Posted on 07/02/2017 3:36:08 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
Al-Raqqa – Mercenaries are applied to civilians in the city of Al-Raqqa and prevent them to leave to being used as human shields. They are taken to the center of the city for use them in battles in the city center.
Since June 6, the city of Raqqa has been the scene of fierce clashes between fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces and IS-mercenaries. After 24 days of fierce fighting, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) managed to tighten the siege on mercenaries within the city from four sides.
The SDF-fighters continue to destroy the defense lines, fortifications and strategic positions of the mercenaries on a daily basis in the city of Raqqa, the main stronghold of mercenaries in Syria.
So far, Syrian Democratic Forces have liberated six neighborhoods completely from IS and fight them in five neighborhoods, 3 of them in the West and 2 in the East. Most of the civilians were taken from the neighborhoods where clashes are taking place. They were sent to other quarters to use them as human shields in the coming days.
The Roman Quarter, liberated on 11 June, Hayy Hittin and the Al-Bareed in the west of the city, had been turned by mercenaries into a military zone after their collapse in Minbij on August 12 2016. In these quarters there were no civilians when the fight took place. But in the westerns neighborhoods of Al-Dariyah and Al-Yarmouk, the IS mercinaries detonated and planted mines in front of the civilians’ door and took them to the city center, as they did in al-Rawdah neighborhood in the east, in addition to digging tunnels. Those who contravene their practices are arrested, imprisoned, and taken to an unknown destination.
The practices of mercenaries did not stop here, they took all their persononal papers and identity cards, so they could never get out.
The families that managed to escape and return to their homes, remained without food or water for many days until the Syrian Democratic Forces managed to liberate them, providing food and water to them. Then they could be deliveried to liberated points, where they can stay until the liberation of the entire city will be finished and they return to their homes.
ISIS practices must condemn ISIS fighters to death. But SDF continues to try to avoid civilian deaths. And continues to try to aid those displaced. In past 2 weeks I have noticed 2 very large shipments of food delivered in the area (from US government, US AID for one) to support those who are able to escape from ISIS in Raqqa.
Never forget that Turkey has repeatedly turned humanitarian aid shipments away at the Turkey/Syria border. Saying Kurds are terrorists. Kurds are ending ISIS. The terrorists are those who sell the citizens of a neighboring country who have done nothing to Turkey but exist near their space.
They have to know that humanitarian aid isn’t going to civilians. Hopefully it’s laced with anthrax, or smallpox, or something equally deadly.
Actually, you are totally wrong. The Syrian government has nothing to do with the humanitarian aid.
Distribution is run by the YPG and the source of the aid. It is going to only the hungry displaced people as they escape out of the battle zone in Raqqa. They have camps set up for displaced people and the number must be up over 150,000 since this battle started in Raqqa.
I’ve had conversations since mid February with my congressman’s staff. I have watched Turkeys antics related to humanitarian aid in Syria.
You said: “Hopefully it’s laced with anthrax, or smallpox, or something equally deadly.”
You are one sick person. Are you a Turk?
Humanitarian aid to RAQQA goes to ISIS. Not the civilians in ISIS.
This AID sent by the US was not going to camps outside.
Where do you get you info, oh wise one?
Common sense.
You really think that humanitarian aid to raqqa goes to civilians?
Are you in Syria?
No, have never been there. I do have a number of friends there.
“IS mercinaries (sp: mercenaries) use civilians as human shield”
Unfortunately, there is war in the real world and in the understanding of the reality of actually winning a war, we must be able to accept a level of collateral damage.
Yes. Reality is correct.
But the idea of 100,000 civilian deaths is an unacceptable number. I’m not sure what is. I do know the Kurds have lost a lot of people in this battle.
So far since we had troops on ground in Syria, we have lost 1 soldier. (to the best of my knowledge.) And that was in a vehicle roll over accident.
In a normal war, the UN would be involved directly with the host country. That is not the case in Northern Syria.
In Northern Syria in Efrin province there are 500,000 civilians in refugee camps. They are being supported largely by local food production. There are some groups guiding them with planting and harvesting. This is one of the areas that Turkey wants to over run and has been shelling recently.
There are similar camps Near Raqqa where the displaced are being protected and fed. The liberated city of Tabqa is back under civilian control and has taken in a large number of the displaced.
The same thing will happen with Raqqa. After it is liberated, still months away, it will be de-mined and turned over to local civilian control.
The US military and the SDF both are trying to minimize the civilian casualties. They have done a good job at that.
But since Turkey is still not allowing humanitarian aid through their borders to Syria and they have cut off the Euphrates river, which powers generators for the Syrian electric grid, it is very difficult to bring things to a level we would consider normal. It has also made water sources very difficult. Imagine how much water is consumed by 100,000 people?
Not enough adjectives for COWARD to describe these sand people.
Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris. And General Curtis LeMay were right. Mass destruction will save more enemy lives in the long run. Saturation Bombing Works!!
If the aid is being given to Kurdish forces for distribution, then we can be fairly sure it’s not going to ISIS. It might not get to Sunni civilians, but it won’t get to ISIS.
KURDS are not COWARDS.
They are incredibly brave people. And very good soldiers. Just ask our special ops.
“the idea of 100,000 civilian deaths is an unacceptable number”
What you’re saying there can also suggest that Truman’s decision to drop Fat Man and Little Boy on the Empire of Japan has always been on the “wrong side of history”.
Nagasaki and Hiroshima were not occupied cities. They were cities in an enemy nation.
Raqqa was captured by ISIS 3 years ago. The citizens did not support ISIS, they were terrorized by ISIS.
Not a valid comparison.
There has been much less destruction of the cities in Syria than in Iraq’s battles. The last thing needed is towns so destroyed they will never be rebuilt. That means long term refugee camp living. ( Some have already been in such places for over 6 years.)
I don’t trust muslims, of any stripe.
They are not all alike.
I agree about their “book”. It contains the seed that keeps sprouting and bringing misery to huge numbers of people.
I do have good friends who are Muslim.
Not me.
God help us all if and when sharia comes to the fore. You'll find out who your "friends" are.
Egyptian president attends Coptic Christmas Eve mass in Cairo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/07/egypt-president-sisi-coptic-christmas-mass-cairo
And I can tell you that the opportunities for growth in the Chrisitan community in Syria is very large.
I was involved in building common friendships before, during and after the Removal of Morsi in Eypgt. And when they outlawed and jailed the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorists there.
I still value those friendships, some of those are now Christians.
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