Syria in 2016 (April-June)

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian info warfare media outlet Russia Today is blasting this hard and heavy with Breaking News.......

https://www.rt.com/news/344577-nusra...pplies-turkey/ …

Al-Nusra Front in Syria gets daily weapons supplies from Turkey - Russian military

Published time: 27 May, 2016 10:54

Terrorist group Al-Nusra Front is receiving daily arms shipments across the border from Turkey, the Russian General Staff says. The Al-Qaeda offshoot used the truce between government forces and moderate rebels in Syria to regroup and renew hostilities.

Al-Nusra Front remains a major destabilizing factor in Syria, Lt. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy told journalists on Friday.

Russian Sukhoi Su-24 planes at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. © Maksim BlinovRussia postpones airstrikes against terrorist-held areas in Syria
“Damascus is being continuously shelled from Eastern Ghouta. There were numerous attempts to capture power station near Homs and block the road connecting Aleppo and Damascus. The flow of trucks carrying weapons and ammunition from Turkey continues, with border crossings reported on daily basis,” he said.

The general added that Al-Nusra Front attacks are confirmed by other nations as well, and that they agree with Russia’s assessment of the negative impact of the militant group.

“It’s obvious that the terrorist group, which operates in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, is currently the biggest stumbling block for the process of expanding the truce to new territories in northern Syria,” Rudskoy said.

Al-Nusra Front benefited from the truce because some of the territories under its control are mixed with those, which were designated as held by so-called moderate rebel forces and which are excluded from Russian airstrike missions, he stressed.

Rudskoy also blasted Turkey for continued shelling of Kurdish forces across the border.

WOW.....not sure the FSA would completely agree with the Russian MoD on this sentence

Al-Nusra Front benefited from the truce because some of the territories under its control are mixed with those, which were designated as held by so-called moderate rebel forces and which are excluded from Russian airstrike missions, he stressed.

[CrowBat]

CrowBat.....wonder of Obama WH and CENTCOM will "rethink" the patch issue...highly doubt it as they just do not "get it"....???

No way. These ignorants are currently explaining to FSyA and IF's representatives that it was a 'strategic mistake' to keep areas like Eastern Ghouta and defend them from regime and then IRGC's onslaught.

I wonder what these a-holes in the DC would have done if somebody was about to overrun their homes and slaughter their families?

Anyway, the Daesh really overrun the insurgent lines on the eastern side of the Azaz Pocket this morning. Despite plenty of reporting, details are still scarce and confusing, so I do not understand what exactly happened there. But, it seems they simultaneously captured Kfar Kalbin and Kaljibrin - two villages half-way between Azaz and Mare'a, then turned north and south. In the south they captured Sandaf, thus isolating Sheikh Isa and Mare'a from the rest of the pocket. In the north, they reached YPG's positions in Efrin enclave, and then attacked Azaz - but were quickly repelled.

Turkish military reacted only after receiving news that Kaljibrin was captured - and promptly plastered the place. But, its 16 Firtnas were not enough, especially since it seems nobody was left around to guide their fire...

There was one report about a supposed CENTCOM air strike on Daesh in Kaljibrin, but I doubt there was any.

Around the noon, Daesh captured the Bab as-Salameh border crossing (the only official border crossing between the Azaz Pocket and Turkey), approached to about 1km of the Muqawamah IDP camp, and were 2km short of Shamarin and Salameh IDP camps.

That's when the insurgents went into counterattack. They report to have recovered Tatiyah in the north and Sandaf in the south. Latest reports indicate they have re-captured part of Kaljibrin too....

Whatever... that the USA is not serious about fighting Daesh in this part of Syria. That's a fact well-known even to crows on my roof. There's no sufficient expression for all the shame Americans should feel about this fact alone. But, who cares any more....

Fact is that the Turks and then the insurgents 'overslept' all the Daesh preparations (which must've been massive). That IS unexplainable to me.

Sure, many of insurgent units in the Azaz pocket are still recovering from all the fighting of the last nine months; some were reinforced by plenty of noobs, while others are consisting of little else but local farmers. But, others are some of the best there is around in northern Syria. The Jaysh al-Mujahidden for example, was the first ever to fight and to defeat the Daesh on the battlefied, back in early 2014, months before the Daesh ever clashed with Kurds or the USA ever came to the idea to fight it. Lately, JAM was reinforced by a big intake of local militias, too.

And still, they all appear to have not even been around when this attack came: there are only minimal reports about casualties from fighting, but already a mass of reports about dozens of insurgents slaughtered by the Daesh - together with their entire families - in Kaljibrin, just for example...

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Blocked Twitter accounts "magically reappeared"....must have been a "computer glitch".....some "young It guy" must have been doing backups and did not realize he was blocking wholesale accounts...yeah sure?????

[OUTLAW 09]

No way. These ignorants are currently explaining to FSyA and IF's representatives that it was a 'strategic mistake' to keep areas like Eastern Ghouta and defend them from regime and then IRGC's onslaught.

I wonder what these a-holes in the DC would have done if somebody was about to overrun their homes and slaughter their families?

Anyway, the Daesh really overrun the insurgent lines on the eastern side of the Azaz Pocket this morning. Despite plenty of reporting, details are still scarce and confusing, so I do not understand what exactly happened there. But, it seems they simultaneously captured Kfar Kalbin and Kaljibrin - two villages half-way between Azaz and Mare'a, then turned north and south. In the south they captured Sandaf, thus isolating Sheikh Isa and Mare'a from the rest of the pocket. In the north, they reached YPG's positions in Efrin enclave, and then attacked Azaz - but were quickly repelled.

Turkish military reacted only after receiving news that Kaljibrin was captured - and promptly plastered the place. But, its 16 Firtnas were not enough, especially since it seems nobody was left around to guide their fire...

There was one report about a supposed CENTCOM air strike on Daesh in Kaljibrin, but I doubt there was any.

Around the noon, Daesh captured the Bab as-Salameh border crossing (the only official border crossing between the Azaz Pocket and Turkey), approached to about 1km of the Muqawamah IDP camp, and were 2km short of Shamarin and Salameh IDP camps.

That's when the insurgents went into counterattack. They report to have recovered Tatiyah in the north and Sandaf in the south. Latest reports indicate they have re-captured part of Kaljibrin too....

Whatever... that the USA is not serious about fighting Daesh in this part of Syria. That's a fact well-known even to crows on my roof. There's no sufficient expression for all the shame Americans should feel about this fact alone. But, who cares any more....

Fact is that the Turks and then the insurgents 'overslept' all the Daesh preparations (which must've been massive). That IS unexplainable to me.

Sure, many of insurgent units in the Azaz pocket are still recovering from all the fighting of the last nine months; some were reinforced by plenty of noobs, while others are consisting of little else but local farmers. But, others are some of the best there is around in northern Syria. The Jaysh al-Mujahidden for example, was the first ever to fight and to defeat the Daesh on the battlefied, back in early 2014, months before the Daesh ever clashed with Kurds or the USA ever came to the idea to fight it. Lately, JAM was reinforced by a big intake of local militias, too.

And still, they all appear to have not even been around when this attack came: there are only minimal reports about casualties from fighting, but already a mass of reports about dozens of insurgents slaughtered by the Daesh - together with their entire families - in Kaljibrin, just for example...

CrowBat....then the following question...was the SDF/YPG "so called Raqqa offensive" just a side show and not really a planned offensive....side show as it I think it led both the Turks and FSA to believe IS would be to busy defending Raqqa to be bothered to attack anywhere else...thus they would not be really looking for IS attack indicators.

Why do I say that?...the SDF/YPD offensive did not really go far then they stopped it basically after a short advance and started pulling back.... just enough of a PR effort to make it appear as if they were really attacking and then today they suddenly swung completely around and are fully facing Azaz with their full forces which I think is in fact their actual intended target not Raqqa....and is IS getting Russian and Assad CAS in their attack on Azaz?

Confirmed: #SDF/#YPG withdrawn heavy weaponry & equipment from Ain Issa towards #Manbij in N. #Aleppo. #Raqqa offensive ending after 4 days.

ALEPPO: while Rebels face huge #ISIS counter-offensive, dozens of Regime & Russian airstrikes on Rebel locations in Aleppo province.

If in fact Azaz is the YPG target then did they plan the "so called Raqqa offensive feint" before the swing towards Azaz with IS and then the IS attacks would make some serious sense as a prelude to Is handing the captured towns to YPG before pulling back?

What bugs me is that if that is the case then why would US SOF be part and parcel of this sudden move by YPG towards Azaz if planned together with IS????

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Forthcoming Turkey dilemma: Rebels pushed back by #ISIS in Azaz pocket & reports SDF/YPG going towards #Manbij. Decisive hours in N. #Aleppo

N. #Aleppo update: Rebels striking back & unconfirmed reports that several locations were just taken back from #ISIS. #TOW also in action.

N. #Aleppo update: rebels backed by airstrikes regaining the initiative around Kafr Kalbrin, Tatiyah & Sandaf. Seems #ISIS offensive stalled

Seems #Raqqa-offensive on #IslamicState canceled by #SDF/#YPG
(reasons: heavy losses 70+ dead or #US-order)

Note that ISIS targeted the currently peaceful village of Ahres with 15 car bombs when it was controlled by rebels

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https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/16048...=socialnetwork

Russia deliberately burns wheat crops in Homs: farmers


Incredible: under renewed (Russian) truce in #Daraya, Regime even worsened siege by burning crops via @DarayaCouncil

Syria #Russia'n airstrikes destroyed the last bread factory in northern #Aleppo suburbs

1 of many ways for Regime & Allies to starve effectively civilians, after implementing sieges & burning crops.#Syria

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Rebels captured #Assad-forces in Al-Dirkhabiyah in southern #Damascus
20+ airstrikes hit town this morning

UXO SPBE submunitions found by local activists in Haritan, north of Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEiibZRQefM …

Another #TOW by Zinki wipes out a Regime Kornet launcher on #Handarat front, N. #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrezPNMpg0M …

Faylaq Sham blew up w/ #ATGM a Kornet launcher who just fired missile vs Rebels in #Handarat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_vI-f90RNw …

Palmyra-#Tadmor, outskirts of Russian Army base in Northern archaeological area, E. #Homs, #Syria via @PalmyraRev1

First Coastal Division shelling #Kinsabba in Jebal Al-Akrad with 122 mm cannon, T-55 & 23 mm gun, N. #Latakia.

Regime forces hit by a #Fagot fired by First Coastal Div. near Tel Haddada, N. #Latakia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4GmY8jVCgA …

Dozens dead after #Russia'n & #Assad -airstrikes on #Aleppo city

Russia still continues to bomb #Aleppo city in northern #Syria
with cluster bombs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEiibZRQefM …

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Turkey slams US 'hypocrisy' for backing Kurdish militia in Syria
https://www.yahoo.com/news/turkey-sl...-sh&soc_trk=tw …

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Forthcoming Turkey dilemma: Rebels pushed back by #ISIS in Azaz pocket & reports SDF/YPG going towards #Manbij. Decisive hours in N. #Aleppo

Slowly we are seeing the Turkish response and the US actually may have provoked this by their open and blatant disregard for Turkish sensitivities concerning YPG patches and the IS assault on Azaz.....

Note...not confirmed as of yet it is reported to be near the IS attack on the Turkish border crossing point...

Turkish tanks and ground troops entered about 700m inside Erfin region

If they entered 700m 10 km to the east, they could stop IS........

May be also a not so subtle warning to YPG/SDF/US SOF to not head towards Azaz which Turkey has declared a "red line for them".....

[CrowBat]

CrowBat....then the following question...was the SDF/YPG "so called Raqqa offensive" just a side show and not really a planned offensive....side show as it I think it led both the Turks and FSA to believe IS would be to busy defending Raqqa to be bothered to attack anywhere else...thus they would not be really looking for IS attack indicators.

Well, it's surely so that the YPG has first announced an offensive on Raqqa, then on northern Raqqa, and is presently announcing everything possible, from offensives on Manbij, on Dayr az-Zawr, on the Moon, Mars and Jupiter, while their 'Arab appendix' - i.e. the Jabhat Thuwar ar-Raqqa, Sanadid Forces etc. are still fighting Daesh in northern Raqqa.

Point is this: the PYD had to accept that it's not welcome to Arabs in Raqqa. The YPG f...ed up with ethnic cleansings and massacres of Arabs further north, and from the standpoint of local Arabs, it's nothing better than the Daesh. Plus, while the PYD would be very keen to get Raqqa into its hands, not few of its combatants have expressed their utter lack of interest in going there. Finally, word is the YPG suffered over 70 KIA yesterday alone. So, the YPG is out of that game, and the Arab-part of the SDF coalition left on its own there.

...and is IS getting Russian and Assad CAS in their attack on Azaz?

Surprisingly enough: this time not. Russians and Assadists ceased bombing the Azaz pocket in late February.

If in fact Azaz is the YPG target then did they plan the "so called Raqqa offensive feint" before the swing towards Azaz with IS and then the IS attacks would make some serious sense as a prelude to Is handing the captured towns to YPG before pulling back?

Right now the mass of the YPG is too far away from Azaz pocket so they can't go there. On the western side, in the Efrin enclave, the YPG has two own brigades, plus its Jaysh at-Thuwar appendix. Earlier fighting has shown that's barely enough to attack the insurgents in the pocket even if these are busy fighitng the Daesh in the east and the IRGC in the south.

But the point is: the YPG is not keen to go into the Azaz pocket then destroying it would mean two things.

a) Turkey would be finally enraged and shell them all the time;
b) they would then have to explain everybody why aren't they fighting Daesh.

Then, currently, the JAT and the YPG in Efrin have a frontline to the Daesh too (south of Mare'a) but this is one of most peaceful corners of Syria. So much so, one could make tourist excursions there, and nobody would get hurt.

What bugs me is that if that is the case then why would US SOF be part and parcel of this sudden move by YPG towards Azaz if planned together with IS????

The US SOF has nothing to do with all of this. Not only that they're about 150km east of the Azaz pocket, or - unless the USA open an air base in Efrin too (like they already did in Qamishli and Hasakah) - would have to return to Turkey to go to the Azaz pocket (where they could now be easily arrested for supporting a terrorist organization). They're just pawns in Oblabla's big game, in which he's strictly following his idiotic script of trying to make-nice with Iran.

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US, Kurds to clear path toward Raqqa, with or without Turkey
http://almon.co/2o5u

BUT WAIT.... YPG/SDF/PKK/US SOF all pulled back from their four day old Raqqa offensive today after relative high loses and not going anywhere fast.

KRAUTHAMMER: 'Obama's naive idealism has caused havoc' — via @Telegraph
http://read.bi/25qfbGR

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Not confirmed as of yet........
IslamicState reach now the eastern entrance of #Azaz in northern #Aleppo & probably storming border town to #Turkey tonight

SDF/#YPG have now a ~20km frontline with #IslamicState in northern #Aleppo
But its still quiet -equal to #Assad-frontline with #IS

US/#Obama's war against #IslamicState in #Syria is a desaster
#Raqqa offensive canceled & backed rebels in northern #Aleppo nearly defeated

Rebels retake Tatiyah village rom #IS
That secures several #refugee camps
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...15679&z=15&m=b …

Map
Just like near #Ahras,#ISIS stopped its advance when reaching #YPG territory.
No fighting for #Menagh air base.

Rebels pounding #IS-offshoots in Ayn Dhakar /western #Daraa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUgfenTw01g …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...09414&z=14&m=b …

Hama Rebels shot oil tanks of Mahardeh power plant into fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5GzK9LPrg …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...83700&z=16&m=b …

Hama Parts of Mahardeh Power Plant burning after rebel shelling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wo4wLzj2OY …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...84301&z=14&m=b …

Rebels blow up #IS-vehicle bomb -tried to drive into #Azaz town coming from Kafr Kalbin
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...71476&z=14&m=b …

Rebels (SRF) fighting #ISIS affiliates in W. #Daraa fired a Malyutka #ATGM in Ain Dhakar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXH31cV8JNo …

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Russia'n airstrikes hit Sakhur Electrical station that supplying
the #Aleppo (fresh)-water company

Raqqa_SL
#Raqqa #ISIS targeted #SDF #YPG Positions East Eyn Essa with Katyusha rockets #Syria #ISIL

Syrian Rebels capture 8 points in Ghouta
http://en.eldorar.com/node/2370

While USAF is busy bombing for Iran's militias in Fallujah, no CAS for FSA, letting ISIS capture Kafr Kalbayn.

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Eye on Homeland founder throw cold water on the push into Raqqa.
https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2...has-cold-feet/ …

Raqqa update : no progress. +450 GIs and PYD has cold feet

Ahmad Abdel Qader is the founder of Eyes on HomeLand org. 2 of his members were beheaded by Daesh in their room in Turkey. He speaks to Jisr TV from Turkey about the last events in Raqqa :

Q: report say many villages have been taken over and progress has been made by the PYD and the militias.

Let me tell a great news that I am hearing through the kurdish news outlet propaganda say that the PYD militias have reached the centre of Raqqa. Those news still say that they have advanced 60 kms and took over 26 villages or 36 villages.
So far, neither the PYD militias nor the Marines who are fighting with them have not advanced one inch and they are still at the outskirts of Ain Issa where clashes are still taking place. So there is no progress made. The farms they took over are the confrontation lines between them and Daesh, where there are neither PYD militias nor Daesh members.

Q: About the US Marines. What are the information you have about them ?

On one hand, PYD said yeterday that it will merge Raqqa to the self determined province. This was a provocation attempt to force the countries that support the FSA to ask for the PYD exclusion from the battle. Today, the militias is attempting by all means to avoid that battle that will cost them score of lives. On the other hand US are attempting to prove to the world that PYD militias are organised army and can fight that battle. US has increased the number of GIs to plus 450 in Ain Issa neighborhoods to ease PYD worries and prove that they will fight the battle with them.

Q: Why the PYD has accepted to enter the battle knowing that it will cost them score of lives, and Raqqa as the city has no link to Rojava ?

Raqqa is not within their border lines or a town they can control. When they issued the statement that they will merge Raqqa to the self determined Province, statement that Salah Muslim denied, it was meant to provoke the countries who support the FSA who will ask the PYD to be excluded from the battle. Today, the PYD militias were forced into this battle. US have put PYD to chose either fight or we stop to support the kurdish militias. US administration does not care how many of the militias will die in this battle. Obama wants the liberation of Raqqa before he leaves office. PYD is attempting to find a gate away of this battle.

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.@janinedigi calls Syria what it is: a slow-motion genocide.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed...nap-story.html …

First really good US MSM article on the Syrian genocide and it is from the LA Times on the West Coast not in DC.....

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CrowBat...this might be one explanation of the suddenness

ISIS took many villages in #Azaz pocket by surprise due to sleeper cells, who suddenly took over villages & let ISIS in from East side.

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Michael Weiss

Regional intel, two Western intel services and ISIS acknowledge Baghdadi was banged up in a US airstrike:

One US intel source confirmed with me this is an "open secret" in the IC. Yet US gov won't publicly acknowledge. Why?

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BREAKING: Turkish artillery hitting #YPG positions in Tat Merash, Afrin #Syria

YPG continue shelling Castillo road into rebel-held #Aleppo from Skh Maqsoud.

FSA recaptured Niyarah and Tatiya villages east Azaz from #IS. Ongoing counter attack to take back other villages.
https://twitter.com/alhamza_brigade/...27645290123268 …

Breaking. Report Rebels retook control of Niyarah from #ISIS. Strategy to secure #Azaz eastern flank underway
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36....111988&z=13&m …

Remarkable as #ISIS is considering Rebels as the major threat in N. #Aleppo, instead of #YPG/#SDF & Regime.

Fierce fighting between rebels & #ISIS near Azaz area, rebels have so far retaken Sandaf, Tiatyia & Nayara

IslamicState in control of cattle market at eastern entrance of #Azaz
probably here:
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...68644&z=16&m=b …

Who is bombing #Syria: personal data of 58 #Russian Army officers.
https://twitter.com/newsburko/status/736194652177453056 …

North #Aleppo : #IS is shelling Bab al Salameh border crossing with Turkey

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Several International coalition airstrikes neaz #Azaz as it seems #ISIS inching closer to the city from East.

Actually state of emergency been declared in Ankara before Azaz. Let's see if Turk/US will allow reinforcements now.
https://twitter.com/deSyracuse/statu...29058644746240 …

Meanwhile #Russia & Assad focus on causing max damage via airstrikes, artillery & rocket attacks on civilians & infrastructure in #Aleppo

Jaih Al-Izza claims artillery set on fire oil tank near Mahardeh Thermal Station, N. #Hama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5GzK9LPrg …

Heavy shelling/clashes in Ain Dhakar as Rebels renew push to expel #IS affiliates. W. #Daraa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUgfenTw01g …

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Important to note this.......comments concerning this JaN withdrawal before the extensive Russian bombings were posted here.....

Note: Last year, Nusra Front handed all their positions in N-#Aleppo to #FSA factions and withdrew to #Handarat area and S-#Aleppo. #Syria

As a result of #US coalition ignorance, leaving #FSA lose territory to #ISIS; Nusra Front announce to enter N-#Aleppo again to fight #ISIS.

JN withdrawn to allow Rebels getting aid from Inlt coalition & set-up safe zones in N. #Aleppo.

Syria Military Situation Map | May 26.
HD: https://goo.gl/sBZyuq

JaN fully understood that Russia would use them as an excuse to strike the Syrian civilian population thus their pull back and handing off to FSA and others....AND they have been totally correct with that assumption as Russia has indeed used them as an excuse to kill civilians in the name of bombing JaN......