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

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Foreign Ministry: This terrorist act comes as result of facilitations provided by some countries to deliver chemicals to armed terrorist groups to use them against Syrian people and to accuse Syrian Government of that through plays previously plotted by intelligences of states backing terrorism
Breaking News: 25 November - Foreign Ministry: This terrorist act comes as result of facilitations provided by some countries to deliver chemicals to armed terrorist groups to use them against Syrian people and to accuse Syrian Government of that through plays previously plotted by intelligences of states backing terrorism.

Foreign and Expatriates Ministry sends two letters to UN Secretary General and Security Council’s President on the terrorist attack with toxic gases on neighborhoods in Aleppo City
25 November، 2018 - Foreign and Expatriates Ministry sends two letters to UN Secretary General and Security Council’s President on the terrorist attack with toxic gases on neighborhoods in Aleppo City.

Foreign Ministry: Syrian Arab Republic’s Government demands the Security Council to immediately and strongly condemn these terrorist crimes and to shoulder its responsibilities in preserving international peace and security through taking immediate deterrent and punitive measures against states and regimes backing terrorism
25 November، 2018 - Foreign Ministry: Syrian Arab Republic’s Government demands the Security Council to immediately and strongly condemn these terrorist crimes and to shoulder its responsibilities in preserving international peace and security through taking immediate deterrent and punitive measures against states and regimes backing terrorism.


Shamanov: OPCW should send mission to Aleppo after being targeted with chlorine by terrorists
25 November، 2018 - Shamanov: OPCW should send mission to Aleppo after being targeted with chlorine by terrorists

Moscow, SANA- Head of the Defense Committee at Duma Council Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said that the terrorist attack on Aleppo City with shells containing chlorine “should become the focus of attention by the international organizations, on top the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).”

“The OPCW should express a direct response to these events in Aleppo and shouldn’t be preoccupied with directing plays for the (White Helmets)…and they should immediately head for the site of these events, but it seems that they don’t do that,” Shamanov added.

The Russian Parliamentarian noted that the absence of a reaction by the OPCW towards this attack represents a “farcical and clear play for all which proves the bias of the international organizations which don’t implement their official duties, but they work according to political approaches, and this is what they shouldn’t do.”

He affirmed that not prosecuting the offenders increases the violations of law.


107 civilians suffer asphyxiation due to terrorist attack with toxic gases on Aleppo residential neighborhoods
25 November، 2018 - 107 civilians suffer asphyxiation due to terrorist attack with toxic gases on Aleppo residential neighborhoods.

Aleppo, SANA- Terrorist organizations positioned in Aleppo countryside fired shells containing toxic gases on the neighborhoods of al-Khalidyia, al-Neel Street and Jam’ayat al-Zahra in Aleppo City.

Chief of Aleppo Police Major General Issam al-Shilli said in a statement that terrorist groups on Saturday evening targeted residential neighborhoods in Aleppo City with explosive rocket shells that contain toxic gases.

Al-Shilli added that many cases of asphyxiation were reported among civilians who were transported to al-Razi Hospital and the University Hospital to provide the required treatment to them due to the corrosive substances which they smelt, indicating that the medical teams are following up the required measures to treat them.

Inspecting the process of providing treatment for the victims, Aleppo Governor Hussein Diab said that this attack reaffirms that the terrorist organizations possess toxic gases.

Diab called upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards the civilians, particularly the children, the elderly and women.

For his part, Director of Aleppo Health Directorate Ziad Haj Taha said that 50 civilians including children and women suffered from asphyxiation due to the terrorist attack with shells that contain toxic gases on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo City.

He indicated that the number of civilian casualties in the attack is not final and it is expected to rise, adding that the gas used by terrorists is more likely to be the chlorine gas due to the symptoms shown by the hospitalized civilians.

Later, medical sources at al-Razi Hospital and the University Hospital said that 107 civilians were admitted to them as they were suffering from asphyxiation cases of various degrees ranging from light to medium and some of them were admitted to the intensive care units.

SANA reporter said that army units operating in Aleppo retaliated through targeting the areas from which the shells were fired, inflicting heavy losses upon the terrorists.

This attack on residential neighborhoods with shells containing toxic gases comes few days after local sources revealed that French terrorists arrived in Idleb through the borders with Turkey to supply missiles with toxic gases with the aim of using them inside the Syrian territories.

Syrianarabnewsagency

Published on Nov 24, 2018 (1:29 min.)


25 November، 2018 - At least 100 injured in chlorine attack in Syria’s Aleppo — TV
http://tass.com/world/1032383

© AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. At least 100 people were injured as militants shelled residential districts of the Syrian city of Aleppo with chlorine-laden projectiles, the Al Mayadeen TV reported on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the state-run SANA news agency said extremist armed groups fired shells loaded with chlorine at Aleppo on Saturday evening. A police source told Syria TV that the shopping area on the Nil Street, where citizens were strolling in the evening, came under fire. Earlier, reports about a chlorine attack came from the neighborhoods of Al-Khalidiyah and Jamiyat al-Zahr. Initial reports said at least 15 people were hospitalized with breathing troubles. The previous update said 60 people were affected, including three children.

Aleppo Health Directorate Chief Ziad Haj Taha said many lives were saved by Syrian servicemen, who promptly delivered victims to hospitals.

"So far, no one was discharged from hospital. Doctors continue treating those affected," he said. "The condition of two teenagers, who were earlier admitted to intensive care, has stabilized."

Aleppo Police Chief Maj. Gen Issam al-Shibli earlier blamed the attack on terrorists from the Jabhat Al-Nusra terrorist group (outlawed in Russia). He said the militants launched projectiles at city districts close to their positions. Artillery units of the Syrian armed forces shelled positions held by militants on Saturday night, the state-run Syria TV reported. According to the channel, many militants were killed or injured in the attack.

On Thursday, militant groups shelled western outskirts of Aleppo, injuring five civilians.


25 November، 2018 - Russian military specialists help Syrians injured in chlorine attack on Aleppo
http://tass.com/world/1032390

Russia is set to discuss this incident with the Turkish side, which is the guarantor of the armed opposition's cessation of hostilities in the Idlib de-escalation zone.

© Russian Defense Ministry's press service/TASS

MOSCOW - Russian military experts in chemical protection arrived in the city of Aleppo hours after militants launched a chlorine attack on residential districts of the city, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, told reporters on Sunday.

"Groups of specialists from units of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare protection deployed at observation posts in Syria urgently arrived to the area of the attack, carrying special equipment with them. They are working with the injured in hospitals, and monitor the environment in the area where toxic substances were used by militants," he said.

"According to initial information, confirmed, among other things, by symptoms diagnosed in those affected, the projectiles launched at residential districts of Aleppo were filled with chlorine," the Russian general added.

The official went on to say that the Russian side has earlier reported that the organization known as White Helmets was preparing to organize chemical provocations in the demilitarized zone around Idlib in order to accuse the government troops of using chemical weapons against civilians.

"It is quite evident that the White Helmets have direct ties to terrorist organizations operating in Syria, in particular in the Idlib de-escalation zone," he said.

Monitoring underway
The general also said that "Russian specialists closely monitor the situation around the Idlib de-escalation zone, which is the zone of responsibility of the Turkish side, in line with agreements."

"The Russian side is set to discuss this incident with the Turkish side, which is the guarantor of the armed opposition's cessation of hostilities in the Idlib de-escalation zone," Konashenkov said.

The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said that, according to information obtained by the Russian Center for reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria, terrorist groups located in the Idlib de-escalation zone opened fire at northwestern districts of Aleppo at 21:50 Moscow time on Saturday.

Mortar rounds, filled with toxic substances, presumably chlorine, landed on the Nil Street in the Al-Khalidiyah neighborhood. The projectiles were fired from positions in the southeastern section of the Idlib demilitarized zone, near the town of Al-Buraikat, controlled by militants of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group (formerly Jabhat Al-Nusra, outlawed in Russia). 120-mm mortars were used in the attack.

"As a result of the shelling, 46 people, including eight children, suffered from exposure to a toxic agent. All victims were taken to hospitals in Aleppo, where they received medical assistance," Konashenkov said.

Earlier, the spokesman said that six special vehicles of Russia’s nuclear, chemical and biological warfare protection forces were deployed at Russian posts in the immediate vicinity of the Idlib demilitarized zone to regularly monitor the situation there.


2018-11-25 - Russian MoD confirms rebel use of chemical weapons in Aleppo
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russian-mod-confirms-rebel-use-of-chemical-weapons-in-aleppo/

Russian military chemists arrived in the Syrian city of Aleppo, at which militants fired shells filled with poisonous agents on Saturday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Sunday.

“Groups from the observation posts of the radiation, chemical and biological protection units with special equipment stationed in Syria arrived to the area of shelling urgently. They work with the injured taken to medical institutions, monitor the situation in the area where the militants used poisonous substances,” Konashenkov said.

The symptoms of those injured shows that most likely, the shells had been filled with chlorine, he added.

“According to preliminary confirmed data, in particular, by the symptoms of poisoned victims, the shells that were fired at residential areas of Aleppo had been filled with chlorine,” the spokesman said.

He stressed that earlier the Russian side had drawn attention to the fact that the White Helmets organization had been trying to organize provocations using chemical agents in the demilitarized zone around Idlib to accuse government forces of using chemical weapons against the local population.

“It is clear that the White Helmets are directly connected with terrorist organizations operating in Syria, and in particular, in the Idlib de-escalation zone,” he said.

Russian specialists conduct a thorough monitoring of the situation around the Idlib de-escalation zone, for which the Turkish side is responsible, Konashenkov said.

According to the information of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Center for Syrian reconciliation, at 21.50 on Saturday, terrorist groups located in the Idlib de-escalation zone fired 120-millimeter shells at the northwestern districts of Aleppo from the southeastern part of the demilitarized zone (near the village of Al-Buraykat, controlled by the militants of Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham, former Nusra Front).

Shells filled with poisonous substances exploded in the area of Nile Street in the quarter of Al-Khalidia.

“As a result of the shelling, 46 people, including 8 children, received a chemical damage. All the victims were taken to medical institutions of the city of Aleppo, where they received medical assistance,” Konashenkov said.


2018-11-25 - Rebels deny chemical weapons attack, accuses gov’t of undermining ceasefire
https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...attack-accuses-govt-of-undermining-ceasefire/



The Free Syrian Army (FSA) and their allies have denied firing chemical weapons into the provincial capital of Aleppo last night, despite being accused by both the Syrian and Russian governments of carrying out this deadly attack.

The military spokesperson for the opposition delegation at the Astana Conference, Yasser ‘Abdel-Raheem, mocked the accusations from the government, while denying that any rebel faction used these weapons.

Other rebel commanders like ‘Abdel-Salaam ‘Abdel-Razaq denied the accusations, calling the government’s claims ‘lies’.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the rebels did attack the provincial capital of Aleppo city last night; they are now sending personnel to investigate the claims of chlorine gas usage.

 

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2018-11-25 - Breaking: Russian Air Force launches first strikes in response to rebel chemical weapons attack
Breaking: Russian Air Force launches first strikes in response to rebel chemical weapons attack



The Russian Air Force unleashed a barrage of airstrikes over the Aleppo countryside this afternoon, a military source told Al-Masdar News from the provincial capital.

According to the military source, the Russian Air Force targeted the jihadist positions in southern and western Aleppo in response to the chemical weapons attack carried out by the rebels last night.

The source added that the Russian Air Force is still striking the jihadist positions at this moment, while the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) moves reinforcements towards the western Aleppo front-lines.

Today’s airstrikes by the Russian Air Force marks the first time since the Sochi Agreement that they have carried out strikes against the rebels.


2018-11-25 - Russian MoD confirms their air force launched airstrikes in response to rebel chemical attack
Russian MoD confirms their air force launched airstrikes in response to rebel chemical attack

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that Russian jets hit the targets of terrorists who had reportedly shelled Aleppo with deadly chlorine gas on Saturday.

According to the ministry, intelligence services identified in the Idlib de-escalation zone the fire weapons that were used in the Aleppo gas attack.

They also found that the terrorists were preparing for another poisonous shelling. All the targets were destroyed; Turkey was warned about the strikes in advance via a hotline.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry, in turn, described the Aleppo shelling as an “attempt to damage the Syrian normalization process”, adding that it should be “unconditionally condemned” by the entire international community.

Earlier in the day, Damascus accused unnamed western countries of supplying weapons to armed terror groups so that they could stage false flag chemical attacks and then blame them on the government. Syria also urged the UN to take “punitive measures” against the countries that were supporting the Aleppo attackers.

Syria’s state-run news agency SANA reported on Saturday that neighborhoods of Aleppo had been bombarded with chlorine-loaded shells, poisoning at least 107 people.


2018-11-25 - All hell breaks out in Idlib buffer zone as Syrian Army, rebels trade attacks
All hell breaks out in Idlib buffer zone as Syrian Army, rebels trade attacks


The Idlib buffer zone is witnessing one of its most violent days as both the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Islamist rebels trade hostilities.

According to a military source in northern Hama, the Islamist rebels began the hostilities, today, when they fired several artillery shells towards the Mhardeh Power Plant.

The Islamist rebels of Jaysh Al-Izza would then target several other government-held areas, prompting the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to prepare to launch a counter-attack.

The Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Division responded by firing several surface-to-surface missiles towards Jaysh Al-Izza’s trenches and bases in the key town of Al-Lataminah.

As the Syrian Arab Army was targeting the Islamist rebels, the Russian Air Force was conducting several reconnaissance flights over the Idlib buffer zone.

The Russian Air Force was likely collecting information about where the militant launching pads were located.

Once the launching pads are located by the Russian Air Force, the Syrian Arab Army often targets these rebel sites in order to eliminate them.

A similar attack like this was carried out on Friday morning, when the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Division destroyed several launching pads that belonged to the jihadist rebels of Hurras Al-Deen terrorist group.


2018-11-25 - Breaking: US-backed forces rip through Daesh lines to retake lost territory
Breaking: US-backed forces rip through Daesh lines to retake lost territory

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a powerful counter-attack in southeast Deir Ezzor, today, targeting the areas they recently lost to the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) terrorist organization.

Backed by heavy airstrikes from the U.S. Coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces began their counter-attack by storming Daesh’s newly captured territory inside of Al-Gharanj and Al-Bahra.

According to SDF activists, their troops managed to retake all of the territory they lost to Daesh over the last 24 hours, including the town of Al-Bahra, which was seized by the terrorist group last night.

The Syrian Democratic Forces were able to kill scores of Daesh fighters that were scattered across their thin front-lines in southeast Deir Ezzor.

Daesh’s offensive was initially successful on Saturday night when they finally broke through the Syrian Democratic Forces’ lines near the key town of Hajin.

The Daesh offensive was geared at retaking some Iraqi border points and securing Hajin, which is their de-facto capital in Syria and Iraq.


2018-11-25 - YPG carries out new ambush against Turkish-backed rebels in northern Aleppo
YPG carries out new ambush against Turkish-backed rebels in northern Aleppo (video)



The Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) carried out a new ambush inside the Afrin region of northern Aleppo this past week.
According to the official media wing of the YPG, their troops ambushed a military vehicle belonging to the Al-Sham Legion of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the Sherwa District of Afrin.

The YPG attack resulted in the destruction of the military vehicle that was used by the Al-Sham Legion.

In addition to the destruction of the vehicle, two of the Al-Sham Legion fighters were badly wounded as a result of this ambush.

 

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An attempted Lusitania cover!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1066788218350256131

It appears that arms continue flooding the Middle East through some apparent “gray area” schemes.
In 2017, a Bulgarian investigative journalist, Dilyana Gaytandzhieva, reported that at least 350 “diplomatic” Silk Way Airlines (an Azerbaijani private company) flights transported weapons for war conflicts across the world over the last 3 years.

The airline exploited a loophole in the international aviation and transport regulations to offer flights to arms manufacturers and private companies – with much of the cargo heading for known terrorist enclaves in Syria, and also to other conflict zones including Central Asia and Africa. Under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, the transport of military cargo by civil aircraft is not allowed. To get around this legality, Silk Way Airlines applied for diplomatic exemption for aircraft and their cargo (diplomatic charter flights), through local agencies to transport heavy weapons, ammunition, and white phosphorus across the world to several war zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria, as well as to African countries like Congo and Burkina Faso.

The leaked documents show that more than 20 Silk Way flights could have potentially carried arms from manufacturers in Central and Eastern Europe for Middle Eastern states on behalf of non-state actors fighting in Syria. If the documents were, in fact, accurate it would also corroborate an investigation by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (BIRN/OCCRP) into the illicit arms trade between Europe and Syria. That report also implicated Silk Way.

Despite the existing evidence, Silk Way Airlines pretended to be not involved in any kind illegal or “gray” acitivites. The company’s website contains the following article:

However, the fact is that in 2018, Silk Way Airlines flights to conflict zones in the Middle East and the Central Asia continued.
In the period between November 21st and 25th, Silk Way Airlines conducted numerous cargo flights from Baku (known as one of the logistical hubs for weapons deliveries to conflict zones) to Kabul and Baghdad.

On November 21st, both and IL7 and a Boeing 74Y carried out deliveries at 2:30 PM and 2:40 PM respectively, evidently at the same time, from Baku to Baghdad.

Silk Way Airlines also carried out cargo flights from Baku to Kabul on November 22nd and November 24th via an IL7.

Furthermore, there were several regular flights by Taquan Air and Alaskan airline to the conflict zone in Yemen. What is an Alaskan airline doing carrying out cargo or passenger flights between Djibouti and Aden comes down to speculation. The aircraft used was a 72F freighter, as we as a Fokker 50 plane, which is commonly turned into a cargo plane from a passenger one.
The 72F freighter carried out a delivery on November 22nd.

In addition to that Flexflight, a Danish company also carried out one passenger flight from Djibouti to Aden on November 22nd.

The nature of the Djibouti-Aden flights is unclear. However, considering that Aden is currently a “capital” of the Saudi-backed government of Yemen, which does not control the real Yemeni capital of Aden, it could be possible that the acvitiy of these companies are somehow linked to activities of the Saudi-UAE-led coalition, which invaded Yemen in 2015.

Furthermore, the security situation in Aden itself remains very complicated. Various coaliton-backed factions clash each with others as well as ISIS and al-Qaeda attacks appear there on a cosntant basis. So, Aden is not a popular tourist airport

https://twitter.com/x/status/1066670924089475072

https://twitter.com/x/status/1066535895996592129

SF Answering Your Questions/Comments: US Military Problems Video & Other Topics

South Front Streamed live on Nov 24, 2018 / 1:33:47

Update:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1066798929919033344

 

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Kosovo, Sea of Azov, Syria... Who has been 'waiting in the shadow' (behind the curtain)?

US highly likely to venture new provocation against Russia - Lavrov

Political opponents of US President Donald Trump are sure to venture new provocations to break down relations between Moscow and Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday.

"We cannot guarantee that those political forces in the United States that are seeking to break down Trump’s presidency will not venture new provocations," he said in an interview with the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel. "On the contrary, further provocations and attempts to destroy our relations are highly likely to follow. But it in no way means that dialogue is unnecessary."

He stressed that Moscow is ready for such dialogue. "When the president of a great nations is ready to speak with the president of another great nations, I think it is our duty to spare no effort to facilitate such contacts," he said. "The more so as certain progress has been recently seen in restoration of dialogue channels and at other levels, including between the Russian and US security councils."

According to earlier reports, Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the United States are to meet on the sidelines of a Group of Twenty summit in Argentina due to take place on November 30 through December 1. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said however the exact date of such a meeting had not yet been agreed.


Al-Nusra terrorists deploy 50 missiles modified by French experts to carry chemical payloads in Idleb

Shortly after targeting Aleppo’s residential neighborhoods with shells containing toxic gases, Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization deployed around 50 missiles carrying toxic chemicals in several areas in Idleb and its countryside.

In a report published on Sunday, Russia’s Sputnik news agency quoted local sources as saying that al-Nsura terrorists transported around 50 missiles at dawn on Sunday after they were modified by French experts in a location near Idleb Central Prison to carry chlorine payloads.

The sources said the missiles were transported in five batches and distributed among terror groups in Idleb’s southeastern countryside; 10 missiles were sent to “Ajnad al-Kavkaz” terror group in Tal al-Sultan area, 10 were sent to “Jaish al-Izza” terror group in Kafrzita town 38 km northwest of Hama city, 10 were sent to “Huras al-Deen” terror group which swore allegiance to Al Qaida in the town of Morek 30 km north of Hama, in addition to two other batches sent to the “Turkistani Party” terrorists and other unknown destinations.

Earlier today, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that there is evidence of terrorists preparing to carry out another chemical attack in Syria from Idleb.

Sources also said that “White Helmets” members transported on Wednesday morning five containers full of toxic substances from a warehouse belonging to al-Nusra to an underground warehouse that had been dug recently near Idleb Central Prison, and there the containers were handed over to French experts who used them to modify missiles of unknown make and model that had been transported across the Turkish borders recently to carry chemical payloads.

Terrorists located in Aleppo countryside on Saturday fired shells containing toxic gases at al-Khalidiye, al-Neel street, and Jamiet al-Zahraa neighborhoods in Aleppo city, causing civilians to suffer from asphyxiation.


Militants were preparing to use chemical weapons again in Aleppo – Russian MoD

The militants were planning to use chemical weapons again in Aleppo, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, their fighter jets destroyed the militant launching sites in order to foil any future attacks by the latter in Aleppo.

Earlier today, the Russian Air Force unleashed a number of airstrikes over the jihadist rebel positions in the southern and western regions of Aleppo.

The Russian Air Force reportedly targeted the jihadist launching sites in the Rashideen 4 (west Aleppo) suburb and the town of Khan Touman (south Aleppo).

Today’s airstrikes by the Russian Air Force marked the first time that they launched aerial assault against the rebels since the September 17th Sochi meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.


MILITANTS USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO ATTACK SYRIA’S ALEPPO. ‘EVIL ASSAD’ IS TO BE BLAMED SOON

On November 24, militants operating in the province of Idlib shelled the government-held city of Aleppo with rockets containing chemical weapons. The shelling wounded at least 107 civilians, including many women and children.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, Russian military experts in chemical protection arrived in the city hours after the attack.

“Groups of specialists from units of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare protection deployed at observation posts in Syria urgently arrived to the area of the attack, carrying special equipment with them. They are working with the injured in hospitals, and monitor the environment in the area where toxic substances were used by militants,” Maj. Gen. Konashenkov said. “According to initial information, confirmed, among other things, by symptoms diagnosed in those affected, the projectiles launched at residential districts of Aleppo were filled with chlorine.”​

Maj. Gen. Konashenkov stated that the Russian side had earlier warned that the organization known as White Helmets was preparing to organize chemical provocations in the demilitarized zone around Idlib in order to accuse the Damascus government of using chemical weapons against civilians.

“It is quite evident that the White Helmets have direct ties to terrorist organizations operating in Syria, in particular in the Idlib de-escalation zone,” he said.​

On November 25, Russian warplanes eliminated a group of militants, which had conducted a chemical attack on Aleppo. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian military detected and elimianted both militants and their weapons. The military warned that the eliminated militants were planning to carry out another attack on Aleppo.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent to the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General that the attack on Aleppo city was carried with help from some foreign powers.

“This terrorist act comes as a result of facilitating terrorists’ access to chemical substances by some states with the aim of using them against the Syrian people and accusing the Syrian Government of that through plays whose scenario had been previously prepared at the black rooms of the intelligence of some states which sponsor terrorism,” the statement said.​

During the past few months Russia and Syria repeatedly warned on the highest level, including UN meetings, that provociations involving chemical weapons are possible in northwestern Syria. This informational campaign likely prevented pre-planned provocations against the Damascus government.

However, local militant groups, which obtained chemical weapons from third parties, appeared to be desperate enough to use chemical weapons against civilians in Aleppo even without a clear propaganda purpose.

Now, Idlib militants and their supporters around the globe will make an attempt to blame the Assad government for the November 24 incident in Aleppo city. They will likely pretend that “evil Assad” carried out a chemical attack on the government-controlled city in order to accuse the “moderate opposition” of doing this and thus disrupt the peaceful process in the country.

First signs of this campaign can already be observed in some MSM reports. For example, in its report on the chemical attack Reuters quoted “Abdel-Salam Abdel-Razak, an official from the Nour el-Din al-Zinki insurgent faction” [this group became widely known when its members filmed how they were beheading a boy during the battle of Aleppo], who claimed that “rebels” do not “own chemical weapons or have the capacity to produce them”.

Retuters also quoted Abu Omar, a spokesman of another militant group – Failaq al-Sham, who openly accused Damascus of trying to create “a malicious charade” as a pretext to attack militants.

The mainstream outlet concluded its report by claiming that “no rebel group has been confirmed to have used chemical weapons in the war by the by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)”.


DEMILITARIZED ZONE AGREEMENT DE-FACTO COLLAPSED IN NORTHERN HAMA

On November 25, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) foiled a new infiltration attempt by radical militants in the northern Hama countryside, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

“Units of the army targeted the movements of terrorist groups of the al-Nusra Front [Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)] and the so called Jaysh al-Izza while they were trying to sneak from the southern parts of the towns of Murak and al-Lataminah towards military positions around the towns of Suran and Masasneh,” the SANA’s reporter in Hama said.​

This was the second violation of the Russian-Turkish deconfliction agreement today. Few hours ago, the al-Zarah power plant in the northern Hama countryside was shelled. HTS claimed responsibility for the attack later.

HTS and its allies, mainly Jaysh al-Izza and Horas al-Din, have violated the deconfliction agreement on a daily basis since early October. Most of the violations took place in the northern and northwestern Hama countryside, where the agreement has de-facto collapsed.

The increased number of violations indicates that the militants are misunderstanding the peaceful efforts as a sign of weakness. In response to this aggressive behavior, the Damascus government and its allies will have to act militarily to reinforce the deconfliction agreement. Otherwise, the militants will likely continue to step up their attacks.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067049155518963712

Update:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067049490878787584

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067048933812252672

 

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US-led Coalition’s airstrikes on Abu al-Hasan village in Deir Ezzor leave tens dead or injured

Tens of civilians were martyred or injured after the US-led international coalition’s warplanes launched new airstrikes on Abu al-Hasan village in southeastern countryside of Deir Ezzor under the pretext of fighting Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organization.

Local sources told SANA’s reporter that the coalition on Monday targeted the locals’ houses in Abu al-Hasan village near Hajin city, killing and injuring tens of the civilians, most of them women and children.

The number of deaths is expected to rise due to the critical condition of many of the injured, in addition to there being several missing people trapped under rubble, as it is difficult to rescue them due to the continuing airstrikes by the coalition, the sources said.

The airstrikes also destroyed many houses and much of the infrastructure in the village.


Over 100 US military vehicles enter eastern Syria – report

A large number of U.S. military vehicles entered the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, today, local activists reported.

According to the reports, over 100 U.S. military trucks carrying weapons were seen traveling from northern Syria to the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) front-lines in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

These weapons will be used by the Syrian Democratic Forces in their ongoing battle against the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) near the key town of Hajin in southeast Deir Ezzor.

The Syrian Democratic Forces are currently on the offensive against the Daesh militants after a volatile weekend, which saw the aforementioned terrorist group seize several areas, including the town of Al-Bahra.

While the Syrian Democratic Forces did manage to retake the territories they lost over the weekend, they still need to clear the Baghouz Mountain area, which is still surrounded by Daesh.


Moscow: Al-Nusra ‘s chemical attack on Aleppo should not go unpunished

Russian Foreign Ministry said that the chemical attack carried out on Sunday by Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists against Aleppo’s civilians should not be left unpunished.

Sputnik quoted the ministry as saying in a statement that “No doubt, this barbaric attack against civilians in Aleppo requires unconditional condemnation and should not remain unanswered”.

The ministry expects that the international community which repeatedly rejected the use of chemical weapons in Syria will respond to this attack in a proper manner.

The Russian Ministry stressed on the need for revealing the names of those responsible for using toxic materials in Syria and bringing them to justice, including the responsible for the recent chemical attack in Aleppo.

“We believe that the OPCW, as a key international competent body, which finds facts of using toxic agents, will carry out a timely and professional investigation in full compliance with the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction,”the Ministry said.

The Ministry indicated that following the attack, the Syrian government sent letters to the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council’s President and the Director-General of the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), calling upon them to take measures to investigate into the attack.


Lavrov: Washington doesn’t seek objective investigation on use of chemical weapons in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that Washington doesn’t seek to conduct an objective investigation into the incidents of using chemical weapons in Syria.

In a press conference with his Dominican counterpart Miguel Vargas on Monday, Lavrov said “We haven’t heard till now any comments by Washington on targeting Aleppo neighborhoods with chemical weapons by terrorists.”


All parties to Astana talks on Syria confirm participation

All parties invited to the Astana meeting on Syria, scheduled to take place on November 28-29, have confirmed their participation, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov told reporters on Monday.

"The guarantors of the Astana process (Iran, Russia and Turkey), the Syrian government and the armed opposition, as well as Jordan - an observer country - have confirmed their participation. A confirmation is expected to be made concerning the participation of United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura," Smadiyarov said.

According to the Kazakh foreign ministry spokesman, the sixth Astana meeting will deal with issues related to the release of hostages and detained persons, the handover of bodies and the search for missing people. The event will "involve representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross."

The international meeting on resolving the situation in Syria will take place on November 28-29. On November 28, the guarantor countries will hold bilateral and trilateral consultations, as well as meetings with observer countries, while a plenary meeting is scheduled for November 29.


Syrian Army reopens vital east Idlib crossing

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has reopened the vital Abu Dhuhour Crossing in eastern Idlib, today, a military source told Al-Masdar this afternoon.

According to the military source, the Syrian Army made the decision to reopen the Abu Dhuhour Crossing in order to allow civilians to leave the dangerous situation that is plaguing this part of the Idlib Governorate.

Earlier this month, the Syrian Army closed the Abu Dhuhour Crossing after the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham repeatedly struck the government’s positions in southeast Idlib.

However, due to the ongoing hostilities around the Idlib demilitarized zone, the Russian military has encouraged the Syrian Army to reopen the crossing for civilians to leave the battlefront.


Infighting Intensifies Among Terrorists over Controlling Key Road in Idlib

Heavy clashes broke out between Tahrir al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham militants on the outskirts of Maarat al-Numan in Southern Idlib, field sources reported.

The sources noted that the infighting broke out after Tahrir al-Sham entered Heish region controlled by Ahrar al-Sham and set up an inspection post there. Ahrar al-Sham also targeted and pounded Tahrir al-Sham's post and put their forces on alert.

Tahrir al-Sham also hit the military posts of the National Liberation Front in Babolin area in Heish region, they added.

The sources also pointed to the preparations by Tahrir al-Sham Hayat to launch a large-scale military operation in the region, and said Tahrir al-Sham aims to seize control of the international highway passing through Maarat al-Numan city.

The international highway is part of the international Aleppo-Damascus Road whose security was demanded by the Sochi Agreement.


Turkish official accuses US of blocking Turkey’s operation in northern Syria

The U.S. is attempting to block Turkey’s upcoming military operation in northern Syria with the use of their observation posts, Turkish Minister of Parliament Ozturk Yilmaz said on Monday.

“The main aim of the [U.S.] move is to block Turkey’s possible operation in the area,” he told reporters, as reported by state-owned Anadolu News Agency.

He added that the U.S. also aims to “encircle Iran and Turkey and control Baghdad and Damascus.”

The U.S. is constructing five observation posts in northern Syria that will stretch across the provinces of Aleppo and Al-Raqqa.

As a result of these observation posts, Turkey will not be able to maneuver towards the positions of the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey views the aforementioned groups as terrorist affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who was engaged in a bloody war with the Turkish Army for several years.

 

[Ca.]

An interesting article of the arms trade, plus updates.

Achtung Leopards in Syria! Full analysis of the Leopard 2A4TR in Syria - World in War
17 settembre 2018
Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Operation Euphrates Shield, Syria
3. Details about Leopard 2s in Syria
4. Leopard 2s on the stage
5. Does the cat have a thick fur?
6. Final analysis and recommendations

Also do not forget that we offer military analysis and OSINT services.

Introduction

In this analysis we are going to have a closer look at the performance of the Turkish Leopard 2A4TR tanks in Syria, to do that we are going to know the machine itself, the doctrine and the environment where it has operated and other things thanks to a very detailed OSINT analysis.

In 2005 Turkey acquired 298 second-hand Leopard 2A4s from Germany, later those were called Leopard 2A4TRs and they have just a slight difference in comparison with the originals, that is the addition of improved air filters, something very important for the dusty terrain generally faced in the Middle East.

Leopard 2A4TR in Syria.

Operation Euphrates Shield, Syria

At the end of August 2016 Turkey launched an offensive with rebel groups from FSA at the north of Syria mainly against the Islamic State but with an eye kept on the Kurdish.

At first M-60Ts were deployed but after some time of rumors and Leopard 2s near the Syrian frontier on the 8th of December 2016 the first batch of Leopard 2A4TRs were seen near the town of Al-Bab firing its guns against ISIS VBIEDs.

Before the final apparition of the Leopard 2A4s in Syria images like this merged near the Turkey-Syria border.

In theory a few armored and mechanized units probably totalizing no more than two brigades were deployed in Syrian territory, but deployed is not the same as used in the offensive, because it was the FSA infantry and technicals who normally led the attack what resulted in a new hybrid warfare mixture for the Turkish army.

First of all Syrians speak Arabic, while Turkish speak Turkish even using different alphabets so the communication was not very fluent what is very important if you want to take advantage of the firepower that tanks and artillery offer, also there was lack of training and morale among FSA because this group was mainly comprised of men recruited from refugee camps in Turkey with a fickle morale to fight.

Finally but not less important as Russia or USA have done in Syria the Turkish do not use their conventional units as the bulk of the force, in spite of that they stay in reserve and just some support units are sent to the front, this is important because it means that they are far away from exploiting their full offensive potential in the battlefield.

Let’s see what Heinz Guderian, the father of the so called Blirzkrieg can tell us from his book Achtung-Panzer! first published in Germany on 1937.

“This force [in reference to armored forces and tanks] that actually has the biggest offensive power has also the right to use this power under its own rules, and so anywhere it is empoyed it will be the main force and the others will depend on them ”

The tank is normally the central piece of the ground warfare but to fully exploit its firepower, mobility and protection it must have an accompanying force to reach all the possbilities that it offers.

When tanks are badly accompained and operated they become very vulnerable that is why ISIS has been able to defeat a small Turkish Leopard 2s unit and capture its cats.

If a high intensity campaign would have been done against ISIS the mechanized or armored forces would have been comprised of the next accompanying elements: Mechanized infantry, engineers, self-propelled artillery and air support, all of them used at the same time, in high numbers and at the key points of the ISIS defenses to break their lines and continue the advance cutting their rearguard until Raqqa, but this has never happen, but why? Because as we said Turkey is acting like Russia or the USA and they just do not want to do that kind of high intensity but also high losses warfare, in spite of that they prefer to use their tanks as a mere support for the FSA avoiding to use them in the attack to deeply penetrate ISIS lines alongside a combined arms force.

This is the first main reason for the Leopard 2A4s losses in Syria, they are not being used as tanks must be used, they can not be just mobile guns to support rebels because for that purpose a cheap T-55 captured from SAA depots or even a technical would be nearly as useful as an expensive Leopard 2.

Use an advanced tank like a Leopard 2A4 just to provide fire support from the distance is an obvious underutilization of a very capable tool.

But what else did Heinz Guderian told us 80 years ago? Let’s have a look:

“The rights claimed result in the next tactical needs:

• Surprise
• Massive employ
• Suitable terrain”

Surprise was not reached in Al Bab and in fact it is the opposite, the Turkish low profile performance letting most of the weight of the fight to fall on the FSA and doing just a slow advance was not going to result in any surprise.

The massive employ was not reached because tanks were used in small units, normally just platoons of three or four tanks and sometimes even individually.

Suitable terrain, the only thing that did not depended on the Turkish High Command was given by the nature of the Syrian terrain with a lot of plains and ground with just some snow during the winter.
Teacher Guderian said “The high speed of the armored attack is essential to determine the results of the combat”

Most of all of the basic rules about the use of armored forces were not applied by Turkish military planners probably due to political pressure to avoid losses and because the chief of the operation, the Lieutenant general Zekai Aksakallı is from SF so he is not very familiar with the usage of armored forces.

So what was the only way of use of the Leopard 2A4TRs in Syria? Just go to one position overlooking the area and give some fire support with the help of a link officer between the FSA and the tanks or just by the own capabilities of the steel monsters.

The lack of ground reconnaissance and link with the rebels ultimately led to the Leopard 2A4 crews to take some bad deccissions and place their tanks at vulnerable positions, those ones were observated by ISIS and its experienced tank hunter units equipped with ATGMs that ultimately were able to hit the MBTs on the exposed flanks.

While we will have a closer look about protection in the section “Does the cat have a thick fur?” first of all we want to point a few things.

Most of the missiles that hit the Leopard 2s probably were 9M113 Konkurs that attacked from the flanks, anyone with some knowledge about this subject knows that there is no modern MBT able to resist these kind of missiles at the sides if they have no ERA or cage armor attached. Apart from that German designers relied in isolate the most sensible compartments that could led to a catastrophic explosion in case of perforation, especially thinking about fuel and ammunitions.

If a tank like a Leopard 2A4 get an ATGM impact on the side the damages are unavoidable but limitable thanks to automatic fire supression systems, heavily protected ammunition boxes, fireproof garments for the crew etc At this point we can say that Leopard 2A4 resisted well those terrible impacts taking in to account that heavy damages are mostly unavoidable in a situation with these characteristics.

Details about Leopard 2s in Syria

Before being sent to the frontline most of the Leopard 2s were painted with a new arid scheme camouflage but a few Leopard 2s even maintain their old green scheme as we can see in the images.

While Syria is in general a dry country the north gets some snow and very low temperatures during the coldest months of the winter but in fact that is not a problem for the Leopard 2s that are very well suited for low temperatures.

Syria is not as hot as some would expect.

Also the Leopard 2 can mount a 7,62 mm MG-1 or MG-3 on the turret in front of the commanders hatch, those MGs tend to use an AA sight but in this case it wouldn’t have sense for Turkish crews and so they probably use the normal sights. This machine gun is especially famous because of its deadly rate of fire around 1.200 bullets per minute. However it is a feature that we have seen just in a few cases while most of the turret MGs have been removed.

About the ammunition used, as far as what has been released we have seen M325 HEAT-MP-T (Multipurpose Tracer) rounds along with advanced Turkish (MKEK) copy of the KE German rounds DM-43 or DM-53 and Israeli KE APFSDS M322 or M328.

• KE or APFSDS – Kinnetic Energy (Only against very well protected targets)
• HEAT – High Explosive Anti Tank (Multipurpose)
• HE – High Explosive (only against soft targets)

Under the M325 round we can see cartridge containers for 120 mm APFSDS-T rounds produced by MKEK, this caliber is just for tanks and the type APFSDS is just for Kinnetical Energy (KE) rounds.

The use of HE and HEAT rounds should be the rule in Syria as far as they are the best suited to deal with personal behind field fortifications or walls, and the HEAT can even engage some armor that ISIS could rarely deploy, like BMP-1s or certain outdated tanks.

The KE APFSDS are penetrators designed to pass through the armor of advanced tanks like T-72s or T-90s and they are no effective against buildings, technicals or lightly armroed vehicles, for example during 1991 Desert Storm we saw that M829 or M829A1 KE rounds were able to penetrate from side to side of a T-72 and left the tank without destroy anything, so if they can go across all the vehicle and get out whithout affecting it, why deploy them in Syria?

As we all know ISIS has been making a massive use of SVBIEDs mounted in armored civilian vehicles moving at high speed, those are pretty destructive and difficult to hit targets while HEAT and HE projectiles could deal with VBIEDs armors their trajectories are much parabolic because of their lower muzzle velocity in comparison with KE rounds which are around 1.600 m/s in comparison with around 1.000 m/s of HEAT or HE rounds.

This is important for several reasons, for example the DM-53 (KE) is much faster than the M325 (HEAT) and so it has a much more flat and easy to aim trajectorie what leads to a higher level of accuracy and rate of fire both very important capabilities to deal with VBIEDs. But at this point the sharpest might argue that as I have said before this rounds tend to penetrate all the armor and leave the vehicle without cause any important damage, while this is true we must remember that VBIEDs are loaded with huge amounts of explosives and so the probability that the projectile hits one of them during the perforation is very high.

In most world doctrines including the Turkish, tank platoons are comprised of 4 tanks each with one leading tank, however sometimes some especial forces use platoons of three tanks each, this is for example more typical in expeditionary forces like marines or naval infantry units.

What is strange is that at some point we have observed what appears to be Turkish tank units of 3 tanks each while it would have sense because you do not need to mass a lot of vehicles to fight ISIS but rather be flexible with the vehicles you have, but anyway we are far from absolutely sure about this point.

Leopard 2s on the stage

Almost all of the fighting where the Leopard 2s have been involved was linked to the battle for Al-Bab town, and especially about the clashes for its hospital located at the west of the town.

Al-Bab hospital.

For recovery purposes the main vehicle is the M88A1 originally based on the M-48/M-60 powerplants, while the A1 is an improved version with a more powerful engine.

We do not know the numbers of M88A1s deployed but what is sure is that they have not done or they have not been able to do a good job at certain times, because we have been able to see how Leopard 2A4s destroyed or heavily damaged were not recovered event a mptnh after the event, what says a lot about coordination and maybe about the ISIS pressure in the area.

At the moment we have been able to verify the existence of 43 Leopard 2A4TRs deployed in Syria along two batches: The first one was comprised of 18 tanks that were seen on 8/12/2016 while the second batch included 25 tanks that were sent on 10/12/2016 this numbers suggest a deployed force equivalent to an armored brigade and as Christian Triebert published in Bellingcat the license plates of the Leopard 2s corresponded to the 2nd Armored Brigade from the First Army.

But how are they normally operated?

Normally they fire from hastily constructed field fortifications originally intended for the infantry and built with soil walls, they are not specifically designed for tanks because otherwise they would have much higher walls covering their sides and fronts. If they would have enough time and resources they would have dug firing positions for the tanks because those protect them much more than those walls made with soil.

We have not seen any well prepared dig in fire position for the tanks what suggests a low participation and low coordination with engineer units who would have build much better positions an effort that in the end could have saved a lot of vehicles and crews.

Look at the images above and just compare the levels of protection offered by the fortifications done in both firing positions for tanks, on the left one a M1 Abrams during some drills, on the right one a Leopard 2A4TR in Syria.

Normally Leopard 2s stay behind the soil walls and provide fire support from positions overlooking ISIS territory and firing the main guns and the coaxial machine guns, however we do not know their level of coordination with the FSA.

We also think that apart from the own abilities of the tank, the Turkish are using their Cobra OTOKAR light wheeled vehicles to support fire control of the MBTs during the operations, this technique is also used by other armies like for example the French AMX-56s along the VBLs.

It is also interesting to note that there are a lot of photos of Turkish soldiers with relatively rare and specialized weapons like the AIAW sniper rifle posing with the Leopards, these kind of rifles would be just used in very specialized sniper units particularly from the SFs a kind of forces that you would not normally expect to be operating with armored units, this gives us an idea about how hybrid the warfare is where the Turkish Leopard 2s are acting.

As the Leopard 2s are normally acting as mere means of fire support and not as part of purely offensive and advancing forces they are not probably expected to need fire support and so probably the artillery and mainly the 155 mm SPH T-155s are not acting primarily under the tank units requisitions what is always a defect.

However we are still speaking about a low-intensity operation and so the tanks deployed do not act in a normal way and in the end they are being used such as during urban fighting, that is disperse tank units and decentralize at a certain degree the command, so for example if tanks are needed at some area they do not deploy even a single squadron but just one or two tanks to provide fire support, this is because ISIS has so low numbers of troops deployed that you do not need the whole unit to be participating during the fire support phase.

While in a normal situation Turkish armored units would be coordinated with jets, helicopters, artillery and other assets, in Syria they just look to be coordinated with small units of mechanized infantry mounted on ACV-15s (a heavily improved Turkish version of the M-113 APC) that in our opinion normally act as security elements for the small tank units.

Most times the true spearhead of the OES is the FSA units supported by tanks and by the artillery provided thanks to the SFs accompaining the FSA and using recognisment technics, the air force looks to be operating both attacking predetermined objectives and providing immediate air support.

But the main problem is that the FSA that in theory is supposed to be the infantry spearhead has a different language (Arabic) a lot of times they have no experience, low moral and a low level of training, and finally they are mainly a light force without their own heavy material what in the end and in spite of the Turkish heavy material supporting them does not compensate their deficiencies.

Also it must not be underestimated the high proficiency that ISIS tank hunter units have reached in Al-Bab, a sophistication never seen before in Syria or Iraq with even simultaneous double ATGM strikes and a good coordination to attack from different sides, and a good knowledge of the terrain that has allowed them to take some advantages and produce some small but jazzy successes.

Does the cat have a thick fur?

While some have argue that the tanks were hit by TOW-2A ATGMs we find it very unlikely, first of all because throughout the war just a few TOWs have end on hands of ISIS, and secondly because ISIS has plenty of Soviet/Russian ATGMs, some of them captured and some of them bought to rebel groups.

Those ATGMs are mainly 9M111 Fagot, 9M113 Konkurs, 9M133 Kornet and 9M115 Metis, the last one depending on its variant 9M115 or 9M115-1 has a medium range from 1 to 1,5 km, also all of them work with HEAT warheads and the less powerful one is the 9M111 with a penetration capability around 400 mm of RHA.

In theory the frontal armor of the Leopard 2A4 would resist the Fagot, could resist the Metis and the Konkurs and would not resist the Kornet.

However the sides is another story, maybe at the frontal part of the sides of the Leopard 2A4 where the heavy skirts are situated we might be speaking about a 40% of the armor on the front, while in the other parts of the sides it would probably be even less.

We estimate that the armor of the chassis would be between 3 to 8 cm thick of conventional steel depending on where are we speaking while at the low part of the chassis we should add the wheels and the light skirt acting as spaced armor what adds an unknown protection, but still the most exposed parts are the sides of the turret and the high part of the chassis because there is no extra armor on both.

However Leopard 2s are designed to also protect the critical flammable or explosive components inside the tank, and overall the ammunition racks wich are protected and even every round has its own plated container.

The tank has two main ammo racks, the first one with 27 rounds storaged at the front of the chassis at the height of the gunner, that one is very well protected but it could be vulnerable to mines that hit the low glacis or beneath the hull, the other rack is at the left-back part of the turret and it has 15 ready to use rounds, these ones are by far the more exposed, especially to hits on the sides of the turret.

It is not necessary to say that every ATGM would be able to penetrate the side of the Leopard at almost any place and after the penetration just the protection measures and the luck in some way foreseen by the designers will allow the tank and its crew to survive.

Also it must be said that normally just one penetration is not able to destroy a tank but rather to cause it heavy but repairable damages including heavy wounds and even some deaths to the crew.

In the case of Syria all of the hits documented were on the right side of the Leopard 2s leading to one of the worst situations, also some tanks were captured and utterly destroyed by ISIS or by Turkish airstrikes.

Let’s have a look at the image below, it shows an absolutely annihilated Leopard 2A4, everything that could have exploited did it, but let’s have a closer look at the front of the chassis because that part is the one that has suffered more damage, for example the ammo rack of the turret has also exploited but it has not meant that the turret has been cut in to pieces, while the chassis has been. In our opinion what these evidences suggest is that such damage can just had been done by an air launched missile, in the case of the Turkish Air Force probably an AGM-65 Maverick, because the frontal chassis is very hard to destroy as it has been done in this case.

Also during the ISIS video about the captured Turkish positions with a few Leopard 2s apparently they were all well preserved and so posterior images of Leopard 2s could have been taken after those captured ones were destroyed by ISIS or the Turkish. In the end those are too complex and unknown vehicles for ISIS and they are as useless as those M1 Abrams captured by Daesh in Iraq that were later destroyed.

Disgracefully we have not been able to establish the conncetion between any of the ISIS ATGM videos and other tank photos, with the exception of the next group of images where we can see an attack on two Leopard 2A4s, thanks to Christian Triebert for help us at this point.

In this case the ATGM was more likely a Soviet 9M111, 9M113 or 9M133, at the position attacked there were two Leopard 2s and one T-155 SPH. The position was comprised of a soil wall divided in two spaces at the front where both vehicles were situated to fire, for the protection of the sides they mistakenly trusted in to a civilian wall that did not cover even the taller part of the chassis.

The after effects of the engagement can be seen on this image.

While both tanks suffered a brutal impact the second one got completely burnt off, judging the angle for the ATGM we can clearly see that the most exposed part of that tank was the rear turret, where the ready to use 120 mm rounds were placed, the weaker spot of the tank. The impact led to a catastrophic kill that probably disembogued in the death of some members of the crew.

The first tank resisted much better the impact, as we can see on the images of the strike and the images above the tank chassis was very angled and also the missile hit the heavy sideskirts what might have helped to decrease the power of the shaped charge once it entered inside the tank, while some damage and injuries may have been caused the crew still was able to turn back the turret, this hit could have also been close to affect the main 120 mm rack storage but it looks like it wasn’t able to reach it what shows why German designers added those heavy sideskirts at the flanks, to protect that side where a powerrful hit could ultimately reach the main 120 mm storeroom.

Also it is interesting to note that on the image above we can see how the upper part of the turret where the 120 mm ammo rack is has been opened, in theory this part of the tank was deisgned to blown up to direct the explosion of the cartridges outside the tank, that is why it is very typical to see that part of the Leopard 2 turret blown up in cases of penetration

On the sequence of images ATGM 1 and ATGM 1.2 we can see the impact of a powerful 9M115-2 Metis-M medium range ATGM with a high penetration capability on the side of the Leopard 2 again a very weak spot for a powerful ATGM as the Metis-M is.

In similar hits in T-72 series tanks in Syria where the better frontal armor of the Leopard 2A4s is not an advantage because the T-72s have around 80 mm of steel in the sides probably nearly the same as the Leopard 2s, we have been able to observe that catastrophic kills are much rare in the German tanks.

Some tanks were destroyed by IEDs or mines, the fact is that normally AT mines are designed to disable the tank by destroying the tracks but not to completely blow them of, however IEDs which are “homemade” and can be produced with different amounts of explosives can be very powerful, especially if common 152 mm or 155 mm HE artillery rounds are used.

In the next image we can see a totally destroyed tank whose number plate was “195 | 526” and according to some sources it was disabled by an IED or a mine

If we have a closer look at the paper from an unknown source that has proven itself very accurate the tanks that revceived heavy damages had a “Ağır hasarli” (heavy damage) note, while those with very light damage did not have any indication as we can see in the original paper by comparing it with those tanks in the videos released by ISIS.

The original paper with the information that later proved very reliable and accurate.

But the “195 | 526” tank appeared with no damages measure and in theory it was affected by an IED or a mine, so why the images show exactly the opposite? In our opinion it is just part of the ISIS propaganda, also the turret does not look to have suffered a prolonged fire of its 120 mm ammunition but rather a huge explosion after the ammunition was taken out, what explains the lack of burning marks and how the terrorists would have placed the explosives on the floor of the tank.

In the end it is very likely that this tank suffered a mobility kill because of a mine and later ISIS was able to loot and then put some explosives inside it to prevent the Turkish from recover their cat.

For example the Leopard 2 that appears below looks to have step over an AT mine or an IED because the right track is destroyed while the other one is in well state, and also it has not caused the destruction of the tank because it would not have been able to reach the main racks, this matches with the description given about the tank with the number plate 195 | 541.

Also the next one looks like the 195 | 537 tank because in the description it was said that it was “under the wall

In social media it is claimed that it was loaded with a bomb and the fired with a M82A1 Barret what caused its destruction.

Interestingly almost a 100% of the hits of mines, RPGs and ATGMs over the Leopard 2s happened on the right flank of the tanks, this has a lot of sense as far as the position of ISIS was in Al Bab, and Turkish tanks were approaching from the west while approximately two kilometres at the south were placed the ISIS AT positions within range to fire the long range ATGMs two kilometres inside FSA-Turkish held territory to hit the Leopard 2s that were aiming at Al-Bab letting their flanks exposed as the next image explains

Final analysis & recommendations

Improve the coordination with FSA or even mix them with mechanized units would lead to a better level of effectiveness in te battlefield while it would also help to strength the FSA forces.

A much high level of coordination with the engineers for recovery missions and to build better protected firing positions for the tanks would help a lot to prevent ISIS from detect and hit Turkish tanks, while also the Leopard 2s should take more advantage of their mobility and do not stay in the same position after a few shots it is important to speed up the fire support processes tor reduce detection, engage and fire by ISIS AT weapons against Turkish armor.

Panzer IV dug in a well built position, this kind of fortification must be provided by Turkish combat engineers

About the recovery missions they are very important because some of the tanks captured by ISIS were taken because they have small mobility problems that could have been solved by repairing them or by evacuating them from the frontline before ISIS took the position, also some destroyed tanks that should also be taken out from the battlefield were abandoned and stayed in the same places even one month after they were destroyed.

Better use of ground reconnaissance assets in this kind of low intensity hybrid warfare is vital, it is needed a major use of armored vehicles and infantry survey to find places to be attacked by the tanks in ISIS lines and to determine what firing positions are best suited to protect the tanks from ISIS AT weaponry, along with the reconnaissance the use of more anti-mine warfare equipment and even vehicles would be useful to prevent some dangerous situations.

The Cobra MARS-V is the survelliance version of the Cobra, a vehicle that could have been very useful against ISIS during the battle of Al-Bab.

The organization of self-destruction air units 24/7 ready to destroy enemy tanks captured by ISIS could be a good idea to prevent them to use those tanks as propaganda or give us disgusting susprises in the future.

Also some of the actions of ISIS able to take some small positions where the Leopard 2A4TRs were stationed shows a certain lack of sedulity about the security element comprised of mechanized infantry mounted in ACV-15s that should establish a strong perimeter around the tanks to prevent ISIS to sneak in to their positions something that tends to happen in hybrid warfare.

Also allocate more M88A1 recovery vehicles for the units in the front to provide them better means for recovery missions along reserves of armored units as full time quick reaction forces to counter-attack, even with support of helicopters against possible ISIS nigh raids or similar ones could be a very good idea.

All the measures told above are free or very cheap however some heavy measuers could be taken to directly protect the Leopard 2s as we are going to see.

The Turkish company ASELSAN designed a very interesting prototype based on the Leopard 2A4 called Leopard 2 NG (Next Generation) which between other things adds a lot of modular armor and a cage armor on the sides.

While Leopard 2A4 is probably protected enough against most threats at the front the sides are another story and in our opinion the addition of the Leopard 2 NG armor to the sides and some ERA could make them well protected against ISIS threats however it is unlikely that without the ERA even the Leopard 2 NG could stop a Konkurs or even less a Kornet at the sides, along with these measures the study of new better protected ammo racks even by reducing them a little could be a great idea.

Finally the addition of a LWR or a similar system to alert the crew from enemy incoming ATGMs could help to save a lot of tanks and lives.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067339082592866304

Published on Nov 26, 2018

Meanwhile:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067330531690467328

The two leaders discussed the dangerous incident that took place in the Sea of Azov – Black Sea area on November 25. Vladimir Putin expressed his views on the provocation and gross violation of international law by Ukraine’s warships, which deliberately disregarded the rules of innocent passage in the territorial sea of the Russian Federation.

Serious concern was expressed over Kiev’s decision to put its armed forces on combat alert and impose martial law.

It was pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities bear full responsibility for creating yet another conflict situation and for the attendant risks. All this has been clearly done in the context of the election campaign in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin expressed the hope that Berlin would use its influence on Kiev to stop it from taking further reckless steps.
It was noted that the service personnel of the Russian Coast Guard were ready to provide additional explanations of the developments in the Kerch Strait.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Israeli warplanes stalk Syrian-Lebanese border overnight

The Israeli Air Force conducted several flights inside of Lebanon, yesterday, prompting both the Syrian and Lebanese air defenses to remain on high alert due to the air activity.

According to a military source in Syria, the Israeli warplanes were stalking the Syrian border after flying from southern Lebanon to the Beqa’a Valley region.

The Israel warplanes originally entered Lebanese airspace and circled the Nabatieh Governorate and Litani River region.

The Israeli warplanes would then fly from Nabatieh to the Beqa’a Valley, where they would fly close to the Syrian provinces of Damascus and Homs.

While they did not cross into Syrian territory, they did repeatedly fly along the border, which raised the alert levels in Damascus.


Israel receives more F-35 stealth fighter jets

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) received two more F-35I aircraft this weekend, bringing the IAF’s total inventory of fifth-generation fighters up to 14.

Since receiving its first pair of F-35Is in December 2016, Israel’s inventory of F-35 jets has grown at a slow and steady pace. The IDF officially cleared its first F-35 aircraft for live operations last December. Israel is the only nation in the Middle East with active F-35 aircraft that are ready for operations, the Jerusalem Post reported Monday.

Israel recently played host to the F-35 Users Working Group Conference, a conference that gathers F-35 program participants in one place.

The second annual conference featured the US Air Force and Israeli, British and Dutch delegates discussing how to develop operating procedures with the F-35.

Israel is considered one of leading nations in deploying the F-35 operationally. Israel is also the only nation other than the US whose engineers and maintainers are allowed to tinker directly with the F-35’s weapons and command and control systems — hence the unique F-35 “I” designation.

“The purpose of the conference was to create a community of users and a common language between the countries that are receiving F-35s,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

The IAF used the F-35 during a combat mission for the first time in May, beating even the US as the first military to send the uber-expensive and much-maligned jet into action.

A vast majority of the F-35 exports leaving Lockheed Martin factory lines are the F-35A variant.

The UK has purchased the short-take off vertical lift F-35B aircraft. Seoul and Tokyo are rumored to be interested in acquiring a few F-35B aircraft as well.

Source: Sputnik


Via SOTT

Saudi intel chief agreed to buy Pegasus 3 spyware from an Israeli cyber firm, reports confirm

NSO, a secretive spyware firm, has been the target of accusations from Canada and Edward Snowden, who say that it helped the Saudi government spy on dissidents using a cutting-edge espionage tool.

The Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group Technologies was in talks with the Saudis to sell super-stealth spyware, according to a Haaretz report.

The newspaper cites a complaint filed with the Israeli police by a European businessman, who claims that NSO representatives in 2017 offered their Pegasus 3 technology to high-profile Saudi officials. The mobile phone spyware needs only a phone number to ensnare a device. The Saudis included former intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal and Nasser al-Qahtani, a man who "presented himself as the deputy of the current intelligence chief".

The European businessman insists that the Pegasus 3 affair began when he was contacted by "W.", an Israeli dealing in cyber-defense technologies. W. asked him to use his connections in the Persian Gulf states to help do business in the region.

During a series of meetings, he claims, the Saudi officials presented a list of software they sought to obtain to hack into the phones of dissidents in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. In the summer of 2017, W. negotiated a deal to sell NSO's Pegasus 3 system to the Saudis for $55 million.

Despite an oral agreement with W., the European businessman says that the latter started ignoring his phone calls, when he asked for his 5-percent commission ($2.75 million). The businessman filed the complaint in April 2018 and has since been interrogated by the Israeli police's fraud department and contacted by income tax authorities.

While the Saudi government has yet to comment on the report, NSO dismissed it as "wrong, based on partial rumors and gossip". W., the businessman accused of fraud, has also maintained his innocence:

"This is a false and completely baseless complaint, leverage for an act of extortion by the complainants, knowing that there is no basis for their claims and that if they would turn to the relevant courts they would be immediately rejected."​

This comes on the heels of a Forbes report that Riyadh used Pegasus 3 to spy on its opponents living abroad such as the London-based comedian Ghanem Almasarir and human rights activist Yahya Assiri as well as activist Omar Abdulaziz, who lives in Canada. All three were in contact with Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

What Forbes said echoed the report of University of Toronto-based Citizen Lab, which said that the cellphone of Omar Abdulaziz, a critic of the Saudi government's human rights record, was infected with Pegasus spyware.

Moreover, US whistleblower Edward Snowden has recently accused NSO of selling malicious spyware to Riyadh to help them track Jamal Khashoggi, something that the firm denied.

Jamal Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post contributor, disappeared in the Saudi Consulate on October 2. For around two weeks, Saudi Arabia denied any knowledge of his whereabouts, but eventually confirmed that he was killed in a "rogue operation" in the consulate. Riyadh arrested 21 individuals suspected of being involved in the murder; five of them are facing the death penalty if they are found guilty.

The Saudis have repeatedly insisted that the royal family, including heir to the throne Crown Prince bin Salman, was not involved in Khashoggi's killing. This contradicts the account of Turkish media, which claim that the CIA has a phone call recording proving that bin Salman had ordered the murder.


Saudis, UAE to Fund US-Run Observation Posts, Militants' Training in Northern Syria

A source, affiliated to the SDF, reported that the Saudis and the UAE will participate in funding the US-run observation posts on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River near the border with Turkey and also for training SDF militants.

The sources said that a sum of 30,000 SDF militants are expected to train by the US-led coalition to deploy at Syrian borders, adding that Turkey's former pressure on the US and other coalition member states had delayed the plan for training and arming the SDF.

The Arabic-language Sharq al-Awsat quoted an unnamed Kurdish military commander as saying on Monday that the US forces started the operations to set up observation posts in regions under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces along Syria-Turkey border.

"The US forces have set up three observation posts in Tal Abyaz region in Northern Raqqa and two others in Kobani in Northeastern Aleppo," the Kurdish commander said.

He noted that the move by the US comes as Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had previously voiced displeasure over the US plan to set up observation posts along borders with Syria, and said the US measure will make the situation more complicated.


US Army sets first observation point in northern Syria

The Army of the United States has installed its first observation point along the Turkey-Syria borders but without deploying additional troops.

The first observation post was established near Tall Abyad in Raqqa province near the Turkish border.

The US military intends to establish 5 points in the area between Kobani and Tall Abyad.

The purpose of these points, according to Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, is to provide Turkey with military intelligence of any terrorist elements moving into Turkey from Syria.

Washington, however, made clear that no additional troops will be deployed to tackle this mission as it will be handled by troops already deployed to the area.

Both the US and Turkey began to hold joint patrols in the Syrian border area of Manbij since November.


There Is No ISIS In Syria – Turkish President Erdogan!

The ISIS terrorist group no longer exists in Syria according to Turkish President Tayyip Recap Erdogan; instead, the Turkish leader insisted, there are only “small gangs” pretending to be ISIS.

The stunning statement was delivered by the Turkish President before fellow AKP members during a parliament session on Tuesday.

Expanding on his theory that ISIS in Syria was nothing more that “small gangs” mimicking the terrorist group, Erdogan added that these gangs were “trained and equipped to create chaos in the country [Syria] and the region”.

Despite the Turkish leader’s claim, the existence of ISIS in Syria is as obviously factual as the existence of gravity on Earth. Both the Syrian Army and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces deal with this reality on a daily basis.

It is yet to be seen what the motive was for this blatant fallacy is. It is worth mentioning that some Syrian conflict observers are convinced that Erdogan may need to spin such a narrative in order to justify a major Turkish operation against US-backed forces in northeastern Syria given that such a campaign would invaluably assist ISIS remnants now struggling to maintain their final stronghold in Deir ez-Zour province.


Tahrir Al-Sham Goes for New Game to Stay in Northern Syria

Syria's state-owned al-Watan daily quoted sources, affiliated to the National Liberation Front terrorists, as disclosing that fresh talks were held between Tahrir al-Sham and Turkish military and intelligence commanders over the withdrawal of the terrorist groups from M4 and M5 international highways that connect Aleppo to Hama and Lattakia province as required by the Sochi Agreement.

The daily further said that Tahrir al-Sham has set new prerequisites for the implementation of the Sochi Agreement to prevent any attempt for its dissolution and stand against the rival terrorist groups that plan to capture Tahrir al-Sham's regions in Idlib that cover over 70 percent of the province.

The report said Tahrir al-Sham has asked for its continued rule, adding that the terrorist group has offered to transfer control of M4 and M5 international highways to Turkey, but only if Russians are not present in the region, and in return will retreat 7 km instead of 10km, mentioned in the Sochi Agreement, from the highways.

Al-Watan further said that Tahrir al-Sham's move to dispatch a military convoy to regions near the town of Ma'arat al-Nu'aman, which is under the National Liberation Front's control, was aimed at seizing control over the remaining part of Aleppo-Hama highway in Southern Idlib to put Turkey and its allied militants under pressure to agree to their new terms.

Tahrir al-Sham forwarded a large convoy of heavy military hardware to Ma'arat al-Nu'aman and Dar al-Izzah in Western Aleppo to pave the ground for its control over a chunk of the Aleppo-Hama highway that covers lands from Khan al-Asal in Southwestern Aleppo to Morek in Northern Hama.


Infighting on Rise between Turkish Troops, Allied Militants in Northern Syria

The Kurdish-language Hawar news reported that the Turkish army men engaged in heavy infighting with Ankara-backed Suleiman Shah militants in Shih region in Afrin.

It further said that a number of people have been kidnapped by the terrorist groups.

The news website reported that Abdu Atman, a militant commander, has been arrested in the town of Afrin after harsh debates among Firqa al-Hamzah terrorists, affiliated to the Free Army.

Hawar news further said that a number of Firqah al-Hamzah gunmen were killed and wounded after a bomb went off in their vehicle in al-Bastoulah region in Northern Afrin.

In the meantime, Baas news website reported that the Ankara-backed militants are still looting civilians' assets and agricultural products in Afrin region.

It added that the terrorist groups have set up a number of checkpoints in different districts in Afrin, blackmailing people in the name of collecting tax.

The website further said that products of a sum of 700 olive trees have been looted by the terrorists in the village of Za'arah in Bolbol region.


Popular Uprising Reported against Tahrir Al-Sham in Syria's Idlib

Syria's al-Watan online quoted local sources in Idlib province as saying that hundreds of residents in several villages and small towns, including Kafr Nabl in Jabal al-Zawiyah and also in Idlib city staged vast protests against Tahrir al-Sham, and called for their expulsion from their regions.

It further said that the protestors called for the release of a sum of 50 civilians that were arrested by Tahrir al-Sham, adding that the terrorist group's gunmen opened live fire at the protestors that left five civilians injured.

The protestors, also, demanded Tahrir al-Sham to give them back their properties, including Christians' assets that the group has seized in Idlib in recent days.

The daily further said that the uprising came after 2 media activists were killed in regions that are under Tahrir al-Sham's control, enraging the local population who took to the streets to show protest at assassination, blackmail, kidnapping and insecurity in the province.


Syrian Special Forces Thwart Militants Raid In Lattakia, Inflict Serious Casualties [Pics]

The Syrian special forces stationed in the northeastern countryside of Lattakia province managed to foil heavy militant swift-assault, leaving dozens of them dead and wounded.

Military source told Muraselon that “The Army units were capable to kill several forging terrorists belong to the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), after they attempted to infiltrate the Syrian Army points near Job Ahmar area.”

The source provided Muraselon with some images of the “Mujahedeen”dead bodies.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067403698823925761

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067395360660905989

Everyday, the Syrian army units are thwarting infiltration attempts by terrorist groups towards the army positions in the demilitarized zone between the villages of Hama, Lattakia and Idlib.

Worth-mention that several extremist groups are operating in the northern countryside of Hama and Lattakia as “Jaish Al-Izzah”, “Hayyat Tahrir Al-Sham; Al-Qaeda branch in Syria” and “Hurras Al-Deen”.

 

[youlik]

Забавная статейка.

В США обвинили российские СМИ в том, что они говорят правду
28.11.2018 - 2:30
------
Значит российская пропаганда в лице RT говорит правду, при этом они, являясь оппонентами российской пропаганды, являются и всегда были светлой стороной. То есть другими словами они- светлая сторона, оппонируют темной стороне, которая говорит правду. Мне интересно, они сами себя слышат?!

Translation
A fun little article.

The US has accused the Russian media that they are telling the truth
28.11.2018-2: 30

Spoiler

Former Deputy head of the us Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Suzanne Spaulding accused the Russian media of telling the truth, not to make Americans better, but to weaken them.

"We need to raise public awareness. I think it's necessary that high-ranking people explain how our opponents use information wars, sometimes with the help of IT tools, to weaken us. Sometimes they do not even need to invent anything, they use truthful information, and repeat it in an obviously one — sided way," she said during the discussion in the CSIS on global security.

In particular, she recalled in this regard, the weekly program RT "American lawyer" (American Lawyer), where the red thread is that "the American judicial system is corrupt and destroyed." It blurts out of the mouths of politicians and experts, added Spaulding.

"They confirm the truth of this statement with their programs. I don't think anything is a lie. But this is an unjustifiably one-sided view. So, the message we need to convey is that you can agree with what you are told in this propaganda. But this propaganda isn't there to answer your questions. Russia is not on anyone's side. She's on her side And her ambition is not to make us better or to raise our problems, to solve them. Not to help solve our problems with emigration, but to make us weaker, " she said during the discussion.

On Tuesday in Washington, the CSIS center held a discussion on global security with the participation of retired American officials and experts. For example, it was attended by the former Deputy head of the us cyber command Admiral Michael Rogers, who noted that at the moment the US is in the "gray zone" of military action, when it is difficult to determine both the enemy and the ways to deal with it.

Experts also identified two main opponents of the United States-China and Russia (rarely mentioned North Korea and Iran), who are just fighting in this "gray zone". However, the United States can not afford to fight with the help of taboo methods, so you need to pull opponents on this bright side. According to the version, senior Vice President of CSIS Heather Conley, "the US has always been on the bright side" and "this is our strength."

В США обвинили российские СМИ в том, что они говорят правду

So Russian propaganda in the face of RT tells the truth, while they, being opponents of Russian propaganda, are and have always been a bright side. That is, in other words, they are the light side, they oppose the dark side, which tells the truth. I wonder if they can hear themselves?!

 

[sToRmR1dR]

11th round of Astana meeting on settling crisis in Syria kicks off

The 11th round of Astana meeting on settling crisis in Syria on Wednesday started activities at the Kazakh capital with the participation of the Syrian Arab Republic’s delegation headed by Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, and other delegations.

Director of Asia and Africa Department at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Heydar Beck Tomatov said in a press statement that all the invitees to the 11th round of Astana meeting arrived in the Kazakh capital.

Tomatov noted that a delegation from the UN, headed by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura arrived in Astana to participate in the meeting as an observer.

He added that representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) and of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will also participate in the meeting.

The delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic started its meetings in the first day of launching Astana meeting by holding a meeting with Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.

The Syrian delegation also held another meeting with the Russian delegation, headed by Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev as the two sides held consultations on means to guarantee the success of Astana meeting.

Today, many bilateral and trilateral meetings will be held among the parties participating in Astana meeting while the general session will be held on Thursday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Syrian Arab Republic delegation, headed by Dr. al-Jaafari, met the Iranian delegation headed by Senior Assistant to Iranian Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Hussein Jabri Ansari.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the consultation and coordination on topics to be discussed by the current Astana meeting.


Russia confident IS will be destroyed east of Euphrates — envoy

Russia is confident in the success of the actions of the Syrian government army to destroy the remaining groups of Islamic State (IS, a terror organization, outlawed in Russia) east of the Euphrates, Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentyev said on Wednesday at the beginning of the meeting with the delegation of the Syrian government at negotiations in Astana.

"The latest information is very good: the government army crushed the remaining IS groups in some Syrian regions, including Al-Suwayda," he said. "We are absolutely confident that the operation to destroy the remaining groups of Islamic State in areas east of the Euphrates and on the Syrian-Iraqi border will develop positively as well."

Lavrentyev noted that the situation in Syria is generally improving.

"Many things have happened since our previous meeting, and there are issues to discuss," he said. "As we can see, the situation in Syria is gradually improving, and [there is] a tendency for stabilization."

Syria’s territory east of the Euphrates is being controlled by the armed groups, firstly the Kurdish ones that are receiving military support from the US. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that Washington actually started creating a quasi-public entity there. The US’ presence has so far impeded the actions of the Syrian army against the terrorist groups in the area.

Negotiations in Astana

The negotiations day at the international meeting on Syria in Astana started with a meeting of the Russian delegation with Syria’s government representatives. Lavrentyev confirmed to the journalists ahead of the meeting that during the next two days the consultations will focus on the situation in Idlib and the establishment of the constitutional committee.

The meeting continued as closed after a statement of the Russian special presidential representative. Head of the Damascus delegation and Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar Jaafari did not make any response comments in the presence of the media.


'US protects Turkey from ISIS in Syria?'

US Boosts Presence in NE Syria As Turkey Says No Daesh in Country

The US-led coalition and its partners will continue fighting Daesh in both Iraq and Syria and degrade their capabilities, a Pentagon spokesman said.

The US military is setting up a number of observation posts in Northeast Syria in an effort to prevent the remnants of Daesh forces in the central Euphrates River valley from making their way into Turkey, CDN news portal reported on Tuesday, citing the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve.

‘These observation posts will provide additional transparency and will better enable Turkey’s protection from ISIS [Daesh] elements’, Army Colonel Sean Ryan said, speaking via teleconference from Baghdad.

He added that the US-led coalition and its partners would continue fighting the terrorists in both Iraq and Syria and degrade their capabilities.

Ryan also said that the US and Turkish forces are on the ground near Syria’s Manbij denying terrorists access to the area.

‘This stability is the direct result of the focus of our NATO ally Turkey and through cooperation with local officials from Manbij’, he noted, adding that Daesh remnants were fortifying their positions and digging in for a protracted fight.


Intense clashes breakout in southern Aleppo amid rising tensions

A fierce battle broke out between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham in the southern countryside of Aleppo this evening, a military source told Al-Masdar.

According to the military source, the clashes broke out near the strategic town of Khan Touman, which is located along the Aleppo-Idlib Highway (M-5 Highway).

The military source said that the cause of the hostilities was an attack by the jihadist rebels; however, the latter has also accused the Syrian military of starting the clashes.

Tensions have been recently rising in southern Aleppo after the Syrian Army accused the jihadist rebels of launching a chemical weapons attack in the western part of the provincial capital.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin, Erdogan discuss situation in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed in a phone conversation with Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan the situation in Syria.

The Kremlin said in a statement on Wednesday that “It has been agreed to beef up joint efforts aimed at the implementation of a memorandum on stabilizing the situation in Idlib, signed in Sochi on September 17, including the fight against terror groups.”

The two sides also emphasized the importance of the work of the guarantor countries of the Astana process in enhancing the inter –Syrian dialogue.


Lavrov calls on international community to accelerate finding political solution to crisis in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated his country’s call on the international community to contribute to accelerating a political solution to the crisis in Syria and facilitating the return of the displaced Syrians to their country.

Lavrov’s remarks came during a press conference with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis in Geneva on Wednesday.

“We informed our partners in Switzerland on the Russian efforts with other guarantor states (Iran and Turkey) in the framework of Astana process with the aim of finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria through developing dialogue among various Syrian parties,” said Lavrov.

Lavrov indicated that “a new round of Astana talks began today and it will last for two days”, hoping that this round will achieve further advance in terms of the political settlement in Syria.

Lavrov called on the international community to provide further support for accelerating the return of the displaced Syrians to their home country following the necessary conditions adopted by the Syrian government to facilitate their return.


More time needed to set up demilitarized zone in Syrian Idlib, says Russian envoy

Additional time is needed to create a demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib province, Russian Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told reporters on Wednesday.

"All parties have confirmed unconditional commitment to the achieved agreements, including between the presidents of Russia and Turkey," he said. "Additional time is needed to set up a demilitarized zone, but the process is underway, although the number of ceasefire violations has increased somewhat over the recent time," Lavrentyev said.


Russian MoD: Daesh Plans to Use Chemical Weapons Against US-Backed Kurdish Units

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, militants of the Daesh terrorist groups were planning an attack on the Kurdish troops Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in order to provoke an airstrike by the US-led coalition against the Syrian Arab Army in the region.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated that 11 terrorists, who had been trained in other countries, were filling the shells with toxic agents.

'The manufactured chemical munitions are intended for firing on positions of the Kurdish SDF, which are conducting, with the support of the United States, military operations against terrorists in the area of the settlement of Hajin in Deir ez-Zor province’, the statement read.

More than 70 are countries included in the coalition and have been conducting military operations against terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq since September 2014. The campaign in Syria, however, has not been authorized by Damascus or the UN Security Council. The Syrian government has also accused the coalition of targeting civilians in Deir ez-Zor and using white phosphorus,which is banned by the UN.


Syrian air defense shoots down armed drone near Russian base

Minutes ago, the Syrian air defense forces shot down an armed drone that was flying towards the Russian Hmeimim Airbase in southwest Latakia.

According to a military source in Latakia, the Syrian air defense sounded their alarms after an armed drone was seen flying over the coastal province.

The military source said the drone originated from the Jisr Al-Shughour countryside in Idlib; this area is located in the southwestern part of the province.

Today’s attempted attack by the jihadist rebels marks the first time since September that these militants have targeted the Latakia coast.

No further details have been released at this time.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian reconnaissance planes hover jihadist positions in Idlib

The Russian Air Force has conducted several flights over the Idlib Governorate, tonight, following an attempted drone attack by the jihadist rebels.

Russian IL-20 reconnaissance planes were seen hovering over the Idlib-Latakia axis and circling the jihadist stronghold of Jisr Al-Shughour, a military source told Al-Masdar News this evening.

The source said that the Syrian Air Force also conducted several flights over the Idlib Governorate, but they avoided launching any airstrikes against the enemy troops.

On Wednesday, the jihadist rebels attempted their first drone attack on the Hmeimim Airport since the Sochi agreement on September 17th.

While the jihadist attack drone did manage to reach the southwestern countryside of Latakia, it was eventually shot down by the Syrian air defense.


Developing: Israeli warplanes stalk Lebanese-Syrian border

For the third-day in row, the Israeli Air Force has conducted flights along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

According to a military source in Damascus, the Syrian military has been watching the situation along the border closely, as Israeli warplanes were spotted near the Syria’s border with Lebanon’s Beqa’a Governorate.

The source added that the Israeli warplanes entered Lebanon’s Nabatieh Governorate in the south before making their way towards the Beqa’a Valley near the Syrian border.

The Israeli warplanes did not enter Syrian territory after stalking the border for several minutes this evening.

In the past, the Israeli Air Force has struck Syria’s Damascus and Homs governorates from eastern Lebanon; if they were strike these provinces again, they would take this flight path.


Militants attack Syrian troops in Latakia province, kill four servicemen

Militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, banned in Russia) attacked the Syrian government troops’ positions in the Latakia province, killing four servicemen, head of the Russian Center for reconciliation of the conflicting sides Lieutenant General Sergei Solomatin said on Wednesday, adding that the attackers had been eliminated.

"An intelligence unit of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group attacked the Syrian Army’s positions near the Jubb al-Ahmar settlement in the Latakia province. Four Syrian servicemen were killed in the attack, but Syrian troops eliminated the attackers," Solomatin said.

Over the past 24 hours, the Jubb ez-Zarur settlement in the Latakia province was shelled twice. Militants also shelled the northern and northwestern parts of the Aleppo city.

Meanwhile, Russian experts and Aleppo's deputy governor specified ways to bring refugees to the Abu al-Duhur checkpoint, provide them with accommodation and medical assistance. The parties also agreed on a list of settlements where humanitarian and charity missions will be carried out, as well as on a list of infrastructure facilities in the Aleppo province that will be reconstructed, Solomatin added.


Syrian Army unleashes massive retaliatory attack in northern Latakia

Minutes ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a massive assault in the northern countryside of the Latakia Governorate, a military source told Al-Masdar News.

According to the military source, the Syrian Arab Army unleashed a barrage of surface-to-surface missiles and artillery shells towards the jihadist rebel positions in the Turkmen Mountain region of Latakia.

The Syrian Army’s assault comes in response to the attempted jihadist drone attack on the Russian Hmeimim Military Airport in the southwestern countryside of the Latakia Governorate.

While the Syrian air defense was able to repel this drone attack, the attempted bombing by the jihadist rebels was a violation of the Sochi agreement that was established on September 17th.


Jihadist rebels strike Aleppo city for first time since chemical weapons attack

The jihadist rebels launched a fresh attack on Aleppo city, tonight, targeting the western districts of the provincial capital.

According to a military source in the provincial capital, the jihadist rebels fired at least two mortar shells towards the New Aleppo District, causing minimal material damage to a building in the area.

No casualties were reported as a result of this new jihadist attack on the provincial capital of Aleppo.

These strikes by the jihadist rebels mark the first time that the have targeted Aleppo city since they were accused of carrying out a chemical weapons attack in the provincial capital.


Fierce clashes breakout in Aleppo after jihadists attack city

Intense clashes broke out in western Aleppo this evening after the jihadist rebels attacked the provincial capital.

According to reports from Aleppo city, the jihadist rebels launched several artillery shells towards the western districts of the provincial capital; this resulted in a number a of explosions.

The Syrian Arab Army responded to this attack by launching a barrage of surface-to-surface missiles towards the jihadist rebel positions in the Rashideen 4 suburb in southwest Aleppo.

Tonight’s attack by the jihadist rebels mark the first time they struck Aleppo city since the Syrian government accused them of using chemical weapons in the western part of the provincial capital.


Russia ready to take part in fight against Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria — envoy

Moscow is ready to participate in the fight against the Jabhat al-Nusra terror group (outlawed in Russia) in Syria, Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said at a press conference on Wednesday, adding that Moscow was still hopeful that the Syrian opposition would manage to accomplish the task itself.

According to Lavrentyev, over 15,000 Jabhat al-Nusra militants remain in the Idlib area. "We very much hope that the moderate opposition’s armed units will manage to resolve the situation in this troubled area and establish order themselves. If needed, we are ready to provide all possible help, including the assistance of the Syrian government forces," the Russian presidential envoy added.

He went on to say that the situation on the ground, particularly in the Idlib area, had been discussed at the Wednesday consultations. "We note a general improvement in the situation in areas controlled by the Syrian government. The situation is getting better in various regions, including southern Syria, the Syrian-Iraqi border and other areas," the envoy said.

Lavrentyev stressed that areas where some units of the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) were still active, were being gradually liberated. "Everyone acknowledged today that the fight against them - these gangs and Jabhat al-Nusra - will continue until they are eliminated," he said.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Al-Jaafari: Turkish regime has not respected obligations falling under Sochi Agreement

Head of the Syrian Arab Republic’s delegation to Astana’s 11th meeting Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari said that the Turkish regime’s non commitment to the Sochi Agreement on Idleb encouraged the terrorist organizations to continue targeting civilians in Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia, stressing that if the agreement is not implemented through policy, it will be implemented by others methods.

During a press conference at the conclusion of Astana’s 11th meeting on Syria Thursday, al-Jaafari said that ” the final statement issued at Astana’s 11th meeting is balanced and reflects the complexities of the political scene,” adding that many of important points were discussed over the past two days .”The focus was mainly for us and other delegations, especially the Russian and Iranian guarantor states , as well as the Kazakh side on the deterioration of the situation in Idleb with the Turkish regime’s non respect for obligations falling under the Sochi Agreement.”

Al-Jaafari said that non- commitment of the Turkish regime in implementing Astana understandings regarding de-escalation zone in Idleb and as the Sochi agreement stipulates, with the Turkish authorities guaranteeing the withdrawal of terrorist groups from a belt extending at 15 to 20 deep to the west, which has not been implemented. “That enabled the terrorist organizations to target Aleppo city with shells containing chemical substances more than once a time in an indication that there is a decision to escalate terrorism by those who support the terrorist organizations positioned in Idleb, especially Jabhat al-Nusra and Daesh (ISIS) and their affiliated groups.”

The Senior Diplomat said that the Turkish regime is the first suspect in the facilitation, procession and use of chemical weapons by terrorists in Idleb against the civilians in Aleppo, which constitutes a grave escalation that contradicts Sochi Agreement.

Al-Jaafari emphasized that continuation of combating terrorism in Idleb by the Syrian state, in cooperation with the allies, is open as Syria will not be patient anymore and there is a limited time for the Turkish authorities to implement Sochi Agreement and make the terrorists retreat to a depth of 20 km to the west.

Al-Jaafari clarified that the Turkish troops, which have entered illegitimately the Syrian territories in north-west Syria, are changing the features of the areas they are spread in through attempts to give the Turkish identity to areas they are occupying where they have changed the name of a Syrian town called “Qastal Mikdad” to Saljouq Aubasi, in addition to imposing the Turkish currency (Lira) instead of the Syrian pound as well as raising the Turkish flag over these areas and changing schools’ curriculum.

Al-Jaafari wondered whether the terrorist organizations in Idleb including foreign mercenary terrorists- supported and protected by Turkish regime- can be described as Syrian opposition.

Is “the Turkistan Islamic Party” a moderate Syrian opposition or is it non-moderate? … What about ‘Hurras al-Din’ organization, which declared allegiance to Zawahiri in Afghanistan i.e. Al-Qaeda terrorist organization? All of these foreign terrorists are in Idleb under protection of the Turkish authorities,” al-Jaafari elaborated.

Al-Jaafari stressed on the necessity that all the foreign troops whose presence in Syria is illegitimate withdraw, including the US troops positioned in al-Tanf area and al-Rukban Camp and other areas in northeast of the country, the Turkish forces positioned in many areas and the British and the French forces whose presence in the country is less.

“What has been said should be part of the international political discourse of the UN and the other countries keen on implementing the UNSC resolutions in terms of ending up the crisis in Syria.

“There is a clear discrepancy in the stances taken by the US, France and Britain, which have already agreed on the UN Security Council resolutions on being committed to Syria’s sovereignty; meanwhile these countries have been deploying their troops in Syria. This confirms a flagrant failing in behaviors of these states and in their political orientations in Syria,”

Answering a question about impeding the return of the displaced Syrians , al-Jaafari said that these issues have always been discussed with Russian and Iranian guarantor states and with the UN.

“We have raised this issue strongly during the recent round of talks in Astana and affirmed the western claims cannot be reconciled to ending the crisis in Syria with the ongoing Western pressures on the non-return of the displaced Syrians home, using weak pretexts.”

If the western countries want to help Syria actually and provide help to the countries hosting the displaced , they should lift the economic measures on the country so that the displaced can return home and resume their normal life,” he concluded.


Syria blames Turkey for chemical weapons attack on Aleppo

Aleppo was shelled by chemical projectiles with the support of foreign forces, primarily Turkey, Head of the Syrian delegation at the Astana talks, Syria’s Permanent Representative at the UN Bashar Jaafari said on Thursday.

"Terror groups couldn't have used chemical weapons, unless they had been given the green light by those who control these organizations," he emphasized.

"We know who supplied the chemical weapons to them," Jaafari said. "We mean the Turks, first and foremost," the envoy stressed.


Lavrentiev: Ongoing presence of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in Idleb is unacceptable

Head of Russian delegation to Astana meetings, also Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev said that the ongoing presence of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in Idleb is unacceptable.

Lavrentiev’s remarks came during a press conference held on Thursday at the conclusion of Astana’s 11th meeting on Syria.

“There are over 15,000 Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in Idleb and that is unacceptable,” Lavrentiev said , adding that We repeatedly warned the international community against the large number of the terrorists which have chemical materials and they could use them against the civilians. That has happened in Aleppo recently and we wonder why the Western countries ignored the attack.

Lavrentiev expressed Russia’s readiness to provide all the possible help, including the necessary support to the Syrian Arab Army, to resstablish stability to Idleb province.

the fight against terrorism in Syria is continued until the terrorist organizations are completely eliminated, Lavrentiev emphasize.

He expressed Moscow’s concerns over the illegitimate presence of the US troops in Syria.

Lavrentiev reiterated that Russia demanded Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to send experts to Aleppo to investigate into the terrorist incident of targeting the city with shells containing chemical substances.

The Syrian government has created convenient circumstances for the return of the displaced Syrians home as the number of the displaced who are willing to return home is increasing, demanding the Western countries, especially the US not to politicize the issues of reconstruction in Syria and the entrance of humanitarian assistance to it.


Syrian Army attacks rebel base in northern Hama

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a fresh attack on a a Free Syrian Army (FSA) base in the northern countryside of Hama this afternoon.

Using surface-to-surface missiles, the Syrian Arab Army identified and targeted a military base belonging to the Jaysh Al-Izza faction of the Free Syrian Army near the key town of Al-Latamnah.

According to a military source in nearby Mhardeh, the Syrian Arab Army scored several direct hits on this Free Syrian Army base, causing significant damage to this militant installation.

The Syrian Arab Army then spread their attack to the southern countryside of Idlib, where they struck the militant-held posts around the town of Khuwayn, Al-Taman’ah, and Sukeek.

This latest attack by the Syrian Arab Army comes in response to the Jaysh Al-Izza strikes on their positions inside the government stronghold of Mhardeh in northern Hama.


Exclusive: Syrian Army’s 4th Division heads to northern Latakia for new operation

The Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Division has received orders to redeploy to the northern countryside of the Latakia Governorate after a short deployment in southern Syria.

Led by the 42nd Brigade (Ghiath Forces), the 4th Armored Division will begin a new operation in the Latakia Governorate that will target the areas controlled by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP).

In particular, the 4th Division will target the strategic mountaintop town of Kabbani, which is considered one of the last major strongholds under the control of the jihadist rebels in northern Latakia.

The Syrian Army has attempted to capture Kabbani on a number of occasions in the past; however, each attack has been costly and repelled by the jihadist rebels.

Furthermore, the Syrian Arab Army wants to retake the last areas still controlled by the jihadist rebels in the Jabal Turkmen and Jabal Al-Akrad regions of northern Latakia.

If they are successful in this military endeavor, the Syrian Arab Army will overlook the entire Al-Ghaab Plain from its western axis.

Furthermore, they would have axis to the jihadist stronghold of Jisr Al-Shughour, which is the source of most of the militant drone attacks on the Latakia province.

 

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Militants Deliver 60 Canisters With Highly-Toxic Agent to Idlib - Russian MoD

 

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Developing: Israeli warplanes stalk Lebanese-Syrian border

For the third-day in row, the Israeli Air Force has conducted flights along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

According to a military source in Damascus, the Syrian military has been watching the situation along the border closely, as Israeli warplanes were spotted near the Syria’s border with Lebanon’s Beqa’a Governorate.

The source added that the Israeli warplanes entered Lebanon’s Nabatieh Governorate in the south before making their way towards the Beqa’a Valley near the Syrian border.

Syrian security sources told Sputnik that an Israeli combat airplane was downed together with 4 missiles:

Syrian Air Defences Down 'Hostile Targets' Over Country's South - Reports

Ria Novosti says the same:

Syrian air defense downs several 'enemy targets' in southern Syria – reports

Israel is denying it, of course.