https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-july-21-2017-fierce-clashes-army-isis/
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An intense fighting is ongoing between government forces and ISIS terrorists in the area of the Homs-Palmyra highway and near the border with Iraq.
According to pro-government sources, 30 ISIS members were killed and over 50 were injured during clashes in the area of Humaymah near the border with Iraq. 2 Syrian soldiers were killed as a result of the ISIS attack at the Al-Musheirefah Hill in the eastern Homs countryside. At the same time, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies advanced north of the Homs-Palmyra road and captured the Al-Alam Hill south of Taliaa al-Gharbia.
Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes destroyed at least 3 ISIS vehicles in the area of Jub Al-Abied east of Salamiyah.
According to local sources, government forces are going to resume the operation in the eastern Hama countryside within few days. The SAA, the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Desert Hawks Brigade still see the liberation of Uqayrabat as a key part of the wider effort against ISIS in central Syria.
Right now, government forces cannot push to Deir Ezzor because of a high number of ISIS units operating in the rear of its logistical lines. Sukhna is another point that has to be liberated to resolve the situation.
An intense fighting is ongoing in eastern Damascus where the SAA and the NDF have been attempting to pressure Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda), Faylaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Islam on multiple fronts. The main clashes are ongoing in the Ayn Tarma area. However, sporadic firefights were also reported in the northeastern part of the pocket. According to pro-militant sources, over 30 government soldiers were killed in the recent clashes.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed up by the US-led coalition, is storming the neighborhoods of Nezlit Shehada and Al-Shaddadi in Raqqah city. According to pro-SDF sources, over 27 ISIS members were killed in the recent clashes and an IED plant was captured. According to ISIS, 8 SDF members were killed recently.
The battle for Raqqah has turned into a very complicated task for the US-backed force. While there is little doubt that the city will be liberated, the question is how much time and manpower will this effort take?
When the West first sent wahhabi terror gangs into Syria, the whole nation was target ‘rich’ and the West’s terrorists were shooting ‘fish in a barrel’. Now Russia has crushed the more traditional widespread terrorist installations, and increased areas of regime control, it sadly makes sense for ‘ISIS’ to return to tactics where they identify vulnerable high value targets, and strike hard where success is guaranteed.
This is a problem with all such military operations that have the same form. Russians in Afghanistan. Nazis in France. British in Ireland. Without a ‘political’ settlement, and with ongoing funding, recruitment and arming of the rebels/resistance/terrorists by some external actor, the conquest by overwhelming military force simply creates tens of thousands of easy juicy targets.
Of course, Russia tried a political settlement in Syria. It offered amnesty and a role in a future Syria to most of the groups that had attacked Assad’s government. The West comprehensively sabotaged this move- and instead used Russia’s moderation against it by moving massive numbers of the West’s military forces into Syria. The Kurds, as usual, were the willing conduit for this treachary.
Russia fools itself into making out that America is doing much of the ‘dirty work’ in Iraq and Syria- dirty work that would trouble Russia politically if Russia had to do it itself. But America is ensuring that long term, there are large pockets of well armed, well trained ethnic opponents to any future Syria settlement that tried to reunify the nation. With the Kurds America is doing in Syria what Russia does in East Ukraine with the ethnic Russians.
Of course the main nation that requires Syria to remain effed up for all time is Israel. Israel is left with but two muslim targets- Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan is a very curious case because of its continuing links to Britain. Iran has no protector except the international concern that war on Iran fatally destabilises the entire region. But Israel overcomes that problem by placing jews into command and control positions across the West.
But back to Syria. Who polices the ‘peace’? If Russians become tempted to do it themselves, America and Britain will ensure their terrorists increasing murder large numbers of Russians in ‘spectaculars’. The Syrians themselves have proven hopeless at the task while still under attack. The Iranian linked ‘foreign fighters’ are now in the cross hairs of the West- and if they stay will allow the West an even more rapid route to war in Iran and Lebanon.
Who here thinks the West (and their Team Saudi/Israeli goons) now intend to leave Syria alone? Trump’s removal of CIA aid to the terrorists (via pretend ‘moderates’) simply means the Trump administration can now focus entirely on targeting the Syria govenment directly themselves- via increasing sanction abuse at first- but with overwhelming direct military action the first time Russia blinks and a anti-Russia PR psy-op in the media gets some real traction with the sheeple.
Putin has made Syria the ultimate no-win situation for Russia by actively allying with and rewarding the local anti-Syrian actors in the region- most notably Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Neither Iran nor Syria gets anywhere near the love from Russia that Israel and Saudi Arabia gets- and that’s a fact too few people here are willing to face.
So the end of ISIS as a visible occupying force is the new beginning of terrorist spectaculars across Syria- and the beginning of a terrifying uptick in Russian casualties. Until Putin learns to effectively strike fear into the hearts of the real bad guys, it will remain open season on Russians and their ‘soft’ allies.
Why didn’t you just write “First!” About as enlightening. This is not The Onion.
“According to pro-militant sources, over 30 government soldiers were killed in the recent clashes.”
Noticed such propaganda claims in the previous Southfront entry, also. Claims by daesh have about as much relevance to reality as american accounting of the civilians they murder or any israeli news intended for the goys in their colonies. Repeating these fabrications just wastes people’s time.
What you have stated above is just an attack. Mod
A couple of views on the the tuppence regime announcement of ending support for “moderate” terrorists.
We can’t have peace in Syria, that would be giving in to Russia!
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/397122-peace-syria-trump-cia/
“Upon hearing the news that President Donald Trump is expected to phase out the CIA’s covert Syrian program, established by his predecessor Barack Obama, to arm and train anti-government ‘rebels’ in Syria, how did you respond?
Did you:
a.) Welcome the news because it’s a positive step on the road to peace and reconciliation in Syria and a promising sign the US has finally given up on (or at least put on the back burner), plans for an illegal ‘regime change,’ or
b.) go into a hissy fit, kick the cat, swear loudly at the TV and accuse the POTUS on Twitter of handing Russia ‘a victory.’
Well, I‘m sure for most ordinary members of the human race, keen to see an end to the suffering of the people in Syria, the right answer would be (a). Phasing out ‘Timber Sycamore’ (The code name of the CIA’s program), while keeping in mind that it won’t end US interference in Syria, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
For the inhabitants of ‘Planet NeoCon’ and their pro-war ‘liberal’ allies, however, news the CIA will no longer be backing people to blow up and cut off the heads of Syrians with the ‘wrong’ views has led to expressions of outrage, anger, and grief.”
Trump CIA phase-out plan in Syria could be ‘devious media news management’
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/397102-trump-cia-rebels-announcement/
“RT: We’ve heard one particular motto coming from US officials regarding Syria about “training, advising and assisting” partners on the ground. Will we potentially see a total U-turn on that policy in Syria?
PF: No, I don’t think. Maybe an L-turn, just a diversion, and a re-prioritization. What may be going on here is a scaling back of one of the several strands in US support for the rebels, and that is the Jordan-based element of the program, which was a notorious failure with some of the handful of trained rebels handing over their weapons to Al-Qaeda. That is maybe the program that we are talking about here. Other programs will almost certainly continue support for the so-called Free Syrian Army in locations where it is fighting ISIS and support for the Arab tribal militia which are helping the Kurds in the siege of Raqqa.”
You may be right.
I think Syria is going to be like Chechnya. A marvelous comeback, vibrant economy and very few terrorists left.
Russia and the Syrian allies are going to liquidate everyone who lifts a gun toward the government.
It may take another year to clear out all of them, but this is going to be a huge victory for Syrians.
Israel has demanded a 30 km cordon sanitaire, except for Syrian Army, but we see in Lebanon that the Syrians and Hezbollah wiped out terrorists across the border in Lebanon.
If it looks like a terrorists, acts like a terrorist, it’s a terrorist, said Lavrov. And they are going to kill it.
Russia is there for at least 49 years with an airbase and naval base, all signed, sealed and delivered.
Russians will be intermarrying with Syrians. Putin will be a huge Syrian hero.
All those Jews who left Russia will have Little Moscow right next door.
Agreed. The erstwhile Neocon playground becoming the center of civilization in the 3rd millennium ….
A third view:
Trump’s Halt to CIA Backing for Syrian Rebels Appeases Pentagon, Not Russia
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/trumps-halt-cia-backing-syrian-rebels-appeases-pentagon-not-russia/ri20437
“An end to the CIA fanning the flames of war in Syria is a good thing, but it doesn’t mean the US is retreating from the country. It only means the reigns have been handed over to the Pentagon. The Pentagon has pursued a more rational course in Syria than the CIA, but it has been, if anything, even more heavy-handed.
Recently there has been a dramatic upsurge in Pentagon deliveries of military aid to the secessionist Syrian Kurds, along with an upsurge in US base building in Syria, in part to accommodate the transport planes hauling in this vast aid.
Also we’ve seen the US military repeatedly bomb the Syrian armed forces, cruise missiled one of its airbases, and shoot down one of its jets.
With Pentagon fully in control of US Syria policy regime change is finally out completely, but the danger of a US-orchestrated partition and permanent occupation of the east only increases.”
What’s Up With the Iraq’s PMU?
“… not much [cooperation] between PMU and SAA at Anbar’s border, unfortunately. Abadi’s demanded the PMU to focus on Tal Afar and so they are doing it.
The US regime is completely against any action in Anbar, since it would push ISIS and families toward the north, meaning the Kurds’ occupied Hasaka, the US pressure has been strong and effective so far, but it won’t last much.
When Tal Afar will be ISIS free then there is a much greater task for the Iraq Army that is Hawija pocket, and it has to be the Iraq Army since it will touch delicate issues such as Kirkut and other towns Barzani wants to badly, if the PMU is sent there we will see a war between them and Peshmergas.
So, if the above rational is correct, as soon as Tal Afar is done, the PMU will have time to clean the rest of Nineveh and push toward Anbar clearing all ISIS from it and helping the SAA on the other side of the border.
The only thing that can spark a change on the timing of above operation is if SDF tries to advance toward Der ez Zor to occupy all the right banks of the Euphrates thus controlling all Hasaka/Der e Zor border with Iraq and all its oil & gas fields, that could spark a PMU reaction to advance inside Syria to block this attempt, Iraq sees a national security issue to have Kurds managing Hasaka/Der ez Zor Provinces border with Iraq.
We will see the above puzzle with more clarity during the 2H17.”
Iraqi AF already has acted on the Syrian side.
The flow of SDF will be blocked from the air. Syrian, Iraqi and Russian AFs will prevent the thrust toward DeZ.
More:
East Ghouta.
“… Advanced talks of a large ceasefire in East Ghouta, should this be implemented it could be the seed for a total reconciliation in the area until year end.”
Idlib.
“… While “Idlid, the paradise of jihadist democracy” is now officially the “Kingdom of al Qaeda”, after the terrorists’ fast track civil war demonstrated what all the world knew, al Qaeda is by far the majority in Idlib, the new situation paves the way for a 2018 SAA and allies campaign to clear Idlib from al Qaeda.”
Russian Military Police on Southern Front.
“… Russian military police is now in the southern front and the whole area is calm as a cemetery.”
Northern Qalamoun.
“… Northern Qalamoun will be rat free in no time, in just 1 day, some 15% of the pocket was cleared, mostly al qaeda pocket (the group that has more terrorists there), and as soon it gets to the ISIS control ground, it will be faster due to less ratpower.”
Left Bank of Euphrates.
“… The battle for the left banks of the Euphrates is on for few days, recently MoD released info of the liberation of:
Bir Hayil Rumman, Wadi Sawh al-Qadir , Wadi Hawiyat Qayyar
The area in red below is under attack, including the vital Ghanim al Ali crossroad, soon the Tiger Forces and allies will be controlling the road and all the gas fields near it, but the most important is a flanking protection so forces can advance inside Mount Bishri toward al Shulah and Jabal al Fusayyat.”
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.725332&lon=39.160080&z=11&m=b&gz=0;391381072;356648277;247192;1950118;0;1014658;2629852;0;3000640;1326600
Question for the Saker, or for anyone who knows:
What relief agencies exist for the orphans?
Brief moment of lucidity from an american military commander:
‘We’re bad day away from Russians asking, ‘Why are you still in Syria?’ – top US commander
https://www.rt.com/news/397219-us-commander-syria-troops-presence/
“Thomas acknowledged that American forces are fighting in a sovereign Syria, where they will likely “have no ability to stay” if that presence is questioned “in terms of international law,” Thomas said, replying to the Washington Post journalist’s question.
“Here’s the conundrum,” Thomas continued. “We are operating in the sovereign country of Syria. The Russians, their stalwarts, their back-stoppers, have already uninvited the Turks from Syria. We’re a bad day away from the Russians saying, ‘Why are you still in Syria, US?’
Syrian President Bashar Assad has said that any uninvited foreign troops, including those from the US, are “invaders” who only prolonged the conflict.
Assad has meanwhile invited Russian forces in Syria to join the anti-terrorist operation.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said America’s presence in the war-torn country was illegitimate and accused CIA Director Mike Pompeo – who had criticized Russia’s presence in Syria – of practicing “double standards.”
Lavrov cited Turkish media reports of “ten US bases already having been set up in Syria” and pointed to the “hundreds of military bases of the United States all over the world.”
“Bad day”? I’d call it a good day. A day that every decent human being would welcome.
Rough Times Ahead for Al Qaeda in Idlib.
“… Skirmishes will happen every week, as lately in NW Aleppo city (al Zahraa district), Lattakia and northern Hama. Full offensive as they did in northern Hama earlier 2017 is a different story, that time they managed to get all rats on board for the offensive, and now rats are not united, basically al Qaeda will run the show with little to no support from Turkey, which makes their life very difficult.
On the other hand, Idlib is a de escalation zone, if rats do attack in force, it will be clear the violation and hell will fall upon them from the sky, and maybe this time Turkey will bomb them as well. It is a catch 22 situation for the terrorists, they know they have a shelf life (until ISIS is mostly defeated in east Syria) then their time will come, but if they start it early they may get more enemies bombing them that they would be able to handle.
Al Qaeda will try something in 2017, but it could be against Afrin, to please the turkish regime.”
Tigers & Tribal Fighters Make Swift Progress at the Euphrates.
“… Confirmation coming that the area in red is fully liberated and under the SAA and allies. It is a large area with many oil fields up to the Euphrates.
Raqqa tribal fighters under the Tiger Forces are taking the lead on this axis, fighting ISIS and helping locals to get rid of ISIS, it seems it is working around the clock and advance has been swift and effective, strong local support for this approach.
The cities of Ukayrishah and Dahlah are reported liberated with many more to go in the next few days.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.746512&lon=38.744659&z=10&m=b&gz=0;387528991;354209511;82397;2882140;1084899;4113372;3433227;4508521;4394531;4174605;5465698;2581007;2183532;0;563049;810950;0;1989562
Good Relations Between SAA & SDF at the Euphrates?
“… On a side note, there seems to be a very calm on going relationship between SDF in the left banks of the Euphrates and the advancing SAA/Tribal forces, no reported cooperation but good relationship on check points.
In the next few days we will hear more liberations, this frontline can be tricky for ISIS, the river acts as a dead end wall for ISIS and large cities can be encircled with the river in their back while main force press on toward Der ez Zor. ISIS will either have to retreat or risk splitting and encirclement, and that is something ISIS does not do, they stay and fight on HQs or large pockets.”
Sputnik Releases Video From Mosul Showing Reporter Caught up in Shelling
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201707231055808674-sputnik-iraq-reporter-shelling-video/
“Nureddin told later that the danger has become clear already on the way to al-Maydan district.
“When we were approaching by car to this district, I saw the dead bodies of two Iraqi servicemen, who had been carrying out mine clearance there, being taking away,” Nureddin said.
The corresponded said that she asked to allow filming the operation from another site, and the servicemen admitted her to film from the roof of a nearby school.
“We climbed there. There was some room near the roof, with a hole in the roof. When I approached, I saw a man in civilian clothes. He held an M16 rifle,” Nureddin specified.
The reporter said that she gave signs to the accompanied her soldier that there was a man in that room, he started to approach, while the correspondent ran to another building to hide.
“I turned around and saw the soldier lying on the floor and already without a weapon. His arm and leg were bleeding. He shouted to me ‘I am injured, run!’ But I dragged him, we hid from the militant in some room. The soldier thought he was dying and started to ask God for forgiveness,” the corresponded added.
Nureddin and the soldier managed to go downstairs to the school yard and hide behind one of the burnt cars. The reporter started to call the soldiers’s commanders, when shots were fired again.
“We were expecting with fear to see the militant. We have hidden near the cars, than we got inside them in hope that he would not find us. After that the shots ended, the anti-terror unit soldiers arrived in an armored Hummer and took us,” Nureddin recalled.”
Russian diplomatic sources have confirmed that the latest “ceasefire” in southwestern Syria was implemented in order to advance “Israeli” interests and create a buffer between the occupied Golan Heights and Hezbollah, exactly as I analyzed for Global Village Space shortly after the agreement was announced earlier this month.
Lavrov is even quoted on record as saying that “Moscow and Washington did their utmost to take Israel’s security interests into account while setting up the de-escalation zone”:
————————————
“Washington strove to uphold Israel’s interests during Russian-US consultations on establishing a de-escalation zone in southern Syria, a high-ranking source in the Russian Foreign Ministry informed Izvestia.
“The principal aim during the talks was to thwart the creation of a foothold for a Shiite Blitzkrieg towards the Golan Heights. Besides, Washington is interested in terminating the supply of weapons along the Tehran-Baghdad-Damascus-Beirut route,” the source noted.
Meanwhile, a Russian military-diplomatic source told the paper that during the consultations between the Russian, US and Jordanian militaries on setting up a de-escalation zone, the parties reached an agreement on withdrawing all non-Syrian units 30 kilometers away from the Syrian-Jordanian border. These include Iraqi militias, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, Iranian military personnel and volunteers from some other countries.
“Israel has carried out strikes against Syria’s southern regions on numerous occasions, specifically, on Hezbollah positions,” Boris Dolgov, Senior Researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies, said talking to Izvestia. “If a ceasefire is declared and maintained there as part of the plan to establish a de-escalation zone, such strikes can be classified as a violation of the agreement. Naturally, Israel sees this scenario as a security threat.”
According to the expert, Tel Aviv believes that Iran may beef up its military presence in Syria. The United States and its allies are trying to thwart these plans.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said that Moscow and Washington did their utmost to take Israel’s security interests into account while setting up the de-escalation zone.”
http://tass.com/pressreview/957183
————————————
Original Analysis:
10 July, 2017:
“A Syrian ‘Ceasefire’ For Whom?”:
“It should come as no surprise then that Netanyahu called President Putin on the eve of the G20 Summit to, as the official Kremlin website describes it, “discuss the Middle East settlement and the situation in Syria” “in the context of joint efforts against international terrorism”.
One day later, Presidents Putin and Trump announced that a “ceasefire” would enter into effect at the end of the weekend in southwestern Syria.
Whether intentionally or not, this had the effect of formalizing the “buffer zone” that “Israel” had been trying to create for years between the occupied Golan Heights and the rest of Syria.”
http://www.globalvillagespace.com/a-syrian-ceasefire-for-whom/
Syrian Army Restore Control Over 150km of Border With Iraq
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201707241055827773-syria-iraq-border/
“The Syrian Arab Army has restored control over 150km of border with Iraq, lowering Daesh capabilities in movement of militants and arms, the chief of the Russian General Staff said on Monday.”
‘Long-Term Strategy’: Chinese Firms Eager to See Syria Part of Silk Road Project
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201707241055829804-china-investment-syria-infrastructure/
“The postwar reconstruction of Syria is an attractive project for Chinese firms, which would like to see a stable Syria play a key role in the “One Belt, One Road” economic initiative.
Dmitri Abzalov, President of the Center of Strategic Communications, told RIA Novosti that Chinese companies are keen for the Syrian government to award them contracts for reconstruction projects.
“Syria itself may not have money, but if there is a lasting peace then an international conference will be held and funds for rebuilding the infrastructure will be allocated,” Abzalov said, adding that Chinese companies are keen to plan in advance for such an eventuality.
In contrast to the US, which sees formal military relations as crucial to relationships with its allies, China is more interested in building economic relationships. Abzalov said that China is not seeking a military presence in the Middle East, but wants to expand economic ties there.
“It is unlikely that China will get a military base from Bashar Assad: it is more plausible that cooperation will be on a predominantly economic plane, which means that Moscow and Beijing will share the roles among themselves: the military one for Russia, the economic for China,” Abzalov said.
Such an arrangement would appear to suit the Syrian government. Earlier this month, the Syrian Ambassador to China Imad Moustapha confirmed that China, Russia and Iran will have priority over other participants in implementing economic initiatives and projects in Syria.”
The “greater israel” project continues to see its prospects falter.
Safe Zone: Russia Informs US, Jordan, Israel of Deploying Checkpoints in Syria
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201707241055829132-russia-syria-safe-zones/
“Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said that the Russian military police established the posts along the southwestern de-escalation zone on July 21 and July 22.
“We informed our colleagues from the United States, Jordan and Israel through military diplomatic channels in advance of the deployment of the Russian control forces around the perimeter of the de-escalation zone in southern Syria,” Rudskoy said.
The checkpoints and observation posts, he noted, are aimed at “supporting the ceasefire regime, facilitating unhindered access of humanitarian supplies, the return of refugees and temporarily displaced persons.”
Rudskoy added that the nearest Russian military post to the contact line is 13 kilometers, or 8 miles, from the disengagement zone of the Israeli and Syrian forces near the Golan Heights.”