The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies have captured most of ISIS positions in the northern part of the al-Hajar al-Aswad district in southern Damascus. The ISIS defense collapsed following a successful attack by the SAA on the al-Quds Mosque.
At the same time, the Syrian Air Force has carried out more strikes on ISIS positions in al-Hajar al-Aswad and in the Yarmouk refugee camp.
The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq claimed on May 16 that ISIS members had killed over 50 SAA service members over the past 3 days. Two SAA battle tanks were also damaged, according to Amaq.
According to local sources, the ISIS defense is collapsing and government forces are expected to liberate more areas soon.
Syrian forces have seized a large number of battle tanks and weapons in eastern Qalamoun, according to the country’s news agency SANA. The photos of the seized weapons show at least 8 battle tanks as well many machine guns and ammunition.
Militants in eastern Qalamoun surrendered to the SAA in April 2018. Since then, government forces have been contributing efforts to secure the liberated area.
The SAA has established a full control of the Rastan pocket in northern Homs following a withdrawal of militants from the area. The SAA General Command announced that the SAA had entered over 65 villages and towns in the northern Homs pocket under the reconciliation agreement, which was reached on May 2. Over 31,000 militants and their relatives withdrew from these settlements in the framework of the reached agreement, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Pro-government sources reported that most of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) officers and fighters in the Rastan pocket had chosen to reconcile with the Damascus government and had handed over all of their weapons.
The Syrian opposition media outlet Enab Baladi reported that Russian, Iranian and Turkish forces are reportedly preparing to reopen the Hama-Aleppo and Aleppo-Afrin highways. The joint forces will allegedly open these highways for civilian and commercial traffic, will secure a 10km wide area on their sides and will conduct patrols on them. If such a move is really implemented, this will be a major progress towards the de-escalation in the area.
Russian warships armed with Kalibr cruise missiles will be on a permanent duty in the Mediterranean, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his opening remarks at a meeting with top officials of the Defense Ministry and defense-industrial complex on May 16.
“A total of 102 voyages by surface ships and submarines are scheduled for this year. As the risk of attacks by international terrorists in Syria remains our ships armed with cruise missiles will be permanently on duty in the Mediterranean,” Putin said.
He also praised well-coordinated operations by the crews of warships and submarines during the military operation in Syria.
UK shadow government voices rejection of UK involvement in Syria
https://sana.sy/en/?p=137973
Army carries out air and artillery strikes against terrorists in al-Haja al-Aswad neighborhood
https://sana.sy/en/?p=137977
Determined to start over, eastern Ghouta locals return home
https://sana.sy/en/?p=137992
5 civilians injured in shell on al-Zahara and Sheikh Mohieddin neighborhoods
https://sana.sy/en/?p=138015
President al-Assad: Enchancing economic cooperation with Iran and countries defendig their
sovereignty to resist Western projects
https://sana.sy/en/?p=138062
Munzer: Syria supports all initiatives aimed at solving the crisis
https://sana.sy/en/?p=138035
35 minutes ago – 35°7′N 36°43′E
.@skynewsarabia: explosions at ammo depot at Hama military airport in Syria are due to an airsrike against an Iranian missile defense system
https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2018/18-may-skynewsarabia-explosions-at-ammo-depot-at-hama-military
Video showing aftermath of massive explosions in Hama Airbase
https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2018/18-may-video-showing-aftermath-of-massive-explosions-in-hama
Syria should tell the RF to leave and then toss everything they have left at Tel Aviv.
https://www.govvrn.ru/novost/-/~/id/2149624
“Acting Governor of Voronezh Region, Alexander Gusev, met with Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel, Uri Ariel, and discussed pilot project in dairy farming on May 16.”
“… Army Liberates Rastan Pocket, Advances In Southern Damascus …”
Astounding. At such a fantastic rate, the Syrian government might soon be able to secure – not only the capital Damascus – but even (less than) 50% of country’s territory!
Of course, there remains that insignificant other 50% (++) of the country… Such as:
(a) the entire territory west Mod: Do you mean “East”? of Euphrates (with most of the oil wells), which is under firm and permanent control of Russian “partner” USA;
(b) plus the entire Mod: not sure about “entire” north-west, which is under the permanent control of Russian “ally” Turkey;
(c) of course, not counting here the whole Mod: not sure about “whole” of Golan Heights at the south-west, permanently annexed by Russian “friend” Israel.
But then … let’s not be fussy Mod: Right, let’s not be fussy . After all, Assad is not greedy, he doesn’t want everything for himself, does he? And besides, he ought to be grateful to Putin that he got even what he got now. Wouldn’t you agree? Mod: Hmmm, not necessarily
While Outside observer gets my vote for meaning I thoroughly enjoyed witty interaction by Mod.
First chuckle today and boy do we need them at the minute.
No matter who is involved, all of them have the same goal. They totally destroyed Syria, and the Syrian government is in control of a part of Syria, totally demolished, back to the Stone Age, without resources, like a Seal over an ice chunk, in the mercy of a pack of smart and powerful Orcas.
Cut and pasted from SyrPer, a strong opinion on the election in Iraq which of course impinges on Syria. Whom can one trust:
“charles drake
Muqtadaa Al-Sadr, the menacing-looking, mucky muqturda has over 50 million dollars in swiss bank accounts of the bis. He has worked with the CIA and the State Dept for over 10 years, and was paid massive amounts of money to stand down. Many of the cities which ISIS conquered fell because of stand down by local army and local mafia. This mucky retard demanded Hezbollah leave Syria; demanded assad leave; he is just another Tel Aviv whore… [whose] job is to disband the PMU, and break up the unified forces which have been helping Syria.”
Whom can one trust? Certainly not Charles Drake, who has been constantly banned from MoonofAlabama for posting spam with no connection to reality.
The moa site is a zionazi front site who has banned people for claiming the western zionazi-gay media is pro-zionist. They banned a regular here named Muglamumblebrain (probably a misspelling, sorry) within hours for posting the sort of well reasoned anti-zionism views that are welcomed here. Their track record for censorship is deplorable and fully in line with their zionazi disinfo role. So much bs is posted there in the comments, and the place is so zionazified and corrupt, I’d discount their excuses provided and look up the track record of the person instead.
That said, this Drake take on Sadr doesn’t jive with what I’ve seen about Sadr. So I need to see some real evidence supporting his claims before taking his views seriously.