Russia Begins Operations in Syria: End Game for the US Empire?

[angelburst29]

In this announcement, a Syrian reporter by the name of Hadi Abdullah was just awarded a Press Freedom Prize.

2016 RSF-TV5 Monde Press Freedom Prize: Prize awarded to Syrian and Chinese journalists, website
https://rsf.org/en/news/2016-rsf-tv5-monde-press-freedom-prize-prize-awarded-syrian-and-chinese-journalists-website

November 7, 2016 - The 2016 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) - TV5 Monde Press Freedom Prize will be awarded to Syrian reporter Hadi Abdullah, the Chinese news website 64Tianwang, and Chinese citizen journalists Lu Yuyu and Li Tingyu at a ceremony in Strasbourg tomorrow evening (8 November).

The ceremony will be held as part of the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg for the fourth year running, with laureates, politicians and media figures in attendance. TV5 Monde journalist Philippe Dessaint will host the event, while the well-known Turkish journalist Can Dündar, the former editor of the Cumhuriyet newspaper and 2015 RSF Prize laureate, will be guest of honor.

Hadi Abdullah is being awarded the prize in the journalist category. He is a 29-year-old freelance reporter who has braved many dangers to cover the war in Syria, entering high-risk areas where few colleagues venture in order to film and to enable civil society’s actors to speak to the outside world. He has had many brushes with death and was briefly kidnapped by the Al-Nusra Front last January. His cameraman, Khaled al-Issa, was killed in June by an explosive device left outside the home they shared, and Abdullah himself was badly injured by the blast. (Article continues.)

In this next article by Moon of Alabama - Hadi Abdullah is described as a friend of the designated al-Qaeda terrorist Muhaysini, a Saudi cleric and considered by some, as the new Osama Bin-Laden.

Al Qaeda on the Run – Trump Induces First Major Policy Change on Syria
http://www.globalresearch.ca/al-qaeda-on-the-run-trump-induces-first-major-policy-change-on-syria/5556512

By Moon of Alabama - 11 November 2016

The people loyal to the Syrian government are happy with Donald Trump winning the U.S. election:

At the passport counter, a Syrian officer’s face lit up when he saw an American traveler.

“Congratulations on your new president!” he exclaimed, giving an energetic thumbs up. Mr. Trump, he said, would be “good for Syria.”

The first significant step of the new administration comes while Trump is not even in office. Obama, selfishly concerned with his historic legacy, suddenly makes a 180 degree turn and starts to implement Trump polices. Lets consider the initial position:

Asked about Aleppo in an October debate with Clinton, Trump said it was a humanitarian disaster but the city had “basically” fallen. Clinton, he said, was talking in favor of rebels without knowing who they were.The rebels fighting Assad in western Syria include nationalists fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner, some of them trained in a CIA-backed program, and jihadists such as the group formerly known as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.

That changed the day the president-elect Trump set foot into the White House. While Obama met Trump in the oval office, new policies, prepared beforehand, were launched. The policies were held back until after the election and would likely not have been revealed or implemented if Clinton had won.

The U.S. declared that from now on it will fight against al-Qaeda in Syria:

President Obama has ordered the Pentagon to find and kill the leaders of an al-Qaeda-linked group in Syria that the administration had largely ignored until now and that has been at the vanguard of the fight against the Syrian government, U.S. officials said.That shift is likely to accelerate once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. … possibly in direct cooperation with Moscow.
…
U.S. officials who opposed the decision to go after al-Nusra’s wider leadership warned that the United States would effectively be doing the Assad government’s bidding by weakening a group on the front line of the counter-Assad fight.
…
Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and other Pentagon leaders initially resisted the idea of devoting more Pentagon surveillance aircraft and armed drones against al-Nusra.

Ash Carter is, together with John Brennan, the major anti-Russian force in the Obama administration.
He is a U.S. weapon industry promoter and the anti-Russia campaign, which helps to sell U.S. weapons to NATO allies in Europe, is largely of his doing. He saw al-Qaeda in Syria as a welcome proxy force against Russia.

But Obama has now shut down that policy. We are not yet sure that this is for good but the above Washington Post account is not the only signal:

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today to disrupt al-Nusrah Front’s military, recruitment, and financing operations. Specifically, OFAC designated four key al-Nusrah Front leaders – Abdallah Muhammad Bin-Sulayman al-Muhaysini, Jamal Husayn Zayniyah, Abdul Jashari, and Ashraf Ahmad Fari al-Allak – pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
…
These designations were taken in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, which today named Jabhat Fath al Sham as an alias of al-Nusrah Front – al-Qa’ida’s affiliate in Syria.
…
Abdallah Muhammad Bin-Sulayman al-Muhaysini was designated for acting for or on behalf of, and providing support and services to or in support of, al-Nusrah Front.

This is a major change in U.S. policy. Nusra will from now on be on the run not only from Russian and Syrian attacks but also from the intelligence and military capabilities of the United States.

The newly designated Al-Muhaysini, a Saudi cleric, is Nusra’s chief ideologue in Syria. Some considered him the new Osama Bin-Laden. Here he is, on the left, arm in arm with chief al-Qaeda in Syria propagandist and “journalist” Hadi Abdullah.

Hadi Abdullah, friend of the designated al-Qaeda terrorist Muhaysini, just received the 2016 Press Freedom Prize from the CIA/Soros financed “regime change” influence operation Reporters Without Borders. Might this mean that Hadi Abdullah is himself a CIA assets? He would not be the first such “journalist” in Syria.

Obama, obviously as a direct consequence of the Trump election, now ordered the Pentagon to wage war on al-Qaeda in Syria just as the Russians do. This after five years of nearly unlimited U.S. support for al-Qaeda and its “moderate” Syrian affiliates. It is not yet know what new orders, if any, Obama gave to the CIA. Will the CIA follow these policies or will it (again) try to counter the Pentagon policies in Syria? It is unusual that the WaPo report above about this new direction includes no commenting voice from the CIA. Why is such missing?

Russia and Syria will welcome the new Obama policies should they come to fruit on the ground. Hillary Clinton had planned and announced to widen the conflict in Syria and with Russia and Iran. Obama would surely not have acted against such policies if she had been elected. But with Trump winning and thereby a new policy on the horizon he now changed course to a direction that will provide “continuity” when Trump takes over.

Not only is Trump kicking a black family out of its longtime limewashed home, he also ends U.S. government support for the disenfranchised Jihadis in Syria and elsewhere. This even months before taking office. He really is the menace we have all been warned about.

Turkish police have detained the editor and at least 12 senior staff of Turkey’s opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper in a widening crackdown on dissenting voices.

Turkey detains editor and staff at opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/31/turkey-detains-editor-and-staff-at-opposition-cumhuriyet-newspaper

Oct. 31, 2016 - The editor-in-chief, Murat Sabuncu, the cartoonist, Musa Kart, the paper’s lawyer and several columnists were detained, some following raids at their homes, Cumhuriyet reported on its website. Police had warrants for the detentions of 16 staff members, the paper said.

The detentions at the left-leaning and pro-secular Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey’s oldest newspapers, come amid accusations by opposition parties and human rights groups that Turkey’s government is using the state of emergency imposed following a failed military coup in July to clamp down not only on the alleged coup plotters but on all government critics.

A statement from the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said those detained were suspected of “committing crimes” on behalf of the movement led by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, accused by the government of masterminding the coup attempt as well as the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party, or PKK.

While those detained are not accused of membership of the Gülen movement or the PKK, there are “claims” and “proof” that shortly before the 15 July coup attempt, the suspects published content that attempted to legitimise the coup, the statement said. Gülen, who lives in the US, has denied any involvement in the coup attempt. (Article continues.)

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Kremlin spokesman does not rule out Putin’s contacts with Trump before inauguration

http://tass.com/politics/912025

Contacts between Putin and Trump before the latter’s inauguration are possible but so far Russia is working with the incumbent president, Obama, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said

Contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Elect Donald Trump before the latter’s inauguration are possible but so far Russia is working with the incumbent president, Barack Obama, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

"As long as there is incumbent president in the United States, and he will be in office for two more months," he said.

"The situation is Syria, for instance, is developing so rapidly that no one can afford a two-month pause, so, work will be continued," Peskov stressed.

"I won’t make guesses about possible contacts between the Russian president and Trump before the inauguration [on January 20, 2017]. I know nothing about that but, of course, such contacts are not ruled out," the Kremlin spokesman said, adding that Putin has already sent a congratulatory message to Trump.

Trump not going to ‘hurt’ Clinton

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/14/493488/US-Trump-hurt-Clinton-email-Libya-Daesh-Iraq

US President-elect Donald Trump says he does not want to “hurt” Hillary Clinton, backing down on one of his major campaign pledges to prosecute his Democratic rival in the race for the White House.

Trump made the statement during an interview with CBS on Sunday, trying to dodge questions about a pledge to prosecute Clinton once he takes office.

“She did some bad things, I mean she did some bad things,” Trump said of the former first lady.

However, he took a vague tone when asked if he ever was going to probe Clinton and her family, whom he frequently referred to as “Crooked Hillary” during the campaign.

“I don't want to hurt them; I don't want to hurt them. They’re, they’re good people,” he said.

“I don't want to hurt them,” he repeated. “And I will give you a very, very good and definitive answer the next time.”

One day after his historic victory over Clinton on November 8, Trump took a reconciliatory tone in his victory speech and said all Americans owed the former secretary of state “a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.”

This is while, during the presidential debates, Trump had openly threatened to imprison Clinton over her use of a private server to exchange thousands of emails with potentially sensitive content.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has twice cleared Clinton of all charges relating to her possible mishandling of government secrets, drawing fire from Trump and his supporters.

Trump has also accused Clinton and President Barack Obama of creating the Daesh (ISIL) Takfiri group in Iraq, saying they were responsible for the group’s expansion into Syria and other countries around the world.

Clinton’s support for the 2003 US Invasion of Iraq was another attacking point used by Trump.

Additionally, the New York businessman has accused Clinton of mishandling the 2012 attack against the American consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi, which led to the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

Spearheading a Western military intervention in Libya that facilitated the overthrow of the African country’s former ruler Muammar Gaddafi was another crime committed by Clinton, according to Trump’s campaign.

However, Clinton later on revealed that Trump himself had “extensively” supported attacking Libya.

“At this point, if you don't get rid of Gaddafi, it's a major, major black eye for this country,” Trump had said on his video blog in 2011.

Trump Stays Silent on Anti-Daesh Fight, FBI Chief's Possible Resignation

https://sputniknews.com/us/201611141047399214-trump-fbi-daesh/

Donald Trump gave his first major interview as US president on CBS’ 60 minutes show on Sunday. Speaking on the wide range of issues, he, however, preferred to remain silent on FBI director James Comey's possible resignation and next steps of the US in the fight against Daesh terrorist group in the Middle East.

Trump refused to reveal any concrete steps he plans to take to defeat Daesh.

“I’m not like the people going in right now and fighting Mosul and they announced it four months before they went into Mosul and everybody now is — it’s a tough fight because, number one, the people from the — leaders of ISIS have left. What do you — why do I have to tell you that?,” Trump said when asked about his strategy to defeat the militants.

Daesh, is a terrorist organization that is outlawed in the United States, Russia and other countries. It has captured vast territories in Iraq, Syria, and several other states, and claimed responsibility for numerous terror attacks around the world.

“I’m not gonna say anything. I don’t want to tell them anything. I don’t want to tell anybody anything,” Trump said on the possibility of having US troops on the ground.

Talking on Comey's possible resignation, Trump said he's not yet ready to comment.

"I think that I would rather not comment on that yet. I don’t — I haven’t made up my mind. I respect him a lot. I respect the FBI a lot… Well, there’s been a lotta leaking, there’s no question about that. But I would certainly like to talk to him. And see him. This is a tough time for him. And I would like to talk to him before I’d answer a question like that."

Trump won in the US presidential election, despite expectations that his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton would come first. The Republican secured more than the 270 electoral votes needed to win the US presidency. The inauguration will be held on January 20, 2017.

Mogherini: EU Ready to Work With New US Administration 'From Very First Weeks'

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611141047399876-eu-trump-cooperation/

The EU foreign minsters are ready to work now with the new US administration under Donald Trump from from the very first days of its functioning, EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said.

An informal meeting of the European Union's Foreign Ministers took place in Brussels on Sunday evening. The ministers discussed a wide range of issues, with a particular emphasis on the change of US foreign policy under Trump.

"We have decided together to engage with the incoming administration, even from these very first weeks of transition, we will continue to work day and night with the current administration, but also preparing the ground for the change of administration in January, and obviously, will be glad not only to visit Washington soon, but also invite the future Secretary of State," Mogherini told reporters following the meeting.

She said that the main issues in the EU-US agenda would be climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, Iran nuclear deal, trade and "all the crises we have around us."

"We had a very fruitful, good meeting with the [EU] foreign ministers… and I can say there is unity among all the 28 [EU member states] on first of all to continue working on strength of the Trans-Atlantic relation — the European Union and the United States are partners, and will continue to be partners to what concerns us," the diplomat said.

Trump's inauguration will be held on January 20, 2017.

Mogherini: EU will not change policy towards Russia

http://tass.com/world/912037

The EU won’t change its policy towards Russia, even if the US does it, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said after an emergency meeting of Foreign Ministers that was held to discuss the results of the US presidential elections.

The EU has "a very principled position on the annexation of Crimea and the situation in Ukraine. This is not going to change regardless of possible shifts in others’ policies," she said adding that the EU continues an effective dialogue with Russia on a number of international issues, for example on Iran.

Russian military to perform observation flight over US

http://tass.com/defense/912030

At the same time US experts will make a flight over Russia

A group of Russian military experts will perform an observation flight over the United States while U.S. military experts will perform an observation flight over Russia, Sergei Ryzhkov, the head of Russia’s Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, said on Sunday.

"Under the international Open Skies Treaty, Russian inspectors plan to make an observation flight onboard a Russian Tu-154MLk-1 plane over the U.S. territory," he said.

The flight will be performed in a period from November 14 to November 19 from the Travis Air Force Base in California. The maximum range of the flight will be 4,250 kilometers.

The U.S. military will perform an observation flight over Russia in a period from November 14 to 18. The flight will be performed onboard an OC-135b plane from an airfield in Russia’s Far Eastern Khabarovsk, he said, adding Russian specialists will be on board the U.S. plane to monitor compliance with the provisions of the treaty. Correspondingly, U.S. specialists will be onboard the Russian plane.

The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in 1992 and came into force in 2002. It currently has 34 member states. The treaty establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. Observation flights are made over the territories of the United States, Canada, European countries, and Russia. The main purposes of the open skies regime are to develop transparency, render assistance in monitoring compliance with the existing or future arms control agreements, broaden possibilities for preventing crises and managing crisis situations within the scope of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and other relevant international organizations. Subsequently, it is contemplated to apply the open skies regime to new fields, such as environmental protection.

Syrians Get First Portion of Humanitarian Aid Delivered by Train

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611141047400332-train-deliver-humanitarian-aid-syria/

The first train carrying aid for the citizens of war-torn Syria went by the recently-restored railway from the port of Tartus to the town of Jableh.

The Russian experts helped to restore some 65 kilometers (40 miles) of the railway.

“Some 27 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered by sea. It was then reloaded to the train and would go to Jableh, where citizens mostly affected by the military actions will receive it,” representative of the Russian reconciliation center in Syria Alexander Gubanov said.

The railway infrastructure in Syria has been severely damaged amid continuing fighting between the government forces, terrorist groups and the opposition.

After the restoration of the railway, citizens in Jableh will today receive meet, fish, water, sugar, rice, and other food essential for their survival.

The ongoing violence in Syria has caused a large-scale humanitarian crisis and claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced millions more. The international community, including the United Nations, has undertaken steps to end the Syrian conflict and to improve the humanitarian situation in the Middle Eastern country.

Eastern Aleppo targeted in militant chemical attack

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/13/493463/syria-aleppo-chemical-chlorine-attack

Scores of civilians and soldiers have been injured following a militant chemical attack on the eastern neighborhoods of Syria’s divided province of Aleppo, says the Syrian army.

On Sunday, the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces released a statement announcing that the city’s al-Nairab district and its surroundings areas were targeted by militant mortar shells containing chlorine.

The statement noted that the attack was carried out in response to the recent gains made by the Syrian army in south and west Aleppo in which large numbers of terrorists were killed as well as the militants' inability to break the siege on city’s eastern neighborhoods.

It noted that such cowardly actions will only serve to increase the Syrian army’s determination to purge the Takfiri terrorists from the country.

Aleppo has been divided since 2012 between government forces in the west and the militants in the east. Backed by Russian air cover, the Syrian army launched operations to purge the militants from the city in September.

This is not the first time the militants have launched chemical attacks on the city. On November 3, they hit Minyan in west Aleppo with a toxic attack, injuring eight people and on October 31 they hit the city’s suburbs injuring 48 more.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is currently investigating the use of chemical agents in Syria by the request of the government in Damascus.

Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Syrian militants’ use of chemical weapons may weaken the “taboo” against the use of such banned agents.

"It is imperative that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be held accountable," he stressed.

Earlier in the day, Syrian forces reclaimed several strategic areas on the western edge of the city, purging it of Takfiri militants.

Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies. Backed by Russian air cover, the Syrian military is engaged in an operation to rid the country of Daesh and other terrorist groups.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura have put the death toll from the conflict at more than 300,000 and 400,000, respectively. This is while the UN has stopped its official casualty count in the Arab country, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

Jihadist rebels use chemical weapons against civilians in Aleppo

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-rebels-use-chemical-weapons-civilians-aleppo/

The jihadist rebels of Fatah Halab fired several chlorine gas shells into the Nayrab area of east Aleppo tonight, injuring a number of military personnel and civilians.

Al-Masdar News was told by a Syrian Army official tonight that the Russian military confirmed these shells possessed chlorine gas after a testing the substances.

This chlrorine gas attack tonight marks the third time in one month that the jihadist rebels have used this chemical agent against the people of Aleppo.

Most recently, Jaysh Al-Fateh militants fired several chlorine gas shells into the Minyan Suburb of west Aleppo after suffering heavy losses to the Syrian Arab Army during the battle.

Russia has urged the international community to look into these claims; especially, after several civilians were injured by chlorine gas.

Russian Air Force hammers west Aleppo ahead of planned Syrian Army offensive

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russian-air-force-hammers-west-aleppo-ahead-planned-syrian-army-offensive/

The Russian Air Force carried out several airstrikes over the western countryside of Aleppo on Monday, targeting Jaysh Al-Fateh's (Army of Conquest) positions at several sites located west of the city.

According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent, the Russian Air Force specifically targeted Mansourah, Khan Al-Assal, Rashideen 4, and Rashiddeen 5 near the recently captured Minyan and Al-Assad suburbs.

The field correspondent added that the Russian Air Force launched an estimated 30 airstrikes over west Aleppo today in order to weaken the jihadist defenses at Khan Al-Assad and Rashiddeen 5.

The aforementioned sites attacked by the Russian Air Force this morning are considered the Syrian Arab Army's (SAA) targets for their upcoming west Aleppo offensive that is scheduled to be launched in the coming weeks.

Syrian Army captures massive jihadist weapons factory in West Ghouta (Photos)

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-captures-massive-jihadist-weapons-factory-west-ghouta/

The Syrian Arab Army's 42nd Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division captured a massive weapons factory near Khan Al-Sheih that belonged to the jihadist rebels of Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) on Sunday.

Based on footage released by pro-government outlets, the weapons factory that was captured by the Syrian Army on Sunday was used to make IEDs (improvised explosive device), mortar shells, and hellfire cannons for Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham and their associates.

According to a military source in Damascus, this is considered the largest jihadist weapons factory in the West Ghouta region and one of the biggest in the Rif Dimashq Governorate.

Military operations are still ongoing tonight in the West Ghouta, as the Syrian Arab Army continues their offensive near Khan Al-Sheih.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Lavrov reminds Kerry US has failed to separate opposition from terrorists

http://tass.com/politics/912272

Lavrov stressed that the armed groups in eastern Aleppo and a so-called ‘Local Council’ in that part of the city refuse to cooperate

In a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reminded that Washington has failed to separate opposition from terrorists in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Russian Aerospace Forces and Syrian Air Forces have conducted no flights in that area for already four weeks, but Washington has failed to separate the units of ‘moderate’ opposition from terrorist groups, although it undertook commitment to do it within seven days in case the flights stop," the ministry said.

The sides "agreed to continue bilateral expert consultations".

As the situation in Syria was discussed, Lavrov stressed that the armed groups in eastern Aleppo and a so-called ‘Local Council’ in that part of the city refuse to cooperate in settling the situation.

"It was stated that Russia’s Aerospace Force and the Syrian Air Force have made no flights in that area for the past four weeks, while Washington has not separated ‘moderate’ opposition groups that enjoy its backing from terrorist factions, although it had pledged to do so within seven days following the suspension of Russian air raids," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "It was agreed to go ahead with bilateral consultations to find ways of achieving normalization.".

Batch of Sukhoi-35 fighter jets ready for duty in western Russia

http://tass.com/defense/912153

The fighter jets are armed with a 30-mm gun and twelve bomb and rocket suspensions

A batch of Sukhoi-35C fighters is about to enter duty at an air force regiment of the Western Military District, the district’s press-service has announced.

"The flight personnel and technicians of an aviation regiment of the Western Military District have completed acceptance procedures at the aircraft-building plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The pilots are finalizing preparations for flying the first batch of fighter jets to a base in the Republic of Karelia. In the meantime, a group of engineers and technicians have begun receiving the second batch of planes," the news release says.

The Sukhoi-35 is Russia’s multi-role highly maneuverable fighter jet of generation 4++, which is equipped with variable thrust engines.

It can develop a maximum speed of 2,500 kilometers per hour and fly up to 3,400 kilometers without refueling. Its combat radius is about 1,600 kilometers. The fighter is armed with a 30-mm gun and twelve bomb and rocket suspensions.

Russian MiG-29 fighter jet crashes into Mediterranean, pilot unhurt – MoD

https://www.rt.com/news/366911-russian-mig-crashes-mediterranean/

A Russian fighter jet crashed into the sea shortly into a training flight off the coast of Syria, Russia’s Ministry of Defense has announced.

“As a result of a technical malfunction during a training flight an incident occurred to a carrier-based MiG-29,” read an official statement. “The pilot catapulted was delivered to the air carrier Admiral Kuznetsov by a rescue crew. The pilot was not hurt, and is ready for future missions.”

The flagship of the Russian Navy, the Admiral Kuznetsov leads a fleet positioned in the eastern Mediterranean, which has been conducting reconnaissance missions over Syria since arriving in mid-October.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Samples Taken in Syria's Aleppo Prove Militants Used Chlorine Gas

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824001442

"Samples taken by Russian officers of the Scientific Center of Chemical and Biological Security at the site proved that militants in Aleppo used chlorine as a poisonous gas," ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said, Sputnik reported.

According to Konashenkov, militants in Aleppo have started to use chlorine against Syrian servicemen and civilians more often. However, none of French or British politicians who publicly voice concern over the situation in Aleppo pay attention to such crimes.

"Precisely, they want to see only Syrian authorities as those responsible for the chemical weapons' use," he said.
Some 30 Syrian servicemen were poisoned in the chemical attack carried out by militants in Aleppo on November 13, Konashenkov said.

"As a result of the attack, some 30 servicemen from the 415th battalion of the 115th division of the Republican Guard suffered poisoning of various degrees. Most of them were sent to a hospital in Aleppo."

The Sunday's attack is the third chemical attack by militants in Aleppo in the past two weeks.

The Russian general added that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) experts should investigate chemical weapons' use in Aleppo.

On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian military experts had found evidence that militants in the Syrian city of Aleppo had used chemical weapons, likely chlorine and white phosphorus.

The ministry added that it samples of soil and shell fragments found in Aleppo to the OPCW.

Despite numerous reports of militants' use of chemical weapons, the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) expert panel recently released the fourth report, which, in particular, claimed that the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad had used chemical weapons at least three times in the country throughout 2014-2015.

On Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the OPCW decision.

Chlorine, which is dangerous gas for human health, is of yellow-green color with a strong smell that is 2.5 times heavier than air.

Syria: Jeish Al-Fatah Declares State of Emergency in Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824001366

The Arabic language al-Mayadeen reported that Jeish al-Fatah has warned its members to stay on the alert as pro-government troops are preparing to start a fresh phase of operation, urging them to intensify security measures.

Jeish al-Fatah has also called on its fighters to carry out preemptive operation in Aleppo.

A field commander said earlier today that repeated defeats of the Jeish al-Fatah coalition of terrorist groups to push the army back in Southwestern Aleppo to help their comrades lift the siege in the Eastern parts of the city proved the power and unbeatable resolve of the pro-government troops.

"Terrorists' large-scale offensives, including Abu Omar Saraqib and the Great Epic Operation, have different names but the same result. Terrorists are not able to lift the army's siege on the militant-held districts of Aleppo," the commander underlined.

"After repelling terrorists' continued attacks on government forces' positions in Western Aleppo and extension of the army's security ring in the Western and Southwestern parts of the city, the army soldiers are now ready to storm militants' centers in Eastern Aleppo," he went on to say.

"Expansion of the Syrian army's rule in the depth of the Western districts of Aleppo has ruined any chance for the terrorists to open their way into the Eastern parts of the city to lift the siege of their comrades," the commander said.

He further added that the Syrian army operation in Aleppo is aimed at meeting two objectives: first, blocking the terrorists' movement through their supply roads to al-Rashedeen neighborhood. This neighborhood is the main supply line of the terrorists from the Southern flank to the Southwest and from there to the regions of al-Mansoureh, al-Bahouth al-Elmiyeh and Khan al-Asal that are the most important strongholds of the terrorists in Western Aleppo.

The second objective of the Syrian army operation is to complete control over all roads in the Southwestern parts of Aleppo and restore security to most quarters in the Western part of the city and immune them against the terrorists' mortar attacks.

Rival Terrorists Kick Off Military Operation to Capture Jbahat al-Shamia Leader, Commanders

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824001328

The Nasrat al-Mazloum military operation aims to arrest the leader and senior commanders of Jbahat al-Shamia in the town of Azaz in Northern Aleppo, militant sources said according the Arabic-language Qassiyoun reported.

According to the militant sources, Jbahat al-Shamia uses the town of Azaz as its main headquarters in Northern Aleppo.

The militant groups taking part in Nasrat al-Mazloum military operation said capturing or killing Head of Jbahat al-Shamia's Security Office Abu Amin, the terrorist group's leader Hesam Yassin and its public relations director Mustafa Khaled Kourej is the objective of their assault.

Infighting has intensified among rival terrorist groups in Northern Aleppo, specially in Azaz.

The ISIL exploded a bomb-laden vehicle near the military positions of its rival terrorists at the entrance gate of Azaz, killing 33 militants and civilians in mid October.

At least 33 people, including rival FSA militants and several civilians, were killed after the ISIL exploded a bomb-laden vehicle at the entrance of the town.

Several terrorists of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Noureddin al-Zanki and Jabhat al-Shamia terrorist groups were killed when the ISIL's bomb-laden vehicles was exploded.

Also in late September, disputes and sporadic clashes among the terrorist groups increased after their crushing defeat in Handarat Palestinian refugee camp and its surrounding regions and their pursuing withdrawal from the entire regions in the Northern outskirts of Aleppo city.

Several terrorist groups accused Ahrar al-Sham, Faylaq al-Sham and Jabhat al-Shamia of their humiliating defeat and sudden withdrawal from Handarat camp, claiming that their escape from the frontline forced Fatah al-Sham Front (the newly formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) to retreat from the region.

Nusra Centers Hit Hard in Syrian Army Raid in Dara'a

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824001126

The army soldiers hit Fatah al-Sham's defense lines in the town of al-Yadoudeh in Northwestern Dara'a, destroying the militants' base.

The army men also targeted terrorists' centers in the district of Dara'a al-Balad, inflicting major damage on militants' equipment in the neighborhoods of Khazan al-Karak, areas near the Shoe Factory and those on the Northwest of the old Customs quarter.

After monitoring terrorists' movements, the Syrian army men targeted a number of terrorists' military vehicles near Qazar region in Eastern Dara'a, destroying several vehicles and injuring several militants.

The Syrian artillery units also shelled the bases of Fatah al-Sham in the Western countryside of Dara'a, killing several militants including their commanders.

14 more militants were wounded and several vehicles were destroyed in the artillery shelling.

 

[angelburst29]

US President Barack Obama begins his final tour of Europe Monday (November 14) amid talks that his great legacy - the US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is dead in the water following the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential elections, November 8.

Obama Embarks on Final Europe Tour Amid Shattered Dreams, 'Trump Effect'
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201611141047419936-obama-trump-europe-ttip/

Not long after becoming US President, April 2009, Obama made a visit to the Czech Republic, where he delivered a speech in the capital, Prague saying the US and Europe must:

"Focus on our common interests, not on occasional differences; and that we reaffirm our shared values, which are stronger than any force that could drive us apart. That is the work that we must carry on. That is the work that I have come to Europe to begin."

Seven years on, Obama is leaving behind a Europe that lies in shock following the victory of his successor, Donald Trump. His final journey, which will take in Germany and Greece, is supposed to be a transitionary one paving the way for a smooth passover to Trump.

​​Unfortunately for Obama, he told Europeans in the run-up to the election that Trump was "unfit" to serve as president and there has been no love lost between the two.

Obama now sees his great plan to create the world's biggest free trade zone between the EU and the US — TTIP — in tatters. It has already hit growing opposition within Europe — until as recently as Spring 2016 — he had hoped to have it signed up by the end of his term.

Anti-Establishment Sentiment Trump made it clear throughout his presidential campaign that he was against trade deals that led to an exodus of industrial and manufacturing jobs from the US.

He railed against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) — with Mexico and Canada, which he described as: "the worst trade deal in history." Trump has slammed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal — a broad agreement that includes Mexico, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, the United States, and Vietnam (but not China). "The TPP would be the death blow for American manufacturing. It would give up all of our economic leverage to an international commission that would put the interests of foreign countries above our own," Trump said.

With Trump staunchly against such trade agreements, Obama's dream of TTIP lies shattered.
Meanwhile, despite the fact that Obama's visit is intended to reassure European of the continued "common interests" and "shared values," many will see Obama's trip as a reminder that many European nations are facing a similar threat from the rise in right-wing nationalism and anti-establishment sentiment that say Trump swept to power.

The Syrian government has given a month to the ISIL and Fatah al-Sham Front (formerly known as the al-Nusra Front) terrorists to leave the Palestinian Yarmouk refugee camp in Southwestern countryside of Damascus or wait for the army's crushing attack, field sources said Monday.

Damascus: Syrian Army Gives 30-Day Ultimatum to Terrorist Groups to Leave Yarmouk Camp
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824000829

"The Syrian army has given 30 days to the ISIL terrorists and their rivals from Fatah al-Sham to hand over the Yarmouk camp to Damascus' forces without any clashes," the sources said.

"The army's ultimatum has started on November 13. The army soldiers will attack the positions of Fatah al-Sham and ISIL in Yarmouk right after the deadline," the army added.

ISIL controls nearly 80 percent of Yarmouk camp and Al-Nusra Front is in charge of the remaining 20 percent.

Al-Nusra Front in trapped in the siege of ISIL and both terrorist groups are trapped in the circle of the Syrian government forces.

In late October, a part of Yarmouk refugee camp was the scene of fierce clashes between ISIL and Fatah al-Sham Front.

"The clashes are underway in an area which is under Fatah al-Sham's control," the sources said, adding, "ISIL is trying to capture this area."

"If talks to stop fighting between rival terrorists fail, the ISIL will be the winner of today's battle," sources in the camp said.

"ISIL has a plan to take full control over the entire Yarmouk camp to be able to use the camp's Southern gate to attack government positions in Damascus," they added.

"Haifa St. and the Southern side of Loubya St. are now the scenes of fierce clashes between ISIL and Fatah al-Sham terrorists," Commander of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Abu Kaffah said.

The ISIL radical group executed three of its own militants on charges of attempting dissidence in Syria’s Northeastern Deir Ezzur province.

ISIL Beheads Three Members for Trying to Desert Ranks
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950824001123

Local activists confirmed that ISIL has beheaded its own militant fighters for trying to desert the group’s ranks, ARA News reported.

“The ISIL self-proclaimed police arrested the three militants near Magadha town on Deir Ezzur Northern administrative border with Hasaka province,” an informed source told ARA News, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Sharia Court ordered their execution in public on charges of committing ‘high treason‘.

“The three ISIL members were beheaded in front of hundreds of people in Central Deir Ezzur on Sunday evening,” media activist G. Jarbouh told ARA News.

ISIL has reportedly raised its security measures in Deir Ezzur for fear of similar dissidence attempts among its militants.

“The group has deployed dozens of its security forces at the entrances of Deir Ezzur to prevent any suspicious movements,” Jarbouh reported, citing an ISIL official.

ISIL considers any of its militants who leave their post without permission as a traitor and enemy of the group.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian FSB Arrests Five Deash-Linked Militants Plotting Terror Attacks

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201611151047443807-fsb-arrest-daesh/

Russia's Federal Security Service arrested five militants reportedly linked to Daesh, plotting terror attacks in Moscow and North Caucasus.

In addition to the arrests, the FSB seized a cache of five firearms, two homemade explosives with a force of 10 kilograms TNT equivalent each, as well as sniper rifle components.

"Russia's FSB… curtailed the activity of the group set up to commit terrorist and extremist crimes in Ingushetia and Moscow, linked to the Daesh international terrorist organization," the FSB said in a statement.

The group was formed by an emissary of the Daesh, which is banned in Russia, who was killed in Ingushetia early last month.

On Saturday Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that 10 Central Asian migrants, suspected of preparing terrorist attacks, were detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The operation to detain them was conducted in interaction with the authorities of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The FSB said the suspects admitted that they had contacts with the Daesh terrorist group.

Russian economy minister arrested over bribe allegation

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/15/493642/Russia-Ulyukayev-Rosneft-Bashneft-bribe-oil

Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev has been detained on suspicion of taking $2 million of bribe in exchange for his ministry’s support for a massive oil deal, investigators say.

Authorities said Ulyukayev was detained on Tuesday during an operation by the FSB security service and that President Vladimir Putin was informed of the investigation.

The detention came a day after the minister allowed state oil giant Rosneft to acquire a majority stake in another Russian oil company and allegedly received money for the endorsement.

"This is about extortion of a bribe from Rosneft representatives accompanied by threats," Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said.

Ulyukayev, she said, was caught red-handed as he received the bribe and that he would be charged shortly.

"This is a very serious accusation that requires very serious proof. In any case only a court can decide," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax news agency.

Russian news agencies said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called for painstaking investigation into the case and and discussed the investigation with President Putin.

They said Ulyukayev was detained as part of "sting operation" after investigators received "serious evidence" from "tapping his conversations and the conversations of his associates."

If found guilty, Ulyukayev could face a jail sentence of between 8 and 15 years, as well as a fine ranging from 80 to 100 times the sum of the bribe taken.

The controversy revolves around Rosneft's acquisition of a 50.07 percent stake from the state in Bashneft in a $5.2 billion deal last month.

The sale came after months of wrangling that saw Rosneft face opposition from many in the government, who have demanded the country's economy be liberalized.

The Bashneft sale "confirms that Russia is knowingly building state capitalism and monopolizing the economy," leading business daily Vedomosti said at the time when the deal was signed.

"It's impossible to call the sale of one state company to another state company privatization," it added.

It was said at the time that the government had received only two bids and the other one had been less than Bashneft's independently assessed value.

In September, President Putin voiced his concern over the potential seizure of one state-controlled company by another.

“Probably it’s not the best option when one company under state control acquires another purely state company,” the Russian leader said.

Bashneft, an oil producer based in the central city of Ufa in the Russia’s southwestern Republic of Bashkortostan, was originally privatized in the early 2000s.

In late 2014, however, a Moscow court ordered the nationalization of a Bashneft’s stake of some 72 percent held by billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov after he was jailed on money laundering charges.

Bashneft operates 140 oil and natural gas fields in the country and has an oil production of 16 million tonnes annually.

Putin and Trump on the phone. In view: better relations, progress in Syria

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/11/putin-and-trump-on-phone-in-view-better.html

- Lenta.ru, translated by Tom Winter -

Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone talks with the US President-elect Donald Trump. This was reported on Monday, November 14, by the Kremlin press service.

The Russian leader again congratulated the Republican candidate for his victory in the elections and wished him success in the implementation of the pre-election program. The Head of State expressed readiness for partnership with the new administration of the White House "on principles of equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in each others internal affairs."

Putin and Trump, as noted by the Kremlin press service, agreed in effect that Russian-US relations are in "very poor condition." They also spoke in favor of active joint work towards their normalization and "in the direction of constructive cooperation on a wide range of issues," including "the creation of a sound basis of bilateral ties through the development of trade and economic components."

Both sides, as stated in the report, also agreed on the need for joint efforts in the struggle against the "common enemy number one" - international terrorism and extremism. "In this vein, they also discussed issues toward settlement of the crisis in Syria.".

Putin and Trump agreed to continue contacts by phone and in the future to hold a private meeting. Preparations will be engaged in by representatives of both parties.

Earlier, also on November 14, the President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that a meeting between Putin and Trump is not planned, but contacts between them are not excluded. "Contacts - this is not necessarily a meeting, it may be an exchange of messages, and telephone conversations," he said.

On November 12 Trump announced that he had scheduled a telephone conversation with the Russian president. He also said that he had received messages from the majority of world leaders, including a "beautiful" letter from Putin.

Trump was elected US President on the results of elections held on 8 November. On the same day, Putin was among the first congratulated the new US leader's telegram, wishing him every success as head of state.

Russian Foreign Ministry: NATO-Georgia joint drills pose serious threat to regional peace

http://tass.com/politics/912395

The ministry stresses Tbilisi’s partnership with NATO complicates normalization of ties

New NATO-Georgian military drills pose a threat to the regional peace and stability, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

"As for the new NATO-Georgian military exercise involving over 250 servicemen from 13 countries, they pose a serious threat to the regional peace and stability," the statement reads.

"NATO does not cover up the goal of its military cooperation with Georgia regarding it as part of its containment policy towards Russia," the ministry said. "The role that Tbilisi is trying to play prevents an improvement in the Russian-Georgian relations."

Iran, Russia to continue cooperating until terrorism elimination: Rouhani

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/14/493600/Iran-Russia-Hassan-Rouhani-Valentina-Ivanovna-Matvienko-Zarif

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic and Russia will proceed with their “strategic cooperation” in the campaign against terrorism until the elimination of this malicious phenomenon across the Middle East.

“There is strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia to fight terrorism and such cooperation will continue until the eradication of terrorism in the region,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Russia's Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko in Tehran on Monday.

“Terrorist groups are dangerous for the entire region and the world and we must continue with the fight against these groups along with each other until the eradication of terrorism and the establishment of stability and the will of the Syrian people over their country’s affairs,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president said Russia is an important friend and neighbor of the Islamic Republic and added that the two countries have common interests in the region and the world.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s resolve is to expand relations with the Russian Federation in all fields,” Rouhani stated.

He urged Tehran and Moscow to make use of the opportunities created after the implementation of last year’s nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries to improve ties in economic, cultural, scientific and technological fields.

He said developing banking and economic cooperation, facilitation of customs-related issues and visa issuance process can speed up trade ties between the two countries.

‘Iran, Russia share stance on terror fight’

The chairperson of Russia's Federation Council, for her part, said Tehran and Moscow have a common stance on the fight against terrorism.

She added that Russia calls for the expansion of all-out cooperation with Iran and noted that the JCPOA opened new horizons for cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, particularly in energy and nuclear fields.

Heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, Matvienko arrived in Tehran on Sunday for an official two-day visit. She attended a joint press conference and held a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday and also sat down with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday.

Matvienko’s visit to Tehran comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Iran on November 23, 2015 and held separate meetings with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Rouhani. Putin also participated in the third summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Tehran.

Iran, China sign agreement to boost defense-military cooperation

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/14/493549/Iran-China-Hossein-Dehqan-Chang-Wanquan-military-defense

Iran and China have signed an agreement to boost defense-military cooperation and fight terrorism.

The agreement was inked by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his Chinese counterpart General Chang Wanquan in Tehran on Monday at the end of an earlier meeting between the two sides.

“The development of [Iran’s] long-term defense-military relations and cooperation with China is among the top priorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defense diplomacy,” Dehqan said in the meeting.

He added that the two countries’ defense-military cooperation would guarantee regional and international peace and security.

He emphasized that all countries in Asia and the Oceania shoulder the responsibility to maintain peace and stability.

“Today, foreign meddling and lack of respect for the national sovereignty of countries have turned the Middle East region into a hotbed of crisis and insecurity in the world and led to [the emergence of] terrorism and its spread throughout the world,” Dehqan said.

He added that the US and some regional countries are supporting terrorism and the scourge is overflowing into Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus as well as other regions.

“Today, the threat of Daesh and terrorism has turned into an important regional and international challenge,” the Iranian defense minister said.

He called for a genuine and efficient campaign against terrorism by all countries which are exposed to the threat of the malicious phenomenon.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, with the great experience that it has acquired over the recent years in the anti-terror campaign, expresses its readiness to make a collective move in order to fight this threat and believes that China can play a very important role in this regard,” Dehqan said.

For his part, the Chinese defense minister said Iran has an important position in the region in political, economic, security, military and cultural fields.

He added that the two countries have common interests in many regional and global issues which have prepared the ground for the expansion of defense-military cooperation.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Chang arrived in Tehran on Sunday for an official three-day visit at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart.

He plans to hold talks with senior Iranian officials about Tehran-Beijing cooperation and the latest regional and international developments.

Dehqan had traveled to China in May 2014 to negotiate mutual visits and personnel training cooperation between the two countries.

Back in April 2015, the Iranian and Chinese defense ministers, who were in the Russian capital to attend the fourth Moscow International Security Conference, held a meeting and discussed Tehran-Beijing relations as well as the issue of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists and the extent of their activities in East Asia.

Chinese first aircraft carrier prepared for ‘war’: Navy

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/11/15/493672/China-Liaoning-aircraft-carrier-Dalian-US-South-China-Sea-Soviet

China says its first aircraft carrier is ready for a deterrent “war”, a change from its previous status as a training ship, intended to allow the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to practice with carrier usage.

The conventionally-powered CNS Liaoning (CV-16) “is always prepared for war and our combat capacity also needs to be tested by war,” said Liaoning's political commissar Captain Li Dongyou on Tuesday.

In an interview with the state-run Chinese newspaper Global Times, he said the aircraft carrier “is constantly prepared to fight against enemies.”

“At this moment, we are doing our best to promote our strength and use it to prevent war, and are prepared for actual combat at any time,” Li further said.

The aircraft carrier was laid down as Riga at the Black Sea Shipyard in Ukraine in 1985 and joined the Soviet navy in 1988 and was renamed Varyag in 1990.

China purchased the stripped hulk in 1998 and towed it to a shipyard in Dalian, the second largest city in the northeastern province of Liaoning.

The 60,000-ton aircraft carrier then was completely rebuilt and underwent sea trials, and was handed over to the PLAN on September 23, 2012, two days before she was commissioned under the new name of Liaoning, in honor of the province in which she was retrofitted.

Liaoning is capable of tearing through the waves at the top speed of 37 kilometers per hour and can embark 36 aircraft. China is currently manufacturing its second aircraft carrier.

Beijing has not described specifically how it plans to use the ship, but it seems that she can help reinforce China’s fleet in the disputed South China Sea in the face of challenges from the US Navy and others.

China claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea which is also partially contested by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam as well as the Philippines.

Washington has time and again risked heightening tensions with Beijing through military presence in the South China Sea, questioning China’s insistence on sovereignty over the disputed waters.

China has, in response, accused Washington of meddling in regional issues and deliberately escalating the situation in the region.

Beijing Boosts Military Along Border With North Korea

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201611151047438758-beijing-build-bases-dprk-border/

Since August, people living in Kaishantunzhen in Longjing city have been evacuated by the Chinese military, reportedly to accommodate construction equipment, in response to Pyongyang’s ongoing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile testing.

The DPRK has responded to this activity by building a lookout post on the border to surveil progress on the facilities, as well as deploying about 20 soldiers. UPI quoted a Korean-Chinese Longjing source saying, "The Chinese leadership seems to preparing for the collapse of the North Korean regime."

Beijing remains an ally to North Korea despite these measures, defending the communist country against sanctions brought by the US, South Korea and the UN Security Council. After Pyongyang’s fifth, and most recent underground nuclear detonation, China closed its border, reopening in September.

The base is being built at Kaishan Tunzhen South Mountain Community.

German Police Conduct Raid Against Islamic Radical Organization in 10 Regions

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201611151047446576-germany-raid-islamists/

German police conducted a series of searches as part of an operation against a fundamentalistic organization "True Religion," which is suspected of radical Islamism, the Federal Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

According to the Zeit newspaper, the operation, with about 200 searches conducted, is aimed at finding evidence that the organization preaches radical Islamism. Hundreds of police officers are said to be involved in searches in 10 regions of Germany.

"The police started an operation against a salafi organization across the country at 06:30 a.m.. Further information will be published at 9:00 a.m.," the ministry said on Twitter.

​German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere reportedly banned "True Religion" on the territory of Germany, which was accused of spreading radial Islamism.

 

[angelburst29]

US President Barack Obama has just given the Pentagon orders to assassinate commanders of the Al Nusra terror network in Syria. American media reports over the weekend say the new urgency arises from US intelligence fears that al Qaeda-affiliated groups are preparing to mount terror attacks against Western targets from strongholds in Syria.

US, British ‘Clean House’ to Delete Syria Terror Links
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/11/14/us-british-clean-house-delete-syria-terror-links.html

The purported US «kill list» will be acted on through drone strikes and «intelligence assets». The latter refers, presumably, to US special forces that are already operating in northern Syria alongside Turkish military.

Last week, a similar announcement was carried in the British press, which reported that elite British SAS troops had received orders to kill up to 200 jihadi volunteers from Britain who are suspected to be active in Syria (and Iraq). Again, the same rationale was invoked as in the latest American plan. That the assassination program was to pre-empt terror attacks rebounding on Western states.

A British defense official was quoted as saying that the mission could be the most important ever undertaken by the SAS in its entire 75-year history. «The hunt is on», said the official, «to take out some very bad people».

Significantly, too, the British SAS kill operations in Syria are reportedly being carried out as part of a «multinational effort». That suggests that the Pentagon’s initiative reported this weekend in being coordinated with the British.

However, there is something decidedly odd about this sudden determination by the Americans and British to eliminate terrorists in Syria.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011, US, British and other NATO forces have shown meagre success in delivering on official claims of combating al Qaeda-linked terror groups, such as Islamic State (IS, ISIS or Daesh) and Jabhat al Nusra (also known as Jabhat al Fatal al Sham).

A straightforward explanation for this apparent anomaly is that the US and its NATO allies are in reality covertly working with these terror networks as proxies for regime change against the Assad government
a longtime ally of Russia and Iran. What Washington refers to as «moderate rebels» whom it supports are in reality serving as conduits for arms and funds to the known terror groups. In this context, the terror groups have been Western assets in the regime-change war. Therefore, there has been no incentive to liquidate these assets – until now that is. Why now is the telling question.

The recent ceasefire debacles in the battleground northern city of Aleppo have demonstrated a systematic Western terror link. The failure by Washington to deliver on its commitment to separate so-called moderates from extremists is clear evidence that the alleged dichotomy is a hoax. The plain fact is that the US-backed «rebels» are fully integrated with the terror groups. That is, the US and its allies are sponsors of terrorism in Syria.

This has led to the reasonable charge by the Russian government that the US is supporting al Nusra, despite the latter being an internationally proscribed terrorist organization at the heart of the so-called American «war on terror». That charge has been corroborated by claims made by Nusra commanders who say that they have been receiving covert weapons supplies from the Americans. It is also substantiated by recent finds of US weaponry among terrorist dens that have been over-run by the Syrian Arab Army.

So, the question is: what is this latest urgency from the Pentagon to wipe out Nusra's leadership in Syria really about?

First, let’s note that the implied precision of terrorist «kill lists» that the Americans and British are suddenly working on seems incongruous given that these NATO powers have up to now apparently been unable to furnish Russia with coordinates for extremist bases in Syria.

The Russian Ministry of Defense disclosed last week that the Americans have not provided a single scrap of information on the location of terrorist groups in Syria. The US was obliged to share intelligence on extremist positions as part of the ceasefire plans resolved in September by Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

That then marks a seeming curious shift. From not being able to provide any intelligence on terror groups, now we are told in a different context that the US and its British counterpart are urgently moving ahead to carry out decapitation strikes on Nusra and ISIS commanders.

On the British side, reports said that a kill list of hundreds of British jihadis had been drawn up by the intelligence services of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ. Why wasn’t this information shared before with Russia, as part of the Kerry-Lavrov accord?

Timing is also another telling factor. Obama’s announced order to the Pentagon to ramp up assassination of Nusra leaders comes in the wake of the shock presidential election victory for Donald Trump. Trump’s election last week was an outcome that completely blindsided the White House and the Washington establishment, who thought that Democrat rival Hillary Clinton was a safe bet.

The abrupt US impetus to neutralize Nusra cadres also comes as the Russian navy flotilla takes up position in the Mediterranean off Syria. The flotilla is led by the aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, along with destroyers equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles. The naval formation has been described as the biggest Russian deployment since the end of the Cold War 25 years ago. It will greatly enhance Russia’s air power which already has over the past year transformed the Syrian war into an eminent defeat for the Western-backed insurgents.

Now that nearly three weeks of Russia’s unilateral cessation in air strikes on terror targets in Syria has elapsed to no avail for a surrender by the insurgents, it is anticipated that Russian air power and Syrian forces on the ground are readying for a final, decisive offensive to vanquish the Western-backed proxy war.

President-elect Trump has stated on several occasions his approval of Russian and Syrian anti-terror efforts, unlike the Obama administration, which has sought to hamper them by accusing Moscow and Damascus of «war crimes» against civilians. Russia has rejected those claims as false. It points to recent initiatives to set up humanitarian corridors in Aleppo as evidence that it is trying to minimize civilian casualties. It is the US-backed militants who have sabotaged the humanitarian efforts.

In any case, Trump’s accession to the White House can be expected to give Russia a freer hand to bring the Syrian war to a close. And as noted, increased Russian military forces appear to be poised for this final push.

This is perhaps where the real significance of the latest Pentagon and British terrorist kill program is evinced. If we accept the plausible and proven premise that the Americans and their NATO allies have been covertly funding, arming and directing jihadi terror proxies, then one can expect that there is plenty of evidence within the terrorist ranks of such state-sponsoring criminal connections.

As Russian and Syrian forces eradicate the terrorist remnants one can anticipate that a trove of highly indicting information will be uncovered that grievously imputes Washington, London, Paris and others in Syria’s dirty war. Among the finds too will be hundreds of Nusra and other terrorist operatives who may be willing to testify as to who their handlers were. A huge can of worms awaits to be prized open.

To pre-empt such devastating evidence of Western culpability in waging a covert criminal war in Syria, the Pentagon and its British partner appear to be dispatching their elite troops to perform a little bit of «house cleaning». That cleaning may involve whacking jihadis who know too much.

No wonder the British official said it could the most important mission for the SAS in its 75-year history. Washington and London’s neck is on the line.

A US-based think-tank raised the possibility that Saudi King Salman may leave the power in favor of his son Muhammad bin Salman who is now the deputy crown prince and defense minister.

US Think-Tank: Saudi King May Step Down in Favor of His Son, Discharge Crown Prince
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825000724

"Increasingly, the kingdom's crucial decisionmaker is seen as thirty-one-year-old Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (aka MbS) rather than eighty-year-old King Salman or fifty-seven-year-old Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef (aka MbN). The king, described by the New York Times as suffering from "memory lapses," is believed to favor MbS, the eldest son of his favorite wife, as his successor," the Washington Institute for Near East Policy wrote.

"Making that happen anytime soon would be a challenge, however. For one thing, Saudi kings traditionally keep going until they drop -- King Abdullah died in 2015 at ninety-two, and King Fahd was eighty-four when he eventually passed away in 2005, ten years after suffering a debilitating stroke. Palace politics and rivalries may pose a formidable obstacle as well," it added.

"King Salman has already exercised his royal authority to change the crown prince, naming MbN three months after taking the throne, so he could do so again at any time. Yet whether MbN and the wider royal family would accept MbS being made crown prince or the king abdicating in his favor is debatable, since support for the young prince's forceful policies as defense minister and economic 'visionary' is hardly universal," the Washington Institute concluded.

The US think-tank's speculations were raised after Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Commander Major General Ghassem Soleimani said Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince is so wild and thirsty for power that he could even kill his own father to take the throne.

Muhammed bin Salman, the youthful, ambitious son of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz who is also the defense minister is so thirsty for power and has taken the country's affairs into his hand in such a bold and aggressive manner that many believe he is the heir apparent and would topple the Crown Prince, Muhammad Bin Nayef, in one way or another soon.

Addressing a ceremony in Tehran in October, General Soleimani said the Saudi prince "is so impatient that he might kill his own father, the king".

Mohammed bin Salman's ascension has been surrounded by a great deal of palace intrigue, including the grumbling protestations of royals angry about the prince skipping the lines of succession.

Saudi Sources revealed in late June that Saudi Arabia’s young deputy crown prince is being advised by the UAE on how he can win backing from the US and ascend to the throne by the end of the year.

Two "well-placed Saudi sources" have said that de facto UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan is advising Mohammed on a two-pronged strategy to become Washington's preferred choice as the next Saudi ruler.

The first Saudi source said bin Zayed has told bin Salman that he must “end the rule of Wahhabism” if he wants to be accepted by the Americans.

Wahhabism is the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia which has inspired Takfiri groups such as ISIL and al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front to wreak havoc in the Middle East.

Bin Zayed has also told bin Salman that he must open a “strong channel of communication” with Israel if he is to be Washington’s preferred candidate to be king.

The second Saudi source reportedly said bin Salman is willing to win the backing of Washington after telling close associates recently that he would complete the mission of becoming king before the end of the year.

The 30-year-old bin Salman, who also serves as the Saudi defense minister, has been granted increasing power since he was named the third in line to the throne last April.

He is heading up the country’s economic reforms plan, the kingdom's policy towards Syria and its deadly aggression against Yemen.

The young prince’s meteoric rise, however, has sparked tensions within the Saudi royal family.

According to the report, bin Salman would seek to fundamentally change the role of religion in the kingdom on bin Zayed's advice.

One of the two Saudi sources said that bin Salman plans to cancel the Council of Senior Scholars, which is the kingdom's highest religious body, and stop all activities that serve Wahhabism. “The aim will be for bin Salman to be hailed as a hero by the press, Congress, and academics, so that the US administration is forced to follow.”

Such a plan is highly risky given the influence of religious bodies in the kingdom and could lead to a serious showdown.

A Saudi source told Middle-East Eye on June 20 that bin Salman had secretly carved out a plan to severely curb the influence of Wahhabism, the strict interpretation of Islam followed in Saudi Arabia, by arresting clerics and shutting down institutions.

A Saudi expert who asked not to be identified told NBC that Riyadh was at such a critical juncture that either "it's bin Salman or it's ISIL group."

The second strategy advised by bin Zayed to win Washington’s backing was developing close relations with Israel.

Israel has covert ties with Arab states despite their claims that they would normalize relations with Tel Aviv only when it reaches a deal with the Palestinians.

The visit to the US by Saudi Arabia’s young deputy crown prince raised speculation that his superiors have been seriously ill and being pushed out of the kingdom’s political scene.

Bruce Riedel, a former national intelligence officer and a member of US President Barack Obama's transition team, told NBC News that 30-year-old bin Salman was visiting the US because his father King Salman and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, second in line to the throne, are both seriously ill.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin and Trump on the phone. In view: better relations, progress in Syria

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/11/putin-and-trump-on-phone-in-view-better.html

NATO chief says Trump’s phone conversation with Putin is ‘normal thing’

http://tass.com/world/912447

The Kremlin press service said the Russian leader congratulated Trump on his victory in the presidential election and "noted readiness to build partner dialogue with the new administration

The phone conversation held between US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "very normal thing," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

"It is a very normal thing that President-elect Donald Trump speaks to leaders, including of course the leader of Russia," Stoltenberg said ahead of talks with EU defense ministers in Brussels.

Stoltenberg said the North Atlantic alliance plans to "hold a new meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in the near future," but gave no details on the date.

"The message from NATO has been that we want dialogue with Russia. Russia is our biggest neighbor, Russia is there to stay and especially when tensions run high and especially when we face many different security challenges, it is important to have dialogue," he said.

NATO sees no contradiction "between strong defense and political dialogue," Stoltenberg said. The alliance continues supporting territorial integrity of Ukraine and will never recognize Crimea’s reunification with Russia, he added.

On Monday, Trump and Putin held a phone conversation. The Kremlin press service said the Russian leader congratulated Trump on his victory in the presidential election and "noted readiness to build partner dialogue with the new administration on the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference into each other’s domestic affairs.".

In Trump's Footsteps? Marine Le Pen Chances to Become French President Rising

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611151047465158-trump-brexit-france-election/

During last weekend’s television interview with the BBC, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said that Donald Trump’s victory in the US election "made possible what had previously been presented as impossible."

She described Trump’s unexpected result as a "victory of the people against the elite" and expressed hope that a similar situation could take place at the French presidential election next year.

Le Pen also drew parallels between the US election and the Brexit vote in Great Britain, praising them as part of the rise of "patriotic movements" in the West.

Asked about immigration, Le Pen answered: "We are not going to welcome any more people, stop, we are full up!"

"We all know that if elected, and she will be, Le Pen will have talks with the European Union in a manner to restore France’s national sovereignty, in terms of economy, laws, budget and, of course, territory. France should make independent decision on its migration policy," Gaetan Dussausaye, director of the National Front of the Youth, the youth wing of the Le Pen-led National Front political movement, told Sputnik France.

If the French people decide to decrease the number of migrants coming to the country, Brussels would not be able to block this decision, according to him.

"Le Pen is not alone. From the Balkans to the Netherlands, politicians on the far right have greeted the election of Trump with unrestrained delight and as a radical reconfiguring of the political landscape – not just in the United States, but in Europe as well. They are seeing it as a sign that their time has finally arrived, and that the politics of heightened nationalism, immigrant-bashing and anti-globalization have overturned the pro-globalization, pro-immigration consensus," an article in The New York Times read.

Trump’s victory is likely to give a boost to Le Pen, who is set to run for president in France's 2017 elections, a Hungarian member of the European Parliament told Sputnik.

"It will be a significant boost for Marine Le Pen," Gyorgy Schopflin, who is also a member of Hungarian ruling party Fidesz, said.

Schopflin added that Trump’s victory, presented "a very serious blow to liberal reach."

"It turns out that more and more people disagree with it… It is an indication that it is time for the left-liberal hegemony to rethink its epistemology," Schopflin suggested.

For the French political establishment, Trump’s victory was shocking. It has spurred the electoral campaign in the country, where there is the lack of charismatic leaders, and the popularity of incumbent leader Francois Hollande is extremely low.

According to a recent poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion Studies (IFOP), 85 percent of the French do not want Hollande to run for the second term.

The migrant crisis, the crisis of European integration as well as a multitude of domestic problems have seriously damaged the reputation of mainstream political forces in many European countries, like France and Germany, where nationalist and populist movement have recently been on the rise.

"The results of the Brexit referendum were unexpected but this is what happened. Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton was also unexpected. So, for example, if Le Pen won this would be part of that trend of shocking results," Fedor Lukyanov, head of the presidium of the Russian Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, told RIA Novosti.

According to him, the "trend" indicates that political forces are drifting away from the so-called "centrist mainstream." In this context, the electorate prefers to support non-mainstream, but more politically articulated, left or right movements and parties.

"Now, the centers of political influence are moving to the right or left. The lefts get truly left, and the rights get truly right. This is some kind of de-globalization in European politics. Brexit as well as Trump’s victory have greatly contributed to the trend," the analyst pointed out.

Putin sets task to ensure reliable protection of Russian forces in Syria

http://tass.com/defense/912481

Shoigu reported that a lot of work has been done "to organize a multi-tier defense system"

Russian President Vladimir Putin set a task to ensure a reliable air support to Russian forces in Syria and sked Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to report how this task was fulfilled.

"I would like to ask you and the General Staff to elaborate and implement a set of measures to ensure reliable protection of the bases in Tartus and Hmeimin from air and from sea. What was done for that?," Putin asked.

Shoigu reported that a lot of work has been done "to organize a multi-tier defense system." Thus, he mentioned the S-400, S-300 and Bastion systems.

"As you know, we deployed a S-400 system long ago. Apart from that, we have added an S-300 system to cover the sea section practically to Cyprus. Moreover, Bastion coastal missile systems have been deployed to cover practically the entire coastline. As of now, thanks to these systems we are able to hit both sea-base and ground-based targets," the minister said, adding that the ranges of these systems are 350 kilometers at sea and up to 450 kilometers on the ground.

"Is our sea grouping safely protected by the Bastions?," the president asked to receive a positive answer. The defense minister also said that Pantsir systems had been deployed to ensure protection from low-flying targets.

According to Shoigu, in the past four months Syrian S-200 systems have been restored. Now they are used inside the country, in particular to back up the system of defense of Russian bases.

Advanced hardware in Russian army

Vladimir Putin has said that the share of advanced weaponry and other hardware in the armed forces must exceed 50% by the end of the year.

"The share of such weapons, of advanced hardware in the ground and naval forces, keeps growing steadily and by the end of the year it is to exceed 50%."

He added that "already now the annual targets for the supplies of main types of armaments had been met 70%, and those for the purchases of missiles and ammunition - more than 85%."

According to the head of state, the approved plans for the supplies of modern armaments and other technologies were being implemented systematically despite the existing economic difficulties.

By now, Putin said, the armed forces have received more than 5,500 pieces of military hardware and other equipment, including 60 new and 130 upgraded planes and helicopters, one multi-role submarine, and 60 missile systems and launchers, 55 radars, 310 new tanks and armored vehicles and 460 upgraded ones.

"All in all, this year’s target is set at 5,700 new main types of weapons and military technologies and another 3,800 overhauled," Putin said, adding he hoped that "they will be delivered to military units as scheduled.

Russian forces launch large-scale operation against terrorists in Syria

http://tass.com/defense/912467

According to the Russian defense minister, the operation involves frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Kuznetsov

The Russian Armed Forces have launched a large-scale operation to deliver strikes against terrorists in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Homs, including with the involvement of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said.

The defense minister made this statement at a meeting with representatives of the Defense Ministry and the defense industry held by President Vladimir Putin.

"Today, at 10:30 and at 11:00, we started a large-scale operation to deliver massive fire on the positions of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra in the provinces of Idlib and Homs," Shoigu said.

According to the Russian defense minister, the operation involves the frigate Admiral Grigorovich that has made launches of Kalibr cruise missiles, Bastion coastal defense systems and "for the first time in the Navy’s history, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has started to take part in combat operations."

The Russian forces are delivering massive strikes against terrorists’ factories in Syria, the defense minister said.

"The strikes are targeting depots with ammunition and training centers, and also plants for the production of various mass destruction weapons," he said.

Russian Sukhoi Su-33 combat planes have started their operation from the board of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, Shoigu said.

"Before that, we conducted very thorough and substantial reconnaissance of all the targets. Proceeding from this, the basic targets were determined," the defense minister said.

The defense minister named depots with ammunition, terrorists’ amassments and training centers, and also factories for the production of various mass destruction weapons among such targets.

"You know that we have sent a large group of our radiation, chemical and bacteriological protection troops there for determining chemical agents, which terrorists are using. Over the past week, they have used them twice: in one case, 27 people were hospitalized and three were killed and, in the other case, 30 people were taken to hospital. I mean fighters of the Syrian army," the Russian defense minister said.

The results of today’s operation, which is being monitored by surveillance aircraft and drones, will be immediately reported "so that measures can be taken for subsequent steps in the struggle against terrorism in Syria," the defense minister said.

Large Number of Turkish Army Tanks Arrive in Northern Syria

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825001386

"Ninety tanks of the Turkish army crossed the country's Southern border into Northern Syria in al-Shahba region this morning. The army sent the tanks to the battlefields near the town of al-Bab," Hawar news quoted the source as saying.

"It's not yet clear where the tanks crossed the border into Northern Syria, but the Turkish forces and Ankara-backed terrorists are very overtly preparing to capture al-Bab," Hawar added.

On Thursday, the Turkish army in al-Shahba region equipped the terrorists with heavy weapons, including M60 tanks.

According to Kurdish-affiliated Hawar news, several footage and images have been released by the terrorist groups in different websites which show that they are using the Turkish army's armored vehicles in Tal Jorji village in al-Bab region.

The images showed that the terrorists were using M60 tanks.

Turkey has deployed a large number of its tanks and armored vehicles in Northern Syria after the start of the Euphrates Shield operation by Ankara.

The Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, started the Euphrates Shield military operation in August, claiming that they intend to purge terrorists from Syria's Northern territories and create security zones for accommodation of refugees.

Syrian People's Nightmare: Trafficking Children's Organs

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825001207

Local sources in Idlib province told al-Akhbar newspaper that during the past two weeks, 15 people have been kidnapped from different districts, most of them children.

Also, social media activists have released tens of messages and warned the Idlib residents of the possibility of abduction of their children and trafficking of their body organs by the terrorist groups, saying that most of the kidnapped children have been transferred to Turkey.

Local sources in several districts of Idlib have reported that over 10 children have been abducted in different parts of the province, including Kafarouma, Jidar Bekalfoun, Atma, Jisr al-Shaqour and al-Fayqa by the militants.

Also, a local source in Sarmada town North of Idlib said that "a number of militants driving a white van abducted a 10-year-old child but they faced the residents' resistance and were arrested but sources said that they were freed from Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra) prison the same day".

According to reports, the exacerbation of security situation in Idlib has forced the residents to flee to Hama province in fear of their children's lives.

Reports said last month that the ISIL is mutilating and selling the body organs of Iraqi children to compensate for its financial loss and shortages.

Local sources reported that after starting the academic year in Iraq, 11 children were kidnapped in different parts of al-Qae'm town in the Western parts of al-Anbar province and their families then found their mutilated bodies with no heart, kidneys, eyes and other transplantable organs.

The sources added that none of the parents of these children dare to file a lawsuit against the ISIL or report the abduction of their child for the fear of the terrorist group's retaliatory measures.

Media reports also said in March that the ISIL terrorist group is using organ harvesting as a way to finance its operations and save the lives of injured members.

The Spanish daily El Mondo reported that facing the increased number of wounded members in the Syrian army and popular forces' attacks, the ISIL is using the body organs of its captives for transplantation.

According to the report, the ISIL also forces the prisoners in Mosul jails to donate blood and postpones the execution of those sentenced to death to use their blood as much as possible.

The ISIL doesn’t merely use the organs of its captives and prisoners' bodies for transplantation to its members but it sells them to other countries as a lucrative business, it added.

Medical sources told El Mondo that the personnel in one of hospitals in Mosul have seen corpses of at least 183 people whose organs had been taken out of their bodies.

According to the report, the ISIL has set up a medical team in Mosul headed by a German physician which exports the body organs to Syria and the Iraqi Kurdistan region for transplantation to its members or selling.

Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohamed Alhakim had made the same revelations last year, saying that the ISIL is trafficking human organs and has executed a dozen doctors for failing to go along with the program.

Alhakim based his claim on the discovery of dozens of bodies left in shallow mass graves near the city of Mosul, currently an ISIL stronghold. Surgical incisions, along with missing kidneys and other body parts lead to an inescapable conclusion. "We have bodies. Come and examine them. It is clear they are missing certain parts,” Alhakim revealed. He further described the carnage:

"When we discover mass graves, we look at the bodies. Some of those bodies are killed by bullets, some of them by knives. But when you find pieces of the back is missing and the kidneys is missing, you will wonder what it is."

Syria Starts Blitzkrieg in Eastern Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825001295

Tens of warplanes started massive air assaults on enemy targets in the Eastern parts of Aleppo on Tuesday after three weeks of lull and as Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier launched combat operations in Syria, the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news channel reported minutes ago.

The airstrikes started after several humanitarian pauses declared by the Syrian army and Russia to give a chance to the civilian population as well as the militants to leave the Eastern parts of the city through 8 corridors. Thousands of civilians left the city in the first few days, but militants blocked their exist paths, threatening to kill anyone who dares to approach the passages opened by the army. The terrorists aim to use the civilian population as a human shield.

The last such pause was declared on Monday when the army gave a 24-hour lone ultimatum to the Jeish al-Fatah coalition of terrorist groups to leave the flash point city. The deadline was not met by the militants, though.

Defense experts believe that the blitzkrieg is the first part of the long-awaited army operations in Eastern Aleppo to take back the entire city. Aleppo is halved into the government-ruled West and militant-held East. The militants rejected a guaranteed exit to relocate to Idlib or other militant-ruled territories in the hope that over 30,000 fresh forces would penetrate the city through the Southwestern front to lift the army's several-month-long siege on Eastern Aleppo.

Jeish al-Fatah lost thousands of militants in over two weeks of bloody war in Southern and Southwestern Aleppo, but failed to open a corridor for entrapped friends in the East.

The massive airstrikes in Aleppo come as Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft-carrying cruiser began combat operations in Syria today.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced earlier today that Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich launched missiles on terrorist targets in Syria.

"Today, we started a major operation to launch massive strikes on ISIL and al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front) targets in the Idlib and Homs provinces in Syria," Shoigu said at a meeting with the ministry’s leadership and defense enterprises.

"For the first time in history of Russian Navy, Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft-carrying cruiser has begun military operations," Shoigu said.

Russian naval task force in Syria is reliably protected by Bastion Coastal Defense Missile Systems and Pantsir systems, the minister said.

Also, General Command of the Syrian Army announced earlier today that the country's soldiers and popular forced are about to hit Jeish al-Fatah's positions in the Eastern districts of Aleppo from nine different flanks.

"Our forces, including very well trained units, are deployed in nine different fronts and are waiting for the specified deadline," the command center said in a statement.

Other informed sources disclosed that the Syrian army has prepared a large number of forces, who are expert in street battle and are equipped with lethal weapons, ready to start final the battle with the terrorist groups.

The sources also added that these forces will be backed up by the missile and air support of the Syrian and Russian forces.

Syrian Air Force Continues to Hit Terrorists' Supply Routes to Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825000961

The Syrian fighter jets carried out a fresh round of air assaults along the militant-controlled part of the Aleppo-Damascus Highway near the towns of Saraqib and Ma'arat al-Nu'aman in Idlib province, destroying a number of military vehicles en route to the Aleppo province.

The Syrian warplanes also targeted the positions of terrorists in the villages of Taybat Al-Imam, Halfaya, al-Latamina, Kafr Zita and Morek, in Northern Hama province.

The Syrian army aircraft are carrying out continued reconnaissance flights over the towns and villages in the region to monitor the roads from Idlib and Hama to Aleppo.

The Syrian Air Force has managed to completely disrupt Jeish al-Fateh's main supply line to Aleppo, forcing terrorists to avoid using the highway from Saraqib to Khan Touman.

The Syrian strikers carried out tens of similar flights over the terrorists' supply roads in Idlib to block transfer of fighters, weapons and ammunition to Aleppo on Sunday.

As the Syrian army continues anti-terrorism operation in the Western and Southern parts of Aleppo city, the country's air force is carrying out air assaults on the supply routes used by the terrorists near the towns and villages of Saraqib, Ma'arat al-Nu'aman, Khan Sheikhoun, Taftnaz, Banish, Ma'arat al-Harmeh, Jebleh and Ariha.

The Syrian army aircraft are carrying out continued reconnaissance flights over the towns and villages in the region to monitor the roads from Idlib to Aleppo. The air force planes are also conducting similar flights over the roads that are used by the terrorists to transfer arms and forces from Idlib to Hama, given the army's vast operations in Hama province.

"At present, the terrorist groups in Aleppo are suffering from an acute shortage of fresh fighters and equipment, thinking more defense rather than offense," the source underline.

People in Aleppo Furious after Terrorists Block Their Exit

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950825000826

The Arabic language al-Watan reported that the Syrian Army's deadline for the exit of terrorists from Eastern districts of Aleppo has ended, but no militant or civilian has thus far left the city via the humanitarian corridors, including Bostan al-Qasr and Costello.

In addition to preventing militants' approach to the two specified corridors, Fatah al-Sham Front (the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) has also threatened civilians with death if they approach the six humanitarian corridors that connect Eastern Aleppo to its Western part.

Reports from the city said terrorists blocked the exist of hundreds of residents in the Eastern districts of Aleppo, who had gathered near al-Kelaseh checkpoint, from approaching Bostan al-Qasr corridor.

Terrorists meantime arrested over 20 residents of Bostan al-Qasr neighborhood on charges of cooperation with the Syrian army, local sources told al-Watan.

Terrorists' cruelty and oppression against civilians in the Eastern districts of Aleppo has significantly increased, pushing people into escalation of uprising and clashes with the militants.

A field source in Aleppo Operations Room said on Tuesday that the Syrian Army will not give any other chance to Jeish al-Fatah terrorists and will start its final operation against militants' positions in the Eastern part of Aleppo soon.

"Terrorist groups have refuted the entire terms of the ceasefire to pull back their forces from the Eastern Neighborhoods of Aleppo to maintain security of civilians. The militants are still using civilians as human shield and do not allow them to leave the Eastern parts of the city," the source said.

"The 24-hour ultimatum of the Syrian army to the terrorists ended last night (Monday night), so the army's operation will soon start. Reconnaissance planes have carried out tens of flights over the city and its countryside and specified the targets," the source added.

 

[Laura]

How come I don't see the good stories ya'll post here on sott? That's where they need to be.

 

[Beau]

How come I don't see the good stories ya'll post here on sott? That's where they need to be.

Yeah, the purpose of SOTT is to archive these stories so that is where y'all should be focusing on putting these articles. Seems to me it would take pretty much the same amount of time to post them here as it would on SOTT.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

How come I don't see the good stories ya'll post here on sott? That's where they need to be.

Yeah, the purpose of SOTT is to archive these stories so that is where y'all should be focusing on putting these articles. Seems to me it would take pretty much the same amount of time to post them here as it would on SOTT.

Affirmative! :)

 

[Laura]

How come I don't see the good stories ya'll post here on sott? That's where they need to be.

Yeah, the purpose of SOTT is to archive these stories so that is where y'all should be focusing on putting these articles. Seems to me it would take pretty much the same amount of time to post them here as it would on SOTT.

Affirmative! :)

Now that's what I like to hear! Can do! Let's rock sott. And don't let Killary have a moment's rest either!

 

[sToRmR1dR]

I'd like to clarify that all my posted/edited articles have been based on my instinct. :)

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Lavrov, Kerry to Discuss Anti-Russia Sanctions, Syria at APEC Session in Peru

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611161047487555-lavrov-kerry-peru/

The diplomats will discuss Washington's sanctions as well as the Syrian crisis.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry plan to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial session in Peru, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday.

"The meeting is scheduled for [Thursday] November 17 local time. It will be late November 18 in Moscow," Ryabkov said.

He specified that the diplomats plan to discuss a range of issues on the bilateral agenda, including Washington's sanctions targeting Russia, in addition to the situation in Aleppo, Syria.

Hundreds protest against militants in E. Aleppo, rallies brutally dispersed – Russian MoD

https://www.rt.com/news/367177-eastern-aleppo-protests-civilians/

Resistance against the terrorists and rebels controlling eastern Aleppo has been growing amongst the civilian population trapped in the city, Russia's Defense Ministry said. Eleven protests have been staged in militant-controlled areas since the beginning of the week.

In the past 24 hours alone, some 1,500 civilians in four Aleppo districts have risen up against the militants, ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday, citing intelligence data.

The demonstrations were violently suppressed by the jihadists, his statement said, adding that dozens of people were killed and hundreds injured in eastern Aleppo on Tuesday, when militants opened fire at those protesting the occupation.

The mood for protests and resistance is apparently sweeping across larger militant-controlled areas in Aleppo, RT's Murad Gazdiev reported from Syria.

A number of videos have emerged online, purportedly showing people standing up to the rebels. In one of them, crowds can be seen chanting for everyone to go to the local council, demanding that it take down and deal with militant groups.

Unrest is growing at the rebel presence in parts of the city, as the population is deprived of food and is not being allowed to leave. There has also been an attempt by desperate civilians to seize a food storage depot used by the militants, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

Any routes out of eastern Aleppo are extremely dangerous, as terrorists have mined the streets leading to humanitarian corridors. Not only civilians, but also militants who decided to quit the resistance are being shot at and killed, according to local reports, which also say that punitive actions are being staged on a daily basis.

Terrorists Executing Militants Ready to Surrender in Aleppo - Russian MoD

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611161047503554-terrorists-eastern-aleppo/

The Russian Ministry of Defense made a statement on Tuesday saying that civilians who managed to escape Aleppo report that terrorists are carrying out 'intimidating actions' not only against civilians but against militants who had decided to surrender as well.

Terrorists are blocking any attempts by civilians to escape Eastern Aleppo using humanitarian corridors, Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

He further said that civilians are protesting against terrorists in the Eastern part of Aleppo, where 11 protests have been held so far this week.

"There's a growing resistance against terrorists on the locals' part in Eastern Aleppo. This week alone, there have been 11 protests in the terrorist-controlled areas of East Aleppo," Konashenkov said.

He then said that people are desperate and are demanding the "Governing Council" to stop the looting of food depots.

"Yesterday, at least 27 people were killed and hundreds wounded when terrorists attempted to disperse protest crowds in al-Amria and al-Fardus districts [in Aleppo]," Konashenkov said.

He noted that in the last 24 hours alone, there have been spontaneous protests in four areas of the city: Bustan al-Qasr, al-Kalasa, al-Amria and al-Fardus, with around 1,500 people taking part in the protest rallies.

"I'd like to stress that Russian Aerospace Forces' aircraft have conducted no strikes in the city of Aleppo for 29 days," Konashenkov said.

Syria's civil war between government forces and opposition has been ongoing for over five years and has given rise to a number of terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, both of which are outlawed in a number of countries, including Russia. Aleppo became the focus of the fighting when joint US-Russian mediation efforts collapsed in September and both sides resumed fighting.

Moscow Says US Rhetoric on Syria Situation Based on 'Flagrant Lies'

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201611151047478353-Russia-US-Syria/

Russia's defense ministry made the statement on Tuesday, adding that the US State Department has never backed its empty claims against Russia's actions in Syria with concrete actions.

Washington earlier raised its concerns over Russia’s recent strikes in Syria, US Department of State spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said in a briefing.

On Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin that a frigate had fired Kalibr cruise missiles on terrorist targets in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Homs.

"We continue to have these discussions in Geneva… We have raised the issue of bombardment," Trudeau said when asked whether Washington has raised the issue of airstrikes with Moscow.

"We do not know where Elizabeth Trudeau gets her information on the situation in Syria," Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. "Her recounting of rumors about alleged destruction of five hospitals and a mobile clinic by Russian airstrikes only confirms that all public rhetoric by the US State Department regarding th situation in Syria is based on flagrant lies."

"No matter how often we urged them to present concrete facts, they provided nothing but empty accusations," Konashenkov added.

 

[angelburst29]

I wonder if this counterfeit money is what has been photographed in wooden boxes and on pallets during Military seizures, as payment to the terrorist?

The US Secret Service successfully carried out its largest seizure of counterfeit money.

Secret Service Announces Largest Seizure of Counterfeit Currency
https://sputniknews.com/us/201611181047565947-secret-service-counterfreight-currency-seizure/

The US Secret Service successfully carried out its largest seizure of counterfeit money in a joint operation with the Peruvian government, the federal law enforcement agency said in a press release.

“The Secret Service announces the success of the largest operational seizure of counterfeit currency in the history of the agency,” the release stated on Thursday.

During Operation Sunset on November 15, Secret Service agents and Peruvian authorities seized $30 million worth of US counterfeit dollars and 50,000 Euros, the release revealed.

More than 1,500 Peruvian National Police officers were part of the operation, the release added, which led to the arrest of 48 people.

The release noted that Peru is the largest manufacturer and distributor of counterfeit US currency.

U.S. and Peruvian agents have seized a record $30 million in counterfeit dollars in the biggest netting of fake greenbacks ever by the U.S. Secret Service, the agency said on Thursday.

U.S., Peru seize $30 mln in fake dollars, biggest bust ever
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3947472/U-S--Peru-seize-30-mln-fake-dollars-biggest-bust-ever.html

The stash was discovered when more than 1,500 Peruvian police, along with Secret Service agents, carried out searches and arrest warrants on Tuesday in Lima, the agency said in a statement.

Fifty thousand fake euros were also seized and 48 people arrested in the raids, called Operation Sunset.

Peru is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of fake U.S. currency. Six counterfeit plants were shut down, eight manufacturing presses were seized and more than 1,600 printing plates and negatives of denominations were found, the Secret Service said.

 

[angelburst29]

U.S.-Pentagon problems at the Jordan Military Base.

The US Department of Defense is working with the Jordanian government to clarify circumstances of a shooting incident that left three American servicemen dead, the department’s spokesperson Peter Cook said in a statement on Friday.

Pentagon Works With Jordan to Determine Circumstances of Deaths of 3 US Soldiers
https://sputniknews.com/us/201611041047081201-pentagon-jordan-death/

Three US military service members were killed in a shooting at a military base in southern Jordan earlier in the day.

"We are saddened to report that three US service members were killed today in a shooting incident at a Jordanian military base," Cook stated. "We are working closely with the government of Jordan to determine exactly what happened."

According to reports, US military trainers were fired on when their vehicle failed to stop at the base’s gate.

The Jordanian Armed Forces said it was investigating a shootout at the gate of the King Feisal Airbase near the town of Manna. One Jordanian officer was also wounded, apparently shot in the neck by the US service members. A Department of Defense spokesman told Sputnik that the department was investigating the reports.

Disturbing details emerge in deaths of 3 American soldiers in Jordan
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-details-emerge-in-jordan-deaths-of-american-soldiers/

November 17, 2016 - A new -- and sinister-- picture is emerging in the shooting deaths of three American soldiers earlier this month in Jordan, an important U.S. ally in the Middle East.

When Army Sgt. James Moriarity’s body came home, U.S. officials said a video of the incident in which he and two other American soldiers were killed appeared to show a deliberate terrorist attack -- not, as was first believed, a tragic accident.

The three soldiers were all Green Berets working for the CIA in Jordan, training Syrian rebels. U.S. officials say the security camera video shows several American vehicles stopped in broad daylight at the entrance to the Jordanian air field where the Green Berets were based. The first was allowed to pass through the gate, but then a guard suddenly opened fire on the second vehicle, killing both Americans inside. The Americans in the third and fourth vehicles jumped out and started returning fire. The Jordanian guard shot and killed one of them before he was wounded by the other.

Jordanian officials originally blamed the Americans for failing to stop at the gate. But the U.S. embassy in Jordan said in a statement there is “absolutely no credible evidence” that they did not follow proper procedures.

The FBI is leading the investigation but so far has not been able to question the shooter because he is in a medically-induced coma.