Syria in 2016 (January-March)

[davidbfpo]

It was the highway to Aleppo that was cut, back in late February, and then again in early March.

The road - that is: there are actually two parallel roads there (one old and one new) - between Homs and Palmyra was never 'cut', and I do not recall any of us reporting it was: the area was rather 'threatened' by the Daesh advances in Qaraytan area, and few raids - but 'nothing serious'.

That said, south of Jubb al-Jarrah, the Daesh is still only 3-4km north of these roads.

My apologies, a late PM post without checking my facts. Yes, it was the highway to Aleppo I meant to ask about.

That said thank you both for your posts in response.

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime's army and foreign militias. Control of the #Palmyra castle and neighborhoods beside them.
#Syria , Mar 26 , 12:00 AM

Intense air strikes by #Russian warplanes. Aimed at reviving the city and its environs And clashes still continue in some neighborhoods

To sum up current #Palmyra situation: pro-Regime forces seized Castle + Mount & part of N. suburb. Rest of city (incl. airport) under #ISIS

Report #ISIS evacuated heavy equipment to East. city of Sukhna & waging street battles in #Palmyra. City not completely surrounded so far.


David...recognize the full light infantry fighting, then slow withdrawal fighting each step backwards,,,then the protecting of their heavy equipment and then we will see the SVIEDs come in.....

IS tactics are predictable but somehow they are good at it.....IMHO they get away with it simply because they are a motivated fighting force fighting a Russian/Assad/Hezbollah mercenary force that does not have their heart into it, has poor officer leadership and even poor training.

Example...in Iraq AQI now IS were the first users of the "swarming" attack starting in late 2005 and even though the US Army knew the tactic they could never adjust to it and took several bad beatings from AQI with one attack killing and or wounding over 40 US military also led by two five ton SVIEDs.

The core problem with the Assad/Russian/IRGC/Hezbollah and the Iraqi militaries.....they do not fight for a flag....they fight for money......or in the case of IS..they fight for a black flag.....

[OUTLAW 09]

At least 5 dead & more wounded in a Liwa Shuhada Yarmouk VBIED targeting Liwa Mutaz Billah HQ (FSA) in Tafas, #Daraa

Must watch #Drone combat vid by #JundAqsa
SAA run & death of mujahid via @LifeInSyria
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndBJyXzk-CI&sns=tw … …

More reports of Assad forces arresting women near Barzeh & detaining them & their children at the Khansa mosque #Damascus

Over 5000 people have fled west suburbs of Daraa because of fighting between rebels and ISIS, families walking as long as 10 hours on foot

Mohammed al-Khous, a poet & the last doctor in #Zabadani was one of the people killed by #Hezbollah snipers y’day

Assad’s artillery on top of Qasioun mountain in #Damascus continues to shell eastern Ghouta over everyone’s heads :/

Heavy clashes still ongoing, rebels were able to take back Bala fields after Assad forces/militias had briefly captured the area

Heavy Assad rocket fire & artillery shelling targeting the southern part of eastern Ghouta since last night. #Damascus

[OUTLAW 09]

New York Court Lists Khamenei as the Second Defendant in the September 11 Attacks - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT http://english.aawsat.com/2016/03/ar...ber-11-attacks …

Respect to this brave lady for speaking out about the suffering in Assad's torture cells.
https://youtu.be/FBMQQyM7C_w

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria ~70 #Assad-forces killed in #Palmyra battle in the past days

Syria Salute shooting reported in #Latakia when motorcade with coffins arrived at military hospital (probably from #Palmyra battle)
Syria List of dead #Assad-forces

مدينة تدمر ‎@PalmyraRev1
A map showing the areas dominated by #SAA. only 3 neighborhoods. And still 5 neighborhoods with #ISIS , #Palmyra

Syria Video from western neighborhoods of #Palmyra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8-QLIQckj4 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=34...61379&z=17&m=b …

First video of RuAFs Mi-28N taking part in Palmyra operation. Video of it firing ATGM.

#Russia|n forces involved in the assault on the #Syria|n city of #Palmyra
v @newsburko |@AP
https://informnapalm.org/21469-palmi...ijskie-vojska/

Russian COM or CCT team helping #Syria army soldiers on the ground against #ISIS at #Palmyra front.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA form brigade 93 in #Idlib
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yODPh_1sdnA …

Who remembers this Hezbollah dog Yasir Ali Da'oun crying at funerals? Well now he's dead

First Russia uses the Kurdish YPG to attack the FSA not IS, and then gives the Kurds the impression Russian supports their independence AND then let's them fall after using them as cannon fodder.......

http://tass.ru/en/politics/865164

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. Moscow is explaining in its contacts with Kurds that Syria is an indivisible country that should not be broken into parts, Russia's presidential envoy on the Middle East and North Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on Friday.

"Our task is to help Kurds, to find common ground, common approaches. National Syrian interests should prevail over all others," Bogdanov said. "They should proceed from the fact that Syria should not be broken apart as it will be bad for Syrians themselves," he added.

The diplomat noted that Russia maintains good relations and contacts with Kurds. "We maintain good contacts with Kurds. We keep in touch not only with Democratic Union Party and several other parties and organizations," he said.

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad's army high ranking officers killed in #Palmyra so far:
2 Major General
3 General
2 Colonel
2 Major
Almost all from the Coast #Syria

SAA Major General Ahmed Hamadeh from 134 brigade killed in #Palmyra battle

Syria Pro #Hezbollah al-Manar channel reporter killed among 8 militia members in #Palmyra

Iran-backed Afghan Fatemiyoun fighters on the front lines near Palmyra, #Syria

Even if Assad/Russia kicks out IS in the end this is a really bad "victory".....

[OUTLAW 09]

Worth reading.Europe's responsibilty."@wissamtarif:Turkish officials: Europe wanted to export extremists to Syria
http://gu.com/p/4hp6q/stw

Beyond media to interrogate the idea Europe exported jihadis who killed 1000s Syrians while blaming those fleeing

Shi'ite #Kuwait-i MP who was stripped of immunity pops up in #Syria w/ Assad & Hezbollah:

Great summary from @JoelWing2 >> Iran#s Ties With Al Qaeda In Iraq’s [#IS's] Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
http://goo.gl/wNigNG
http://alqabas.com/7368/

Palmyra: Russia defence ministry says it conducted more than 40 sorties targeting 158 "terrorist positions" near Palmyra in last 24 hours

[felixraider]

Situation in Syria and collection of video fighting in Syria on 26.03.2016

[OUTLAW 09]

Situation in Syria and collection of video fighting in Syria on 26.03.2016

Russian site.....

[CrowBat]

Assad's army high ranking officers killed in #Palmyra so far:
2 Major General
3 General
2 Colonel
2 Major
Almost all from the Coast #Syria

[B]SAA Major General Ahmed Hamadeh from 134 brigade killed in #Palmyra battle

Regime has meanwhile published a list of 110 KIA from SAA/NDF alone.

Even if Assad/Russia kicks out IS in the end this is a really bad "victory".....

Victories are always 'bad' or 'good' depending on how well the victors use them for PR purposes.

Take Yemen as example: Saudi-led coalition is winning the last few months but they screwed up so much with their PR, nobody believes this any more.

In the case of Assadists, Iranians and Russians, we should have no doubt that they'll declare this a de-facto victory in war. Just wait for Col Botox.... erm... me again: Col Sohail Hassan to start posing in front of (what remains of) Palmyra's ruins.

[OUTLAW 09]

Dept of state statement on Geneva talks support HNC position of political transition without Assad in Syria.

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes reported between rebels & YPG around Sheikh Maqsoud in #Aleppo

Assad MLRS attack targeting Morek in #Hama from Ma’ardis

Aftermath of the VBIED that targeted FSA Liwa Mutaz Billah HQ in Tafas, #Daraa earlier yesterday
http://youtu.be/5tWMq0fhdPI

Clashes between rebels & #ISIS on the outskirts of Jakka in north rural #Aleppo, #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Regime has meanwhile published a list of 110 KIA from SAA/NDF alone.

Victories are always 'bad' or 'good' depending on how well the victors use them for PR purposes.

Take Yemen as example: Saudi-led coalition is winning the last few months but they screwed up so much with their PR, nobody believes this any more.

In the case of Assadists, Iranians and Russians, we should have no doubt that they'll declare this a de-facto victory in war. Just wait for Col Botox.... erm... me again: Col Sohail Hassan to start posing in front of (what remains of) Palmyra's ruins.

CrowBat...referencing our Botox COL........

Suheil al-Hassan inspecting the row of bodies in #PT after the loyalists were done playing.
https://youtu.be/ojTdDLImujg

The wax statue of Suheil al-Hassan watches #Assad's loyalists decapitate enemies for trophies

[OUTLAW 09]

Palmyra #Map: #Assad forces advancing eastwards, captured Mustadira gas field, #Arak village and gas field. #Homs

The weakness of #SAA under #Assad never was more apparent than now. Sidelined by #Russia and #Iran. https://twitter.com/johnnybrav_/stat...18777986416640 …