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International Military Review – Syria–Iraq, Mar. 14, 2016
FM Muallem says Syria crisis approaching its end
Assad must go!
Syrian govt. rejects political transition without Assad
No ‘Plan B’ for Syria Talks: New round of peace talks in Geneva
UN envoy for Syria details agenda of Geneva talks
Iran strongly opposes Syria partition
Saudi Arabia: Severe penalties for anyone backing Hezbollah
FM: Russia has evidence of Turkish forces on Syrian soil
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/03/13/455511/Turkey-Syria-Lavrov-Russia-UN-YPG-Kurds-Moscow-Daesh
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has evidence that Turkish forces are on Syrian territory despite Ankara’s denial of troops’ entry to the war-torn Arab country.
Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with Ren-TV that was broadcasted on Sunday.
Last December, Moscow also said it has evidence Turkey is involved in the smuggling of oil from areas held by Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Ankara has strongly rejected the claim.
Russian Defense Ministry officials showed satellite images at a briefing in Moscow, revealing that tanker trucks loaded oil at installations controlled by Daesh in Syria and Iraq, before entering neighboring Turkey.
Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz has rejected that Turkish forces have entered Syrian territory to help foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government. Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, however, said Saudi Arabia and his country could launch a ground operation in Syria.
Also on Sunday, Lavrov referred to Turkey’s shelling of Kurdish positions in Syria and called Ankara’s actions on the border with Syria “creeping expansion.”
The Russian foreign minister further noted that despite Ankara’s opposition, Moscow will call on the United Nations to invite Kurdish groups to a new round of talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups which is scheduled for Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.
Turkey’s tanks have shelled positions of Kurdish People’s Protection Units, also known as YPG, over the past few months, accusing them of having links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group that has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s.
The YPG, which is nearly in control of Syria’s entire northern border with Turkey, has been fighting against Daesh.
Lavrov also said in the Sunday interview that Moscow was ready to coordinate its operations in Syria with the US so that the northern city of Raqqah could be freed from Takfiri militants.
Daesh has seized parts of Iraq and Syria, where it has been engaged in bloody acts of terrorism against people of all communities.
Turkey – Ankara bus station hit by massive exposion 34 dead 161 wounded
Turkey Links Kurdish Separatists to Deadly Ankara Car Bombing
Turkey Carries out Airstrikes After Deadly Bombing in Ankara
Four Miles From Palmyra: Russian Airstrikes Pound ISIS as Syrian Army Pushes Eastward
According to Reuters, the Syrian army, backed by Russian air support, is now approximately 4 miles from the gates of Palmyra. Here’s a map of the current situation:
Multiple reports confirm that the Syrian army is successfully engaging ISIS on the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes have been turning ISIS forces in Palmyra into hamburger meat:
Russian warplanes launched heavy airstrikes against Islamic State positions in the ancient city of Palmyra on Thursday.
The strikes killed dozens of ISIS fighters in a second day of air raids against the area. On Wednesday Russian warplanes carried out 150 raids in that area.
The capture of Palmyra would be a crushing blow to ISIS. As Reuters notes:
The capture of Palmyra and further eastward advances into Islamic State-held Deir al-Zor would mark the most significant Syrian government gain against IS since the start of the Russian intervention. With Russia’s help, Damscus has already taken back some ground from IS, notably east of Aleppo.
According to a report from Friday, the Syrian army “destroyed four Daesh firing positions, a large disguised ammunition depot and a command center northwest of the city of Palmyra.”
With ISIS being attacked on multiple fronts, the capture of Palmyra now seems inevitable.
ISIS Firing Position Obliterated By Missile In Syria
Iraqi Army Aviation Helicopters and Popular Mobilization Units continuing offensive in Samarra
Turkish Army Crosses Border with Syria to Create Buffer Zone
Syrian Army Wins Back More Strategic Lands Near Ancient Palmyra
Syria: Senior ISIL Commander Killed in Battle with Army near Palmyra
Syria: Top Militant Commander Killed in Aleppo
ISIL Pinned Down under Syrian Air, Artillery Attacks West of Palmyra
Syria: Militants’ Vast Withdrawal Allows Families to Return to Southwest of Aleppo
ISIL Pulls Forces Back From More Territories in Syria’s Aleppo
Syria: FSA Militants Withdraw from Idlib under Heavy Attacks of Rival Terrorists
Rival Militants Kill Senior FSA Members in Dara’a