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ISIS update 10/30\2015.. ‘All relevant actors’ gather in Vienna
Syria conflict: Current Events
Russia: Warplanes hit record 118 terrorist targets in Syria in one day
Deserted streets, ravaged by fighting: this Syrian ghost town
At least 40 killed in missile attack on Syrian town – monitor
Syrian Army Eyes the Ancient City of Palmyra: Ground Operations to Begin Soon
It has been almost two months since the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have advanced towards the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) in the vast desert landscape of east Homs; and since then, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) has managed to recapture several points around the city and turn the Qatari Villa into a permanent military base.
However, this is expected to change in the coming weeks, as the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command has ordered the soldiers stationed in east Homs to restart ground operations.
The last time around, the Syrian Arab Army’s 67th Brigade of the 18th Tank Division – in coordination with the Tiger Forces, Hezbollah, Liwaa Suqour Al-Sahra (Desert Hawks Brigade) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) – recaptured several sites in the Palmyra countryside, including the imperative hilltop of Tal Syriatel that overlooks the west district of Palmyra.
Unfortunately, the Syrian Armed Forces have since lost the hilltop at Tal Syriatel, the Palmyra Diving School, and the eastern groves of Al-Bayarat; this leaves them about 10km away from the Qassoun Mountains that overlook Palmyra’s west district.
The Syrian Armed Forces have a special weapon this time – the Russian Air Force is expected to lead the charge to Palmyra, giving the Syrian Arab Army’s infantry units a substantial boost against the sporadic ISIS forces that move freely through this desert terrain.
Another factor the Syrian Armed Forces have on their side is the weather: the summer months proved very difficult to maneuver in the desert, as the temperature greatly exceeded 35 degrees (Celsius) on a number of occasions; thus, requiring the Syrian Arab Army’s infantry units to fight not only ISIS, but also, the scorching desert heat.
Should the Syrian Armed Forces recapture Palmyra, they will be in position to strike the integral city of Sukhaneh that is situated along the main road that leads to the Deir Ezzor Governorate’s province capital.
Exclusive: Syrian army foils Daesh attack on town near Aleppo
Russia slapped with horrible accusation of civilian killings in Syria. Proof? Not yet
Kirby – Any evidence Russia bombed hospitals in Syria? 29 Oct 2015
Syria: 1 month after Russia began airstrikes, take a look back at Moscow intervention
U.S. Stopped Syria Air Strikes While Nusra And IS Prepared Attack On Government Supply Route
During the last days a large attack on the Syrian government supply line to Aleppo city was carried out by Jabhat al-Nusra (aka al-Qaeda in Syria) and the Islamic State seemingly in coordination with the U.S. military.
During September the U.S. anti-IS coalition carried out an average of 4.2 airstrikes on IS in predominately east Syria. This after an average of 6.8 per day in August. The rate in October was about the same as in September until Thursday October 22. Then, according to the U.S. Military Times, the strike rate decreased markedly:…………..
…………The operations room in Damascus was not too unhappy with the situation even though the road was still cut. The thought was that having IS and Nusra fighters concentrated in an otherwise wide open rural area would help to eliminate them. On the 26th and 27the Russian and Syrian air forces flew some 90 attacks within 24 hours against the enemy held parts of the road.
These attacks cleared the IS held parts of the road but the Islamic State concentrated more forces on another part of the road further north and on October 27 it suicide-bombed another government checkpoint and again blocked the road. Additional support from Hizbullah arrived during the next days and the road is now mostly cleared though still endangered.
The closed supply route led to hardship for the nearly two million people in the government held parts of Aleppo as prices for produce and gasoline exploded.
The operations room in Damascus where Syria, Iran, Russia and Hizbullah coordinate the intelligence and operations in Syria suspects that the attack on the supply corridor was coordinated at a higher level than just between Nusra and the Islamic State.
The total cessation of U.S. air attacks on east Syria allowed the Islamic State to move hundreds of fighters and heavy equipment like tanks and cannons from its stronghold in Raqqa city to the west of Syria. At the same time Jabhat al-Nusra brought hundreds of fighters from other fronts south-eastward for its part of the attack. It is difficult to believe that these were just unrelated coincidences.
ISIS increases capabilities in Aleppo province. Reasons & Conditions
……….However, the question arises as to why and how the Islamic State had got the ability to concentrate sizable fresh and well-armed forces in Aleppo province. The answer can be obtained from a brief analysis of the US actions in Syria and Iraq over the past 10 days.
It is already clear that the US commanders are sabotaging the advance of the Kurds in Raqqa.
The intensity of the pro-US coalition air force combat missions has been reduced substantially (by an order of magnitude).
Until now the U.S. regional command has not deployed its FAC ( forward air controller) teams and commandos into Kurds forward combat forces and with the Iraqi army. The number of the US military advisers is bitterly inadequate and, for all intents and purposes, their mission largely consists of containing Kurdish forces activity and playing political games.
Last week, information appeared about the growing number of cases of US-supplied weapons and ammunition being seized by the ISIS.
These factors combined with the complete lack of the Kurdish and Iraqi forces initiative in Anbar province allows the Islamic State to maneuver freely, transferring reinforcements from Iraq to Syria.
Today, Syria is the main strategically important front. ISIS’ existence directly depends on it. If smuggled oil exports through Syria to Turkey stop, ISIS will lose the foundation of combat potential, in both human and material terms.
According to independent military experts, the current United States course aims at containing Syrian government forces successes at any price. Pentagon believes that the failure of the Syrian army can trigger the transfer to Syria Russian land forces and the beginning of a protracted and costly ground operation.
‘All relevant actors’ gather in Vienna for decisive Syria talks
US: Vienna talks represent best hope available to resolution to Syria crisis
International talks on Syria underway in Vienna
Syria: Riyadh not qualified to play productive role in resolving Syrian crisis
Iran calls for Syria national unity
Putin Makes Obama an Offer He Can’t Refuse
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43281.htm
Why is John Kerry so eager to convene an emergency summit on Syria now when the war has been dragging on for four and a half years?
Is he worried that Russia’s air campaign is wiping out too many US-backed jihadis and sabotaging Washington’s plan to topple Syrian President Bashar al Assad?
You bet, he is. No one who’s been following events in Syria for the last three weeks should have any doubt about what’s really going on. Russia has been methodically wiping out Washington’s mercenaries on the ground while recapturing large swathes of land that had been lost to the terrorists. That, in turn, has strengthened Assad’s position in Damascus and left the administration’s policy in tatters. And that’s why Kerry wants another meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pronto even though the two diplomats met less than a week ago. The Secretary of State is hoping to cobble together some kind of makeshift deal that will stop the killing and salvage what’s left of Uncle Sam’s threadbare Syrian project.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Iran had been invited to the confab which will be held in Vienna on Thursday. The announcement is bound to be ferociously criticized on Capital Hill, but it just shows to what extent Russia is currently setting the agenda. It was Lavrov who insisted that Iran be invited, and it was Kerry who reluctantly capitulated. Moscow is now in the drivers seat.
And don’t be surprised if the summit produces some pretty shocking results too, like a dramatic 180 on Washington’s “Assad must go” demand. As Putin has pointed out many times before, Assad’s not going anywhere. He’s going to be a part of Syria’s “transitional governing body” when the Obama team finally agrees to the Geneva Communique which is the political track that will eventually end the fighting, restore security, and allow millions of refugees to return to their homes.
The reason the administration is going to agree to allow Assad to stay, is because if they don’t, the Russian Airforce is going to continue to blow US-backed mercenaries to smithereens. So, you see, Obama really has no choice in the matter. Putin has put a gun to his head and made him an offer he can’t refuse.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii Democrat: Why does the US have the same goal as ISIS, to overthrow Assad?
Russian TV: Exclusive footage of US military aid sent to ISIS and “moderate” terrorists in Syria
Daesh Rakes in $50 Million a month from illegal black gold trade
‘To advise and assist’: US to deploy special forces in Syria to fight against ISIS
U.S. Special Operations Forces To Invade Syria: Official
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43291.htm
The U.S. will send a small number of U.S. special operations forces into Syria as part of a shift in its strategy against ISIS, officials said Friday.
A senior administration official confirmed that President Barack Obama has authorized a contingent of less than 50 special operations forces to deploy into northern Syria.
“We have been focused on intensifying elements of our strategy that have been working, while also moving away from elements of our approach that have proven less effective,” the official explained.
The White House was expected to announce the decision later Friday.
The move will be described as a “shift” but not a “change” in U.S. strategy against ISIS, another senior U.S. official told NBC News.
The official said the special operations forces will be stationed in northern Syria and work alongside groups with a “proven track record” of fighting ISIS.
That could include working with Kurdish and allied actors who have come together under the umbrella of the “Syrian Democratic Forces,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement was not yet public.
Rep. Mac Thornberry, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said the expected announcement made clear the White House was feeling the pressure of a “failed policy” against ISIS.
“I’m concerned that the administration is trying to put in place limited measures — too late — that are not going to make a difference,” he told NBC News. “I don’t see a strategy towards accomplishing a goal, I see an effort to run out the clock without disaster.”
Obama and his administration have come under mounting pressure amid signs the anti-ISIS coalition has stalled or at least failed to turn the tide against the militants — including the recent Pentagon decision to abandon a failed program to train and equip Syrian rebels.
Small signs of a sea change in strategy have been filtering out in recent weeks and gained steam in wake of a U.S.-backed raid to free ISIS hostages that cost the life of a Delta Force commando.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter warned earlier this week that to expect more such raids when he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Pentagon would be stepping up attacks against ISIS — including through “direct action on the ground” in Iraq and Syria.
Carter’s remarks — in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee — immediately raised eyebrows given repeated assurances from President Barack Obama that U.S. troops in the region would not engage in combat.
RUSSIA WARNS AGAINST NEW US TROOPS IN SYRIA
Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Continues Offensives in Key Provinces
The Syrian army backed by Hezbollah fighters and the Russian air force destroyed terrorists’ positions and inflicted heavy casualties on different militant groups in Homs, Deir Ezzur, Hama, Sweida, Quneitra, Daraa and Damascus over past 24 hours.
Dozens of terrorists were killed and many more were wounded in the Syrian army’s military operations across Syria on Thursday.
Homs
The Syrian army, backed by the country’s fighter jets and Russian warplanes, launched large-scale offensive on the Takfiri militants’ positions in Homs province, forcing hundreds of terrorists to flee.
Hundreds of Takfiri terrorists fled their positions in Homs province as the Syrian army, backed by airstrikes, staged a large-scale offensive on the positions of the militants, sources said.
Syrian army troops liberated the Eastern part of the towns of Jawalek and Sinaysil in Homs province from the control of the Takfiri militants, and inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists, reports said.
The Syrian army, backed by the National Defense Forces, retook full control over the Eastern part of the towns of Jawalek and Sinaysil in Homs, killing scores of terrorists and destroying their weapons and vehicles.
Deir Ezzur
The Syrian army once again repelled the terrorists’ large-scale attack on Deir Ezzur military airport on Thursday, leaving dozens of the Takfiris dead.
The Syrian army, backed by the National Defense Forces, thwarted the terrorists’ attack on Deir Ezzur military airport, and killed scores of militants, sources said.
Hama
The Syrian army killed dozens of terrorists in military operations in Hama province, informed sources said.
The Syrian army targeted militants’ positions in Kafr Zita town in Hama, killing tens of terrorist.
Sweida
The Syrian army continued its military operations against the foreign-backed Takfiri militants in the province of Sweida, killing dozens of highly trained militants, reports said.
The Syrian army and popular defense forces targeted ISIL position in Khirbet Saad in the Northeastern countryside of Sweida, killing scores of the Takfiri terrorists and destroying a number of their vehicles which was equipped with machine guns.
Quneitra
The Syrian army clashed with terrorists from al-Nusra Front who infiltrated into areas in the Southern province of Quneitra.
The army, backed by the popular defense groups, confronted al-Nusra terrorists who infiltrated into the vicinity of al-Baath city, Khan Arnaba town, Dahret al-Kassara and Tal Ahmar in Quneitra, and killed a group of the militants.
The other terrorists were forced to flee to the villages of al-Hamidiyeh, Ofania and Jabata al-Khashab, leaving their weapons behind.
Meanwhile, the army destroyed a terrorists’ vehicle on al-Hamidyeh-al-Hurriyeh road, killing all the terrorists on board.
Daraa
The Syrian army killed and injured a large group of the foreign-backed Takfiri militants in Daraa province in what first seemed to be contained clashes, but later revealed to be a wide-scale operation, reports said.
The army targeted a terrorists’ position to the South of Khirbet Ghazala town, 20 km to the North of Daraa City, killing and injuring a group of terrorists and destroying a vehicle equipped with a heavy machinegun on Wednesday night, sources revealed.
The Syrian forces also killed and injured all members of a terrorist group, and destroyed their arms and ammunition in a military operation in Atman town in the Northern countryside of Daraa.
Several positions of al-Nusra Front terrorists in Daraa al-Balad neighborhood in the city of Daraa were also destroyed.
The Syrian army also killed scores of militants in Manshiya neighborhood in Daraa. Terrorists’ weapons and vehicles were also destroyed in the battle.
Damascus
The Syrian fighter jets conducted airstrikes on positions of Jaish al-Islam terrorists in Damascus countryside, killing a large group of the militants, reports said.
The air raids hit the terrorists’ positions in Douma in Damascus countryside, killing a large number of militants, informed sources said.
Military Expert: 35 Percent of Militants Killed, Wounded or Gone from Syria
URGENT: Russian Fighter Jets Hit Militants’ Positions in Golan Heights Again
200 Chechen Militants Killed by ISIL after Fleeing War in Raqqa
Syrian Forces Kill Tens of Nusra Terrorists in Aleppo City Clashes
Russian Anti-Carrier Plane Reportedly Buzzes USS Ronald Reagan
EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of Militants Killed as Syrian Army, Hezbollah Advance in Aleppo’s Khan Touman
Syrian Army, Hezbollah Advancing against Militants near Khan Touma
Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2015/10/isis-update-10302015-all-relevant.html
