Syria in 2016 (April-June)

[OUTLAW 09]

Things definitely not going well for the Putin/Assad Raqqa ground offensive in spite of hundreds of air strikes and Spetsnaz fighting along side Assad......

After capturing Khirbat Zaidan, reports now that #ISIS has captured Abu Allaj & several other Assad positions on the Ithriya-Raqqa highway


Reports Ahrar al-Sham has captured Abu al-Yaman Shamsi, Harakat Muthana Shar'i in #Daraa

1st Coastal Division's T-55 shelling pro-Regime forces on Ayn Issa front, N. #Latakia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2V3oA4nrHc …

20/6/16
4 civilians were killed by shelling of regime army forces on Al_Bolail area in Deir Ezzor city

Jaish Al-Islam claims it retook Bahariyah from pro-Assad after it destroyed a T-72 & 1 BMP, E. #Ghouta, #Damascus. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33....530657&z=14&m …

[OUTLAW 09]

Things definitely not going well for the Putin/Assad Raqqa ground offensive in spite of hundreds of air strikes and Spetsnaz fighting along side Assad......

After capturing Khirbat Zaidan, reports now that #ISIS has captured Abu Allaj & several other Assad positions on the Ithriya-Raqqa highway

The Islamic State (ISIS) has reportedly pushed Syrian regime forces back out of the province of Raqqa in a large counter-offensive which has killed 40 soldiers, afflicting a serious setback on the regimes two-week old offensive against the militants there.

“Daesh [ISIS] has managed to drive out regime troops from the administrative borders of Raqqa province after a fierce counter-offensive,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor reported.

ISIS launched this counter-offensive late on Sunday as the regime forces closed in on the town of Tabqa, home to a former airbase and Syria’s largest dam. Tabqa is 40 kilometers upstream, west, of the provincial capital city of Raqqa, ISIS’s primary city stronghold in Syria.

The Syrian Observatory reported on Monday that the regime has been forced to 40km from Tabqa airport after previously being only 7km away from it.

Fearing losing Tabqa - and the regime successfully securing a foothold in Raqqa for the first time since August 2014 - ISIS poured hundreds reinforcements into that key town from Raqqa city.

The Observatory estimates that 40 of the regime forces were killed, including an officer, while no fewer than 21 ISIS militants were killed. This brings the total casualties in the regimes Raqqa offensive to 93 dead regime forces and 126 dead ISIS militants, according to the Observatory’s estimates.

Damascus launched the offensive into Raqqa in early June with Russian air support. The Russians previously helped the regime retake the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS late last March.

NOTE: The regime loses are higher than mentioned and the article does not refer to potential Russian loses.....as they were also in the fighting.

[OUTLAW 09]

Impressive #RuAF incendiary strikes taking place in Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pM6ixJSTLc …

[OUTLAW 09]

What's next after #Assad-forces & #Russia failed to get a foothold
in #Raqqa province (like former Tabqa Airbase) ?

Ahrar Al-Sham improving shelling capabilities with drone monitoring in #Zahraa, #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3RvW0dLEvQ …

JaI rebels have liberated Talet al-Bahariya & several positions around it in Marj, E. Ghouta after several days of clashes w/ regime forces

Jaish Nasr targeted with #TOW a BMP in Al-Buweida barrier, N. #Hama.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35....695538&z=13&m …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNuEhOFYYaM …

So now the Russian backed regime offensive on Ghouta is falling apart. Will Latakia be the only lasting legacy of Putin's gamble?

Pro #Assad veteran @TulsiGabbard claims 'US is waging an illegal war to overthrow the government of Assad.'