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Syria War: Events on November 1st
Syrian Army retakes 8 Aleppo villages from militants in 24 hours
Syria – Syrian army launches a missile on a tunnel east of Khan al-Sheikh in Damascus
Syrian army operations taking place in Southern, Eastern countryside of Aleppo
Su-34 performed strike against a plant, which produced explosive devices in Aleppo province
Hezbollah rocket hits islamist militiants position in Khan Shih/western Ghota
Russian airstrike against hangar with 10 cars fitted with explosive devices in Eastern Guta
Russian Sukhoi jets set off from Latakia base to target ISIS positions
“Terrorists use kidnapped soldiers, civilians as human shield near Syrian capital”
U.S. Backed Moderate Rebels Put Alawite Women in Cages to Protect Themselves from Airstrikes
In order to deter the Syrian and Russian Air Forces inside the East Ghouta (collection of farms) region of rural Damascus, the U.S. backed moderate rebels from “Jaysh Al-Islam” (Army of Islam) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have placed kidnapped Alawite women in cages to protect themselves from airstrikes.
The U.S. backed Syrian Opposition’s social media activists posted the photos of the six kidnapped Alawite women on Twitter, adding their extra commentary that included sectarian insults to degrade the helpless women and taunt the Syrian President Dr. Bashar Al-Assad.
This is not the first time that the U.S. backed moderate rebels have used the Syrian people as human shields in order to deter airstrikes; however, this blatant disregard for human life has contradicted their alleged ethos to protect the Syrian people and put an end to the government of Dr. Bashar Al-Assad.
The six women were not identified by the U.S. backed moderate rebels, but they were described by the aforementioned Islamists as Alawites, per their sectarian insults they directed towards the kidnapped civilians.
Last month, the U.S. backed moderate rebels posted pictures that displayed their fighters posing with the mutilated heads of deceased Syrian soldiers; these pictures were followed with multiple videos from the Islamists that contained death threats to the Alawite Muslims of Syria.
Ayatollah Khamenei says Syria crisis can be resolved through elections only
Iran Leader: Iran opposes partition of regional countries including Iraq
Iraq Turns On America: “Iraqi People Have Started To Feel That The US Isn’t Serious About Fighting ISIS”
If you frequent these pages, you’re well aware of why the US decided to release helmet cam footage of a raid on an ISIS prison in the northern Iraqi town of Huwija.
Put simply, Baghdad has had just about enough of Washington’s “strategy” for fighting terror in the country and when PM Haider al-Abadi said he would welcome Russian airstrikes, the US panicked. Rather than try to recount the story by paraphrasing ourselves, we’ll simply include our most succinct summary of what exactly is going on in Iraq, originally published here:
Perhaps the most astounding thing about recent events in the Mid-East is the extent to which outcomes that seem far-fetched one week become reality the next.
This dynamic began back in June when Iran’s most powerful general vowed to “surprise the world” with his next move in Syria. Just weeks later, he was in Moscow (in violation of a UN travel ban) hatching a plan with Putin to launch an all-out invasion on behalf of Assad on the way to forcibly enacting a dramatic shift in the Mid-East balance of power. Before the West had a chance to react, Moscow was establishing an air base at Latakia.
As all of this unfolded we began to suggest that it would be only a matter of time before Russian airstrikes began in Iraq.
The setup, we contended, was just too perfect. Iran controls both the military and politics in the country and so, we speculated that The Kremlin would get a warm welcome if Putin decided to launch an air campaign against ISIS targets across Syria’s eastern border.
Sure enough, Baghdad moved to establish an intelligence cell with Russia, Syria, and Iran in September and when PM Haider al-Abadi said he would welcome Russian airstrikes, it was clear that the US was about to be booted out of the country it “liberated” more than a decade ago.
Subsequently, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford traveled to Baghdad and gave Abadi an ultimatum: “…it’s either us or the Russians.”
Well, despite Dunford’s contention that Abadi promised not to enlist Moscow’s help, just days later Iraq gave Moscow the green light to strike ISIS convoys fleeing Syria.
A desperate Washington then attempted to prove that the US could still be effective at fighting terrorism by sending 30 Delta Force soldiers into battle with the Peshmerga on a prison raid mission in the Northern Iraqi town of Huwija. Conveniently, one American soldier apparently had a GoPro strapped to his helmet and the footage was almost immediately leaked to Western media.
Washington apparently assumed that the successful raid would be enough to restore the faith because the Pentagon immediately began to formulate a “plan” to send Apache gunships and their crews to Baghdad. In what has to be considered one of the more embarrassing moments in a string of setbacks for America’s Mid-East “strategy,” Baghdad flat out told the US “thanks, but no thanks”:
“This is an Iraqi affair and the government did not ask the U.S. Department of Defense to be involved in direct operations,” spokesman Sa’ad al-Hadithi told NBC News. “We have enough soldiers on the ground.”
The White House kind of brushed that off and moved on to talking about spec ops in Syria, but the implication is that if the US plans on getting more heavily involved in combat operations in Iraq, Washington will have to do so through Erbil, not through Baghdad.
This all comes on the heels of a push by Iraqi forces and Iran-backed militias to retake a key oil refinery at Baiji from Islamic State. That battle underscored the extent to which Tehran essentially controls the Iraqi army (not to mention Iraqi politics).
Consider the following brief excert from The NY Times:
“A spokesman for Shiite militias said that several thousand Shiite militiamen were fighting in and near Baiji, which is more than the estimated number of Iraqi soldiers also fighting there.”
As regular readers know, this is no conspiracy theory. It’s common knowledge among those who study the region that Iran’s militias are more powerful than the Iraqi regulars and the Quds Force essentially controls the political process in Baghdad.
This creates a rather tenuous situation for Washington. The US must maintain a kind of loose alliance with the Shiite militias in Iraq lest the Pentagon should be forced to explain to the public why America doesn’t support groups that are very effectively fighting ISIS. But there are two problems with that: i) it’s not entirely clear that the US wants to rid Iraq and Syria of ISIS and you can bet the IRGC is whispering that in the ears of every Shiite politician in Baghdad, and ii) these very same Shiite militias are fighting the Assad regime at Aleppo where the US is supplying anti-tank weapons to Sunni extremists.
Well, just as the Western public is beginning to realize that something rather fishy is going on in Syria, Iraqis are throwing in the towel on the US “effort” to rid the country of Islamic State fighters. Here’s WSJ with more on how the locals feel in the wake of the assault on the Baiji refinery:
A big victory over Islamic State here provided fresh ammunition for the many Iraqi Shiites who prefer Iran as a battlefield partner over the U.S., despite indications that Washington could soon intensify its battle against the extremist militants.
Shiite militias and politicians backed by Iran have claimed much of the credit for the Iraqi recapture a little over a week ago of the city and oil refinery of Beiji, about 130 miles north of Baghdad. Militia fighters danced and posed for pictures on tanks and armored cars near the bombed-out shell of the massive refinery there, Iraq’s largest.
Powerful Iraqi politicians and militia leaders have cited the yearlong operation to retake the city as evidence that Iraqis can combat Islamic State alone—or with help only of the Iran-backed militias.
Some are now lobbying Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to rely less on the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State and more on the PMF.
“Iraqi people in general, not only us, have started to feel that the Americans are not serious at all about the fight against Islamic State,” said Moeen Al- Kadhimi, a spokesman for the Iran-backed Badr Corps militia. “Every victory that the PMF does without the help of the Americans is a big embarrassment for the Americans.”
Fuerzas iraquíes lanzan cohetes contra posiciones de ISIS en el norte de Baiji★01.11.2015
Syrian Forces Getting Ready to Lift Siege on Kuweires Airbase in Final Phase of Operations
Syrian Forces Push Line of Engagement to Gates of Palmyra
URGENT: Syrian Forces Marching on Militants’ Position across East, Southeast Aleppo
URGENT: Terrorists Confirm Death of 3 Top Commanders in Aleppo
Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Launches Devastating Strikes on Terrorists Across Syria
The Syrian army continued its countrywide operations against the terrorist organizations, and destroyed tens of positions, facilities and command posts of the militant groups in the last 24 hours.
The army units carried out massive military operations in Lattakia, Deir Ezzur, Idlib, Hama, Hasaka, Aleppo and Sweida.
Lattakia
The Syrian Army stormed militants’ positions in the Northern parts of the coastal province of Lattakia and came in control over Ghamam town and its surrounding mountains on Sunday.
Local sources said earlier today that the Syrian Army and popular forces pushed back militants from the Southern parts of Ghamam and entered the region after fierce clashes with the terrorist groups.
Sources said that the Syrian Army’s 103rd Brigade of the Republican Guard, in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Qurdaha, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) and Muqawama Souri (Syrian Resistance), have launched a surprise military operation inside the strategic region of Ghamam in the coastal Lattakia province.
According to the NDF sources inside the town of Slunfeh, the Republican Guard and their allies have entered the Southern axis of Ghamam after intense firefights with the militants this morning.
The sources further added that the Russian Air Force’s MI-24 Hind Helicopter Gunships can be seen flying above the Syrian Army and attacking enemy fighters.
Ghamam is strategically located on the Southern side of the Turkmen Mountains in Northern Lattakia; it is considered important due to its proximity to the Lattakia-Aleppo Highway and the large presence of the militant groups in this abandoned town.
Reports said also on Sunday that the Syrian army, backed by Russian warplanes, won back a village in Lattakia province from the Takfiri militants in a surprise attack against the terrorists.
The Syrian army regained full control over Jub al-Ahmar village in Lattakia, and killed scores of Takfiri terrorists.
No further report has been given on the possible number of casualties on either side of the clashes.
Deir Ezzur
The Syrian Army on Sunday stormed the main command center of the ISIL terrorist group in Almrieih farms in the Eastern part of the country, leaving a large number of terrorists dead or wounded.
Local sources said that the ISIL stronghold in Almrieih farm came under the heavy offensive of the government forces earlier today, in which most of the equipment in the military site were destroyed and the site’s infrastructure sustained heavy damage.
Also on Sunday, the Syrian Army announced that its soldiers’ offensive against the militant groups’ concentration centers in Deir Ezzur claimed the lives of at least 20 terrorists.
The army said that the militant groups in al-Ommal area in the Eastern city of Deir Ezzur suffered heavy death toll, including 20 killed and many more wounded members.
Also, the groups’ military equipment were considerably destroyed in the government forces’ attack.
Idlib
The Syrian army conducted four special operations against the terrorists group affiliated to the so-called Jaish al-Fath in the Southeastern countryside of Idlib on Sunday, killing 16 militants.
The army targeted positions of the so-called al-Itehad al-Islami of Ajnad al-Sham in al-Tamanah town, about 65 km Southeast of Idlib city, killing 16 terrorists.
Anas al-Bakri, Mohammad Izz-Eddin al-Bakri, Khaled Ahmad al-Sousi and Mohammad al-Tafran were identified among the dead terrorists.
Syrian warplanes bombed more positions of Jeish al-Fateh terrorists in the provinces of Hama and Idlib on Saturday, killing a large number of the militants.
The Syrian warplanes pounded the hideouts and concentration centers of Jeish al-Fateh terrorists in the villages and towns of al-Lataminah, Skaik, al-Mestriha, Tal Hawaqs, Wadi Jafar and in the vicinity of al-Tawbah School on the outskirts of Hama and Idlib.
The air raids killed and wounded a large number of terrorists and destroyed their vehicles, weapons and ammunition.
Earlier reports said Syrian warplanes bombed several positions of the Takfiri terrorists in the provinces of Idlib and Hama, inflicting heavy casualty on the militants.
Syrian fighter jets targeted Takfiri terrorists’ positions in Rasem al-Tina and al-Latamina in Hama countryside, informed sources said.
The airstrikes also hit the militants’ positions in al-Mestriha and Maaret al-Noman in the countryside of Idlib.
The air attacks killed scores of militants and destroyed their vehicles and weapons, the sources added.
Hama
Syrian airstrikes hit terrorists’ positions in the province of Hama on Sunday, claiming the lives of a large number of the Takfiris.
Syrian fighter jets bombed the militants’ positions in the villages and towns of al- Lataminah, Skaik, al-Mstrih and Wadi Jafar in Hama province.
A large group of the Takfiri militants were killed in the air raids.
Hasaka
Battlefield sources said that a military convoy of the ISIL’s vehicles was hit in the Syrian Army’s ambush on a road in the Eastern countryside of the Northeastern Hasaka city.
The sources said that the ISIL vehicles, carrying ammunition and weapons, were targeted by the Syrian commandoes on the road near Tal Mabeet village, which resulted in the explosion of most of the vehicles.
They further added that several militant were also killed or wounded in the government forces’ attack on the convoy.
Aleppo
Military sources announced on Sunday that heavy clashes erupted between the Syrian Army and the militants in Kafr Haddad near the Northern city of Aleppo, leaving at least five terrorists killed.
Following the joint massive anti-militant operation of the Syrian army, Hezbollah and popular forces, backed by the Russian airstrikes in recent days, the government forces stormed the terrorists’ gathering centers in Kafr Haddad, and killed five of them, while many others were also wounded, the sources said.
Also on Sunday, the Syrian army won back two villages in the Northern Province of Aleppo bringing the number of the liberated villages and towns in the past 24 hours to 13.
The Syrian troops retook the villages of Tal Dadin and Shalash in Aleppo countryside from the militants earlier today.
Sweida
The Syrian army, backed by popular forces, resumed its military operations against the Takfiri militants in the countryside of Sweida on Sunday, leaving a large group of terrorists dead.
The Syrian forces, destroyed terrorists’ concentration centers in Kherbet al-Ghoutha in the Southwestern countryside of Sweida, a military source said.
The source added that a large group of terrorists were killed and their heavy machineguns- equipped vehicles were also destroyed in the operations.
Damascus
At least 33 terrorists were killed and injured in Syrian airstrikes on the Takfiri militants’ positions in Damascus countryside on Sunday.
Syrian warplanes conducted pinpoint airstrikes on militant positions and gathering centers in Jobar in Damascus countryside, and killed and injured at least 33 terrorists, sources said, adding that the terrorists’ vehicles and weapons were also destroyed in the air attacks.
Provincial sources announced on Sunday that scores of militants were killed or wounded in a joint offensive operation of the Syrian Army and popular forces on their positions in Eastern Ghouta.
The militants’ strongholds in Housh Admal village and its farms in al-Mashabiyeh came under massive attacks of the Syrian army troops and popular forces, which left dozens of the terrorists dead or wounded, the sources said.
Syria: ISIL Terrorists Ambushed on Main Supply Route in Aleppo
All Ahrar Al-Sham Terrorists in Homs Town Killed
Syrian Forces, Hezbollah Recapture Ahad Mountains at Aleppo-Hama Border
ISIL Logistic Convoys Hit by Syrian Army Hard East of Homs Province