Syria in 2016 (January-March)

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

U.S. says Syria is buying oil from Islamic State with help of Russian businessman Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
http://on.wsj.com/1TeYwwi

Russia still trying to get this into the Geneva discussions....non starter for both Saudi's and Turks....

MFA Russia
✔ ‎@mfa_russia #Lavrov: We agree that the intra-Syria dialogue must be inclusive, with the involvement of Syrian Kurds @UNGeneva @mission_russian

Not sure of the Russian FM even realizes he lies as much as he does with this statement....

MFA Russia
✔ ‎@mfa_russia #Lavrov: We have noted that the ceasefire regime in #Syria is getting stronger and discussed ways to tackle humanitarian problems

Large amounts of UN humanitarian aid is still not getting to the 500K in besieged and or hard to get to locations.....we are talking about 100s of tons needed not the occasional Russian 5.5 or 10 tons they deliver to proAssad villages and towns....with a lot of PR fanfare

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Rebels area only have a 2 km corridor in Bala before split in 2 halves

Damascus Rebels killed 25 #Assad-forces in Bala area
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33...20536&z=15&m=b …

Now scuds are being fired...everything but the kitchen sink is being throw at IS at Palmyra but still no Russia/Assad/Hezbollah victory insight.....

The fall of the Scud missile, on the city of #Palmyra have just now.

Daraa Nusra advance on #IS allies from Shuhadaa Yarmouk
in 'Ayn Dhakar http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...06410&z=14&m=b …
Assad #SAA terrorists warplanes carried out airstrikes on neighborhoods of #DAmascus cs #SYria MAR 23

SCD collecting remnants of #RUSSIA missiles aftermath it's airstrikes on #Khan_Sheikhoun
#Idlib cs #Syria MAR 23

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Middle East Eye ‏@MiddleEastEye
Michel Samaha and Syria's continued efforts to undermine Lebanese security
http://ow.ly/ZQBob

War crimes/genocide and yet the West says nothing.....
Syria the forgotten War Crimes the Al Bayda Massacre #Syria
http://dld.bz/dUBBH

FSA fighters kill 10 regime soldiers in Hama province: activists SYRIA NEWS | ZAMAN ALWSL -
http://goo.gl/H6YpjX

Assyrian leader accuses PYD of monopolizing power in Syria's north - #ARAnews
http://is.gd/EkjPcn

Homs E. Rif, 6 names of Sea special forces killed by Daesh
https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2...illed-by-daesh …

Assad's new strategy: keep #Syria'ns who fled out, keep submissive population, play Allies off each other - scare West in accepting him.

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Syria Airstrike on #Damascus' suburb #Douma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQUYQJ2DaYk …

Syrian army expects to retake Palmyra 'within hours': TV
http://reut.rs/21HoriC

RuMOD general-colonel A.Dvornikov: Rus SOF participates in Syrian campaign

Russia Says Has Special Forces Unit in #Syria -
http://beyondthelevant.com/2016/03/2...unit-in-syria/ …

MOSCOW –

Russia has a special forces unit in Syria that carries out reconnaissance and “other special tasks,” Interfax news agency cited a senior Russian officer as saying on Wednesday.

“I will not hide the fact that on the territory of Syria there is a division of our special operations forces,” Interfax cited Alexander Dvornikov, a commander of the Russian contingent in Syria, as stating..

“They perform reconnaissance on targets for Russian air strikes, they are engaged in guiding aircraft to targets in remote areas and perform other special tasks.”

CIT Reports 6th Russian Soldier's Death in Syria But Widow, Army and Kremlin Deny
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia...23-2016/#13027 …

Having Crimea deja vu here: Russian general talks of special forces on the ground in Syria, after months of denial.

Russian Army PR is using continuous present in confirmation of SOF operatives in #Syria.
https://twitter.com/patriot_petya/st...79897920061442 …

Russian Army has now officially cnfrmd use of SOF operators in #Syria 3 mnths back they didn't dare to speak openly https://twitter.com/vasilymaximov/st...79978291347456 …

Since #SAA isn't an army but a bunch of ragtag militias it's too much to expect them not to torture detainees. https://www.youtube.com/embed/T55lsCyDXmA …

SNHR: regime artillery targeted CD ambulance in Al Yameidiyeh village in Lattakia, damaging it severely, Mar 23.

SyAAF SA-342 Gazelle active on #Palmyra front.

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Suqur al-Sahara soldier / Russian Kamaz-5350 EWS near Palmyra.

Alexander Dvornikov, head of Russian operations in Syria, and Ayman Jaber, high ranking commander in Suqur al Sahara

#Russian general says Moscow's special forces still active in #Syria
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/m...yria/82168426/ …

Military leader from the #IS-offshot "Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade" killed in battles of western #Daraa province

Airstrike on #Damascus' suburb #Douma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQUYQJ2DaYk …

Russia jets destroying ancient #Palmyra in #Syria'n desert
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsRepo...myra-activists …

Daraa: Clashes btw #FSA & #IS-offshots in Tal Shihab & Zaizoun
after FSA retaken #Muzayrib http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...77650&z=14&m=b …

Assad-forces brutal lynch alleged Rebel TOW operators which destroyed #Russia'n helicopter in #Latakia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T55l...ature=youtu.be …

**CrowBat** · 03-23-2016

Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09

...Syrian army expects to retake Palmyra 'within hours': TV
http://reut.rs/21HoriC...

...except they're talking about ruins (or whatever is left of these) of ancient Palmyra, this is nothing else but publishing their wet dreams.

Tadmor (the modern-day city, east of ancient ruins): is still a long stretch from being conquered by Hezbollahis and their Assadists tails.

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Assad regime forces control bases 7km away from Palmyra's western and southwestern gates

Assadist comment justifying torturing rebels: "A foreign terrorist on Syrian soil los[es] all of his rights as human"
What about Hizballah?

Goes without saying the rebels being tortured are not Jabhat an-Nusra (al-Qaeda in #Syria) but the #FSA-branded First Regiment

Footage
The #FSA, bombing #TelRifat under #SDF control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrcjD7dA4Yk …

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

CrowBat....have you heard anything on this or just info war?

Head of Syrian opposition: North Korea troops fighting in Syria
http://upi.com/6276004t

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

BREAKING: The Islamic State group has trained at least 400 fighters to target Europe in deadly waves, the AP has learned.
"We promise the Crusader alliance against IS that they expect black days in return for their aggression against IS".

VIDEO created by Russian Troll factory, showing US soldier shooting at Koran.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhKcqJPsLd0 …

BBC investigation: 'US soldier shooting at Koran'-video was made at Russian Troll factory, St.Pbrg.
https://globalvoices.org/2016/03/23/...ng-at-a-koran/ …

Here are 20,000 of the 70,000 Syrian rebels that Western liberals don't think exist, effectively fighting ISIS: https://twitter.com/SyriaUK/status/712725460501798914 …

Moscow Losing Ideological War against Islamists, Russian Experts Say
http://www.interpretermag.com/moscow...rts-say/#13032 …

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

U.S. to charge Iranians in cyber attacks including New York dam: sources
http://reut.rs/22wutIA

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

SBU chief: ISIL, Russian World ideologies alike
http://www.unian.info/politics/12985...ies-alike.html …

ISIL and Russian World ideologies are the same in their essence, says SBU chief / Photo from UNIAN

"What's interesting: [is that] the roots of ISIL and of the Russian World are the same in their essence, in what unites them, that leads to certain thoughts. This is exclusivity and intolerance. The smart ones will figure out what I refer to, I believe," said Hrytsak.

The SBU chief added that his subordinates recently arrested 25 ISIL affiliates – foreign citizens, 19 of them being Russians. Hrytsak noted that he had not heard of any major arrests of ISIL affiliates in Russia.

"We conducted a number of special operations across Ukraine recently, busting four transits center through which, say, ISIL supporters were transferred, including to Syria. Of the 25 detained foreigners 19 were citizens of the Russian Federation," said Hrytsak

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Dozens of Assad soldiers killed in Jabal Turkmen
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1829

Hama: heavy clashes between Syrian Rebels & Assad fighters in Daluk

More than 20 Assad fighters killed in ISIS carbomb in Deir Ezzor
http://www.syriahr.com/?

Deir Ezzor: dozens of Assad fighters killed in ISIS suicide attack

Around 25 Assad forces killed in east Ghouta by rebels
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1828

ISIS retake Ahmadiya & Tel Battal from Syrian Rebels in north Aleppo. Rebels know all about ISIS's "withdraw & attack" tactic now

Rebels know ISIS plan. They withdraw & then send a suicide bomber as Rebels feel secure. Rebels will be back though

Syrian Rebels capture ISIS's Friday prayers Imam, Mohammed al Assi in Aleppo

Afghan Fatimiyoun militia fighter near Palmyra

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Faked video of US soldier shooting at Koran, is just (another) example of how Russia wants to use (extreme) Islam against West.

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

CrowBat....hear anything on this.....just when they were field testing it under combat conditions?????

RuAF Mi-35 withdrawn from #Syria

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-23-2016

Russia Accuses Turkey Of Suppressing Kurds
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-.../27630944.html …

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-24-2016

Originally Posted by CrowBat

...except they're talking about ruins (or whatever is left of these) of ancient Palmyra, this is nothing else but publishing their wet dreams.

Tadmor (the modern-day city, east of ancient ruins): is still a long stretch from being conquered by Hezbollahis and their Assadists tails.

CrowBat.........again the wondering why question...if "ruins" which they have thrown literally everything against to take BM21/27/30s....massive air strikes, cluster munitions and even their vaulted Spetsnaz which took a beating......

Why have they not been able to even take "ruins"....in the middle of the desert?

Is Islamic State that good at static defense just using light infantry? Am assuming that the former Iraqi officers in IS know their tradecraft?

What is interesting is their defensive tactic of withdrawing, then regrouping launching then a SVIED attack and moving back in....FSA has fell for this a number of times lately.

**CrowBat** · 03-24-2016

Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09

CrowBat....have you heard anything on this or just info war?

Head of Syrian opposition: North Korea troops fighting in Syria
http://upi.com/6276004t

This is the first time I hear of that, but I'm not the least surprised. Assadists - and not only Assadists: the IRGC too - are meanwhile so short on manpower, I'm just waiting until they start recruiting Mars People too.

One of best indicators for this: even the IRGC's Liwa Fatimiyoun (Afghan Hazaras) is driving T-72s (see attachment)...

(Read: I was able to understand when T-72s of the RGD were taken away and given to Hezbollah/Lebanon, after all the RGD proved hopelessly inept in their use; I was able to understand when T-72s of the 3rd and 11th Armoured Divisions were taken away and re-distributed to three of IRGC's gangs of Iraqi Shi'a too, reasons were similar like in the case of the RGD... but when T-72M1s are are given to Afghan Hazaras... then it's really so far that the situation is 'dire'...)

**CrowBat** · 03-24-2016

Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09

CrowBat.........again the wondering why question...if "ruins" which they have thrown literally everything against to take BM21/27/30s....massive air strikes, cluster munitions and even their vaulted Spetsnaz which took a beating......

Why have they not been able to even take "ruins"....in the middle of the desert?

Is Islamic State that good at static defense just using light infantry? Am assuming that the former Iraqi officers in IS know their tradecraft?

What is interesting is their defensive tactic of withdrawing, then regrouping launching then a SVIED attack and moving back in....FSA has fell for this a number of times lately.

I attempted to address this in my post No 28xx-something: it's not only the Daesh that's 'good in defense'.

It's not only that even the 'best' various of Assadist militias and private armies can offer is 'not good enough': they are meanwhile too few and too decimated but to make difference.

My understanding of primary reason is a dramatic decline in quality of IRGC's command staff deployed in Syria nowadays. The loss of so many of their top commanders the last few months is felt: what is left is simply not the same people that used to run (highly effective) nocturnal infantry attacks in urban areas, back in 2013 (that's, namely, how they recovered so much of Eastern Ghouta, back then).

Add to this the dubious quality of Russian command staff: if these have proven anything in the last six months, then that they have no clue about troops they are leading nor the opposition they're facing. They're just rushing all the various Assadist and IRGC cohorts into one costly attack after the other. It's like 'Soviet Union in summer 1941'...

**OUTLAW 09** · 03-24-2016

CrowBat........

تدمر ‎@PalmyraRev1
There is no truth to the news about the control of #SAA on #Palmyra Castle and revival of the city. The Clashes is far from the city. Mar 24