Posted on 02/04/2016 10:19:06 AM PST by Trumpinator
Syrian regime encircles Aleppo under Russian air power
The army has taken control of the last supply route linking opposition forces to Turkey
By Louisa Loveluck, and Roland Oliphant in Moscow
4:32PM GMT 03 Feb 2016
Syrian government forces cut rebel supply lines to Aleppo under cover of Russian air power on Wednesday, in what could be a pivotal moment in the five-year war.
After three days of intense fighting and aerial bombardment, regime forces, believed to include Iran-backed Shia militias, broke through to the formerly besieged regime enclaves of Nobul and Zahra.
In so doing, they cut rebel-held eastern Aleppo off from outside help. With regime forces to the south and west and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to the east, the part held by non-Isil rebels is now surrounded.
By nightfall, rebel forces were mounting a final stand from a mile-long patch of territory north-east of Aleppo. But local media activists aid the opposition forces were on the verge of withdrawal, facing massive bombardment from Russian and regime air strikes.
Aleppo is Syria's largest city, and its eventual capture by the regime would almost mark a decisive fight-back. Both rebels and outside analysts say that is still a long way off, but the imposition of a siege would be an important moment.
Medics rushed to stockpile supplies as civilian and military casualties poured in. “We are gathering everything we have,†said one doctor. “I have seen injuries like you cannot believe.â€
Russia and the regime were bombing “everythingâ€, said Abu Alez, another doctor, speaking from a clinic that had treated more than 100 injured civilians.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I will post twitter chatter as soon as I can.
Here is what the Financial Times is saying:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0fc18a84-cb22-11e5-a8ef-ea66e967dd44.html#axzz3zDzXY8qo
"High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0fc18a84-cb22-11e5-a8ef-ea66e967dd44.html#ixzz3zDzmdMpI
There are now at least 3,000 Russian service personnel operating in support of the government in Damascus, including special forces “spetsnaz†troops aiding Hizbollah and Syrian army units on the front lines in co-ordinating roles, according to one European diplomat, citing intelligence reports shared among the anti-Isis coalition."
I am also reading Kurds have struck a deal with Syria so fight on Assad's side and in return they get their own homeland (it will be called autonomous in name only) and will serve as a buffer state between Syria and Turkey.
Just masterful war fighting by Russia with limited resources.
With respect, I could NOT care less.
You should care - since the USA is involved and WW3 can start there.
Get out. Close the borders and NUKE up. We have been there and done that . It is a waste of blood and money and I don’t care who kills who over there one bit.
*I* care. At least it’s something other than Trump ‘n Cruz. This is a major, major battle and I wish we got more coverage of things like this.
I hope Russia crushes ISIS and publicly feed quite a few of their fighters to a pen of feral pigs.
http://www.juancole.com/2015/10/russians-volunteering-alongside.html
Now, the 41-year-old Russian plans to take up arms as a volunteer fighter on a different front: Syria, where a devastating civil war is sucking in foreign powers and pitting rebel groups, Islamic State (IS) militants, and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad against each other.
Since January, Dorovskikh has been gathering groups of like-minded Russians seeking to fight against IS. On September 22, a group of 12 Russian men set out for Syria, while he said he was due to follow in a few days.
“I’ve been looking for military combat like a drug addict,†he told RFE/RL in a recent interview. “The first time you go it’s scary, but then you can’t stop,†he said. “I want to be in these fights.â€
Joining The Peshmerga
Dorovskikh, however, said he would be fighting against IS, alongside a Kurdish Peshmerga unit, forces formally supported by Russia.
Russia launched a campaign of air strikes against Assad’s foes in Syria on September 30, dramatically deepening its involvement in the war after a big military buildup in the coastal Latakia Province. But the timing of Dorovskikh’s plunge into the fray appears largely coincidental.
“The Kurds are very efficient guys. They have very good organization for taking in volunteers,†he told RFE/RL. “We’re not the only ones who appealed to Bashar al-Assad; several Russian citizens who are now in Syria came up against absolutely the same problems.†Dorovskikh said most of the men he had rounded up to fight in Syria have past military experience, and their average age is about 40. “We are gathering people who don’t just have combat experience, but have served in the army. Nearly everyone came from the army, nearly all are officers,†he said. “They are people who served in Chechnya, some on the Tajik-Afghan border. There’s one who served in the French Foreign Legion.â€
The route for Dorovskikh’s volunteers takes them to Sulaymaniyah in Iraq’s Kurdish region, and then into Syria, he said. He said they were not being paid to fight and were required to pay their own way to Iraq, obtain their equipment, and bring $200 a month for expenses.
Dorovskikh said he had no interest in taking sides in Assad’s showdown with his foes. “We are going there exclusively to fight Islamic State. We have no desire to take part in supporting revolution, or in supporting Bashar al-Assad, we are going exclusively to fight terrorists,†he said.
Dorovskikh said he was motivated by the desire to fight against the “evil†that he sees in IS. “They kill defenseless people, cut off people’s heads, and set people on fire. They aren’t even warriors. Do warriors behave like that with defenseless people?†he asked. “Anyway, [IS] is a terrorist organization that is recognized as such by probably every single government in the world.â€
I served in the Russian army. They use “minimalist” fighting strategies to win battles with limited troops and resources.
I wouldn't either, but we did something stupid long ago, and allowed Turkey into NATO.
W have to support by treaty terms (ugh!)
I care. I care that every last one of those koranimals is wiped out along with their supporters. GO PUTIN, GO!
“Pretty much they are planning an extermination campaign of ISIS held territory. Every man woman and child in it will be killed unless they flee through checkpoints. Pretty much what the Russian army did to Grozny.”
Excellent!
That would be a smart move by both the Kurds and the Syrians.
I remember when Obama, Clinton and McCain told us we had to oppose Assad to support the “rebels” who are fighting for freedom, or some nonsense like that.
I remember thinking - yeah, I support Assad.
Still do.
Smoke rises over the industrial city in Aleppo, Syria February 4, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail
Bout time.....
Assad never did a thing to the USA— Not one thing and I don’t want to fight other peoples wars.
You can say that again. "Breaking News" and "Front Page News" have lost all meaning, perpetually stuffed with endless, mindless polls and 'Trump said Cruz wears dirty underwear' style "news."
Recent increase in Hasakah Delta Farce troop count? WW III? Damascus Prophecy? Top-tier Russian weapons systems all over? Spetsnaz? FUHGHETTABOUTIT!
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