Syrian Civil War: News #5

headshot69 wrote:First video with SAA operated T90 close to  Kahn Thuman...

No doubt, IRGC troops look and act very neat and professional.

SAMA TV report from Latakia airbase and cruiser Moskva



And finally a glimpse of the IL-20 inside Latakia airbase...close to the end of the video when the Su-25 lands and taxies we can see a IL-20 in the background.

zg18 wrote:

headshot69 wrote:First video with SAA operated T90 close to  Kahn Thuman...

No doubt, IRGC troops look and act very neat and professional.

This is very true and that is why Hezbollah is very well trained, they don't panic, unlike the SAA(they are getting better).

calm wrote:New map, Khan Tuman liberated.

Pretty significant victory together with the most recent gains in Latakia.



The SAA is making another push for Salma. One of the commanders in the video claims they will clear it by the end of the year




Unverified reports of a parachute drop in the area of Salma

Reports of a airborne parachute operation involving 120 regime paratroopers from Il-76 and An-32, behind rebel lines in Salma LTK.
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2015/20-december-reports-of-a-airborne-parachute-operation-involving

Cyberspec wrote:.

...........................

Russian journalists are in full "Desert Storm" mode, just imagine the media coverage any real Russian Army ops anywhere would get.
I am drooling at mere thought of it....  

Cyberspec wrote:.
Unverified reports of a parachute drop in the area of Salma

Reports of a airborne parachute operation involving 120 regime paratroopers from Il-76 and An-32, behind rebel lines in Salma LTK.
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2015/20-december-reports-of-a-airborne-parachute-operation-involving

If true, SAA are getting ballsy, I like it.    

PapaDragon wrote:

Cyberspec wrote:.

...........................

Russian journalists are in full "Desert Storm" mode, just imagine the media coverage any real Russian Army ops anywhere would get.
I am drooling at mere thought of it....  

Cyberspec wrote:.
Unverified reports of a parachute drop in the area of Salma

Reports of a airborne parachute operation involving 120 regime paratroopers from Il-76 and An-32, behind rebel lines in Salma LTK.
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2015/20-december-reports-of-a-airborne-parachute-operation-involving

If true, SAA are getting ballsy, I like it.    

The mountains just east of Salma overwatch the only viable approach from the south, and are still held by Al Nusra forces. The route of attack is a road along a valley floor, the SAA hold the south hills, Al Nusra holds the north hills, and can be directly reinforced from Salma. The ridge these airdrops are said to have happened overlook the backside of salma. Which not only covers the path of retreat for the militants defending Salma, but can relay enemy movement on the blindside of the mountain.

They seem to be on a roll the past few days....

Syrian Army seizes strategic mountain chain in northeastern Latakia

The Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade of the Republican Guard has captured one of the most important sites in the Latakia Governorate’s northern countryside after several days of fighting with the Islamist rebels of Jabhat Al-Nusra (Syrian Al-Qaeda group) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

This imperative site is actually a mountain chain that connects the mountains between the large villages of Salma and Kabani near the Idlib Governorate border.

continued
http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-seizes-strategic-mountain-chain-in-northeastern-latakia/

Ivan Sidorenko ‏@IvanSidorenko1 2 hours ago
#Syria Southern Aleppo A SAA  SyrianArabArmy Soldier with T-90 Tank.

Syrian Army Starts Wiping Daesh Out of Strategic Town in Homs Province

Daesh militants have withdrawn from parts of the strategic Syrian town of Mheen in the central Homs province under attacks from government forces, media reported Monday, citing local sources.

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151221/1032086046/syrian-army-daesh-maheen-homs.html

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Islamic State (IS, or Daesh in Arabic), which is outlawed in Russia, reportedly captured the Syrian town of Mheen, one of the key arms depots for Damascus, from government forces in November, as it expanded outward from its mainly northern and eastern strongholds toward Homs.

"The Syrian army, National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, in a fresh round of operations, broke through the first defense lines of the ISIL [another name for IS, Daesh] terrorists and forced them to retreat from al-Hadath village and the Maheen-Sadad military checkpoint," the sources were quoted by the Fars news agency as saying.

The militants' withdrawal followed hours of heavy clashes, which claimed the lives of many terrorists, and injured many combatants on both sides, the sources said.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces battling against armed opposition and various extremist groups, including Daesh and al-Nusra Front.

The Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement has been assisting the Syrian army in the fight against "moderate" rebels, as well as extremists.

Since September 30, Moscow has been conducting pinpoint airstrikes on terrorist positions in Syria at President Bashar Assad's request.

South Aleppo 21/12/2015

Cyberspec wrote:South Aleppo 21/12/2015

So they cut the highway or what?

PapaDragon wrote:

Cyberspec wrote:South Aleppo 21/12/2015

So they cut the highway or what?

Correct

Here's a recent shot from a Iraqi unit somewhere in southern Aleppo.


Regarding the M-5:

Jaish al-Fateh in trouble as SAA cuts rebel supply line to Aleppo

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jaish-al-fateh-in-trouble-as-saa-cuts-rebel-supply-line-to-aleppo/

"Failed STrikes" on "civilians" does it again.

Russian understanding of this conflict is looking a lot more basic, and more effective.

Cut supplies, force units to become smaller, hide, run, rather than fight. Hit the roots and there you are, slow steady movement to regain Aleppo, Latakia and generally grinding the armed groups to a halt works. It will work better when the groups will be divided by SAA and ISIS. Brutally efficient.

Syrian Army Kills Around 30 Militants in Operation Near Damascus - Source

http://sputniknews.com/military/20151222/1032118114/syrian-army-damascus.html

Some 30 militants have been killed in past 24 hours by Syrian governmental forces and allied militiamen during a special operation in the village of Marj-al-Sultan near Damascus, a military source said Monday.

MARJ-AL-SULTAN (Syria), (Sputnik) — The killed militants belonged to Jaish al-Islam and Jaish al-Fatah Islamist groups, the source told RIA Novosti.

On December 14, Syrian troops seized control of the Marj al-Sultan airbase, located 18 kilometers (11 miles) away from Damascus. The active phase of Syrian offensive in this area started about two weeks ago. The air base had been remaining under militants' control for over two years.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the country’s government fighting a number of opposition factions and radical Islamist groups, including the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh in Arabic) and the al-Nusra Front.
Russia, which has outlawed and designated the Daesh as a terrorist organization, has been conducting airstrikes against the group's positions in Syria since September 30, following a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Don't know if re-post:


Clearly, the driver of the ute was Neo from the Matrix.

Syrian Army Repels Militants’ Attack on Strategic Airbase Near Damascus

The Syrian Army and its allies repelled an attack by al-Nusra Front militants on government troops’ positions in the strategic Marj al-Sultan air base in Damascus province.

The Syrian Army and National Defense Forces foiled attempts by al-Nusra Front terrorists to infiltrate the airbase, a source told FARS News.
Many of the attackers, including a senior field commander, were destroyed.

"The militant group, which faced the heavy fire of the Syrian government forces, left behind many dead and wounded militants and retreated from the battlefield," the source added.

On Saturday, the Syrian Army announced that terrorist groups has sustained heavy losses as a result of an attack by government forces and retreated from more areas in the strategic region of Marj al-Sultan east of Damascus.

On December 14, Syrian troops took control of the Marj al-Sultan airbase, located 18 kilometers away from Damascus. The active phase of the Syrian offensive in this area started about two weeks ago. The air base had been under militants' control for over two years.

Marj al-Sultan region is home to one of the most important air bases in Central Syria. Recently, the government forces have taken maximum efforts to restore security to the region, according to FARS News.

Pushing militants from the Marj al-Sultan base is another groundbreaking victory by the government forces after they lifted the Daesh siege of the Kuweires air base in Aleppo in November.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the country’s government fighting a number of opposition factions and radical Islamist groups, including Daesh (Islamic State) and the al-Nusra Front.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151222/1032123225/syrian-army-attack-airbase.html#ixzz3v2V4V2SF

Yesterdays map
Военный Советник ‏@miladvisor Dec 21
Reports #SAA / #NDF cuts off support & logistic routes of rebels on M-5 highway Aleppo-Damascus




Another Good map from two days ago and gives an idea about what lies ahead..

Военный Советник ‏@miladvisor Dec 20
Southern #Aleppo CS: #SAA/#Hezbollah captured #Khan_Touman,Al-Qarassi. #Syria

Dima wrote:Yesterdays map
Военный Советник ‏@miladvisor Dec 21
Reports #SAA / #NDF cuts off support & logistic routes of rebels on M-5 highway Aleppo-Damascus

I understand roads are very crucial for logistics but what stops the rebels from using that light green road behind the M5? Or is that perhaps the whole idea of crippling their logistics? What I'm trying to say is this: by adding delays to weapon/ammo deliveries, mainting the pressure by hitting them with artillery barrages and waiting until they run out of ammunition to finally push forward. This seems to be the general tactic of the SAA and allies. Correct?

khaled g.alkhateb @KhaledgAlkhateb
My Lens when Russian AirForce hits The militants in Homs for the first time RuAF
https://twitter.com/KhaledgAlkhateb/status/678971417480847361


Elijah J. Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai 9 hours ago

Neutrality wrote:

Dima wrote:Yesterdays map
Военный Советник ‏@miladvisor Dec 21
Reports #SAA / #NDF cuts off support & logistic routes of rebels on M-5 highway Aleppo-Damascus

I understand roads are very crucial for logistics but what stops the rebels from using that light green road behind the M5? Or is that perhaps the whole idea of crippling their logistics? What I'm trying to say is this: by adding delays to weapon/ammo deliveries, mainting the pressure by hitting them with artillery barrages and waiting until they run out of ammunition to finally push forward. This seems to be the general tactic of the SAA and allies. Correct?

Yes. The Russian campaign started off with the objective of cutting the logistical and organizational capacity of the terrorists rather than outright bulldozing up the frontline.
And its results are showing. Hit their backside really hard and the frontline will collapse in due time.

khaled g.alkhateb ‏@KhaledgAlkhateb 6 hours ago
Heroes From my city Salamieh In middle of Syria




Bassem ‏@BBassem7 11 hours ago
Son of a fallen Syrian army soldier
So much pain in those eye!

South Front update on the situation in Syria.