The Russian military kicked off the fourth and last phase of their large-scale naval exercises along the Syrian coast this week.
2019-01-30 - Russian military begins last round of large-scale naval exercises along Syrian coast
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...rge-scale-naval-exercises-along-syrian-coast/
According to reports from the eastern Mediterranean, ships from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were reportedly conducting drills between the Syrian and Cypriot territorial waters.
The first phase of the Russian military began on January 8th and then two other phases were held throughout the month.
Russia has repeatedly held drills in the Mediterranean Sea off the Syrian coast in 2018, with the largest such exercises held in September, when 26 ships and 34 aircraft
engaged in training in the area amid threats by the US-led coalition to launch airstrikes against Syria under the pretext of the use of chemical weapons in the country’s rebel and terrorist-held Idlib province.
In November, Russia deployed the Kalibr missile-armed Admiral Makarov frigate to the Mediterranean. Russia has repeatedly used Kalibrs against Daesh (ISIS)*, al-Nusra and other terrorist groups in Syria. The long-range missiles were first used in October 2015, when gunboats in the Caspian Sea launched Kalibrs at targets over 1,500 km away in Syria.
Russia beefed up its Mediterranean Sea deployment this summer, deploying the Admiral Grigorovich, Admiral Essen and Pytlivy frigates to the area, along with the Nikolai Filchenkov landing ship and the Vishny Volochek missile corvette.
The western Mediterranean has been the source of considerable friction between regional and world powers in recent months.
An Iranian cargo plane made another flight to the Damascus International Airport, marking the second time in the last seven-days that they have made this trip.
2019-01-30 - Iranian cargo plane makes another flight to Damascus as Israel watches from afar
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...ight-to-damascus-as-israel-watches-from-afar/
According to online observer Manu Gomez, an Iranian 747 EP-SHH from Saha Airlines departed from Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport to the Damascus International Airport this afternoon.
In the past, the Israeli Air Force has bombed the Damascus International Airport and its surrounding area in order to prevent the cargo from reaching its intended destination.
When the Iranian cargo plane made the flight to Damascus last week, there was some concern that the Israeli Air Force might attack the capital city.
This became a greater concern for the Syrian military when Israeli warplanes were spotted along the Lebanese-Syrian border later that evening.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting Tuesday with Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin in Jerusalem.
2019-01-30 - Netanyahu meets with Russian defense official to discuss Iran in Syria
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...an-defense-official-to-discuss-iran-in-syria/
The sides discussed the situation in Syria, Iran’s activity in the conflict-torn state and security coordination mechanism between Israeli and Russian military.
Israel traditionally views Iran as its main opponent in the Middle East region and is concerned over the alleged presence of Iranian military instructors as well as the Hezbollah Shia movement, backed by Tehran, in neighboring Syria.
Iran has repeatedly stressed that Tehran sends advisers only at the official request of the Syrian government.
The Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday morning that “Jabhat al-Nusra” terrorists are carrying out daily attacks across the Idlib demilitarized zone.
2019-01-31 - Russia calls on the US to withdraw from Syria
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russia-calls-on-the-us-to-withdraw-from-syria/
Furthermore, during the press conference in Moscow on Thursday,
Zakharova said the “White Helmets” have prepared the necessary equipment in hospitals in Idlib to accuse the Syrian military of using chemical weapons.
Zakharova added that Moscow urges Washington to immediately “withdraw their illegitimate troops” from Syria as soon as possible.
The Kurdish militia units on Wednesday blocked a convoy of humanitarian aid sent by the Syrian authorities to the city of Hajin, forcing the vehicles to turn around, Lt. Gen. Sergei Solomatin, head of the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation said.
2019-01-30 - Russia accuses Kurdish forces of blocking aid to Hajin
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russia-accuses-kurdish-forces-of-blocking-aid-to-hajin/
According to Solomatin, Damascus, together with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society organized on 30 January shipment of humanitarian aid to Hajin, located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
“A column of humanitarian aid consisting of 10 trucks carrying bottled water, food and medical supplies, as well as hygiene products and basic necessities, was blocked in the area of the settlement of Al-Husaynia by Kurdish units from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces,” Solomating said at a briefing.
Solomatin specified that Kurdish militia forced the convoy to turn around, obeying strict orders by the US military officials.
The Arab-Kurdish detachments of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been engaged in a military operation against the Daesh in the terrorists’ last outpost in the city of Hajin. The US-led coalition has been carrying out frequent airstrikes on Hajin and nearby villages under the pretext of assisting the SDF in its anti-Daesh fight.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock urged the United Nations Security Council to back aid delivery to Syrians “suffering a cold, hard winter” with shortages of basic needs “from blankets to baby milk and bandages,” in New York City on Wednesday.
2019-01-31 - UN calls on Syrian warring parties to end politicization of humanitarian aid
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...es-to-end-politicization-of-humanitarian-aid/
“Millions are living under tents or tarpaulins or damaged buildings with no power or heating. There are severe shortages of all the basics, from blankets to baby milk to bandages,” Lowcock told the UNSC.
Lowcock stressed the need for an aid convoy to reach some 42,000 people reportedly living in Rukban along the Syria-Jordan border.
“On 27 January we received verbal approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus for the convoy to proceed. Security guarantees have also been received from the Russian Federation and from international coalition forces. Planning is now underway for loading of the trucks to begin before the end of the week
and for them to set off by 5 February,” Lowcock said.
Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari also addressed the UNSC on Wednesday.
A source from the Tiger Forces told Al-Masdar News on Wednesday afternoon that the claims about infighting between their group and the 4th Division were “Turkish regime lies.”
2019-01-30 - ‘Turkish regime lies’ – Syrian Army denies Russian, Iranian infighting claims in Hama
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...es-russian-iranian-infighting-claims-in-hama/
According to the source,
the Tiger Forces and 4th Division had no confrontation at any time nor did the Russian military demand that the alleged Iranian-backed forces withdraw from the northern countryside of Hama.
The source said that the Iranian-backed forces have a small presence in northern Hama, adding that the claims of Iranian bases in the area were exaggerated and untrue.
These allegations were first spread by opposition groups via social media and were later claimed by Turkish state-owned media.
Al-Masdar also reached out to sources in the government stronghold of Mhardeh, who also confirmed that these claims of infighting were false.
Ankara is integrating the terrorist groups in regions occupied by them in Northern Syria, sources said, adding that the move contradicts Turkey's undertakings under the Sochi agreement.
Thu Jan 31, 2019 - Turkey Integrating Terrorist Groups in Idlib
Farsnews
Syria's Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted sources close to the terrorists as saying on Thursday that
the Turkish military and intelligence officials have promised the ringleaders of Ahrar al-Sham, Nour al-Din Zinki and the so-called National Liberation Front (NLF) terrorist groups that they will merge them along with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) within the framework of a military organization.
They added that
Turkey has also promised them to set up a parliament and an autonomous government after dissolution of Tahrir al-Sham in territories occupied by the militants, adding that Faylaq al-Sham which has recently been joined by 18 other terrorist groups in Northern Idlib and Western Aleppo is due to be the political branch of the new organization and Tahrir al-Sham will take the responsibility for its military wing.
The military experts warned that Turkey's measures are against the Sochi agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in Northern Syria and the Turkish president's promises to his Russian counterpart in the last week meeting in Moscow, adding that the move by Ankara has left the Syrian army with the only option of cleansing Tahrir al-Sham from the demilitarized zone.
Similar reports earlier this month also said that the terrorists of Tahrir al-Sham are pursuing the new scenario to establish a new integrated military organization in Idlib after the terrorist group extended its presence in the province in cooperation with Turkey.
The ISIL has asked the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to transfer them from the last territories under their control in Eastern Euphrates to Turkey and Idlib to arrive at a ceasefire between the two sides.
Thu Jan 31, 2019 - Kurds Asked to Transfer ISIL from Eastern Euphrates to Turkey, Idlib
Farsnews
The Arabic-language al-Hal news website affiliated to the militants quoted SDF commander Ahmed al-Sultan as saying that the ISIL has demanded the Kurds to set up a safe corridor for them to move to Turkey or Idlib and Jabal Turkman in Northern Lattakia. He claimed that the SDF has rejected the ISIL demand.
Meantime, the Arabic-language Stepnews website, also affiliated to the militants in Syria, reported on Wednesday that the SDF and ISIL in Eastern Deir Ezzur have secretly agreed on a ceasefire.
Based on reports, the ISIL is surrounded in a 6sq/km region in Southeastern Deir Ezzur in Eastern Euphrates.
Earlier this week, the ISIL occupied a new region in Eastern Deir Ezzur
after the US fighter jets wrongly attacked the Washington-backed SDF, killing and wounding a number of them.
The Arabic-language al-Baladi news website affiliated to the terrorists reported last Friday that in a blue-on-greens air assault the US-led coalition's warplanes targeted a group of SDF forces in the town of al-Baqouz in Eastern Deir Ezzur with white phosphorous bombs, killing 5 and wounding 7 others.
According to the report, after the attack, the ISIL militants took the chance and occupied Baqouz after the SDF pulled out of the region.
The US airstrikes in Deir Ezzur inflict large casualties on the civilian population almost on a daily basis.
The Syrian and Russian armies have sent new military convoys to Northern Syria to launch military operations as they continue to repel offensives of Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorist group and its allies in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib.
Thu Jan 31, 2019 - Syrian, Russian Armies on Threshold of Military Operations in Idlib
Farsnews
Field sources in Northern Syria reported on Thursday that the Syrian army has sent a large military convoy, consisting of hundreds of forces and heavy military equipment, from Southern Syria to its positions in Northern Hama.
They added that the Russian military forces have also been sent to Southeastern Idlib near Abu Zohour airbase, noting that Moscow and Damascus are preparing for operations to cleanse Tahrir al-Sham militants from Northern Syria.
The Russian fighter jets and reconnaissance planes are also permanently flying over the regions occupied by terrorists in Northern Syria.
