Syria in 2016 (July-September)

[OUTLAW 09]

Update from the Syrian rebel operation to open #AleppoUnderSiege.
From Ahrar al-Sham spox to @SMARTNewsAgency:

Talbisah received a killed rebel fighter from the battle.
His name was Mahmoud Merza.

And this who he died for ...
Child injured in #Assad mortar attack on #Talbisah last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_av6QiHbOGY …

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKINGNEWS
The #Russian air force (a Su-34) is attacking the town of #Zakya with cluster ammunition.

It's all documented !!
#Russia takes revenge for the chopper downing by bombing #EastGhouta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cRaJ0juTJE …

Those cluster munitions the US is afraid to confront Russia on.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels will launch the 3rd phase of the battle to break the siege of #Aleppo soon.

[OUTLAW 09]

KyleWOrton
Something to watch for .... Syria

JaF announces that a major surprise which is coming in the hours which will be the biggest surprise in the history of the Syrian Revolution.....

Jaysh al-Fatah is the coalition dominated by not-al-Qaeda and Ahrar al-Sham.


Spoke with one of FSA Fastaqem's leaders who just returned from the frontline in Aleppo. He's confident.

Our Signal Corps have monitored calls between high Syrian regime leaders which shows the confusion and collapse they have.
This six phase battle is not about the ending of the siege of Aleppo but is about the complete liberation of Aleppo....

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels launched attacks on several fronts of W. & SW. #Aleppo. They detonated a tunnel bomb under Amriya & are also advancing in Ramoussah

Rebels launched the 3rd phase of the #Aleppo Battle. Pic of Artillery Base via @JohnArterbury

Rebels are advancing in Sawmill area in W. #Aleppo. Main parts already taken.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.189083&lon=37.073793&z=14&m …

Aleppo Heavy clashes continue as regime & co still trying to push into Handarat camp

Fire inside Military Academy after shelling by Jaish Al-Mujahideen, W. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.181948&lon=37.096710&z=14&m …

Jund Badr 313 fired another #ATGM vs a second tank on #Zara frontline, S. #Hama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSxazMj_CoU …

Rebels downed this reconnaissance drone over E. #Aleppo.
Russian Orlan UAV that crashed some hours ago in Bab an Nayrab

Artillery base: 3rd largest Regime has in #Aleppo (~2 km²). At least 50 mil. vehicles, 16 cannons, 2 tanks & 2 BM-27

Rebel howitzer, Grad rockets & mortars vs same target: Artillery Base in SW. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIINtLo7Opo …

Jund Badr 313's #ATGM strike vs a T-62 on #Zara front in S. #Hama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUXeggBxk0A …

Rebels shelling Regime-held Al Assad suburb next to Military Academy in W. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.172595&lon=37.079018&z=16&m …

MORE anti Assad forces are showing up with either ATGMs and or TOWs who had not been previously using them....

[OUTLAW 09]

Smoke over Tartous, some say gas station others say it's a fuel truck

Updated #Map Northern Rural #Homs #Syria Opposition Forces took #Al_Madajen in the Northern side of #Zara villiage

Palmyra: Photos from a failed regime assault east of #Palmyra. Many pro-#Assad forces were killed by #ISIS. #Homs
Palmyra: Pro-#Assad fighter captured by #ISIS east of #Palmyra. #Homs

Zinki #Metis strike vs Regime fortification in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkMZNDKBKdU …

Zinki contribution to the Battle in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0yUmCHADiM …

[OUTLAW 09]

Rumors that this new #Aleppo offensive would be the biggest of the #Syrian war so far are turning out to be true as we speak.

3rd phase of militant attack on #Aleppo begun.. Heavy clashes in areas of Sawmill, Research center, Old Aleppo.

At the same time rebels are attacking Ramouseh. Not clear if only from outside or also from inside of #Aleppo.

Rebels pushing north of the 1070 housing complex frontline into #Aleppo's al-Assad suburb right now.

Clashes in different areas of #Aleppo incl. a tunnel bomb as #JaF et al are starting the most intensive push of this offensive apparently.

Violent clashes now in the centre of #Aleppo where rebels appear to push towards #JaF attacking from outside the city sandwiching regime.

Party for regime supporters in #Aleppo cut short. 100,000s of civilians in fear, very troubling.

[OUTLAW 09]

As part of Al-Ramouseh battle starting, FSA's 1st Regiment detonates tunnel bomb under #Assad regime positions:

JFS has announced the start of the battle for Al-Ramouseh district - last remaining component sealing #Aleppo siege:

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan
Understanding Iran's Role in the Syrian Conflict
https://rusi.org/publication/occasional-papers/understanding-irans-role-syrian-conflict#.V5_ZDxyF5Zo.twitter … a @RUSI_org paper, with a chapter contribution from me

Aleppo: Rebels killed 7+ pro-#Assad forces at #Handarat frontline.

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports of HUGE jihadist gathering in South Aleppo to attack Ramousa & artillery academy. Opposition claims 22 suicide bombers ready

Aleppo: "Jund al-Aqsa will join their brothers in the conquest of #Aleppo."

Jaish al-Fath forces storming al-Huwayz village south #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.093395&lon=37.098341&z=15&m=b …

[Azor]

I was shocked at the BBC News report yesterday that stated the helicopter was on a "humanitarian mission", but when the film clip was shown in the lead up to a two minute report on Aleppo at 10 secs it quite clearly shows a rocket pod lying beside the debris:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36939137

Or a still photo:https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSPukvNganXMByQLNm4FFNP4qpDF6ZNj 8c83YX_n47JMXFxPepn

Different view:https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0EuyXb1bB8zqzTP5u-DWNtSki-Ef4RbGo_J5OX2r1wdIfyzKybQ

I am not an expert, but this appears to be the helicopter type:http://www.newsmedialive.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/russia-syria-400x260.jpg
Another photo from the site shows the two camera / FLIR attachments under the cockpit.

David, you're absolutely on point. I noticed the rocket pod as well. Note that all Russian official fatalities in Syria were under the guise of humanitarian missions...

[Azor]

To Outlaw 09 and CrowBat:

Is there any indication of foreign support for the rebels at this junction e.g. increased supplies of ATGMs, etc.?

Any predictions on who will ultimately win? The Russians seem determined to prevent a rebel victory even if they cannot assure a regime one...

[OUTLAW 09]

To Outlaw 09 and CrowBat:

Is there any indication of foreign support for the rebels at this junction e.g. increased supplies of ATGMs, etc.?

Any predictions on who will ultimately win? The Russians seem determined to prevent a rebel victory even if they cannot assure a regime one...

Azor..not the greatest with Arabic but it parallels something seen in Iraq when the Sunni insurgency worked together with first QJBR and then AQI.....major attacks were long in planning, and split up by who had each capability needed for the assaults.....

It does appear that outside supporters have been able to resupply the most needed supplies especially on the TOW and ATGM side but in the latest round of fighting the groups had been to a degree resupplied by overrunning regime forces over the last months.

What is striking is that it is a "named operation"....that indicates to me a tighter coordination between the various groups as this attack is carried by many various groups with various religious and politically directions....the name Aleppo definitely motivates them more that Assad and Putin calculated....

[OUTLAW 09]

CEPA @cepa
Major new report: Winning the #InfoWar by @edwardlucas & @peterpomeranzev.
http://goo.gl/LBD46u

.@UNOCHA gave $751K to Assad wife's charity for water project in govern't-controlled Aleppo.
http://bit.ly/2aXJRGD

[OUTLAW 09]

To Outlaw 09 and CrowBat:

Is there any indication of foreign support for the rebels at this junction e.g. increased supplies of ATGMs, etc.?

Any predictions on who will ultimately win? The Russians seem determined to prevent a rebel victory even if they cannot assure a regime one...

Based on geo locating of battle videos coming from the JFS/JAF/FSA assault fronts if their attack pace keeps up they are truly just a few hours away from breaking through to eastern Aleppo AND actually then fully encircling the regime held western Aleppo.....ALL based on the King and Queen of battle....infantry, artillery and armor.

What would they be able to do in countering IS IF they had effective and continuous CAS.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage
Seems like the #FSA has still some TOWs left in #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQi9JP5UnaU …

Aleppo Drone Footage from battle inside Ramouseh
https://youtu.be/zuVWYuL1nsc

Hama Rebels seized barrier that protected thermal power plant
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34.949518&lon=36.647816&z=15&m=b …

13th Division obliterated with a #Fagot a group of pro-Regime forces in S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SXDKCDqAEY …

Aleppo Rebels inside Ramouseh
Note: they are inside for long time & not connected with JaF-front so far
https://youtu.be/KE1gO82175w

Most of Ramouseh area was liberated. Regime military vehicles were destroyed

Rebels captured Huweiz village in Aleppo southern countryside

Iran lead militias fled from Tell Al-Huwayz in southern #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.088211&lon=37.094983&z=17&m=b …

Clashes now about control of Sadkop Cement factory in southern #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.151148&lon=37.143767&z=16&m=b …

Regime now must supply west-#Aleppo via north route:
Sheikh Najjar Industrial Zone -> Handarat ->Bani Zaid

Rebels seized Minyan Industrial District & Sawmill area in western #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.186330&lon=37.071648&z=16&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

On Facetime, Assad calls on his shabiha in Aleppo to resist and not conduct tactical withdrawals (joke)

[OUTLAW 09]

Jabhet Fateh al-Sham said they repelled the attack on 1070 Housing Project, inflicting heavy losses on regime forces

Jaish al Fatah now close to break #Aleppo siege from south
-also old main regime supply route cut
thx2@rabiih

Syria|Aleppo Battle |24 military factions working hand in hand to liberate Aleppo
https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/syriaaleppo-battle-24-military-factions-working-hand-in-hand-to-liberate-aleppo/ …

Zinki heavily shelling Ramoussah with missiles, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYN_4Kf_ExA …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUjg9g1v0NI …

Jaish Al-Tahrir blew up with a #TOW a Regime position with 23 mm gun in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJS0lgIp564 …

Pro-Regime militias escaping in front of assault by Ajnad Al-Sham (#JaF) troops in Huways, S. #Aleppo.

Suqur Al-Jebal blew up w/ a #TOW a 14.5 mm gun on top of Municipal Palace in #Aleppo center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQi9JP5UnaU …

Mass shelling with hell cannons battery by Thuwar Al-Sham in Ramoussah, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuVWYuL1nsc …

Faylaq Al-Sham fired another #ATGM vs 14.5 mm gun in Kartoun factory, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3rbmqYPBJY …

Faylaq Al-Sham #ATGM strike vs 14.5 mm gun in Artillery Base, SW. #Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/7Zoy2dsrL4w

[OUTLAW 09]

This is the result of the total lack of US leadership and reflects just how poorly this Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH has performed as a center for strategic forward thinking.....


87 people were killed across #Syria yesterday including 14 women and 18 children.
Most people died in #Aleppo (42).

Michael Lawrence ‏@IsraelSpeaker · 1h1 hour ago  Israel
Just so upsetting and the world shakes its head, sighs and has neither ideas nor energy to find/create a solution

Pic of one of the children victims in #Zakya.
In other news, 11 civilians were killed in an eve regime air str on #AlAtarib.

[OUTLAW 09]

Another 2 TOW attacks by foreign-supported rebel groups that took place west of #Aleppo today.

FSA "Fagot" ATGM hits group of pro-#Assad soldiers south of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SXDKCDqAEY …

Assad air force Mil Mi-17, dropping "humanitarian goods" over western #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9HRGpyzLx0 …

SOHR goes absolutely nuts, claiming rebels killed 30 civilians,incl. 18 children in shelling Aleppo tonight.
Even SANA says 7 killed so far.
Never thought that SANA would be accurately reporting....

After months of #Russian air strikes, the "good old" barrel bomb is back over #Huraytan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MNqRgVor0E …

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian "Ping Pong War" is hard at work......even in a major offensive....

Regime captured Al-Huwayz village and its hill from JaF after extensive bombing by Russian airforce.

THEN

The regime are heavily relying on Russian airforce. Every time RuAF bomb an area, rebels retreat to not suffer losses.

THEN

Then the regime send their fighters to that area and capture it. Rebels will then push back & kill some regime soldiers and rest will flee.

Through this type of ping pong fighting the regime is constantly losing manpower and is completely over stretched supply wise...

THEN

At some point in the ping pong mode the rebels finally control what they originally captured in the first place and the regime forces are battered, tired and their fighting morale is even lower than it usually is....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian "Ping Pong War" is hard at work......even in a major offensive....

Regime captured Al-Huwayz village and its hill from JaF after extensive bombing by Russian airforce.

THEN

The regime are heavily relying on Russian airforce. Every time RuAF bomb an area, rebels retreat to not suffer losses.

THEN

Then the regime send their fighters to that area and capture it. Rebels will then push back & kill some regime soldiers and rest will flee.

Through this type of ping pong fighting the regime is constantly losing manpower and is completely over stretched supply wise...

THEN

At some point in the ping pong mode the rebels finally control what they originally captured in the first place and the regime forces are battered, tired and their fighting morale is even lower than it usually is....

No worries though. Once the front is stretched further, the RuAF will not be able to defend all areas.

The front line is fluid. Regime fighters and their allies on ground are useless and under heavy pressure.

Supply line to regime held West Aleppo is still cut off by JaF and Fatah Halab.

[OUTLAW 09]

Any word on Ramouseh?

They had to retreat back to their original front line due to cluster bombings. They control 40% of the district.

Convoy of Iranian and Iraqi militias spotted leaving Al-Hader and heading North.

BY pulling in Iranian and Iraqi militias that is exposing those fronts to further rebel attacks against then a weakened front line...

MORALE in the general public that once was supporting Assad behind the front lines is weakening....especially after their heavy loses over the last months....

Regime supporter cursing at the govt. "You son of ******* you honor the martyrs with a box of biscuits"...well before it was a wall clock...

Regime govt. invited families of soldiers who died to a convention in Damascus to gift them with a box of biscuits.

[OUTLAW 09]

Ramouseh district still not fully captured. Around 30 soldiers are holding out in a fortified building South.

Ajnad Al-Sham & TIP snipers killing several regime soldiers trying to cross to Ramouseh district.

Siege is not broken yet. However, the supply road to West Aleppo is cut off militarily. TOWs / Heavy weapons are within range now.

Reports of regime firing GRADs from Sheikh Youssef hill, East Aleppo.

Fatah Halab FSA groups are bombing now Assad Military Academy with GRADs.

Faylaq Al-Sham did not withdraw from their positions. Seems like IS and Regime supporters are spreading this false news everywhere.

Hassam Salamah, Leader of Ahrar Al Shams Liwa Al Sunnah Brigade was wounded but is safe and fine

[OUTLAW 09]

Out of the flow of constant Aleppo battle videos, and field reports this comment was just by itself and important if confirmed.....and never repeated again in the constant flow....think it was a comment meant for the other fighting groups..

Regime thinking that Jaish Al-Fateh have used all of their fighters. They have only used 50% of active fighters.

Appears the rebels have been using their strike forces for initial wins and holding their reserve forces for when they have a firm break through achieved by the strike forces....

They are still in their phase three assault out of a planned six phases....

[OUTLAW 09]

.@Andrewtabler kicking off important event on "Prosecuting #Assad” - with @waelalzayat, @bentaub91 & Stephen Rapp:

.@bentaub91:
‘600,000+ #Assad docs smuggled out of #Syria; implicates centralized role in detention/torture crimes'

.Stephen Rapp:
‘The evidence against #Assad is overwhelmingly more significant than from any former conflict.'

Stephen Rapp:
‘Images from #Syria reveal chemical burns, eviscerations, & scars resulting from organ removal.'

Stephen Rapp:
‘#Assad regime killed 700 medical professionals in targeted attacks
#ISIS AQ & opposition killed 27'

Stephen Rapp:
‘Core theme of #Assad regime strategy is siege warfare; legal in medieval age, today its a war crime'

Stephen Rapp:
‘It’s unthinkable than any official could think #Putin govt is playing a constructive role in Syria'

Wael AlZayat:
'Beyond #ISIS’ crimes vs. Yazidis, there’s a much deeper, darker picture of #Assad regime crimes.'

Stephen Rapp:
‘There are several major regime crime perpetrators now in EU; cases are now being built against them'

Stephen Rapp:
‘It would theoretically be possible to develop an “aiding & abetting” case against #Russia now.'

[OUTLAW 09]

Montenegro Opens Weapons Supply Line to Saudi Arabia
https://www.occrp.org/en/makingakilling/montenegro-opens-weapons-supply-line-to-saudi-arabia/ …

Aleppo city this morning.
Deadly air strikes continued.
A child&more died.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN4ayqpOmvs …

[OUTLAW 09]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/stop-trusting-putin-on-syria/2016/08/02/4908146e-58c3-11e6-9aee-8075993d73a2_story.html

The Post's View

Stop trusting Putin on Syria


By Editorial Board August 2 at 7:37 PM


FOR MORE than a month, Secretary of State John F. Kerry has been pressing the regime of Vladi#mir Putin to accept what, for Moscow, would be a sweetheart deal on Syria. The United States would grant Russia’s long-standing request to carry out joint operations against Syrian rebels deemed to be terrorists, in exchange for another Kremlin promise to restrain bombing by the regime of Bashar al-Assad in some parts of the country. This cave-in to Mr. Putin would be so sweeping that some senior Obama administration officials have not concealed their doubts: In an interview with The Post’s David Ignatius, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. questioned whether Russia could be expected to deliver on any promise it made in Syria.

Sure enough, it turns out that Mr. Putin had other ambitions. Rather than settle for the partial victory offered by Mr. Kerry, Russia has joined with the Assad regime in a new campaign to drive all anti-regime forces out of Aleppo, the country’s largest city — a feat that would essentially win the war. Last week, Moscow unilaterally declared that it was creating four evacuation corridors out of rebel-held districts and invited the 300,000 civilians and armed combatants in them to evacuate. Anyone who remained, the Russians suggested, would be mercilessly targeted. That assault is already underway: Having cut off the last road into the rebel-held area nearly three weeks ago, regime forces have been systematically bombing its remaining hospitals and other medical facilities.

As even State Department spokesmen were obliged to acknowledge, the Russian operation, which the Kremlin cynically described as a humanitarian mission, was little more than a preemptory demand for the opposition’s unconditional surrender that ignored the ongoing U.N.-sponsored political process and violated a Security Council resolution. For their part, the rebels responded with a major offensive to break the Aleppo siege. On Monday, the deadline set by U.N. Resolution 2254 for an agreement on a political transition in Syria, some of the heaviest fighting of the year was underway.

Once again, the Obama administration appears to have been blindsided by Mr. Putin, just as it was when Russia dispatched its forces to Syria in September. On Friday, Mr. Kerry said he had been on the phone to Moscow seeking clarification about the Aleppo move, which he said posed the “risk, if it is a ruse, of completely breaking apart the level of cooperation.” By Monday, he had no answers. “These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to the U.N.,” he said, adding, “the evidence thus far is very, very troubling.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Putin has no reason to respect such warnings from Mr. Kerry. Time and again, the secretary has declared that Russia must deliver or suffer consequences, such as a U.S. “Plan B” for Syria. Each time, Moscow has disregarded the jawboning — and Mr. Kerry has responded not with consequences but with new appeals for cooperation and more U.S. concessions. On Monday, he said, “We will see in the course of the next hours, few days, whether or not that dynamic” with Russia “can be changed.” But then, he spoke nearly the same words six months ago.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA target and destroy Assad army 57 mm cannon with ATGM in Aleppo

Third #ATGM strike in 2 days by Jund Badr 313, this time vs a BMP on #Zara front, S. #Hama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0dbtx0bfk8 …

Jaish Al-Nasr wiped out with a #TOW an #ATGM launcher on top of building in New #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLhovxl28A0 …

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.middleeastobserver.org/archives/18196

Syrian crisis: US, Russia agree on “one-week truce in Aleppo


French sources said that a team of U.S. experts was currently in Moscow to receive from the Russians a pledge that could secure a truce of 5 to 7 days in Aleppo, Asharq al-Awsat reported. Russia

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was informed by his U.S. counterpart John Kerry about the truce.

The sources said talks between Washington and Moscow have reached their “final stage,” with the possibility of announcing a certain agreement in the coming days.

However, Paris was not convinced by Washington’s reassurances, saying that although the international community has pledged to achieve a political transition in Syria by August 1, France has to admit that it did not produce the city of Aleppo, which it said, is about to witness a humanitarian disaster. an effect.

France also warned that no breakthrough was possible if violence continues in Aleppo.

Official French sources concerned by the Syrian file told Asharq Al-Awsat that Paris was not comfortable with the mysterious Russian-U.S. agreement and Washington’s long-term plans.

In his fiery comments, Ayrault called on Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to take measures to “urgently restore the ceasefire and to ensure humanitarian access to all areas.”

More than 450.000 Syrians were killed during the past 5 years according to UN estimates, and 12 millions were driven out of their homes. 7 million Syrians are now refugees around the globe.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.middleeastobserver.org/archives/18196

Syrian crisis: US, Russia agree on “one-week truce in Aleppo


You know US FP has reached rock bottom when your own allies of the last 70 odd years no longer "trust you and the Russians"


DOUBT seriously that the Syrian rebels will even listen to this and adhere to it as they have in the past actually adhered and then been constantly attacked when they adhered....JUST as we see the UAF being attacked daily and the UAF not returning artillery fire just to stay "legally inside Minsk 2".....suffering even more troop loses in the process of staying "legal".....

Russia and Assad need time to reform their battle formations and attack again JUST as they have repeatedly done with every so called ceasefire, CoH or regime of silence....THEY have never held to a single ceasefire so why should they now?????

[OUTLAW 09]

No more guessing.
Geolocated rebel / regime positions & front near the Ramouseh artillery base.
#Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

The latest The mailforlen Daily!
http://paper.li/mailforlen/1457452370?edition_id=e7f17290-58c9-11e6-a0e8-0cc47a0d15fd …

https://citizenlab.org/2016/08/group5-syria/

Iranian Cyber Warfare being conducted against Syrian opposition.....

Group5: Syria and the Iranian Connection

August 2, 2016

By John Scott-Railton,* Bahr Abdulrazzak,* Adam Hulcoop,* Matt Brooks,* & Katie Kleemola**


Executive Summary

This report describes an elaborately staged malware operation with targets in the Syrian opposition. The operators have used use a range of techniques to target Windows computers and Android phones with the apparent goal of penetrating the computers of well-connected individuals in the Syrian opposition.

We first discovered the operation in late 2015 when a member of the Syrian opposition spotted a suspicious e-mail containing a PowerPoint slideshow. From this initial message, we uncovered a watering hole website with malicious programs, malicious PowerPoint files, and Android malware, all apparently designed to appeal to members of the opposition.

Elements of the Syrian opposition have been targeted by malware campaigns since the early days of the conflict: regime-linked malware groups, the Syrian Electronic Army, ISIS, and a group linked to Lebanon reported by FireEye in 2015 have all attempted to penetrate opposition computers and communications. Some of these operations are still active as of the time of writing. This report adds one more threat actor to the list: Group5, which we name to reflect the four other known malware groups.

Group5 stands out from the operations that have already been reported on: some of the tactics and tools used have not been observed in this conflict; the operators seem comfortable with Iranian Persian dialect tools and Iranian hosting companies; and they appear to have run elements of the operation from Iranian IP space.

Syria: Publicly-reported Threat Actors

Like a chameleon, Group5 borrows opposition text and slogans for e-mail messages and watering holes, showing evidence of good social engineering and targeting. However, Group5’s technical quality is low, and their operational security uneven. This is a common feature of many operations in the Syrian context: since the baseline security of many of the targets is very low, many successful threat actors seem to conserve (and in some cases not possess) more sophisticated techniques. We believe we identified Group5 early in its lifecycle, before all of the malware that had been staged and prepared could be deployed in a full campaign.

Our analysis indicates that Group5 is likely a new entrant in Syria, and we outline the circumstantial evidence pointing to an Iranian nexus. We do not conclusively attribute Group5 to a sponsor, although we suspect the interests of a state are present, in some form. Group5 is just the latest addition to an expanding cast of actors targeting Syrian opposition groups, and its entry into the conflict shows the continuing information security risks that they face.

Background: The Perpetual Targeting of the Syrian Opposition

Syrians have experienced monitoring and blocking of their electronic communications for many years. As a result, many more technically literate Syrians have familiarized themselves with VPNs and other tools to circumvent simple blocking, and achieve a degree of privacy. After the 2011 Uprising began, the regime disconnected telecommunications services in many areas controlled by opposition groups. This led, in these areas, to the widespread adoption of satellite internet connectivity, mostly via VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services like Tooway and iDirect, and to a lesser extent the use of BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) terminals.

At the same time, the Syrian opposition’s activities outside the country, both in neighboring countries like Turkey, as well as in the diaspora, dramatically increased. Much of this activity takes place over social networks, free e-mail accounts like Gmail (and Google Apps for Work), and via tools like Skype’s VoIP services.

These shifts in connectivity limited the effectiveness of the passive monitoring and blocking used by the Al Assad Regime, and frustrated its abilities to monitor the opposition.

However, the shift towards social networks and other online tools has created new opportunities for the regime to target the opposition. Opposition members constantly share information, files, tools and programs, via social media. This highly-connected environment enables them to be highly aware of changing events, and quickly mobilize resources. In addition, a number of online services, such as the Google Play Store, are blocked or restricted for Syria. As a result, a culture of sharing Android APK files has also developed.

The heavy reliance on popular online platforms, and regular sharing of tools, presents many opportunities to seed malicious files. For the regime, a successful operation means a chance to regain visibility into the activities of groups within the geographic borders of Syria, while extending their reach outside into the diaspora. For other groups, such as ISIS, the digital vulnerability of the opposition presents an opportunity to develop a capability against opposition communications. The following section outlines several of these known threat actors.

Regime-Linked Groups

The most well-known threat actor to target the Syrian Revolution is the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA). However, many of the targets of the SEA have been Western organizations, although the SEA continues to conduct lower-profile operations that include malware against the opposition. Less notorious, although still the subject of reporting, are malware groups linked to the regime. These malware groups have been active since 2011, and have used a wide range of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Remote Access Trojans (RATs) to target the opposition. Typically, these groups bundle RATs with a wide range of documents and programs designed to appeal to the opposition. Over the years, these campaigns have included everything from “revolution plans,” lists of “wanted suspects,” to fake security and encryption tools. These campaigns have been extensively characterized by reports from the Citizen Lab, The Electronic Frontier Foundation, and private companies like TrendMicro and Kaspersky. A range of reports have documented these regime-linked campaigns over the years.

Pro-Regime Groups Outside Syria

There is also evidence of pro-Assad groups outside Syria participating in malware campaigns against opposition. Notably, a group reported on in 2015 by FireEye (in collaboration with one of the authors of this report) used female avatars to send trojaned documents to high profile figures in opposition politics, aid, and armed groups. The operation yielded over 31,000 conversations, and a trove of sensitive information about a variety of groups’ plans and activities. This group also made use of fake matchmaking websites and social media accounts to backstop their deception.

ISIS-Linked Groups

On a different side of conflict, the Citizen Lab documented a malware operation linked to ISIS against the group ‘Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently’ (RBSS) in 2015. The operators, masquerading as a group of RBSS sympathizers based in Canada, targeted victims with a file that claimed to contain locations of ISIS forces and US Airstrikes within Syria. The file actually contained custom malware that collected and transmitted information about the infected computer. The report concluded that there was strong circumstantial evidence linking the malware to members of ISIS.

Many Groups, Similar Tactics

Each of these groups has distinct Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs). However, one common thread among the many publicly-reported groups is that they rarely use exploits in their campaigns, instead relying heavily on social engineering and trickery to convince targets to execute malicious files, disguised as innocuous documents.

This may reflect some of these groups’ lack of technical sophistication. For example, many regime-linked groups seem to have very limited skills and technical resources, and rely almost entirely on RATs coupled with well-informed social engineering. These techniques have evolved, but not improved radically since 2011. In other cases, such as the Lebanon-linked group reported on by FireEye, operators may have access to more sophisticated techniques, but see little reason to use them against their targets, given the limited technical capabilities of the opposition.


Part 1: Discovering Group5

This section describes the e-mails that first alerted us to an operation targeting the Syrian political opposition in October 2015.

On October 3rd 2015, Noura Al-Ameer, a well-connected Syrian opposition political figure, negotiator, and former Vice President of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC), received a suspicious e-mail.1 The e-mail purported to come from a human rights documentation organization she had never heard of: “Assad Crimes.” The sender, using the e-mail address office@assadcrimes[.]info claimed to be sharing information about Iranian “crimes,” a theme familiar to many in the opposition.

Noura Al-Ameer
Fig. 1: Noura Al-Ameer, former SNC Vice President and a target of the operation. An activist from Homs, Syria, Al-Ameer was detained and tortured in the security branches, later moved to the infamous Adra prison in Damascus, prior to fleeing the country several years ago. Today, she is a delegate to the SNC’s political council and works to document war crimes committed during the conflict. Her identity was falsely used to register the assadcrimes website.

Continued......


Really worth reading....have followed this particular internet researcher during his many days of researching hacks....and hackers....

[OUTLAW 09]

Close view on Artillery base from Rebel positions, SW. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s7oVP9eOfI …

Thuwar Al-Sham took out with a #Malyutka a cannon lifted by a crane in Al Assad, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVnYonaP4ao …

[OUTLAW 09]

Allies of @JohnKerry, Obama and Rhodes continue to hunt down hospitals & emergency workers in #Aleppo #Syria.

M-2 hospital is bombed again just right now in besieged #Aleppo!

15th Syrian hospital in two weeks......


Aftermath of Rebel assault on Hakima School (1st Aug.) in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86COYJUmUis … via @MathieuMorant.

Mass shelling with hell cannons battery by Thuwar Al-Sham in Ramoussah, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuVWYuL1nsc …

[OUTLAW 09]

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan
Reliable sources confirm that Turkey is heavily behind the Aleppo rebel offensive, my piece from two weeks ago:
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/post-coup-turkey-asserts-bold-new-foreign-policy

Post-coup Turkey asserts bold, new foreign policy


Hassan Hassan
July 24, 2016 Updated: July 27, 2016 09:48 AM


Several events shook the region over the past three years and have had lasting consequences. From the takeover of Mosul in June 2014 to the Russian intervention in Syria last September, an extraordinary wave of tension succeeded each of those events and put the entire region on edge. Reactions to Turkey’s thwarted coup in the Arab world were particularly striking.

The show of support for Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the failure of the coup was often hysterical. The former leader of the Syrian National Coalition, Khaled Khoja, wrote on Twitter that recent cases of border guards shooting Syrians as they attempted to cross into Turkey should be blamed on one of the plotters, absolving the government of any responsibility, even though the government expressed no remorse for the killings.

Such remarks mean something. They underline the leverage Ankara can have over certain demographics in the region, namely Islamist-leaning populations and armed groups. The event mobilised sympathisers and polarised the neighbourhood, and this could reinforce Turkey’s leadership of Islamist movements.

Ankara’s foreign policy will probably be more assertive in the coming weeks and months. Domestically, the episode shows that the mark Mr Erdogan has already made in the Turkish political landscape might be deeper than it is often made out to be. Mr Erdogan leads a ruling party that is increasingly entrenched, not only because of power-grabbing but also because it commands an increasingly committed social and political base, and whose detractors sometimes appear to be detached from reality. Whereas Mr Erdogan’s popularity has been on display after each election, the media portrays him as an insecure and embattled leader. For Mr Erdogan and his supporters, the attempted coup and its failure justified the policies he followed over the past three years to increase his grip on power, which will embolden them to push further.

Large crowds took to the streets to reject the coup, and various sections of the Turkish opposition condemned the plot. The home front is becoming ever more conducive to a maximum consolidation of power. The campaign of arrests and purges that followed the neutralisation of the putschists was a chance Mr Erdogan could not miss. Similarly, Mr Erdogan will seek to capitalise on the unprecedented solidarity in Turkey’s southern neighbourhood. The Turkish role in the southern parts of Iraq and Syria was projected to increase even before the coup attempt, especially in Mosul and Aleppo.

In Mosul, Ankara’s relationship with the Kurdish Regional Government and Sunni politicians in northern Iraq will ensure Turkey has to be fully on-board in the upcoming battle to dislodge ISIL from the second largest Iraqi city. In Minbij, in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Ankara worked closely with Washington to support the Kurdish and Arab forces currently battling ISIL. Both cases suggest Turkey is becoming more involved in the fight against ISIL, not because it is shifting focus, but because the expected shift to the ISIL fronts in northern Syria and Iraq makes Ankara an obvious partner.

Mr Erdogan’s domestic and foreign policies were largely interdependent. As an empowered president at home, Mr Erdogan’s regional ambitions will probably intensify. Indeed, he was on course to mend ties with his international adversaries before the uprising, including Israel, Russia, and Egypt.

Two days before the coup attempt, Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim signalled his country was prepared to normalise relations with Damascus, a remarkable volte-face given the hostilities over the past five years. It is possible that the plotters thought such flirtation would strengthen Mr Erdogan’s rule, and thus hastened their plot. The surge in popular support for Mr Erdogan in the region should not be underestimated. Ankara’s support for Islamist groups throughout the Middle East and North Africa for the past half-decade, even at the cost of destabilising some countries, such as Syria and Libya, has purchased those groups’ support for Mr Erdogan.

The failure of the attempt belied, to a large degree, the narrative that Mr Erdogan was a president in decline, and this will encourage him to expand his influence and power projection in the neighbourhood to the south of Turkey.

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime getting overrun in #Aleppo and Sputik has some #NDF guy talking about chemical weapons...

Sputnik ‏@SputnikInt
Militants use #ChemicalWeapons in Syria's #Aleppo
http://sptnkne.ws/bPZu

BUT WAIT Assad dropped chlorine barrel bombs........

[OUTLAW 09]

Detailed HD map of #Aleppo South West front on August 3, 2016 (morning) :
http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/archives/813

Daraa: Heavy #Russia|n airstrikes on #Daraa City today

Official #Hezbollah account with 300.000+ followers suspended

Aleppo: Rebels have captured #Sadkop Fuel Depot and trying to capture all of #Sadkop Cement Factory

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo offense OPSEC blackout is largely holding........

Abu Saeed Al-Halabi ‏@Abu__Saeed01 · 1h1 hour ago

Aleppo update || Reconnaissance finished, forces gathering, some more MVBIED's, and a media black-out. Will be a long night!

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia just conducted 4 airstrikes on residential areas of Atarib. Pretty far from the front lines and from any military targets.

One T-62 among the spoils made by Rebels in S. #Hama

[OUTLAW 09]

Damascus: #Assad helicopters attacking #Daraya with napalm

BreakingFootage
Incendiary bomb air strike on #Daraya city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDa96yZ0RsA …

Definitely a form of napalm (jelled gas) as it burns fast and hot and for a longer period than would be normal for say Vietnam style napalm.....

Inflammatory material dropped by helicopter on #Daraya, #Damascus. Any idea 4 ID? via @DarayaCouncil & @AlbinSzakola

An entire town sieged & starved to death on shd be in the news everyday.

Napalming civilians shd be on the news
https://twitter.com/DarayaCouncil/status/760789574511648768 …

[OUTLAW 09]

BY THE WAY.....Russian MoD was very quick to identify the three man mility crew of the shot down copter....BUT have truly ignored naming the other two passengers one a women.....wonder why????

They did point out that they were members of the so called Russian Reconciliation Center....but gave no names and or ranks as the RCC is run by the Russian military....just as the JCCC is run by Russians in eastern Ukraine and there all members are Russian military.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Heavy air strikes on #AleppoUnderSiege today.
5 killed in this one.

MORE proAssad info warfare ....
"Freed people from #Aleppo" turn immediate #Assad supporters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOCSMMgPQLw …

The latest numbers on besieged CHILDREN in eastern #Aleppo
42.000 kids in school age
13.000 kids under 2
640 kids in medical need

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.middleeastobserver.org/archives/18196

Syrian crisis: US, Russia agree on “one-week truce in Aleppo


A speaker in Russian parliament is calling for a 72 hour "truce" in Aleppo. HNC and rebel negotiators are not falling for that trap again...

[OUTLAW 09]

"New data released by the UN reveals that it spent over $7 million at two 4Star hotels in Damascus last year"

BUT not much else was accomplished when it came to humanitarian aid being delivered to over 780,000 besieged Sunni Arabs.....

[OUTLAW 09]

BY THE WAY.....Russian MoD was very quick to identify the three man mility crew of the shot down copter....BUT have truly ignored naming the other two passengers one a women.....wonder why????

They did point out that they were members of the so called Russian Reconciliation Center....but gave no names and or ranks as the RCC is run by the Russian military....just as the JCCC is run by Russians in eastern Ukraine and there all members are Russian military.....

Rebels will exchange bodies of dead Russian pilots for women & children in Assad regime prisons

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo offense OPSEC blackout is largely holding........

Abu Saeed Al-Halabi ‏@Abu__Saeed01 · 1h1 hour ago

Aleppo update || Reconnaissance finished, forces gathering, some more MVBIED's, and a media black-out. Will be a long night!


Russians are striking positions based on rebel activists reports. From today forward, there will be no news except from the official media.

[OUTLAW 09]

Completely contradictory messages. Russian ForMin says 'no Aleppo offensive planned'. Syrians says Aleppo rebels 2b dealt 'powerful blow'.

[OUTLAW 09]

Sadegh Mohammadzadeh Commander of #IRGC's Fatemiun brigade killed in southern Aleppo, Syria.

Rebel assault on Huways:
- 2.5mins resistance
- 1st grp flees & 2nd 2mins later
- Pos. taken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jSU3DAgJY …

Rebels repelling pro-Regime forces assault on #Handarat Camp. Clashes still at the outskirts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBM-E_xZzQI …

First Regiment blew up with a #Fagot a Hezbollah pick-up on Ramoussah Road, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLPF87TRQYI …
Rebels progressively implementing fire control on Regime supply route in Ramoussah, #Aleppo.

ajamu Fastqem targeted a group of pro-Regime forces on Ramoussah Road (open), SW. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VIlwi2bXqk …

High quality footage of rebels fighting in Ramouseh, south #Aleppo yesterday
https://youtu.be/idg_OKUSaF8 via @SmartNewsAgency

Aleppo besiege news report by Ahrar al Sham commander
https://youtu.be/VrdxJ7eIXd8

Daraya
Regime drop Napalm barrels over residential areas
civil defence staff on alert to put out fires .

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro Assad guy asks Syria girl:

- What do you want to say to your country's soldiers?

- girl: what soldiers?

[OUTLAW 09]

Video of the destruction of #Darayya hit with napalm barrel bombs today......
https://youtu.be/4T-4TuIy1k8

Shockwave of 2nd al-Hakima VBIED on July 30th is extremely visible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeN0-Ewp0Ic …

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage
Suspected #Russian air strikes destroyed a humanitarian aid convoy near #AlAtarib.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlj0Scb_Ny0 …

MASSIVE bomb carpet on already burning aid convoy fr. the country that protested the downing of its "aid helicopter"

AlAtarib city after a suspected #Russian wave of air strikes on a humanitarian aid & fuel convoy today.

At least 6 trucks with food, medicine, humanitarian supplies and fuel for the bakery generators etc. were destroyed.

[OUTLAW 09]

BUT WAIT..videos exist of Assad copters dropping barrel bombs just at the moment of the chemical attack.....did not know the rebels had an AF.....

Russia says informed U.S. of toxic substance attack by rebels in Syria's Aleppo
http://reut.rs/2aOigdN

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/opinion/the-case-for-finally-bombing-assad.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

The Case for (Finally) Bombing Assad




Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry have long said there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict. Unfortunately, Russia and Iran seem to think there is — or at least that no acceptable political outcome is possible without diminishing the rebels and strengthening the Syrian government. It is time for the United States to speak the language that Mr. Assad and Mr. Putin understand.

After hitting the humanitarian convoy from #Turkey, #Russia now hit a rebel depot just at the #Turkish border.
Humiliation...

Russia bombing now warehouses for aid near Bab al-Hawa at the border with #Turkey

Leftovers of cluster bombs which were used together with traditional bombs & a bomb carpet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oQL58LxrWM&feature=youtu.be …

[OUTLAW 09]

The besieging of #Aleppo and the split have pushed many people to either join #al_Nusra or to at least consider it http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/syriasource/how-syrians-view-nusra-s-split-from-al-qaeda#.V6Istxs8SI8.twitter …

[OUTLAW 09]

Big explosion at 1 of Jaish al-Islam’s warehouses near Bab al-Hawa in north rural #Idlib, JaI spokesman confirms

Some reports claim explosions at JaI warehoue in Babizqa near Bab al-Hawa were due to an Assad airstrike, but this

Reports - blasts heard in #Turkey's Hatay Province were 2 Russian sea-launched cruise missiles targeting rebel ammo dumps on Syrian border

150 air strikes on Aleppo since this morning.

Fastaqem Union sniper targeting group of loyalists in Ramouseh. Good shot
https://youtu.be/3VIlwi2bXqk

[OUTLAW 09]

The Times of Israel ‏@TimesofIsrael
Israeli company claims hack on IS chat group with list of future targets
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-company-claims-hack-on-is-chat-group-with-list-of-future-targets/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"Mahmoud Narimani" #IRGC KIA in #Aleppo battle. Was "martyred by Takfiri terrorists."

Difference between Bosnia & #Syria is after 4 shameful years & 1 Srebrenica, the West finally acted. In 5 years Syria has had 50 Srebrenicas

[OUTLAW 09]

Is Israel setting up a kind of quasi-safe zone inside of Syria? '
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/02/how-israel-plays-syria-s-civil-war.html?via=desktop&source=twitter …

[OUTLAW 09]

Jabhat Asala Wa al-Tanmiya (Authenticity & Development Front) expels & severs ties with New Syria Army

Tajamu Fastaqem fired a #TOW vs Hezbollah fighters in W. #Aleppo, inflicting casualties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW_NlqdFwk8 …

[OUTLAW 09]

JFS explains where assadists tried to assault apartments 1070 from & got repelled. #Aleppo
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5fQVj4QJPQ …

IRGC reinforcements & equipment sent to Aleppo to assist the Syrian Army

Russian air strikes hit pure humanitarian aid convoy.....but Syrian media declare it......

Syria Today
‏@todayinsyria
Russian jets bomb Jihadist convoy in the town of Atarib, west of Aleppo

FSA destroy Assad army T72 tank with ATGM south #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/FMHqNfVyNeg

[OUTLAW 09]

"AQ Reaps Rewards of US Policy Failures on #Syria"

http://thebea.st/29vyPeR

[OUTLAW 09]

"AQ Reaps Rewards of US Policy Failures on #Syria"
http://thebea.st/29vyPeR

This article must be truly inhaled as it goes to the heart of the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH failures in Syria that have us now working potentially with a Assad and Putin both war criminals and supporters of genocide...a first for US FP.....

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/opinion/the-case-for-finally-bombing-assad.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

The Case for (Finally) Bombing Assad

After hitting the humanitarian convoy from #Turkey, #Russia now hit a rebel depot just at the #Turkish border.
Humiliation...

Russia bombing now warehouses for aid near Bab al-Hawa at the border with #Turkey

Leftovers of cluster bombs which were used together with traditional bombs & a bomb carpet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oQL58LxrWM&feature=youtu.be …

Footage of the suspected Russian cruise missile attack on a JaI warehouse last night
https://youtu.be/TdSM69QU-ww

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebel Aleppo offensive has slowed due to heavy and extensive Russian air strikes......

South #Aleppo Updates: Areas regained by Regime since yesterday:
- Tall Mahruqat
- Tall Jamiyat
- Amriyah village
- Minyan sawmills

South #Aleppo: Situation in other areas:
- Ramouseh: Contested
- Huwayz: Contested
- Cement factory: Regime
- al-Nasr (1070): Opposition

Due to rebel self imposed info blackout it is hard to tell exactly who has what and or who is moving at all......so basically all is currently unconfirmed.....

[OUTLAW 09]

At least 40 civilians incl. 5 children got killed in and around #Aleppo by #Assad/#Putin shelling and air strikes.

Can s.o.make sense out of the markings o.t.suspected Russian bomb,dropped on the aid convoy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn-vggqMkGo&feature=youtu.be …

[OUTLAW 09]

A Russian airstrike also targeted a school in Ma'arata, west rural #Aleppo with cluster munitions. Children among casualties

Intense Russian airstrikes targeting Aleppo & Syria-Turkey border towns this morning

Central Division hit a tank with a #Fagot in SW. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMHqNfVyNeg …

Second video on this Russian cruise missile attack yesterday......
Jaish Al-Islam warehouse targeted by an alleged Russian cruise missile near Turkish border.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOLqO3K81rY …

Besieged citizens of #Madaya not received aid since April: reports of severe malnutrition

Heavy fighting being reported.......
Aleppo : fighting in Ramouseh, Amarah and West Aleppo btw rebels and loyalists

Might be the expected push to fully take Ramouseh.....as it has one heck of a n ammo depot...

[OUTLAW 09]

MORE Russian and Assad info warfare drumbeat on chemical weapons although it was Assad that dropped chlorine this week.....

SAA seized a chemical weapons & explosives warehouse used by Al Qaeda in Syria + allies in Aleppo today (03/08/2016)

BUT WAIT...thought it was the rebels who launched a major attack.....
SAA + allies began a counter-attack against Al Qaeda in Syria + 'moderate rebels' in Southwestern Aleppo (01/08/16)

BUT WAIT ...their troops have been taking a major beating the last few days.....
'The Tiger' - Col. Suheil Al Hassan with Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub visiting troops in Northern Aleppo today (31/07/16)

[OUTLAW 09]

Aug 3, 2016
Military Situation in #Aleppo City.
HD: http://i.imgur.com/JrUVRWi.png

Detailed HD map of #Aleppo South West front on August 3, 2016 (morning) :
http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/archives/813

'Decisive Battle of #Aleppo ' Reliable numbers of losses on both sides included
http://goo.gl/JenYyL

DeirEzzor : #IS offensive on several axis vs Loyalist forces : Bughayliyah, al-Rashidiya & Hawiqa neighborhoods

Five #IS agents caught in Idlib; three blew themselves up rather than surrender.

Asala wa-Tanmiya Front say they're expelling the New Syrian Army, which they apparently considered their subfaction.

How Syrians View Jabhat al-Nusra’s Split from al-Qaeda
http://goo.gl/AOhtY9

Al-Qaeda offers short-term military capabilities to #Syria's revolution at the cost of its values.
http://ibt.uk/A6bVU

[OUTLAW 09]

Actually an interesting take on the Obama full tilt towards Iran at even the expense to the Syrians.....and Syria....

Obama's Secret Iran Strategy

The president has long been criticized for his lack of strategic vision. But what if a strategy, centered on Iran, has been in place from the start and consistently followed to this day?

http://mosaicmagazine.com/essay/2015/02/obamas-secret-iran-strategy/

Long but worth reading as it ties into a number of things that have strangely occurred since the "Iran Deal".....and even the recent DoS critique of those that have pointed to the failures seen already within the "Iran Deal".....

[OUTLAW 09]

Air strikes on #Daraa in southern #Syria hit civilians ... children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx8FRxDq4oA …

SyriaCivilDef
Atareb SCD team was targeted while responding to a bombing in IDP camp. 2 volunteers injured, 1 of them is in a coma- pray for our heroes.

Yesterday #AID convoys,
today #IDP camps.
#Russia's war crimes continue nonstop in #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y1OpoERqd4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria: with #Aleppo under siege people in the city are donating blood to the hospital
https://youtu.be/B-H4GjMypyQ

Jaysh al-Mujahideen evacuates civilians from the 1070 complex as fighting continues
https://youtu.be/XouRY5yzjco

Pro-#Assad/#Putin 57 mm gun truck bites the dust.
Hit by #FSA TOW S of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLhyvnwd90I …

Just another regular morning in besieged and attacked #Daraya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kmnxXBXcO4 …

The White Helmets ‏@SyriaCivilDef
Mourning the loss of our hero Muhammad from Hama. His team was targeted while clearing UXO in Aleppo on Tuesday. RIP

[OUTLAW 09]

After bombing DIAPERS on their way to babies in Aleppo,will Moscow now declare "Pampers" an American sponsor of terrorism?!

Faylaq Al-Sham troops heading to the battle in S. #Aleppo backed by a T-72.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftokHBbgRQc …

Faylaq-Al Sham involvement in the ongoing operations in #Aleppo.

Jaish Al-Fateh started new operations with preemptive shelling from W. to S. #Aleppo.

Heavy airstrikes on Hakima School (presumably this morning), W. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.160179&lon=37.088969&z=18&m …

Scenes from urban warfare in Rasmoussah, SW. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzl8ccXQAQw …

Rebels targeted with SPG-9 a Regime position with 14.5 mm gun in Kafr Nan in N. #Homs.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.886635&lon=36.648331&z=13&m …

JFS (#JaF) repelled the 5th assault in 3 days from pro-Regime forces backed by Hezbollah on Project 1070. #Aleppo

Meanwhile 'Green busses' arrived at #SheikhMaqsood in E-#Aleppo is this #Fake or #Homs2 any clue?
1st reports talking abt evacuation of families

After 36hrs quiet from Shamlegion. New video today to kill false rumours that they broke JF ranks!

Jaish al-Islam tank before advancing on Tell Mahroqat, S. Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo offensive resumed

Rebels attempt to regain control of Jamiyat & Amiriya
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=tr&lat=36.107889&lon=37.103362&z=15&m=b …

Jamiyat & Amiriya have been captured

Faylaq al-Sham announce start of today's assault on loyalists in S. Aleppo City
https://youtu.be/0767sEmBOvA

Step News Agency EN ‏@Step_Agency1
be with the rebels in the heaviest fighting on the front lines of the city of #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/LYiVUpjLydE

Opposition takes control of al-#Hewayez & neighboring areas. S #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEqRRR0HHas …

Rebels in Project 1070 (S. #Aleppo)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5fQVj4QJPQ …

SAMS
‏@sams_usa
Today a SAMS facility in #Aleppo was hit by a vacuum bomb. The facility & nearby buildings were severely damaged

Civilians injured by #Assad surface-to-surface missiles on #Damascus countryside
http://ow.ly/rdCz302UZDM

+15 explosives barrels hit civilians targets in #Almashhad,#SalahAddin& #Ansari neighborhoods in #Aleppo last night
+10 killed many wounded

al-Zinki spox:#Russia accusation of using CW is completely false to divert eyes from bombing Saraqeeb with Chlorine

[OUTLAW 09]

Intensive #Syria regime troop movements in #Quneitra: pro-rebel outlets claim overnight #Golan

Allegedly regime tanks and APCs carrying dozens of soldiers entering #Quneitra's Madinat al-Baath (which has been shelled lately by rebels)

Daraya
40 Explosive barrels ,2 of them with #Napalm ,also 6 surface surface missiles
3/8/2016

Assad's forces are trying to break into the prison in Suwaidaa, Soundtracks
https://www.youtu.be/g4DEOTI5Edc

What has @JohnKerry's Russian allies been up to? Lets take a look:
CCTV from inside of a #Aleppo hospital filled with healthcare providers&patients as they are bombed 3 days ago
liveleak.com/view?i=6cc_1470040622 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‏@Charles_Lister
#Aleppo opposition offensive began 4th stage today & has made discernible progress; now aims to break siege & impose new one on city’s west.

Aleppo offensive is being heavily backed by #Turkey whose role seemingly minimally affected by failed coup.

[OUTLAW 09]

Source:

8 senior Nusra figures close to breaking away after re-branding.

200+ Nusra fighters have already defected to Jund al-Aqsa & #ISIS

JAA is now faced with the critical question...go to IS and or stay with FAS....

[OUTLAW 09]

Just launched - @sentry_syria an emergency broadcast network for Syria to war civilians of incoming attacks.

Al-Qaeda in #Syria "is being immeasurably strengthened by Russian and American policies."
http://bit.ly/2b4GTjD

By abandoning Aleppo, the world has empowered jihadists


Continued.....

On July 17, following weeks of intense Russian bombing and ground attacks by Iranian-backed Shia militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, the regime captured the Castello Road. This meant Aleppo was fully beseiged.

IS, as usual, was attacking the rebels at the same time that Assad was.

So was the YPG, armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (or PYD), which had helped prepare the siege by invading Arab-majority towns to the north. The PYD claimed it was fighting ‘jihadists’, but these areas were defended by Free Syrian Army factions and ruled by independent councils.

American artist and journalist Molly Crabapple visited Azaz, a town hard-pressed by the PYD, after its second liberation. She described it thus: “They’d painted over the IS emblems in shocking pink, and then they’d painted the Quranic verse ‘There is no compulsion in religion’.”

Near Azaz the PYD advanced under Russian cover. In IS-held Manbij, it (as the dominant element in the ill-named Syrian Democratic Forces) advances under American planes. American bombing atrocities (such as the strikes on July 19 killing scores of civilians) are less frequent, less deliberate, but just as devastating as those perpetrated by Russia.

Russia is dropping banned cluster and incendiary bombs on a grand scale. Russian and Assadist planes have upped the war on hospitals, hitting six medical facilities in 24 hours (on July 23 and 24).

The US administration has had nothing to say about this. Quite the contrary, President Obama has apparently approved a proposal to cooordinate American airstrikes with Russia, against Jabhat al-Nusra. And the Obama administration has consistently vetoed transfers of essential anti-aircraft weaponry to the rebels.

Aleppo has been all but abandoned by the world

Facing suffocation and defeat, with no-one coming to their aid, revolutionaries and fighters have now decided to unify their energies. For the last four days rebels have fought to lift the siege, attacking from multiple directions on a 20-km-long front.

Demonstrators, meanwhile, are marching in support of the battle, and citizens are organising their own inpromptu No-Fly Zone, burning hundreds of tyres to cloud the skies and protect the advancing fighters. These include Free Army and Islamist battalions from across Aleppo and northern Syria.

To the south of the city, the vanguard force is Jaish al-Fateh, comprising Ahrar al-Sham and the jihadists of Jabhat al-Nusra. Jaish al-Fateh is close to breaking the siege.

America watched or actively collaborated as Aleppo was driven into the abyss. Nusra, on the other hand, came to the people’s rescue. What message does this send?

For Syrians facing death and no good options, military realities must weigh heavier than social and political differences. In other words, in current conditions, they have no choice but to work with Nusra.

Now rebranded as ‘Fateh al-Sham’ and formally delinked from al-Qaida, Nusra is embedding itself by military prowess. Its role is being immeasurably strengthened by Russian and American policies.

[OUTLAW 09]

These are the actions of the "new US ally" that Obama/Kerry wants the US to be associated with....

Russian MFA accused United States in bombardments of Syria that killed hundreds of civilians
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/4...n-bombardments …

More #footage of the coward #Russian cluster bomb attack on innocent #refugee families.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IArmrb7MAUM …

And more.
The definition of cowardice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KosRx5osEN8 …

Indiscriminate and deliberate Russian bombing of civilians YET they "call out the US".....
Russia also attacked #KhanAlsheh S-W of #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyvXNEntdko

[OUTLAW 09]

Massive pro-#Assad arty & air strikes hit and destroy rebel positions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STbrhlpOAVQ …

Faylaq Sham's footage shows important contribution to the ongoing operations in S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJGaoKJyWjk …

JayshFatah armor before taking assadist positions. #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

The 5th phase of offensive was at Hadher, and the opposition is in control of Hadher. Nobody tell Putin, or he might carpet bomb it, thanks.

JayshFatah captures few positions in #Aleppo & more movement expected across a different front.

[OUTLAW 09]

2 TOWs, 1 hit.
https://youtu.be/9vkDGgUd7qU

Breaking (graphic!)
Dying kid & elderly in #Rastan.
#Assad's & #Putin's favourite targets..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL1CL5RPHKI …

FSA extreme short range mortar firing in #Ramouseh (S #Aleppo).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9pCcb2N_y8 …

Countless #Russian air strikes on villages and an #IDP camp in #Idlib province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdTrTQ4G-Eg …

Faylaq Sham blew up a 23 mm gun & likely missed a pick-up with 2 #ATGMs on S. #Aleppo front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vkDGgUd7qU …

Jaish al-Fath seems trying to protect its southern flank Huwayz, Amriyah, fuel hill & maybe Wadeihi before pushing west to artillery school.

Damascus: Rebels destroyed 1 #Assad T-72 tank and killed several pro-#Assad forces in Eastern Ghouta today.

Aleppo: Heavy fighting between rebels and #Iran|ian militias at #Handarat frontline.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels shelling pro-#Assad forces in 3000 Apartments Project in Western #Aleppo with rockets & mortars.

Aleppo: Rebels trying to capture Artillery Base and #Ramouseh District. Regime supply route is under fire control.

Israel|i airstrikes have hit a #Hezbollah convoy in #Damascus Countryside.
Rebels have destroyed a regime 14.5 mm gun and killed the crew in #Ramouseh Artillery Base.

Rebels have captured #Amarah village and killed many pro-#Assad forces in Southern #Aleppo.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian opposition groups say they started 3rd phase of attack on #Aleppo. Battle is called 'Ghazwat Ibrahim alyousef'.

In 1979 Ibrahim alyousef separated Alawis from Sunni soldiers in #Aleppo artillery school. He killed all Alawis

Now Jabhat Fatah alSham says they'll do same as Ibrahim alyousef. They'll separate Sunnis from Alawis &kill them
https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=LqEw_6_Dzpo …

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels killed 30+ #Hezbollah fighters in #Ramouseh and Southern #Aleppo today.

Mahan Air using an anonymous white aircraft livery on its A300 now from Tehran to Damascus
http://www.jetphotos.net/photo/8341083

Aleppo: Rebels killed an #Iran|ian #IRGC commander and several of his militias in Southern #Aleppo today.

Aleppo: Rebels killed the #Assad Brigadier General Imad Al Jiri in #Ramouseh Artillery Base today.

Aleppo council has cancelled all Friday prayers tomorrow to ensure safety of besieged civillians in Eastern #Aleppo from being bombed.

Aleppo: Rebels destroyed 1 #Assad rocket launcher and killed the crew in Southern #Aleppo this evening.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia|n military confident in Tu-214R capabilities after #ELINT missions in #Syria
http://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/global-defense-security-news/global-news-2016/august/2821-russian-military-confident-in-tu-214r-capabilities-after-elint-missions-in-syria.html …

Same plane that coasted along the length of the Finnish eastern border early July

[OUTLAW 09]

Ryabkov: #Russia 's Only Goal in #Aleppo is Solving Humanitarian Issue #Syria #Сирия
http://sobsrvr.com/d1b1Rtqr

BUT WAIT....this is the actual "Russian humanitarian aid"......that the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH still urgently wants to work.......thus in fact supporting Russian and Assad genocide and war crimes......

By bombing IDP camps, hospitals, schools, water supply stations, power stations, civilians, animals....and humanitarian aid convoy carrying "Pampers", medicine and food.......

BTW this same Russian stated three weeks ago that neither Assad and or Putin was going to be attacking Aleppo......

Dozens of Russian airstrikes with cluster munitions targeted an IDP camp in Ma’ara Atarib in W. rural #Aleppo today
https://youtu.be/IArmrb7MAUM

The #Russian air force performed hundreds of air strikes on rebels in S-W #Aleppo yday.

The embeddeed @AlJazeera team in #Aleppo got almost killed by a Russian air strike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhcU9QMTOc …

Assad media for 3 days: "We control 1070 apartment."
Day 4:"Ok, we don't...But we destroyed 8 rebel tanks in them."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGa2CN8d5Hc …

[OUTLAW 09]

الكبرى
Milad Fadl @Aljazeera_TV correspondent in 1070 gets wounded by a russian missile

Third activist/journalist wounded and or killed since the offensive started in Aleppo.......all were/arm unarmed as opposed to the Russian journalists....

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime footage shows, #Assad&co. lost the entire 1070 Apartments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwRNjZtV4U8 …

No pro-#Assad soldiers is inside the complex. They hide outside, fearing the inaccuracy of the Russian air strikes.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA troops in Ahrar al-Sham BMPs S-W of #Aleppo
The #Putin/#Assad campaign united all rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2W31yGKlsE …

Jaish al-Islam destroyed an #Assad T-72 tank in the battle for #EastGhouta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bROHBpUS4TI …

[OUTLAW 09]

This is a very good breakout of the anti Assad forces using the TOW which has become the defining weapon of choice in Syria.....

https://medium.com/@badly_xeroxed/bmg-71-tow-atgm-syrian-opposition-groups-in-the-syrian-civil-war-2636c6d08d68#.wrhfw3bxu

REMEMBER Obama would not supply them to the UAF in their fight against over 500 tanks and 1000 AFV......BECAUSE he feared Russia would escalate the fighting Which they have done even with no TOWs being delivered....

AND the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH argued the TOW is an offensive weapon....in Syria it has been largely a defensive standoff weapon.....

[OUTLAW 09]

At least 5 dead including 3 children & a women in Mdeirah known so far. #Damascus #Syria

Intense Assad airstrikes in E. Ghouta this AM w/ reg & cluster bombs targeting Irbin, Jisrin, Kafrbatna, Mdeirah, Misraba & others. #Syria

Location of #Israel|i strike targeted a convoy carrying weapons & Hezbollah commanders according to sources..
Hezbollah admitted it was carrying weapons but said nothing about Hezbollah commanders....

[OUTLAW 09]

Samer al-Zoabi ("Samer Ibrahem AL-#assad") a Syrian agent/rapist collecting intel on dissidents in #Sweden.

WAS a well known member of the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate in Damascus accused of raping Sunni women in prisons....

NOW so called "refugee" in Sweden......

Syrian refugees indicate he is still passing info to the Assad Syrian Embassy in Stockholm for use back in Syria...

[OUTLAW 09]

Brigadier General of #SAA Imad Alnasiri was killed during the clashes in #Aleppo countryside

Syrian SAA Generals, and IRGC/Hezbollah Commanders are dropping like flies over the last few days.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the Russians were a little to fast out of the gates with their own info warfare statements on who exactly used CWs.....

The Russian allegations of chemical weapons use came an hour before the regime dropped chlorine bombs on Saraqeb.

BTW the air strike was via barrel bombs and videoed.....

Even more Russian Today info warfare hard at work......

Russia Today TV interviewed an allegedly captured rebel. Later, he turned out to be a bearded regime fighter

[OUTLAW 09]

Ever wonder why it is always the UK media that releases anything Fisk writes about Syria......Fisk has been disproven so many times in his articles he is also matching Trump when it comes to actually lying....

THEN in a typical info warfare manner it gets picked up via Twitter nand then back into the Us MSM....ALL largely unchallenged

What a biased, uninformed, "I have heard of.." piece of cr.....p.
By Robert Fisk.
"No, Aleppo is not the new Srebrenica"
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Farewell To Aleppo, by failing to protect it we have failed ourselves @POLITICOEurope Op-Ed.
http://www.politico.eu/article/a-farewell-to-aleppo-syria-war-journalist-testimony-daily-life/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Rare #ATGM strike (Metis) in W. Qalamoun (hills E. of #Zabdani) vs Shilka used by Hezbollah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJxJFXtcaVs …

14 civilians including 7 children killed in #Putin/#Assad airstrikes on #Aleppo this morning.

[OUTLAW 09]

As ever ... #Syria

#Iran-run Shia jihadists spearhead "the Assad regime" in Aleppo
http://bit.ly/2aiD1y0

Reference the Iran Deal and a 400M USD cash payment to Iran....

Administration tried to demonstrate the #IranDeal was working; "merely emboldened Tehran to increase its aggression"

From DoS spokesperson.....
"Details might make for a colorful news story". But move on. Don't write that story. You warmongers.
https://youtu.be/vGcaeYiMwLY

.@POTUS: Fact that we paid cash is precisely bc "we are so strict in maintaining sanctions and we don’t have a banking relationship" w/Iran

Obama just mentioned Iran "closing down a bunch of facilities." But they didn't close a single facility under the deal.

Obama once again says the Iran deal was "signed." Odd phrasing, considering that isn't really the case.

BUT WAIT...it was never fully "singed" off on by Congress and both the Obama and Rhodes interviews clearly show...they basically spun and lied to Congress...

[OUTLAW 09]

Somehow Obama/Rhodes/Kerry MUST truly think they are second rate bit actors in a second rate sitcom called "US FP in Syria"....

Is this the best that can come out of this WH which has a 700 person NSC supporting them......

Obama: If Russia doesn't play nice in Syria, they "will have to answer for that on the international stage."

Just what the heck does this statement actually mean to anyone listening especially in Moscow????.....nothing, nada, fini....do not think this will impress Putin for a single second....

THAT is just how far the US FP in this administration has fallen.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH Syrian FP hard at work protecting Syrians from war crimes and genocide.....

Julian Röpcke @JulianRoepcke
Listen in!
I interviewed pediatrician Dr. Hamza inside #Aleppo this morning when the bombings started around him.
https://twitter.com/JulianRoepcke?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Azor]

Russia|n military confident in Tu-214R capabilities after #ELINT missions in #Syria
http://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/global-defense-security-news/global-news-2016/august/2821-russian-military-confident-in-tu-214r-capabilities-after-elint-missions-in-syria.html …

Same plane that coasted along the length of the Finnish eastern border early July

Yes, it was also doing loops around Crimea recently according to The Aviationist and 24 hour Flight Radar...

Perhaps it will duck down to MANPAD level. ;)

[Azor]

Appears the Russians were a little to fast out of the gates with their own info warfare statements on who exactly used CWs.....

The Russian allegations of chemical weapons use came an hour before the regime dropped chlorine bombs on Saraqeb.

BTW the air strike was via barrel bombs and videoed.....

Even more Russian Today info warfare hard at work......

Russia Today TV interviewed an allegedly captured rebel. Later, he turned out to be a bearded regime fighter

Do you have links for this?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia Is Trying 2 Poach U.S.-Trained Rebels With ‘Unlimited’ Weapons in #Syria
This article by @michaeldweiss suggests #Turkey is indeed shifting toward Russia and away from the US on #Syria
http://thebea.st/2aZEjMm

Question is how much of this is actually part of the ongoing handoff of Syria responsibility from US to Russia.

[OUTLAW 09]

NOW the UN is talking about using those so called "non existent Russian humanitarian corridors that were proven within hours by rebels/social media to be non existent"....

Civilian Deaths Mount In Aleppo While UN Considers Role In Russian "Humanitarian Corridors"
http://www.interpretermag.com/syria-august-5-2016/ …

WHAT about the other 500,000 starved and besieged Syrians......?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad Special Forces member of the 18th SF unit.... wanted war criminal now a "refugee" in Germany.....still using his FB account......

Hassan al-Ahmad (special forces) looted & killed in Damascus, using the money to become a "refugee" in #Rsselsheim.

[OUTLAW 09]

Faylaq al-Sham announces start of the attack on the artillery college https://twitter.com/ShamLegion/status/761546905038053376 …

Important as there is a massive ammunition depot inside the artillery school and it is a key defense cornerstone for the Assad forces.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Faylaq al-Sham announces start of the attack on the artillery college
https://twitter.com/ShamLegion/status/761546905038053376 …

Important as there is a massive ammunition depot inside the artillery school and it is a key defense cornerstone for the Assad forces.....

A third of the base has been taken and the rest is under strong attack from Sham...if regime loses this base it will be a major propaganda victory as well as a physical beating of regime forces...

[OUTLAW 09]

HAVE the Syrian rebels done what the Obama WH has always stated...it cannot be militarily won.....BUT they definitely have changed that perception......

Ahrar al-Sham tweeted:
"God willing, today we will meet our people, trapped in Aleppo
God willing, today is the day of our revenge."

Acc. to rebel sources, #AleppoUnderSiege is already opened tonight.
Without the help of the west.

BreakingNews
Three rebel groups claim: #Assad forces are fleeing the Ramouseh Artillery Base.
Rebels said to be in full control.

Syrian rebels claim to have taken the Military Arming College just south of the Ramouseh Artillery Base.

BreakingNews
Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham claim to have pierced the first line of defence in the #Assad artillery base.

Syrian rebels' suicide attacks are their substitute for regime&Russian air strikes.
With the diff. that 95% of them hit mil. targets.

When you think,you've seen it all
Syrian hero @HadiAlabdallah is back near #Aleppo,interviewing ppl. in a wheelchair

MustWatch @BBC doc. on the latest #Assad/#Putin attacks on hospitals & children in #Aleppo.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-36969962 …

Unique ... pro-#Assad SCUM mocks barrel bomb victims, destroyed bakeries and ... me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhFjWt3mkY8 …

A combined #Putin/#Assad air strike almost killed half of the #Aleppo media activists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MvEuZROMtM …

GRAPHIC..will not post the photos of the killed children.....
More horrific aftermath pictures of this morning's heavy airstrikes on #Aleppo|s rebel-held al-Marja neighbourhood

[davidbfpo]

This new RUSI Occasional Paper (60 pgs) provides a comprehensive analysis of Iran's role in the Syrian conflict, drawing on the perspective of major regional state and non-state actors:
Iran’s role in Syria is critical not only to the course of the latter’s five-year civil war, but also to longer-term developments in the wider region, #not least because the country’s relations with key players, including Russia, Hizbullah, the Gulf States and the Syrian regime, will inevitably be affected by the outcome of the conflict. (https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/styles/panopoly_image_original/public/iran-syria-timeline-2011-2016.jpg)
The alliance between the Syrian regime and the Iranian leadership is, on the face of it, puzzling. The former is Arab, Alawite and secular, while Iran is Islamic, Shia and deeply religious. Nevertheless, since the civil war in Syria erupted in March 2011, Iran has been one of the key supporters of the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, and has maintained significant influence over the evolution of the conflict.
This paper presents the findings of a project designed to establish a better understanding of Tehran’s ultimate ambitions in Syria, its relations with the other state and non-state actors involved in the conflict, and its influence on Damascus and the outcome of the civil war.
Link:https://rusi.org/publication/occasional-papers/understanding-irans-role-syrian-conflict

[OUTLAW 09]

Faylaq Al-Sham blew up with an #ATGM a 23 mm gun near Artillery base, W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg08tmXP4Ko …

Still heavy clashes raging inside Artillery Base, not fully taken. #Aleppo.

Jaish Al-Fateh's Inghimasi progressing fast inside Artillery base, saying they are now in control of 50% of whole complex. #Aleppo

Ahrar Al-Sham artillery (incl. new MRLS) at work to shell Artillery base in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwxxvCo2gPI …

Breaking. Jaish Al-Fateh claims control of Southern part of Artillery base, W. #Aleppo. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.155133&lon=37.119541&z=15&m …

Faylaq Al-Sham pounding Artillery Base with Elephant missiles, #Aleppo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nIQ3hvBXc0 …

Jaish Al-Sunna (part of #JaF) announces its participation to the ongoing Rebel assault in #Aleppo.

For the first time since the Battle to break the siege, Jaish Al-Fateh's Inghimasi are now entering inside Artillery base.

Breaking. Jaish Al-Fateh detonated a SVBIED inside Artillery Base. #Aleppo.

Faylaq Al-Rahman destroyed a vehicle (likely a BMP) with landmines in Irbeen, E. #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJMWtRRFdD0 …

First Regiment's #Fagot strike on group of pro-Regime forces in Sheikh Said, S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1VViy0XVnE …

Fierce clashes in Qalaat Shalif as pro-Regime forces renewed attempt to progress towards #Kinsabba, N. #Latakia. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.731116&lon=36.174459&z=14&m …

[OUTLAW 09]

This new RUSI Occasional Paper (60 pgs) provides a comprehensive analysis of Iran's role in the Syrian conflict, drawing on the perspective of major regional state and non-state actors:
Link:https://rusi.org/publication/occasional-papers/understanding-irans-role-syrian-conflict

In the current Aleppo battle........

Insult to injury, JFS using #Iranian technicals they captured in operations before. #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Abu Saeed Al-Halabi ‏@Saeed__Saeed01 · 1h1 hour ago

Great work by Fatah Halab groups in eliminating regime's artillery, ATGM positions, heavy guns and tanks.

Jaysh Fatah advances in Artillery College, JFS - Fil rockets pounding it beforehand #Aleppo
http://twitter.com/J_F_Sham1/status/761567408452673536/photo/1pic.twitter.com/IpDbvj2tMm

Update || It is going fast. The officers building, 2 faculty buildings and an ammo storage taken over by JFS inghimasi fighters.

This is huge! JFS capters 3 main buildings inside Ramousa Artillery Base after a MVBIED. Regime defence lines start collapsing.

After some difficulties the Aleppo offensive enters its 3rd phase. JFS inghimasiyin are storming the Ramousa Artillery Base as we speak.

[OUTLAW 09]

Abu Saeed Al-Halabi ‏@Saeed__Saeed01 · 1h1 hour ago

Great work by Fatah Halab groups in eliminating regime's artillery, ATGM positions, heavy guns and tanks.

Jaysh Fatah advances in Artillery College, JFS - Fil rockets pounding it beforehand #Aleppo
http://twitter.com/J_F_Sham1/status/761567408452673536/photo/1pic.twitter.com/IpDbvj2tMm

Update || It is going fast. The officers building, 2 faculty buildings and an ammo storage taken over by JFS inghimasi fighters.

This is huge! JFS capters 3 main buildings inside Ramousa Artillery Base after a MVBIED. Regime defence lines start collapsing.

After some difficulties the Aleppo offensive enters its 3rd phase. JFS inghimasiyin are storming the Ramousa Artillery Base as we speak.

Aleppo Artillery School not only crucial for breaking siege but also for regime supply line.

Ahrar claims Artillery School fell, siege nearly broken if true.

If #Aleppo's Artillery School fell, Ramouseh would be exposed and the siege over

Still unclear to me which fronts Jaysh Al Fateh, Nusra, FSA etc are dedicating less resources to in order to mount the Aleppo counter-siege.

No manpower diversion, but external supplies being diverted from #Idlib to #Aleppo. 4200 fighters involved in total.

[OUTLAW 09]

Jaish al-Sunnah: Aleppo artillery school completely captured

My recent piece on Ramouseh Artillery Base in Aleppo, currently falling to AQ-linked rebels
http://www.interpretermag.com/august-01-2016/#14718 …

Jaish Al-Fateh released first picture showing howitzers inside Artillery Base, #Aleppo

Syria:footage of moments before Jaysh al-Fatah launches its offensive on the artillery base
https://youtu.be/V48bmFm78RA

Video : At Aleppo's doors: interview w/Jaysh Fath/Ahrar al-Sham commander Hussam Abu Bakr @hosm_sa
https://youtu.be/2W7_WHr3G9U

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting (as always) from @ImaraWaTijara on the futures for the Middle East if globalization ends.

https://talisman-gate.com/2016/08/04/globalization-vs-regionalization/

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems like - as always - pro-#Assad forces left all their artillery pieces behind.
4 M46 and 1 D-30


Massive Assad regime resupply efforts for the anti Assad forces.......
Aleppo: Rebels captured an incredible amount of weapons and ammunition in #Ramouseh Artillery base.

Jaish Al-Fateh widened its offensive & launched an assault on Ramoussah

[OUTLAW 09]

Now FSA and their supporting groups have launched a major push from inside eastern Aleppo to link up with the JFS/Sham groups driving out of the artillery base towards them in Aleppo.....

We are about to see a complete reverse siege of the Assad regime western Aleppo and their being cut off from government resupplies and troops....

FSA
#FastaqemUnion
#Syria
battle of breaking siege of #Aleppo has been lunched from inside the city toward #Ramousa

Who would have assumed the rebels were this organized??...what could they do if focused against IS If the US had assisted them in throwing Assad out....

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels are in heart of Artillery Base, picture from the HQ. #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Israel: No, Obama, we still think the Iran deal was a huge mistake — via @TimesofIsrael
http://read.bi/2aAzjl5

[OUTLAW 09]

Now FSA and their supporting groups have launched a major push from inside eastern Aleppo to link up with the JFS/Sham groups driving out of the artillery base towards them in Aleppo.....

We are about to see a complete reverse siege of the Assad regime western Aleppo and their being cut off from government resupplies and troops....

FSA
#FastaqemUnion
#Syria
battle of breaking siege of #Aleppo has been lunched from inside the city toward #Ramousa

Who would have assumed the rebels were this organized??...what could they do if focused against IS If the US had assisted them in throwing Assad out....

Just for the record (also for jihadi supporters): The #FSA was and is part of the OP to open #AleppoUnderSiege.

[OUTLAW 09]

RuAF reportedly trying to limit Rebel spoils by blowing up an ammo depot inside Artillery Base, #Aleppo.

Rebels captured an incredible amount of weapons and ammunition in #Ramouseh Artillery base.

Jaish Al-Fateh blew up several Regime positions inside Artillery Base with a car-bomb

Rebels now storming the Aviation Academy in Aleppo.

Rebel truck bomb has hit the pro-#Assad forces in Air Force Academy moments ago.

Rebels destroyed a regime pick-up truck near 1070 Apartments Project with RPG and killed 10 pro-#Assad forces.

Aleppo: Rebels have captured the Fuel Depot and an #Assad Military Base near #Aleppo Water Treatment.

Rebels storming #Assad Air Force Academy inside #Ramouseh Artillery Base. Heavy fighting with the remaining pro-#Assad forces.

Rebels have launched the battle to capture all of #Ramouseh District.

Pro-#Assad forces fleeing the battlefield in Southern #Aleppo after rebel ATGM strike.

Aleppo: #Assad and #Iran|ian officers fleeing from 3000 Apartments Project.

Aleppo: #Russia|n airstrikes killed 11 pro-#Assad forces "by mistake" in #Aleppo today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #Assad regime officers in panic and trying to flee from Western #Aleppo.

Pro-#Assad forces collapsing in Southern #Aleppo.

Rebels have captured all of #Ramouseh Artillery Base. Killed pro-#Assad forces everywhere.

[OUTLAW 09]

Now the Aleppo battle from the proAssad commenters....

SAA Reporter
‏@Syria_Protector
@Syria_Protector Their failed attack has over, pic by: @rh_albasha from the Artillery base #Aleppo

BREAKING: Situation in the Artillery base is contained, No advance for the jihadists,most likely retreated, No areas have been lost #Aleppo

SAA Reporter ‏@Syria_Protector
#Breaking: #SAA defends its positions at #Ramousah Artillery base against massive jihadists attack, clashes ongoing, no areas lost.

Ivan Sidorenko ‏@IvanSidorenko1
#Syria #Syr #Aleppo #SouthernAleppo MILITANT ACTIVIST in Region CONFIRMS Militants Withdrew from #Amiriyah #Jamiyat

Ivan Sidorenko ‏@IvanSidorenko1
#Syria #Syr #Aleppo Hosein Mortada "we will be with you from 1070 housing where terrorist attackers failed"

Ivan Sidorenko ‏@IvanSidorenko1
#Syria #Syr #Aleppo #SAA Reporter Says Militants are still only in buildings that are under construction @

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage of 1st Jaish Al-Fateh's SBVIED (up-armoured BMP) detonated in #Aleppo Artillery base
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u-98gagYaE …

[OUTLAW 09]

Prior to the rebel attack on the artillery base....The Syrian High Command had ordered their troops to hold the installation at all costs.....

Reports of new chlorine gas attack on #Aleppo's 1070 Housing area which was recently captured by rebels.

Compilation video of Nour al Dein al zenki fighting on Sawmill and carboard factory fronts during #Aleppo offensive
https://youtu.be/HG-hzDH9hdk

[OUTLAW 09]

SAMS ‏@sams_usa
In July, there were 43 attacks on healthcare in #Syria - more than one attack every day. Read our press release.
http://bit.ly/2argF9v

[OUTLAW 09]

First moment of Mountain Hawks brigade entering Amiriyah Village in Southern #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/eNQwBengExo

BREAKING : From inside #Suwayda Central prison now. Detainees said:10 people were wounded so far! .@ICRC .@UN

[OUTLAW 09]

Israel: No, Obama, we still think the Iran deal was a huge mistake — via @TimesofIsrael
http://read.bi/2aAzjl5

BREAKING: Israeli Ministry of Defense slams Obama in a formal statement: "The Iran deal is harmful like the Munich agreement with Hitler"

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express.......

#ВМФ Бф BF Ropucha class LST Minsk 127 returns from Syria, transits Bosphorus & enters Black Sea

This was the 10th Syrian campaign deployment for Minsk in 2016. BDK127 is currently the most deployed ship of #ВМФ

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime & Shia allies try to pull a fast one today,currently in Shilif(village) but try to lift morale in media claiming Tel Shilif #Lattakia

Regime reporter shows "100% secure" Aleppo base from as far outside & away from it as possible

Abu Baraa Shami | First and second regime defense lines collapsed at the hands of this martyrdom operator.

A successful offensive in Aleppo by multiple rebel factions will show to many that by uniting they don't need the international community.

Aleppo: Many pro-#Assad forces are trapped inside #Ramouseh Artillery Base.

Regime forces holed up inside the housing units in the Ramousah artillery base smashed by multiple VBIEDs ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria
#AhraralSham
#Aleppo
Off site booby-tapped vehicle blew up Assad's militias positions in colleges assemply in Ramousa artillery

Current situation in South #Aleppo. #JaF source say small part of #Aleppo Artillery College still Regime-held.

AssadToxic ChlorineAgainstCivils Requires Int'l Response
http://ow.ly/tNYK302Qxuh

Can't upload 4 tech reasons but must watch #GoPro & #Drones:
Armored Assault in Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG-hzDH9hdk&feature=youtu.be …

Syria URGENT: regime forces are about to storm the #Suwayda prison after riots broke out
https://youtu.be/V58NliAGQts

MSF_Syria
After bombing, Al-Daqaq hospital missing important life-saving equipment. 1 anaesthesia machine damaged, another out of service

IRGC pick up destroyed with ATGM south Aleppo
https://youtu.be/9sJzMZ1v2lI

Syria rebels make significant progress in SW #Aleppo but siege not yet broken. Much wider corridor needed for actual supply of city center

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes in #Aleppo now between pro-#Assad forces and fighters who refused to fight against the rebels.

[OUTLAW 09]

Ahrar spokesperson said "intense clashes are ongoing in the Artillery base". Remember how Shia militia resisted for 4 days in Khalsa village

First Regiment shelling Regime S. supply line in Ramoussah, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whym89vMxkg …

Northern Division blew up with a #TOW a pick-up on Sabqiyah front, S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sJzMZ1v2lI …

Progression of Jaish Al-Fateh & clashes in Southern part of the Artillery base protected by a tank. #Aleppo

Vehicles depot & buildings of Artillery base controlled by Jaish Al-Fateh #Aleppo.

First spoils made by Jaish Al-Fateh inside Artillery base, #Aleppo.
Six artillery pieces and their tow trucks...already driven away, ammunition and other vehicles....

Latest update: Jaish Al-Fateh still advancing inside Artillery Base & took control of more buildings, #Aleppo.

Update || Very intense fighting still ongoing in the Ramousa Artillery base. JFS holds aprox 50% while regime & allies hold aprox 40%.

Rebels have cut regime's last supply road in south. Video of abandoned road being shelled
https://youtu.be/Whym89vMxkg

[OUTLAW 09]

Not a spy
‏@finriswolf
#Aleppo : A group of 20+ technicals & 2 buses gathered just south of cement factory in imagery from 2 days ago -poss yellow flags= Hezbollah

JFS shares a little more of them sweeping Artillery college, & desecrated their pictures of Bashar al Assad. #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/pWFzAR92DfU

Assad regime forces ran so fast to exit the artillery base they left behind their IDs....
Assad soldiers seems didn't get the chance to grab their military IDs (50 or so in this photo)

Wounded Mujahid refuses to leave the battle and continues fighting inside the Artillery base

Aleppo: Rebels have captured a Grad launcher in #Ramouseh Artillery Base.

Latakia: Rebels have captured 1 #Hezbollah fighter in Jabal al-Akrad, Northern #Latakia, today.

Aleppo: Rebels repelled another regime attack on #Handarat tonight. Several pro-#Assad forces were killed.

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears that now the USAF is copying the RuAF.......

Manbij: Video of the last bakery in #Manbij completely destroyed by #US airstrikes yesterday

Manbij: Heavy fighting between #ISIS and #YPG in #Manbij tonight. #ISIS launched a counter offensive. #Aleppo

Aleppo: Rebels have repelled another regime counter offensive on 1070 Appartments Project and destroyed many armoured regime vehicles.

Appears that the Assad regime forces are refusing to fight and Hezbollah is being pushed into the fighting....causing fights between both units....

Aleppo: #Russia|n & #Assad airstrikes killed 30+ civilians & wounded dozens in Tariq al-Bab, al-#Marja & #Atarib.

[OUTLAW 09]

Obama/Kerry cannot seem to realize they will never achieve anything with Putin..all they are trying to do is to "lock in the next US President to their Syrian FP"....especially if Clinton as she has clearly signaled a far different approach...

Kerry presses on with Russian talks on Syria despite Aleppo setbacks
http://reut.rs/2aMDBkr

[OUTLAW 09]

2 civilians,young girl & male teenager,injured in regime artillery attack on #Talbisah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoXv-ax9uec …

From proAssad/Putin commenter......
Desperation spreading among pro-Assadis...
"We besieged Aleppo because rebels wanted to besiege Aleppo" ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Ahrar spokesperson said "intense clashes are ongoing in the Artillery base". Remember how Shia militia resisted for 4 days in Khalsa village

First Regiment shelling Regime S. supply line in Ramoussah, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whym89vMxkg …

Northern Division blew up with a #TOW a pick-up on Sabqiyah front, S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sJzMZ1v2lI …

Progression of Jaish Al-Fateh & clashes in Southern part of the Artillery base protected by a tank. #Aleppo

Vehicles depot & buildings of Artillery base controlled by Jaish Al-Fateh #Aleppo.

First spoils made by Jaish Al-Fateh inside Artillery base, #Aleppo.
Six artillery pieces and their tow trucks...already driven away, ammunition and other vehicles....

Latest update: Jaish Al-Fateh still advancing inside Artillery Base & took control of more buildings, #Aleppo.

Update || Very intense fighting still ongoing in the Ramousa Artillery base. JFS holds aprox 50% while regime & allies hold aprox 40%.

Rebels have cut regime's last supply road in south. Video of abandoned road being shelled
https://youtu.be/Whym89vMxkg

Some people are confused about 40%+50%=90%. 10% still contested, no one holds that area. I thought everyone would get that.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://english.aawsat.com/2016/08/article55355828/war-fatalities-expose-iranian-army-flow-syria

War Fatalities Expose Iranian Army Flow into Syria


London-Iran had recently admitted to the grave losses suffered by its deployed units due to military operations in Syria’s Aleppo rocketing. Officials have announced at least five Iranian soldiers dead, who were lost in the latest battle in southwestern Aleppo.

The statement of the officials said that the five Iranian soldiers were allegedly killed by “takfiri terrorists” —the term is frequently used by the Iranian government to label Sunni opposition forces and not exclusive to militants affiliated with internationally recognized terror organizations or those who actually fit the description.

Officials said that the five were killed in action.

A Basij medical officer was also reported dead on August 3. Basij forces are a paramilitary force affiliated with Iran’s revolutionary Guard.

Fatemiyoun Division, an Afghan Shi’ite militia formed in 2014 to Defend Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, also reported that one of its top leaders got killed.

The division, also referred to as the Fatemiyoun Brigade, is funded, trained, and equipped by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

The Long Wall Journal also reported that Iranian officials announced on Aug 1 the death of a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War from Ardebil who was a member of the IRGC paramilitary Basij. Social media posts on pro-IRGC online circles reportedly show a welcoming ceremony held on Aug 1 for a wounded IRGC major who commands the 102nd Imam Hossein Battalion of Harand in Isfahan province.

A member of the IRGC’s Alborz province unit was killed on July 31, and his death was announced the following day.

Army Third Lieutenant Mohammad Moradi was also killed in Aleppo on August 1.

There has been heavy fighting for control of the Aleppo Artillery School southwest of the city. Prior to deploying to Syria, Moradi had served in the 22nd Artillery Group of Shahreza County in Isfahan province.

Amir Toumaj, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, also wrote that the deaths point out a continuous flow of Iranian regime-dispatched forces into Syria, as part of a military campaign led by Iran’s revolutionary Guard.

Army commanders publicly confirmed in April the deployment of special forces, following weeks of hints and announcements offering their services in Syria, wrote Toumaj.

Special forces were defeated in one of their first major battles in Aleppo at the hands of the battle-hardened al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, which is now called Jabhat al Fatah al Sham. Iran has acknowledged the deaths of seven Army commandos, all in April.

With the backing of Russian airpower, the IRGC, Iranian-backed militias, and allies succeeded in closing in on Aleppo last week.

In early July, pro-Assad forces launched the operation to link forces from the north and west of the city at Castello Road, the last Syrian opposition supply route to the city. The Iranian Guard confirmed five fatalities during the course of the operation, including two majors on July 13.

At least 42 Afghan and Pakistani militants were killed last month, with dozens killed before July 21.

Assad-backing army, YPG, and Russia dealt the finishing blows last week, completing the encirclement of Aleppo.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was even more instrumental in laying the foundations for Aleppo’s siege in February, cutting off rebel supply route to Turkey with the assistance of YPG, Russia, and Iranian-backed militias including Lebanese Hezbollah, Iraqi Shi’ite militias, the Afghan Fatemiyoun Division, and Syrian National Defense Forces. The IRGC put far more of its own ground forces in that operation, losing more than 40 soldiers, including brigadier generals.

The IRGC prefers to rely on foreign proxies as boots on the ground in Syria with Guard officers advising and leading operations, though the top command has not hesitated to introduce its own regular ground forces if necessary.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://english.aawsat.com/2016/08/article55355828/war-fatalities-expose-iranian-army-flow-syria

War Fatalities Expose Iranian Army Flow into Syria


Hezbollah commander Hussein Mahmoud Issa was killed in #Aleppo, along with many of his fighters.

[OUTLAW 09]

Breaking 2 hospitals in Millis & Sarmin were hit by Assad airstrikes in rural #Idlib today, reports say they’re not operational anymore

Several killed & many wounded including a doctor, medical staff members & patients in the Assad airstrike on Millis hospital in rural #Idlib

Aftermath of Assad airstrikes on Marj Clinic Centre 2 days ago. Clinic provided services to ~40K people
https://youtu.be/2jhkuK1vhF8

The regime & Russia are systematically destroying hospitals to ensure those who are injured in their bombings die

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels have regained control of the Jamiyat area & the village of al-Amriya after losing them to the regime yesterday

Pro-Assad media/loyalists using photos from Algeria as rebels killed in #Aleppo

Regime media claims fighting inside the artillery base but all scenes filmed from outside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HGftggXK4 …

Pro-Regime: defending #Aleppo Artillery Base, showing footage of 1070 Project, 2.1 km away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HGftggXK4 …

Regime supporters in Aleppo say fighter jets bombed their building and rebels rescued them took them to hospital

Meanwhile Russia/Assad airstrikes on Ma’arat al-Nouman & Saraqib in #Idlib, Sukkari in #Aleppo, 30+ barrel bombs on #Daraya in #Damascus

Aleppo Fastaqim rebels target a group of Assad militias with a Fagot missile on outskirts of Airforce academy
https://youtu.be/PGm9TZ13jRw

#Aleppo Reports now that the Ramouseh road has been completely shut off

Footage of Ahrar al-Sham at the Artillery base in the Ramousah area, south of #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/p1H-8KqyTKg

Intense clashes at the Airforce academy, might not be long before this is liberated

[OUTLAW 09]

The #FSA took #TalAhmar near #AlRai from #ISIS this morning.
#Aleppo #Syria

JaI says an officer & 15 Assad forces killed in clashes on the Hawsh al-Fara front in eastern Ghouta, #Damascus

Photo of a destroyed Assad tank by JaI in Hawsh al-Fara, eastern Ghouta

Breaking. Jaish Al-Fateh's Inghimasi storming the last pockets in #Aleppo Artillery base amidst reports of huge Regime reinforcements coming

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels say "tens of meters" to open #AleppoUnderSiege.
400 in my latest estimate.

BREAKING. The siege of E. #Aleppo is now over.
Rebels from outside met with those inside the city.

6th Aug: 24 days for Regime to implement full siege on Rebel-held #Aleppo & 7 days for Rebels 2 break it despite figting vs massive aircover

[OUTLAW 09]

Furious #Assad/#Putin air strikes on civilians in #Aleppo city, #Idlib towns & #EastGhouta after losing key battle to rebels.

Idlib 2015 was a turning point for #Syria in several ways. #Aleppo will be too. Last week regime/Iran/Russia were winning. Already history.

Russian intervention after Idlib was intended to stop this from happening. Putin overplayed his hand. Again

Astonishing development. Within days regime's biggest achievement in the #Syrian war is turning into one of its most significant defeats.

Important to mention not only is regime's siege of #Aleppo about to fall but now western city situation difficult.

Supply situation for regime forces and civilians in their western part of #Aleppo already difficult.

With #Assad losing in #Aleppo and #ISIS losing in #Manbij, this could be one of very few good days for #Syria.

[OUTLAW 09]

Despite multiple MLRS attacks and Russian bomb carpets, rebels took the arty base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reBAuTkzeIM …

[OUTLAW 09]

Jaish Al-Fateh is now advancing in Ramoussah & took physical control of sections of supply line used by Regime.

Breaking. Jaish Al-Fateh blew up Regime positions inside Ramoussah with a SVBIED. #Aleppo

Faylaq Al-Sham heading to Tell Mahrouqat, before the takeover, in W. #Aleppo.

TIP (#JaF) involvement in assault on quarries East of Masharfah, W. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.145222&lon=37.117138&z=15&m …

BRDM 9P122, stored inside the Aleppo artillery school.

RBK-500 cluster bomb #Aleppo Artillery Base: area impacted (red) & main concentration (blue)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reBAuTkzeIM …

Ahrar Al-Sham footage showing positions taken inside #Aleppo Artillery base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1H-8KqyTKg …

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels say "tens of meters" to open #AleppoUnderSiege.
400 in my latest estimate.

BREAKING. The siege of E. #Aleppo is now over.
Rebels from outside met with those inside the city.

6th Aug: 24 days for Regime to implement full siege on Rebel-held #Aleppo & 7 days for Rebels 2 break it despite figting vs massive aircover

Judging by propaganda statements & footages on Aleppo Artillery base, Regime is in a state of panic unseen since Idlib setbacks in 2015.

Assad propaganda: "#Ramouseh Road is closed due to destroyed pavement & #Khanasir Highway is closed cause of sandstorm."

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels have killed the #Assad commander Asim Kamal Ramadan in #Ramouseh District.

Pro-#Assad forces collapsing fast in #Ramouseh, the siege is almost broken.

Rebels have captured Gas Station and Bakery in #Ramouseh District.

Rebels have captured #Ramousah Roundabout and #Ramouseh Garages.

Rebels have hit pro-#Assad forces with VBIED in #Ramouseh District from inside #Aleppo.

Rebels have captured 180 mm gun S-23 in #Ramouseh Artillery Base.

[OUTLAW 09]

1st #ATGM (Malyutka) fired by JFS in Aleppo Battle vs Kornet position in 3000 Project Appart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W779I4vOqO0 …

Malyutka's are hard to control......

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria : Heavy clashes going on in #Ramouseh #Aleppo
#FSA advancing also from besieged parts #Aleppo city

MORE Assad propaganda......
"Col. Suheil al-Hassan and units from the Tiger Forces reportedly arrive at Ramouseh Artillery Base" -@sayed_ridha

They make such comments but do not back it up with videos and or photos....thus simply propaganda...

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad/IRGC fortified in airforce technical school now surrounded from 3 sides & have 1 exit to 3000 apartments north

Jaish al-Fath expelled Assad/IRGC from Amiriyyah village, Jam'iyyat and Mahrouqat hills again south Aleppo.

FSA advancing from inside Ramousah district and take new positions toward Jaish al-Fath in artillery school.

Seizure of Aleppo Artillery Academy by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham including drone's view, minus nasheed:
https://archive.org/details/spacestationsyria …

[OUTLAW 09]

Fath Halab leaders record messages to the people of #Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/PQ0Rfq0q0wI

[OUTLAW 09]

According to #SDF estimates 20k civilians are trapped now in couple of blocks in #Manbij and under fire from all sides. Disastrous situation

Footage from rebels showing the inside of the captured artillery school in Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pITQDnnf9JA …

Regime media claims fighting inside the artillery base but all scenes filmed from outside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HGftggXK4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Souces confirming Jaish Al-Fateh had planned a 1 month-battle to break the E. #Aleppo siege.

Ahrar al-Sham spokesman saying they expected to fight one month to break #Aleppo siege; but it took less than one week.

How rebels/civilians see Aleppo battle:Int'l community failed/abandoned them, Islamists supported them. Geneva got them nothing,fighting did.

Probably a very accurate assessment.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels asking residents of Western #Aleppo to avoid being next to military installations.

Rebels have declared #Hamdaniya District, #Assad Suburb and 3000 Apartments Project to military areas.
Update: areas declared military zones are from 6:30 to 8:30 pm Syria time. Seems like a limited operation to close on the airforce school.

Aleppo: Rebel in #Ramouseh Artillery Base: "Thank you #Russia for accidently bombing the pro-#Assad forces."

Aleppo: #Iraq|i pro-#Assad Iraqi militia fled from #Amarah village in Southern #Aleppo and forgot their flag.
Iraqi militia Harakat Al-Nujaba

Aleppo: #Assad and #Putin warplanes bombing now everything in #Aleppo.

[OUTLAW 09]

The offensive will go on till #Aleppo is liberated from pro-#Assad forces.

Dozens of #Assad, #Russia|n and #Iran|ian officers have fled towards Castillo Road.

[OUTLAW 09]

Updated map with Ramousah district fully captured. Assad/IRGC still holding their positions in the airforce school.

In a few days, a new offensive will start to free the remaining part of Aleppo. Militarily not very smart to besiege regime-held W-Aleppo.

Note that there still isn't a safe corridor out of E-Aleppo. There is still fierce fighting to widen the corridor and create a safe passage.

Syrian journalist @MousaAlomar donates 100 sheep to the people of #Aleppo in celebration of #breakingthesiege

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria 28 rebel #ATGM's in first 6 days of August 2016:
https://justpaste.it/August2016ATGM

Doctors in #Aleppo’s M2 hospital reporting their facility has been hit by another airstrike

Several more FSA groups involved in addition to many more non-FSA but some still insist Nusra take all the credit

Rebels break #Aleppo's siege. Dozens of #Assad & #Hezbollah forces were killed & hundreds escaped

Clashes still going on as rebels capturing more areas in Aleppo. Assad regime is collapsing & in disarray being hunted down everywhere

After takeover of Tell Mahrouqat, Jaish Al-Fateh is now 2 km away from #Aleppo Water Treatment Facility.

[OUTLAW 09]

Al-Masdar News
‏@TheArabSource
Russian airstrikes propel the Syrian Army in southern #Aleppo
https://goo.gl/iRJZpV #

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels declaring amnesty and safety to pro-#Assad forces who drop their weapons and surrender.

Hassan Hassan @hxhassan
The way it looks is the the US failed to help #AleppoLiberation civilians stranded in a violation of a US-RU deal. Jihadists did. Go figure.

[Azor]

The MSM is reporting that the siege is broken but not lifted...

What's the reality of the situation or is it fluid?

Apparently the FSA wasn't involved, and the offensive had been entirely done by an alliance of Islamist rebel factions, including Fatah Halab and ex-Nusra. Any word on this?

[OUTLAW 09]

The MSM is reporting that the siege is broken but not lifted...

What's the reality of the situation or is it fluid?

Apparently the FSA wasn't involved, and the offensive had been entirely done by an alliance of Islamist rebel factions, including Fatah Halab and ex-Nusra. Any word on this?

Azor...the siege is lifted....by definition....they are widening the corridor through the distinct they took over via the artillery school......they need to widen it in order to safely bring through supplies and manpower without being constantly attacked.


FSA was definitely involved as they lead the attack from the eastern Aleppo side.

Situation is extremely fluid as the rebels are now openly offering all regime troops the offer of lay down your arms and you have full and safe withdrawal along with your families if they are in western Aleppo.

Reports coming out indicated a massive fleeing of regime, Hizbollah, Shia militia, Russian advisory officers and IRGC officers from western Aleppo....leaving the common troops and their NCOs.....

[CrowBat]

Al-Masdar News
‏@TheArabSource
Russian airstrikes propel the Syrian Army in southern #Aleppo
https://goo.gl/iRJZpV #
'Syrian Army'?

That Assadist-PR-idiot...

In all of Aleppo, there is just one 'SyAA' - actually NDF - unit left: the 113th Regiment, an artillery unit deployed at Aleppo IAP/Nayrab AB. As far as there are any 'Syrian military' still there, the city is actually held by the Ba'ath Party Militia.

That said, the frontlines south of it were defended by the IRGC's Afghan Hazara 'mercenaries' (well-paid, but actually forced to serve in Syria) of the Liwa Fatimioun. These got hit by three SBVIEDs and a massive artillery barrage, the last two days, then by Russians too (by mistake, of course). No surprise, they run away.

Things like this happen when the 'regime' - read: 'even' the IRGC - is so exhausted and short on troops, the 'break-through' in Mallah Farms was achieved only through deployment of three of IRGC's gangs of Shi'a Jihadists from Iraq.

They simply do not have the troops necessary to cover all of their frontline, not to talk about running offensive ops: but Assad and IRGC's generals (and all of their online fans) are still daydreaming about 'Syrian Arab Army' and 'total victory'...

[CrowBat]

Syria : Heavy clashes going on in #Ramouseh #Aleppo
#FSA advancing also from besieged parts #Aleppo city

MORE Assad propaganda......
"Col. Suheil al-Hassan and units from the Tiger Forces reportedly arrive at Ramouseh Artillery Base" -@sayed_ridha

They make such comments but do not back it up with videos and or photos....thus simply propaganda...
It wouldn't make any difference even if Ridha was right (which he was not): that silly 'Tiger Force' didn't manage it in Mallah Farms - and that despite four months of Russian bombardment, and extensive artillery support.

What should it have managed where half the Liwa Fatimioun, the Ba'ath Commando Brigade, and a battalion of Hezbollah didn't manage to hold the line?

[OUTLAW 09]

Azor...the siege is lifted....by definition....they are widening the corridor through the distinct they took over via the artillery school......they need to widen it in order to safely bring through supplies and manpower without being constantly attacked.


FSA was definitely involved as they lead the attack from the eastern Aleppo side.

Situation is extremely fluid as the rebels are now openly offering all regime troops the offer of lay down your arms and you have full and safe withdrawal along with your families if they are in western Aleppo.

Reports coming out indicated a massive fleeing of regime, Hizbollah, Shia militia, Russian advisory officers and IRGC officers from western Aleppo....leaving the common troops and their NCOs.....

Azor...what is interesting is if one chases the social media accounts one is far better informed right now than what is coming out in the western MSM....

Indicator....about two weeks ago...JaN the rebranded AQ starting pulling out some of their best troops from several front lines much to the dislike of the various FSA units holding onto those front lines.....and actually when one looked at those front lines...they had been rather quiet as the regime forces were focusing on taking the Mallah Farm area and surrounding Aleppo.

It was those units that lead the assault into the artillery base....

Right now the rallying cry is "Aleppo" and has done more to centralize and refocus the entire anti Assad front....together with the jihadists....by rallying around a key goal they have successfully bridged their differences AND this is the key they realize now that they without the West if unified take on anything Assad can throw at them AND even though the Russians are bombing like crazy....AIRPOWER alone does not win ground victories....

Losers are Assad, Putin, Khamenei AND Obama......

First aid convoy that contains medical and food supplies from the people of Idlib has entered east Aleppo after siege was broken by rebels
Syrian rebels in a heroic operation opened a 2 km wide corridor into besieged #Aleppo city.

[OUTLAW 09]

Step reports huge explosion in the al-Tanf area, suspected to have been an #ISIS VBIED targeting New Syria Army

Breaking Al-Amaq (#ISIS media) claims the group carried out an attack, including using a car bomb near the al-Tanf border crossing #Syria

Reports several coalition airstrikes targeted #ISIS positions near al-Tanf border crossing today. #Syria

Damascus Multiple Assad airstrikes on Jobar, Ayn Tarma, Hawsh al-Dawahra & barrel bombs + shelling + rocket fire on Daraya

Assad responded to the lifting of his siege in #Aleppo by bombing #Daraya, under siege in #Damascus.

Civilian casualties reported in Assad airstrikes, mortar & heavy artillery shelling of #Daraa Balad this morning. #Syria

Damascus Multiple Assad airstrikes on Jobar, Ayn Tarma, Hawsh al-Dawahra & barrel bombs + shelling + rocket fire on Daraya

Wow
#Assad puts #Putin's mine clearing tubes in his #BarrelBombs now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds9Ch8Mvdxs …
Darat Izza near #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Aftermath of a regime rocket attack on the Wa'er district in #Homs last night
https://youtu.be/uglR1KZ0xic

Fagot vs Kornet - JaM rebels take out a regime Kornet position & crew at 3000 housing project in Hamdaniya, #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/CRLhRFNgf9w

[OUTLAW 09]

Effectively with this link up the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH Syrian/IS strategy if there was ever one..is now effectively dead.......the lack of US involvement in Aleppo has both contributed to the increase in Syrian respect for AQ and has shown the West that the US is not an effective leader as they felt "doing nothing stupid" was in fact a strategy.......

Footage
Moment when rebels from inside #Aleppo meet those from outside East of arty base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0yOlRwozVo

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting: The last push came from inside Aleppo it seems.
FSA&co took bakery, garages & then met JaF&co west of Ramouseh industrial area.

@AFP's journalist in eastern districts of #Aleppo says first food truck of tomatoes & potatoes enters rebel parts via Ramussa

~2 km wide south #Aleppo corridor after full control of Ramousah and the artillery school.

Captured at the artillery base and air force school....

120 mm PM-38 mortar captured Aleppo artillery school.

M-46 and D-30 total of six captured:
https://twitter.com/MathieuMorant/status/761594169110433792 …

Reports about #JAF attacking #Hamadiniyah and #Assad districts in #Aleppo

Captured BTR-60PB (Ramouseh garages), probably from the artillery school according the markings.

[davidbfpo]

From my "armchair" I think the absence of MSM reporting can be in part explained by several factors: war weariness - after five years; the lack of media access - with few exceptions; the confusion over facts in a bitter civil war and indifference from many viewers or readers. Plus a preference for better and nearer stories - which for Americans can be the forthcoming election.

In some ways it repeats what I recall about Bosnia, even when UK troops were deployed.

Sadly I think there is an element of laziness, maybe even editorial bias. As indicated in the BBC's reporting of the shot down Russian combat helicopter.

This is the current BBC report on Aleppo:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37000570

[OUTLAW 09]

These are the actions of a so called Salafist jihadist group of fighters inside Syrian.....yet they are not "moderate enough" to be supported in their fighting against Assad and IS....

Sometimes dancing with the devil gets the results one needs and the devil turns out to be an angel....that is the calculated risk one takes when one is in a leadership position....

Fatah Halab commander promises safety to ALL civilians in #Aleppo, no matter what.
http://orient-news.net/en/news_show/...g-to-its-areas …

"We will always be protective of the life of any Syrian citizen despite their loyalties or background."

We saw this when the RuAF in an attempt to bomb the rebels hit an western Aleppo apartment complex and then the rebel fighters took the time to dig out the civilians and take them to a hospital for treatment even though this was regime held western Aleppo.

Secondly, when the rebels cut off the supply lines to western Aleppo they only targeted military vehicles or jeeps carrying regime fighters....never fired a single round at civilian buses or trucks....WHICH regime forces do not do...they target civilians bottom line....

[OUTLAW 09]

@RevolutionSyria · 1h1 hour ago

1st aid convoy to enter #Aleppo didn't come from #UN or outside organisations but from Syrians in #Idleb #Syria

The UNSC, US and yes even Russia have been totally ineffective at delivering humanitarian aid...why is that....

REMEMBER when Russia stated they are opening THREE humanitarian aid corridors.....NOT a single one was actually opened much less any aid delivered ...ONLY aid was via Russian/Assad bombs....

[OUTLAW 09]

REMEMBER these are the so called citizens of the Assad regime hard at work....

Loyalist FB page reports government looting of IDP homes in West Aleppo

these were Syrians who actually believed Assad and fled to western Aleppo...

[OUTLAW 09]

Rare M79 Osa shell fired by Faylaq Al-Rahman vs 57 mm cannon in Jobar, #Damascus. Near miss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htmffXM4CAM …

Intense #RuAF airstrikes on N. part of #Aleppo Artillery base this morning after yesterday's Rebel takeover.

More spoils inside #Artillery Base: incl. mounted ZPU-2, ammo & Grad rockets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuFc6gauROk …

Jaish Mujahideen blew up w/ a #Fagot an #ATGM position set up on roof of a house in #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRLhRFNgf9w …

Different kinds of ammunitions seized in warehouses of #Aleppo Artillery Base.

Another link up video via smartphone....

The moment when Rebels from outside #Aleppo met with those besieged inside the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X9FAJJ1w-E …

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-Regime forces backed by #RuAF airstrikes launched another attempt to seize #Kinsabba area, N. #Latakia.

Safwah Battalions taking control of new positions from pro-Regime forces in Ramousah #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wAwaaj3-pw …

Zinki inside the Garages of Ramoussah after expelling pro-Assad, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k384xjsOYAs …

Zinki making thr final push to take control of Regime supply Road in Ramoussah, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0yOlRwozVo …

[OUTLAW 09]

Looks like those so called "moderate Iranians" somehow got lost and ended up in Aleppo.......

Inside an Iranian bastion in Ramoussah: Iranian currency, Fatemiyoun Brigade's flag & ammo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri4uRF_AEwQ …

Why are they not fighting inside AFG against the Taliban and IS or in Iraq...just why did they end up in Aleppo????

Just another case of Iranian imperialism the Obama WH would rather just forget about.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Jaish Al-Fateh released list of spoils in #Aleppo Artillery Base:
- 20 tanks
- 7 BMPs
- 10 cannons 120-130 mm
- 4 ammo/weapons warehouses

Boss 23mm anti aircraft rifle on stand, with an expensive scope offered. Should rather have a bipod in my opinion...

Hezbollah field commander Hassan Mahmoud Issa (Abu Issa) was killed yesterday in Aleppo battles

JFS used 4 MVBIED's to aide in the Aleppo Offensive
Both IS and JFS strategically use SVBIEDs as their cruise missiles and extremely effectively to say the least....

Footage: SVBIED detonated in Regime positions in Ramoussah. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1esE7wCfPg8 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.162652&lon=37.129326&z=17&m …

Western journalists concerned about rebels using SVBIEDs. They have no air force. These brave men gave their life to save 300.000

Rebels in the captured #Sadkop Laboratory in #Ramouseh.

Rebels have captured many assault rifles in #Ramouseh Artillery Base

Manbij: Heavy clashes between #ISIS and #YPG in #Manbij ongoing. 10+ #YPG fighters were killed since the morning. #Aleppo

Heavy clashes between rebels & pro-#Assad forces near #Kinsabba in Jabal Akrad, Northern #Latakia.

SEVENTH hospital in less than a week destroyed by Russian and Assad AFs....
Idlib: #Assad airstrikes have destroyed Millis Field Hospital in #Idlib and killed 10+ civilians & injured dozens

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels killed the #Assad "Special Forces" Commander Major General Mahmoud Aziz Hassan in #Ramouseh today.

ProAssad info warfare hard at work......

Funny #Assad propaganda!
See from where "army repels attack on #Ramouseh" is filmed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leAKbQpGHTk …

[OUTLAW 09]

For those SWJ readers who do not think Russian actions in Syria and in eastern Ukraine are not joined at the hip.....?????

Going into Ukraine
http://wpo.st/Nmtq1

By Editorial Board August 6 at 2:49 PM


DONALD TRUMP’S assertion that Russia “is not going to go into Ukraine” reminded us that very little reporting has been done in recent months about the state of the conflict in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were first invaded by Russian forces in early 2014. That’s unfortunate, because while the West’s attention has been otherwise occupied this summer, Russia and its proxies have steadily escalated the fighting.

According to the United Nations, 20 civilians were killed and 122 injured in June and July, more than double the average monthly toll of the previous nine months. The Ukrainian army, for its part, reported at least 13 soldiers killed in July. Most of the deaths came in shelling attacks by heavy weapons, including artillery and Grad rockets, that were expressly prohibited by the two peace agreements Russia and Ukraine made. Apart from brief periods, the Russian side has never fully observed the cease-fire, according to reports by international monitors.

Meanwhile, military supplies continue to pour across Ukraine’s eastern border, parts of which Russia exclusively controls. According to statements by Ukrainian officials, at least 19 trains carrying military hardware crossed the border in July. On Aug. 2, authorities reported that 30 tanks, 11 armored vehicles and six Grad rocket systems had been shipped in during the previous week. This despite repeated Russian commitments to pull all such weapons back from the front lines and place them under monitoring.

It’s not clear how many Russian personnel are now operating inside Ukraine; in the past, estimates by NATO and other outside observers have ranged from several thousand to 10,000. Veteran analyst Paul Goble of the Jamestown Foundation reported in a recent blog post that “curators” dispatched by Vladi#mir Putin’s regime “are attached to military units, political organizations, newspapers and radio stations, as well as other distinct institutions.” They transmit orders from Moscow and control all government as well as military operations.

Ukrainian military intelligence has identified and publicly named dozens of Russian officers posted to the region. One who was captured on July 11, a platoon commander named Alexey Sedikov, said in a video posted to YouTube that Russians hold many key leadership positions, such as battalion commander and deputy chief of staff.

Not surprisingly, the Russian intervention in Ukraine resembles its operation in Syria in several key ways. Mr. Putin has employed subterfuge, deception and lies to cloud the operations and their aims. In negotiations and conferences with Western diplomats, his aides have repeatedly agreed to plans to end the fighting, while on the ground Russian forces have continued to shell and bomb.

The Obama administration’s reaction to all this has become painfully familiar. Secretary of State John F. Kerry brokers plans for cease-fires; when they are broken by Russia, he expresses outrage — then returns to Moscow to strike another deal. President Obama continues to insist, as he did this week, that the way to end the conflicts is to work with Russia. The possibility that Mr. Putin has no interest in and no intention of seriously cooperating with the United States in either Ukraine or Syria is one that Mr. Obama evidently finds it inconvenient to contemplate. Sadly, Mr. Trump is not the only one who denies the obvious.



Poroshenko's administration: Ukraine on alert awaiting start of Russian army offensive
http://www.unian.info/war/1457228-poroshenkos-administration-ukraine-on-alert-awaiting-start-of-russian-army-offensive.html …

BUT not a single warning issued by any Western leader especially Obama/Kerry about this potential Russian second invasion and assault....

Anyone want to convince me the US intelligence community has not seen this Russian buildup...BUT WAIT they honestly claimed after the Crimea invasion they had not even "seen it coming"...

[OUTLAW 09]

Meanwhile in besieged #EastGhouta and #Jobar, nothing changed.
#Assad/#Putin air strikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4KirS2gNCE …

People in #MaaratAlNuman demonstrate in support of the end of the #Aleppo siege.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sogrPNN7-Oo …

Evidence of Hezbollah presence in N. part of #Aleppo Artillery Base: 1 KIA & Leban. ID card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUHGkdQV7o8 …

Not a spy @finriswolf
The simple fact that RT even mentions the -possibility- of the rebels breaking the Aleppo siege says volumes

Moment of Jaish al-Islam rebels seizing the gas storage facility yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4nJKt_CdoA …

Aleppo: Rebels have captured many ATGMs in Southern #Aleppo.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian info warfare hard at work even in the US these days.....

For a deeper look at Russia's campaign to undermine Western democracy, read our @cepa/@LegatumInst report
http://cepa.org/reports/winning-the-Information-War …

[OUTLAW 09]

'Vacuum bombs’ destroy MSF-supported #Idlib hospital yesterday
http://bit.ly/2b5p5HH
Thermobaric.....

Idlib Millis field hospital destroyed by Assad airstrike y’day, 10 killed, more bodies under rubble, dozens injured
https://youtu.be/j1KLZvxtLrA

1st Regiment rebels securing civilians in Ramouseh & relocating them to safer areas

Breaking: Several #Daesh intercepted by #NSyA and killed in failed attempt to strike At Tanf with #VBIED.

Heavy clashes continue between rebels & regime on Kinsaba, Shalaf castle & Zuwaiqat fronts in Jabal Akrad, rural #Latakia

[OUTLAW 09]

CAN any SWJ reader/commenter explain this Obama WH action.....it is literally driving the moderate Syrian FSA into the arms of JFS.....EXPLAINS fully WHY no FSA unit inside eastern Aleppo fired a single TOW in the lifting of the siege THAT evidently was not in the interests of either the US and Putin.....

US wouldn't give CIA-backed groups weapons for the battle to break Aleppo siege
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/world/middleeast/military-syria-putin-us-proxy-war.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share …

US deliberately slowed down the deliveries over two weeks ago with the CIA provided excuse that there are none in the warehouses....oh really is all what one can say ??????

NOW all anti Assad Syrians are saying is the following......
Obama is openly pro Assad and Putin as this point.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA soldiers evacuate civilians in formerly #Assad-held areas in S-W #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCgA8tu9lwY&feature=youtu.be …

Moment of Jaish al-Islam rebels seizing the gas storage facility yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4nJKt_CdoA …

Faylaq Al-Sham took out 2 tanks (T-72) with #ATGMs on E. side of Ramoussah, #Aleppo.

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan
Syrian Gen. Hassan Hassan says the Russian airforce didn't take part in Aleppo, calls for it
http://all4syria.info/Archive/333560

[OUTLAW 09]

Obama in his own 20,000 odd word interview disparagingly referred to the anti Assad forces as "farmers or teachers or pharmacists"...MUCH as Putin referred to his eastern Ukrainian Russian trained and supported mercenaties as "truck drivers and miners"....

The green & purple on the Aleppo battle map is what Obama disparagingly dismissed as "farmers or teachers or pharmacists"..

Those "farmers, teachers and pharmacists" handed Putin, Assad and Khamenei a major defeat......

Somehow he seems to have forgotten just who made up the US Revolutionary Army....

[OUTLAW 09]

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan

http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/kurdish-tensions-undermine-the-war-against-isil

Kurdish tensions undermine the war against ISIL

May 24, 2016 Updated: May 24, 2016 10:48 AM

By Hassan Hassan and Bassam Barabandi


Amnesty International has in seven months issued two major reports highlighting allegations of war crimes by rebel and Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The two reports are related to a secondary conflict brewing between Arabs and Kurds from Hasakah to Qamashli to Aleppo, which could easily spin out of control and add to the many conflicts that already plague the country.

The United States has an unintentional hand in this new conflict, and de-escalation hinges largely on whether Washington is willing to review its strategy in northern Syria, which sometimes privileges the appearance of success in the battle against ISIL over sustainable policies.

On Friday, Amnesty published a damning new report accusing rebel factions in Aleppo, organised under the Army of Conquest, of committing acts that may amount to war crimes. The rights group said it gathered strong evidence of indiscriminate attacks that killed at least 83 civilians, including 30 children, in the Kurdish-dominated Sheikh Maqsoud between February and April.

On October 13 last year, Amnesty issued a report, Forced Displacement and Demolitions in Northern Syria, accusing the Kurdish political party PYD, the Democratic Union Party, of carrying out a wave of forced displacement and home demolitions that it also said may amount to war crimes. The shelling of civilians by rebel forces cannot be justified, and perpetrators must be punished and restrained by their regional backers. The attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud were encouraged by some supporters of the opposition living abroad, after the PYD’s military wing, the YPG, attacked the rebels in February. Worse, such calls continue to be heard and more indiscriminate attacks can be expected.

Clashes between the rebels and the YPG are not new. Bad blood between the two sides goes back to 2012, when the rebels were attacked by the YPG as they carried out raids against government bases in northeastern Syria. Tensions between the rebels and the YPG destroyed any hope for cooperation between the two sides.

Additionally, Turkey, a key backer of the opposition in the north, vehemently opposes the dominance of the YPG, an offshoot of the terrorist-designated PKK, near its southern border. For Turkey, the YPG’s ambitions in northern Syria are a matter of national security, and Ankara is unlikely to compromise on what it views as a direct threat, even if it often bows to American pressure as the anti-ISIL fight continues.

But it does not have to be an either/or situation. A third track exists: thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters have been stranded in northern Iraq since 2012, waiting for a green light from the US to be deployed inside Syria to fight alongside the YPG and the opposition. According to several sources, including high-level Kurdish leaders from northern Syria, the 5,000 fighters were funded and trained by Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), when hundreds of Kurdish youngsters started heading to northern Iraq after anti-regime Kurdish activists called on fellow Kurds to defect or refuse to join the army.

“Some of the trained fighters returned to Syria to form cells that would serve as supporting forces to the 5,000 fighters when they are deployed inside Syria," one prominent Kurdish activist told us. “But there was confrontation with the PYD militias, which dug a trench between [Iraqi] Kurdistan and Malikiyah [in Syria] to prevent our entry."

The Kurdish source said the two rivals negotiated under the auspices of the KRG president, Massoud Barzani, and they reached two agreements, the Hewler (another name for Erbil) agreement in July 2012 and the Dohuk agreement last October.

“The two agreements stipulate that we form joint political and military forces," the source said. “When they returned to Syria, they would abandon the agreement. Now they reject our return categorically. We spoke to the Americans last May and they promised to do something."

The US fears that the return of fighters would create disruptive tensions between the Kurdish sides. Rivalry between the two is already felt inside Syria. A source inside Qamashli spoke of constant intimidation by the YPG against their rivals. Also, recent battles in Aleppo included clashes with fellow Kurds who fight on the rebel side.

The strength of the anti-PYD Kurdish fighters is that their leaders are part of the Kurdish National Council, which is part of the opposition’s National Coalition. Turkey views them as potential allies. The trick is for the US to exert serious effort to bring the two Kurdish rivals closer, which will help build a bridge with the Syrian opposition, and reassure its Nato ally to focus on the ISIL fight. Many of the YPG’s commanders have a clearly expansionist and exclusivist agenda, viewed suspiciously not only by Turkey and the Syrian opposition but by the Kurdish leadership in Iraq.

The US may not want to jeopardise its relationship with a force that has helped it win key tactical battles against ISIL in Syria. But the unconditional support for the YPG is irresponsible because it creates unnecessary conflicts and undermines the long-term war against extremists.

Hassan Hassan is a resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Bassam Barabandi is a former Syrian diplomat and co-founder of People Demand Change



Syrian Kurdish fighters trained in Iraq for years, the YPG bans them from entry to Syria:

They're battle hardened, having fought on the frontlines against Isis in Iraw. They spoke to the US about pressuring the YPG to reach a deal

The 5000 fighters, who represent different political strands, & the YPG reached two known deals brokered by the KRG. YPG simply shunned them

They met with American officials in Turkey but the Americans essentially told them to forget it, in fear of "disrupting" the anti-IS fight.

Now, the sad thing is these fighters could bridge the gap between the Kurds, rebels & Turkey. This sub-conflict with YPG is easily avoidable

Cemil Bayik, a member of #PKK executive triumvate, once praised #Assad and #Iran as "only" states ind't of the West.

[OUTLAW 09]

AeroVironment SwitchBlade ISR/lethal drone recovered by SDF in #Manbij, #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

CAN any SWJ reader/commenter explain this Obama WH action.....it is literally driving the moderate Syrian FSA into the arms of JFS.....EXPLAINS fully WHY no FSA unit inside eastern Aleppo fired a single TOW in the lifting of the siege THAT evidently was not in the interests of either the US and Putin.....

US wouldn't give CIA-backed groups weapons for the battle to break Aleppo siege
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/world/middleeast/military-syria-putin-us-proxy-war.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share …

US deliberately slowed down the deliveries over two weeks ago with the CIA provided excuse that there are none in the warehouses....oh really is all what one can say ??????

NOW all anti Assad Syrians are saying is the following......
Obama is openly pro Assad and Putin as this point.

The Obama team's plan was to leave E Aleppo under siege so to provide Assad with a decisive advantage. Still the plan.

[OUTLAW 09]

Daraya : After helicopters dropped 19 barrel bombs Regime forces attempted to storm the city under artillery fire but were pushed back.

Meanwhile, Daraya is under immense pressure..but Daraya victimized, besieged still resists the barbarians.

Reports of heavy artillery shelling by regime & Hezbollah targeting besieged #Zabadani

[OUTLAW 09]

14 FSA Brigades are fighting currently in eastern Aleppo and around Aleppo....

[OUTLAW 09]

Huge: an extremely rare 180-mm S-23 gun captured in #Aleppo Artillery College, able to fire a 88-kg shell some 30 km

Faylaq Al-Sham took out a second tank with an #ATGM on Ramoussah front, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvvCcjaenyM …

Faylaq Al-Sham took out a tank with a #Kornet near Ramoussah, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nMyL0pYHEE …

JFS fired a #Konkurs vs a 23 mm gun on #Mallah front, N. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueWuhQzMreE …

[OUTLAW 09]

From interrogation of POWs inside Artillery Base: "Officers told us Rebels would never reach the Base" & "Electricity was cut off" (no news)

[OUTLAW 09]

Look at this old video. Iranian officers based in #Syria describing how bad Assad’s army is…how disrespected they r
https://youtu.be/ZIQaUwi8l2M

Assad/IRGC troops arrived in a tank, went back to base on foot.

In Arabic: recorded conversation of 2 Hezbollah militants saying Assad army collapsed in Aleppo and fled the battle.

Regime sent threatening messages to residents of Saraqib & called on them to hand over the bodies of Russian pilots

More spoils from the artillery school. Hard to know for sure how much captured at this point
https://youtu.be/ITnlYLtASIg

East Aleppo media activist Mahmoud Raslan in Ramouseh today. Behind: a tank captured by the rebels.

[OUTLAW 09]

Jaish al-Fath further advanced south of Ramousah and took new positions including the strategic cement factory.

Next stop would be taking water treatment facility and military housing construction factory to push Assad/IRGC completely out of SW #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian media: 'Syrian army repels rebel attempt to break Aleppo siege and kills over 2,000 militants.' Uh...

Jaw-dropping NVG video of F-22 Raptors refueling at night during air strikes on Daesh
https://wp.me/p2TYIs-afB

As every day, the #Assad air force dropped #BarrelBombs on #Daraya (#Damascus).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzvZkExcna4 …

Many #Russian/#Assad air strikes on #Aleppo today.
3 civ killed,4 injured in that1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4MqoU_o-dY …

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels rescuing civilians from #Ramouseh District. Old woman kisses forehead of rebel to thank them.

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebels destroying #Assad 23 mm gun with ATGM at #Mallah frontline, Northern #Aleppo, today.

JaF combing over the base and the buildings today uncovered this group of 10 or so regime men had been killed in a Russian airstrike ++||

Russian airstrikes bombarding Artillery base reportedly Hit a small building where some regime men who didn't manage to retreat were hiding+

T-55 captured inside the artillery school (according :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k871ctsfRXk … )

The #FSA & rebels control 100% of #Ramouseh district.
Every square meter south of Highway 5.
#Aleppo

Rebels appear to have repelled a regime & co counterattack on Mahrouqat hill in #Aleppo

1 woman killed & 2 children injured in an Assad airstrike on al-Maysar neighbourhood in #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/h59NN-MGKeE

3 civilians killed & more wounded in Russian airstrikes on the Zibdiya neighbourhood in #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/Q4MqoU_o-dY

Reports of heavy artillery shelling by regime & Hezbollah targeting besieged #Zabadani
Dozens have starved to death due to regime & Hizbollah siege of Zabadani. Snipers shoot those who forage for food

Hizb fighter reporting to base: "they surrounded us from all sides, Iranians and Afghans and Syrians ran away..every one just ran away"


Horrendous footage from #Daraya today (& everyday in fact) of barrel bombs dropped on the #FSA-held #Damascus suburb
https://youtu.be/qF9yKBjWGo0

More Iraqi Shia militia from Harakat al-Nujba being fed to the regime's failing frontlines in #Aleppo today

[OUTLAW 09]

Northern Division blew up with a #Fagot a 14.5 mm gun on Sabqiyah front in S. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is5JdvwRcUE …

Jaish Al-Fateh repelled a Regime attempt to recapture Tell Mahrouqat in S. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.120405&lon=37.119799&z=14&m …

Well equipped Tawhid wal-Jihad (#JaF) Inghimasi during operations of Battle for #Aleppo.

Huge: an extremely rare 180-mm S-23 gun captured in #Aleppo Artillery College, able to fire a 88-kg shell some 30 km

[OUTLAW 09]

This is Russia that Obama/Kerry think they can work with and not with those Syrians who have for now five years demanded Assad leave....who BTW unleashed IS against the West.....

REMEMBER this is the same Obama WH who cannot figure out who is dropping cluster, incendiary and thermobaric weapons on civilians, and destroyed over 16 hospitals in the last two weeks.....

whitehelmets - idlib ‏@whitehelmets_sy
Russian airplanes are bombing the city of Idlib by phosphorus .

For the first time #RuAF dropped incendiary munitions on #Idlib.

RBK-500 ZAB-2,5SM incendiary (thermite) cluster bomb remains found at Idlib bombing site (via @BeyondTheLevant)

Russia isn't targeting military positions in #Idlib, they're targeting civilian areas, women, children here

[OUTLAW 09]

Those moderate Iranians are again hard at work...the Iran Deal is largely failing....but hey it is OK for them to be in Syria as part of their imperialistic control designs for the ME.

Think about this: Iran has executed a nuke scientist for divulging info about its "peaceful civilian" nuke program.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-executes-nuclear-scientist-it-says-leaked-secrets-to-u-s-1470576595 …

US-Israel Reignite Rift on Iran Nuke Deal
http://defnews.ly/2aRBmfD

[OUTLAW 09]

Chemical weapons, torture, rape even of children, mass killings .. the biggest terrorist in Syria is Assad himself: http://www.bild.de/storytelling/topics/syrien/chemical-weapons-torture-mass-killings-the-thruth-about-assad-42183052.bildMobile.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

This is Russia that Obama/Kerry think they can work with and not with those Syrians who have for now five years demanded Assad leave....who BTW unleashed IS against the West.....

REMEMBER this is the same Obama WH who cannot figure out who is dropping cluster, incendiary and thermobaric weapons on civilians, and destroyed over 16 hospitals in the last two weeks.....

whitehelmets - idlib ‏@whitehelmets_sy
Russian airplanes are bombing the city of Idlib by phosphorus .

For the first time #RuAF dropped incendiary munitions on #Idlib.

RBK-500 ZAB-2,5SM incendiary (thermite) cluster bomb remains found at Idlib bombing site (via @BeyondTheLevant)

Russia isn't targeting military positions in #Idlib, they're targeting civilian areas, women, children here


New #footage from inside the burning hell of #Idlib city.
https://www.facebook.com/Douma.Revolution.2011/videos/vb.111632495584341/1103194283094819/?type=2&theater …

Eliot Higgins ‏@EliotHiggins
Incendiary bomb used today in Idlib the same type @RT_com recently edited out of footage of Russian jets loaded with the same exact cluster munitions found in Idib....

Video footage of incendiary cluster munitions air strike last night in Idib which hit only civilians...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcW0K07Pt78 …

[OUTLAW 09]

KafrHamra after months of #RussianAirStrikes.
A field of rubble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuW-xUbBN_I …

Kinsaba is recaptured by Ahrar and FSA after the regime took control for several hours.

Jaish Al-Fateh announced the start of the 4th phase of its offensive aiming to control whole #Aleppo-city. Call on Regime soldiers to defect

[OUTLAW 09]

Sh al-Muhaysini from the Artillery College: "we didn't even use 20% of our manpower .....the coming days will be greater"

[OUTLAW 09]

After dozens of Grad & Howitzer, mortar barrages, Opposition takes back control part of Qalaat Shilif #Lattakia

Assadists with Iranian proxies in retreat from the entire axis. #Lattakia

Iran #Assad militias being pounded with Howitzers & MRLS around Qalaat Shilif, & in panic mode. #Lattakia

RuAF on scene to help with the mess & retreat, including militia IRAMS #Lattakia


Rebels have captured some regime positions in #Hamadaniyah District, killed 30+ pro-#Assad forces and destroyed 1 tank.

Damascus: Rebels killed a group of pro-#Assad forces with a booby trap in #Ghouta today.

Rebels: "We will protect Muslims & Christians in Western #Aleppo. We will not harm the civilians."

Rebels: "Pro-#Assad forces in Western #Aleppo can surrender now, defect or die in a fight soon. Their choice."

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Rebels have killed the #Hezbollah commander Mohammad Harisi in #Ramouseh.

[OUTLAW 09]

There were 43 attacks on healthcare facilities in #Syria in July - more than one attack every day,": @SAMSGlobalR

AND the UNSC and Obama take no action even though the Russians and Assad are violating two UNSC Resolutions to not bomb medical facilities...why is that????

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: clashes reported on Hamdaniyah front & E. of Ramoussah as pro-Regime tried to advance from Cement Factory. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.151945&lon=37.142630&z=14&m …

Tajamu Fastaqem struck with a #Fagot a fortified position in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsqXB2WE4o …

Rare footage of 1st Coastal Division firing dozens of Grad rockets with BM-21 in N. #Latakia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEYD6-BThqU …

Jaish al-Fath repelled Assad/IRGC counterattack on Ramousah and Mahrouqat hill from cement factory this morning.

The day #Turkey allows RT to get back on air,#FSA rebels show brand new BM-21 & ammo on the Syrian-Turkish border...

Just to repeat: Turkey finally understood hybrid warfare. Shake s.o.'s hand and stab him at the same time.
https://youtu.be/cEYD6-BThqU

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian propaganda media outlet....Sputnik International boosted that the Russian military had set Idib ablaze....confirming their violation of international law on the use of incendiary cluster munitions especially against civilians.....

In German....

"Wir haben Idlib in Brand gesteckt."
Russisches Staatsfernsehen stolz auf Brandbomben-Angriff in Syrien.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160808/1044043994/iran-ready-assist-russia-humanitarian-operation.html

Iran Ready to Assist Russian Humanitarian Operation in Syria's Aleppo


10:39 08.08.2016(updated 10:54 08.08.2016) Get short URL


Iran is ready to cooperate and assist Russia's humanitarian operation in Syria's Aleppo, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ibrahim Rahimpur said.

BAKU (Sputnik) — Russia has been sending tonns of humanitarian aid to Aleppo and helped open several humanitarian corriders for civilians to be able to flee the city and the fighting.

"Of course, we need to create conditions for normal life in Aleppo. All the residents of Aleppo and Syria are tired of this situation. We are ready to assist the Russian side in creating normal living conditions in Aleppo and Syria. We are ready to cooperate with the Russian side," Rahimpur told RIA Novosti.

The deputy minister noted that the issue would be discussed at the upcoming meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Baku. "There are no limits when it comes to discussions between the two leaders," he said.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Daesh, as well as the al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states, are not part of the deal.

[OUTLAW 09]

Another Russian "vodka moment"...

Sputnik ‏@SputnikInt
#SyrianArmy kills over 2,000 militants in #Aleppo in past 10 days http://sptnkne.ws/bRYC

Sputnik still has not admitted that the Assad regime has suffered a major defeat even with massive RuAF CAS.....

[OUTLAW 09]

New #footage from inside the burning hell of #Idlib city.
https://www.facebook.com/Douma.Revolution.2011/videos/vb.111632495584341/1103194283094819/?type=2&theater …

Eliot Higgins ‏@EliotHiggins
Incendiary bomb used today in Idlib the same type @RT_com recently edited out of footage of Russian jets loaded with the same exact cluster munitions found in Idib....

Video footage of incendiary cluster munitions air strike last night in Idib which hit only civilians...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcW0K07Pt78 …

Sputnik ‏@SputnikInt · 6h6 hours ago
A severe Syrian-Russian bombing campaign against al-Nusra sets city of #Idlib ablaze near #Aleppo

Surprised that Russian MoD admits to violation of international law...

Sputnik ‏@SputnikInt · 7h7 hours ago
On Sunday Russian airstrikes rained down on al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham terrorists in #Aleppo #Syria


The victory for al-Nusra Front and allied anti-Assad Islamist rebel groups, which are strangely backed by the United States, suggests that the “groundbreaking” victory for the terror groups may be short-lived

Washington-backed ‘moderate’ rebels, including a freshly rebranded al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda) and the violent Islamist group Ahrar al-Sham breached the Syrian government siege in the city of Aleppo on Saturday opening a corridor in the south marking a major setback for the Syrian Army supported by Russian airpower.

​The United States claims that al-Nusra Front is not part of the ‘moderate’ group that is being supported, but by the admission of social media posts by al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham controlled accounts in the wake of the rebel breakthrough the two groups are intertwined in their fight in opposition to the Assad regime.

Although the rebels have broken the impasse in the near-term by fracturing the siege to bring in supplies and reinforcements, the battle over the city of Aleppo continues to rage on with Russia intensifying its aerial bombardment of rebel-held neighborhoods. The battle may be the most important in the Syrian conflict as each side struggles to regain control of the country’s largest city and former commercial hub.

The siege was fractured during a major offensive on Saturday when an alliance of over two dozen rebel groups, led by al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham forced the Syrian Army and allied fighters out of parts of the southern Ramouseh district taking control of a number of military colleges.


FINALLY Russia admits the major defeat by the rebels......

[OUTLAW 09]

After lost 3 jets and a helicopter, #Assad warplanes now using countermeasures when bombing #EastGhouta #Damascus

Another SAA "vodka moment"......
SAA establishes fire control over military academies in south Aleppo -
http://sana.sy/en/?p=84537 http://fb.me/3LvCHnjo4
sure...........

[OUTLAW 09]

Wonder to what extent recent changes to #Iran's military forces have influenced events in #Syria, particularly regarding #IRGC intervention

There's been a clear shift in #Syria strategy since Bagheri's appointment, with increase in #IRGC militias, decrease in professional troops

Bagheri's promotion was surprisingly domestic in nature, with focus on modernising and integrating #IRGC-#Artesh. Little mention of #Syria

At the same time dramatic increase in deployment (and promotion) of Afghan Fatemiyoun and Iraqi militias shows ongoing investment in #Syria

7th Iranian reported killed in Aleppo #Syria: Gholam Hossein Mousavi from Yazd. Body to be returned on Tuesday

[OUTLAW 09]

US spy rescued by Turkish forces after getting injured on mission in Assad stronghold of Latakia, #Syria
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-soldiers-save-us-intel-agent-on-syrian-border-report-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=102556&NewsCatID=341 …

[OUTLAW 09]

The Times of Israel ‏@TimesofIsrael · Aug 6
http://www.timesofisrael.com/russia-not-hezbollah-sent-drone-into-israel-report/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Russia, not Hezbollah, sent drone into Israel — report

Three weeks after IDF failed to bring down UAV that crossed over from Syria, Moscow officials acknowledge it was theirs

Internal probe shows #Jerusalem spoke to Moscow air force officials seven times after UAV entered airspace
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-believes-russian-drone-breach-an-accident-report/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

ProRussian/Assad commenter...

Elijah J. Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai · Aug 6

#Russia sources n #Aleppo:"Jihadists (Ahrar) received tens of MANPADs, forcing RUAF to fly higher than 3.5km and excluding Helicopters".

[OUTLAW 09]

#Iran´s PressTV on #Aleppo: "terrorists failed, siege on terrorists not broken, #SAA successfully redeployed".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gjXQzT7ZGA&feature=youtu.be&a …

[OUTLAW 09]

While widening offensive on Ayn Ghazal between Jabal Akrad & Turkman. #Lattakia

Iran proxies regroup after taking casualties & counter attack the axis, make progress leaving only a small part contested. #Lattakia

Can confirm that a single round scored direct hits, however the multiple barrages is unknown, 1CD #Lattakia
https://youtu.be/cEYD6-BThqU

[OUTLAW 09]

Unconfirmed reports #Assad army helicopter crashed south #Aleppo near Ithriya-Khanaser toad.

SYRIA: Estimated 2,000 Iranian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Syrian fighters dispatched to regime; hundreds - mostly Fateh al-Sham - on opposing side

Daraya : What's left of an armored mine clearance vehicle. Don't mess with the Martyrs of Islam.

In #Damascus explosions can be heard of Assad's barrel bombing of #Daraya, according to reports 46 dropped so far today, hasn't stopped

[OUTLAW 09]

Another video on the Russian international law violation of the use of incendiary cluster munitions on civilians WHICH they signed....

Incendiary bombs targeted #Idlib city on Sunday evening, injuring at least 10 people, @whitehelmets_sy reports
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdY2H1dM5rU …

[OUTLAW 09]

Eastern #Aleppo city after 3 days with "65 air strikes", among them "10-15 cluster bombs".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSJxsDA_Z3k …

That was quick! First ATGM video of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham fron the #Handarat front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueWuhQzMreE …

A ballistic missile hit men, women and children in #DaratIzza, #Aleppo province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHx1acrNiHg …

View #Damascus residents have on #Assad's daily mass murder of civilians in #Daraya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwRkH9zBrI4 …

Also today, numerous #Putin/#Assad air strikes hit civilians in #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFN-72e0pKg …

Tajamu Fastaqem blew up part of Regime building with a tunnel bomb in Al-Izaa, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GswFifNIC38 …

Damascus: Jaish Al-Islam launched counter-offensive aiming to recapture positions recently lost to pro-Regime forces in E. #Ghouta.

First week of Rebel offensive to break #Aleppo siege was backed by 28 #ATGMs: - 16 #TOW - 8 #Fagot - 2 #Malyutka - 1 #Metis + 1 unknown

[OUTLAW 09]

Building totally wiped out during clashes/shelling in #Mallah on 8th July. N. #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.272148&lon=37.129412&z=18&m …

Tajamu Fastaqem struck with a #Fagot a fortified position in W. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsqXB2WE4o …

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‏@Charles_Lister
Here are my latest comments on the battle for #Aleppo & its broader implications for #Syria, US, #Russia etc:

Key point in my @MotherJones interview: #Syria’s opposition is united in opposing US-#Russia strikes on JFS:

My interview w. @MotherJones: "Meet the Terrorist Group Playing the Long Game in #Syria”
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/syria-al-qaeda-nusra-battle-aleppo …

[OUTLAW 09]

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan 7. Aug.

Syrian war enters a new phase as factions realign
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/syrian-war-enters-a-new-phase-as-factions-realign …

New on how Aleppo is helping Fateh al-Sham kick off its new phase

[OUTLAW 09]

Kyle W. Orton ‏@KyleWOrton
The #Aleppo offensive helped normalize and embed al-Qaeda after the rebranding, regardless of the outcome.
http://bit.ly/2b5qxuW

[OUTLAW 09]

Whenever the Russian and Iranian delegations get together to "discuss" Syria, there's a major escalation

BBC obtains exclusive photos showing British special forces operating in Syria against IS
http://bbc.in/1dB9JTU

"The #Syrian regime and #IS are equal in terms of raping and torturing women."
http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article157531501/Nicht-alle-Frauen-werden-vergewaltigt-Aber-alle-gefoltert.html …
In German......

#Hezbollah fighter in "leaked tape": We were abandoned #Aleppo #Syria
http://mme.cm/ZJBW00

NewsMap: Battle of #Aleppo - August 8, 2016 (12:00) #Syria #FatahHalab vs. #SAA HD:
http://newsmap.pl/news/bitwa-o-aleppo-stan-na-8-sierpnia-2016-mapa#news-9706 …

Iran´s PressTV on #Aleppo: "terrorists failed, siege on terrorists not broken, #SAA successfully redeployed".
https://youtu.be/-gjXQzT7ZGA?t=6

[OUTLAW 09]

Confirmation @mod_russia's incendiary attack on civilian housing was a premeditated terror attack.

Medical center destroyed by air strikes in chiffonieh, Eastern #Ghouta https://youtu.be/3fbWdeZeCf8

Notorious pro-regime journo: "#SAA bent on not allowing any terrorist into #Aleppo City". NEWS clearly not her forte

[OUTLAW 09]

Multiple casualties reported in a cluster munition attack on Darat Izza in west rural #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/XDCL-jh7H_A

Reports now that multiple ballistic missiles have hit Darat Izza in west rural #Aleppo causing huge explosions.
Were 9M79-1 Tochka-U missiles.

The BM-21 Grad launcher on route
https://youtu.be/m9lX0mRxnwA
#Latakia

The #Idlib hospital destroyed by 2 airstrikes on Saturday actually killed 13 including 5 kids says @MSF now #Syria

Jasih al-Nasr rebels regain full control over positions lost to regime last night south of Tuwayni in west rural #Hama

More than 23 barrelbombs like this hit civilian neighbourhoods in #FSA held #Damascus suburb of #Daraya today
https://youtu.be/NJVFto4p1iA

JaI also advances & takes several positions around Marj airbase in E. Ghouta & heavy clashes continue on Hawsh Farah & Hawsh Nasri fronts
https://youtu.be/NJVFto4p1iA

FSA 1st Coastal Division BM-21 Grad MLRS attack on Assad positions at Ghazaleh hill in Jabal Akrad, #Latakia
https://youtu.be/cEYD6-BThqU

Massive #Russian night time incendiary air strikes on #DaratIzza last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDCL-jh7H_A …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ahrar al-Sham says that its food convoys into Alepo are also training exercises for fighters to evade regime fire:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/08/heroes-jihadists-with-al-qaeda-links-break-assad-siege-of-aleppo.html

Michael Weiss
Roy Gutman

08.08.16 8:00 PM ET

Heroes? Jihadists With al Qaeda Links Break Assad Siege of Aleppo

While Western politicians and bureaucrats wring their hands, hardline jihadists and Salafists have seized the initiative in northern Syria.

[OUTLAW 09]

Jabhat Fateh al-Sham offensive on #Aleppo Artillery Academy, @lazerhawkmusic remix:
https://youtu.be/LSc43So7Oqc

2 Iranians #IRGC Ali Nazari and Gholamhossein Mousavi killed in Aleppo battles, Syria.

Hezbollat & Fatemioun units still leading regime in clashes around Kinsibba. #Lattakia

Ahrar al-Sham fighter hip-firing a Dushka HMG during recent fighting in Aleppo. That thing weighs 34kg (75lb)

Rebels: "Every #Assad fighter, who hands over a #Russia|n, #Hezbollah, #Iran|ian or #Iraq|i fighter, can leave #Aleppo unharmed."
Ajnad aSham: Cash reward of $10K to every Assadist who hands over a Lebanese, Russian or Iranian mercenary to rebels

Aleppo
Residents in Hamdaniya are selling property very cheap to get away.
350m2 for $2300

Assad regime offering amnesty to Sunni prisoners who fight against the rebels in #Aleppo. The regime must be very desperate.

Aleppo: Rebels have killed in the #Aleppo offensive:
• 500+ pro-#Assad forces
• 35+ #Assad & #Iran|ian officers
• 150+ #Hezbollah fighters

More #footage from #DaratIzza in #Aleppo prov last night.
#Russia uses what it has.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPge0zPZ79k …

Iraqi Shiite militia Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba claims a #brigade is on the way to #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZF3NE55ZE …
WHY are they not in Iraq fighting supposedly IS ...what are they doing inside Syria fighting anti Assad forces....NOT IS???

[OUTLAW 09]

Better late than never.....especially since they stated at the beginning of the fighting they would be involved.......

Aleppo: Several convoys with Jund Al Aqsa rebels arrived in #Aleppo City today. They promised to join the offensive some days ago.

Interesting to see their role since they are far more aligned with AQ after the rebranding of JaN into JFS.....

Aleppo: 3000+ Jaish al-Fatah rebels arrived in #Aleppo City today.

This maybe the indicator of an attempt to push into western Aleppo as allegedly there were only 4200 involved in the actual Aleppo fighting to begin with so this is a sizeable ramp up in manpower..

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad info warfare hard at work.....

What a shame, refugees "from the rebel offensive" must scream for #Assad whenever filmed ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUsVq_4Ux0M …

Being carried on the Russian propaganda media outlet Russian Today...

[OUTLAW 09]

Due to the landscape, #Assad forces have full fire control over the #Ramouseh corridor.
Rebels must...either capture the cement factory & water treatment plant in the south or "3000 Apartments" in the north to secure a humanit. access.

This would explain the rebel ramp up in manpower numbers....and their bringing in fresh combat forces giving the initial attack force a recovery break....

[OUTLAW 09]

Samantha Power ‏@AmbassadorPower
Russia challenged UNSC focus on Aleppo siege but drs showed pix of kids hit by airstrikes&asked what cld justify hitting 6 hospitals in 1 wk

[OUTLAW 09]

BUT WAIT....another great Russian UNSC "vodka moment".....the Russians grandly announced the opening of three humanitarian aid routes into Aleppo WHICH never did happen....then Russian Today released "alleged" video footage of rebels and civilians "streaming into the regime held western Aleppo" only to have them shredded by open source analysts as being totally fake...

Example of the current Russian info warfare from Russia Today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUsVq_4Ux0M …

AND those THREE so called "humanitarian aid corridor...ALSO disproved by both rebels and open source analysts.....

Russia talks a great game but never delivers on anything it states and or signs....

Reuters: U.S. urges Russia to halt Syria sieges; Russia slams aid politicization
http://www.unian.info/world/1459703-reuters-us-urges-russia-to-halt-syria-sieges-russia-slams-aid-politicization.html …

Russian humanitarian aid is in fact taking the form of cluster, incendiary and thermobaric air strikes.....simple as that....

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
New Incendiary Attacks in Syria Linked to Russian Bombs via @bellingcat
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2016/08/08/new-incendiary-attacks-in-syria-linked-to-russian-bombs/ …

"insane airstrikes of unprecedented ferociousness" in the battle for Aleppo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/08/battles-rage-across-aleppo-as-assad-regime-syria-fights-to-quash-rebels?CMP=share_btn_tw … by @kshaheen

[OUTLAW 09]

Previously posted but worth reposting....as it shows the internal tension of Assad, Putin, and Iran....

Hizbullah abandoned by Syrian, Iranian, Afghan allies in #Aleppo, according to purported leaked audio
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports/567259-hezbollah-fighter-in-leaked-tape-we-were-abandoned …

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting comments from a well informed Russian commenter....might be first serious indication that the Russians are not planning on Assad being around .......normally such a agreement should have been signed immediately after it was announced.....why the delay is the interesting thing and now why the rush????

Yury Barmin ‏@yurybarmin
Putin sends Russia-Syria agreement on deployment of aviation at the Hmeymim base to be ratified at the Parliament

Yury Barmin ‏@yurybarmin
Russia and Syria signed the agreement in August 2015, not clear why Putin wants it ratified now when the Russian parliament is on vacation

Yury Barmin ‏@yurybarmin
What this means is that from now on Russia essentially owns the Hmeymim base and will probably opt for setting a permanent base there

Tells me regardless of whatever the outcome is in the coming months Russia wants to lock in their life time military base in order to influence whatever the outcome will be......and ensure their remaining in the ME forever....

If one really reads the agreement it in fact gives Russian an unlimited and unrestricted Status of Forces Agreement not seen anywhere in the world....for life.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan
Read this important piece from FT:

Outside help behind rebel advances in Aleppo
https://www.ft.com/content/da076830-5d77-11e6-a72a-bd4bf1198c63 …


Re Aleppo, @HadiAlabdallah notes: Jaysh al-Fatah dominated externally but the #FSA overwhelmingly dominant in the offensive from inside.

[OUTLAW 09]

Siege of #Aleppo not broken yet, but #Iran-run jihadists and other pro-#Assad forces collapsing.
http://read.bi/2aPzrHT

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-regime sources claimed Shia Iraqi militias sent reinforcements to Aleppo

Imagine how much would be the uproar if these were "Sunni foreign Jihadis" arriving from Turkey to aid rebels

5 years into the 'Revolution' & people still incapable of comprehending the fact that #Syria is 74% Sunni

[OUTLAW 09]

Fierce clashes & shelling as pro-Regime forces are trying to advance into Ramoussah district from East, #Aleppo.

Russia claims to have opened three humanitarian aid corridors to Aleppo YET supplies no humanitarian aid......

Meanwhile 1.5 tonnes of medical aid was air dropped to regime areas besieged by ISIS in Deir Ezzor
http://www.all4syria.info/Archive/334288

Damascus Multiple Assad airstrikes targeted Khan al-Shih this AM inc. the refugee camp, reports of many civilian injuries inc. children

Rebels foiled an attempt by pro-Regime forces to advance on Tell Mahrouqat front, S. #Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.121237&lon=37.120228&z=13&m …

[OUTLAW 09]

All attacks by Harakat Nujaba Iraqi militias towards Tal Al-Mahruqat has been repelled. 10+killed & 20+ wounded & Sanubrat hill recaptured.

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-regime sources claimed Shia Iraqi militias sent reinforcements to Aleppo

Imagine how much would be the uproar if these were "Sunni foreign Jihadis" arriving from Turkey to aid rebels

5 years into the 'Revolution' & people still incapable of comprehending the fact that #Syria is 74% Sunni

That's the reason why butcher #Assad needs Shia fighters from #Iran, #Lebanon, #Iraq, #Afghanistan and #Russia|ns

[OUTLAW 09]

Visiting Moscow today, President Erdogan is interviewed by Mikhail Gusman of TASS
http://tass.ru/en/world/893204
Syria, energy, economy, Su-24, etc

Erdogan on Syria:
- Pilot's killers on trial
- Assad must go
- Me and Putin can work on Syria without US, Iran, KSA
- Nusra no terror group

[OUTLAW 09]

An interesting proAssad info war site............

https://www.sott.net/article/324596-BREAKING-Aleppo-battle-updates-SAA-now-have-the-advantage

Anybody who fancies a laugh should have a look at this They are in complete denial


Green: foreign-backed 'rebels'. Red: SAA and allies.
Total Overview - Aleppo Battle now favors SAA (August 8)

Recap: •The siege has not been 'broken' in strategic terms, but the situation was fluid through most of August 7th - 'rebels' from each side have connected, but are under constant shelling and fire, and cannot make use of this
•The 'rebel' sally was an act of planned desperation
•'Rebel' forces have experienced a 30-50% casualty rate
•The 'rebel' gains of late August 6th have been largely rolled back
•The SAA 'liberated bridge' (see map above and below) remains in SAA hands
•The military academy was retaken by the end of the 6th, Tigers were involved
•Hezbollah's Special Forces heavy involvement confirmed
•The 'rebels' have gone through all their heavy tanks and are left with medium tanks
•Russian bombing sorties were used strategically in places where 'rebel' groupings were drawn/lured using tactical withdraw - see video below
•SAA and allies losses have been comparatively low (withdraws were tactical in nature)
•SAA successfully brought in reinforcements
•The maps are only misleading insofar as the SAA holding of west Aleppo would otherwise appear as a potential cauldron - but only the SAA has access to air force

[OUTLAW 09]

A 180 from his previous position. Former CIA deputy director: I want to scare Bashar al-Assad
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-cia-deputy-director-michael-morell-i-want-to-scare-syrian-president-bashar-al-assad …

[OUTLAW 09]

Really nice overview of Islamic State's (#IS) Amn al-Kharji (foreign intelligence).
http://bit.ly/2aIqjdI

[OUTLAW 09]

Maybe @reliefweb & @OCHA_Syria can answer if #Aleppo has 1 million inhabitants (like claimed in February) or 2 million (like claimed today).

Aha...
After the cut of a supply road into regime-held western #Aleppo, the @UN just increased its pop by 1 MILLION.

The UN Calls for an "urgent humanitarian access" and a "humanitarian pause in the fighting" in Aleppo #Syria

The timing of the call, after the opposition breached the siege of Aleppo is not great for the UN's credibility among Syrians opposing Assad

[OUTLAW 09]

3 civilians killed, 6 injured in this air strike.
One of many on #Aleppo city today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbYmRboobWk …

Heavily resupplied #Assad forces try to storm #Ramouseh district, attacking the gas plant and Highway 5.