Syria in 2016 (April-June)

[OUTLAW 09]

The Bill Clinton team admitted Rwanda mistake; the current WH team blames Assad, rebels, Turks, Saudis, Qataris 4 Syria

As Admin cynically said. US doesn't fix "fundamentally broken societies" in Middle East.

[OUTLAW 09]

What seems to be some #Jordanian reconnaissance aircraft scanning the south #Syria #IS hotspot.

Geolocation of Ahmad al-Abdo Martyrs Brigade TOW strike on IS VBIED in Qalamoun, #Syria.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33...A8%D8%AF%D9%88 …

Also confirmation, #Hezbollah now operates the SA-22, SA-5, Yachont, Fateh-110, SS-21 and Scud-D.
But this is not entirely new, I guess.

iranian army troops in Khan Tuman. Ops in south Aleppo is now limited to IRGC & Iranian army
https://youtu.be/DycGoQkkRBg

Michael Weiss
✔ ‎@michaeldweiss The Islamic State’s Scorched-Earth Strategy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/04/06/...arth-strategy/ …

Opposition still advancing. #ISIS lost many positions including the grain silos. Battles reached Tal Aar & Wuquf villages.

Testament of Iranian #IRGC Heydar Ebrahimkhani killed in Aleppo,Syria:«People say fighters go to Syria for money»

Ahrar al-Sham commander Mohammed al-Shami claim they captured 16 #Hezbollah members in al-Eis battle in southern #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

From #FSA battle against #IslamicState in Al-Ra'i town in northern #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsFFKncPRg8 …

More #Iran'i militias arrived in southern #Aleppo #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DycGoQkkRBg …

After seized al-Ra'i town -what's the next #FSA push against #IslamicState- along #Turkey border or to south?

Syrian rebels recaptured the town of #Adawan in #Daraa province from #ISIS today.

BIG NEWS:
2 more senior AQ leaders were killed by US drone in #Idlib:
- Taha Rifai (in pic)
- Abu Omar al-Masri

Taha was wanted for involvement in 1998 E. Africa Embassy bombings, the assassination of #Egypt presidents & signing AQ fatwa vs. US.

[OUTLAW 09]

Dozens of workers secured by Rebels (Jaish al-Islam) as they fled #IS in E. #Qalamoun (#Damascus) when Regime failed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5RtSlnJYCo …

Aleppo Rebels inside former #IS-HQ in al-Ra'i town

Ahrar al-Sham confirm al-Ra'i north Aleppo fully captured by rebels coalition.
https://twitter.com/islamic_front/st...99310110515200 …

7th Russian Soldier Reported Killed in Syria, Former Internal Troops Contractor
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia...-7-2016/#13222 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad air force raids on #Marzia in rural #Idlib province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRS_bla08lo

Up to a thousand Turkish-backed troops in the largest battle vs. ISIS so far.
If Turkey ever backed IS,this is over.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat..........for your info.......

Julian Rpcke ‏@JulianRoepcke
Top intelligence source confirms to me, SA-17 Grizzly, #Russia delivered to #Assad last year, now with #Hezbollah.

[OUTLAW 09]

Deeply troubling @SpecialReport w/ fmr SecDefs on micromanaging, inexperienced & indecisive Obama White House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPFT...ature=youtu.be …

[OUTLAW 09]

Turkey/rebel push in norther #Syria effective against #IS and #YPG's #Rojava project, at least diminishing.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.....confirms what you had posted.......

Al Badia cement factory captured by #IS is only 15km from Al Seen military airbase hosting several MiG-29 squadrons. https://twitter.com/terror_monitor/s...17175521771521 …

[OUTLAW 09]

The rumor Ahrar al-Sham sent their Central Force through Turkey Bab al-Hawa border crossing is confirmed today.

Car drive on #Aleppo highway at ICARDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mg3fOXiVec …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...40928&z=14&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #FSA statement: "#YPG hostile actions and crimes will not be tolerated anymore."

Aleppo: #FSA statement: "#YPG broke every truce & backstabbed us in North Aleppo & attacking Castillo Road now."

FSA TOW take out YPG technical on 5th April near Castilo road in #Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/_gimqPNg9oc

Several #TOW again vs #YPG targets, but this time by Suqur Al-Jabal & for first time in #Sheikh_Maqsud (#Aleppo).

FSA blow up recoiless gun from #YPG in #Aleppo's Sheikh Maksoud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxSXiw_1py0 …

Rebels coalition expelled ISIL from al-Waqf village south al-Ra'i north Aleppo.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36...h=al%20%5Cwaqf …

Mass exodus of from western Daraa as residents flee fighting between Rebels & ISIS.

Rebels coalition liberated 50 square kilometre from #ISIL since campaign started north #Aleppo.

The #Iranian regime has 60000 troops in #Syria,seeking to destroy the opposition and preserve Assad in power,to no avail the supreme leader of the terror state seems pushing for regional war with Saudi/Turk over Assad

[OUTLAW 09]

The rumor Ahrar al-Sham sent their Central Force through Turkey Bab al-Hawa border crossing is confirmed today.

Interesting thing Ahrar al-Sham didn't announce their involvement in north #Aleppo campaign vs #ISIL until today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Al-Masdar News ‏@TheArabSource
Syrian Army, rebels work together against #ISIS in east #Damascus
http://bit.ly/20ae0Fg

Spent a year chasing him in Diyala in 2005/2006 now he bounces back and forth between Syria and Iraq......rumors of his cancer and dying seem to have been a cover story
Izzat al-#Douri -- long presumed dead -- is seen in a new video taped speech.
#Iraq
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT5pn5zayW4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‎@Charles_Lister
As opp'n continues shelling Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud, Jaish al-Islam announces punishment of commander for doing such:

The first time in the war in Syria that a party admits such a misbehavior by 1 of its officers

USAF A10s providing CAS to FSA over Al Rai yesterday.

Shuhada' al-Yarmouk member on the current turn of events in Deraa: "The situation is not good. Armies are fighting us."
Seems now FSA is a "army".....

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express is definitely "withdrawing equipment as Putin stated"......NOT.

Russian Navy's Ropucha Class Large Landing Craft Minsk 127 returning from Tartous. Looks empty and is riding high.

[OUTLAW 09]

The thesis in his book is interesting actually........

Michael McFaul
✔ ‎@McFaul In my book, Advancing Democracy Abroad, I show that U.S. almost never uses force to promote democracy.

Michael McFaul
✔ ‎@McFaul Almost all US wars, including last 2, started in name of hard power interests, not values. Humanitarian intervention extremely rare.

Michael McFaul
✔ ‎@McFaul Why do so many, including apparently @potus in @TheAtlantic piece buy into false dichotomy of " realists" vs "liberal interventionists" ?

[OUTLAW 09]

Confirmed RuAF airstrikes last night on rebels held areas north Syria:
3 on Saraqib, Idleb
3 on Atarib, Aleppo
2 on Taftanaz airbase, Idleb

7 #Russia'n airstrikes on #Atareb west of #Aleppo tonight

Russia bombing #Saraqib & #Atareb
in northern #Syria tonight
- towns full of residents

Russian warplanes have been in skies of Aleppo's & Idlib's suburbs for more than an hour now & heavily bombarding Aleppo's southern suburbs.

Renewed #Russia'n "fireworks" tonight on towns in southern #Aleppo with White Phosphorus bombs

[B]Russia dropped more than a dozen white phosphorous bombs on al-Eis town in northern #Aleppo #Syriathe past 48h

Russians are now using thermobaric munitions against FSA.....
Russia dropped fuel air bombs on #Saraqib town tonight #Idlib #Syria

Advances by Rebel forces from al-Rai, capturing Hadabat and Mulla Ya'qub #Aleppo

Aleppo Car tour in al-Rai after #IS expelled
towngate need colour insteat of black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjdScQPo8FE …

Heavy fighting btw #Assad-forces & #IslamicState in #DeirEzzor city
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLbL_7vCe0A …

[OUTLAW 09]

Anonymous ‎@GroupAnon
Syria Government server hacked many .gov.sy website 10GB compressed data leaked!
http://pastebin.com/vWFfYN82 #OpSyria

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat.....anything to this comment?

Syria Pro regime activist claim #Russia delivered 20+ top modern T14 ARMAT tanks to southern #Aleppo frontline

Would make sense if the Russians wanted to actually combat field test it .....but still the risk of it being hit and damaging the Russian image should be a factor...but with Russians one never knows.....

Would also have to be driven by Russian tankers.....

[CrowBat]

[B]Also confirmation, #Hezbollah now operates the SA-22, SA-5, Yachont, Fateh-110, SS-21 and Scud-D.
But this is not entirely new, I guess.

I would 'correct' that list to SA-17, SA-22, Fateh-110, SS-21 and SS-26.

But yes: no surprise this happens when one insists on letting Assad remain in power, and thus offers him a chance to let the IRGC transform two thirds of what is left of Syrian military into Hezbollah...

CrowBat.....confirms what you had posted.......

Al Badia cement factory captured by #IS is only 15km from Al Seen military airbase hosting several MiG-29 squadrons.

Yup, but there is only one MiG-29 squadron left - No. 697 Squadron.

(There used to be an entire No. 69 Brigade, with two operational units - including Nos. 697 and 698 - and a third, No. 699, working up; but, that third unit was never really established, and all of this was back in late 1980s and early 1990s.)