Iraq troops start offensive to liberate Mosul; Syrian Forces in Palmyra City
Battle for Palmyra: Govt troops on verge of retaking historical Syrian city from ISIS
Palmyra battle heats up as Syrian Army makes fresh gains
Syrian Forces in Palmyra City
Intensive fighting inside Palmyra, army couple kms from center – first-hand report from anti-ISIS op
Syrian govt. forces enter ancient city of Palmyra
Report: Syrian army fighting to recapture Palmyra from ISIS
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Syrian, Russian Airstrikes Cripple ISIL in Raqqa
The Syrian and Russian air force jets conducted intensive airstrikes in Raqqa province, destroying several ISIL military installations across the province in Northern Syria, a battlefield source said on Thursday.
Syrian and Russian warplanes repeatedly struck the terrorist group’s supply hubs inside the city of Raqqa, leaving several terrorists dead and significant amount of their equipment destroyed.
The airstrikes over Raqqa province have recently intensified as the Syrian Army is running an operation to recapture the ancient city of Palmyra.
Among the many targets for the Syrian and Russian air forces are the terrorist group’s primary supply routes to Hama province and the oil rich town of Al-Sukhanah in Homs province.
As a result of the aerial campaign, the Syrian infantry forces have been able to quickly advance in suburban areas near Palmyra, while ISIL struggles to get the necessary support for its fighters.
In recent days, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) have been engaged in heavy clashes with ISIL in Northern Raqqa province.
The clashes began as the ISIL launched a wave of suicide attacks on the YPG and SDF centers in the Southern parts of Salouk town, Northern Raqqa.
In another development in Raqqa, the ISIL terrorists’ offensive against the YPG forces in Jantrari village in the Eastern parts of Ain Issa town, was responded by the Kurdish resistance forces. During the clashes between the YPG and the ISIL terrorists in the region, three militants and two Kurds were killed
Russia says has Special Forces unit in Syria
Russian special forces active in Syria, give recon & targeting for warplanes, general confirms
https://www.rt.com/news/337023-russian-special-forces-syria/
Russia’s special forces are involved in the Syrian campaign and have helped with locating targets for Russian warplanes, the general who commanded the entire operation has confirmed in an interview.
Col. Gen. Aleksandr Dvornikov is deputy commander of the Central Military District in Russia, and was selected to be chief of Russia’s campaign in Syria, which started in September last year. On Wednesday he spoke of previously undisclosed aspects of the operation in a rare interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
“I won’t deny that our Special Operations Forces (SOF) are deployed in Syria. They conduct ground reconnaissance of pre-selected targets for Russian warplanes, assist in targeting warplanes in remote areas and perform other tasks,” the general said.
“Take into account that corresponding forces from the US and other members of the [US-led] coalition are performing similar missions in Syria,” he added.
Russian guns to the rescue
It was the first official confirmation that Russian special forces have been deployed in Syria. The bulk of the missions during the five-month campaign, which was wrapped up earlier in March, were conducted by the Russian Air Force. Most of the Russian personnel in Syria were guarding the two Russian bases in the country and provided logistic support.
There are also military advisers providing training to the Syrian Army and assisting with military planning.
“[The advisers] successfully performed the task of training government forces, Kurdish and other patriotic forces. The fact that our advisers played an active part in planning military action contributed to the progress,” Gen. Dvornikov said in the interview.
He added that supplying Russian weapons to the Syrian Army was a crucial component in turning the tide of battle in the country.
“To boost the capabilities of the Syrian Army we provided advanced arms and hardware, including artillery systems, communications and reconnaissance equipment,” he said.
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Iraq troops start offensive to liberate Mosul
Iraq Begins Military Operations to Liberate Nineveh
Iraqi Army and popular forces have begun military operations to retake the Northern province of Nineveh from ISIL, Al-Mayadeen reported on Thursday.
The repost said the Iraqi forces have already liberated several villages in the district of al-Makhmour and Mosul, which has been under ISIL’s contorl for two years.
The Northern and Western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since the ISIL terrorists began an offensive through the Iraqi territory in June 2014.
Iraqi army soldiers and popular forces are now seeking to win back these occupied regions in joint operations.
On Tuesday, Nineveh Province Operations Commander Brigadier General Najm al-Jabouri announced that the ISIL positions in Mosul were under the army’s heavy fire, underlining that his forces were waiting for an order to launch the final battle.
“The Central and Southern parts of Mosul which host the ISIL commanders’ strongholds are under artillery fire and airstrikes,” Jabouri told FNA on Tuesday.
He said that the Iraqi army and popular forces were all prepared for their commanders’ order to launch a decisive battle against the ISIL in Mosul.
A source in Iraq’s Ministry of Interior announced last Friday that the Iraqi Air Force’s planes dropped thousands of leaflets on the city of Mosul (405 km North of Baghdad), calling on the residents to be prepared for the liberation operation of the city by the Iraqi army.
The source said in a statement that “today the Iraqi Air Force planes dropped thousands of leaflets on Tahrir neighborhood, as well as different parts in the left side of Mosul”.
The source, who asked anonymity, added, “The leaflets called the citizens to be prepared for the expulsion of ISIL terrorist members.”
Syrian Army, Hezbollah Liberate Western Slopes of Mount Tar Near Palmyra
Syrian Army, Hezbollah Storm Western Palmyra Suburb
Syrian Air Force Destroys ISIL Positions in Deir Ezzur
Heavy Infighting Rages among Terrorists in Dara’a
Syrian Army Wins back Strategic Region in Eastern Ghouta
4,500 American and European ISIL Militants Killed in Syria, Iraq
ISIL Uses Modern Equipment to Attack Oil Fields in Salahuddin
Syrian Army Clashes with Militants in Quaryatayn
Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2016/03/iraq-troops-start-offensive-to-liberate.html
