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

[angelburst29]

7 June، 2018 - Authorities discover network of tunnels and trenches in Homs Countryside
Authorities discover network of tunnels and trenches in Homs Countryside – Syrian Arab News Agency

A network of tunnels and trenches were uncovered by authorities in the northern countryside of Homs on Thursday.

SANA’s reporter said that authorities discovered during their sweeping operation in the northern countryside of Homs a network of tunnels and trenches extending under schools, farms and citizens’ houses in Tirma’leh town.

Amount of arms, sites and communication and satellite devices used by terrorists to communicate with each other and with their supporting countries were also uncovered during the operation, the reporter added.

The reporter said that work is underway to secure all the villages and towns in the northern countryside of Homs via dismantling IEDs planted by terrorists in preparation for the return of citizens to their homes safely.

On May 16, Homs northern countryside was declared free of terrorism after evacuating the terrorists who refused to settle their status to northern Syria after handing over their weapons and their ammunition to authorities.


Thu Jun 07, 2018 - Syrian Army Seizes Large Arms Convoy from Terrorists in Idlib
Farsnews

The Syrian Army seized a large consignment of weapons and ammunition from the terrorists in Idlib province. The terrorists were sending large amount of weapons and ammunition from Northern Homs to their comrades in the city Idlib and its surrounding areas, field sources reported. The weapons shipment contained a large number of PKC, PKT, RPG rifles and rockets, missiles, mortar shells, hand grenades and other ammunition, the Syrian army sources said.

This is while the Syrian army's engineering units also seized a large amount of weapons, ammos and military equipment in their cleaning operations in al-Houleh region in Northern Homs.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, an important base of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or Al-Nusra Front) was fully destroyed in a special operation of the Syrian Army as other army units warded off the terrorists attack in Southern Idlib.

The Syrian army troops carried out a military operation against a major command center of Tahrir al-Sham near Tal-e Sultan (Sultan Hill) Northwest of the military airport in Southern Idlib, battlefield sources said.

The sources noted that Tahrir al-Sham's arm and ammunition depot was fully destroyed and a number of terrorists were killed and wounded in the Syrian army's military operation.

Meantime, other army units also engaged in heavy clashes with the members of Tahrir al-Sham and Turkistani Islamic Part and Haras al-Din who were trying to penetrate into the Syrian army's positions in Tal-e (Hill) al-Masitaf South of Tal al-Sultan Southeast of Idlib, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists.

Meantime, the Syrian army's artillery units targeted Tahrir al-Sham's military positions in near al-Tamaneh and al-Zuka in Northern Hama, killing a number of terrorists.


8 June، 2018 - Massive rally in Damascus marking al-Quds Day
Massive rally in Damascus marking al-Quds Day – Syrian Arab News Agency

Under the title ” We Will Pray in al-Quds Together”, a massive rally was held Friday in Damascus to mark the International al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day.

The rally set off from the entrance of al-Hamidiyeh ancient market towards the Umayyad Mosque.

The participants raised national flags,flags of Palestine and the resistance and shouted slogans condemning US President Donald Trump’s transferring his country’s embassy to the occupied al-Quds.

In a statement during the rally, the participants emphasized that the Palestinian cause will ever remain the central cause as Palestine is the heart of the nation and its compass and the eternal capital of Palestine.

In their statement, the participants expressed appreciation for the stances of the Syrian leadership and people in support of the Palestinian cause, calling for a popular Islamic stand against the puppet regimes to push them to adopt decisions compatible with the aspirations of their peoples.

They paid tribute to the Syrian Arab Army and its allied forces which are winning victories in the face of terrorism, restoring hopes of liberating the entire land from the forces of evil and aggression.

The International Quds Day, an annual event held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. The event was first initiated by the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979 to express solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of the Zionist Israeli entity and its control of Jerusalem.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Palestine Prepares to Participate in Al-Quds International Day Marches
Farsnews

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are preparing to participate in the 11th Friday of the March of Return and break the siege titled "Million Jerusalem", media outlet reported adding that it comes in conjunction with the revival of the International Al-Quds Day which falls on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Higher National Commission of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege has called on all the masses of the Palestinian people for the largest public participation in the "Million Jerusalem" and the uprising against the Zionist enemy, Almasirah reported.

The Commission demanded the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to go to the return camps in the Eastern Gaza Strip after Friday prayers, where buses will take them from the mosques to the rally posts.

On the other hand, the Zionist army has declared a state of high alert, today, in the face of the "Million Jerusalem”.

According to "Yediot Ahronot" Zionist newspaper, the enemy army deployed hundreds of snipers during the night hours on the border of the Gaza Strip, in addition to the battalions of ground forces of the brigades "401" and "Golani."

The Israeli army is preparing to confront tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators on the Gaza Strip border. The Israeli army announced that it will deploy large forces on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, fearing violent confrontations and attempts to break into the separation fence.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Thousands Pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque on Ramadan's Fourth Friday
Farsnews

Tens of thousands of Muslim worshipers, mainly Palestinians from the West Bank and from Arab towns in Israel, performed Friday prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on the fourth Friday of the Muslim holy fasting month Ramadan.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Iraqi Popular Forces Mark Int'l Al-Quds Day in Baghdad
Farsnews

Thousands of Iraqi popular forces marched through a main Baghdad street to mark “the International Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day.”


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Demonstrations in Bahrain to Commemorate Al-Quds International Day
Farsnews

Residents of Bahrain commemorated the International Day of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and went out early Friday in demonstrations called by the revolutionary forces under the slogan "Jerusalem the capital of freemen".


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Indonesians Pour into Streets, Marking Al-Quds International Day
Farsnews

Muslim protesters shout slogans during a pro-Palestinian rally marking the International Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day outside the US Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Abdul Salam: Yemen to Be at Forefront to Commemorate Quds Day
Farsnews

Spokesman for Yemeni Popular Forces of Ansarullah Mohammad Abdul Salam confirmed on Thursday that the Yemeni people in the fourth year to withstand the aggression will be on Friday at the forefront of peoples to participate in Quds Rally Day.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - ISO to Observe Al-Quds Day in Pakistan
Farsnews

The rallies will be carried out across the country to mark ‘Al-Quds Day’ under the banner of Imamia Student Organization (ISO) Pakistan on Friday.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Iranian Officials Take Part at Huge Al-Quds Rally
Farsnews

Ingrain officials along with crowds of people took to city streets all over the country to show their full and everlasting support for the oppressed Palestinian nation against Israeli occupation and aggression, specially its recent massacre of the Palestinians in Gaza.


Fri Jun 08, 2018 - Wiesenthal Center Urges Berlin Mayor to Ban Quds Rally
Farsnews

Germany’s commissioner Felix Klein told the Berlin-based Tagesspiegel paper on Wednesday that he would find a ban of the rally.

Cooper said that the Wiesenthal Center “applauds the German commissioner for calling for a ban and agrees with him.”

Cooper asked why Müller has not come out with a statement against al-Quds Day.

 

[angelburst29]

Note: Slow day at the office - everyone is out attending Al-Quds Rallies - gives opportunity to check out some back page news ...

The outgoing chief of the British Armed Forces went on the defensive amid a new report accusing the US-led coalition of violating international law and killing hundreds of civilians in the Syrian city of Raqqa.

08.06.2018 - British Defense Chief Defends Bombing of "Really Wicked and Evil Enemy" in Syria
British Defense Chief Defends Bombing of "Really Wicked and Evil Enemy" in Syria - Sputnik International

Defense Staff Chief and Air Chief Marshall Stuart Peach said that the coalition had been "meticulous" in its efforts to avoid civilian casualties amid its bombardment of the "really wicked and evil enemy" in Raqqa.

Speaking to the BBC, Stuart stressed that the Royal Air Force's Raqqa operation was "the most carefully planned air campaign in history."

The senior officer in charge of the UK's fight against Daesh (ISIS)* also noted that all alleged incidents of civilian casualties are being properly investigated, pending the provision of information about the time and place they occurred.

Stuart's comments follow the release of a new report by Amnesty International. The rights group is accusing the Us-led coalition of the unlawful use of white phosphorus in civilian neighborhoods on Raqqa's outskirts, and cites numerous civilian casualties caused by coalition airstrikes leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. Amnesty calls these attacks a violation of international law.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman responded to the Amnesty report, saying that it shows the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force which resulted in most of Raqqa being "wiped off the map" instead of liberated.

The Royal Air Force has launched over 1,600 air strikes in Syria, Iraq, and Libya since August 2014 as part of Operation Shader, the UK's code name for its mission against Daesh. The US-led coalition has carried out thousands of air strikes against the group since June 2014.

The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned the US-led coalition's airstrikes, noting that they did not stop the terrorist group's advance in 2014 and 2015, and emphasizing that Damascus did not authorize the coalition to carry out airstrikes on sovereign Syrian territory. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia.


07.06.2018 - At Least 13 US Servicemen Injured in Armored Vehicle Collision in Lithuania
At Least 13 US Servicemen Injured in Armored Vehicle Collision in Lithuania

Four US Army Stryker armored personnel carriers were involved in a collision in central Lithuania, leaving 13 US troops wounded, the press service of the Lithuanian National Defense Ministry said Thursday.

"On Thursday, four US Stryker armored vehicles that were moving in a convoy were involved in an accident on the Prienai-Kaunas highway. According to preliminary data, 13 US soldiers contracted injuries of varying degrees," the ministry said in a statement.

The US soldiers are in Lithuania to participate in the Saber Strike 2018 drills.

The ongoing mass movement of US troops is part of NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve and the Saber Strike 2018 exercises in the region. The activities are supposed to last until mid-June.

Saber Strike is a US-Europe set of cooperative military training drills that have been conducted annually since 2010. The exercises aim to train armies to respond quickly to a potential crisis through the instant deployment of soldiers and weapons.


06.06.2018 - US Navy finds Most New Officers Struggle With Basic Sailing
US Navy Finds Most New Officers Struggle With Basic Sailing

Nearly 85 percent of junior officers in the United States Navy present “some concern” or “significant concern” with regard to their ability to handle a crisis involving a collision with another ship, according to a recent internal assessment that reviewed 164 officers.

Following the lethal collisions in 2017 between commercial ships and US naval vessels the USS Fitzgerald and USS John S McCain, the Navy conducted a three-month review to determine how prepared sailors were for the immediate risk of colliding with another ship, Defense News reported Tuesday.

The two tragedies together claimed 17 lives from the ranks of US Navy personnel.

The review tracked 164 surface warfare officers, according to a copy of the Navy review obtained by the outlet. Just 27 officers showed "no concern" in the eyes of the Navy's Surface Warfare Officer School, which conducted the assessment. The other 83.5 percent of officers had some type of performance shortfall in dealing with simulated collisions.

Officers had a firm grasp of the international rules of the road for navigating ships at sea, but struggled to apply them practically during watch standing," the Navy said in its list of shortfalls driving performance problems.

The study examined a randomly selected group of first-tour officers of the deck (OOD), Defense News noted. "While the OOD competency checks were a snapshot in time, we must be realistic in confronting the systemic shortfalls that they revealed in core proficiencies across the junior qualified members of the force," US Navy Vice Admiral Richard Brown said in the memo obtained by Defense News. The article does not indicate how recently the memo was sent to Navy staff.

"We as a community can and must tackle our deficiencies and ensure there is meaningful experience behind our qualification letters," said Brown, the US Navy's top surface warfare officer, who noted that the results of the study were "sobering."

Back-dated 18.09.2017 - US Navy Fires Top Commanders in USS Fitzgerald, USS John S. McCain Crash Probes
US Navy Fires Top Commanders in USS Fitzgerald, USS John S. McCain Crash Probes

 

[angelburst29]

2018-06-09 - ISIS terrorists are only present in US-controlled areas in Syria – Russian MoD
Breaking: ISIS terrorists are only present in US-controlled areas in Syria - Russian MoD

The Islamic State’s (ISIS) last pockets of resistance are located inside areas controlled by the U.S. forces, the Russian Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said this morning.

“As for the current situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, we recommend the Pentagon chief to examine the map showing the situation in this country. All remaining pockets of resistance of Daesh terrorists in Syria are located only in areas controlled by the United States,” Konashenkov said.

The spokesman noted that the Russian Defense Ministry was bewildered by “verbal manipulations” of Mattis regarding the situation in Syria, stressing that the expansion of the Daesh terror group to Syria had become possible due to “criminal omission” of the United States and the international coalition.

The Russian general was responding to U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis’ claims that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was creating problems in his country by inviting both Iran and Russia to enter Syria.

Furthermore, the Russian MoD’s Spokesperson slammed the U.S.’ ventures in Syria, adding that their weapons often fall into the hands of terrorists.

“All this time Washington focused on financing and direct arms supplies to fictional ‘Syrian opposition’ totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. However, the vast majority of US-supplied arms and ammunition fell into the hands of the Syrian al-Qaeda branch – Nusra Front [terrorist group, banned in Russia] and Daesh, who sought, like Washington, to overthrow the legitimate Syrian government,” Konashenkov said.


2018-06-08 - US leaving Syria would be ‘strategic blunder’ – Mattis
US leaving Syria would be 'strategic blunder' - Mattis

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis stated on Friday that if the U.S. were to leave Syria, it would be a “strategic blunder.”

“In Syria, leaving the field before the special envoy Staffan de Mistura achieves success in advancing the Geneva political process we all signed for under the UN security council resolution would be a strategic blunder, undercutting our diplomats and giving the terrorists the opportunity to recover,” Mattis said at a meeting of coalition defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Mattis added that the U.S. is conducting military operations against the Islamic State (ISIS) so that they do not leave a ‘vacuum’ for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies can take advantage of.

The Trump administration has taken a tougher approach to the Syrian President and his allies recently, despite early vows of deescalating the U.S.’ presence in Syria.


2018-06-08 - Turkey reportedly establishing two security zones in Syria, Iraq
Turkey reportedly establishing two security zones in Syria, Iraq

According to the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak, taking the city of Manbij in northern Aleppo Governorate will be the first step in creating this security zone, which will extend through Idlib, al-Bab and A’zaz in the north-west of Syria, before later being extended through currently Kurdish held territory east of the Euphrates and in northern Iraq.

Turkey plans to establish a joint security corridor within Syria and Iraq along its southern border, stretching to the border with Iran, according to the newspaper Yeni Safak.

The planned security zone will be up to 30-40 km wide.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu endorsed a roadmap to ensure stability in Manbij.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said the roadmap would include three stages and stipulated that the YPG troops lay down their weapons. The Foreign Minister added that the framework of cooperation between Ankara and Washington used in Manbij could later be used in other regions of northern Syria.

US-Turkish relations have suffered a setback amid Ankara’s concerns over US support for the YPG, which is viewed by the Turkish authorities as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.


2018-06-08 - Developing: New reports of potential Russian-Turkish deal reached on Tal Rifaat, Jisr Al-Shughour
Developing: New reports of potential Russian-Turkish deal reached on Tal Rifaat, Jisr Al-Shughour

Russia and Turkey have reportedly reached an important deal on the fate of the two imperative towns of Jisr Al-Shughour in west Idlib and Tal Rifa’at in northern Aleppo, a source told Al-Masdar News tonight.

According to the military source, the Russians and Turks agreed to make Tal Rifa’at, Jisr Al-Shughour, and the Al-Ghaab Plain a demilitarized zone that would be observed by their forces.

The source added that it will be similar to the recent Manbij deal, where US, French, and Turkish troops are tasked with patrolling and monitoring the city.

As a demilitarized zone, civilians will be allowed to return to their homes and conduct trade and commerce within this large area.

While nothing is official, Russia and Turkey have been negotiating for quite some time regarding the fate of Tal Rifa’at and Jisr Al-Shughour.

Turkey wants Tal Rifa’at cleared of all Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Russians want Jisr Al-Shughour cleared of all foreign jihadists.


(Note: Important battle coming up .. )
2018-06-09 - Thousands of Syrian soldiers pour into southern Syria as offensive draws near
Thousands of Syrian soldiers pour into southern Syria as offensive draws near

Thousands of soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and National Defense Forces (NDF) were seen heading towards the southern provinces of Dara’a and Al-Quneitra on Thursday and Friday.

These soldiers are expected to reinforce the troops that are already in southern Syria for the upcoming offensive against the rebel forces.

Most recently, the National Defense Forces sent their Qalamoun and Damascus branches to the Dara’a countryside, where they will be tasked with aiding the Syrian Army as they attempt to retake the provincial capital and Nassib Crossing.

According to a military source in Damascus, this upcoming offensive is expected to be the biggest operation to take place during this seven year long war.

With the rebels not backing down, this upcoming operation could be one of the bloodiest battles of this war.


2018-06-09 - Senior Syrian Army chief killed in Eastern Syria
Senior Syrian Army chief killed in Eastern Syria

Major-general Ali al-Hussein, chief of the SAA’s 11th Armored Division, passed away of a heart attack in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor. Hessian was leading the battles against the Islamic State in the bordering city of Albu Kamal when he experienced a heart failure.

The city came under a massive attack launched by ISIS jihadists who managed to temporarily seize parts of it before driven out by the Syrian Army.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s popular Mobilization Units tracked down the Islamic State militants and engaged in a firefight with them inside the Syrian village of al-Atshana.


Sat Jun 09, 2018 - Terrorists Assassinating Peace Committee Members to Stop Peace Talks in Southern Syria
Farsnews

People in the Southern province of Dara'a called for the implementation of the reconciliation plan and expulsion of terrorists from the region, a Russian media outlet reported on Saturday, adding that the terrorists have already assassinated over 20 members of the Peace Committees to damage peace talks.

The Arabic-language website of Sputnik reported that the terrorists have carried out a number of assassinations against the members of the Peace Committees and their family members and even local officials and family members of the Syrian army soldiers to prevent implementation of the reconciliation plan in Southern Syria.

A sum of 21 officials and renowned figures operating in Peace Committees, including Mayor of the small town of Abedin Naji Mustafa al-Mustafa and Mayor of al-Qariyeh al-Qabi Abdurrahman al-Shalibani, have been assassinated since the start of de-escalation zone plan in Dara'a province since December 2017.

the meantime, Secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Dara'a Hossein al-Refayee said that the entire officials, parties and residents in the region have strongly urged enforcement of the reconciliation plan, expulsion of the terrorists and granting government amnesty to those militants that lay down their arms.

He further added that the terrorists who oppose the peace agreement with the army are assassinating peace activists to block the peacd process adding that 15 peace activists have recently been assassinated by the militants.

Earlier reports said that the Syrian Army dispatched the longest ever convoy of forces and military equipment to the Southern province of Dara'a in preparation for a major assault in the region.

The army sent tens of tanks, military vehicles, missile launchers, trucks carrying heavy weapons and military hardware along with a large number of elite forces to Dara'a province.

Local sources, meantime, said that thousands of army men have left their positions in Eastern Qalamoun and Damascus for Dara'a and Quneitra provinces in the last two days.

The army plans to launch a large-scale operation in Southern Syria to free the entire Dara'a province and impose full control over the border with Jordan and the key Nasib border-crossing.

Also, Northern Sweida that is under the control of the Al-Nusra front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) and its affiliated terrorists will be freed if the army scores victory in the operation.

Military analyst said that the army's operation in Dara'a will be expanded to Quneitra province near the occupied Golan to put an end to the terrorists' presence in Southern and Southwestern Syria.


Sat Jun 09, 2018 - More US-Backed Militias Assassinated by Unknown Gunmen in Northeastern, Eastern Syria
Farsnews

Almost fifty gunmen of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been killed in different assassination operations in a region between the provinces of Hasaka and Deir Ezzur in the last two weeks, well-informed sources reported on Saturday.

The sources said that the US-backed SDF suffered almost fifty casualties in several assassination operations in a region at Deir Ezzur-Hasaka border, adding that the SDF has been forced to cut off al-Kharafi road between the two Eastern provinces after the attacks.

The sources said a sum of 45 SDF members, including two commanders, were killed in several blasts along the al-Kharafi road near the village of Roweished on June 2.

The sources went on to say that the bodies of two SDF gunmen were also found on the road connecting the village of Um Madafeh to al-Malaheh West of al-Shadadi region, adding that the SDF has embarked on arresting and investigating people in al-Arishe, al-Shadadi and Merkadeh region in Southern Hasaka after the assault.

In the meantime, other sources in Northern Hasaka reported that four more SDF militias were killed in a booby-trap explosion in the village of Tal Khanazir.

Last week, the SDF opened fire at civilians that demonstrated against the SDF and called for their expulsion from Raqqa city.

The popular uprising occurred after the Kurdish militias dispatched more troops and equipment to al-Makeft East of al-Romeileh and erected several checkpoints.

The SDF deployed forces in Mashlab, al-Romeileh, Seif al-Dowlaeh, al-Sabahiyeh and al-Dar'eiyeh neighborhoods in Raqqa city to disperse people.

In the meantime, Kurdish security forces arrested 58 renowned figures in Hasaka province after they tried to leave Hasaka for Aleppo city to take part in a conference about occupation by the US army and Turkish troops.

Tensions are rising between civilians and the SDF in the entire territories that are under the Kurdish militias' control.

 

[Ca.]

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Assad believes West’s arrogance makes dialogue impossible - Russian lawmaker
June 10, 14:07 UTC+3
According to Dmitry Sablin, Assad also said that liberating Damascus suburbs from terrorists without Russia would have been impossible
MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said at a meeting with Russian lawmakers that the West’s arrogance makes dialogue impossible, State Duma (lower house of parliament) member Dmitry Sablin, who heads the Russian delegation, told reporters on the phone.

Assad pointed out that he had lived in the West for two years when he was young, worked at a hospital and could see what life was like there. "We try to build dialogue and understand others. For them, their customs are the right ones, while all others are wrong. The West is arrogant and has a narrow view of the world, and such approach makes dialogue impossible," Sablin said citing Assad.

According to the Russian lawmaker, the Syrian president called for boosting political and cultural ties with Russia. "We don’t have enough information about each other’s countries. We need dialogue, particularly between young people," Assad said, as cited by Sablin.

The Syrian president also pointed out that for the previous 20 years, many young Syrians had remained under the Western influence and often times knew about the United States more than they knew about their own country.

Bashar al-Assad said that it would have been impossible to liberate Damascus suburbs from terrorists without Russia’s assistance, Dmitry Sablin told.

According to Sablin, when he congratulated the Syrian president on the liberation of Damascus suburbs, Assad replied that it would have been impossible without Russia’s assistance.

Enough! A Syrian Silent Film
Syriana Analysis Published on Jun 9, 2018 / 9:54

A Syrian silent film titled (Enough) delivers through sheer music, the daily suffering of residents in Damascus by mortar shells fired by Islamist terrorists positioned in the surroundings of the capital, who were later obliterated by the Syrian Arab Army.

Eva K Bartlett is creating Interviews, Articles, Photography and More | Patreon
Return of peace to Douma
Video / 3:16

The lush countryside of Douma, approaching in the taxi I hired to visit. In the town, peace, the return of life to Douma absent of the terrorists who terrorized, who thieved food and starved civilians.

Syriana Analysis on Twitter

 

[Cosmos]

There is a significant development that went largely unnoticed in the press during Putins recent visited to China. Putin and Xi Jinping released a joint signed statement in which both countries promised and set themself the goal of reforming the UN and thereby essentially stopping the actions of certain countries without an UN-Mandate. For way to long certain countries bluntly ignored the rules of the UN-Charta by interfering in other countries against all rules of the UN and started war after war also in defiance of those rules.

We all know that russia pointed those things out again and again the last two decades so clearly and consistently as no other country has, which has a significant position in the world.

I would go as far as to say that China committing itself now so openly together with russia to essentially stop all those illegal interventions in a step by step fashion, through reforms at the UN, is a huge step forward for the world! I think the times that wars like in Afghanistan, Irak or Libya can be pulled of as easily as in the past, will be gone sooner or later, (and that might already have happened, thanks to the efforts of russia) if both parties stick to it and maybe pull in more countries into that initiative. That development might also include interventions in other countries that are done "in secret" which will get harder and harder to be pulled of. Or at least we can hope so.

Seems like Putins team has worked hard to get to a point that they eventually can implement the already existing rules that the UN provides in a way that everyone has to abide by without exception in the future. That might still be quite a way ahead though, but still it seems it develops into that direction.

I hope other countries will join China and Russia in their efforts as soon as possible. As far out as it might sound, what we see here maybe could lead to something like world peace in the future.

Here is the only article in english that I could find that mentions some of the points of that agreement:

Russia, China to jointly support reasonable UN reforms - statement

BEIJING, June 8. /TASS/. Moscow and Beijing will jointly support the necessary and reasonable reforms of the United Nations, including its Security Council, according to the two countries’ statement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping following Russian-Chinese talks.

According to the statement, the parties will uphold the UN’s pivotal role in global governance and jointly support the necessary and reasonable reforms of the organization and its Security Council "in order to better comply with the UN Charter." Moscow and Beijing believe it is necessary to discuss these reforms "solely through broad and democratic consultations, without imposing artificial time limits and immature projects." Russia and China believe it is necessary to look for a "package" solution taking into account the interests and concerns of all parties; proceed from the premise that the reform of the UN Security Council, should, first of all, expand the representation of the developing countries and their right to vote to make sure that a wide range of small and medium-sized states have more opportunities to take part in the Security Council’s work and the decision-making process on the basis of the principle of rotation."

In their joint statement, Vladimir Putin and Xi Xinping highlighted their intention "to counteract attempts by any countries to unilaterally conduct military operations without the authorization of the UN Security Council or without the consent of the legitimate government of a country on whose territory such actions are carried out." Russia and China will also take part in shaping the equal and indivisible security architecture "based on the refusal to use force or the threat of the use of force, non-interference in the internal and external affairs of other countries, the resolution of international disputes by purely political and diplomatic means."

 

[angelburst29]

There is a significant development that went largely unnoticed in the press during Putins recent visited to China. Putin and Xi Jinping released a joint signed statement in which both countries promised and set themself the goal of reforming the UN and thereby essentially stopping the actions of certain countries without an UN-Mandate. For way to long certain countries bluntly ignored the rules of the UN-Charta by interfering in other countries against all rules of the UN and started war after war also in defiance of those rules.

We all know that russia pointed those things out again and again the last two decades so clearly and consistently as no other country has, which has a significant position in the world.

I would go as far as to say that China committing itself now so openly together with russia to essentially stop all those illegal interventions in a step by step fashion, through reforms at the UN, is a huge step forward for the world!

I think the times that wars like in Afghanistan, Irak or Libya can be pulled of as easily as in the past, will be gone sooner or later, (and that might already have happened, thanks to the efforts of russia) if both parties stick to it and maybe pull in more countries into that initiative. That development might also include interventions in other countries that are done "in secret" which will get harder and harder to be pulled of. Or at least we can hope so.

Seems like Putins team has worked hard to get to a point that they eventually can implement the already existing rules that the UN provides in a way that everyone has to abide by without exception in the future. That might still be quite a way ahead though, but still it seems it develops into that direction.

I hope other countries will join China and Russia in their efforts as soon as possible. As far out as it might sound, what we see here maybe could lead to something like world peace in the future.

Here is the only article in english that I could find that mentions some of the points of that agreement:

Gives new meaning to the declaration, "Out of Russia - will come Peace to the World!"

Xi Jinping was elected President of China in 2013 and has since formed a close bond with Putin and Russia.

In regards to Putin and Xi insisting on reforming the United Nations, consider the background and present position of Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.

< Bio>
In the 1980s, Sergei Lavrov worked in New York as the first secretary, adviser and senior adviser to the Permanent Mission of the Soviet Union to the United Nations. In the late 80's and early 90's, the statesman was the first deputy head of the Department of Economic Organizations and later headed the agency. Until 1991 he was a member of the CPSU.

In 1992, Lavrov was appointed Director of the Department of International Organizations and Global Systems of the Ministry. In that year, Sergei Viktorovich became Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia. He was engaged in curatorial activities of the Department of International Organizations and International Economic Cooperation, the Office for Human Rights, and the Department of CIS Affairs.

Lavrov held this post was until early 1994. At the same time, he worked as deputy chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission responsible for the Russian Federation participation in the organizations of the UN system, and also he was a co-chairman of the commission for coordinating the peacekeeping activities of the country.

Sergei Lavrov served as Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations for ten years (until 2004). In March 2004, Sergey Lavrov was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. He was reassigned in the spring of 2008 after Dmitry Medvedev became Russian president. He got his ministerial office from President Vladimir Putin in 2012.

Upon President Putin's 2018 re-election, Sergey Lavrov has been reappointed as Foreign Minister.
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Jun 8, 2018 - NEXT LEVEL: Putin and XI Sign HUGE Declaration on Russia-China Alliance
NEXT LEVEL: Putin and XI Sign HUGE Declaration on Russia-China Alliance - Fort Russ

On June 8th, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping signed a joint statement touching on some of the most urgent issues in international relations. In so doing, the Russian and Chinese leaders also pledged to take the two countries’ cooperation “to a new level.”

Putin and Xi’s joint declaration condemned the US’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran, called for the plan to be preserved, and emphasized “the principal importance of defending the interests of all states’ trade and economic cooperation with Iran from unilateral extraterritorial sanctions.”

Another unilateral aggression on the part of the US was condemned in the document: the deployment of US missile systems in both Asia and Europe under “pretexts.” On this note, Putin and Xi seized the occasion to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria and to support the fight against terrorism “without double standards.”

Western propaganda was also targeted in Putin and Xi’s condemnation of hysteria being wound up against Russia’s hosting of the World Club. The two leaders stated clearly: “International sporting competitions and events should not suffer from the influence of non-sports factors.”

Moving forward, Russia and China pledged to work side by side in coordinating peaceful stabilization processes in Korea and Afghanistan. These areas of geopolitical collaboration are meant to be part of a full-blown strengthening of Russian-Chinese cooperation with a package of measures. Most importantly, the statement announces that Russia and China will up their strategic cooperation in the military and law and order spheres. In the economic sector, the commitment to trade in national currencies, not the US Dollar, in financial and trade dealings was reinforced in the statement.

Finally, in the biggest swing of them all, Putin and Xi insisted on reforming the United Nations. They especially emphasized their intention “to oppose attempts by any states to carry out unilateral military operations without a suitable mandate from the UN Security Council or the agreements of the legal state of the country on whose territory these operations are carried out.” And even the latter cases, Putin and Xi said, should be last resorts behind commitments to “refusing to use force or threaten the use of force, non-interference by one state in the internal and external affairs of another state, and the resolution of international conflicts through strictly political-diplomatic methods.”

In other words, Russia and China have agreed to not only see eye-to-eye on the most pressing issues in international relations, but have pledged to cooperate on reforming the international system in a more stable, peaceful, and just direction.

In effect, Putin and Xi have signed off on a full-blown Chinese-Russian geopolitical alliance with the strategic goal of multipolarity. This is a culmination of a long process of convergence ever since Russia and China signed the “Russian-Chinese Joint Declaration on a Multipolar World and the Establishment of a New International Order” back in 1997.

This declaration is one of the accomplishments of Vladimir Putin’s visit to China from June 8th-10th, the final event of which will see Putin participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Qingdao.

Putin and Xi’s declaration is a symbolically enormous step in the formation of multipolarity. This move’s practical manifestations will soon be seen in this already climactic period of Atlanticism in crisis.


09.06.2018 - Ten Years On, Putin Told Them So
Ten Years On, Putin Told Them So

You can hardly blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for enjoying a “told you so moment”. He lately reminded European leaders that their all-out spat with the United States is what happens when you are too deferential to American hegemonic ambitions.

This predicament is just what the Russian leader had warned against almost 10 years ago in a famous speech he delivered in Munich on growing global disorder.

Last week, during his nationally televised marathon Q and A with Russian citizens, Putin referred to the unprecedented trade tariffs that President Trump is slapping on European states.

Rightly, Putin said those penalties were effectively a form of economic sanctions imposed by Washington on its supposed allies.

Putin hinted that the Europeans were now getting a taste of the noxious medicine that has been doled out to Russia by Western powers which have inflicted sanctions on Moscow over dubious allegations concerning the nearly four-year-old Ukraine conflict.

The acrimonious fallout from Trump's de facto trade war with Europe, Canada and Japan was all-too apparent during the testy G7 summit held this weekend in Quebec.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decried American "illegal" trade measures, while French President Emmanuel Macron jettisoned his earlier "bromance" with Trump to declare that the group of Western industrialized countries plus Japan may reformat as the "G6" without the US, in order to counteract Washington's "hegemony".

Speaking on behalf of the European bloc, Donald Tusk, the European Council President, expressed his frustration at Washington's increasing disdain for multilateralism by saying that under Trump the United States is destroying the "rules-based global order".

But hold on a moment. Let's go back to the landmark speech made by Putin in 2007 at the Munich Security Conference. More than a decade ago, the Russian leader delivered a blistering, prescient warning back then, when he said that American hegemonic ambitions of unipolar power would inevitably disrupt the global balance.

far back as 2007, Putin explicitly admonished that Washington's drive for unrivaled global dominance would end up bringing chaos to international law and order. This was during the heyday of post-9/11 US-led wars in the Middle East, which the European states all-too deferentially went along with despite these wars being illegal and unleashing ongoing global problems of terrorism and refugee crises.

Putin's essential lesson in Munich more than 10 years ago was that the world order of multilateralism and diplomacy could not withstand the assault of a would-be hegemon, whether that is the US or any other power.

Today, the Russian president's analysis has been vindicated, as can be seen from the shock among the Europeans and Canadians at being treated like nothing more than minions by an American bully.

Washington under Trump is showing its true colors towards supposed "allies". For Washington, there is evidently no such thing as allies, only clients, who must do the bidding of American capitalism and imperialism. Any dissent is not tolerated, under pain of economic retribution, which the Europeans and Canada in particular are now getting a bitter taste of.

The contrast between the fractious G7 and the parallel summit (SCO) taking place in China this weekend could not be more instructive.

Over the weekend, President Xi Jinping warmly welcomed Putin and the leaders of Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting.

Putin was honored with a medal of friendship and described by President Xi as his best ally. All SCO delegates underlined the strategic importance of fraternal cooperation and multilateralism — the exact opposite of the debacle taking place at the G7 in Canada.

In those two events, we see two diametric visions of global relations. The G7 is all about American bullying for unipolar dominance. Whereas the SCO heralds a new world of multipolar partnership. The former is a recipe for conflict and war; the latter is the way forward for joint prosperity, development and peaceful coexistence.

Ironically, however, the incumbent European powers still don't seem to fully get it.

Admittedly, to a certain degree, their bruised interests and sensitivities seem to demonstrate a realization that they are being used and abused by Washington's hegemonic desires. The Europeans and Canada are huffing and puffing with chagrin and talking about "asserting themselves" without America.

Nevertheless, despite all the huffing and puffing, the Western minions still don't seem to get it.

Paradoxically, it was Trump who said before the G7 summit that Russia should be readmitted to the forum.

Previously, Russia was a member of what was the G8, but following the Ukraine crisis in 2014, the other members kicked Moscow out of the club, leveling unfair allegations that Russia had destabilized Ukraine and "annexed" Crimea.

At least Trump seems to have looked beyond that dubious affair, and hence called for Russia to be "at the negotiating table" of a reformed G8.

For their part, European leaders don't seem to have come to their senses. Apart from the dissenting voice of the new Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the EU bloc rejected Trump's conciliatory offer to Russia. Germany's Merkel, France's Macron and the others said that relations would not be normalized with Russia "until Crimea was returned to Ukraine".

The Europeans are hanging themselves by their own irrational petard over the spurious Ukraine issue.

Ukraine was, by far, much more destabilized by Washington and the EU's unlawful interference than anything Russia has done. The people of Crimea voted in a legal referendum to join the Russian Federation. Europe needs to get over that illusion and stop making its futile demands on Russia.

The fact is that the EU has inflicted vast damage to its member state economies by sheepishly going along with a US-led NATO agenda of hostility towards Russia. The Europeans have slavishly aped Washington's sanctions against Moscow for no sound reason, only based on hollow and demeaning claims about Russian "interference" and "aggression".

More than 10 years after he told them so, European leaders are slowly realizing what Putin was warning about American bullying, unipolar dominance and its arrogant "exceptionalism".

The operative word here is "slowly". Europeans — the mainstay governments and Brussels establishment that is — still haven't copped on that they are being played for minions and fools by Washington, as is evidenced by their irrational views about Russia and Ukraine.

European leaders — apart from Italy and a few emerging others — are still trapped within a servile transAtlantic role towards American imperialism. It is doubtful that the EU establishment as currently comprised will ever break out of its subservience towards Washington, despite being kicked around by the Americans.

That's why the Kremlin's response this weekend to Trump's "offer" of readmitting Russia to the G8 was spot on.

Russia cooly said, "we are focusing on other formats". That can be taken to mean the SCO, the Eurasian Economic Union and the broader project of building a multipolar global order. Forums, that is, which are based on fraternal cooperation and genuine solidarity, not bullying and unilateral expedience.

In its existing form, the G7 is a bunch of losers. It's a retrogressive world view, not progressive. Russia is better off without.


Jun 8, 2018 - WATCH: Putin hints at END OF DOLLAR SYSTEM
Vladimir Putin has held his 16th annual Direct Line Q&A on June 7th, 2018. The entire conference was 4.5 hours long and this year has included all regional governors and heads of Ministries to be available live via video conference. As it’s quite difficult to condense 4 odd hours of filming, I have picked mostly segments that relate to foreign policy and those that may be interesting to the foreign viewer. Questions are collated via phone call centres a number of days in advance, social media as well as live calls. Most of them are grouped into themes and are answered at a later date, unless they make it to the live show.

In this segment, Putin answers questions on the topics of international security, human rights in the EU, sanctions, anti-Russian rhetoric and the implications of financial manipulation. For those of you looking specifically for the views on the dollar system, it begins around 20:40.

(23:35 min.)

 

[Ca.]

President Assad interview with Mail on Sunday (10 June 2018)

Syriana Analysis Published on Jun 10, 2018 / 6:28

Damascus, SANA – President Bashar al-Assad said that the UK publicly supported the White Helmets that are a branch of Al Qaeda and Jabhat al-Nusra in different areas of Syria, stressing that Syria considers the White Helmets to be a PR stunt by the UK. In an interview given to Britain’s Mail on Sunday published on Sunday morning, President al-Assad asserted that the alleged chemical attack in Douma was staged by the UK, France, and the US.

He also said that there had been communications from different intelligence agencies in Europe, but it was stopped recently because they’re not serious.

His Excellency stressed that the presence of the US and the UK in Syria is illegal and constitutes invasion as it breaches the sovereignty of Syria. President Assad affirmed that Syria is the main party who’s been fighting ISIS, and that every inch of Syrian territory will be liberated. He asserted that the only decision about what’s going on in Syria and what’s going to happen is a Syrian decision, and no one should have any doubt about this.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1006175580566372353

https://twitter.com/x/status/1006175187967062016

About 100 Female Cadets Prepare To Serve In Syrian Army As Electronic Security Sepcialists And Communications Operators (Video)
11.06.2018

About 100 cadets are preparing in a military training school in the Damascus countryside to join a female battalion of the Syrian Army, the Russian military’s TV channel Zvezda reported on June 10.

The female cadets are passing firearms and line training. However, they are set to be specialists in communications and electronic security as well as communications operators.

According to the The Damascus military training school is actively preparing female officers. Currently, there are 8 female generals in the Syrian Army

Free Syrian Army, US Preparing Chemical Provocation in Deir ez-Zor - Russian MoD
(updated 14:34 11.06.2018)
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Monday that militants of the Free Syrian Army had already brought canisters with chlorine to a settlement in Deir ez-Zor to stage another "chemical attack against civilians."

"According to the information received via three independent channels in Syria, the command of the so-called Free Syrian Army with assistance from the servicemen of US special operations forces is preparing a serious provocation with the use of toxic substance in Deir ez-Zor province," Konashenkov said.

The ministry noted that the video of the use of chemical substances would become grounds for US coalition's attacks on institutions of the Syrian government.

"The staffed video, after it is disseminated in the western media, should become new grounds for the US-led coalition to carry out a missile strike against Syrian state objects and to justify militants’ offensive against Syrian government troops on the eastern bank of Euphrates," Konashenkov added.

The Russian Defense Ministry warns that the use of such provocations to destabilize the situation in Syria is unacceptable, he stressed.

In April, the US, the UK and France launched airstrikes against Syria accusing Damascus of a chemical attack in the city of Douma. The Syrian and Russian governments have charged the US and UK-funded White Helmet group with staging a false-flag chemical attack in the city to prompt Western military intervention.


Syrian Army Prevents Attempted Offensive Towards Palmyra – Russian Military
(updated 17:43 11.06.2018)
DAMASCUS (Sputnik)

- Syrian government troops backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces have prevented militants from breaking out of the Al-Tanf area in Homs toward Palmyra, the Russian reconciliation center said.

"On June 11… Syrian government troops with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces prevented militants attempting to break out of the area of the Al-Tanf settlement toward Palmyra," the statement read.

According to the center, five militants have been killed, a pickup truck and a motorbike destroyed while the remaining militants returned to the settlement.

The statement continues to say that a large group of terrorists, "moving on pickup trucks with heavy weapons and motorcycles, had been located by Syrian observation posts in the area of Mount Gurab."

The Russian Center also noted that attempts by terrorists to break out of the Al-Tanf settlement, controlled by the US armed forces, are carried out on a regular basis.

The United States occupies a 34-mile zone around its military base in Al-Tanf, where it trains and equips armed Syrian opposition forces, however it has drawn much criticism from Damascus and Moscow, with the latter voicing concerns that Washington was "spewing Daesh* mobile groups who make inroads to launch subversive terrorist operations against Syrian troops and civilians."
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

From Syria | June 2018

R&U Videos Published on Jun 10, 2018

Vladimir Putin met with President of Iran Hassan Rouhani
President of Russia on Twitter
Президент России on Twitter

 

[Ca.]

Syria's Upcoming Offensive to Israel Contact Line May Be the Best Show of the War
20 hours ago
It seems Syria is gathering all its best and heaviest (most mechanized) units for the offensive in the south west. Could Russian and Syrian staff officers be preparing a classical Soviet "Deep Operation" offensive to overwhelm and break up the enemy at lightning speed (see Uranus, Bagration, Vistula-Oder, and August Storm)?

The Syrian military is preparing to launch their largest offensive of the war next week, as they finalize their plans to kickoff this imperative operation in the provinces of Dara’a and Al-Quneitra.

According to a military source in Damascus, the government offensivewill be led by two major forces in the Syrian Arab Army: the Tiger Forces and 4th Division.

The Tiger Forces are tasked with retaking the southern districts of Dara’a city, while the 4th Division will be split between the Al-Quneitra and Dara’a governorates.

Joining these two divisions will be a large number of soldiers and paramilitary troops that were previously deployed in the Damascus, Al-Sweida, Homs, and Hama governorates.

Below is a list of units participating in this battle:

Syrian Arab Army :
4th Division

• 39th Brigade
• 40th Brigade
• 42nd Brigade (Ghiath Forces)
• 5th Armored Division
  • 15th Brigade
• 7th Division
• 9th Division
  • Shock Forces
• 15th Special Forces Division
• 90th Brigade
• Republican Guard
  • 105th Brigade
  • 106th Brigade
• Palestine Liberation Army (Palestinian wing of the Syrian Army)
• Tiger Forces

Paramilitaries:

• National Defense Forces (NDF)
  • Liwaa Suqour Al-Quneitra
  • Fouj Al-Joulan
  • East Qalamoun Division
  • Damascus Division
  • Homs Division
  • Dara’a Division
• Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP)
• Liwaa Al-Quds (Palestinian-Syrian faction from Aleppo)
• Raqqa tribal fighters

"Betting the Farm" is an old military saying concerning a situation in which one side in a major war decides to commit so much of its forces to an action that if failure and decimation occurs then the side suffering that will be permanently crippled.

The coming offensive in Daraa and Quneitra governorates (provinces) appears to have all the hallmarks of such an action. Most of the first rate heavy units of the SAA will be committed to this effort. Presumably the SAG intends to crush the rebellion in the SW and drive its line of control up to within sight of the Israeli forts on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

What will Israel's reaction to this be? How effective will Syrian air defenses be against a reaction? What will Russia's reaction be to Israeli attacks on its ally's forces?

Syrian Army, Hezbollah Repelled ISIS Advance In Humaymah-T2-Muazilah Triangle (Map)
12.06.2018

18 civilians killed in new massacre committed by US-led coalition in Hasaka countryside – Syrian Arab News Agency
11 June، 2018

Bouthaina Shabaan: When do we start making our history?
Bouthaina Shaaban 12 June 2018

With the changes and transformations that swept through our Arab region after the events of the so-called “Arab Spring” (that turned out to be an “Arab Hell”), which resulted in the beginning of the first stage of open public normalisation between the rulers of Saudi Arabia (and the Gulf countries) and the Zionist entity, and the cooperation and coordination between them against the Arab rights and interests. This serious event deserves careful examination, and we need to stop and reflect on the steps that must be taken so that we don’t discover, half a century from now, that we did not make the right decision and have not even taken one step on the path that might lead us to the desired goal. Anyone who understands our ancient and contemporary history recognises that as Arabs we have not managed even one meaningful reassessment of what has happened to us over the years, and we have not recognised the real causes of the crises, setbacks and calamities that we have witnessed. Many of those involved in these events refused to put down in writing their observations, because their testimony might prove that everything the previous generations had learned in official history books was actually false. But today we have reached a stage where we can no longer continue this approach, because today’s battle is indeed a battle for existence, not only for the Palestinians, but for the people of the Arab Nation from the Ocean to the Gulf.

The fact that the acceleration of Gulf normalisation with the Zionist enemy is a remarkable and serious fact, and its repercussions on the Arab-Israeli conflict should not be underestimated; on the contrary, we must prepare to face such ramifications. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf today own more than 80% of the Arab media, and their rulers, with their vast oil riches, are willing to spend generously to destroy the Arab confrontation countries, using terrorism to do so. Therefore, today the nation is facing a serious challenge,Saudi and Gulf money is being used to confuse minds of youth about the facts of the historical conflict with the Zionist enemy, and to distort the notions of Arab rights and interests. We should not continue with the approach which has been adopted over the past decades; we must, however, take the time and effort to study this phenomenon. We must not underestimate its importance and its negative effects, in order not to spread a false sense of reassurance and disregard about what is unfolding today. This is why the real Arab discourse must return to the root of the issue because the phenomenon of terrorism and its aftermath in all of our Arab countries from Iraq to Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Syria and Yemen are rooted in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the occupation of Palestine and the weakness of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. What are we going to do? We are the believers in our cause, our Arabism, the Arabism of Palestine and Jerusalem; how will we confront this new and dangerous tyranny of Saudi and Gulf capitulation to Israel?

There is no doubt that the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on its land and its adherence to its rights constitutes the cornerstone of resisting this despicable colonial occupation, but this besieged people cannot be left with its very limited resources in the face of a Gulf-financed military machine supported by global and Gulf media. New paths to wage this struggle should benefit from the lessons learned by the resistance movements to colonial settlement, especially in Algeria and South Africa. In South Africa, the resistance, revolutionaries and liberals worked to form provincial movements all over the world worked to isolate the apartheid regime. Today I see that the Palestinian issue has reached this important crossroads. It is imperative that organisations, unions and Arab parties unite to put in place a working mechanism that will make the boycott of the Zionist enemy a permanent goal in every regional or international activity. In order to do this, it is necessary to form working teams with Palestinian leaders and Arab and international cadres, whose main objective is to raise awareness of the Palestinian issue and to shed light on the crimes of the occupation, and to compare between the Palestinians, the indigenous people of this land, with what happened to the native peoples of America and Australia who suffered from wars of genocide that led to the destruction of their culture, their way of life and their social and spiritual systems. Let us recognise that the difference between us and our enemies is that we have the right to this land. However, they were able to spread their propaganda across the world, using many diplomatic, media and financial means. While we, even though we have right on our side, have failed to employ the proper mechanisms in order to advance our cause.

There is no doubt that the Argentine football team’s withdrawal from a friendly match in Jerusalem is an important event, so important that Netanyahu had to speak with the Argentine president twice to have the game, not only for the importance of the game itself, but also its symbolic importance, and the fear that it would set a precedent to boycott the Zionist entity in various areas. The other side of this event should not be limited to thanks and praise but to draw the lesson that the diligent and serious work of boycotting this entity and showing its crimes in the eyes of the world may be an effective method at this stage of the struggle. We must create a new history using methods that were used by our enemies in order to strengthen the resistance against their settlement projects, combing both the struggle of our people and proper scientific methods in order to inflict a massive defeat against our enemies on the regional and international scenes.

Bouthaina Shaaban is a Syrian politician and is currently the political and media adviser to the President of Syria.
Important Note: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Syriana Analysis editorial policy.

Syriana Analysis Published on Jun 11, 2018

The Pastor Andrew Ashdown has recently returned from a visit to Syria with other church leaders, journalists and politicians. In this interview, Andrew shares his concerns for the Church and Christian communities in Syria.

PressTV Published on Jun 11, 2018

More than 9-hundred-twenty thousand people were displaced inside Syria during the first four months of 2018 UN regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Panos Moumt-zis, says this was the highest displacement in that short period of time since the conflict started. He also says the United Nations is worried as the number of displaced people from Idlib province may severely increase.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1006398186380935168

 

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2018-06-12 - US warplanes massacre more civilians in Syria
US warplanes massacre more civilians in Syria

For the second day, the US-coalition bombs areas in eastern Syria for allegedly combating the Islamic State but the victims turn to be all civilians.

Today, at least 10 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed due to US airstrikes on residential areas in Hassoun Basha town of Tall Shayer region in south Hasakah province.

The deadly airstrikes also injured 8 more and caused substantial material damage.

Yesterday, US warplanes bombed a school used as a shelter by refugees in the southern countryside of Hasakah province, killing 18 people, mostly Iraqi refugees.


2018-06-11 - US sends 250 armored vehicles to Kurdish forces in northern Syria – report
US sends 250 armored vehicles to Kurdish forces in northern Syria - report

The U.S. has sent 250 armored vehicles to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria recently, an SDF source told Sputnik News on Monday.

“There are three U.S. military bases in the region, where the Americans are strengthening their presence. Over the last four days, the United States has sent us 250 trucks with Hummer armored vehicles, heavy weapons, and pick-ups, as part of the operation against Daesh, which we continue to wage in eastern Deir ez-Zor,” the SDF source told Sputnik.

The SDF source further explained the supply route the U.S. took in order to secure the delivery of these 250 armored vehicles this past weekend.

“The U.S. ammunition and armored vehicles are delivered overland from the territory of northern Iraq through the Semelka border control post, and from there to the east of Deir ez-Zor,” he added.

With a large Islamic State (ISIS) presence still active in eastern Syria, the U.S. Coalition has increased its support to the SDF and their Iraqi partners across the border.


2018-06-12 - France increases military strikes inside Syria
France increases military strikes inside Syria

The French Air Force increased its military operations inside Syria and Iraq during the month of May, the French Ministry of Defense reported on Monday.

According to a document released by the Ministry of Defense on Monday, the Anti-ISIS Coalition conducted 123 percent more strikes in the month of May than April.

“In this framework, the number strikes carried out by the Coalition in may rose by 123 percent compared with the level in April,” the French MoD claimed.

The French Air Force has reportedly used Jordanian and Emirati airspace to bomb the Islamic State’s (ISIS) positions inside Syria and Iraq.

“In the last week, French aircraft carried out twenty air sorties in support of local forces engaged on the ground (week from 23 to 29 May), primarily on intelligence and reconnaissance missions. No strikes were carried out,” the French MoD continued.

Since September 19th, 2014, the Anti-ISIS Coalition has conducted 8,095 sorties and 1,450 airstrikes, while also destroying 2,241 targets.


2018-06-12 - Italy sends soldiers to Syria – report
Italy sends soldiers to Syria - report

The Italian military has deployed troops to northern Syria in order to aid the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG),
Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency reported this morning.

Citing local sources, the Anadolu Agency report claims the Italian military sent troops to Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate from northwestern Iraq.

The Anadolu Agency report claims that these Italian soldiers will be stationed at the small U.S. base near the Al-‘Umar Oil Fields in eastern Deir Ezzor.

Italian forces will not engage in combat for the time being, the report added.

The Italian military and Anti-ISIS Coalition have yet to issue a statement corroborating this report.


2018-06-11 - US ship that struck Damascus heads back to Syrian waters
US ship that struck Damascus heads back to Syrian waters

The US Navy’s airborne strike group, led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S. Harry S. Truman, entered the eastern Mediterranean region last Sunday to again take part in the operation against the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in both Syria and Iraq, the official website of the Navy said.

“To support air strikes, an aircraft strike group led by Harry S. Truman returned to fight ISIS. This sends a powerful signal to our partners that we are committed to maintaining peace and security in the region and everywhere that there is a threat of terrorism,” Rear Admiral Eugene Black stated in a message on the website.

Previously, the American media, Defense News in particular, reported that the aircraft carrier and other ships accompanying it could stay in the Mediterranean for a long time to counter the “challenges” from Russia and the PRC, but the Pentagon did not confirm such information.

The U.S.S. Harry S. Truman was the ship that carried out the U.S.’ attack against the Syrian government.


2018-06-12 - Exclusive: Syrian Army makes final preparations for Quneitra offensive
Exclusive: Syrian Army makes final preparations for Quneitra offensive

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has made their final preparations for their long-awaited Al-Quneitra offensive in southern Syria, an officer from the elite 42nd Brigade of the 4th Division told Al-Masdar News on Monday.

According to the officer from the 42nd Brigade, their unit has moved all of their missile launchers and troops in position to kickoff the offensive.

The officer added that the Syrian Army’s High Command and town elders from Al-Quneitra are now negotiating a possible reconciliation agreement that is similar to the ones from the East Ghouta and northern Homs.

The rebels will be given the opportunity to settle their situations with the government in order to receive amnesty.

Any rebel that does not accept the reconciliation deal or is ineligible for amnesty will be transported to northern Syria.


2018-06-12 - Rebels have 48 hours to accept reconciliation in southern Syria
Rebels have 48 hours to accept reconciliation in southern Syria

– The rebel forces in the Dara’a and Al-Quneitra governorates have 48 hours to accept the Syrian government’s reconciliation offer or else the latter will begin their long-awaited offensive.

According to a military source in Damascus, the rebels were given until June 14th to inform the government of their decision.

This deadline may be extended due to the large number of rebels in southern Syria; however, several Free Syrian Army (FSA) units and their Islamist allies have already stated that they reject these terms.

The Syrian Army is expected to meet with the town elders and community leaders in rebel-held Al-Quneitra in the next 24 hours to negotiate a possible settlement, a 4th Division source told Al-Masdar News.

The 4th Division source added that the goal is reconcile with the rebels in the Al-Quneitra Governorate and evacuate the jihadists to northern Syria.

 

[angelburst29]

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry fuel supplied to Syria by Sovfracht, which has been hit by Washington's restrictive measures, was intended for Russia's aerospace forces in the country.

13.06.2018 - Moscow Slams US Sanctions on Russian Firm Supplying Fuel to Syria
Moscow Slams US Sanctions on Russian Firm Supplying Fuel to Syria

"Washington once again demonstrated political recklessness by sanctioning employees of the Russian company Sovfracht for supplying aviation fuel to Syria," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Wednesday.

In addition, the ministry called the US sanctions "a new outrageous attempt to extend US national laws far beyond the borders of the United States," stressing that restrictive measures against Sovfracht are "support for terrorists," since they hit the legitimate Syrian authorities, which "carry the main burden of the struggle in the interests of security in the whole world."

The statement noted that the aviation fuel delivered by Sovfracht was intended for the Russian aerospace forces helping to fight terrorist groups on Syria's soil. The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that Washington's "intrusive desire to harm Russia instead of uniting efforts in countering terrorism could be costly for the American people, who have suffered from this evil many times."

The ministry's response comes after the US Justice Department indicted on federal charges at least five Russian nationals,
employees of Sovfracht, and three Syrians alleging that they had sent jet fuel and money to Damascus in violation of the US economic sanctions against Syria and Crimea.

Over the past several years, the United States has introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over their alleged support for the Syrian government, "interference" in Ukraine's affairs, "meddling" in Western elections and purported malicious cyber activity.

Russia has repeatedly refuted all the accusations and taken retaliatory economic restrictions. On June 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on measures to counteract "unfriendly actions of the United States and other foreign countries."

The law allows for countermeasures against the United States and its allies, that have introduced anti-Russia sanctions. It also allows for a temporary or definitive end to cooperation with the countries or entities that have engaged in unfriendly actions toward Russia.


2018-06-13 - US indicts 5 Russian, 3 Syrian businessmen for sending jet fuel to Syria
US indicts 5 Russian, 3 Syrian businessmen for sending jet fuel to Syria

A U.S. federal court in Washington D.C. indicted five Russian and three Syrian businessmen for sending jet fuel to Syria while the country is under sanctions.

According to VOA News, the eight businessmen were indicted on Tuesday for money laundering and using a Crimean-based shipping company to send fuel to Syria.

“The U.S. sanctions on Syria and Crimea thwart Syria’s support of terrorism and its pursuit and use of weapons of mass destruction as well as the actions of those who seek to undermine Ukraine’s democratic processes and territorial integrity,” Assistant Attorney General John Demers said.

Along with the charges, the eight also face large fines.


13.06.2018 - Iranian President Suggests Pullout of Advisors, Foreign Military From Syria
Iranian President Suggests Pullout of Advisors, Foreign Military From Syria

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has discussed the situation in Syria, as well as prospects of Iran deal with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a telephone call, the official website of the Iranian president reported.

Hassan Rouhani noted that Tehran had sent its military advisers to the Arab republic at the request of its legitimate government in order to help Damascus fight terrorism. He expressed hope that no "foreign military presence" would be needed after the terrorist threat had been eradicated.

Israel accuses Iran of sending the country's troops to Syria in order to attack it from Syrian territory. Tel Aviv has already conducted several airstrikes against Syrian bases under a pretext of Iranian Revolutionary Guards being stationed there. Tehran and Damascus deny these accusations.

State of Iran Nuclear Deal
The two presidents also discussed the current state of the JCPOA. Rouhani praised the stance to keep the deal alive that Europe took after the US withdrawal, but noted that so far statements had not "accompanied by practical and tangible measures and solutions."

"If Iran cannot benefit from the privileges of this agreement, remaining in it will not be possible," the Iranian president said.

Emmanuel Macron confirmed commitment to the JCPOA and assured Rouhani that France is working on "a series of measures and practical solutions" to make the deal work.

The US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, with President Donald Trump claiming the deal was "flawed" at its core. Other parties to the agreement have confirmed their readiness to stick with the deal and work out solutions against possible US sanctions.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - Syrian Army Gives Last Ultimatum to Terrorists to Surrender in Dara'a, Quneitra
Farsnews

The Syrian Army gave last ultimatum to the terrorist groups in the Southern provinces of Dara'a and Quneitra on Wednesday to lay down arms and join the reconciliation plan.

The army gave a 48-hour-long ultimatum to the terrorists in Dara'a and Quneitra to join the peace plan in the region and surrender to the government forces.

In the meantime, local sources reported that commanders of terrorist groups have not accepted yet the Russian Reconciliation Centers' call for peace talks, adding that a wave of disunity and defection has started in the terrorist front over the peace agreement.

The army has in recent day sent a large volume of military equipment and a large number of forces to prepare for an imminent large-scale operation in the region.

In a similar development on Tuesday, the army forwarded a large number of forces and a large volume of equipment to the Death Triangle in Northern Dara'a.

Several military vehicles, a number of personnel carrier vehicles and truck carrying heavy weapons deployed to the towns of al-Habariyeh, Deir al-Adas and Fatima hills in Northern Dara'a.

Deir al-Adas is one of the most important contact lines of the army with terrorists in Northern Dara'a.

The Death Triangle is among the most strategic regions in Southern Syria connecting Dara'a province to Quneitra and Western Damascus.

Well-inform sources reported that the terrorist commanders in Dara'a have rejected the Humeimim-based Russian Reconciliation Center's call for direct talks, adding that the terrorists are insisting on confronting the army's operation in South.

The Free Syrian Army has also kept its militants in regiments 463, 404 and 406 in Quneitra on alert to face the Damascus' forces large-scale operation in Southern Syria.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - Syrian Army Enhances Air Defense Near Israeli-Occupied Golan Heights
Farsnews

A pro-Syrian government commander announced that the Syrian army has reinforced its anti-aircraft defense systems in the country’s southwest near the border areas of Golan Heights against potential attacks from Israel.

The commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters on Tuesday that the army plans to deploy additional defenses in the coming days.

The Syrian army has stationed Russian-made Pantsir S1 weapon in an attempt to "renew the air defense system against Israel in the first degree", the commander said.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army forces are gearing up for an offensive against militant groups at the border with Israel and Jordan.

The commander noted that grounds are fully prepared for the offensive in the Southwest, but government forces currently focus on eliminating a pocket of Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) Takfiri terrorists near the government-held Southern town of Sweida.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - Russian Military Seizes Arms Cache in Terrorists' Positions in Syria’s Homs Province
Farsnews

Officers of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria have found an ammo cache in the village of Um-Sharshuh, Homs province, said Major General Alexei Tsygankov, the chief of the Russian Center.

Thanks to intelligence obtained by the Syrian security agencies, an ammo cache was recovered in the Eastern part of the populated locality of Um-Sharshuh. An anti-tank guided missile, three reactive shaped charge mines, 52 hand anti-tank grenade launchers and over 8,500 pieces of ammunition were handed over to the government forces," the Russian commander said, TASS reported.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian observers registered some ceasefire violations in Aleppo, Deir Ezzur, Lattakia and Dara'a provinces.

Syrian field engineers trained by Russian specialists have searched 20 buildings in the town of Douma and Eastern Ghouta and destroyed three mines, four shells and 17 improvised explosive devices. At least 35 mines and 21 improvised explosive devices were found in East Kafr Laha, Homs province.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - Italian Forces Arrive in Oilfields in Eastern Syria to Support SDF
Farsnews

A group of Italian forces and military advisors arrived in one of the largest oilfields in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur to provide backup for the US-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a media source reported on Wednesday.

The Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency quoted local sources as saying that a number of Italian soldiers arrived in al-Omar oilfield that is under SDF's control and is one of the US forces' bases in Deir Ezzur.

Anadolu further said that the Italian group, including 20 soldiers and several military advisors, entered Hasaka from Iraq last week and later moved toward Southern Deir Ezzur.

The Italian forces' arrival in Syria came after French forces entered and deployed in regions' under SDF's control in Northern Syria almost three months ago.

In a relevant development on Tuesday four SDF militias were killed and several more were wounded after a bomb-laden motorcycle exploded in a position of the US-backed gunmen in the village of Abu Hardoub in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - No Italian troops inside of Syria – report
No Italian troops inside of Syria - report

There are no Italian troops in Syria, a spokesperson from the Italian Defense Ministry told The Defense Post on Wednesday.

“The report about Italian troops in Syria is absolutely not true,” Lieutenant Colonel Massimo Carta, Head of Media Operations for the Italian Ministry of Defense, told The Defense Post.

“There aren’t any Italian troops employed in Syria,” Carta reiterated, adding that the deployment of Italian Armed Forces in foreign countries must be approved by the Italian parliament. Rumors of Italian troops in Syria began when Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency claimed that Italy had sent troops from Iraq to Syria.

The Anadolu report added that the Italian troops had deployed to a U.S. military base near the strategic Al-‘Umar Oil Fields.

These supposed Italian troops were supposed to advise the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in their battle against the Islamic State (ISIS).


Tue Jun 12, 2018 - Turkish Army Starts Mediation after Infighting among Ankara-Backed Militants in Northern Syria
Farsnews

The Turkish Army troops entered the occupied town of Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo to end clashes between two Ankara-backed militant groups on Tuesday.

Sultan Murad militants engaged in a fresh round of clashes with Tajamo Ahrar al-Sharqiya that inflicted heavy casualties on both warring sides in the last two days.

The Turkish military vehicles arrived in Afrin to end the clashes.

In the meantime, Tajamo Ahrar al-Sharqiya affiliated to the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army announced in a statement that two groups of Katiba al-Hamza and Liwa al-Montaser have been forced to cut off ties with Ahrar al-Sharqiya after the latter disobeyed orders.

Field sources reported earlier today that almost 800 Ankara-affiliated militants called National Police that had gone under military-security training in Turkish territories were sent to Afrin on Monday.

The sources further said that the newly-forwarded group was the second group of National Police that entered the region, adding that the police will shoulder security affairs in Afrin.

Infighting among Ankara-backed militants and looting of people's assets have gone high after two of months of occupation of Afrin by Turkish troops.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 - US Airstrikes Leave Civilian Casualties again in Northeastern Syria
Farsnews

More civilians were killed and wounded in the US-led coalition air raid in Southeastern Hasaka on Wednesday.

The US fighter jets bombed heavily the village of al-Hardan, killing four civilians and wounding another one.

In the meantime, local sources reported that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Force opened artillery fire at the small towns of al-Souseh and al-Baqouz in Southeastern Deir Ezzur, injuring several civilians.

Syria's state news agency, SANA, quoted local sources as reporting on Tuesday that the US fighter jets pounded a school in the village of Khoweiberah Southeast of al-Shadadi region on Monday, killing 18 Iraqi refugees.

SANA further said that most of the victims were children and women.


2018-06-13 - Rebel rocket attack kills civilians in Aleppo as Eid Fitr nears
Rebel rocket attack kills civilians in Aleppo as Eid Fitr nears

At least 3 civilians were killed, 8 others injured as rockets fired from rebel-held areas hit residential districts in the northern city of Aleppo.

According to local sources, one of the three rockets targeted a building block in Tishreen Street, which accounts for most of the casualties.

The rockets were fired by jihadi groups which control areas near Jamiyat Al-Zahraa and Layramoun in far north-west Aleppo city.

The deadly attack comes 2 days before Syrians celebrates Eid Fitr holiday which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

It is highly expected that the Syrian Army will respond to the attack by intensifying artillery and airstrikes against rebel positions in west Aleppo.

 

[Ca.]

ISIS Executes 90 Own Members For Unwillingness To Fight Syrian Army Near Iraqi Border - Report
14.06.2018 -

ISIS has executed 90 own fighters for their unwilligness to fight the Syrian Army near the Iraqi border, Qutri al-Obeidi, a leader of the Popular Mobilization Units in the Iraqi province of Anbar, told Almaalomah news website.

According to al-Obeidi, the incident took place in the area of Hegeen, located 40 km away from the Iraqi border town of al-Qaim. The dead bodies were reportedly thrown to the Euphrates River.

If al-Obeidi’s words are confirmed, this will be another signal that the remaining ISIS leadership is loosing its control over the terrorist group’s cells and units across Syria and Iraq.

This is especially clearly seen in Syria where ISIS cells operate on their own and even have no contact with the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq. This is why they release videos and photos via own media accounts instead of providing them to the ISIS news agency.

Al-Qaim is located on the road linking the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor and the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The Iraqi and Syrian government have reportedly started preparations to re-open the road. MORE HERE

Leaked picture of Australian soldiers flying Nazi swastika in Afghanistan sparks scandal (PHOTO)
14 Jun, 2018 05:21
Snip:
A photo of a Nazi flag on an Australian military vehicle in Afghanistan has been condemned by the country’s PM and Jewish community, while its Defense Ministry says the soldiers responsible for the stunt have been “disciplined.”

Australian soldiers were caught flying the Nazi swastika flag from their vehicle while conducting a mission in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-force deployment back in 2007, according to ABC, which obtained an exclusive photo of the incident.

It is believed that that the picture was just one of many photographs that were reportedly being circulated among military personnel. The news outlet also saw a second picture of the military vehicle flying a swastika. Furthermore, two separate defense sources revealed the identity of the Aussie soldier who took the flag with him on overseas duty. The person's name was not shared with the public.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1007106814972854272

Houthis Destroy 13 Vehicles South Of Al-Hudaydah, Kill Four Emirati Soldiers
14.06.2018
On June 13, Houthi fighters destroyed thirteen vehicles of the Saudi-led coalition and its Yemeni proxies while defending their positions south of the port city of al-Hudaydah along the western Yemeni coast, according to the Yemeni al-Masirah TV. The Houthis targeted the vehicles with ATGMs, rocket-propelled grenades and IEDs.

Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition and its Yemeni proxies launched their ground attack on al-Hudaydah. According to Yemeni sources, the coalition has failed to capture any key position south of the coastal city so far.

Meanwhile, the Emirates News Agency (WMA) announced that four service members of the UAE military were killed in Yemen, including a First Lieutenant of the UAE Navy. This confirms that the Houthis managed to hit a warship of the Saudi-led coalition as they had claimed before.

Pro-Houthi sources claimed that several warships of the Saudi-led coalitions attempted to land troops on the coast of the city of al-Hudaydah in the early hours of June 13. However, the attempt was foiled by the Houthis and the Yemeni Navy.

The Saudi-led coalition may repeat the attempt in the upcoming days, especially that its troops appear to be unable to advance towards the airport of al-Hudaydah south of the city.

PressTV Published on Jun 13, 2018
President Assad Interview with Al-ALAM TV (13 June 2018) Transcripts

Historic caravanserai in Syria's Aleppo revives after years of war | June 2018
R&U Videos Published on Jun 12, 2018 Aleppo, Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6nxR99d8Ag
Be advised, VIDEO CONTAINS images not recommended for children under age of 18 Mature viewers only. This is an educational documentary. Posted for historical documentary and educational purposes.

South Front Published on Jun 14, 2018

Big War in Syria and World Cup in Russia Start This Week
14.06.2018
Written by Arkady Savitsky; Originally appeared on strategic-culture.org
Syria’s forces are ready to launch an offensive in the South aimed at liberating the Daraa-as-Suwayda-Quneitra area. Leaflets calling on militants to lay down their arms have already been air-dropped. The deadline has been set for June 14 — the day the World Cup kicks off in Moscow. Syria’s armed forces are going to defend their homeland and kick out the invading terrorist gangs. The security concerns expressed by Israel and Jordan have been taken into consideration.

The Syrian government has promised that no Iranian or pro-Iranian forces will take positions close to Israeli or Jordanian borders. All other issues can be addressed and negotiated. If need be, Moscow can act as a mediator as it has successfully done before

At first glance, having government forces take control of the territory would seem a much better option than leaving these swaths of land to the terrorists. But no, the prospects of the militants’ defeat has upset some of the actors involved. The US has already warned Syria against launching an offensive, telling that national government what it can and what it cannot do on its own territory. But the measures taken to obstruct the liberation of the southern part of the country are not limited to voicing warnings and concerns.

It had been a long time since the Islamic State (IS) had been portrayed in the media as a force to be reckoned with. It had been reduced to insignificance and held only small areas. There were other jihadist gangs that posed a bigger threat. Just a few days ago, it seemed clear that the terrorist-held land in the South was the only relatively large area still outside of the government’s control and that the final victory over the jihadists was close at hand. Now the situation has drastically altered. Watching the ever-changing map (Syria Live Map), one wonders how such developments could occur. No doubt there is a plan to direct the situation as it evolves and nothing is being done without a purpose.

All of a sudden the IS forces, evidently reinforced and well supplied, reappeared to attack Sukriah and Al Hamdan. On June 7, IS militants advanced to Abu Kamal. In one day they took control of 90 km2, including the road connecting the Т2 Pumping Station and Mayadin, allowing them to cut off the supplies from Deir-ez-Zor provisioning the Syrian forces positioned at the T2 Station. This paves the way for them to block the Palmyra-Abu-Kamal highway. This advance does more than just divert the government troops’ efforts from other fronts.

The IS militants were attacked on June 4 and 5 by SDF forces supported by US aviation at As Shahaf, forcing them to retreat westward, crossing the Euphrates River near Abu Kamal. There is nothing preventing the jihadists from receiving reinforcements from Deir ez-Zor and El Haseke and the Iraqi province of Nineveh. Their movements are unobstructed by the US-backed force. That’s exactly what Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in late May — IS forces have reappeared in US-controlled areas of Syria. Many of them join the so-called New Syrian Army units operating near the city of Deir ez-Zor. Others move to the area where the American al-Tanf base is located. Mr. Lavrov emphasized this fact and warned about the dire consequences.

Almost at the same time combat operations flared up quite unexpectedly in the desert area between As Suwaydah and Damascus. An enclave materialized, controlled by jihadists and encompassing several villages and areas of high elevation, from which they began surveying the area and shooting from the hills at the approaching enemy. If the IS militants are driven out — and soon they will be — the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is positioned about 35 km. from the battle area, will get more soldiers to fill its ranks.

The question is — where did the IS forces come from, enabling them to suddenly appear deep inside Syrian army positions? The only answer could be from the Syrian-Jordanian border, which is regularly crossed by militants trained at the Rubkan refugee camp on the Jordanian side of the frontier. And they had to cross more than 40 km. of land controlled by the Syrian army. Obviously, the rebels were well informed about the secret passages that exist and deftly took advantage of the weak points in the organization of the Syrian Army’s defenses.

Their mission is clear — to divert Syrian strike troops and gain time for the rebel forces in the south to erect fortifications and prepare for a counter-offensive. The number of rebel forces there has grown considerably recently, exceeding 12,000 according to some estimates.

The Southern Front rebel forces possess small Omar Scud-type ballistic missiles and Zelzal-2 unguided, long-range artillery rockets that are able to inflict serious casualties. The group receives supplies from Jordan that arrive in the guise of “humanitarian aid.”

Reinforcements will keep on coming until Syrian army units block the M5 Aleppo-Damascus highway and the road linking the Syrian city of Daraa with Ar Ramtha in Jordan. But the new front opened with the help of the US military is keeping the Syrian forces busy that are needed to launch an offensive in the South. If the Free Syrian Army captures the town of Mahajjah, the large Syrian army force in Daraa will be encircled.

On June 11, the Russian Defense Ministry warned that the FSA fighters assisted by US special operation forces are preparing to stage a provocation in the form of a chlorine attack, in order to provide a pretext for US air strikes against Syrian government forces. We are in for a big war in Syria that will start at almost the same time the World Cup in Russia kicks off. It’s important to know in advance who started the whole thing and who should be held responsible for the consequences.

 

[angelburst29]

Gives new meaning to the declaration, "Out of Russia - will come Peace to the World!"

In regards to Putin and Xi insisting on reforming the United Nations, consider the background and present position of Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.

[...] [...] [...]
Sergei Lavrov served as Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations for ten years (until 2004). In March 2004, Sergey Lavrov was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. He was reassigned in the spring of 2008 after Dmitry Medvedev became Russian president. He got his ministerial office from President Vladimir Putin in 2012.

Upon President Putin's 2018 re-election, Sergey Lavrov has been reappointed as Foreign Minister.
< ... >

Russia's Top Diplomat Urges NATO to Respect Agreements on Indivisible Security

Below is an excellent example of Sergey Lavrov implementing the United Nations Security Council, in agreements reached by Resolution, in resolving regional conflicts.

Thu Jun 14, 2018 - Russia's Top Diplomat Urges NATO to Respect Agreements on Indivisible Security
Farsnews

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow intends to continue calling on NATO to respect agreements on indivisible security.

"We have informed our Greek colleagues about our assessments of current military and political developments on our continent, focusing on the growing military activities of the US and NATO near Russia’s borders," the Russian top diplomat said at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias on Wednesday, TASS reported.

"We will continue to call on our NATO counterparts to respect all the agreements made at the political level, particularly at the highest level, which declare drawing new dividing lines to be unacceptable and emphasize the need to ensure indivisible security so that no one has to strengthen their security by damaging the security of others," Lavrov added.

"Both Russia and Greece believe that dialogue between Russia and the EU - dialogue between Moscow and Brussels - needs to be revived, so we welcome our Greek counterparts’ positive approach towards the matter," Lavrov said.

The Russian Foreign Minister also added that Moscow and Athens had taken similar or the same stances on resolving regional conflicts.

"We exchanged views on the Cyprus issue," he said, adding that "Russia and Greece both call for resolving this long-standing issue based on United Nations Security Council resolutions and agreements reached by the two communities".

"We are interested in resolving issues facing the Western Balkans in accordance with the aspirations of the people and countries involved," Lavrov underlined.

"It concerns resolving the Kosovo issues based on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. We have similar positions on crises in the Middle East and North Africa, including the need of implementing Resolution 2254 on Syria," he stressed.

The Russian top diplomat also underscored that he had informed his Greek counterpart about the Normandy Quartet foreign ministers’ meeting held in Berlin on June 11.

"We confirmed our position on the Ukrainian conflict," Lavrov said, adding that "we strongly believe that there is no alternative to the Minsk Package of Measures, which must be implemented in the form that was approved by the United Nations Security Council".

 

[angelburst29]

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad attended ‘Eid Al-Fitr prayers at the Khadijah Mosque in the Tartous Governorate on Friday morning, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

2018-06-15 - In pictures: Syrian President attends Eid prayers in Tartous
In pictures: Syrian President attends Eid prayers in Tartous

Also joining the President Assad was the Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun and several other officials from Damascus and Tartous.

Assad often makes public trips during religious and Syrian holidays, but they are never announced a head of time due to security reasons.

Below are the photos from his visit in Tartous: (At site.)


2018-06-15 - Syrian reconciliation delegate assassinated in Daraa
Syrian reconciliation delegate assassinated in Daraa

A reconciliation delegate was assassinated in the Dara’a Governorate, Thursday, as he was preparing to enter his office near the Al-Quneitra provincial border.

According to local reports, Dr. Mousa Qanbas was entering his clinic in Tal Al-Harrah, when unknown assailants opened fire on him.

Dr. Qanbas was succumbed to his wounds before he could receive any medical care, a source told Al-Masdar.

Militant groups have recently targeted residents and rebel factions for holding reconciliation talks with the government in southern Syria; this has prompted the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to threaten to launch their military operations in Dara’a and Al-Quneitra.


2018-06-15 - Russian diplomat says some countries softening stance on Assad’s resignation
Russian diplomat says some countries softening stance on Assad’s resignation

Some countries that earlier demanded that Bashar al-Assad step down as Syria’s President are softening their position, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

“Political efforts are underway to set up a UN-backed constitutional committee and launch work on Syria’s Constitution in accordance with the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and taking into account the results of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi,” the diplomat stated.

“The Syrian government’s military accomplishments in the war on terror and efforts to promote the political settlement of the Syrian crisis have prompted the external forces involved in it to think about choosing their line for the future,” Zakharova said.

“We have been receiving signals on softening stances by a number of countries, which earlier demanded Assad’s resignation and regime change in Syria.”

According to Zakharova, illegitimate military presence in Syria continues. “Attempts to set up parallel government agencies in the areas controlled by external forces continue,” she noted.

“The US-led coalition tends to divide terrorists into ‘bad’ and ‘not very bad’ ones. This approach is not conducive to finding a political solution and stabilization, pose a threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and preserve the potential for conflict.”

She pointed to the need for making progress to achieve a sustainable political settlement in Syria, adding that “stagnation in that process is very dangerous.” “Stagnation can nullify the considerable accomplishments in the fight against terrorists over the past few months,” she said. “This cannot be allowed to happen.”.


2018-06-15 - Russian naval ship heads to Syrian port to deliver more military equipment
Russian naval ship heads to Syrian port to deliver more military equipment

Another Russian ship was spotted traveling through Turkish territorial waters to deliver more military equipment to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

According to Yoruk Isik of the Bosphorous Observer, the Russian BSF Tapir (NATO:Alligator) class LST Nikolai Filchenkov 152 was seen traveling through the Bosphorous Strait en route for the Port of Tartous.

During the trip, the Russian ship briefly encountered the Turkish Coast Guard near the Bosphorous Strait before continuing its route to Tartous.

This latest shipment marks the fourth time this year that this ship has delivered military supplies to the Port of Tartous.


Thu Jun 14, 2018 - President Assad: Damascus to Agree with Iranian Military Bases in Syria If Asked by Tehran
Farsnews

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad underlined that his country would agree with setting up Iranian military bases in Syria if Tehran ever extends such a demand.

"There’s nothing to prevent establishment of such bases as long as Iran is an ally as is Russia," President Assad said in an interview with the Arabic-language al-Alam news channel on Wednesday.

Asked if he would agree to the establishment of such bases, he said even his country might raise such a demand from Tehran. "We could ask for the existence of such forces to support us. Iran has never asked and does not have an interest except in fighting terrorism. But the evolution of the war made it necessary to develop the nature of this presence."

"This happened as far as the Russians are concerned. In the beginning, Russian support, like Iranian support, was different from what it is today. The support for terrorism has developed internationally and globally when the Syrian Army confronted those terrorists, and with that Russian and Iranian military presence developed. At a certain stage, we found – with the Russians of course – that the existence of air bases was necessary to provide air support to the Syrian Army. And now, if we find, in cooperation, coordination, or dialogue with the Iranians, that there is a need for Iranian military bases, we will not hesitate. But now, Iranian support in its present form is good and effective," he added. (Long Interview continues.)


2018-06-15 - Putin, Netanyahu express readiness to coordinate in Syria
Putin, Netanyahu express readiness to coordinate in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation on Friday that touched on a number of topics, including the current war in Syria, a Kremlin statement read this afternoon.

According to the Kremlin, the two leaders expressed their readiness to coordinate inside Syria and expand their relations in the region.

“The situation in Syria was discussed in the context of joint efforts to ensure security in the Syrian-Israeli border area. Both sides expressed readiness to boost coordination on Syria, including on countering international terrorism,” the statement said.

While the statement did not mention the current situation in southwest Syria, it is very likely that the two leaders discussed this topic, especially since the U.S. issued a stern warning to the Syrian government on Thursday.


2018-06-15 - New OPCW report on chemical weapons use in Syria raises questions — Russian diplomat
New OPCW report on chemical weapons use in Syria raises questions — Russian diplomat

A report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria’s Hama province on March 24-25, 2017 fails to meet information gathering and analysis criteria and raises questions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

“It becomes obvious already after the first reading of the report that the methods of the [OPCW] mission’s work are still far from the requirements for gathering and analyzing information on the alleged use of chemical agents that are set forth in the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the OPCW regulatory documents,” the Russian diplomat noted.

“It is also questionable why the report was released more than a year after the chemical attacks were registered and what value the analysis of the probes generally has after the elapse of such a lengthy period,” Zakharova noted.

Moreover, “all this [the OPCW report] appeared intentionally for the agenda of a special session of the Conference of the Convention’s member states being convened already the other day by a group of Western states and scheduled to take place in The Hague on June 26-28,” the Russian diplomat said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman did not rule out that another report might appear closer to this date on the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7 this year.

“It won’t come as any surprise, if on the eve of the conference the corresponding report appears on the chemical incident in Douma contrary to the reliable information received by the Russian military specialists on the staged nature of the incident,” Zakharova pointed out.

The OPCW press office reported on June 13 that its fact-finding mission probing the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria confirmed in a new report that “sarin was very likely used as a chemical weapon in the south of Ltamenah, Syrian Arab Republic, on 24 March 2017.”

The fact-finding mission also concluded that chlorine was very likely used as a chemical weapon during the shelling of Ltamenah Hospital and the surrounding area on March 25, 2017.


2018-06-16 - Syrian military sends more reinforcements to southern Syria despite US warnings
Syrian military sends more reinforcements to southern Syria despite US warnings

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has continued their massive build-up of troops in southern Syria, despite warnings from the U.S. State Department.

According to a military source in Damascus, reinforcements from the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Syrian Arab Army made their way from the Homs Governorate to Dara’a this week.

The reinforcements were deployed to the northern part of the Dara’a Governorate and will likely be moved to the Lijat region or provincial capital.

Recently, the U.S. State Department warned the Syrian government against launching their long-awaited southwest Syria offensive.


2018-06-15 - Russian official warns US not to take ‘tough measures’ against Syrian Army in southwest Syria
Russian official warns US not to take 'tough measures' against Syrian Army in southwest Syria

The Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Jabarov, was quoted as saying on Friday that the U.S. military should avoid using “tough measures” against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in southwest Syria.

As quoted by the RBC News Agency, Jabarov warned the U.S. from usig tough measures against the Syrian Army, stressing that this “is totaly unaccelptable” behavior by the U.S. military.

“Americans have resorted to this practice before. I hope that there will be no unpredictable action against the Syrian government army. In any case, it is necessary to avoid the confrontation, ” the Russian official said.

“Russia always listens to good advice. If this is really aimed at reducing tensions, then perhaps we will listen. I think that Russia with the data provided by its intelligence, intelligence services and government structures of Syria will analyze and make relevant conclusions, ” he said.

 

[Ca.]

Opinion | The Impact of War: Mental Health of Syrian Children
June 15, 2018 Kevork Almasian By Hanaa Mustafa 16 June 2018

https://twitter.com/x/status/1007663931303845888

White Helmets: A tool for ‘regime change’ in Syria that’s too important to stop funding?
Published time: 16 Jun, 2018 03:02

Eva Bartlett: Addressing The Rebel's distorted and lying report on the Toronto (2018) Al Quds Day protest -- Sott.net
Eva Bartlett In Gaza Fri, 15 Jun 2018 00:00 UTC Video / 14:50

South Front Published on Jun 15, 2018

Flashback:

May 14, 2018

 

[angelburst29]

Just a note: Italian President Sergio Mattarella is in close partnership with Putin and Russia and on a number of occasions has expressed his full support for Syrian President Assad. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency recently published an article, quoting "local sources" claiming Italian solders had arrived in al-Omar (oil field), the location of one of the US Syrian bases, controlled by SDF and home to other terrorist.

The Italian Defense Ministry has denied the report. Yet, other news agencies, like this first article from Fars news - is quoting the Turkish Anadolu publication, including "The Saker"? So far, I'm unable to come across any other independent source - claiming Italian troops or advisors are in Syria? Recently, the Italian Government have come out in support of Trump, in expressing that Russia should be re-admitted to the G7? I don't know, if this might be a ploy by Erdogan, to kick up the desert sand or who is behind this report?

Wed Jun 13, 2018 - No Italian troops inside of Syria – report
No Italian troops inside of Syria - report

Sat Jun 16, 2018 - US-Backed SDF in Eastern Syria Threatens Families of Army Forces
Farsnews

The Arabic website of Sputnik news agency quoted local sources in Eastern Syria as saying on Saturday that the SDF has established two recruitment centers with the US and Saudi support, trying to coax the young people into joining the SDF by paying a monthly salary of 115,000 Syrian liras.

They also revealed that the SDF has taken hostage a number of Syrian army soldiers who had visited the Kurdish-occupied lands in Raqqa to see their family members.

The SDF also threatened the families with detention if their sons join the army.

The sources also said that the US forces have signed a deal with the Kurds to protect their 11 bases in the oil-rich regions, including 7 bases in Deir Ezzur, 4 in Raqqa, al-Shadadi, Tal Borak and Hasaka.

Meantime, new advanced French missile-launchers and artilleries have been transferred to the US bases in oil fields in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, a group of Italian forces and military advisors arrived in one of the largest oilfields in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur to provide backup for the SDF, a media source reported.

The Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency quoted local sources as saying that a number of Italian soldiers arrived in al-Omar oilfield that is under SDF's control and is one of the US forces' bases in Deir Ezzur.

Anadolu further said that the Italian group, including 20 soldiers and several military advisors, entered Hasaka from Iraq last week and later moved toward Southern Deir Ezzur.

The Italian forces' arrival in Syria came after French forces entered and deployed in regions' under SDF's control in Northern Syria almost three months ago.


June 13, 2018 - Syrian War Report – June 13, 2018: Italian Troops Deployed In Eastern Syria
Syrian War Report – June 13, 2018: Italian Troops Deployed In Eastern Syria | The Vineyard of the Saker

The Syrian military is deploying additional Pantsir-S1 short to medium range air defense systems in southern and eastern Syria, according to pro-government sources.

Additional Pantsir-S1 systems had been deployed in the area near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Hezbollah media wing in Syria said on June 12. This move is clearly aimed at strengthening the air-defense capabilities of the government forces in case if Israel reacts to a military operation against militants in Daraa with airstrikes.

On June 11, reports also appeared that additional Pantsir-S1 systems will be deployed in the province of Deir Ezzor where tensions are steadily growing between government forces and the US-led coalition.

Separately, the Syrian Army and its allies repelled another ISIS attack in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert; this time in the Humaymah-T2-Muazilah triangle. The situation on the western bank of the Euphrates remains tense.

Italian troops have deployed in the province of Deir Ezzor to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Turkish media reported on June 12 citing local sources.

According to the report, the troops entered Syria from Iraq, reached the city of Hasakah and then arrived at the US military base in the Omar oil field area in the province of Deir Ezzor. The number of Italian troops is unknown.

The SDF has captured Tal al-Jayer, Hulwah and Daral Khattab from ISIS west of the town of Dashishah, near the Iraqi border. Summing up the recent SDF advances, the group has captured over 20 settlements.


Sat Jun 16, 2018 - US Attempts to Coax Tribes in Eastern Syria into Facilitating Terrorists' Transfer
Farsnews

The US occupying forces are attempting to open different ways to transfer terrorists between al-Tanf, Deir Ezzur and Homs by contacting the tribes in Eastern Syria for cooperation, media sources reported on Saturday.

The Arabic website of Sputnik news agency quoted tribal sources in Eastern Syria as saying that the US forces transfer the ISIL terrorists from the desert region bordering Iraq to al-Tanf through al-Sukhneh in Homs.

Meantime, one of the prominent tribal leaders in Eastern Syria revealed that Mohannad al-Tala, a US proxy and commander of the so-called New Syrian Forces group in the US base in al-Tanf, has contacted the Syrian tribes, calling on them to open a passage for the terrorists to leave al-Tanf for Deir Ezzur to reach al-Omar oil field.

He added that the US forces fear uprisings by the people in Eastern Syria, noting that one of their goals to approach the tribes is to keep deployment in the region as Washington attempts to win the cooperation of the tribes in Manbij, Hasaka and Deir Ezzur have all failed.

Meantime, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has freed its militant inmates and sent them to the battlefield to attack al-Tanf-Sukhneh road in Homs and open a passageway and the Jordan road to al-Tanf.

The US forces had in the past 10 days been busy with transferring the ISIL terrorists with at least 10 armored trucks and heavy artillery to attack Albu Kamal from Abu Hameseh in Hasaka.

In a relevant development on Tuesday, the Syrian army troops, backed up by the Russian Air Force, managed to preempt ISIL's heavy attack in al-Tanf region in Southeastern Homs, a media source reported on Tuesday, adding that the terrorists had planned to storm Palmyra (Tadmur) city in Eastern Homs.

The Arabic-language website of RT quoted a source in the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria as reporting that the army men, backed up by the Russian fighter jets, engaged in fierce clashes with the ISIL that tried to storm Palmyra from al-Tanf region that is under US forces' control.

RT further said that the army soldiers fended off the attack after killing or wounding a number of terrorists and destroying their military equipment, adding that the remaining pockets of the ISIL retreated toward al-Tanf.

Al-Rukban Camp near the US-run al-Tanf Base has been turned into a base for terrorist groups, including the ISIL.


Sat Jun 16, 2018 - Infighting Intensified among Ankara-Backed Militants in Northern Aleppo
Farsnews

A number of terrorists were killed during heavy infighting among the militants backed by the Turkish army in the town of A'azaz in Northern Aleppo.

Local sources in A'azaz at the borders with Turkey reported on Saturday that a number of terrorists were killed and wounded during fierce clashes between the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) militants and other terrorists called the 'Free Police'.

They added that the clashes have imposed panic and horror among the civilians in the region.

Meantime, the FSA-affiliated Asefeh al-Shamal Brigade detained a number of militants who had engaged in clashes.

In a relevant development last Tuesday, the Turkish army troops entered the occupied town of Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo to end clashes between two Ankara-backed militant groups.

Sultan Murad militants engaged in a fresh round of clashes with Tajamo Ahrar al-Sharqiya that inflicted heavy casualties on both warring sides in the last two days.

The Turkish military vehicles arrived in Afrin to end the clashes.

In the meantime, Tajamo Ahrar al-Sharqiya affiliated to the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army announced in a statement that two groups of Katiba al-Hamza and Liwa al-Montaser have been forced to cut off ties with Ahrar al-Sharqiya after the latter disobeyed orders.


Sat Jun 16, 2018 - Countdown Starts for Major Battle to Free Southern Syria
Farsnews

The Syrian army forces will soon start their military operations in the South after the terrorists opposed the government-proposed peace plan to leave the region.

Field sources reported on Saturday that the army has sent a large number of soldiers and military equipment to the areas near al-Lajah region in Northeastern Dara'a.

They added that the army is strengthening its military power in Dara'a, noting that the operations against the terrorists are imminent as their commanders have rejected the peace plan.

The army has prepared nearly 35,000 of its forces along with the most modern and heavy weapons and artillery to launch a massive assault to free Southern Syria.

According to the sources, the army's military operations will be conducted in several stages and will spread from Dara'a al-Balad region in Dara'a city to the West, North and East of Dara'a as well as Northern Sweida.

Meantime, a military source said that the Syrian army will start its military operations with the aim of surrounding and isolating the terrorists and then liberating al-Lajah region and the areas between the two towns of Rakham and Northern al-Karak in Eastern Dara'a which is considered as one of the largest regions occupied by the terrorists in Southern Syria.

The Syrian army gave a last ultimatum to the terrorist groups in the Southern provinces of Dara'a and Quneitra on Wednesday to lay down arms and join the reconciliation plan.

The army gave a 48-hour-long ultimatum to the terrorists in Dara'a and Quneitra to join the peace plan in the region and surrender to the government forces.

In the meantime, local sources reported that commanders of terrorist groups have not accepted yet the Russian Reconciliation Centers' call for peace talks, adding that a wave of disunity and defection has started in the terrorist front over the peace agreement.

The army has in recent day sent a large volume of military equipment and a large number of forces to prepare for an imminent large-scale operation in the region.


2018-06-15 - Top Syrian general visits troops in southwest Syria ahead of offensive
Top Syrian general visits troops in southwest Syria ahead of offensive

One day after the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s interview with Al-Alam, his highest ranking general was sent to southwest Syria to inspect the forces before any offensive is launched.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Defense Minister Major General ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Ayoub traveled to southern Syria this morning to not only inspect the troops, but also, celebrate ‘Eid Al-Fitr with the soldiers in Dara’a.

Maj. Gen Ayoub was briefed by field commanders on the combat operations of the army and armed forces in the area, stressing on the importance of combating the remnants of militants.

The top Syrian general often makes trips like these before the Syrian Army launches new offensives.

However, despite the massive build-up of troops, the Syrian Army has postponed their offensive in order to continue reconciliation talks with the rebel forces.


2018-06-16 - Breaking: Israeli troops fire flare bombs along Syrian-Lebanese border
Breaking: Israeli troops fire flare bombs along Syrian-Lebanese bordr

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) fired several flare bombs towards the Syrian-Lebanese border this morning, the National News Agency reported.

According to the NNA report, the Israeli Defense Forces fired several flare bombs towards the Jabal Al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon) region, causing a number of explosions this morning.

No further details were released.