Syrian Civil War: News #5

As i promised here is the new situation around Salma that include troop movement. Also you can see what terrain look like. Also working on finding new software for tactical analysis so i hope maps will be better in future.

South Front update Jan. 13th.

Close up of Salma situation.

Aldin_Aba wrote:Close up of Salma situation.

Great stuff, keep it up
and allow me:

Aldin Abazović ‏@Ald_Aba  2h2 hours ago
#Aleppo #Syria - Situation around Kweires air base. #SAA took control of village Ayn al Baydah.

Ivan Sidorenko ‏@IvanSidorenko1  57m57 minutes ago
#Syria #SyrianArabArmy Colonel Suheil al Hassan #SAA #Tigers_Men #Tiger_Forces #Tiger_Men #رجال_الطرماح #رجال_النمر

That's a shinny new dshk with drum lacking the star. Any ideas who stash this was before? And looks like Soheil is going for duck/goose hunting with the waterfowl camo.

#Syria #Latakia #Lattakia NEWEST Map JUST released by @AboZain6 Eyad Alhosain. #SAA #NDF #Salma #Latakia

Update on the situation around Western Aleppo, information based on geolocation of rebel videos..

Interesting number:

Terrormonitor.org
‏@Terror_Monitor
#Russian Airstrikes Destroyed Around 1,100 Militant Positions In #Syria Since The Beginning Of 2016: Syrian Army. FP
https://twitter.com/Terror_Monitor/status/687137555209392132

E. Ghouta, RuAF blowing stuff up:



It's always interesting how these videos are filled with fit, young, combat-able men. Some wearing military fatigues too and notice the camo'ed SUV. I suspect that these air strikes happen after intel points out where insurgents sleep and live, when not carrying a rifle. They just bomb their "dorms".

More strikes:

EatingMyPeaz ‏@EatingMyPeaz  5m5 minutes ago
MT @LccSy #Syria, Idlib: Russian airstrikes on Maaret Nouman, Ain Larouz, Hantoutin, Saraqeb, Taftanaz town. 13 Jan.
https://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/1296167593743707

Forces loyal to the Syrian regime stand on a street with national flags after Syria's army and allied forces took full control from rebel groups of the strategic town of Salma, in the northwestern province of Latakia, Tuesday. In a breaking news flash, state television reported that the army, backed by the pro-government National Defence Forces militia, had also seized hilltops surrounding the town. | AFP-JIJI

Aldin_Aba wrote:Close up of Salma situation.

+1

PapaDragon wrote:#Breaking: #SAA Tiger forces backed by #RuAF have captured #Arran, heading to Al-Bab #ISIS major headquarter

https://twitter.com/Syria_Protector

@Syria_Protector @miladvisor SAA at <8km from Al Bab & SDF are at 8.5 km from Manbij

https://twitter.com/agitpapa?lang=en

Al Bab is already hit twice by RuAF, I think SAA is actually going for it, at least to reach its suburbs.
I doubt IS has had time to dig in deep there, plus they are fighting in multiple fronts in the area.

#Russia warplanes carried out the 2nd airstrike on #al_Bab
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 14
https://twitter.com/AEJKhalil/status/687594895738011648

Both SAA and SDF operations against IS in N. Aleppo look very "symmetrical" to say the least:

SAA has taken Surayb, consolidating ground and on its way to Al Bab

pics here:
https://twitter.com/IraqiSuryani1/status/687666764323393536

Alaa Ebrahim
‏@Alaa_Ebrahim_tv
@Alaa_Ebrahim_tv eyewitnesses say that #ISIS has now restricted civilians movement out of the city
https://twitter.com/Alaa_Ebrahim_tv/status/687403418181353474

IS is starting to keep hostages in Al Bab... how unsurprising.

Race to Al-Bab is on. Norhern Aleppo map update.

Aldin_Aba wrote:Race to Al-Bab is on. Norhern Aleppo map update.

Very fast developments. Check this one out:

SAA Reporter
‏@Syria_Protector
#Breaking: #SAA Tiger Forces impose control on Ajouziyah, Abboudiyah, Miltaffah Northern #Kuwaires Airbase. #ISIS

KiloGolf wrote:

Aldin_Aba wrote:Race to Al-Bab is on. Norhern Aleppo map update.

Very fast developments. Check this one out:

SAA Reporter
‏@Syria_Protector
#Breaking: #SAA Tiger Forces impose control on Ajouziyah, Abboudiyah, Miltaffah Northern #Kuwaires Airbase. #ISIS

Included those already.

SAA has now taken Deir Al Fardis (not in maps yet). Note the rail track too.
The S. Hama/N. Homs insurgent enclave is split to two.

Villy Yohanen
‏@AlKurdi015
@lummideast @AEJKhalil Regime troops take Deir al-Fardis
https://twitter.com/AlKurdi015/status/687729728699129858

Looks like RuAF is working the night on Sheikh Miskin.
This morning there was a photo of 5 rebel MBTs about to deploy there. I would guess at night MBTs are visible to hit by RuAF.

‪#‎Daraa‬ Russian warplanes launch three air-strikes at night on ‪#‎Sheikh_Miskeen‬ city in the western suburb.
https://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/1297083250318808

Some serious pushes are going on. RUAF working around the clock and all.

I agree with you folks. It looks like all those that whined or gloated about minimal results on the ground after RuAF intervention (or those saying IS was not bombed) got it wrong. The timing is not unreasonable. It took 3+ months to destroy the very structures and instruments that gave the insurgency the edge: supply lines, HQs, communications, finances and leadership.

Right now all anti-SAA groups are mainly loosing ground, all over Syria. Morale is low on FSA & co. while SAA/NDF and others know a world power is behind them. Hinds operating as they did in Palmyra, Hama and Homs, cruise missiles launched from the Caspian and Med, strategic bombers doing their thing, supply of new vests and helmets, few TOS and T-72B. It all adds up to the average morale of the SAA conscript and NCO, as well foreign fighter.

Peto's article on SouthFront

FORECASTING SYRIAN FORCES’ ACTIONS IN ALEPPO PROVINCE



Written by Peto Lucem exclusively for SouthFront

On Sept.15, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) commenced an offensive aimed at breaking the two year siege of the Kuweires airbase located in the eastern Aleppo countryside. Less than two months later, the Syrian troops, spearheaded by the so called “Tiger Forces”, an elite formation of the SAA and led by Colonel Suheil Al Hassan, broke the siege imposed by ISIS militants and were welcomed by the 300 men strong garrison of the airbase.

Many observers have expected that the SAA will establish defensive positions near the airbase to allow Syrian and Russian airplanes to redeploy to Kuweires. Some also anticipated the army will widen the narrow corridor, which allowed to lift the siege from the embattled airfield. However, everything turned out differently.

continued:
http://southfront.org/syrias-armed-force-advances-in-aleppo/

Syrian T-90 in mud bath

It almost seems like its a race between the Kurds and SAA to grab land from collapsing ISIS held areas.

Its seems the SAA have got many operations going on recently you've got the following:

in the south Sheikh Miskeen and Syrian/Jordan border operations.

Damascus operations

South Hama operations

Northern, eastern, and western operations in Aleppo,

East Homs operations around Palmyra


operations in Latakia including turkish border

quite a lot going on really.

only areas that have went quiet really is on the assault on Qaryatayn and ISIS throwing bodies at Deir ez Zoir

what is a little worrying is ISIS taking land back in eastern homs (west Palmyra) and now attempting to take Al-Sha’ar Gas Fields, main problem that the SAA have is once they take an area they have no real choice to man it with NDF which are basically civilians with a few days of training and lightly armed with small arms and if they are lucky a couple of pick ups armed with 12.7mm or 14.5mm machine guns, so when ISIS concentrate on a small village manned by NDF they actually succeed. There is no real solution really the RuAF and SyAF is already flying day and night and SAA including republican guard/SF are stretched, and Hezbollah, Iranian forces and Iraqi paramilitary units have committed a fair amount of troops. Its a pity China and India haven't committed any troops. So what is the solution????

d_taddei2 wrote:what is a little worrying is ISIS taking land back in eastern homs (west Palmyra) and now attempting to take Al-Sha’ar Gas Fields, main problem that the SAA have is once they take an area they have no real choice to man it with NDF which are basically civilians with a few days of training and lightly armed with small arms and if they are lucky a couple of pick ups armed with 12.7mm or 14.5mm machine guns, so when ISIS concentrate on a small village manned by NDF they actually succeed. There is no real solution really the RuAF and SyAF is already flying day and night and SAA including republican guard/SF are stretched. So what is the solution????

If the price of linking up with Kuweiris, expanding to Hadher, driving north to Al Bab, regaining initiative near Jordan border and completely clearing Latakia province from insurgents, etc. is loosing a couple of villages and maybe a small town here and there.. then it's an acceptable loss. The quality of regained real estate for SAA in the past 3+ months, trumps the quantity (which is less anyway) of those areas some insurgents may gain (i.e. Morek).

I don't think there is a problem for SAA & co. at the moment. ISIS is an insurgent Army like all others, it comprises mercenaries that require money, food, water and ammo to fight. The financial base and combat logistics of ISIS has shrunk to probably less than 50% of what it was last year. They have no money to assault let alone keep what they got, and it's winter, when running a war is probably twice as expensive. They simply can't invade anything and occupy beyond the random village you mention, even their assault towards Sadad failed miserably. Same with the attempt (in coordination with "moderates") to cut SAA road to Aleppo via Ithiriyah-Safira. Now the more forces they commit to assaults, the more they are lead to erosion because whatever they occupy gets pounded back to stone-ages.

Here's an interesting rumor:

Elijah J. Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai 43m43 minutes ago
Information from @AlMayadeenNews saying "#ISIS pulling out some troops from al-Bab toward #Raqqa" while #SAA #Hezbollah r at 7km from d city
https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/688043897696698368