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

There is a very interesting development happening in Venezuela that I think might be related to the following post:

Pashalis said:
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."
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After Russia, China has now send military personnel to Venezuela too, which is quite a remarkable step for china that used to not commit itself and "stay out of the fringe" in regards to the empire and its doings worldwide. I think this might mark a game changer event and is derectly related to the above quote. China seems to slowly cover the back of russia and also help, not only verbally, to stop the US nonsense.

www.newsclick.in

This Article is Under Review | NewsClick

This article is under review in light of the Chinese government’s denial regarding sending troops to Venezuela.
www.newsclick.in www.newsclick.in

I think we will see similar stuff in the future every time the empire tries another coup or military aggression in a country. The times that the empire could do all of that are pretty much over I think.

I think the main driver behind those developments is the russian government headed by Putin. They seem to have learned a lot in the last years about the strategies the empire uses to conduct its business in other countries and how to stop it in its tracks. I further think that they are now starting to aid other countries via knowledge of how the empire operates so that they can help themselves in that regard and not fall prey to the empire and its follies.

In this german article it is pointed out that the Venezuelan government already started heavy buying of chinese and russian military stuff between 2010 and 2014 for 349 Million Dollar. In 2017 this was than topped by heavy investment in Chinese and Russian "tanks, ammunition, uniforms, infantry equipment as well as spare and service parts".

I think the empire is finding itself in a desperate situation now where it just can't do a darn thing anymore, as it was used to do in the past. I think they have been outmaneuvered mainly by the russians. They just can't do anything anymore that just "worked" in the past.

Amazing to watch.
 
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The Reuters News site is featuring an "Exclusive" Report - which combined with other recent developments - has me highly concerned because I'm detecting "Red-flags" all over it!

The main focus of the article is on a building Contractor, by the name of Yevgeny Prigozhin. According to the author's statements, "Prigozhin was put on a U.S. sanctions blacklist in 2016 for “extensive” business dealings with the Russian defense ministry." and "A U.S. federal grand jury last year indicted Prigozhin and 12 other Russians, alleging that he funded a conspiracy to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election."

Apparently, Reuters hasn't read any of it's own recent publications on the Mueller Report? The article then centers on "building a case" accusing Prigozhin of building three Barracks on Russian Defense Ministry property - near the village of Molkino in southern Russia,
doctoring paperwork within the contract, by stating the Barracks are "a “pioneer camp” — a reference to Soviet-era summer vacation camps for children — and the other two buildings as temporary accommodation for the vacationers." Reuters goes on to claim - these Barracks are being used "to secretly train fighter's" who become private fighters who then support Russia’s military in Syria? (Are you dizzy - yet?)

The sentence that really set my mind in motion was this, "“We had an agreement with the client that we’d write it would be a beautiful pioneer camp near the Black Sea”.

The Village and where this Russian Defense property and the 3 constructed barracks are located is in Molkino - near the Black Sea! What's so important about the Black Sea? Maybe some recent headline's might help?

* April 2, 2019 - NATO to seek package to deter Russia aggression in Black Sea: U.S. official
A meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Washington this week will discuss all elements of the threat posed by Russia and seek to agree on a package of measures to bolster the military alliance's presence in the Black Sea, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday.

* April 3, 2019 - NATO set to guarantee free passage of ships via Kerch Strait — US envoy
NATO is set to guarantee the safe passage of ships via the Kerch Strait, connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and to step up aerial surveillance in the area, US envoy to NATO told foreign journalists on Tuesday. US Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison, said that a package of measures will be approved during a two-day conference to begin in Washington on Wednesday.

"I think that we have been working on a package to present to the foreign ministers, and it is a package that beefs up the surveillance, both air surveillance as well as more of the NATO country ships going into the Black Sea to assure that there is safe passage from Ukrainian vessels through the Kerch Straits, the Sea of Azov," she said.

The ambassador added that those measures were very important for making sure that "the countries in and around the Black Sea are safe from Russian meddling."

* April 3, 2019 - Russia to take measures if NATO ships approach its coast, senior MP says
We will continue to keep an eye on the number and class of ships they plan to show off in the Black Sea near Russia’s coast and will take necessary measures with regard to both the sea zone and land borders".

* April 3, 2019 - Kremlin dismisses NATO plans for Ukrainian ships’ passage through Kerch Strait
Commenting on the possibility of NATO ships’ passage through these waters, the Kremlin spokesman noted that it was necessary to wait for an appropriate request first. "When this request is received, the decision will be made," Peskov said when asked under what circumstances Russia could let NATO warships pass to the Sea of Azov. "The issue at hand is an enclosed water body, so this is a separate issue, and I would refrain from commenting on it hypothetically."

According to Peskov, "there is a certain notification system about such plans, which should be complied with." "Besides, there is a procedure for warships’ presence in the Black Sea, which is enshrined in the Montreux Convention that must be implemented as well," the Kremlin spokesman concluded.

~~~
Now, the Reuters article and a question - "Would NATO be stupid enough to fire a missile at the Russian Defense Ministry Base in Molkino?"

April 4, 2019 - Exclusive: Kids' camp on a Defense Base? How Russian Firms masked secret Military work
Exclusive: Kids' camp on a defense base? How Russian firms masked...

Behind the perimeter of a defense ministry base in southern Russia stand three barrack buildings where two witnesses say they have seen private fighters being billeted before they are dispatched to fight in Syria for President Bashar al-Assad.

Yet on paper, the barracks have nothing to do with the Russian defense ministry: court documents list them as a children’s vacation camp.

And the construction of the buildings was commissioned by an obscure private company, Megalain, without the publicly available paper trail that is legally required for projects funded by public money.

Megalain is a firm linked to Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has appeared on a U.S. sanctions blacklist for his dealings with the Russian defense ministry.

Reuters was unable to establish Prigozhin’s role, if any, in the construction project and could not determine how Megalain was selected to build the facility or who paid for it.

But the secrecy surrounding the purpose of the buildings erected on defense ministry land is an example of how companies involved in the covert campaign in Syria, where private fighters support Russia’s military, camouflage their activities.

That military intervention has been decisive in turning the tide of the war in favor of Moscow’s ally, Assad.

A significant part of the fighting is conducted by private military fighters who operate in coordination with the Russian defense ministry, dozens of people familiar with the deployment of Russian fighters to Syria have told Reuters.

The barracks near the village of Molkino in southern Russia were a staging post for these fighters, according to one person close to them who stayed in the buildings, and a second person who visited the site.

The person close to the fighters also said that a photograph shown to him by Reuters, which appeared on the website of one of the companies involved in the construction project, was of a building used by the fighters.

Russian military officials did not respond to a request for comment on the purpose of the facilities in Molkino.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the presidential administration knows nothing about the construction of the barracks and that “it was not our issue”.

Megalain did not respond to a written request for comment and there was no answer on any of the phone numbers listed for the firm.

Concord Management and Consulting, Prigozhin’s main business, said questions submitted by Reuters “have no relation to reality.” “We consider the agency itself to be a biased media outlet,” it said.

PRIVATE FIGHTERS AND DENIALS -
Reuters has documented over several years how private combatants are fighting and dying in Syria, and that they are using logistical support and infrastructure provided by the Russian defense ministry.

Russian officials have previously denied that these fighters have any connection to the state. They have said any Russians fighting in Syria on the government side are private citizens who are there as volunteers.

The buildings, completed in 2015, are on the territory of a Russian military intelligence base, and to gain access to it vehicles have to pass through a checkpoint manned by armed soldiers in defense ministry uniforms, Reuters reporters observed when they visited the site.

The existence of the buildings is disclosed in court documents seen by Reuters which describe a legal dispute between Megalain and a contractor called Sevzapstroi involved in the construction.

In its ruling, the court describes one of the buildings as a “pioneer camp” — a reference to Soviet-era summer vacation camps for children — and the other two buildings as temporary accommodation for the vacationers.

It cites an agreement between Sevzapstroi and TD Vivahaus, a sub-contractor on the project, as the source of the descriptions.

A manager from Vivahaus, a construction firm which court documents show was hired by Sevzapstroi to carry out some of the work,
told Reuters it was required to fake the purpose of the buildings in official paperwork it filed relating to the project.

“We had an agreement with the client that we’d write it would be a beautiful pioneer camp near the Black Sea,” said the manager, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

He did not specify whether he was referring to his direct client Sevzapstroi or the ultimate client Megalain.

According to the court documents, Megalain transferred 86 million rubles ($1.4 million at the time) to contractor Sevzapstroi to construct the three buildings at Molkino. Sevzapstroi has since ceased to exist and no one connected to the firm could be reached for comment.

At the time of the payment, Megalain was 50 percent owned by a company called Lakhta and 50 percent held by Concord Management and Consulting, according to Spark database, which collates official data on businesses from the tax service and the state statistics agency.

Concord Management and Consulting was majority-owned by Prigozhin from 2003-2011, according to the database.

At the time of the transaction with the Molkino facility, Concord was owned by Prigozhin’s mother. She is not listed any more. From 2017, Prigozhin himself became the owner again, the database showed.

The second Megalain co-owner, Lakhta, was founded in 2003 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who at the time was the sole owner, the database showed.

Lakhta was owned from 2013 to 2018 by Svetlana Sobirova. She was sales manager of the Lakhta Park real estate project, which, according to Spark, is owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s wife, Lyubov.

Reached by telephone, Sobirova said she no longer works for Lakhta Park and declined to comment further. An employee of Lakhta Park said he could not comment and the firm did not respond to a written request for comment.

A manager for Vivahaus said on Thursday the firm could not comment because all the staff working in the company in 2015 had since left. Reuters received no response to requests for comment sent to Prigozhin’s wife and mother, via Concord.

PICTURE OF BUILDING
Prigozhin was put on a U.S. sanctions blacklist in 2016 for “extensive” business dealings with the Russian defense ministry.

A U.S. federal grand jury last year indicted Prigozhin and 12 other Russians, alleging that he funded a conspiracy to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Prigozhin has in the past told Russian media he was not worried about the U.S. measures against him because he has no business interests in the United States and does not plan to travel there.

The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Treasury Department, which administers sanctions, did not respond to questions about Prigozhin.

TD Vivahaus’s internet site, in a section showing off its portfolio of work to prospective clients, had a picture of a building exactly matching one of the structures in the court documents. The site said only that it was a “residential building” in Molkino, without giving details.

Reuters showed the photograph to one of the two witnesses, a person close to the group that organizes the private combatants and who has stayed at the group’s camp in Molkino. He told Reuters the building in the photograph was part of the camp used for the fighters.

The second person visited the camp on two occasions last year when he was looking for information about his son, who left for Syria to fight with private combatants. Later the father learned that he had died. The father also had a friend working for military intelligence at the camp adjacent to the barrack buildings.

The father described to Reuters the exact location of the facilities, and his description matched the location of the buildings paid for by Megalain.
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https://graphics.reuters.com/MIDEAS...IGOZHIN/010091C31WY/MIDEAST-CRISIS-RUSSIA.jpg
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angelburst29 said:
April 4, 2019 - Exclusive: Kids' camp on a Defense Base? How Russian Firms masked secret Military work
Exclusive: Kids' camp on a defense base? How Russian firms masked...

Behind the perimeter of a defense ministry base in southern Russia stand three barrack buildings where two witnesses say they have seen private fighters being billeted before they are dispatched to fight in Syria for President Bashar al-Assad.
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April 5, 2019 - NATO steps up surveillance operations, increases exercises in Black Sea
NATO steps up surveillance operations, increases exercises in Black Sea

Foreign ministers of NATO member-states agreed on Thursday to expand surveillance operations in the Black Sea and also to increase the number of drills in the region jointly with Ukraine and Georgia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Thursday, commenting on the alliance’s Washington meeting.

"We are stepping up our efforts in the Black Sea or the Black Sea region. We just agreed the package on more surveillance exercises and all the issues which we strongly believe are relevant for the Black Sea region and of course also work with our partners Georgia and Ukraine," Stoltenberg stressed, noting that NATO is patrolling the region’s airspace.

According to Stoltenberg, the alliance is working with its "close partners" in the region - Georgia and Ukraine. "Now as we speak one of NATO’s naval standing groups is deployed in the Black Sea and is actually exercising in both with Georgian and Ukrainian naval forces. This shows that NATO has increased its presence in the Black Sea region with more naval presence," he said, adding that the alliance is strengthening its cooperation with Georgia and Ukraine.

The NATO chief did not mention the alliance’s plans to guarantee the passage of Ukraine’s vessels through the Kerch Strait
what US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison had said earlier.

The drills involved over 500 anti-aircraft gunners and more than 40 weapon systems.
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April 5, 2019 - Russian air defense troops repel air attack during Black Sea drills
Russian air defense troops repel air attack during Black Sea drills
Buk-M1-2 surface-to-air missile system

Buk-M1-2 surface-to-air missile system © Anatoly Semekhin/TASS

The personnel of Buk-M1-2 surface-to-air missile batteries successfully accomplished assignments in interaction with teams of Pantsyr-S1 air defense missile/gun systems to thwart a massive enemy air attack in drills on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Region,
the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District reported on Friday.

"In the process of accomplishing combat training missions, the anti-aircraft gunners timely spotted, locked on and destroyed over 20 air targets by electronic launches when the targets entered the systems’ long-range destruction capability boundary," the press office said.

Meanwhile, the teams of Pantsyr-S1 surface-to-air missile/gun complexes attached to Buk batteries accomplished assignments for defending military facilities against low-flying aircraft, including drones.

The one-day drills held on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Region involved over 500 anti-aircraft gunners and more than 40 weapon systems.
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Pashalis said:
I think we will see similar stuff in the future every time the empire tries another coup or military aggression in a country. The times that the empire could do all of that are pretty much over I think.

I think the main driver behind those developments is the (R)ussian government headed by Putin. They seem to have learned a lot in the last years about the strategies the empire uses to conduct its business in other countries and how to stop it in its tracks. I further think that they are now starting to aid other countries via knowledge of how the empire operates so that they can help themselves in that regard and not fall prey to the empire and its follies.
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April 5, 2019 - CIS countries to coordinate information security approaches, says Lavrov
CIS countries to coordinate information security approaches, says Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov © Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Member-countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to coordinate their actions to protect the UN Charter’s norms and principles, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday following a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.

"We exchanged views on the key international issues in light of those challenges and threats, which, unfortunately, have been piling up on the global stage," the minister pointed out. "We looked at how international law is being significantly eroded, how meddling in sovereign countries’ domestic affairs is practiced depending on political expediency, with the methods of ultimatums and the policy of dictating one’s terms being used increasingly more often."

"Our common opinion was the need to coordinate more closely our actions as CIS members and [the CIS member-states’ actions] with other countries in terms of protecting the norms and principles of the UN Charter," Lavrov said. "We discussed in detail issues related to multilateral cooperation within the CIS, including in foreign policy. In order to strengthen the coordination of our actions, we amended the plan of inter-ministerial consultations within the Commonwealth for 2019 and, at the same time, took note of the successful compliance with a similar plan for 2018."

According to Russia’s top diplomat, the CIS member-states assign high priority to the initiative put forward by Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov regarding the intensification of partnership between the CIS diplomatic services. "This program is in a high degree of readiness. We hope to complete work on that very important document soon," he added.

Lavrov noted that the ministers spoke a lot about human rights issues and ways of promoting the principles enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. "We agreed to push ahead with efforts to coordinate our actions in the human rights sphere," he said. According to the Russian foreign minister, the parties also discussed the current state and prospects for Eurasian integration and the CIS’s role in that process.
 
sToRmR1dR said:
WHAT ISRAEL WANTS FROM RUSSIA AND WHAT IT CAN GET
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Thanks for the article sToRmR1dR. It seems like there is not much in it for Russia if they accept what the Israelis are proposing.

I found the Israeli/Ukraine influence to be an odd surprise.

An interesting fact is that Israel has what to propose to Russia. These are:

1. Guarantees from Israel and the Trump administration that they would ‘respect’ the pre-agreed level Russian influence in the region. Tel Aviv would suggest Moscow to consolidate its achieved success in Syria. This is mostly related to Moscow’s economic interests in the energy sector, construction (infrastructure projects), the agricultural industry and exploitation of natural resources (in particular phosphates). This scenario would also include the de-facto recognition of the Russian foothold in the Middle East by the US and Israel.

Another factor contributing to the Israeli plans is the Iranian behavior. Teheran has repeatedly demonstrated that it is not going to act as a real Russian ally in the economic and diplomatic spheres. Even Turkey, which had a deep conflict with Russia a few years ago, is acting much more friendly towards Russia in these spheres than Iran has ever acted. Examples of this situation is Ankara’s behavior towards the S-400 deal and the TurkStream project.

2. Tel Aviv could propose Moscow an additional funding via Israeli-affiliated global financial structures. These funding can be used to support Russian economic projects in the Middle East as well as projects inside Russia.

3. The Israeli leadership has a certain level of influence on the developments in Ukraine, where a civil war has been ongoing since 2014. On March 31, Ukraine held a first tour of the presidential election in which comedian Volodymyr Zelensky got an upper hand over incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. Israeli mainstream media outlets actively promote Zelensky as a person with Jewish roots. Furthermore, he is a protégé of oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi that has deep ties with the Israeli establishment. A second round of the presidential election is set to be held on April 21 and it’s highly likely that Zelensky will become the next president of Ukraine. This would give Israel an ace card in negotiations with Russia.

Netanyahu and Putin have a wide range of topics to discuss. Israel knows what it wants from Russia and what to propose to it. At the same time, the Kremlin understands that if it decides to accept Israeli proposals fully or partly, it will bore some obvious expenses. In particular, the Russian position as the main peacemaking power in the Middle East would be weakened. The main counter-argument to Israeli suggestions is the lack of trust to the US and Israel. There are no guarantees that Tel Aviv and Washington will accomplish own part of the deal. The recent decades demonstrated that the White House is not negotiate with Russia as with an equal partner on the international scene.
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I think the damage already done by Trump is going to really cause much pain all around. It's not just moving the embassy to Jerusalem but the Golan Heights decree too.

. On March 26, US President Donald Trump signed a decree recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. That’s not a stretch to call this move the most notable Israeli victory in the 21th century.
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The French Armed Forces will be withdrawing from the border of Iraq and Syria, the French Army Spokesperson Patrick Steiger allegedly said on Thursday, as reported by Bas News.

April 5, 2019 - French military to allegedly withdraw from Syrian-Iraqi border: Bas News
French military to allegedly withdraw from Syrian-Iraqi border: Bas News

According to the Bas News report, Steiger told reporters on Thursday that the war against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) has ended in both Iraq and Syria.

He allegedly followed up this comment by saying the French artillery units, which were stationed on the border, will be pulled out of Syria and Iraq in the near future. However, despite these claims, Al-Masdar News was unable to verify the validity of this report.

The French Foreign Ministry has not put out any statement regarding this alleged withdraw, nor has any French publication made these same claims.

Previously, the French Ministry of Defense said they were not withdrawing their troops from Syria, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of victory against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

The French Armed Forces are currently entrenched in several parts of northern and eastern Syria, with a large presence near the Al-Umar Oil Fields in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al–Moallem stated during a press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza on Thursday that the occupied Golan Heights is Syrian, stressing that his country will retake it by any means necessary.
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April 5, 2019 - Syria will retake the Golan Heights by any means necessary: FM
Syria will retake the Golan Heights by any means necessary: FM

Moallem said U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights has only isolated them in the region, adding “our right in the occupied Syrian Golan is firm and can’t be disclaimed by time lapse and every inch of the occupied Syrian territories will be liberated.” “Syria will liberate the occupied Golan by all means and all choices are on the table,” Moallem said.

He continued that ” Israel mustn’t go far…We have will and determination and our war since 2011 till now is to protect Syria’s sovereignty and independence and to liberate every inch of its territories.”

However, Moallem didn’t just criticize the U.S.’ decision, but also the Arab League’s condemnation, which he believed was a poor statement. “Is it possible that the Arab Summit issues a statement on the occupied Syrian Golan which is weaker than Britain’s stance?”

He would then turn his attention to Turkey, who he repeatedly criticized for aiding the opposition groups fighting against the government. “The mistakes of Erdogan’s policies and his support to terrorism in Syria have been clear through the results of the latest Turkish elections,” Moallem proclaimed.

“The Turkish side delayed the implementation of Sochi agreement on Idleb, and we are still waiting for the implementation of the agreement, yet patience has limits and we must liberate this land.”

A jihadist group carried out a powerful attack against a Syrian Arab Army (SAA) unit that was deployed at the northern Hama front on Thursday.
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April 5, 2019 - Jihadist group kills several Syrian soldiers in northern Hama
Jihadist group kills several Syrian soldiers in northern Hama

Led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, the jihadist fighters fired an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) on Thursday towards a Tiger Forces unit that was positioned at the small town of Al-Hawa in northern Hama.

According to a military report, the jihadist rebels managed to score a direct hit on the Syrian Army troops, resulting in the death of at least four soldiers, including a field commander from the Tiger Forces.

In response to this attack, the Syrian military launched a big assault across southern Idlib and northern Hama, targeting many areas under the control of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham.

The Russian Air Force carried out a flurry of airstrikes over the western countryside of the Idlib Governorate, today, targeting a number of areas controlled by the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham.
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April 3, 2019 - Update: Russian Air Force destroys jihadist communications base in western Idlib
Update: Russian Air Force destroys jihadist communications base in western Idlib

According to a military source in Damascus, the Russian Air Force primarily bombed the Nabi Ayoub mountaintop in the Jabal Al-Zawiya region this morning.

The source said the Russian Air Force targeted Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s communications base; it was later destroyed after the former launched another powerful raid on the site.

The Russian Air Force would also target some of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s hideouts in the Jabal Al-Zawiya region; however, no further details were given in regards to these airstrikes.

This latest attack by the Russian Air Force comes in response to the jihadist attacks on the government strongholds of Mhardeh and Al-Suqaylabiyeh in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate.

The Russian military has a red line when it comes to attacks on Mhardeh and Al-Suqaylabiyeh. Whenever these two towns are attacked by the opposition forces, the Russian military typically responds by striking the Idlib Governorate.

The US forces have established a new military base near the common borders of Iraq, Jordan and Syria, sources said.
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April 4, 2019 - US Sets Up New Base Near Iraq-Jordan-Syria Triangle
Farsnews
US Sets Up New Base Near Iraq-Jordan-Syria Triangle

The Arabic-language al-Ma'aloumeh news agency quoted an official in Iraq's al-Anbar province as saying on Thursday that Washington has set up a new military base in al-Rukban region near the bordering areas between Iraq and Syria in the Western parts of al-Anbar province.

He added that a large number of US forces, equipped with light and heavy weapons and fighter jets are deployed in the base.

Relevant reports said last month that the American forces had established two military bases in al-Anbar province on Iraq's international road close to the borders with Syria and Jordan as political groups and politicians are trying to expel the US military troops from their country.

The Arabic-language al-Akhbar newspaper reported early March that the US forces had built up the first base on Baghdad-Damascus international road, formerly known as H3, while a second military center have been established to the South of the first base and South of the Baghdad-Amman international road, in addition to 13 other US bases spread across the country.

It noted that the first base had practically started operation, but the second one was being equipped, adding that the Americans had also set up two other new bases in al-Ratbah region which might be intended to serve as new air bases.

Reports about establishment of new bases in the region came as different political groups in Iraq were endeavoring to approve a bill in the parliament to expel the foreign forces from the country.

Meantime, sources said that Washington was trying to gain control of Baghdad-Damascus and Baghdad-Amman international roads and the large amount of gas resources in the region in addition to monitoring the resistance pivot consisting of Tehran, Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut.
 
A Syrian official lashed out at Britain, France and the United States over warning Damascus against using chemical weapons, saying the three countries are fully responsible for pushing terrorist groups to use toxic chemical materials in the crisis-plagued Arab country.

Sun Apr 07, 2019 - Official: UK, US, France Pushed Militants for Chemical Attacks in Syria
Farsnews
Official: UK, US, France Pushed Militants for Chemical Attacks in Syria

The unnamed official at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates told Syria’s official news agency (SANA) on Saturday that it was no longer a secret that the trio had encouraged foreign-sponsored Takfiri outfits to stage chemical attacks in the north western town of Khan Sheikhoun, the cities of Douma and Aleppo and more recently in the Northern village of al-Rasif.

The official went on to say that a Friday joint statement by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was intended to prepare the global public opinion for potential chemical attacks in Syria.

He further noted that the three top diplomats were resorting to cheap propaganda and flawed policies in a bid to allay suspicions about their countries’ support for terrorist groups, which have killed many people and wreaked havoc in Syria.

The official highlighted that the US, France and Britain had funneled munitions and large sums of money to terrorists outfits and the so-called civil defense group White Helmets that has been repeatedly accused of cooperating with Takfiri terrorists and staging false-flag gas attacks, adding that such acts were indicative of their lies.

The official stressed that these countries, which had used chemical weapons in their former colonies and against nations who fought for their freedom, sovereignty and independence, were not entitled to accuse the incumbent Syrian government of using chemical weapons.

“The use of white phosphorous bombs by the US to kill civilians in Deir Ezzur province, and destroy Syrian towns and cities, including Raqqa, offer unequivocal evidence for the shameful behavior of these three countries,” the official pointed out.

The official stressed that Syria’s accession to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and its full commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention were convincing proof that the Damascus government would not use chemical weapons anywhere, anytime or under any circumstances.

Syria roundly condemns the US, France and Britain’s threats, which are aimed at undermining OPCW objectives and exploiting the organization to pursue their fiendish interests, endanger international peace and security and put the international order at risk, the official concluded.

The so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) released footage on Sunday of two Russian soldiers that were allegedly killed in eastern Syria.
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2019-04-08 - ISIS terrorists kill 2 Russian soldiers in eastern Syria
ISIS terrorists kill 2 Russian soldiers in eastern Syria

According to the terrorist group’s official media wing, they killed the two Russian soldiers in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate.

The Islamic State did not reveal how they killed the two Russian soldiers; however, it is believed that the terrorist group killed the two military personnel during an ambush near the ancient city of Palmyra (var. Tadmur).

The Russian military is currently embedded with the Syrian Arab Army in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate.

These Russian soldiers have played an integral role in building up the Syrian troops in the desert, while also carrying out objectives to eliminate the Islamic State from the region.

The last time the Islamic State released footage like this, the Russian Air Force unleashed a massive assault on the terrorist group’s hideouts in eastern Syria. The Russian Ministry of Defense has yet to comment on these claims by the Islamic State

The easiest way to resolve Syria’s Rukban camp issue is to put an end to the unlawful US occupation of the Syrian territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on the outcomes of the talks with his Jordan colleague Ayman Safadi.
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Sun Apr 07, 2019 - Russia: US Occupation of Syria Remains Obstacle to Solving Rukban Crisis
Farsnews


"I think that the easiest and most effective choice would be to put an end to the unlawful occupation of this territory by the United States," he noted, according to TASS.

"There is a Russian-Jordanian operative staff on refugees in Amman. We discuss the issue of dismantling the camp there, and the US participates in this effort sometimes. I hope that they will choose a more constructive approach to the resolution of this pressing issue for Jordan," he said.

The US military is cooperating with illegal armed groups in the Al-Tanf zone, Lavrov added.

"The Americans have announced the establishment of some safety zone in the Al-Tanf area with a 55-kilometer radius. It is unclear what they base their illegal presence there on: it is basically occupation. The Rukban camp is within this area. There is a lot of illegal armed groups there, and the Americans are gladly cooperating with them, as far as I understand, to help them recover their strength," he stated.

The Russian Air Force unleashed a massive assault across northwestern Syria this evening, targeting several areas controlled by both the jihadist and Turkish-backed rebels.
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2019-04-08 - Breaking: Russian Air Force unleashes hell over northwestern Syria
Breaking: Russian Air Force unleashes hell over northwestern Syria

According to a military source in Hama, the Russian Air Force heavily targeted northern Hama and southern Idlib, hitting the positions of both Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and Jaysh Al-Izza in the northwestern region of Syria.

Among the towns targeted by the Russian Air Force tonight was the Jaysh Al-Izza stronghold of Kafr Zita, which is located just south of the Idlib Governorate’s border.

The Russian Air Force also targeted several others where Jaysh Al-Izza and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham launch missiles and artillery shells from. This attack by the Russian Air Force comes in response to the militant attack on the government stronghold of Masyaf in western Hama.

The jihadist attack on Masyaf resulted in the death of at least seven people, including two nurses that were on duty at the Masyaf National Hospital. The Masyaf National Hospital did suffer some material damage as a result of this jihadist attack, but opposition activists have denied targeting it.

Update: Jihadists hit Masyaf Hospital in western Hama, 2 nurses killed
According to a source in Masyaf, the jihadist attack resulted in the death of at least seven people, including two nurses. The two nurses were killed at the Masyaf National Hospital, which was heavily targeted by the jihadist rebels in the Idlib Governorate.

Hundreds of residents of Deir Ezzur province poured into the streets to show their protest against the plundering of their assets by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
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Sun Apr 07, 2019 - People Continue Protests against Foreign Military Presence in Deir Ezzur
Farsnews
People Continue Protests against Foreign Military Presence in Deir Ezzur

"Tens of residents of the town of al-Saveh in Eastern Deir Ezzur voiced their protest against the SDF by blocking the road leading to al-Saveh," battlefield sources in Eastern Deir Ezzur said.

The sources pointed to intensified insecurity in the SDF-controlled areas, and said that the protests took place after al-Saveh residents engaged in clashes with a group of SDF members who intended to loot people's assets.

This comes as the residents of the two towns of al-Kashkieh and Abu Human also held protest rallies against SDF's corruption, shortage of fuel and potable water and demanded dismantling of the SDF-backed city councils.

In a relevant development on Friday, the SDF suppressed a protest rally held by civilians in Raqqa as Washington sent a military convoy to the province.

The Syrian Army heavily pounded the key strongholds of Tahir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in response to the terrorist group's attacks from the demilitarized zone on safe areas and military points in Hama and Idlib over the past 24 hours.
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Sun Apr 07, 2019 - Syrian Army Gives Crushing Response to Tahrir Al-Sham's Attacks on Hama, Idib
Farsnews
Syrian Army Gives Crushing Response to Tahrir Al-Sham's Attacks on Hama, Idib

The terrorists stationed in Southern Idlib and Northern Hama launched several rocket attacks on the towns of Shatheh, al-Rasif, al-Karim and al-Aziziyeh in al-Saqilbiyeh region in Northwestern and al-Masiaf in Western Hama, killing and wounding a number of civilians.

The Syrian Army's artillery and missile units also pounded the military positions of Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at terrorists in Jisr Beir al-Ra'as, al-Shariyeh, al-Hawijeh and al-Hawiz in Sahl al-Ghab, al Janabereh, the surroundings of Kafar Zita, al-Qasabiyeh, Abedin, Tal al-Sakhar and al-Ankavi in Northwestern and Northern Hama in response to the terrorists' attacks.

This comes as several military positions, concentration centers of terrorists as well as their military vehicles and equipment were destroyed in the Syrian Army attacks. Several terrorists were also killed in the army attacks.

The Syrian Army's artillery and missile units also pounded and destroyed the terrorists' military positions in Jarjnaz, Kafar Noubl and near Torombeh in Southern and Southeastern Idlib, killing and injuring a number of them.

Russia proceeds from the need for rigorous respect for Syria’s sovereignty and the inadmissibility of Israeli shelling of Syria’s territory, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed.
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Sun Apr 07, 2019 - Top Diplomat: Russia’s Stance on Inadmissibility of Israeli Shelling of Syria Unchanged
Farsnews
Top Diplomat: Russia’s Stance on Inadmissibility of Israeli Shelling of Syria Unchanged

"Our principled stance concerning shelling Syria’s territory has remained unchanged. We have always clearly expressed our attitude to that. We proceed from the need for strict respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We are opposed to turning the country’s territory into a scene of armed standoff between various regional players," he told Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper when asked to comment on remarks by some political analysts about softening Moscow’s stance on Israeli shelling.

"During our contacts with all parties concerned, we highlight the importance of preventing an upsurge in tensions and the dangerous escalation of the situation in Syria, which are fraught with negative consequences for both neighboring countries and the Middle East region in general," Lavrov stressed.

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Russia, cooperating with Iran and Turkey, contributed to work to set up a de-escalation zone in Syria’s South and Southwest.

"Now these areas are under the control of the Syrian government. Russian military police officers help maintain law and order there," he added.

A large number of Syrian Democratic Forces have joined the Syrian Army in Hasaka Province as the SDF has launched widespread forced recruitment of fighters in areas under its control in Eastern Syria, field sources said.
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Sat Apr 06, 2019 - Hundreds of US-Backed SDF Fighters Join Syrian Army in Hasaka
Farsnews
Hundreds of US-Backed SDF Fighters Join Syrian Army in Hasaka

"Over 200 SDF fighters have recently defected and surrendered to the Syrian Army in Hasaka province," the battlefield sources in Hasaka province reported.

The sources reiterated that the Kurdish forces have forced over 1,000 young people in Hasaka to join the SDF over the past month by conducting large-scale arrests and raids in areas under their control in Raqqa, Manbij, Hasaka and Deir Ezzur.

The sources pointed to people's discontent and anger from the Kurdish forces' measures, and said that a group of civilians have recently engaged in fierce clashes with the SDF members in an SDF garrison in Northern Hasaka.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is looking for new ways to link their capital, Tehran, with Syria´s Damascus and Iraq´s Baghdad.
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2019-04-07 - Iran is preparing to link Tehran to the Mediterranean via a new highway
Iran is preparing to link Tehran to the Mediterranean via a new highway

One of the proposed actions they are taking to make this a reality is the construction of new highways and rail systems that would link Syria with Iran via Iraq.

Iran´s Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri underlined his country’s determination to build new roads and railways in order to link the Persian Gulf states to Syria and the Mediterranean region.

“Iran which understands the political and economic conditions and developments believes that the necessary capacities for cooperation in transferring power and electricity, building roads and etc. will be provided and we hope that obstacles will be removed through the presence of the private sector,” Jahangiri said, addressing the joint Iran-Iraq economic-trade forum in Tehran on Sunday.

He noted that building the Shalamcheh-Basra railway was one of the agreements made during the recent visit by the Iraqi delegation to Iran.

Jahangiri stressed the importance of developing a cross border highway between the two countries in order to boost trade and commerce, while also protecting their interests in the region. “We will connect the Persian Gulf from Iraq to Syria and Mediterranean via railway and road,” Jahangiri said.

The Shalamcheh-Basra railway project is said to cost around 2.22 billion rials and once implemented, it will link the Iranian railway to Syria through Iraq.

In addition to their railway and highway projects, Iran is also rumored to be planning to build a naval base in Syria´s western coast.

While this is still rumored, the idea that Iran could have access to the Mediterranean could trigger more airstrikes from Israel.
 
angelburst29 said:
2019-04-08 - Breaking: Russian Air Force unleashes hell over northwestern Syria
Breaking: Russian Air Force unleashes hell over northwestern Syria

According to a military source in Hama, the Russian Air Force heavily targeted northern Hama and southern Idlib, hitting the positions of both Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and Jaysh Al-Izza in the northwestern region of Syria.

Among the towns targeted by the Russian Air Force tonight was the Jaysh Al-Izza stronghold of Kafr Zita, which is located just south of the Idlib Governorate’s border.

The Russian Air Force also targeted several others where Jaysh Al-Izza and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham launch missiles and artillery shells from. This attack by the Russian Air Force comes in response to the militant attack on the government stronghold of Masyaf in western Hama.

The jihadist attack on Masyaf resulted in the death of at least seven people, including two nurses that were on duty at the Masyaf National Hospital. The Masyaf National Hospital did suffer some material damage as a result of this jihadist attack, but opposition activists have denied targeting it.

Update: Jihadists hit Masyaf Hospital in western Hama, 2 nurses killed
According to a source in Masyaf, the jihadist attack resulted in the death of at least seven people, including two nurses. The two nurses were killed at the Masyaf National Hospital, which was heavily targeted by the jihadist rebels in the Idlib Governorate.
Click to expand...


Some interesting developments while Erdogan visiting Putin in Moscow.

Russian warships unleash cruise missile strikes across western Idlib (VIDEO)
2019-04-08

Russian Military Police Discovers Large Weapons Cache In Southern Damascus (Photos)
Apr 8, 2019

Turkey 'Ready' for New Military Operation in Syria – Erdogan
08.04.2019

Turkish military begins air landing drills for Syria operation
2019-04-08

Turkish Army Training Ankara-Backed Militants for Heliborne Operations to Fight against Kurds
Apr 08, 2019

Ankara Making Last-Ditch Efforts to Rescue Tahrir al-Sham Terrorists in Idlib
Apr 08, 2019
 
sToRmR1dR said:
At least three soldiers were wounded during the Israeli attack on Masyaf - Syrian air defenses managed to shoot down some of the Israeli missiles.

3 people injured in Israeli rocket attack on Syria's Hama province – reports
13 Apr, 2019

Syrian air defenses intercept an Israeli aggression on Massyaf area, down a number of missiles
13 April, 2019
Click to expand...


Israeli Missile Debris Found In Lebanon From Israeli’s Syria Strikes (Photos)
Apr 13, 2019

ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON NORTHERN HAMA DESTROYED SYRIAN LONG-RANGE ROCKET LAUNCHER
13.04.2019

Some interesting activities after the Putin-Erdogan meeting:

Tahrir Al-Sham Attempting to Take Full Control of Demilitarized Zone
Apr 11, 2019

Tahrir Al-Sham's Bases, Movements Pounded by Syrian Army in Hama, Idlib
Apr 13, 2019

Russian Air Force unleashes largest attack of the year on Idlib
2019-04-14

Russian Air Force unleashes heavy airstrikes over eastern Syria
2019-04-13

RUSSIAN WARPLANES STRIKE ISIS HIDEOUTS IN DEIR EZZOR FOLLOWING DEADLY ATTACK ON SYRIAN ARMY TROOPS
13.04.2019

Turkish Army, Allied Militants Launch Fresh Attacks on Kurdish Positions in Aleppo
Apr 13, 2019

TURKISH MILITARY DEPLOYS COMMANDO UNITS ON BORDER WITH SYRIA (VIDEO)
13.04.2019
 
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