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

[sToRmR1dR]

Paratroopers land in northwest Russia in rapid reaction force drills

http://tass.com/defense/894889

Over 300 Russian paratroopers are taking part in the Interaction-2016 military drills organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization member states

MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Over 300 Russian paratroopers have landed in the Pskov Region in northwest Russia in the Interaction-2016 military drills of the rapid reaction forces organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"As part of the main stage of the Interaction-2016 joint drills, paratroopers from the 31st separate air assault peace-keeping brigade (Ulyanovsk) landed near Pskov on an unknown site, covering a distance of more than 1,500 km by air before landing. Overall, more than 300 servicemen and six pieces of the armor were landed," the Defense Ministry’s press office said.

Eight Ilyushin Il-76 planes took off from Vostochny airfield in Ulyanovsk early in the morning of August 18 to airlift the paratroopers. Special Arbalet-2 and D-10 parachute systems were used for airborne landing.

"According to the exercises’ scenario, the paratroopers have performed airborne landing to seize a notional enemy’s airfield and retain it until the arrival of the main forces. Also, an advance reconnaissance detachment from the 98th division of the Airborne Force held reconnaissance and search operations, blocked and destroyed the command posts of illegal armed formations after seizing bridge-crossing sites in the area of responsibility of the rapid reaction collective forces," the Defense Ministry said.

The CSTO is holding rapid reaction force drills on August 16-19. It was earlier reported that the maneuvers would involve about 6,000 troops or thrice as many as last year. More than 50 aircraft and helicopters have also been involved in the drills.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Russian warship Yaroslav Mudry starts anti-piracy mission in Gulf of Aden

http://tass.com/defense/894901

The Russian combat ship embarked on an anti-piracy mission in the area of the Horn of Africa

KALININGRAD, August 18. /TASS/. The Russian Baltic Fleet’s frigate Yaroslav Mudry has left the port of Djibouti to start an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, fleet spokesman Roman Martov said on Thursday.

"In Djibouti, the necessary supplies were replenished, maintenance work was carried out and the ship’s check was held. Currently, the Russian combat ship has embarked on an anti-piracy mission in the area of the Horn of Africa," Martov said.

The Yaroslav Mudry left the naval base on June 1.

The Russian warship was involved in an incident with the US guided missile destroyer Gravely (Arleigh Burke-class), which moved dangerously close to the Russian warship in the eastern Mediterranean on June 17. The Russian Defense Ministry qualified the US warship crew’s actions as unprofessional.

US Transfers Nukes From Turkey to Romania Amid Rising Tensions

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160818/1044385389/us-nuclear-weapons-turke-romania.html

Non-Proliferation Treaty Forbids US Sending Nuclear Weapons to Romania

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160818/1044405194/npt-us-nukes-romania.html

The Non-Proliferation Treaty prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear countries, an advocacy group underscored commenting on reports that Washington was going to relocate its nukes from Turkey to Romania.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Transferring US nuclear weapons to Romania would be dangerous and illegal under international law, the advocacy group Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said in a statement on Thursday.

"Article one of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) specifically prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear-weapon states," Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Secretary-General Kate Hudson stated.

Additionally, article two of the NPT makes it illegal for Romania to accept the weapons, Hudson noted.

Earlier on Thursday, the Brussels-based EurActiv online news outlet cited sources as saying that the United States was getting ready to relocate the warheads from Turkey to Romania.

The move was explained as stemming from increasingly tense US-Turkey relations following the failed July 15 coup attempt to oust Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Romanian Foreign Ministry has denied the media reports.

Institute chaired by US senator McCain branded ‘undesirable’ NGO in Russia

http://tass.com/politics/894881

Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office considers the activity of the International Republican Institute and the Media Development Investment Fund, Inc. a threat to Russia

MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday the activity of two more foreign NGOs, including the International Republican Institute chaired by US Senator John McCain, is undesirable in Russia.

In total, seven NGOs have been named undesirable in Russia.

"Today after studying the materials the Prosecutor General’s Office made decisions to consider that the activity of foreign NGOs - the International Republican Institute and the Media Development Investment Fund, Inc. - is undesirable on the territory of Russia," it said.

The activity of these organizations poses a threat to the basis of Russia’s constitutional system and security of the state, the press service said. The information on the decision has been sent to Russia’s Justice Ministry.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) says its goal is to assist countries in building democracy. The organization works in close cooperation with the US Department of State and some foundations financing pro-American political forces around the world.

Headquartered in Washington, the IRI has been working in Russia since 1992 and has carried out a series of trainings for the State Duma members and regional and local parliaments. Last summer, the organization was included in the so-called "patriotic stop list" drawn up by the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council. Mass media reports said the institute helped to finance coups in Latin America during the Cold War.

The Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) is a New York-registered not-for-profit corporation that "provides affordable financing and technical assistance to independent news and information businesses in challenging environments, helping them to become financially sustainable," according to its website. The organization is financed by various funds and individual investors from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the US. It also cooperated with the Open Society Foundation founded by business magnate George Soros. The fund says it has no links with the U

List of undesirable NGOs in Russia

The Prosecutor General’s Office has earlier said five foreign organizations were undesirable in Russia. The NGOs, which have been included in the list of the Justice Ministry, are the National Endowment for Democracy, the OSI Assistance Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, the U.S. Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Russia ready to support weekly 48-hour humanitarian ceasefires in Aleppo – Defense Ministry

https://www.rt.com/news/356409-aleppo-humanitarian-truce-russia/

The Russian Ministry of Defense has backed a proposal from the UN Syria envoy to organize 48-hour weekly ceasefires to supply humanitarian relief to Aleppo citizens. The first truce could be organized as early as next week.

The proposal – which was originally voiced last week by the UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who called for 48-hour ceasefires instead of the three hours proposed by the Russian side – has been welcomed in Moscow.

As a means to broaden the scale of the humanitarian mission in Aleppo, the Russian Defense Ministry is ready to back the UN proposal to introduce the 48-hour pauses, which would allow the city’s population to be supplied with food and medication, and for vital infrastructure damaged by terrorist shelling to be restored, the ministry’s spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said.

A test-run of the 48-hour truces could be organized next week to see if relief can reach civilians safely.

“A more precise date and time will be determined after receiving information about the readiness of the convoys from the UN representatives and receiving confirmation of the security guarantees of their safe travel from our American partners,” Konashenkov said.

The Russian Ministry of Defense proposed that humanitarian aid be delivered to Aleppo by two separate routes to western and eastern parts of the city, as the eastern part of Aleppo is controlled by militia while the western part is controlled by government forces.

The first route will start from Gaziantep, Turkey, through a border checkpoint, and by the Castello road to the eastern part of Aleppo. The second one will use the road to the east of Aleppo which encircles the city to the Handarat area, and then by the Castello road to the western part of the city.

The Ministry of Defense added that Moscow is ready to discuss the issues concerning the safety of UN humanitarian convoys with Damascus and expects the same security guarantees from Washington regarding the so-called “moderate opposition” and other units.

On July 28, Russia and Syria launched a large-scale humanitarian operation for Aleppo residents, opening three corridors for civilians and those ready to lay down arms to exit the city. Four more corridors were opened several days later.

On Tuesday August 16, Russian long-range Tu-22M3 bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers delivered airstrikes in Syria in Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor and Idlib provinces against installations of Islamic State terrorists (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), taking off from Hamadan Airbase in western Iran. The operation was covered by Su-30SM and Su-35S jet fighters which took off from Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Syria.

US Sets Up New Military Base in Hasaka
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950528000536

Syrian Airforce strikes Kurds in Hasakah amid intensifying clashes [Report + Video]

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-airforce-strikes-kurds-hasakah-amid-intensifying-clashes-report-video/

Syrian fighter jets conducted, for the first time, airstrikes against Kurdish positions in the northeastern province of Al-Hasakah , only one day after the city witnessed fierce clashes between the Kurdish militia and pro-government fighters.

The airstrikes hit a training camp for the Kurdish units in Tal Baidar, in addition to outposts for the Asayish forces in Al-Mahlaj, Al-Kallasah and Al-Nasirah neighborhoods.

http://<iframe width="420" height="...Is" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Syrian authorities have also called on the Arabs living in the predominantly-Kurdish city to arm themselves and fight the Kurdish separatists who adopt ‘a relocation project’.

Kurds in northern and northeastern Syria are attempting to have their own autonomous state along the Turkish border. The bid is strongly opposed by both Syrian and Turkish authorities.

The blatant instigation made by the Kurds has backfired. Significant numbers of the Arabs fighting under the umbrella of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defected to the pro-government National Defense Forces (NDF) following the recent provocative practices of the Kurds against the indigenous Arab population.

Local activists reported that Syrian and Kurdish officials met this afternoon and agreed on a ceasefire. However, the Asayish forces refused to abide and fired a barrage of mortars at government-held districts only minutes after the truce was reached.

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Military Source: Militants' Convoys Targeted in Idlib, Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950528000676

"The Syrian Air Force destroyed a number of vehicles, some of which equipped with machineguns, in the area surrounding Zardana village in Idlib," the source said.

"Three convoys of militants' vehicles were also smashed in Western Aleppo," he added.

The military source said that tens of terrorists were killed and wounded in the airstrikes and their weapons and vehicles were fully destroyed.

The Syrian and Russian fighter jets conducted 200 airstrikes against the military positions and gathering centers of the terrorist groups in the Southwestern part of Aleppo on Wednesday.

The Syrian fighter jets strongly pounded the terrorists' centers in al-Bab road, Qaterchi region, al-Sha'ar, al-Jazmati, Qazi Askar, al-Meyser, al-Movaselat and Karm al-Tarab.

Also on Wednesday, Syria's warplanes precisely targeted a convoy of military vehicles in the Western countryside of the city of Aleppo in Northern Syria, killing dozen terrorists.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian warplanes hit the military positions of the terrorists in the surrounding areas of the military academy buildings in the Southwestern countryside of Aleppo, destroying their military hardware, weapons and ammunition.

In a relevant development, the Russian fighter jets hit a military convoy of the terrorist groups in the countryside of the city of Aleppo on Wednesday, inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the terrorists.

The Jeish al-Fatah terrorists' military convoy came under Russian air raids on a road linking military academy buildings to al-Ramousiyeh region.

At least 20 terrorists were killed and several of their military vehicles were also destroyed in Russian fighter jets' strikes on al-Ramousiyeh road.

Also the Syrian air force destroyed terrorists’ positions, military vehicle convoys, including armored machinegun-equipped vehicles as well as cars loaded with ammunition, killing scores of terrorists to the East of Khanaser, Khan Touman, Kafar Hamra, Mitrem, West of al-Mansoura, at the surrounding areas of the military academy buildings and Talat Bazo in Aleppo city and its countryside.

Syrian Army, Hezbollah capture several points in southern Aleppo

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-hezbollah-capture-several-points-southern-aleppo/

Aleppo, Syria (12:15 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), backed by Hezbollah and Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary), reportedly captured Al-Qarassi this morning after launching their second attack on this village.

According to a military source in Aleppo, Jaysh Al-Fateh lost three field commanders during the battle of Al-Qarassi; these leaders were identified as “Abu Mohammad Al-Nashimi”, “Abu Ahmad Al-Souri”, and “Abu Al-Bara’a Al-Hamwi.”

Following the capture of Al-Qarassi, the Syrian Armed Forces and their allies reportedly seized ‘Amarah village and ‘Amarah Hill after a fierce battle with Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) that resulted in the death of several jihadists.

The Syrian Armed Forces and their allies are now attacking the village of Khalsah, which was originally captured by Jaysh Al-Fateh in May of this year.

This latest government offensive appears to be an attempt to spread out the Jaysh Al-Fateh forces and recapture the territory they lost over the last few months.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Policeman killed in armed attack on traffic police station near Moscow — source

http://tass.ru/en/society/894728

Daesh claims responsibility for attack on police post near Moscow

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/19/480689/Russia-Daesh-Moscow-Chechens-North-Caucasus

The Takfiri Daesh terrorist group has claimed responsibility for a recent terrorist attack on a traffic police post near Moscow, Russia, weeks after threatening acts of terror on Russian soil.

Amaq, a news outlet affiliated to Daesh, said on Thursday that the two of its militants had carried out the assault on the road police station in the Balashikha area, east of Moscow, on August 17.

The post came under attack on Wednesday by two men armed with a firearm and two axes.

Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that that one of the assailants was shot dead while attacking the post while the other was killed when he tried to put up armed resistance.

At least two police officers were injured in the attack, one seriously.

Some Russian media reports indicate the attackers have been identified as Usman Murdalov, 21, and Sulim Israilov, 18, both ethnic Chechens.

According to a report by Russian daily Kommersant, the attackers’ IDs were found in their bags after the deadly incident, along with a receipt for the purchase of two axes some 20 minutes prior to the assault.

The developments come as Russia has been bombing Daesh and al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorist groups in Syria at the official request of the Syrian government since September 2015.

Earlier this month, Daesh called on its members and would-be members to carry out terror attacks in Russia.

The Takfiri group released a video on social media on Friday, in which a masked Daesh member is seen saying: “Listen [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, we will come to Russia and will kill you at your homes.”

Hundreds of militants from the North Caucasus region have joined Daesh ranks in recent years.

Russia has been fighting militants since the mid 1990s in its North Caucasus region, where the republics of Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia have been the scene of sporadic attacks and militant clashes.

ISIS oaths, AK-47 & 5 TNT blocks: Terror suspect detained in central Russia, media report

https://www.rt.com/news/356441-russia-isis-terror-arrest/

A terror suspect has been detained in Samara, central Russia, a police source told media. Islamic State oaths, a Kalashnikov rifle and five blocks of TNT were found in the man's apartment.

"A suspected organizer of a terror act was detained in Leninsky district of Samara on August 18. He is a citizen of one of Russia's Central Asian republics, born in 1982," enforcement sources told TASS news agency Friday.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Man suspected of plotting terrorist attack detained in Russia’s Volga region

http://tass.com/society/895011

SAMARA, August 19. /TASS/. Russia’s police and Federal Security Service officers in Samara have detained a man suspected of attempting to carry out a terrorist attack in the Volga region, a local law enforcement source told TASS on Friday.

The suspect identified as a 34-year-old national of a Central Asian republic was arrested in a special operation in Samara’s Leninsky district on Thursday. During the search of his house, officers seized a Kalashnikov assault rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition, 5 TNT blocks and instructions on how to make explosive devices.

The officers also found an oath to loyalty to the leader of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization banned in Russia and instructions for the members of illegal armed groups, and also religious literature included in the federal list of extremist materials.

The suspect has admitted his guilt. A criminal case has been opened into plotting a terrorist attack.

Russian Missile Troops Complete Iskander-M Training Launch in Far East - MoD

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160819/1044420431/russian-missile-troops-complete-iskander-m-training-launch.html

Russia’s Eastern Military District missile formations performed combat training launches of the new Iskander-M tactical operational missile systems in the Jewish Autonomous Region, district spokesman Alxander Gordeev said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The missile successfully engaged its target in the Amur Region, including a simulated enemy’s command post, over the course of a 186-mile journey that began at the Jewish Autonomous Region’s training facility.

"Eastern Military District missile troops completed combat training launches from the Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system within the bilateral command-and-staff exercises under the supervision of the Eastern Command chief Col. Gen. Sergei Surovkin," Gordeev said.

The launch allowed the motorized infantry to launch an offensive as part of the practical phase of the exercises in the Amur Region.

The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) is a mobile ballistic missile system designed to destroy a wide variety of ground targets at a range of up to 310 miles.

Russian Logistics Units Rehearse Support Mission in Crimea - Defense Ministry

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160819/1044419967/russian-logistics-units-rehearse-support-mission-crimea.html

Russian support crews are rehearsing logistics and materiel support exercises to formations in Crimea, Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Dmitry Bulgakov said Friday.

FEODOSIA (Crimean Republic), (Sputnik) – Black Sea Fleet support vessels performed towing, degaussing and service recovery tasks at sea, he added. On land, the Southern Military District’s logistics units evacuated equipment from the battlefield, transported military equipment and performed mass jet refueling missions at the Opuk range.

"The logistics support units embarked on working out the practical tasks of logistics support in the naval and land ranges of the Republic of Crimea," Bulgakov said.

Russia’s Caspian Flotilla Ships Perform Shooting Exercises - Defense Ministry

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160819/1044422125/russia-caspian-flotilla-ships-perform-shooting-exercises.html

Crews of small artillery ships of the Russian Caspian Flotilla have performed shooting exercises at sea, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District said in a statement on Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — As part of the flotilla’s drills, crews of Dagestan and Tatarstan rocket ships as well as crews of Uglich and Veliky Ustyug small missile ships, managed to destroy a simulated enemy’s naval detachment, having performed electronic launches from the Kalibr-NK missile complex.

"The second naval group composed of small artillery ships the Volgodonsk and the Makhachkala jointly with the Shmel artillery boats carried out exercises on anti-ship defense of vessels crossing the sea. During the exercises, naval gunners fired at targets simulating a detachment of enemy ships," the statement said.

The Volgodonsk and the Makhachkala crews also reportedly performed air defense drills in the Caspian Sea. During these exercises, a simulated enemy's air force was dropping bombs on the vessels while the naval gunners were deterring the attack, destroying the falling air targets.

China holds naval drill in Sea of Japan

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/19/480702/China-Sea-of-Japan-naval-drill

China has conducted a “routine” naval drill in the Sea of Japan with the participation of missile-equipped warships, a Chinese military publication says.

The drill was conducted in “certain part of the Sea of Japan,” China’s People’s Liberation Army Daily said on Friday, without providing any more specifics.

“Exercises far out at sea in international waters are commonly done by navies of the world, and this year our navy has many times organized fleets to carry out exercises far out in the Western Pacific,” the newspaper said.

Chinese destroyer Xi’an, frigate Hengshui and supply ship Goyouhu took part in the exercise.

Drill commander Xu Haihua described the exercise as part of routine annual arrangements, which was meant to help improve the navy’s ability to fight far out at sea.

The Chinese military daily said the drill was carried out in accordance with international law and “was not aimed at any specific country, region or target.”

The strategic Sea of Japan is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea.

China conducted a joint naval drill with the Russian navy near the waters of the Sea of Japan last year.

China’s next-generation missiles

Meanwhile, local Chinese media say Beijing is considering using a high level of artificial intelligence and automation in developing its next generation of cruise missiles.

“We plan to adopt a ‘plug and play’ approach in the development of new cruise missiles, which will enable our military commanders to tailor-make missiles in accordance with combat conditions,” Wang Changqing of the China Aerospace and Industry Corp told the state-run China Daily.

“They will allow commanders to control them in real time manner, or to use a fire-and-forget mode, or even to add more tasks to in-flight missiles,” Wang added.

Beijing’s growing military power has concerned the United States as well as China’s neighbors, some of whom are engaged in territorial disputes with it.

China, however, says it has no hostile intention and that it only seeks to modernize its military in an attempt to protect its legitimate security needs.

 

[angelburst29]

'Scared and Dazed': Surgeon Describes Treating Boy Who Became Face of Aleppo's Suffering
https://gma.yahoo.com/scared-dazed-surgeon-describes-treating-boy-became-face-172758126--abc-news-topstories.html

The 5-year-old boy from Aleppo couldn’t remember what happened.

He was covered in dust and bleeding from the head but didn’t know exactly why, according to the doctor who treated him.

The boy’s name is Omran Daqneesh, and his photo has been shared thousands of times on social media.

“Omran was scared and dazed at the same time. He wasn’t crying at all. It seemed like he had been asleep when it happened,” Mohammad, a surgeon in Aleppo who treated Omran, told ABC News.

Omran was rescued from a destroyed building in the besieged city's Qaterji neighborhood after an airstrike. “He was very lucky. He only had a simple wound in the scalp. We cleaned and stitched the wound and cleaned his face and clothes. There was no brain damage, and he was discharged after two hours,” Mohammad said.

Abo Rajab, a nurse who treated Omran, told ABC News that “Omran looked very, very shocked and frightened. In the beginning, he didn’t speak at all. But after his treatment, he started crying and yelling, “father, mother.'"

He continued, “His parents were very, very affected and scared for their son and crying. But we comforted them and told them that the wound was superficial. But he wasn’t speaking so it seemed like his condition was very serious. It seemed like he was unconscious and like the wound had affected his brain. But it turned out that he was fine."

Eight residents from Omran’s neighborhood were sent for treatment at the hospital, including four other children, according to doctor Mohammad. At another hospital, one child, a woman and an elderly man died from the attack, he said.

“Many children are killed in this war when residential neighborhoods are attacked and they are at home or playing in the street,” he said, adding that 12 children under the age of 15 were injured after attacks on the city Wednesday.

“There are hundreds and thousands of stories like Omran’s,” he continued. “Omran was lucky. Other children are dead or paralyzed, and their stories didn’t reach the world.”

Mohammad said that repeated attacks on hospitals and lack of specialist doctors are some of the problems health workers face. He said he is one of only 15 surgeons left in Aleppo and that his hospital has been targeted more than 10 times.

Short video clip of wounded child
http://abcnews.go.com/US/photo-wounded-child-captures-horror-aleppo-siege/story?id=41476387

Also here:

Notice - ABC's propaganda spin that "Russia or government warplanes" are to blame for the air strikes that lead to the collapse of the building, this child, his family and other residents were in. Evidence points to "U.S. coalition Forces" as being involved in the strikes. The script is heavily infused with comments from the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, such as,
"Activists living in opposition areas rely on informants in government-controlled Latakia province to warn residents of impending airstrikes. On Wednesday evening, an informant relayed word of a warplane taking off from the Russian air base at Hmeimim.

"We expected the plane to arrive in Aleppo airspace in two minutes, and sure enough it did," Raslan said. "It struck twice."

No one was injured in the first strike, he said. The second one turned little Omran's life upside down."

Image of Aleppo Boy Shocks World; Russia Offers Cease-Fires
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/haunting-image-syrian-boy-rescued-aleppo-rubble-41476522

The Russian military said Thursday it was ready to back a U.N. call for weekly cease-fires for Syria's contested city of Aleppo, as haunting footage of a young boy's rescue from the aftermath of an airstrike shook global media.

The image of the stunned and weary-looking boy, sitting in an ambulance caked with dust and with blood on his face, captured the horror that has beset the war-torn northern city as photographs of the child were widely shared on social media.

An hour after his rescue, the badly damaged building the boy was in completely collapsed.

Rescue workers and journalists arrived shortly after the strike and described pulling victims from the rubble.

"We were passing them from one balcony to the other," said photojournalist Mahmoud Raslan, who took the dramatic photo. He said he had passed along three lifeless bodies when someone handed him the wounded boy. Raslan gave the child to a rescue worker, who rushed him to the ambulance.

Eight people died in the strike, including five children, according to a doctor who gave only his first name, Abo Mohammadian. Many doctors working in Aleppo's opposition areas do not give their full names for fear of reprisals against their relatives in government areas.

A nurse who treated Omran said "he was in a daze."

"It was as if he was asleep. Not unconscious, but traumatized — lost," said Mahmoud Abu Rajab.

"It was as if he was asleep. Not unconscious, but traumatized — lost," said Mahmoud Abu Rajab.

Medical workers feared internal injuries, but an X-ray and an ultrasound revealed his wounds were superficial. Abu Rajab stitched up the child and wrapped his forehead and left eye in a bandage.

Omran's three siblings, ages 1, 6, and 11, and his mother and father were also rescued from the building. None sustained major injuries.

"We sent the younger children immediately to the ambulance, but the 11-year-old girl waited for her mother to be rescued," said Raslan, adding that the woman's ankle was pinned beneath the rubble.

In the video posted late Wednesday by the Aleppo Media Center, a man was seen carrying Omran away from the chaotic nighttime scene and into an ambulance. Looking dazed, the boy ran his hands over his blood-covered face, then wiped them on the orange ambulance chair. (Article continues.)

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin arrives in Crimea to hold Security Council meeting, attend forum

http://tass.com/politics/895038

At the previous meeting with the Security Council the president discussed additional security measures for infrastructure facilities in Crimea after a foiled terrorist attack on the peninsula

SEVASTOPOL, August 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Crimea to hold a meeting with the members of Russia’s Security Council and attend the Tavrida youth educational forum.

At the previous meeting with the Security Council on August 11, the president discussed additional security measures for citizens and infrastructure facilities in Crimea after foiled terrorist attacks on the peninsula earlier this month. The sides considered in detail "the scenarios of measures of anti-terrorist security on the land border, in the water area and in the airspace of Crimea," the Kremlin press service said.

Last week, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had thwarted attempted terrorist attacks in Crimea plotted by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate. A group of saboteurs was spotted in the small hours of August 7 near the city of Armyansk, close to the border with Ukraine. Two Russian servicemen were killed in the process of detaining the terrorists. The aborted terror attempts were designed to target Crimea’s critical infrastructure and vital facilities, the FSB said.

Putin slammed the Ukrainian special services’ attempted sabotage plot in Crimea as irrational and criminal. The real purpose was to distract public attention from Ukraine’s current domestic quagmire, he added. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has dismissed Moscow’s accusations saying this was a provocation.

The Tavrida forum, which has been held since 2014, is attended by young composers, choreographers, architects, writers, poets, film directors and actors. This year, the forum kicked off on July 1 and will run until August 24. Some 3,000 young people aged between 18 and 30 are taking part in the event. These are young professionals from across Russia and neighboring countries. The goal of the forum is to form professional communities consisting of young cultural figures.

New China-Russia Route Paves Way for Global Transit

http://sputniknews.com/business/20160819/1044442837/china-russia-trade-route.html

Russia and China together with Mongolia have launched a major new transportation project. Although in the near future it will have only regional importance (especially for the Siberian regions of Russia), in the future a new route can become one more branch of the global transit between China and Europe.

Russia, Mongolia and China have inaugurated a new route for the passage of freight transit vehicles from the port of the Chinese city of Tianjin through the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator to the main city of the Russian Republic of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude.

This symbolic mileage should help countries to sign three intergovernmental agreements on the international transport using the Asian Highway.

“We are confident that the development of transport along this corridor will give impetus to the development of all areas through which it will pass,” Head of the International Cooperation at Department of Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Roman Alexandrov, said in an interview with Vzglyad.ru news website.

The new route from China is an alternative passage to the existing route today, which starts from Beijing and goes through Zabaykalsk in Irkutsk. This new route is 1,500 km shorter. The cargo column right now goes to Ulan-Ude, but it is assumed that the track will go further to Irkutsk and Novosibirsk.

Russia’s Siberian regions will be connected with China and Mongolia via highways.

Part of Something Larger

However, this route should only be a first step towards the realization of more global projects. This economic corridor may pave the way to the possibility of integrating this route into a more global one.

The idea of constructing the Trans-Eurasian transport corridor involves the creation of highways, high-speed and conventional rail, telecommunication networks, pipelines, customs terminals in Europe (starting with London) through Russia via Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

In theory, the route from China through Mongolia easily intersects with the Irkutsk Trans-Eurasian transport corridor.

Mongolia, which is a land locked country, is seeking to open a route for increased business transportation. It has developed the “Mongolian Steppe Route” which provides not only the development of roads from China to Russia, but in general, development of transport and logistics infrastructure in the country.

The plan is to upgrade all of the railway lines and build a high-speed highway with a length of over 1,000 km, which would be crossing over Mongolia from south to north.
Russia and China have approved the Mongolian Steppe in 2014. It seems that the idea behind this is similar to the old “Great Tea Route” which was developed for economic and tourist routes and for integration of a global transport flow.

Effects of New Route

However, for Buryatia and the southern regions of Siberia a new road is important. It really is a short and easy route. It will facilitate the transportation of goods, speed up their flow and also relieve carriers from unnecessary spending.

It is estimated that by 2020 due to the distribution of traffic flows via the new routes, freight traffic will grow by 17-20%.

“In the future, growth is possible by up to 10% per year, which corresponds to an average annual growth of the volume of foreign trade of Russia and China,” General Director of the Russian Agency of Road Transport (Rosavtotrans) Alexey Dvoinih said.

The growth of trade turnover between the southern regions of Eastern Siberia and China will benefit both the sides.

“The demand for Russian raw materials on the part of Chinese businessmen will give impetus to the development of local industries, including the coal industry. At the same time, the emergence in the market of cheapened Chinese consumer goods allows the impact of the crisis on living standards of the population to be neutralized,” partner at the Kirikov Group, Daniel Kirikov told Vzglyad.ru.

China for its part, will receive new markets and access to cheap raw materials. Mongolia will also ensure economic growth through the development of transport and service infrastructure in the form of gas stations, catering establishments, hotels and so on.

China to set up fund for Russian projects financing

http://tass.com/economy/895100

China Overseas Development Association’s Russian Center s currently looking for reliable investment projects in Russia

BEIJING, August 19. /TASS/. China Overseas Development Association’s Russian Center (CODARC) plans to establish a fund for investments into short-term projects in Russia in 2018, CODARC Secretary-General Zhan Ming told TASS on Friday.

"The next development phase of our Center will be launch of a fund to finance Russian projects. It will start operations in the nearest future and will reach the target financing volume in two years," the expert said.

CODARC is currently looking for "reliable investment projects," Zhan Ming said. "This task requires a very thorough approach," he added.

CODARC was founded in 2015 for the purpose of supporting Russian and Chinese companies in promotion of their projects, search for financing sources and settlement of legal issues.

Now is 'Right Time for China' to Play More Active Role in Syrian Crisis

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160819/1044439422/china-syria-military.html

Earlier in the week, Guan Youfei, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China's Central Military Commission, visited Damascus. He pledged to increase "humanitarian" support for the Syrian and enhance personnel training.

This decision could be very important for the Syrian war. China may add to the military assistance provided by Russia, Russian military expert Vasily Kashin told Sputnik.

Earlier, China provided significant military support for the Syrian Army, including deliveries of vehicles and military equipment. The recent developments show that China’s military support for Syria would be increased. Now the Syrian Army is in need of communication equipment, medicines and engineering hardware.

"As for personnel training, China has some advantages because some weapons with the Syrian Army are still in use with the Chinese Armed Forces," Kashin told Sputnik.

Among those weapons are, for instance, Soviet-made D-20 and D-30 howitzers as well as BMP-1 infantry combat vehicles and S-60 anti-aircraft guns. They and their analogues are still used by the Chinese military, the expert said.

He added that China also could train military specialists in transportation, logistics, communications and military medical aid.

According to Kashin, it was very important for Beijing to pick the right time to get involved in the Syrian crisis with military assistance.

"It was difficult for China to take the right stance towards Syria, much more difficult than for Russia. Beijing has a broad network of trade ties with Middle Eastern countries, including regional rivals. Saudi Arabia and Iran are equally important for China as trade and energy partners," the expert said.

At the same time, Syria has become a place attracting radical Islamists from all over the world.

"There are hundreds of militants from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Syria. They have schools and training camps there. China is interested in destroying the terrorists," the expert said.

In addition, if the Syrian war is over and Bashar Assad or some of his supporters stay in power it would be a big victory for developing countries.

"The US regime change strategy, including support for rebels and imposing pro-Western regimes, is collapsing. The consequences will be global, from the Middle East to Africa and Eastern Asia. China is concerned by Washington’s policy of 'color revolutions' and wants to undermine it," Kashin said.

Currently, the Syrian war is entering the decisive phase, including fierce clashes around Aleppo. The parties involved are intensifying their efforts, and maybe now is the right moment for China to get involved, he concluded.

Russian MP says China’s upgrading ties with Syria can form non-NATO anti-terror coalition

http://tass.com/politics/895061

An MP says Russia, China, India and Iran have common interests in the region

MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. Chairman of the State Duma (lower house of parliament) Defense Committee, Admiral Vladimir Komoedov, has noted that the Chinese military’s desire to upgrade ties with Syria could be the first step towards forming a military and political coalition of non-NATO countries.

"The Chinese military in Syria is the first step towards putting together a serious military-political coalition dominated by countries that are not aligned with the aggressive NATO bloc. The time has come to form such a coalition," the lawmaker told journalists on Friday, commenting on a report about the Chinese Defense Ministry seeking to boost military cooperation with Syria. The report cited a statement made by Guan Youfei, Head of the Chinese Central Military Commission’s Office for International Military Cooperation, at a meeting with Syrian Defense Minister General Fahd Jassem al-Freij in Damascus.

Komoedov added that if Russia, China, India and Iran pooled efforts in the Middle East, the problem of liquidating the illegal Islamic state and the terrorism it produces would be resolved within a year.

"It’s not just the powerful military potential of these players but also serious political influence," the parliamentarian stressed.

According to Komoedov, Russia, China, India and Iran all have common interests in the region, as "peace and stability in the Middle East is needed" for economic and political stability throughout Europe and Asia. "That is why other countries could join the coalition that we are discussing. I am glad that at last there is an understanding on the issue at the highest international level," the admiral proclaimed.

US strategies in Mideast have failed, Iran defense minister says

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/19/480761/Iran-US-Middle-East-Defense-Minister-Hossein-Dehqan

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan says the Middle East and the entire world are grappling with the consequences of the US interventionist policies, stressing that Washington’s strategies have failed in the region.

Speaking in the pre-sermon address to worshippers at the weekly Friday prayers in Tehran, Dehqan said the September 11, 2011 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York led to the US invasion and occupation of the two Muslim countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The whole world, including the Middle East region, is still grappling with the severe and profound consequences of this invasion and occupation, he added.

Dehqan said the US thought that by pursuing the Greater Middle East strategy it could secure a permanent presence in the region and achieve its goals through claims of promoting stability, peace, security, democracy and welfare.

He noted that Washington was also pursuing fueling the flames of insecurity and instability in the region in order to destroy the national capabilities of the countries standing against it.

Iran's military power

Elsewhere in his remarks, Dehqan pointed to the Iranian Armed Forces’ power to repel any threat against the country, saying, “We have the military potential and capacity... to counter and crush any possible aggression against the country."

He said Iran’s defense industry is capable of supplying all military needs of the Armed Forces in accordance with the country’s defensive doctrine.

The Iranian defense minister went on to say that the country's missiles can hit targets with high accuracy and at a range proportionate to the level of the possible threats.

Dehqan emphasized that in addition to the Iranian Armed Forces, the resistance front enjoys Iran’s high military capacities.

“Today, a major proportion of the resistance movement's defense needs are supplied by our defense industry," the Iranian defense minister pointed out.
On March 30, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stressed the importance of strengthening Iran’s defense capabilities in the face of the threats posed by the country's enemies.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and reached self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured other nations, especially the regional countries, that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence and poses no threat to other states.

Russian Warships Launch Cruise Missiles on al-Nusra Front Targets in Syria

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160819/1044435044/russia-fleet-cruise-missiles-syria.html

Russian warships of the Black Sea Fleet conducted three launches of the Kalibr cruise missiles on al-Nusra Front targets in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The strikes destroyed a terrorist command center and a base Dar-Taaza, as well as a major plant producing mortar ammunition and a large arms depot in the Aleppo province, the ministry said.

"Today, at 10:55 a.m., Zelyony Dol and Serpukhov small-sized missile ships of the Black Sea Fleet carried out three launches of sea-based Kalibr cruise missiles on al-Nusra Front targets in Syria from the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea during combat maneuvering."

http://<iframe width="560" height="...Iw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

"The transit corridor for the Kalibr cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea was planned over an unpopulated area to ensure the safety of civilians," the ministry said.

Russia's Kalibr cruise missiles that have a range of 2,000 km were first used in combat in October 2015, when the Gepard-class frigate Dagestan, part of the Caspian Flotilla, and three other Russian Navy corvettes launched 26 Kalibr-class cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea at 11 targets in Syria as part of Russia's aerial campaign against terrorists.

US Sets Up New Military Base in Hasaka
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950528000536

Syrian Airforce strikes Kurds in Hasakah amid intensifying clashes [Report + Video]

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-airforce-strikes-kurds-hasakah-amid-intensifying-clashes-report-video/

Pentagon sends jets, warning as Syria bombs near US-backed Kurds

https://www.rt.com/usa/356527-us-syria-jets-pentagon/

The US-led coalition scrambled planes near the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah, after Syrian SU-24 airplanes dropped bombs “dangerously near” the US Special Forces operators embedded with the Kurdish YPG militia in the area.

Two Syrian Su-24 jets struck Kurdish positions in and near Hasakah, in northeastern Syria, on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.

The strike came close to US Special Forces operators, who were embedded with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), comprised of the Kurdish YPG and local Arab militias.

By the time the US jets arrived, the Syrian bombers had already departed. No Americans were wounded in the bombing, according to Davis. The Special Forces were ordered to retreat from the area as a precaution.

When the strikes began, the “coalition forces on the ground” tried reaching the Syrian jets on a common radio frequency, but received no response, Davis added. US forces then reached out to the Russian military, using a previously established channel, and the Russians confirmed their aircraft were not involved.

The Americans made it clear that the US would “take whatever action is necessary” to defend the special operators on the ground, Davis said.

The US has increased air patrols in the area, Davis said.

Local media report that the fighting in Hasakah broke out earlier this week between the pro-government National Defense Forces (NDF) militia and the Kurdish forces, with the Syrian Army role limited to 10 airstrikes against the Kurds.

The US-backed SDF was set up in October 2015, as a proxy force against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). The militia recently succeeded in ousting IS from Manbij, a strategic city in northern Syria near the Turkish border.

While the Russian aerospace forces have been invited by the government in Damascus, the presence of US forces in Syria is not authorized under international law.

Hasakah - Are U.S. Troops "Advising" Kurds To Attack The Syrian Army?

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2016/08/hasakah-are-us-troops-advising-kurds-to-attack-the-syrian-army-.html

Yesterday a fight broke out between Syrian Arab Army troops and local Kurdish forces in the predominately Kurdish city of Hasakah in north-eastern Syria. Hasakah, with some 200,000 inhabitants, has held a SAA garrison for years. There is some enmity between the Kurds and the soldiers but the situation is generally peaceful.

There have been earlier fights but these were local rivalries between Syrian auxiliary National Defense Forces from local Arab (Christian) minorities and some gangs who form a Kurdish internal security force under the label Asayish. Such fights usually ended after a day or two when grown-ups on both sides resolved the conflict over this or that checkpoint or access route.

The Islamic State (grey on the map) once threatened Hasakah but that danger is now far away.

Yesterday another fight broke out, but got serious. The Syrian air force was called in to defend against the attacks on the SAA garrison and minority quarters:

Syrian government warplanes bombed Kurdish-held areas of the northeastern city of Hasaka on Thursday for the first time in the five-year-old civil war, the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and a monitoring group said.
...
The Syrian government still has footholds in the cities of Qamishli and Hasaka, both in Hasaka governorate, co-existing largely peacefully with YPG-held swathes of territory

The cause of this week's flare-up was unclear.
...
Xelil said government forces were bombarding Kurdish districts of Hasaka with artillery, and there were fierce clashes in the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the war using a network of activists, said warplanes had targeted Kurdish security forces' positions in the northwest and northeast of the Hasaka city.

The reason that fighting started might have to do with U.S. troops who, for whatever reason, seem to have been in Hasakah. The U.S. military now laments that these troops came under Syrian air force fire:

The Syrian airstrikes took place in the northeastern city of Hasaka, an area that has seen increasing ground clashes between the Kurdish YPG fighters present and the Syrian regime forces. There was a small number of U.S. Special Operators acting as advisers to the YPG when the Syrian airstrikes began.

After the Syrian Su-24s began to strike, the U.S. immediately contacted the Russians, Davis said, and made clear that American aircraft would respond if coalition forces were under attack.

The Russians explained that they were not the ones conducting the strikes and the U.S. scrambled manned fighter aircraft to the area to protect the Americans and allies under attack.

By the time the U.S. and coalition aircraft arrived the Syrian attack jets had left.

There is no Islamic State in the area which is now far away from the front line.

- Why are U.S. troops, who have zero legal grounds of being in Syria at all, in Hasakah city or the wider area?

- Who are they "advising" there and for what purpose?

- Why does rare local fighting starts just when U.S. troops are in the area?

The U.S. has the chutzpah to "warn" the Syrians of defending their own troops on Syrian grounds:

Additional U.S. combat air patrols have been sent to the area yesterday and have been flying there today, as well.

Davis said that the Syrians would be "well-advised" not to interfere with coalition forces on the ground in the future.

Syrian government forces are attacked by Kurdish troops who are "advised" by U.S. special forces. According to the U.S. spokesperson the Syrian air force is not allowed to defend them? What has this to do with "fighting ISIS" in eastern Syria, allegedly the sole reason for U.S. troops being in Syria at all?

The Syrian air force was back over Hasakah today and continued to bomb position from which the Syrian army was attacked. They would not be flying there without Russian consent. Does the U.S. military want to start a fight with the Syrian air force and its Russian backers?

The YPG Kurds claim they are now evacuating civilians from some city quarters. They seem to expect a prolonged conflict.

Any move against the Syrian army in Hasakah will be watched carefully from Ankara. Turkey fears, with valid reason, that the U.S. supports the Kurdish aim of a national entity in Syria and Iraq. This would endanger Turkey with its own large Kurdish minority.

If the Kurds expel the Syrian forces from Hasakah with U.S. support, Turkey would know that any U.S. claim to not work against its Turkish ally interest is false. This would deepen already high Turkish animosity against the U.S. and would accelerate its move towards some lose alliance with Russia and Iran.

Syrian Soldiers, Hezbollah Fighters Storm Jeish Al-Fatah's Positions near Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950529000464

The Syrian pro-government forces struck the Eastern side of artillery academy building and inflicted major casualties on Jeish al-Fatah.

Battlefield sources said that the Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah are still in the first phase of their assault on this important military installation.

Reports said earlier today that a large number of fresh forces arrived in the Northern province of Aleppo to join their comrades in Syrian Armed Forces and intensify attacks on Jeish al-Fatah terrorists.

"The fresh forces are expected to help their comrades recapture the Aleppo Artillery Academy and 1070 al-Hamdaniyeh Housing Project in the Southern districts of Aleppo," the sources said.

"They are expected to make another push to recapture the Aleppo Artillery Academy in the next 72 hours; this would be their second major attempt seize this important military installation near al-Ramousiyeh," they added.

Large Convoy of Terrorists' Vehicles Destroyed in Syrian Army Attacks in Dara'a

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950529000517

Syrian army soldiers struck a militant column of the terrorist groups in the town of al-Na'eimeh, destroying a number of vehicles.

Several guards of the convoy were also killed in the attacks.

Reports said earlier today that a number of road-building machinery of the terrorist groups sustained major damage in the Syrian army troops' offensive on their strongholds in the Central and Southern districts of Dara'a city.

Terrorist groups' bulldozers, building more strongholds for militants in Dara'a al-Mahatta and Dara'a al-Balad area, were targeted by the Syrian soldiers.

The Syrian soldiers also targeted the terrorists’ fortified positions in Dara'a al-Balad and destroyed two mortar-launching pads near Bilal al-Habashi mosque in the city.

Two More Senior Terrorist Commanders Killed in Army Attacks in Northern Syria

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950529000646

"Sulaiman Ahmad Abu al-Oyoun, the leader of Iman Brigade affiliated to Ahrar al-Sham and Mohammad Abdul-Kareem al-Dgheim leader of al-Sham Legion have been killed in battle with the Syrian army men," they said.

In relevant developments in the province on Thursday, the Syrian army and resistance forces killed tens of militants in Southwestern Aleppo, including 4 notorious commanders of Jeish al-Iman and Faylaq al-Sham terrorist groups.

Mohammad Abdolkarim, a notorious commander of Faylaq al-Sham, and Abu Mohammad al-Nashmi, Abu Ahmad al-Souri and Abolbara al-Hamawi of Jeish al-Iman terrorist group were among the terrorists killed in the attacks by the resistance forces in al-Sanobarat and al-Sabeqiya regions in the Southwestern parts of Aleppo.

SDF release first images of ISIL’s mass exodus from Menbeij

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sdf-release-first-images-isils-mass-exodus-menbeij/

Aleppo, Syria (9:30 A.M.) – On Friday morning, the U.S. backed “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) released the first images of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) fleeing the key town of Menbeij in northeast Aleppo.

The Syrian Democratic Forces were able to take full control of Menbeij last week after a two month long battle that ended with the Islamic State’s mass exodus from this imperative city.

With the liberation of Menbeij, the Syrian Democratic Forces will now turn their attention to one of the Islamic State’s last strongholds in the Aleppo Governorate: Al-Bab.

Al-Bab is situated on a large plateau in eastern Aleppo that has long been under the control of the Islamic State.

 

[angelburst29]

Russia has announced its military presence in Iran for the first time since the end of World War II. Tu-22M3 Russian strategic bombers made their first flight from the base Hamedan in western Iran. The aircrafts attacked targets of the terrorist group "Islamic state" in Syria. Previously, Russian strategic aviation had been performing combat missions from the base of Mozdok in North Ossetia. Now the distance to the targets in Syria has been reduced by 60%.

Will Russia's new airbase in Iran be a Game changer?
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/will-russias-new-airbase-in-iran-be.html

For the Syrian campaign, it means that Russian supersonic bombers will be able to bring a larger payload and at the same time carry out an increasing number of sorties. Accordingly, the intensity and effectiveness of the Russian air operations will increase significantly. Hmeymim airbase in Latakia (former civil airport) is not suitable for such heavy bombers.

The Middle East: total coverage

News agencies spread information that Russia and Iran have agreed on the deployment of Russian strategic bombers at the air base Hamedan on a long term basis. This information was confirmed by Iranian officials. Chairman of the Security Council of Iran Ali Shamkhani said that the Iranian side will provide its infrastructure for Russia to combat terrorism. Russian strategic bombers in Iran dramatically change the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

The combat range of the Tu-22M3 aircraft at supersonic speed is 1850 km and the maximum range is about 3000 km. This allows them to cover the whole of the Middle East. The area is now controlled by Russian aircraft includes Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Yemen, Iran, the waters of the Persian Gulf. Within range are US military bases, all strategic places of Wahhabi monarchies of the Persian Gulf and the terrorist infrastructure in the region. The flight time to Riyadh is less than half an hour.

The Tu-22M3 is designed to destroy large enemy military-industrial targets, centers of command and control, and communications, destroy buildings (including magazines) and units deep behind enemy lines. This aircraft can also effectively conduct aerial reconnaissance and engage in electronic warfare. The Tu22M3 is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. The maximum carry load is 24,000 kg.

Moreover, if Russia finds it necessary in a wartime situation, in agreement with Iran, can place better weapons at the air base in Iran, for example, the strategic missile carriers Tu-160, which are armed with atomic bombs and missiles with nuclear warheads. The combat radius of this aircraft is 7500 km.

The Moscow-Tehran Axis

Iran’s willingness to provide to Russia a military base Hamedan is a unique event in recent history of the state and evidence of a close strategic alliance between the two countries. This step links Russian geopolitics with Iran's interests in the region. There is no doubt that the Russian Aerospace Forces will protect the interests and security of both Russia and Iran. Iran strengthens its immunity against major opponents - the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, due to the Russian strategic presence.

At the same time, Russia defends itself at a distance, moving the confrontation with the United States from Russia’s own border areas, closer to the marginal part of the Eurasian Rimland, and directly adjacent to the major US and British bases in the Persian Gulf (Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates).

Breakthrough Atlanticist blockade

For Russia, this event is crucial. A "breakthrough to the warm seas" to the Mediterranean, Iran and India; this geopolitical expansion towards the south has been a major strategic imperative of Russian geopolitics since the XVIII century and the basic meaning of "the Great Game" from the Russian side. In contrast to her Atlanticist powers, Great Britain and the United States were trying to prevent full Russian access to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. Russian strategic bombers in Hamedan mean a breaking of the Atlanticist blockade in this part of the Rimland. Russia now receives immediate access to the region and the possibility of a way to operate militarily in this area, to protect both its own interests and those of its allies.

The ISIL terrorist group engaged in heavy fighting with its rivals from al-Shamiyeh Front and Jeish al-Tahrir in the Northern territories of Aleppo province.

Syria: Infighting Kills More Terrorists in Northern Aleppo
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950529000607

The ISIL stormed the defense lines of Jeish al-Tahrir and al-Shamiyeh Front near al-Rai and recaptured the town.

Both sides suffered a heavy death toll in the clashes.

Earlier this month, the terrorists of Nouralddeen al-Zinki Movement were forced to retreat from a strategic region in Northern Aleppo city after they had fierce clashes with other rival terrorists groups

The Nouralddeen al-Zinki terrorists withdrew from al-Malaah-Castillo road in the Northern part of Aleppo city.

The terrorists' retreat came after they sustained heavy losses and casualties in clashes with rival terrorist groups, including Fatah al-Sham (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as al-Nusra Front) and their heavy defeats by the Syrian army.


Russian food aid distributed among displaced families in Shahba city, Sweida
http://sana.sy/en/?p=85589

Food aid provided by Russia was distributed on Wednesday among displaced families who are currently residing in the makeshift housing center in Shahba city in the southern province of Sweida after they fled from their areas due to the acts of terrorist organizations.

Representative of the Russian Coordination Center in Hmeimim Airbase Sergey Ivanov said that the Russian aid aims at alleviating the Syrians’ suffering due to the current crisis.

For their part, the families expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Russian people for their support.


Russian humanitarian aid distributed to orphans associations in Aleppo
http://sana.sy/en/?p=85471

Humanitarian aid provided by Russia was delivered Tuesday to a number of associations providing services to orphans in Aleppo city.

Representative of the Hmeimim-based Russian Coordination Center told SANA reporter that six tons of supplies were distributed to orphans associations.

More than 50 tons of humanitarian aid has been distributed to terrorism-affected families over the past period, according to the representative of the Russian Center, who noted that the operation of opening humanitarian corridors for families to leave the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city is on.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian Air Force to use Hamedan base for as long as required — Iranian minister

http://tass.com/world/895156

Iran offers its base to Russia in cooperation against IS

TEHRAN, August 20. /TASS/. Russian aircraft will be using the Shahid Nojeh air base in Hamedan for as long as it is required, Iran’s Defense Minister Brigade General Hossein Dehghan said during a news conference on Saturday.

"For as long as they need," he replied to a question for how long Russian aircraft will be using the base of the Iranian Air Force in Hamedan for strikes against terrorists in Syria.

According to Dehghan, Iran’s decision to allow the Russian Air Space Force to use the airdrome of the Shahid Nojeh air base in Hamedan is a part of cooperation in fighting the Islamic State terrorist group at request from the Syrian government.

"It is a military decision made in the framework of cooperation in fighting IS and other terrorist, which is organized at request from the Syrian government," he said.

He also commented on criticism of the Russian aircraft’s presence in the country from the Iranian parliament: "Mejlis has nothing to do with this topic."

While giving a reply to a question about the situation in Syria, the defense minister said IS was "in the throes."

"Very soon, you will be able to see results of the anti-terrorist actions by Iran and Russia in Syria," he told the reporters.

On Tuesday, Russian planes for the first time used the Iranian airdrome Hamadan to bomb terrorists in Syria.

Japan discovers Chinese ‘pier for warships’ near disputed islands

https://www.rt.com/news/356563-china-warships-pier-japan/

China has constructed a vanguard “pier for warships” on an islet off the port city of Wenzhou, Japanese media warned, calling the development a boost of Beijing’s claims on the Tokyo-administered Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands and disputed waters around them.

The new 80-meter-long installation, already dubbed the “pier for warships” by the Japanese media, was allegedly erected on Nanji Island, one of 52 islands in the Nanji chain that are part of China's Zhejiang Province, Kyodo news reports.

Several Chinese military vessels have already been noticed docking on the island, according to the report. Meanwhile The Japan Times’ sources added that the pier is also capable of accommodating landing craft.

China’s military is reportedly building a large military base with complex radar installations in the Nanji chain which lie some 300 kilometers (190 miles) from the islet chain at the center of a territorial row with Japan. The base is designed to enhance China’s readiness to respond to a potential military crisis and strengthen surveillance over an air defense identification zone it declared in the area in 2013.

In addition to the pier, the islands already possess an advanced radar system and a heliport, with plans underway to construct a runway for military use.

The dispute over the East China Sea islets – known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China – remains high. Encounters between ships and planes from the two countries have raised the potential for a confrontation. Earlier this week, the Japanese Coast Guard released a video showing hundreds of Chinese ships allegedly breaching the territory of the disputed waters.

Meanwhile, Japan is seeking to develop and deploy a land-to-sea missile system designed to enhance defense in the East China Sea.

“Generally speaking, the policy of upgrading capabilities of remote island defense has been authorized in our defense guidelines,” a Defense Ministry spokesman said Monday. “In light of the policy, the ministry is currently in the process of briefing local municipalities of Miyako and Ishigaki of Okinawa and Amami of Kagoshima on the deployment of units for land-to-sea guided missiles.”

On Friday, a source in the Japanese defense ministry told Reuters that Tokyo is seeking a record defense budget of 5.16 trillion yen ($51 billion) for next year, in light of the tensions in the region, which besides Chinese ambitions include a North Korean threat.

Part of the money will be spent on upgrading Japan’s PAC-3 missile defense system and the joint Japanese-US production of the Block IIA version of the Standard Missile-3 system to shoot down missiles at higher altitudes. The money will also be used to strengthen Japanese coast guard near the disputed waters with China, as well as to purchase an upgraded version of the F-35 stealth fighter.

China Ends Preparatory Work on Long March 5 Next-Generation Rocket Engine

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160820/1044453426/china-long-march5-rocket-engine.html

China has finished preparatory work on the engine system of the Long March 5 (LM-5) next-generation carrier rocket, China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Daily (Jiefangjun Bao) reports.

BEIJING (Sputnik) – The newspaper said on Saturday that "various kinds of preparatory work" on the Long March 5 (Changzheng 5) engines have been fully completed.

Earlier, a representative of China’s manned space program said that the heavy lift launch system was expected to be ready for use in the second half of 2016. The first launch is planned to take place from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.

Long March 5 (Changzheng 5, or CZ-5) is China’s largest ever rocket. It is developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

US Nuclear Submarine Collides With Vessel Near Washington Coast

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160820/1044457163/us-navy-nuclear-sub.html

The US nuclear-powered submarine USS Louisiana has hit a local support vessel in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near the US state of Washington, the US Pacific Fleet said in a statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the US navy, no personnel was injured in the incident which is currently being looked into by authorities.

"The ballistic-missile submarine USS Louisiana (SSBN 743) and a U.S. Navy Offshore Support Vessel collided while conducting routine operations in the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the coast of Washington state on August 18, 2016," the statement published Friday local time reads.

Both ships returned to ports in Washington under their own power, the Pacific Fleet added.

 

[seek10]

Well, I hoped with the capture of Aleppo, things will be relatively calm, but it doesn't look like it. US backed Kurdish sources are fighting with Syrian forces. With turkey out of their influence, US is desperately trying to use Kurds for this history-long "divide and rule" program. We will have to see what trick Putin will pull from his hat to solve this complex problem. After watching incidents after ukraine maidan coup, I was hopeful, but not sure what he can do except allow Kurds to burn themselves in the hands of empire of chao's.


ALL-OUT WAR BREAKS OUT IN AL-HASAKAH AS GOVERNMENT, KURDISH FORCES VIE FOR CONTROL

Pentagon Threats to Shoot Down Syrian Planes over Hasakah

SYRIAN GOVERNMENT DEPLOYED SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEMS TO HASAKAH AFTER PENTAGON’S THREATS TO SHOOT DOWN SYRIAN PLANES


YPG ADVANCES ON AL-HASAKAH CITY CENTER

SDF Spokesman Confirms the Group Does Nothing without ‘Signals’ from the United States (Vdieo)

 

[angelburst29]

Well, I hoped with the capture of Aleppo, things will be relatively calm, but it doesn't look like it. US backed Kurdish sources are fighting with Syrian forces. With turkey out of their influence, US is desperately trying to use Kurds for this history-long "divide and rule" program. We will have to see what trick Putin will pull from his hat to solve this complex problem. After watching incidents after ukraine maidan coup, I was hopeful, but not sure what he can do except allow Kurds to burn themselves in the hands of empire of chao's.

Only parts of Aleppo have been recaptured by the Syrian forces. The City of Aleppo, itself is still under "moderate rebels" control. Part of the reason, why UN Secretary General for Syria - Staffan de Mistura has tried to set up a 48-hour "humanitarian pause" to deliver "aid convoys".

Russia may support limited version of UN's proposed ceasefire
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/russia-may-support-limited-version-of.html

Russian Defense Ministry is ready to support the proposal of UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, of a 48-hour "humanitarian pause" in Aleppo. This was stated by the official representative of the department Major-General Igor Konashenkov.

"Guided by the principles of international humanitarian law and in order to scale up the humanitarian operation in the city of Aleppo, the Russian Defense Ministry is ready to support the proposal of a special envoy of the UN Secretary General for Syria Staffan de Mistura on the introduction of a 48 hour "humanitarian pause" to deliver to the residents of the city needed food, medicine, and restore vital infrastructure systems "- Major-General Konashenkova said in a statement.

According to him, Russia is ready as early as next week to enter into the first 48-hour "humanitarian pause" as a test-run.

"The specific date and time will be determined after receiving information from the representatives of the United Nations on the availability of humanitarian convoys, and confirm the safety guarantees of their passage from our American partners", the general added.

He noted that the Russian Federation is ready to provide assistance in coordination with the Syrian government for the safety of UN humanitarian convoys as they pass through the territory controlled by government forces. "In turn, we expect a similar guarantee from the United States when running convoys through the territories controlled by the so-called moderate opposition", - he stressed.

The first UN humanitarian convoy can be sent from the Gaziantep, Turkey by eastern districts of Aleppo on the Castello, the other - in the western areas of the city, said Konashenkov.

In response to the UN appeal, the Russian Defense Ministry is ready to make further efforts to improve the efficiency of review mechanisms, and to ensure safe passage of humanitarian convoys of the UN, traveling to the eastern regions of Aleppo. This will remove the concerns of the Syrian authorities on the nature of delivered goods, and will meet the need for a thorough examination of convoys by government troops. Representatives of the Russian Center for Reconciliation will provide the necessary assistance to the Syrian military convoys when passing through checkpoints on the outskirts of Aleppo.

The terrorist groups in the Southern parts of Aleppo province have sustained large casualties in the Syrian army's military operations in the last six days, army and media reports said on Saturday.

Southern Aleppo: Over 60 Terrorists, Commanders Killed in 6 Days of Army Offensives
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950530001310

A sum of 60 Jeish al-Fatah terrorists, including ten notorious commanders, have been killed from August 14 to 20, several Arabic-language media reported.

Notorious commanders such as Abu Leith al-Tunisi, commander of al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Islam; Abu Mahmoud, military commander of al-Jabhat al-Shamia Front; Seifollah, chief commander of Ahrar al-Sham's tank unit and Ahmad Amaya, commander of Ahrar al-Sham's military training were among the terrorist commanders killed in the past six days, both the army and media reports said.

A US military man and six fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been hunted in the city of Manbij in Northern Aleppo province, ISIL's news agency Amaq reported on Saturday.

Syria: US Officer Down in Battle over Manbij
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950530001233

"All the seven were killed as they came under attack by four suicide bombers in Zahr al-Ma'areh region in the Northern part of Manbij city," Amaq reported.

Amaq, the only official mouthpiece of the ISIL terrorist group, did not reveal any further detail on the incident.


US threatens Syria in response to the airstrike on the Kurds
http://katehon.com/news/us-threatens-syria-response-airstrike-kurds

The US Department of Defense warned the government forces of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to refrain from hostilities against the United States and its allies after the air strikes in Al-Hasaka.

Earlier it was reported that the Syrian Air Force planes attacked positions of the Kurds in the town of Al-Hasaka in the north-east of the country. According to Pentagon the US sent to the area of Al Hasaka their aircrafts for the protection of American special forces operating in the area. The incident did not lead to a clash, because at a time when coalition aircraft arrived in the area, the Syrian Su-24 had already left.

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Davis said that the US reserves the right to protection of the Kurdish militants and their military consultants acting in their ranks. Recall that the Kurdish separatists, are one of the main forces, used by the US in the region.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Israel must charge or free ‘administrative’ detainees: UN

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/21/480960/Palestine-Israel-Robert-Piper

The UN has urged Israel to decide the fate of prisoners held under the so-called administrative detention without trial or charge amid a fresh wave of hunger strikes by Palestinians in protest against their arbitrary incarceration.

UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Robert Piper made the request in a statement released on Saturday.

Piper said he was “deeply concerned about the deteriorating health” of Bilal Kayed, who has been refusing food for 67 days to express dissatisfaction with his administrative detention.

The 35-year-old inmate, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was arrested in 2002 and spent 14 and a half years in Israeli jails.

On June 13, the day Kayed was scheduled to be freed, the Tel Aviv regime decided to extend his imprisonment term for another six months under the controversial administrative detention policy, which allows detainees to be held without trial for renewable six-month periods.

Consequently, the Palestinian man went on a hunger strike to denounce his arbitrary detention.

“This is an egregious case, in which Mr. Kayed was placed on administrative detention on the day of his scheduled release after completing a 14.5 year prison sentence,” Piper said.

He further said some 100 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons have launched hunger strikes in solidarity with Kayed.

“The number of administrative detainees is at an eight-year high. I reiterate the United Nations long-standing position that all administrative detainees -- Palestinian or Israeli -- should be charged or released without delay,” the UN official added.

In another development on Saturday, the Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs said hunger striking Palestinian prisoner Jalal al-Faqeeh was taken to a hospital in Afula in the occupied territories after a heart attack.

Faqeeh, from the West Bank village of Burin was in a “bad condition,” according to a statement published by the committee.

Faqeeh, along with 32 other Palestinian prisoners held at Israel's Gilboa prison, has been refusing food in support of Kayed.

More than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently held in some 17 Israeli jails, many of them arbitrarily.

The occupied Palestinian lands have been the scene of heightened tensions since August 2015, when Tel Aviv imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in an alleged bid to change the status quo of the Muslim site.

Over 230 Palestinians, including children and women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces in what is regarded as the third Palestinian Intifada (uprising) since the beginning of last October.

Influential Factor': Russia Continues to Gain Clout in the Middle East

http://sputniknews.com/world/20160821/1044480345/russia-syria-policy-west.html

Russia's current actions in the Middle East show how Moscow can catch the West by surprise, according to Thomas Avenarius, a journalist writing for the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung.

It seems that the West has been caught by surprise by Russia's current actions in the Middle East, journalist Thomas Avenarius wrote in an article published by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung.

His remarks came as Russia started to use Iran's Hamadan airbase for the first time in its anti-terrorism campaign in Syria.

Avenarius specifically cited the West's inability to prevent Moscow from pursuing its current Middle East policy. According to him, "the head of the Kremlin manages to catch his opponents off guard, and no one can stop him from doing so."

The journalist believes that Russia has managed to fill the vacuum created due to the withdrawal of most US forces from the Middle East which coincided with the pull-out from Iraq. He sees Moscow's move last September to assist the Syrian government as the turning point.

The use of the Russian air force in Syria gave Moscow a significant advantage, helping it to stabilize the position of President Bashar Assad and once again turning Russia into "an influential factor in the Middle East arena", according to Avenarius.

Moscow managed to find allies "on the battlefield" in Syria, Avenarius wrote, pointing to an about-face in the Iranian leaders' stance on Russia.

While former Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini slammed the Soviet Union as "the devil's superpower ", his successor allowed Russian bombers to use an Iranian airbase, Avenarius said, adding that those who managed to find common ground with Iran may soon strengthen their position in Iraq.

With the US currently losing its Sunni partners, Russia could become an "unofficial partner of the Shiite axis" in the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, according to Avenarius.

"The failure of the 'Arab Spring' strengthened Islamists' positions and discredited the Western model of society. The US policy in Syria is seen as a grim joke, and not only by rebels. Moscow presents itself as an organizing force, which at least finds a friendly response," the journalist concluded.

On August 15, an undisclosed number of Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range strategic bombers and Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters left the airfield in the Russian town of Mozdok in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and landed at Hamadan Airbase in Iran.

Russian bombers deployed to Iran carried out several massive airstrikes against Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in Syria earlier this week.

On Thursday, the Tu-22M3s and Su-34s destroyed five large depots with weapons, ammunitions and fuel, as well as six command and control centers and armored military hardware in the Deir ez-Zor province, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. "A large number of militants" were killed in the operation.

Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan, for his part, said that Russia can use Iran's Hamadan Airbase to strike jihadist targets in Syria for as long as needed.

Syria in Last 24 Hours: Terrorists Sustain Heavy Losses in Army Offensives in Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531000344

The Syrian army killed and wounded scores of the terrorists in Aleppo.

The terrorist groups also sustained heavy casualties in other key provinces across Syria.

Aleppo

Syrian soldiers and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters continued to smash Jeish al-Fatah terrorists in the Southern and Southwestern districts of Aleppo, military sources said Saturday.

"Hezbollah fighters traced and targeted a large group of terrorists that were retreating from military academy buildings to safer areas," the sources said, adding, "Scores of Jeish al-Fatah members were killed by Hezbollah fighters and tens of them were killed or injured in Hezbollah-planted landmines and explosive traps on their way."

Earlier on Saturday, at least 11 field commanders from several terrorist groups, including the spiritual leader of Fatah al-Sham Front (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front), were killed in Aleppo.

A source in the Syrian government forces HQ in Aleppo said that a number of top commanders of terrorist groups have been killed by Syrian army troops during the last week.

According to the source, a total of 46 Takfiri terrorists from Fatah al-Sham, Ahrar al-Sham and Jeish al-Muhajireen, have been killed in pinpoint-strike missions.

"Abu al-Walid al-Khani, a spiritual leader of Fatah al-Sham Front in Aleppo, was among them," the source said.

Positions of Fatah al-Sham were targeted heavily by air and ground forces of Syria and Russia in the recent weeks as the pro-government fighters have engaged in bloody battle with militant groups in Aleppo province.

Deir Ezzur

Russian warplanes launched fresh combat flights over ISIL's gathering centers near the Eastern city of Deir Ezzur, inflicting major damage on the terrorists' positions and military hardware.

The Russian fighter jets pounded ISIL's concentration centers near the small towns of al-Jafreh, Hatleh, and al-Hosseiniyeh, leaving several terrorists dead or wounded and destroying their equipment.

In the meantime, Syrian army troops engaged in heavy fighting with ISIL near Deir Ezzur, and destroyed their booby-trapped vehicles and machinegun-equipped vehicles.

Idlib

Russian fighter jets traced and targeted two long columns of the terrorist groups' vehicles in Southern Idlib, inflicting major damage on the convoys.

The Russian warplanes hit the militant convoys on a road connecting Idlib to Maarat al-Nu'aman, destroying most of the vehicles.

Terrorist groups' machinegun-equipped vehicles also came under heavy bombardments of the Russian jets near the village of Zardaneh, which also inflicted heavy losses on the militants.

Damascus

Syrian Army troops and National Defense Forces fended off Jeish al-Islam's large-scale attacks in Hawsh al-Nasri in Eastern Ghouta, informed sources announced minutes ago.

"Tens of terrorists stormed pro-government forces' strongholds from Shifouniyeh and Hawsh al-Zawaher to prevail over their position and capture the newly-liberated Hawsh al-Nasri, but they failed due to strong defense of the Syrian army men and popular forces," the sources said.

"Fresh popular forces arrived in the battlefield in the early hours of clashes and did not allow Jeish al-Islam fighters to advance and then beat them back from the Western farms of Hawsh al-Nasri," they added.

"Jeish al-Islam suffered a heavy death toll and pulled the remaining pockets of its forces back from the battlefield and moved them to Eastern side of Shifouniyeh," the sources said.

Also on Saturday, the Syrian military forces continued their advances against Ajnad al-Sham terrorists in the key town of Darayya in Western Ghouta, capturing several building blocks.

Ajnad al-Sham left several dead or wounded members behind and withdrew from at least 24 building blocks in Darayya under the heavy attacks of the Syrian soldiers and the popular forces.

Hama

Over 30 members of Jeish al-Fatah terrorist coalition were killed and many more were wounded in a series of attacks carried out by the Syrian warplanes and army troops in Northwestern Hama.

Syrian soldiers struck Jeish al-Fatah's concentration centers near al-Latamina and Lahaya, claiming the lives of at least 20 terrorists, while the Syrian fighter jets pounded positions of the Takfiri terrorists in al-Latamina ending in the killing of at least 10 militants and destroying of their BMP vehicles.

Homs

Two senior commanders of Ahrar al-Sham and two notorious commanders of Fatah al-Sham Front (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) have been killed in clashes with the Syrian army troops in Northern Homs, military sources said Saturday.

"Najdat Mansour al-Shamali, one of Ahrar al-Sham, and Mustafa Mohammad al-Hossein, the group's religious judge were killed in joint operation of the Syrian army and air force in Talbiseh region," the sources said.

"In the meantime, a field commander of Fatah al-Sham Muzid Abdel Sattar Othman and Abdel Rahman al-Obeid aka al-Hajwani, the leader of al-Ashtar terrorists were killed in clashes with the Syrian soldiers in al-Rastan," they went on to say.

Also on Saturday, the Syrian military forces attacked a training camp of the militant groups in Northern Homs, inflicting major losses and casualties on the Takfiri terrorists.

The Syrian army troops' offensive on the terrorist groups' training camp claimed the lives of at least 27 militants, destroyed 8 vehicles and three rocket launching-pads in Talbiseh region near the villages of al-Ghanto, al-Ghasbiyeh and Tir Ma'ala.

Clashes restart in Hasakah City after government, Kurdish negotiations fail

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/clashes-restart-hasakah-city-government-kurdish-negotiations-fail/

Hasakah City, Syria (2:20 A.M.) – Clashes erupted in Hasakah City tonight after the ceasefire negotiations between the Syrian government and PYD (Kurdish political party) failed to bring an end to the violence.

According to a military source in Hasakah City, the PYD and YPG demanded that the government-backed “National Defense Forces” (NDF) completely withdraw from the provincial capital, leaving the entire city under Asayish control.

The government rejected this demand and countered with a proposal to disarm some NDF groups as long as the YPG and PYD disarm the Kurdish police inside of Hasakah City.

As soon as the meeting concluded, intense clashes broke-out in the Al-Nashwa and Guweiran districts, resulting in non-stop shelling and gunfire that is still ongoing at the moment.

Clashes increase between Syrian army, Kurdish forces

http://english.cctv.com/2016/08/21/VIDEm2eYAFDq5nxkpKf7yR0o160821.shtml?

Fighting between the Syrian army and Kurdish forces has intensified, creating the risk of yet another front opening in the multi-sided war.

Government warplanes bombed Kurdish-held areas of Hasaka, one of two cities in the largely Kurdish-held northeast where the government has maintained enclaves.

The two sides have mostly avoided confrontation during the five-year conflict -- the government has been focusing its efforts against Sunni Arab rebels in the west, and the Kurds were mainly fighting the Islamic State in northern Syria.

Jaysh Al-Fateh launches counter-offensive to reopen key supply road in southern Aleppo

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jaysh-al-fateh-launches-counter-offensive-reopen-key-supply-road-southern-aleppo/

Aleppo, Syria (12:45 A.M.) – Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) launched a counter-offensive in the southern Aleppo countryside on Saturday night after the Syrian Armed Forces successfully cutoff their supply route along the Khan Touman-Ramouseh Road.

The jihadist rebel group began the counter-offensive after forestalling the Syrian Armed Forces’ advance on the imperative village of Al-Qarassi, which is located just east of another important village: Khan Touman.

Jaysh Al-Fateh’s counter-attack has proven some-what successful, as they were able to force the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to withdraw from Tal ‘Aqra near Al-Qarassi.

However, Jaysh Al-Fateh has been unable to reclaim Tal ‘Aqra due to the non-stop Russian airstrikes on their positions in Al-Qarassi and Khan Touman.

Tal ‘Aqra is situated along the Khan Touman-Ramouseh Road; if captured by the Syrian Armed Forces, it will give them fire control over the jihadist supply line to Aleppo City.

Russian, Syrian Air Forces Pound Jeish Al-Fatah's Defense Lines in Hama

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531000339

The Russian and Syrian warplanes hit Jeish al-Fatah's centers near the villages of Ma'arkabeh, al-Latamina, Kafr Zita and Lahaya, killing and wounding scores of terrorists and destroying at least six vehicles of them.

A general of the Syrian air force said Saturday that Syrian Air Force used advanced Sukhoi fighter jets made by the Russian military industry to target terrorists' positions.

"The Syrian Air Force used Sukhoi 24 M-2 in its recent operations to target Jeish al-Fatah's strongholds and gathering centers in the Southern districts of Aleppo city in August 6 and 7," General Hassan Hassan said.

"Sukhoi 24 M-2 have been also used in targeted terrorists' armored vehicles and command centers in Aleppo, Idlib and Hama provinces," he added.

 

[angelburst29]

Henry Lowendorf: What we saw in Syria goes against everything we read in the United States
http://ahtribune.com/opinion/1148-henry-lowendorf.html

Patterns have long since emerged. We know that each illegal war of conquest is prefaced by a Public Relations campaign that demonizes the target country’s leader and its government as it lies about on-the-ground realities. Muammar Gaddafi, for example, was presented to Western media consumers as a lunatic and despot. The Western narratives, however, were contradicted by the fact that he earned broad-based support from Libyans, all of whom enjoyed public services such as free healthcare and schooling, and a high standard of living.

The same demonization campaign is being waged against the hugely popular Dr. Bashar al-Assad, the democratically –elected President of Syria.

Terrorist –embedded propagandists teach us that he is an evil dictator who kills his own people, and that “he must go”; however, credible evidence inverts this logic.

Henry Lowendorf, a member of the Executive Board of the U.S Peace Council’s Peace and Fact-Finding Delegation to Syria -- recently returned from Syria -- reports, that, “What we saw (in Syria) goes against everything we read in the United States.”

He repudiates the Western media’s demonization campaign against the government of President Assad and the Syrian Arab Army in these words:

“When you go to Syria, which I did last month, the popularity of the government and the Syrian Arab Army is rampant. It's not out of some dream fantasy. It comes obviously from the government and the army being the only thing between living a secular life on the one hand and the hatred and violence of ISIS and the various other terrorist groups underwritten by the terrorist Saudis and US and their allies on the other. The refugees who don't leave Syria do not flee to the terrorist side, they flee to the government side, in huge numbers. So would all of us in similar circumstances. Syrians do not want their country turned into Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, or any of the other countries the US has liberated.”


The reality is an inversion of the propaganda lies fed to Western audiences. In fact, President Assad must stay, for the sake of civilization, and for the sake of destroying Western-backed terrorism. Each time Empire succeeds in destroying another country, the problem of terrorism worsens – as might be expected. The destruction of Libya, for example, set the stage for the attempted destruction of Syria.

Weapons stolen from Libyan armouries, thanks to the invasion, were covertly shipped to Syria – all beneath the radar of the U.S Congress.

A recently declassified Department of Defense document indicates that, “Weapons from the former Libya military stockpiles were shipped from the Port of Benghazi, Libya, to the Port of Banias and the Port of Borj Islam, Syria”

And none of this is accidental. Sustainable Western open-source documentation demonstrates that the growth of terrorism is willful, and according to Western plans.

The propaganda lies, the false flags, the terrorist-embedded NGOs , and the use of terrorist proxies to criminally destroy one country after another, is not only empowering terrorism world-wide, but it is also leading us to engineered conflict with nuclear-armed countries, in particular, Russia.

Whereas the propaganda lies further the causes of barbarity and ignorance, we need a redirection towards the polar opposite: towards trajectories that support civilization, progress, and the rule of law.

Prof. Chossudovsky explains in “America’s ‘Humanitarian War’ against the World” that

“What is consequently required is a massive redirection of science and technology towards the pursuit of broad societal objectives. In turn, this requires a major shift in what is euphemistically called ‘US Foreign Policy’, namely America’s global military agenda.”

We need to shift from Death Industries of the Military Industrial Complex, to Life Industries that serve, rather than destroy, humanity. We also need a strong anti-war movement based on a broad-based support of the truth, and a broad-based rejection of the “governing” lies.

Sometimes events speed up and begin to spiral out of control. This is definitely one of those times. So much has happened since my last article on Syria that I’ll never be able to do it all justice. The Battle for Aleppo continues of course a brutal struggle for the future of Syria and the world. There was the failed coup in Turkey. There was good news from Libya where Saif Gaddafi was finally released raising hopes that Libya may someday regain it’s independence. In Crimea there was a failed terror plot that was narrowly foiled.

Failed Coup in Turkey, Escalating War in Ukraine, The Battle For Aleppo, Freedom for Saif al-Gaddafi in Libya
http://www.globalresearch.ca/failed-coup-in-turkey-escalating-war-in-ukraine-the-battle-for-aleppo-freedom-for-saif-al-gaddafi-in-libya/5541572

First I’ll deal with Libya. Last year Saif al-Gaddafi was sentenced to death by the Libyan Dawn faction of Libya’s then 2 competing governments locked in civil war. This provoked protests by supporters of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya the government overthrown by NATO’s criminal 2011 war that installed Al Qaeda death squads as the new de facto government. Thousands of loyal Libyan’s were killed thousands more rounded up imprisoned and tortured in the wake of NATOs victory. There are still over 7000 people being held at the mercy of the death squads. But since 2011 the forces loyal to the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya known as the Green Resistance have only grown in strength. Thus last year’s attempt in July 2015 to sentence Saif to death resulted in massive protests by supporters of the Green Resistance as I discussed in my August 2015 “Wars on Syria Libya Yemen” They risked death and a more then a dozen were killed protesting the unjust sentence against Saif whose only crimes were his refusal to betray his family and nation during NATO’s war on Libya. Now a year later not only has Saif not been sentenced to death he has been freed a victory greeted by thousands of green resistance supporters with protests in celebration. The Green Flags of the resistance were displayed all over the country as people came out to celebrate.

All over Libya millions now hope for the return of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Meanwhile the US/NATO have stepped up their attacks on the country as part of their phony war on the very terrorists they still back. Alexandra Valiente of Jamahiriya news, and Libya 360 calls it the most sophisticated psychological warfare campaign in history. The US has also continued it’s phoenix program style assassination campaign aimed at supporters of the green resistance and the Libyan National Army. The war in Libya continues but the fact that Saif is now free gives reason for hope that one day all of Libya may be liberated from the terrifying occupation by the Empire of Chaos. Meanwhile in Lebanon Hannibal Gaddafi who was kidnapped by Hezbollah is still being held for a crime he couldn’t possibly have committed since he was only 2 years old at the time of the mysterious assassination of Musa Sadr in 1978. Sadr’s real killers were the Ed Wilson Theodore Shackley “Secret Team”. The world must demand Hannibal’s release. He was finally supposed to be freed last week when the court invented new trumped up charges to hold him.

While Saif’s release was met by a deafening media silence the whole world has by now heard of the failed coup in Turkey. NATO and the CIA foolishly tried to overthrow their unpredictable ally Erdogan. Unfortunately for them the wily and paranoid Erdogan was expecting something like this after attempting to entice Russia into re-establishing the economic ties they broke after Turkey shot down the Russian fighter last fall and turkish grey wolves killed the pilot and blew up the rescue copter killing another.

Rumor has it that Russian intelligence warned him of the impending coup worried that the CIA had an even worse candidate in mind. In any case their was a brief hope that Erdogan would reduce his support for the war on Syria but that seems unlikely. Instead yet again Erdogan has managed to play his unpredictable balancing act between Russia and the West. Turkey is a sort of swinging pendulum first swinging towards Russia over the Turkish stream pipeline, then towards the west by shooting down the fighter and now back to Russia. Meanwhile the war on Syria remains as intense as ever. At most there will be increased trade between the two countries Erdogan seems as unwilling as the US to end the war on Syria. Thus his recent visit to Russia failed to produce any agreement on Syria. Back in Turkey Erdogan is busy purging all his opposition in a massive crackdown. The one consolation is that in crushing the coup Erdogan also killed some of those responsible for planning the dirty war on Syria.

Crimea is now reunited with Russia due to the votes of the vast majority of it’s citizens and the heroic actions of the spetsnaz “polite men in green” back in 2014 in the wake of the fascist coup in Ukraine. Officially a part of the Russian federation it’s citizens have been largely spared the fascist terror campaign that Novorossia (Donbass) has been subjected to in the east. The main exception was last winter when Ukrainian fascists and their Tartar allies blew up the electricity pylons to the island plunging the people of crimea into darkness and cold. Now with the empire of chaos upset over the recently intensifying Russian support for Syria they gave their fascist allies in Ukraine the green light to launch more terror attacks on Crimea.

A team of commando infiltrators was sent into Crimea but luckily the locals were able to tip off the authorities in time. In the town of Armyansk the Russian FSB surrounded a team of 20 people unloading weapons and explosives. The fascists opened fire killing an FSB agent but were eventually captured with at least one of them kill and several wounded. Two more teams of infiltrators were caught trying to enter Crimea and a Russian soldier was killed by the Ukrainian army which was giving them covering fire with an APC. They were plotting to blow up infrastructure and also had a plan to blow up a bridge assassinating both local officials and federal authorities. Ukraine also attempted to assassinate the President of the Lugansk peoples republic Igor Plotnitsky who was injured when a bomb exploded near his car. Ukraine has also been escalating the war on Donbass continually shelling civilians and probing for weak spots in their defenses. Clearly the war in Ukraine is intensifying.

Meanwhile in Syria the epic battle for Aleppo continues. For a while things were going well for the Syrian forces they achieved their goal of capturing the Castillo highway cutting off the terrorists supply route after weeks of hard fighting. The terrorists laying siege to the city in Eastern Aleppo had their supplies cut off. The terrorists desperate attempts to recapture the road failed. However the terrorists were able to launch a massive counter-attack with 7,000 men in south west Aleppo breaking through Syrian defenses seizing the Ramoosa artillery base, an air force technical base and the 1070 apartment blocs. Now Southwest Aleppo is the scene of brutal fighting as the SAA have slowly been recapturing these sites from the terrorists.

Thus the terrorist victory may lead to a disastrous defeat as they are being heavily bombed by the Russian and Syrian air forces losing 1000 men according to the Russians. The death squads and their NATO advisers staked a lot on this counteroffensive opening a narrow path into the city. Now they will hopefully be cut off, surrounded and destroyed. However the battle for Aleppo is far from over all we can do is wish the SAA another Victory in Aleppo. Russia has thankfully continued to increase it’s support bombing the terrorists besieging the heroic defenders of Deir Ezzor from bases in Iran and moving it’s naval forces in position for an attack on the NATO death squads. In fact Lavrov even publicly admitted that the ceasefire was a mistake that allowed the terrorists to rearm.

With the provocations in Crimea and treachery in Syria hopefully Russia will get it’s revenge by helping Syria crush this NATO terrorist invasion. Syria is on the offensive seizing back the most of the 1070 apartments and the air force technical college. They made other important gains in Damascus, Latakia, and Deir Ezzor but of course the war continues. In Libya the power of the green resistance continues to grow despite the dirty war being waged on the country by NATO. In Turkey Erdogan is on the rampage purging his opponents. In Crimea the situation is tense but thankfully the people have been spared a wave of terror bombings and assassinations thanks to the quick response of the FSB and the Russian military. Donbass remains under fire it’s plight forgotten by the outside world which continues to ignore the menace of fascism in Ukraine. America continues it’s war on the planet spanning at least 4 continents not counting the low intensity counter-insurgency it has waged on it’s own territory for hundreds of years. For now though it’s schemes in Libya, Turkey, Ukraine, and Syria have all met humiliating setbacks.

 

[angelburst29]

Can't make this stuff up?

Invade a Sovereign Country and it's legitimate Government, blow it's infrastructure "ALL-too-Hell" for 5 years, inflict "thousands of fatalities" and countless atrocities ... and when the Countries protective Military Forces get to close to their unwelcomed presents - the parasites freak out - get belligerent and start screaming - "they got rights to defend themselves because "they feel threatened"? ............... ok ....

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend talks to CNN from his HQ in Baghdad

Top US commander warns Russia, Syria
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/21/politics/us-warns-syria-russia-on-attacks/

In the most direct public warning to Moscow and Damascus to date, the new US commander of American troops in Iraq and Syria is vowing to defend US special operations forces in northern Syria if regime warplanes and artillery again attack in areas where troops are located.

"We've informed the Russians where we're at ... (they) tell us they've informed the Syrians, and I'd just say that we will defend ourselves if we feel threatened," Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told CNN in a telephone interview Saturday from his Baghdad headquarters.

Townsend is the first senior military commander to speak on the record about the US possibly challenging the Syrian Air Force in the wake of an incident just days ago.

Townsend, who took command this week, made the remarks following what defense officials described as an "unusual" incident Thursday in northern Syria in which the regime of President Bashar al-Assad used warplanes to attack an area near where US special operations forces were operating in support of Kurdish forces, which are the Americans' key ally in the conflict.

Several US troops had to be quickly moved, and US jet patrols over northern Syria have been beefed up.

Townsend also said in the interview that he plans to keep up the pressure on ISIS and laid out an ambitious military goal: He told CNN he hopes the US-led coalition can "defeat ISIL in Iraq and Syria in this next year."

Townsend emphasized he is aware that may be ambitious, but he added, "That's my goal. I am intent to do that."

When asked how he would define the defeat of ISIS, the general said it would be when the so-called caliphate no longer exists and does not control significant population centers.

"Do I think ISIL will be gone from Iraq and Syria?" he asked, using another acronym for ISIS. "No. But I want them out of the cities."

Townsend was blunt in discussing the senior leaders of ISIS.

"I want them dead or on the run in a hole somewhere in the desert, and significantly less of a threat," he said.

Meanwhile, ISIS is still planning global attacks, Townsend said, adding that the group's leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, remains in charge and continues to issue orders that are communicated and followed.

Baghdadi and other ISIS leaders are being "actively hunted," Townsend said.

The US has long believed senior leaders are in and around the city of Raqqa in Syria, the ISIS-proclaimed capital of its caliphate. Townsend said local Arab and Kurdish fighters, trained by the US, could start moving into areas outside Raqqa in coming weeks.

Earlier this week, US media reported that the development of America's new intercontinental ballistic missiles had been suspended, with the Pentagon citing costs that were billions of dollars above initial estimates. According to experts, the scandal is just the latest case in a long line of wasteful spending decisions by officials and arms makers.

Having Spent Trillions on Defense, US Could Soon Be Left Without Modern ICBMs
http://sputniknews.com/us/20160821/1044493253/us-nuclear-icbm-modernization-difficulties.html

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the US Air Force's program to develop a new ICBM to replace the aging Minuteman III was effectively stalled, with the Pentagon concerned that the Air Force had underestimated the expected cost to develop and deploy the weapons by several billion dollars.

Last year, the Air Force estimated that the development of up to 400 new missiles, along with the necessary command and control systems and other infrastructure, would cost the government about $62.3 billion. But earlier this month, an independent cost assessment report by the Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board concluded that that figure was underestimated by billions. This was highly concerning, according to the news agency, given that the United States already plans to spend over a trillion dollars modernizing its nuclear forces over the next thirty years.

Bloomberg explained that the discrepancy in costs has to do with the fact that the United States has not engaged in the development of new strategic missiles in decades, with the resumption of such work expected to cost significantly more than initially estimated.

Commenting on the scandal over the missile's cost in an analysis for the online news and analysis platform PolitRussia, journalist Boris Stepnov emphasized that underestimating costs out-of-control spending was a regular occurrence in the US military-industrial complex.

For example, the journalist recalled that "price of the F-35 fighter jet, which so far has only brought losses for the US budget, and will be combat ready only in 2022, has already exceeded $110 billion. Meanwhile, the plane's testing has not borne out the capabilities once expected from the machine, with the US Air Force forced to continually lower the bar…The final testing of the plane has been moved back again, this time to 2018, and even the famous American hawkish Senator John McCain has called the project a failure."

A similar situation is plaguing the US Navy, Stepnov noted. "The story of failures and money being siphoned off is illustrated very clearly by the innovative new destroyer project Zumwalt, the costs of which have already reached those of an aircraft carrier."

Ultimately, the journalist suggested that the stories surrounding the high costs of new US weapons systems demonstrate that pouring huge amounts of money into something doesn't guarantee results. The US military, he wrote, "had long intimidated the world with its high-tech, high-precision weapons, with its colossal military budget, etc. But while one cannot deny that this is the case, it's also necessary to see through the PR to the actual state of affairs: corruption, rent-seeking behavior, etc., which not only greatly increases costs, but leads to the creation of systems that don't necessarily offer any practical use."

Last week, former US Secretary of Defense William Perry slammed the Pentagon's plan to modernize the US's nuclear deterrent, not only because it amounts to "starting a new nuclear arms race," but also because "we are talking about huge expenditures here [which are] hardly being discussed or debated…"

As to the costs of the program, Perry told Sputnik that the reality is that "nobody really knows what the cost is…but people drop figures like $1 trillion. But I don't know what the right number is – if anything [$1 trillion] is on the low side."

As for the US's current ground-based ICBM, the LGM-30 Minuteman III is concerned, Stepnov noted that it is a formidable, but aging weapon.

The solid-fuel rocket has a range of up to 13,000 km, and can accommodate up to three warheads. In 2003, the US reequipped the missile with a monoblock 457 kiloton warhead, using the vacant mass for additional subsystems aimed at overcoming missile defense. The last modification, designed in 2008, saw the missile equipped with a new guidance system by Northrop Grumman.

"Of course," the journalist noted, "the US has made an effort to show that everything is alright with their Minuteman. Thus a demonstration launch was conducted in February. According to Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work, this action was meant to demonstrate the capabilities of the American nuclear arsenal to Russia and China, and most importantly, to frighten Kim Jong-un."

In any case, Stepnov added, "the demonstration launch was a matter of advertising for domestic audiences, meant to lift Americans' sense of patriotism and faith in the military –to tell them that all of America's possible opponents are aware of the existence of the Minuteman," and its capabilities.

Nevertheless, in an age when strategic weapons systems are being equipped with components and technologies allowing them to maneuver against missile defense, the Minuteman gradually risks falling far behind. "Ulike the Yars, the Rubezh, and the Bulava, the Minuteman is not able to maneuver in the take-off stage; it's been said that intercepting the Russian missiles will require up to fifty interceptors, whereas intercepting a Minuteman needs only a pair of missiles…Even the Soviet-era R-36, [NATO codenamed] 'Satan', is capable of deploying false targets, and can carry up to ten warheads, although it too cannot maneuver on start. And Russia already has the 'Satan 2' on the way."

Meanwhile, the journalist noted, the Pentagon had been promising to calculate the requirements for the Minuteman's replacement since the early 2010s. "It was said at the time that this work would be concluded by 2013…"

"At the same time, the Pentagon has said that it would like to obtain funding for a variety of different projects. For example, last year, the Air Force presented a project for an above-ground missile complex in the form of a 'nuclear train', which would move around a network of underground tunnels, its rockets launching through a special shaft in the tunnel. This was suggested in spite of the fact that the US been unable to develop even an analogue to the [Soviet-era] Molodets rail-based missile system, much less its successor, the Barguzin." Not surprisingly, Stepnov noted, this program too was eventually shot down by the Air Force.

"Naturally, the United States will not remain without land-based ICBMs. But so long as they continue to spend a great deal of time and just as much money developing something more modern, the old Minutemen, introduced into combat duty in 1978, will continue to stand guard," Stepnov concluded.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

From words to deeds: Tehran-Beijing-Moscow Axis changes everything

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/from-words-to-deeds-tehran-beijing.html

August 21st - Fort Russ News -
- Ruslan Ostashko, PolitRussa - translated by J. Arnoldski

http://politrussia.com/world/putin-obedinil-kitay-328/

"Putin unites China and Iran into an anti-American coalition in the Middle East"

Over the span of just a few days, the situation in the Middle East in general and Syria in particular has undergone radical changes. What’s more, these are good changes which we can be proud of, ones which many in the Pentagon are losing sleep over. Putin is taking full advantage of the institutional paralysis which is engulfing the United States during election campaigns and is, literally in front of dumbfounded Americans’ eyes, redistributing spheres of influence in one of the key regions of the world.

Let’s start with the reports that Russia has just set up its own air force base in Iran. Honestly speaking, this isn’t the case. This is not our base. Iran has “loaned” it to us for some time in order for bombing ISIS terrorists and their friends in Syria to be easier. The context of these reports is key. In general, it is no secret to many that Iran has long since closely cooperated with Russia in Syria and opened its airspace for the passage of Russian Caliber rockets, just like its airfields were already being used last year by our transport and bombers for refueling.

But there is a nuance. Iran and Russia have tried not to advertise this, apparently so as to not create additional tension during the process of Syria negotiations, and so that Iran can still continue the tedious and difficult work of defrosting their Western assets since sanctions have been lifted. But the situation has radically changed now.

First of all, Russia has obtained the official right to use the airfield for basing Russian bombers, including strategic ones capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The last time that Iran decided to allow foreign troops onto its territory was 70 years ago. This is a sign of great trust and the very high level of relations between our countries. This move fits well into the general context of Russian-Iranian relations. This benefits the - let’s call things by their names - future competition to the Suez Canal, the “North-South” transport corridor, which needed a military “roof” and has now got it.

Secondly, the presence of Russian aircraft on Iranian territory is now known to the whole world, and this changes the configuration of what is happening in the Middle East to a certain extent. Another Russian base in the region, a base which moreover could host bombers with nuclear weapons, causes great strain not so much for the US as for our Saudi and Qatari partners who will now feel very uncomfortable.

In fact, this is being done very publicly for the first time. Tehran and Moscow are sending a clear signal to our American partners in the region, and the State Department has already spoken out against these actions, advising that the redeployment of Russian bombers was “carried out too quickly” and, most importantly, without consulting the Americans. The Americans have been offended, but while they are busy with elections, Putin is stitching together a new anti-American alliance, among which even such countries with difficult relations with each other, like Iran and Turkey, have a place.

And now the second important element of the puzzle. For the first time during the Syrian crisis, Beijing has moved from diplomatically supporting Moscow and Damascus to military supporting them. These are still just the first steps, and it is not worth expecting the People’s Liberation Army of China to land in Aleppo tomorrow, but this gesture by the Chinese has meaning. A representative of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Guan Ufa, flew to Damascus this weekend and promised Assad humanitarian assistance from China as well as assistance in “strengthening personnel training.”

Syrian authorities and the Syrian Army really benefit from this. We should also consider that the Chinese prefer to intervene in international conflicts only when they have no other choice and know exactly who will win. It is obvious that Beijing took the opportunity to avoid direct participation in the Syrian crisis for the sake of not creating another point of tension between them and the United States. Logic dictates that this means that Beijing is now confident that the anti-American coalition in the Middle East will win.

Now, based on such a forecast, they’ve decided to offer some assistance which they can turn into a certain influence in the region later. We aren’t bothered by this. We have no claims to global hegemony. Squeezing American influence out of the Middle East will be much easier with Beijing’s help.

Right now, thanks to the Kremlin’s diplomatic efforts, a coalition of countries who are ready to fight against American hegemony is forming not only in words, but in deeds. The Americans do not like this, but they will have to get used to it. Sooner or later, they, and not us, will find themselves in complete international isolation.

Iran to award two key oil deals to China

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/21/481067/Iran-to-award-two-key-oil-deals-to-China

Iran says it plans to award the development of two of its major oil fields to the Chinese companies.

Gholam-Reza Manouchehri, the deputy director for engineering and development affairs of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), has been quoted by the media as saying that China’s CNPC will be awarded the development of the second phase of North Azadegan project.

Manouchehri added that the second company – Sinopec – will be awarded the development of the second phase of Yadavaran project.

Both are located in Iran’s southwestern province of Khouzestan.

The official added that negotiations between the related officials from Iran and China over both projects had entered final stages during last week visit to Beijing by Iran’s Minister of Economy and Financial Affairs Ali Tayyebnia.

He added that a delegation from China will arrive in Tehran over the next few weeks to finalize negotiations over the remaining aspects of the projects, including the commercial, economic and technical points.

Manouchehr said CNPC and Sinopec posses “vast financial resources” to carry out the development of North Azadegan and Yadavaran projects. He added that Iran’s decision to award the projects to the Chinese companies was in line with Tehran’s strategy to promote economic relations with Beijing.

Tayyebnia arrived in Beijing on Monday at the head of a high-ranking delegation to participate in the 16th meeting of the Iran-China joint economic commission, which was held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

During his stay in the Chinese capital, Iran signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) and China Development Bank (CDB) to provide loans for its key development projects.

Tayyebnia later told the media that Tehran is determined to expand its relations with Beijing in all areas.

Moscow's No-Fly Zones: Russia to Get New Long-Range Missile Interceptor

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160821/1044492150/russia-missile-interceptor-service.html

An advanced long-range missile interceptor is due to be put into service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in the near future, according to the Forces' Deputy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Gumenny.

In an interview with the news website Life.ru, Russian Aerospace Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Gumenny did not rule out that a new long-range missile interceptor would enter service with the Forces in the immediate future.

He said that right now, more efforts are being made to create such a missile.

"The creation of the long-range missile interceptor will help the Aerospace Forces to duly fulfil any task set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces," Gumenny said.

He added that also adding to the Aerospace Forces' defense capability will be a range of sophisticated anti-aircraft systems, including the Pantsyr-SM, Pantsyr-SA, Pantsyr-S and Pantsyr-S2 artillery units.

The Russian newspaper Vzglyad recalled that on July 27, a report by the scientific development and production center Almaz made it known that the Defense Ministry had decided to develop two new anti-aircraft missile systems (AAMS) — medium and long-range, on the basis of the S-400 Triumf missile system.

On April 15, the chief of air defense, Russian Aerospace Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Gumenny said that Russian troops expect the appearance of the first sets of S-500 anti-aircraft missile systems (AAMS) in the near future, according to Vzglyad.

The S-500 Prometey, also known as 55R6M Triumfator-M, is a cutting-edge anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile system currently under development in Russia. It is designed to replace the S-300 and the S-400 systems.

Developed by Almaz Antey, the S-500 is said to have a range of 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles). The system can simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic and hypersonic missiles moving at a speed of 7 kilometers per second.

The Prometey is capable of engaging targets at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers (more than 120 miles).
The system is capable of intercepting aircraft and UAVs, as well as destroying low-earth-orbit satellites, space destruction devices and orbital weaponry.

The S-500 will be a major upgrade to the state-of-the-art S-400 unit that is already in service. It "will form the upper tier of Russia's layered integrated air defense system," according to defense expert Dave Majumdar, writing for the US magazine National Interest.

DM: Iran Plans to Build Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles Soon

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531000552

"We have been able to increase the missiles' speed and God willing, we will build supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles in the near future," General Dehqan said, addressing a ceremony to unveil Iran's first turbojet engine in Tehran on Sunday.

Stressing that Iranian experts have taken long strides to develop cruise missiles, he said that the country has doubled or tripled the range of its missiles, mounted state-of-the-art guiding systems on them and increased their precision-striking power.

Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Gholam Reza Khadem Biqam announced in May that Iran is moving ahead with a large scale navy modernization program for wider presence in the high seas.

Speaking to FNA in the Northern city of Rasht at the time, Khadem Biqam said the new warships will be self-sufficient, bigger and equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology.

“Iran plans to improve its naval resources in order to have a bigger presence in international waters,” he added.

Earlier, in November 2015, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced that the country's submarines have been equipped with the capability to fire home-made long-range Qadir cruise missiles.

"The missiles that we are using today are good and proper missiles to fulfill different missions, including coast-to-sea or surface-to-surface missions, or to be fired from a vessel or by submarines," Sayyari said, addressing a ceremony to mark delivery of a large number of high-precision and long-range Qadir cruise missiles from the defense ministry to the Navy.

Last year, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched the production line of 'Qadir' cruise missiles in a ceremony participated by General Dehqan and other high-ranking Iranian commanders.

Addressing the ceremony, Dehqan said Qadir missiles can be rapidly deployed to show reaction in a short time, while they enjoy other capabilities such as low flying altitude, high navigation precision, high targeting precision, high destruction power, highly advanced anti-electronic warfare and anti-jamming systems, advanced radar systems and the capability of being fired from different types of vessels and helicopters.

Stressing that the Iranian defense ministry stands atop the region in manufacturing different types of home-made missiles, he said, "The high precision, rapid reaction and high quality of these important products have incredibly increased the Armed Forces' combat power in the sky, sea and ground."

Dehqan appreciated the Iranian scientists and elites for designing, building and mass-producing Qadir missiles which can hit targets 300km in distance, and said, "God willing, the Defense Ministry's new missiles with much more advanced capabilities will be delivered to the Armed Forces next year."

Clashes restart in Hasakah City after government, Kurdish negotiations fail

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/clashes-restart-hasakah-city-government-kurdish-negotiations-fail/


Clashes increase between Syrian army, Kurdish forces

http://english.cctv.com/2016/08/21/VIDEm2eYAFDq5nxkpKf7yR0o160821.shtml?

Truce agreement reached in Hasaka starting at 5PM on Sunday

http://sana.sy/en/?p=86015

Damascus, SANA – A truce agreement was reached in Hasaka between the official governmental sides and the Asayish, the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party.

SANA reporter in Hasaka said the agreement involves applying a truce system as of 5PM on Sunday and evacuating the wounded and transporting them to hospitals in Qamishli, in addition to restoring the situation in Hasaka to how it was before and beginning new dialogue on Monday to resolve the remaining unresolved issues.

Asayish had escalated their acts of provocation in Hasaka city during the past few days, attacking state establishments, stealing oil and cotton, disrupting examinations, carrying out abductions, and causing a state of chaos and instability, in addition to targeting positions of the Syrian Arab Army which required a suitable response by the Army as it targeted the sources of artillery fire and the gatherings of armed elements responsible for these criminal actions.

Hasaka Governor: Damascus Gov't Welcomes Kurds' Cooperation in Administering Syria

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531001322

"The Syrian government has always supported Kurds and it will remain to do so, and we promise to settle all differences," al-Ala told FNA on Sunday.

He, meantime, pointed to the recent clashes between the Kurdish group, Asayesh, and the National Defense Forces (NDF) who are fighting alongside the Syrian army, and said, "Resorting to force will not help resolve the differences."

Al-Ala said that the Asayesh forces blocked Hasaka-Qamishli road last week and prevented the military, police and security forces from joining other forces due to certain differences with the NDF.

"Following these incidents the two sides' commanders agreed to a ceasefire after mediations and holding a 5-hour meeting in Hasaka governor's office," he added.

The Hasaka governor said that Asayesh had asked for dissolving the NDF and non-interference of the government in areas under their control, but the governor's office seriously opposed their demands and Asayesh threatened to violate the ceasefire by insisting on their demands.

"The Hasaka governor's office also had three demands from the Kurds which were reopening the blocked Hasak-Qamishli road, opening the supply route to the military forces and exchanging the two sides' PoWs, but the Kurds did not agree with the third demand," al-Ala added.

He underlined that if Kurds have conditions for participating in administering the country, the government will not oppose them, but they should be patient and try to resolve their differences through dialogue and not the language of force.

Hasaka province is located in the far Northeastern corner of Syria and its capital is Hasaka city.

Brief clashes erupted between Asayesh and government troops in a part of Hasaka earlier this week.

Syria: Popular Forces Capture Another Key Height near Aleppo City

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531001225

Al-Nujaba fighters, backed by Iran's IRGC military advisors, pushed Jeish al-Fatah fighters back from al-Syriatel height near Um al-Qara'a, inflicting a heavy death toll on the militants.

Local sources announced that the Syrian pro-government forces are fortifying their positions in al-Syriatel to strengthen their control over Um al-Qara'a height.

The sources further added that at least 95 members of Jeish al-Fatah, including 10 senior commanders, have been killed in clashes in Aleppo in the last four days.

Reports said earlier today that he official in charge of the Operations Room of Fatah al-Sham (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in Aleppo was killed in clashes with the Syrian government forces.

Abu Feisal al-Halabi, one of the notorious masterminds in Fatah al-Sham's operation room for leading terrorist activities and attacks on government forces' positions in the province, was gunned down by the Syrian army men.

Syria: Rift Widening among Jeish Al-Fatah Coalition Members in Aleppo

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531001056

"Jeish al-Fatah's violations of civilians' rights in Aleppo and rogue decisions of the coalition's commanders over war plans in Aleppo battlefields have weakened their unity significantly," sources close to the Operation Room for Conquest of Aleppo said.

"The Operation Room, which once was the representative of at least 22 militant groups forming Jeish al-Fatah coalition, is on verge of collapse," the sources added.

"The leaders of militant groups' believe that field commanders of Jeish al-Fatah are some non-Syrian mercenaries who do not care Syrian commanders of the coalition and try to leave them alone behind military academy buildings to be killed by government forces," they added.

Hezbollah Strikes Fatah al-Sham Front Militants along Northeast Border with Syria

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950531001394

Gatherings of Fatah al-Sham Front terrorists were targeted and directly hit by Hezbollah artillery fire in an area known as Al-Qanzah peak near Arsal, Al Manar reported.

ISIL and the Fatah al-Sham Front terrorists have been entrenched on the outskirts of Arsal since August 2014, when they briefly overran the town.

The Lebanese Army and Hezbollah strike their posts on a near daily basis along the restive border region to keep them at bay.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian Plane With AWACS-Styled Radar to Make Maiden Flight in 2018

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160822/1044503504/a100-awacs-style-radar-maiden-flight.html

Russia’s first plane with a long-range surveillance and control system will make its maiden flight in 2018, the local media cited a military source as saying Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The airborne A-100 Premier system will be set on an Ilyushin Il-76MD plane for the first test run due next year. It was dubbed an airborne lab and given the codename A-100LL.

"The aim is to test and fine-tune Premier avionics on an A-100LL and then move it onto an Il-476. If everything goes as planned, the ‘original’ A-100 will make the maiden flight in 2018," the source in the Defense Ministry told the Izvestia newspaper.

The airborne system will reportedly provide the military with surveillance, warning, and control capabilities, detecting fighter jets at a distance of more than 324 nautical miles and identifying ships at 216 nautical miles.

This is far greater than the range of the US-made Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS), dubbed "eye in the sky" by NATO.

Russian MiG-29SMT Pilots to Conduct Drills Near St. Petersburg

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160822/1044504115/russia-mig-29-drills.html

According to the press service of the Western Military District, the pilots of the MiG-29SMT fighters from a military unit in Russia's western Kursk Region are expected to conduct drills from an airfield near St. Petersburg.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The pilots of the MiG-29SMT fighters from a military unit in Russia's western Kursk Region are expected to conduct drills from an airfield near St. Petersburg, the press service of the Western Military District said Monday.

"During the exercises, the pilots will complete the tasks of preparing the aircraft for flights, taking off in groups and one by one, engaging in fights with the use of missiles and guns, as well as hitting ground targets," the press service said.

During the drills, the pilots are expected to upgrade their skills on working over unknown terrain.

The exercises will run for a week. About 50 servicemen are partaking in the drills, in which six MiG-29SMT aircraft are involved.

French Fighters Bomb Daesh Heavy Equipment Storage in Central Raqqa

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160822/1044501868/raqqa-daesh-france-bombing.html

French fighter jets bombed on Sunday an Daesh site in the heart of its stronghold in Raqqa in northern Syria, the Defense Ministry said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Four of Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighters together with one Atlantique 2 aircraft dropped a dozen of SCALP cruise missiles at the facility which, the Ministry said, was at the heart of the Daesh-controlled territory.

"On Sunday, 21 2016, a French air raid struck at the Daesh center for storing and maintaining heavy equipment in Raqqa, Syria," the ministerial statement read.

The mission followed a week of intense bombardments by the French Air Force which is operating in Syria as part of a US-led international coalition, whose stated goal is to roll back the Daesh terror group.

French jets are also providing air support to Iraqi and Kurdish troops near Mosul in Iraq. The French military said the airstrikes, targeting Daesh control centers, arms depots and chemical labs, were in preparation for ground assaults on Mosul and Raqqa.

Turkey-backed militants set to race US-supported Kurds for ISIS-held Syrian town

https://www.rt.com/news/356690-turkey-syria-fsa-sdf-isis/

Ankara-backed Islamist units have reportedly mobilized on the Turkish side of the Syrian border to launch an assault on Jarablus, aiming to prevent the US-backed Kurdish-dominant SDF from capturing the town from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists.

“The factions are gathering in an area near the border (inside Turkey),” one of the Free Syrian Army fighters told Reuters. Another rebel source confirmed a buildup of forces, loosely organized under the FSA umbrella, inside Turkey at a military camp near the town of Qarqamish just across the border with Jarablus.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...bo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

“Every day there are groups of fighters entering from inside Syria across a secret crossing to a Turkish base where they are gathering in preparation of the assault on Jarablus,” the source told the news agency.

RT’s Arabic crew is reporting that some 600 to 700 fighters are ready to launch an assault on Jarablus. Lebanese-based Al Mayadeen channel reports that dozens of military vehicles already have crossed from Turkey into Syria.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...nU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

According to Reuters the forces are made up of Failaq al Sham, Sultan Murad, Ahrar al-Sham and Jabha al Shamiya units. The assault is expected to begin in the next few days before Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) can retake the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) -held town.

A US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters are also making a push towards the border town after taking full control of Manbij by driving IS militants from the strategically important town, used by terrorists to smuggle weapons and goods. The SDF already controls the eastern bank of the Euphrates opposite Jarablus.

Ankara has long been worried about the autonomy of Kurds in Syria as Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) of the Democratic Union Party of Syria (PYD) with the help of American-led airstrikes, continue to capture vast amount of territory in Northern Syria, which borders Kurdish-dominant southeastern Turkey, where Ankara has engaged the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a brutal military campaign for over a year.

Turkey has repeatedly said that it would not tolerate Kurds staying west of the Euphrates River, with YPG-PYD advances in northern Syria remaining the key security issue for Ankara. The two groups are designated terrorist organizations by Turkey but not the US. Turkey fears that Kurds are trying to link up Afrin canton with its cantons in the east, Kobane and Cizre.

On Saturday the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed that Ankara will play a “more active” role in Syria in the next six months.

“We say the bloodshed needs to stop. Babies, children, innocent people should not die. That’s why Turkey will be more active in trying to stop the danger getting worse in the next six months, compared with before,” Yildirim told reporters in Istanbul.

A source from the radical jihadist Ahrar al-Sham brigade told Reuters that Turkish artillery has already engaged in shelling IS positions at the border next to Jarablus since Friday in preparation for the assault on the town.

The main goal of the Turkey-backed forces prior to capturing Jarablus is to regain control of Tal Rifaat and Marea towns in northern Aleppo province, now controlled by YPG militia.

IS has meanwhile started pulling its followers from Jarablus, and another city nearby, al-Bab, to the terrorist stronghold of Raqqa

“There will certainly be resistance. They will have mined it heavily,” the source said. “The operation of entering Jarablus will not be easy.”

Arabic news outlets report that IS plans to use its long-standing strategy of using human shields in the fight for Jarablus.

‘Red line’: China warned Japan against joining US freedom of navigation stunts

https://www.rt.com/news/356695-china-warns-japan-red-line/

Beijing warned Tokyo of a harsh response if it ever crossed a “red line” in deciding to sail with US warships near disputed waters surrounding China’s artificially reclaimed islands under the pretext of the Freedom of Navigation principle, Japanese media reported.

The warning to Japan reportedly came just ahead of the Hague international arbitration court’s ruling over the disputed South China Sea islands which Beijing continues to claim, despite a verdict which stripped China of the disputed territory.

Tokyo will “cross a red line” if Japan’s Self-Defense Forces sail with the Americans, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua allegedly told a Japanese official in Tokyo, Kyodo reported citing a source.

Japan should not take part in a “joint military action with US forces that is aimed at excluding China in the South China Sea,” Cheng is reported to have told Japanese officials late in June. “(China) will not concede on sovereignty issues and is not afraid of military provocations.”

According to the source, the official reassured the ambassador that Japan had no plans to join the US sails, which have intensified lately by constant American warship maneuvering near artificial islands that China has built in the South China Sea.

Freedom of Navigation (FON) has been part of an American policy under the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention to exercise its navigation and overflight rights and freedoms since 1983. China has repeatedly warned against such provocations.

The tense diplomatic exchange took place amid another territorial dispute between China and Japan over the Tokyo-administered Tokyo-administered Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands which China claims as their own.

Earlier this week, Japanese media reported that China continues to expand military infrastructure next to the disputed waters, erecting a military pier on Nanji Island, one of 52 islands in the Nanji chain that are part of China’s Zhejiang Province.

To counter the perceived Chinese threat, Tokyo is seeking a record defense budget of 5.16 trillion yen ($51 billion) for next year to strengthen the Japanese coast guard near the disputed waters with China. Part of the funding will also be spent on neutralizing the North Korean threat by deploying PAC-3 missile defense system and the joint Japanese-US production of the Block IIA version of the Standard Missile-3 system. Japan also seeks to purchase an upgraded version of the F-35 stealth fighter.

Meanwhile, Beijing has finished long-range combat drill in the Sea of Japan with its East China Sea Fleet by launching simulated attacks to improve the capability of continuous strikes at maximum range, CCTV reported. The exercise also included air force simulation of air-to-ship missile launches against enemy vessels. The Chinese navy called the drill “routine” and in accordance with international law.

Tensions in the area were heightened even further when four Chinese coastguard ships sailed into territorial waters surrounding the disputed islands in the East China Sea on Sunday morning. The Japanese foreign Ministry responded by issuing a note of protest against the “incursion” and the violation of Japanese sovereignty.

“Despite Japan’s repeated strong protests, the Chinese side has continued to take unilateral actions that raise tensions on the ground, and that is absolutely unacceptable,” the statement said.

It is reported that since the beginning of the month, Japan lodged at least 32 protests over about 30 intrusions by Chinese vessels in the territorial waters.

US, South Korea begin massive military drill amid North warning

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/22/481107/South-Korea-US-military-exercise-Ulchi-Freedom-Guardian-North-Korea

Tens of thousands of troops from South Korea and the US have launched a massive military exercise, prompting North Korea to pledge retaliation against what it calls an invasion rehearsal.

The annual two-week “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” maneuver, which is largely computer-simulated, started on Monday with the participation of 50,000 Korean and 30,000 US soldiers.

Seoul and Washington say the drill is purely defensive in nature. North Korea, however, views the drill as willfully provocative and a rehearsal for an actual attack on the country.

The Korean People's Army (KPA) issued a statement Monday morning, threatening a “preemptive retaliatory strike” should the US-led war drills threaten Pyongyang’s sovereignty.

“The first-strike combined units of the KPA keep themselves fully ready to mount a preemptive retaliatory strike at all enemy attack groups involved in Ulchi Freedom Guardian,” Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

“The nuclear warmongers should bear in mind that if they show the slightest sign of aggression on the inviolable land, seas and air where the sovereignty of the DPRK is exercised, it would turn the stronghold of provocation into a heap of ashes through Korean-style preemptive nuclear strike,” the statement added.

In Seoul, anti-war activists held a protest rally to condemn the annual joint military exercise.

Holding placards reading "Stop war exercise," the protesters gathered near the US embassy in the South Korean capital, Seoul, on Monday.

North Korea said in January it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, its fourth nuclear test, and vowed to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from the US and its regional allies.

A month later, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket which it said placed an earth observation satellite into orbit. Washington and Seoul denounced it as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

​North Korea says it will not abandon its nuclear “deterrence” unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led command in South Korea. Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

Japan, China, South Korea foreign ministers to meet August 23-24

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-china-southkorea-idUSKCN10X0JE?il=0

Foreign ministers from Japan, China and South Korea will meet in Tokyo on Aug. 23 and 24 to exchange views on cooperation and regional and international issues, the Japanese and South Korean foreign ministries said on Monday.

A senior Japanese foreign ministry official said last month that Japan was considering hosting the annual trilateral meeting in late August, but a flare-up in Sino-Japanese tensions had stoked worries that the meeting may not take place.

Sino-Japanese ties were strained this month after a growing number of Chinese coastguard and other government ships sailed near a group of disputed islets in the East China Sea.

The meeting will be an opportunity for the three foreign ministers to discuss pressing regional issues such as North Korea's nuclear and missile developments and to lay the groundwork for a trilateral summit Tokyo is set to host this year.

 

[angelburst29]

US Occupation of Syria now official
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/breaking-us-occupation-of-syria-now.html

"This is a historic and dangerous development which only increases the chances of total war."

Over the last 24 hours, the United States has made clear its status as a hostile occupational force in Syria. Yesterday, the US issued a communique to the legitimate Syrian government and the Russian anti-terrorist coalition assisting the Syrians. The United States has indicated that it has carved out a swath of Syria with boots on the ground fulfilling the roles of active duty personnel, such as special ops forces, advisors, trainers, mechanics, and supporting units. The US has declared a no fly zone and threatened to target and shoot down Syrian and Russian planes within Syrian airspace [over the Kurdish autonomous region - ed].

As RT reports, US Commander of American forces in Iraq and Syria Lt. General Stephen Townshend stated: "“We’ve informed the Russians where we’re at ... (they) tell us they’ve informed the Syrians, and I’d just say that we will defend ourselves if we feel threatened." Since, as Reuters reports, clashes between Kurdish and Syrian forces have intensified.

A number of analysts previously forecasted that the US would take this route given the success of the Syrian and allied Russian campaign in general and in particular in light of souring US-Turkish relations, the possibility of the US losing access to the Turkish Incirlik base, and the dire situation of Takfiri forces holed up in Aleppo. Different international news agencies have already run a version of the story which presents the US forces' communique as a "warning for Russia and Syria" (CNN) or a "defensive threat" (IBT), but they have failed to distinguish the de facto meaning of this development. Nor have they included that the US military's official statement is in stark violation of international law, constituting an illegal occupation of a sovereign state.

It has long been assessed that the reason that the US had simultaneously backed ISIS and Kurdish forces was for the purpose of using ISIS as a "place holder" to be defeated, either virtually or in actuality, only to then carve out a US occupation zone under the pretext of forming an independent Kurdish state. Previously last year, representatives of the Kurdish autonomous region made an unconstitutional and unilateral announcement of federalization. This turn was used to create a seemingly legal ambiguity, or 'gray area', to confuse public discourse at the media level. However, the anti-terrorist coalition's foreign ministers as well as international legal experts are under no illusions that the unilateral declaration of federalization is just as much a violation of Syrian sovereignty as would be a breakaway republic made possible only thanks to a war of US occupation. Under the international legal norms of the Geneva convention as well as subsequent parallel agreements, a foreign occupying country does not have the right to divide, separate, occupy, or carve out a section of a country regardless of what the occupying army terms such as.

Moreover, the most recent communique from the US Lt. General Townshend in Northern Syria laid out plans to increase the area of what the US considers "Kurdistan." Under the present Syrian Constitution, Kurds are represented both in the government in Damascus and have a semi-autonomous status within the central Syrian state.

A major collision course

The brazen and illegal warnings issued by the US commander pose the real possibility of creating a direct confrontation between Syrian, Iranian, Russian, and other independent forces on the one hand, and the US military and their Kurdish puppet outfits on the other. This dramatic increase in hostilities would deal a major blow to hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

In 2011, the US, alongside its Israeli, Turkish, Qatari, and Saudi allies and with assistance from Jordan, organized, sponsored, and financed the launch of an illegal invasion by non-uniformed regular soldiers, mercenaries, child soldiers, and armed religious fanatics (many of whom themselves were shipped into the region from Europe where they have legal residence). A 2011 protest movement which had blossomed out of the efforts of the US National Endowment for Democracy and UN-sanctioned NGO's financed by the House of Saud and Qatari monarchy took advantage of Syria's liberal and open society, infiltrating civic organizations and manipulating Syria's secular pluralism against itself. This created the possibility for a media simulacrum in which international observers and media, both intentionally and unintentionally, conflated a protest movement comprised mainly of Syrians with a military operation which very quickly became nothing more than a foreign invasion.

Russian involvement upon the invitation of the legitimate government of Syria was the source of a serious setback to US aims in the region. Now what remains to be seen is what the US is actually prepared to do. Syrian and Russian military planners no doubt long ago gamed out multiple scenarios and developed some kind of responsive contingency plans. It is only natural that, while such responsive plans exist, they would not be a matter of public disclosure. At issue is the capacity of the US, a once global hegemon which geostrategic analysts around the world have assessed to now be in a waning phase, to maintain an occupational foothold in the Kurdish region of Syria. Both Syria and Turkey may find that they have a common interest in opposing a US puppet Kurdish state.

Prior to the outbreak of the present conflict, Syria and Turkey maintained a treaty which allowed Turkish security forces to pursue Kurdish separatist terrorists who would at times flee to Syria from operations in Turkey. After the conflict began, both Syria, and Turkey and the United States (to the extent to which the latter two can be considered to have divergent interests) all engaged in the game of playing the Kurdish card. Each side in the conflict hoped to be able to use the support of armed Kurdish groups to their own ends. While there is much information that suggests that Turkey is in the process of reorienting itself away from Euro-Atlanticism and NATO, especially in light of Turkey's moves during and after the failed coup attempt, there is always the possibility that recent Turkish moves are actually part of a long term plan to cast a specter of uncertainty over Turkey's future plans in concert with the US. Such would not at all be unprecedented in the history of geopolitical alliances.

In conclusion, the US' announcement marks a turning point in this conflict. If before there had been any ambiguity about the US' intentions in Syria - a plan to divide Syria which had been publicly elaborated in numerous pro-Atlanticist think tank publications such as those of the Brookings Institute or Council on Foreign Relations - then now the US has revealed its hand. This is a historic and dangerous development which only increases the chances of total war.

Just a note:

I find the timing and boldness of "US Commander of American forces in Iraq and Syria Lt. General Stephen Townshend" interesting and worth keeping a critical eye on, for further developments? Townshend definitely crossed a "red line" considering the U.S. is an invading force in Syria. Interesting also, that the NATO Commander has just arrived in Turkey, (Monday) and VP Biden will be visiting on Wednesday. The combination of the three (Townshend, Scaparrotti and Biden) sounds like a disaster waiting to happen?

As of this writing, I haven't noticed any "official" announcements by either President Assad or President Putin or their government or military authorities - in answer to Townshend's bold moves and remarks?

On the flip side, the Prez has been on vacation at Martha's Vineyard, where Bill and Hillary Clinton spent Friday night, celebrating Bill's 70th birthday. Following day, there was a "suppose" fundraiser by the Rothschild's, a few miles away on Nantucket. Depending on how you look at it, you have the current President, a former President and a Presidential hopeful - all attending a Rothschild's private gathering. Something feels - really off? Hope they're not planning something - STUPID?

NATO Europe Commander Arrives in Ankara for Meeting With Turkish General Staff
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160822/1044511049/nato-turkey-meeting.html

The delegation’s plane headed by Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and US European Command (EURCOM) chief US Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti landed at the capital’s Esenboga airport at noon local time (09:00 GMT), according to the Haberturk broadcaster.

Scaparrotti is expected to meet Chief of the Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar, the outlet added.


Biden's Turkey Trip Could Be Bid to Save Face Following Botched Coup Attempt
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160822/1044505595/turkey-united-states-biden-visit.html

Biden is due to visit Turkey on August 24. He will meet Erdogan and Yildirim "to discuss the US-Turkey relationship and a range of issues of importance to both nations."


Hillary Clinton Flies 20 Miles In Private Jet To Attend Rothschild Nantucket Fundraiser
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-21/hillary-clinton-flies-20-miles-private-jet-attend-rothschild-nantucket-fundraiser

As we reported a few days ago, Bill and Hillary Clinton spent Friday night in Martha's Vineyard celebrating Bill's 70th birthday (posted here). We're sure it was a grand affair, well worth the heat Obama had to take from Louisiana flood victims to attend.

Turns out the following morning, Hillary, not one to be bothered with traditional peasant forms of travel, awoke and took her private jet just 20 miles over to Nantucket where the Rothschilds will be hosting a fundraiser. The event is open to all...well anyone who can afford the $100,000 per person price tag.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russia, China agree plans of Joint Sea-2016 international drills

http://tass.com/defense/895275

The Russian-Chinese naval exercise Joint Sea-2016 will be held in China from September 12 to 19

VLADIVOSTOK, August 22. /TASS/. The final conference on the preparation for the Russian-Chinese naval exercise Joint Sea-2016, which will be held in China from September 12 to 19, has been held in the city of Zhanjiang (China).

The sides agreed on the plans of the maneuvers and cultural activities, spokesman for the Russian Pacific Fleet Captain 2nd Rank Vladimir Matveyev told TASS on Monday.

"During the final planning conference, the parties held a field inspection of the exercise area, agreed on the plans for the drills, signed the sports and cultural activities plans", Matveyev said.

According to him, during the exercise the forces of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the Navy of the People’s Liberation Army of China will drill organizing defense of ships at sea and joint assault force landing in the South China Sea.

Iran plans negotiations with Russia on purchase of Sukhoi fighters

http://tass.com/defense/895279

Iran's Ministry of Defense the country needs to strengthen its air force

TEHRAN, August 22. /TASS/. Iran will not need additional air defense systems after getting from Russia the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems and commissioning Iran’s similar system Bavar (Belief) 373. Therefore, Iran's Ministry of Defense intends to focus on negotiations with Russia on the purchase of the Sukhoi aircraft, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan told Iran’s TV on Sunday evening.

"We don’t need other long-range air defense systems, (in addition to the S-300 and Bavar-373), we no longer plan to purchase them. Therefore, the Iranian Defense Ministry’s agenda includes consultations with Russia on the purchase of Sukhoi aircraft. We need to strengthen our Air Force," he said.

According to him, complex tests of the Bavar-373 air defense missile system will be held in the near future. "At the request of the President (of Iran Hassan Rouhani), the first test will be intercepting a ballistic missile. If the tests prove successful, the system will go into serial production, and its combat deployment will begin before the end of the year", the minister said.

On Sunday, Tehran hosted an exhibition of achievements of the Iranian defense industry. The exhibition for the first time presented to the general public the Bavar 373 system, which, according to Iranian sources, is an analogue of Russia’s S-300, as well as Iran’s first national turbojet engine that has been named Owj.

Iran had signed a contract with Russia on the supply of the S-300 missile defense systems in 2007. However, its implementation was suspended after the United Nations Security Council passed on June 9, 2010 resolution 1929 which banned the transfer of any state-of-the-art weapons, including missile and missile systems, to Teheran. In April 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on supplies of S-300 systems to Iran and the contract was resumed in November 2015.

The contract will be implemented by the year end, according to Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russia’s state corporation Rostec.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said previously Russia had fulfilled 50% of its liabilities under the contract.

Russia pauses operations from Iranian military base — Iran’s Foreign Ministry

http://tass.com/defense/895284

There is no special arrangement between Tehran and Moscow on using the Shahid Nojeh facility

TEHRAN, August 22. /TASS/. Russia has taken a timeout from using the Iranian military base Shahid Nojeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi announced at a Monday news briefing in Tehran.

"Russia has stopped using the air force base for now," he declared, adding there had been no special arrangement between Tehran and Moscow on using the facility.

"We have a number of agreements with Russia on conducting joint (anti-terrorist) operations. One such agreement envisages the possibility that Iran may grant Russia use of its airspace and infrastructures to fight terrorism in Syria," he affirmed, noting that Tehran’s relations with Moscow were booming over recent years, describing them as strategic.

"Russia and Iran stand closely on the issue of fighting terrorism and the Islamic State (terrorist group outlawed in Russia)," Qasemi stated. "The situation in the region is a very sensitive one. Iran’s own security depends on it and it is of paramount importance to us."

Last week for the first time ever, Russia’s military used an airfield in Iran to attack terrorists in Syria. Long-range bombers, namely Tupolev-22M3 and Sukhoi-34 front-line bombers participated in the raid. Earlier, these aircraft flew sorties from airdromes in Russia and front-line bombers, from the Hmeymim base in Syria.

Defense ministry: Russian planes return from Iranian air base after coping with tasks

http://tass.com/defense/895323

Russian aircraft used the Iranian base thrice to hit terrorists in Syria on August 16, 17 and 18

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. The Russian planes that participated in dealing strikes against militants’ facilities in Syria from the Iranian air base near Hamedan have coped with their tasks and returned to Russia, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Monday.

"The Russian military aircraft that participated in the operation to deal air strikes from the Iranian air base near Hamedan against terrorist facilities in Syria have coped with all of their tasks. At the moment all of Russia’s planes that participated in that operation are in Russian territory," he said.

"Further use of the Hamedan airbase in Iran by the Russian aerospace force will be based on mutual agreements on struggle against terrorism and depending on the situation in Syria," Konashenkov said.

Russian aircraft used the Iranian base thrice to hit terrorists in Syria on August 16, 17 and 18. Long-range bombers Tupolev-22M3 and frontline bombers Sukhoi-34 participated in the operation.

Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Russia had stopped using the air force base for the time being. He explained that the two countries did not have a specific arrangement concerning the air base, but there existed a number of agreements on conducting joint operations against terrorism. One such agreement envisages the possibility Iran may grant Russia use of its airspace and infrastructures to fight terrorism in Syria.

Truce agreement reached in Hasaka starting at 5PM on Sunday

http://sana.sy/en/?p=86015

Kurdish forces breach truce with government in Syria’s Hasakah

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/08/22/481158/Kurdish-forces-Syria-Hasakah-truce

Kurdish forces in the Syrian city of Hasakah have violated a ceasefire agreement they had struck with Syrian army forces hours earlier.

The Kurdish forces attacked the district of Nashwa in southeastern Hasakah early on Monday, according to Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-hasaka-idUSKCN10X09O?il=0

According to Syria Now website, the Kurdish fighters set fire to governmental buildings in Hasakah on Monday.

Reports also said the forces had earlier seized control of the Ghwairan neighborhood in the northeastern Syrian city.

The Syrian army and popular forces have been engaged in clashes with the Kurdish militants to thwart their acts of sabotage in Nashwa and Ghwairan since Sunday.

Even though both the Kurds and the Syrian army have been battling the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, clashes erupted between them on Wednesday.

The Syrian forces and the Kurdish fighters agreed on a Russian-brokered ceasefire in Hasakah on Sunday.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The UN no more provides an official death toll for Syria.

Kurdish force on the verge of capturing Al-Hasakah

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/kurdish-force-verge-capturing-al-hasakah/

Al-Hasakah, Syria (4:00 P.M.) – The Kurdish police (Asayish) and People’s Protection Units (YPG) reportedly seized the eastern neighborhoods of the Al-Nashwa District on Monday, forcing the government-backed “National Defense Forces” (NDF) to withdraw to the nearby Liliyah District in the south.

In addition to their success at the Al-Nashwa District, the Kurdish force managed to make a number of gains inside the Al-Hasakah Sports City; this area was once a stronghold for the National Defense Forces.

With their control over the western districts and much of the south, the Kurdish forces are on the verge of seizing the entire provincial capital from the NDF, putting an end to the government’s presence in the provincial capital.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Syrian Air Force are still providing artillery and air support to the National Defense Forces, but their attacks are far less frequent.

Allies No More? Kurds Fight to Conquer Syrian Government-Run Enclave

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160822/1044520300/syria-army-kurds-military-operation.html

A source in the Syrian Army has denied information about the advance of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the Syrian city of al-Hasakah, according to Sputnik's Arabic edition.

Sputnik's Arabic edition quoted a source in the Syrian Army as denying reports that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) were advancing in the Syrian city of al-Hasakah, located in the mainly Kurdish-held northeastern part of the country.

The information came as the Syrian Army continues a military operation against the armed Kurdish groups after a ceasefire violation on August 16, when the YPG fired mortar mines at the government troops' positions.

"The country's Air Force planes continue to fly over al-Hasakah… no one can prevent our forces from conducting air operations," the source said.

It denied previously published information that the US-led international coalition allegedly does not allow the Syrian Air Force to make flights over al-Hasaka due to the presence of American military forces in the region.

Earlier, media outlets cited Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis as saying that the US military dispatched two F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets to intercept a pair of Syrian Su-24 warplanes that had flown in the vicinity of al-Hasakah.

Last week, regular Syrian troops launched a military operation in the eastern areas of al-Nashwa, in what was followed by the army's advance on the district of Geweran. An army source said that the goal is to enter al-Nashwa's western and eastern areas in order to move further towards the center of the city.

For his part, al-Hasakah Mayor Muhammed Zaalan Al-Ali told Sputnik that Kurdish forces had allegedly blocked the al-Hasaka-al-Qamishli road, preventing the advance of the Syrian Army and its allies.

"We appreciate Kurdish forces' help in the fight against terrorists last year, when 500 Kurdish soldiers were killed and 900 more wounded. But we wonder why the PKK [the Kurdistan Workers' Party]has now turned their weapon against the Syrian Army and other government organizations, even though the country's army previously supported the Kurds in their fight against armed terrorists," he said.

The warring sides in al-Hasakah have reportedly not provided any official information about the number of casualties among the armed forces and civilians.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry has said that the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation at Hmeymim Airbase has registered a total of nine violations of the ceasefire agreement in Syria over the last 24 hours.

The Russia-US brokered ceasefire in Syria came into force on February 27. However, Jabhat Fatah Al-Sham, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front, and Daesh terrorist group (ISIL/ISIS), which have been condemned by Russia and throughout the world, are not part of the ceasefire deal. Kurdish forces were not invited to Switzerland to sign the official truce, but had not fought government forces, as both focused their efforts on thwarting Islamic extremists.

According to the Australian television network ABC, the fighting in Hasaka, which had been divided into zones of Kurdish and Syrian government control, "marks the most violent confrontation between the Kurdish YPG militia and Damascus in more than five years of civil war."

Many fear for the well-being of Arabs and other minorities in the Kurdish-dominated city. ABC reports that thousands of non-Kurds, including members of the Christian community, "have fled to villages in the countryside as the fighting intensified, residents said."

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and radical Islamist groups, including Daesh.Russia conducted its anti-Daesh air campaign in Syria for six months, between September 2015 and March 2016 at the request of Damascus. Moscow started withdrawing aircraft and personnel from bases in Syria after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the goals of the campaign had been completed.

Militant Groups in Aleppo Ready to Leave Jeish Al-Fatah Coalition

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950601001175

"The terrorist groups in the Eastern part of Aleppo have been fighting to remove the government forces' siege on the city, but Jeish al-Fatah's command center in Idlib has ordered its fighters to break through the army positions in Western Aleppo to find access to its neighborhoods and loot people's properties," the sources said.

"Commanders of the terrorist groups that have recently joined Jeish al-Fatah and formed a new coalition have called for defection from the coalition due to Jeish al-Fatah's totally different objectives in the Aleppo war," they added.

"More than 3,200 militants have been killed in clashes with government forces in recent weeks to lift the army siege on Aleppo's Eastern districts," the sources said, adding, "The Takfiri terrorists' Saudi Mofti, Abdullah al-Moheisini's attempts to narrow the gaps among the terrorist groups have, thus far, failed."

Opposition sources confirmed on Sunday that differences among the terrorist groups forming Jeish al-Fatah coalition intensified and their coalition was almost on verge of collapse following their failures in Aleppo battlefields.

"Jeish al-Fatah's violations of civilians' rights in Aleppo and rogue decisions of the coalition's commanders over war plans in Aleppo battlefields have weakened their unity significantly," sources close to the Operation Room for Conquest of Aleppo said.

"The Operation Room, which once was the representative of at least 22 militant groups forming Jeish al-Fatah coalition, is on verge of collapse," the sources added.

"The leaders of militant groups' believe that field commanders of Jeish al-Fatah are some non-Syrian mercenaries who do not care Syrian commanders of the coalition and try to leave them alone behind military academy buildings to be killed by government forces," they added.

Syria: Convoy of Terrorists' Fresh Forces Hit Hard at Idlib-Aleppo Border

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950601000392

Syrian soldiers targeted convoy of fresh terrorists in the Southern side of the town of Hazano at Idlib border with Aleppo.

Three trucks were completely destroyed and a number of militant were killed and injured in the attacks.

In the meantime, the official in charge of the Operations Room of Fatah al-Sham (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in Aleppo was killed on Sunday in clashes with the Syrian government forces.

Abu Feisal al-Halabi, one of the notorious masterminds in Fatah al-Sham's operation room for leading terrorist activities and attacks on government forces' positions in the province, was gunned down by the Syrian army men.

ISIL Suffers Heavy Casualties in Army Attacks in Oil-Rich Eastern Homs

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ISIL suffered a heavy death toll and its military hardware sustained major damage in the Syrian soldiers' offensive on their positions in al-Sha'er region.

In the meantime, an arms depot of the terrorist groups in Talbiseh and their fuel reservoir in Tir Ma'ala were targeted and damaged in the government forces' attacks in Northern Homs.

On Sunday, Syrian military forces beat back ISIL terrorists from key strongholds in the strategic oil-rich region of Arak, also inflicting a heavy death toll on them.

Syrian soldiers struck ISIL's centers in al-Sawameh region near oil-rich region of Arak in Eastern Homs and took full control over several vital areas.

Syrian artillery and missile units, for their part, shelled ISIL's gatherings in al-Va'ar district in Homs city, claiming lives of several militants.

In the meantime, Syrian army targeted a depot of Fatah al-Sham (the newly-formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as al-Nusra Front) in Hawsh al-Zawahra in Northern Homs.

Syria: ISIL Intensifies Security Measures in Raqqa amid SDF Operations in Region

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"Over 100 civilians were arrested by Hasaba (ISIL's security-monitoring forces) in the Eastern countryside of Raqqa following large-scale attacks of the SDF on the Takfiri group's centers in the province," the sources said.

"Most of the arrests were in Eastern countryside of Raqqa in the villages of Akeirisheh, Maa'dan, al-Karameh and Ratleh," the sources said, adding, "The captured people were transferred to unknown locations."

A couple of days ago, the SDF started advancing towards Raqqa province after purging terrorists from the city of Manbij in Aleppo province.

"Manbij is a strategic route to reach the city of Raqqa; hundreds of the ISIL terrorists have begun withdrawing towards the surrounding villages of Raqqa city,: the Arabic-language media quoted unnamed Kurdish sources as saying.

The sources went on to say that after the defeat of Manbij, the ISIL has lost one of its important military bases in the Northern part of Aleppo province.

The city of Jarabulus and the town of al-Ra'ei are regarded as ISIL's last bases in Aleppo after losing Manbij, the sources added.

They said that the Syrian army is only 10 kilometers from the strategic city of Al-Bab.

"The only supply route of the terrorists linking al-Tabaqa to Raqqa is the only remaining supply route of the terrorists now," the sources said.