag remained Syria’s national symbol until Hafez al-Assad seized power in 1970.Wrong.

Even if, say, he was 'trying to shorten a rather complex story' - for example with purpose of making it 'simplier to understand' - it's simply not truth that the green-white-black flag was in use until Hafez al-Assad seized power in 1970.

As can be read at the website Flags of the World (https://flagspot.net/flags/sy-his2.html) (not to talk about an entire host of printed publications), green-white-black was introduced in 1932, and in use all the time up to 1959 and then again in period 1961-1963.

It was replaced by the 'pan-Arabic' red-white-black (with three green stars) after the Ba'ath coup of 1963. In turn, that flag remained in use until Qaddafi-instigated attempt to unite Egypt, Libya and Syria, of early 1972.

Red-white-black with two green stars was introduced by Assad only in 1980 (i.e. 10 years later than stated by Landis).

If this is an indication of his 'attention to detail'... sigh...

[OUTLAW 09]

Believe It or Not, Russia Dislikes Relying on Military Contractors
http://warisboring.com/articles/believe-it-or-not-russia-dislikes-relying-on-military-contractors/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Regime shelling on Jisr al-Shughour in western #Idlib
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh_o3hcvWCg …

First Regiment rebels launching mortar shells at #ISIS positions in Herbel, north rural #Aleppo yesterday
http://youtu.be/4ZZY4vBCD5w

Assad shelling & MLRS attacks reported across rural #Latakia & clashes continue as Assad militias try to advance into Kabbina in Jabal Akrad

Several killed & wounded in Assad heavy artillery shelling in #Daraa Balad again today

[OUTLAW 09]

The town is full of skeleton-like people walking about - a doctor in #Madaya speaks out on sieges and starvation https://diary.thesyriacampaign.org/a-doctors-dispatch/ …

Assad regime and Hezbollah Accused to seeking for a demographic change of Zabadani
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1675

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference Russian military in Syria......

Russian soldier from the 200th Brigade disclosed his unit’s location in #Syria. Read at
https://informnapalm.org/en/mar07-syria-artillery/ …

Russian troops w/o insignia in Syria, evacuating Russian correspondents - VIDEO
https://www.facebook.com/begemot.media/videos/1117990784886926/?fref=nf&__mref=message_bubble …

[OUTLAW 09]

Kyle W. Orton ‎@KyleWOrton
My latest for @NOW_eng > Assad's been collaborating with IS for 14 years, it started when he used IS against America
http://mme.cm/G1AW00


Continued................................
First, Zarqawi went to Ain al-Hilweh, a Palestinian camp in southern Lebanon known for its Islamist militancy, and then to Syria. Zarqawi recruited numerous Syrians, notably ISIS’ current spokesman, Taha Falaha, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Adnani. From Syria, Zarqawi organized—with the complicity of Assad—the assassination of a U.S. diplomat, Laurence Foley, in Jordan. More importantly, Zarqawi set up, in collaboration with the Syrian secret police, the networks that would bring the foreign jihadists into Iraq after the fall of Saddam.

During the invasion of Iraq, Mahmoud al-Aghasi (pseudonym: Abu al-Qaqa), a Salafi agitator in Aleppo, had gone door-to-door rounding up young men to go and wage jihad in Iraq, who were then allowed to pass into Iraq unhindered by Syrian border guards. Al-Aghasi was an asset of Assad's intelligence. Throughout the entire U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, Syria was the main conduit for ISIS’ foreign volunteers who formed the overwhelming majority of the suicide bombers.

With the foreign fighter flow into Iraq reaching 100 per month by late 2007, almost solely from Syria, U.S. commandos crossed into eastern Syria on October 26, 2008, and killed the man chiefly responsible for the pipeline, Badran al-Mazidi (Abu Ghadiya), a facilitator who answered directly to ISIS’ leadership. The raid was made possible when the U.S. turned a member of Al-Mazidi's inner circle—who had, incidentally, been working for Assad. But the Assad regime's oversight of Al-Mazidi was more direct than penetrating his network with secret agents—that was merely an additional layer of surveillance from a totalitarian regime that uses terrorism as an instrument of statecraft.

The U.S. was well aware that Al-Mazidi operated "with the knowledge of the Syrian government," specifically the dictator's brother-in-law, Assef Shawkat, the head of Military Intelligence, from information gathered during five years of grinding war in Iraq. The jihadists were landing at Damascus International Airport and being shipped into eastern Syria, where they lived in safe-houses run by Military Intelligence and had access to a "network of training camps" where senior ISIS members "met regularly with Syrian Military Intelligence officials," including Shawkat. These jihadists were then set loose in Iraq, but were able to return to Syria to receive medical treatment if they were injured.

Continued.................
Since its military intervention in Syria, Russia has systematically targeted the moderate opposition with upwards of eighty percent of its airstrikes. In October, Russia enabled ISIS to make its largest territorial gains in six months in Aleppo when it bombed hundreds of rebels who had been holding the line against ISIS. The regime had previously played this role of ISIS' air force before, so blatantly that even the U.S. State Department called them out on it. Meanwhile, Syria's energy sector is a joint criminal enterprise of the Assad regime and ISIS, with Russia as the intermediary, providing millions of dollars in cash, via Kremlin-affiliated oligarchs, which Assad hands over to ISIS, and technicians who keep these facilities running.

Assad has had one overarching strategic aim since the rebellion erupted in Syria: present the population and the world with a binary choice between the dictator and the terrorists. ISIS shares that goal, and has worked in tandem with the regime, directly and indirectly, to eliminate all non-ISIS alternatives to the regime. Last week's ruling in Washington and the much-neglected 2008 court judgment are reminders that this collaboration did not begin yesterday. It was Assad's past cooperation with ISIS against America that provided the foundations for ISIS' caliphate to take root so quickly, and Assad's cynical wish to make extremists the face of the opposition that allowed ISIS to expand virtually unhindered.

Assad—with Russia and Iran behind him—might undertake symbolic attacks against ISIS to counter rising international accusations of collaboration, and Assad will fight ISIS eventually—when the regime and ISIS are the only combatants left in Syria. But until then, Assad has every interest in making the ISIS problem worse to help facilitate the complete the defeat of the rebellion, politically and physically. This is not the conventional definition of a counter-terrorism partner.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria 2 dozen #NDF & #SAA regime forces killed in clashes in #Latakia mountains when tried to advance towards #Idlib

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime shelling on Jisr al-Shughour in western #Idlib
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh_o3hcvWCg …

Syria regime presses toward key #Idlib town of Jisr al-Shughour
http://mme.cm/J1AW00

Report from #Houla area in northern #Homs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7jRp0MslsI …

Destruction of airstrikes on #Nawa city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0VzS9mC8tw …

Damascus Residential building after airstrike on #Douma suburb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59m0NQ0ccvY …

Waves of #Russia'n airstrikes wiped out #Tadmur/#Palmyra city in desert of eastern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aAkadE4vTU&feature=youtu.be …

Reports of #JN evacuating Abo Dhuhr town in east #Idlib countryside

UN de Mestura: 536 aid trucks have reached 238,085 people in #Syria
SyAAF drop leaflets on #IS held #DeirEzzor countryside "Army is coming…leave your weapons"

SAA Tiger Forces led by Col. Suheil Al-Hassan west of #Tadmor

Germany obtained leaked files (incl personal information) on #ISIS foreign fighters
http://www.dw.com/en/report-germany-possesses-leaked-islamic-state-files-on-foreign-fighters/a-19100536 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Tasnim News Agency
✔ ‎@Tasnimnews_EN #BREAKING: #IRGC test-fired #Qadr ballistic #missile from #Alborz mountain near #Tehran

Iran continues missile tests with two more launches
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0WB0I9 …

But they're 'moderate' ballistic missiles, right?

Al-Qadr missile:
1700-2000km range
Weighs 17tons
16m tall
650kg warhead

[OUTLAW 09]

Ali Saleh (Lebanese) looted/killed for #Assad in #Homs. Moved to #Deggendorf as a "Syrian".
https://unfetteredfreedom.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/list-of-shabiha-posing-as-refugees-in-europe/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express on the move........

ВМФ Ropucha class LST #Бф BF Alexander Otrakovsky 031transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria
https://youtu.be/pTAXE6p4q98

This is the 3rd #Syrian deployment for #ВМФ Ropucha class LST #Бф BF Alexander Otrakovsky 031 in 2016

Non-Stop #SyriaExpress uses cease-fire to rearm without wasting anytime. #ВМФ #Бф A.Otrakovsky 031transits Bosphorus

Increased security continues: Coast Guard's TCSG90&TCSG15 & Istanbul Maritime Police boat & helicopter escorted 031

ВМф Aux Fleet #вф Kazan-60 was purchased from Ukraine's Danube Shipping company in Izmail via a Turkish company!

ВМф Aux Fleet #вф Kazan-60 was x-Georgiy Agafonov, IMO8805494, built to transport fruit and vegetables for the USSR

Russian flag, Russian government chartered merchant Ro-Ro vessel Alexander Tkachenko transits northbound Bosphorus

Russian government chartered ro-ro Alexander Tkachenko so far made 2 trips to #Tartus #Syria in 2016

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria.. the unique place in the earth where people still claiming there's "ceasefire"..
#Daraa #Syria MAR 8

SCD collecting #RUSSIA Cluster Bombs in #Khan_Sheikhoun aftermath it's airstrikes
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 9

SCD rescue operation of victims of #SAA shelling on #Khan_Sheikhoun
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 9

SAA shelling from #Joureen, targeting #alHabit village now
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 9

[OUTLAW 09]

Lithuanian DM says they would be pleased to see Turkish troops in Lithuania against Russia's aggressive policy.
http://www.haber7.com/avrupa/haber/1834907-turk-askerini-ulkemizde-gormekten-memnun-oluruz …

The most foreign fighters joining #ISIS are from #Russia.
http://www.haber7.com/dunya/haber/1834314-daesin-insan-kaynagi-rusya …

Chief of #IS's chemical weapons unit, Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who was formerly a member of an elite unit of Saddam's regime, captured. #Iraq

IS's chemical weapons of mass destruction are significantly drawn from the stocks Saddam never had.
https://goo.gl/UPa1MU

[OUTLAW 09]

The unmissable @PhillipSmyth on Iran's progress toward a Syrian Hizballah: a gain in power and ideological spread.
http://washin.st/1M56wv8

With conditions after the Russian intervention and PYD cutting the Azaz corridor, makes sense to unify across Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia + Hama.
Drawing on Jaysh an-Nasr, Fatah Halab, and the more localized or free-floating vetted brigades, there is a workable rebel force in the north

[OUTLAW 09]

'Where IS has excelled is in the realm of intelligence tradecraft & propaganda'
by @hxhassan
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35694297 …

Aliko: #PYD Collaborating with #Assad since Day One
http://ow.ly/Zggz1

US State Dept Official: #PYD Will Not Participate in Upcoming #Geneva Talks
http://ow.ly/Zd06j

Hijab: #Assad Must Stand Trial for #WarCrimes
http://ow.ly/ZcWgv

UK Calls on #Assad to Release Detainees before Resumption of #Geneva Talks
http://ow.ly/ZacNH

[OUTLAW 09]

Great Russian MoD thoughts but in Russian........
Russian Chief General Staff on #Syria lessons -
http://www.vpk-news.ru/articles/29579
(high tech weapons & info war critical) RUS

[OUTLAW 09]

What camo pattern is this one used by Russian soldiers in Syria?
https://twitter.com/bm21_grad/status/707311697678176256 …

S-75 Dvina high-altitude air defense system surface-to-air missile with command guidance was sighted in #Syria.

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels repel #PKK gangs infiltration attempt into #Daret_Ezza coming from #Deir_Samaan
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 9

Leaked: Pro Assad regime women offering sexual favors to Russian soldiers
http://m.arabi21.com/Story/893385

US_Coalition carried out airstrikes targeting #Tishrin_Dam in #Manbij moments ago
#Aleppo cs #Syria MAR 9

Revealed: Tens of thousands of IS membership documents, including details of British jihadis
http://trib.al/olAlwuq

[OUTLAW 09]

U.S. general concerned about lack of partner against Islamic State in Syria
http://reut.rs/1TLVNhx

BREAKING
Heavy clashes Reported between ALLIED Sultan Murad Brigade and Zinki Brigades in #Aleppo.

Syria anti-#YPG protest in #Qamishli today

[OUTLAW 09]

ISIS commander still alive, badly wounded: Syria Observatory
http://reut.rs/1R8KnDG

Does the airline Mahan fly in support of the IRGC into Syria in German......????

Artikel zum Thema: http://www.aerotelegraph.com/irans-mahan-air-hilft-assad-regime-syrien …
und Video aus Syrien: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3BiNbXnSjA …
Im Grunde ein #NoGo.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express on the move again ........

This is the second #SyriaExpress deployment for #ВМф AUX #вф Vologda-50

Turkish Coast Guard's TCSG90 & TCSG15 and Istanbul Maritime Police boat&helicopter box-escorted #ВМф #вф Vologda-50

ВМф AUX вф Vologda-50 transited Bosphorus & carried 2x40ft ISO container boxes above the deck to #Tartus #Syria

[CrowBat]

[B]Does the airline Mahan fly in support of the IRGC into Syria in German......????The question is not 'if', but 'how much'.

Mahan is owned by the IRGC, and a better part of their 'passengers' on flights to Syria are IRGC and Hezbollah/Iraq officers and troops.

Reason they (and IRIAF C-130s) are used: rest of IRGC's transport fleet (Il-76s, An-74s etc.) do not have the necessary licences to fly outside Iranian airspace.

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels continue to defend against Assad's push, clashes ongoing with Assad forces/militias on Harasta Qantara & Fadayiya fronts in E. Ghouta

Assad's scorched earth policy in E. Ghouta goes by completely under reported tbh....it's easy to shout ISIS/Nusra to burn entire towns down

Howitzers, Shilkas, tanks, mortar shells, IRAMs, MLRS, pounding Marj, Fadayiya, Shaher fields, Bala areas, hasn't stopped since last night

Assad's scorched earth policy continues in eastern Ghouta in the aim of burning everything to the ground & encircling the liberated areas

SNHR: regime warplanes fired missiles on Red Crescent Dispensary in Palmyra city in Homs, rendering it inoperable, Mar 9.

Faylaq al-Sham rebels announce the complete liberation of Qara Kubri from #ISIS in north rural #Aleppo, #Syria

Looks like rebels are getting some air support against #ISIS, reports Coalition aistrikes targeted Ghazal & Qara Kubri a little while ago

[OUTLAW 09]

Over 6000 barrel bombs were dropped by Assad on #Daraya in the last 6 months
http://youtu.be/-lgr4cly3O4

The #Damascus suburb of #Daraya has been besieged for nearly 3.5 years by Assad
http://youtu.be/-lgr4cly3O4 #Syria

12 days after #SyriaCeasfire & #Daraya is still beisged by Assad. No aid, no food, “We want to eat!”
http://youtu.be/-lgr4cly3O4

So is Russia deliberately denying aid to this besieged town in spite of their supporting the CoH....

[OUTLAW 09]

Interview with FSA rebels on the liberation of Dudyan in N. rural #Aleppo from #ISIS, trenches & IEDs everywhere
http://youtu.be/S-i4gOcCl8U

Yet another merger of (15) #FSA rebel groups in South #Syria
New group:
"Alwiyat al-Jonub" the
"Southern Brigades"

Maybe we should all wait with reports about Iran retreating from Syria until Iranians stop dying in Syria

Syria, Iran Brigadier Hassanli Shams Abadi killed by rebels in Aleppo rif https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/syria-iran-brigadier-hassanli-shams-abadi-killed-by-rebels-in-aleppo-rif …

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Hama A dozens #Assad-forces killed in battle around regime stronghold Maan
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.359446&lon=36.797676&z=14&m=b …

Syria #Assad-forces shelling Kafr Nabudah in northern #Hama from barriers south of the city
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.424798&lon=36.494608&z=14&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Daraa Reports that Assad forces in al-Dara, Sweida are again shelling the rebel held Brigade 52 in Hrak with heavy artillery

Clashes ongoing but Saif al-Sham reports that Assad’s attempt (reg forces & militias) to advance into Khan al-Sheeh last night was foiled

Reports rebels regained positions lost to Assad on Bala front & a large no. of Assad forces advancing from Fadayiya killed in a big ambush

Damascus Jaish al Islam claim killed 50 #Assad-forces & destroyed
3 T-72 tanks
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.494488&lon=36.476068&z=15&m=b …

Assad-forces shelling Kafr Nabudah in northern #Hama from barriers south of the city
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.424798&lon=36.494608&z=14&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

49 Martyrs
7Fighters 3Children 2Tortured 1Woman
12Aleppo
8Idlib
5Damascus
5DeirEzzor
3Hama
2Raqqa
2Hasaka
2Homs
1Daraa
1Latakia
#Syria MAR 9

Desperate families in #Rastan build underground caves to protect from #SAA & #RUSSIA bombardment
#Homs #Syria MAR 9

RUSSIA helicopter shelling on #Latakia countryside yesterday MAR 9

Hezbollah & #SAA terrorists using #RUSSIA Landmines as part of their war crimes to besiege #Zabadani
#Syria MAR 9

Almost 700 #RUSSIA landmines planted by #Hezbollah & #SAA in #Madaya & #Zabadani, found in the last month so far,

Russian soldiers being entertained in #Syria while Assad's dead soldiers carried in a truck!

SAA from 66th brigade bombarding #Hama countryside now
#Syria MAR 10

SAA bombarding #alMarj now with tank shelling, grad rockets e mortars
#Damascus cs #Syria MAR 10

Rebels firing back #SAA terrorists positions in #Maan now
#Hama cs #Syria MAR 10

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria: after Ahfad Sallahudeen another #US-backed #FSA group has appeared in N #Aleppo; Liwa al-Hamza (5th Brigade)

Footage
Rebels in #ShaykhIsa keep attacking #ISIS in #Herbel, while much closer #YPG ...?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZZY4vBCD5w …

News
Russian jets switched to totally destroying #Palmyra as its man is unable to retake it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aAkadE4vTU …

Direct aftermath of another Russian strike (of course not aiming at ISIS, but simply at the city center...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc6lGcbEC3s …

Footage
People return to totally destroyed #Morek, now under control of Jund al Aqsa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH0LrMangTE …

'Rebels' from the #CaucasusEmirate highlight role in south #Aleppo fighting
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/03/caucasus-emirate-in-syria-highlights-role-in-aleppo-fighting.php …

North Korean Type-73 LMG sighted in Syria with Shia militia
http://spioenkop.blogspot.com/2016/03/north-korean-type-73-lmg-sighted-in.html …