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https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-23-2018-syrian-army-enters-ypg-held-part-of-aleppo-turkey-strikes-convoy-entering-afrin/ On February 22, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) entered into and established a full control of the YPG-held neighborhoods of Aleppo city, according to pro-government sources. A representative of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) confirmed the SAA deployment to the Kurdish HAWAR news agency. According to the released statement, YPG units from the city of Aleppo had moved to the Afrin area to combat Turkish forces.
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-22-2018-russia-moves-its-advanced-su-57-stealth-fighters-into-syria/ On February 21, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) captured the villages of Qara Baba, Kirbet Siluki and Vergan from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the Afrin area. Clashes between Turkish forces and the YPG were also reported in Arab Wiran. On the same day, the second column of government forces reportedly entered the YPG-held part of Afrin under an alleged agreement
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-21-2018-government-forces-entered-afrin/ Over the last few days, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army have captured over a dozen villages from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the Afrin area. A complicated situation on the frontlines forced the YPG to at least temporarily forget “the US is our only ally” mantra and to start implementing what local sources describe as a Damascus-YPG deal that will allow
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-20-2018-turkey-threatens-to-strike-syrian-army/ The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies continue preparations for a ground operation against militants in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta. Now, government forces and warplanes target fortified positions, HQs and weapon depots belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Ahrar al-Sham and their allies. Pro-militant sources and the mainstream media have already started a propaganda campaign targeting the SAA as the only side responsible for civilian casualties in the area. Various
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-16-2018-turkish-forces-capture-large-area-in-afrin/ On February 15, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) achieved a major breakthrough in their battle against Kurdish YPG/YPJ forces in the area of Afrin. The TAF and the FSA captured the villages of Karri, Sharbanli, Kamrash, Shadia, Khara Suluq, Jaqla Tahtani, Durakili and Diwan al-Fawqani. The YPG counter-attacked in Sirinjak and Duraqli but failed to achieve any progress. Pro-Turkish sources say that over
https://southfront.org/u-s-strikes-and-scores-of-killed-russian-fighters-in-syria/ Mainstream media outlets and social media are full of reports that on February 7th hundreds of Russian private military contractors (PMCs) died in US-led coalition airstrikes on pro-government forces in the province of Deir Ezzor. Various sources provide different numbers, but one of the most popular versions is that between 100 and 600 PMCs were killed. So, what is going on? On February 8, the US-led coalition released a
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-13-2018-israel-deploys-new-anti-missile-systems-near-syria/ Clashes were reported between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and local militants, mostly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham members, in the Rastan pocket on February 12 and February 13. SAA units allegedly entered the area of Maqsam al-Humrat and took control of most of it. Pro-government sources speculated that these clashes indicate an upcoming large-scale operation in the area. While the Rastan pocket remains a point of instability, it is unlikely
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-12-2018-new-round-of-syrian-israeli-escalation-f-16i-shootdown/ On February 10, the Syrian Air Defense Forces (SADF) shot down an F-16I fighter jet of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) during Israeli airstrikes on targets near Damascus and the T4 Airbase. According to the Israeli side, an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle violated Israeli airspace at 4:15 local time. The UAV was intercepted near Beit Shean by an IAF attack helicopter. At 5:34 IAF warplanes carried out airstrikes on
https://southfront.org/heroic-death-of-russian-su-25-pilot-and-operation-in-idlib/ On February 3, militants of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft with a MANPAD, over the village of Khan al-Sabil in the Syrian province of Idlib. The attack aircraft was on a combat patrol, carrying out airstrikes on facilities belonging to the terrorist group in the area of Saraqib. The warplane’s pilot, Major Roman Filipov ejected before the plane crashed. Injured and
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-8-2018-us-led-coalition-struck-syrian-army-deir-ezzor/ On February 7, the US-led coalition carried out several airstrikes on positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the province of Deir Ezzor. The coalition claimed that the SAA had “initiated an unprovoked attack against well-established Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] headquarters”, added that “coalition service members” were co-located with SDF fighters during the attack and described the strikes as a self-defense act. According to local sources, the US
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-7-2018-syrian-army-liberates-dozens-villages-from-isis-in-northeastern-hama/ Overnight on February 7, the Israeli Air Force fired three missiles at a target in the Damascus countryside. The strike was allegedly aimed at a technology research center in the Jemraya area. According to pro-government sources, the Syrian Air Defense Forces shot down at least one missile. Following the incident, the Syrian media accused Tel Aviv of supporting terrorists in Syria with these strikes and said that the attack
https://southfront.org/tu-160-fleet-modernization-expansion/ On January 25, 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense officially announced the contract for the modernization of 10 Tu-160 strategic bombers to the Tu-160M2 standard, to be fulfilled by the Kazan-based S.P. Gorbunov Aviation Plant belonging to the Tupolev Aviation Company, and with the aircraft to be delivered by between 2023 and 2027. The ceremony was marked by a test flight of the first thusly modernized aircraft, named Pyotr
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-6-2018-ypg-sends-large-force-to-combat-turkish-army-in-afrin/ A large convoy of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) was filmed in the city Afrin overnight on February 6. The convoy reportedly consisted of over 100 vehicles, including buses. According to various sources, the total number of YPG/YBS fighters in the convoy was between 1,500 and 5,000, most likely the real number is about 2,000. This force will definitely participate in the ongoing
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-5-2018-su-25-shootdown-marks-new-round-of-escalation-in-idlib/ On February 3, militants shot down a Su-25 warplane of the Russian Aerospace Forces with a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD) over the village of Khan al-Sabil southwest of the city of Saraqib in the province of Idlib. Originally, Jaysh al-Nasr, a militant group that had been supplied with US-made TOW anti—tank missiles, claimed that its members had downed the warplane. Later, the media wing of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-2-2018-militants-defense-collapsed-in-eastern-idlib/ The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) captured the town of Bulbul as well as the villages of Ali Kar, Za’ra and al-Ham from Kurdish YPG forces in the area of Afrin. According to pro-Turkish sources, over 24 YPG members were killed in the recent clashes. Pro-Kurdish sources claim that 20 members of Turkey-led forces were killed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said that
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-february-1-2018-tiger-forces-break-militants-defense-in-eastern-idlib/ Government forces, led by the Tiger Forces, achieved a major breakthrough against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) in the province of Idlib. Government troops liberated over 15 villages, including Mushayrifah, Tall Sultan and al-Tuwaym. This advance pursues two goals: to liberate the remaining militant-held area in southern Aleppo and to prepare an advance on Saqrib. Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies started
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-january-30-2018-sdf-sends-reinforcements-to-afrin/ On January 29, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Tiger Forces fully secured the town of Abu al-Duhur in eastern Idlib after a series of clashes with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda). Meanwhile, pro-militant sources reported that the Syrian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces started conducting airstrikes in the area of Saraqib in a move described as a preparation for
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-january-29-2018-turkish-forces-capture-key-mountain-in-afrin/ The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA) used their advantage over Kurdish YPG/YPJ forces in the area of Afrin and captured Bursaya Mount, Qastal Jundu and Yazibagh. Additionally, the TAF and the TFSA entered the area of Kevire Kerr Mountain where an intense fighting was reported. On other fronts, the YPG/YPJ was able to repel attacks by Turkish forces. The Turkish General Staff released
https://southfront.org/jabhat-al-nusra-history-capabilities-role-syrian-war/ History Jabhat al-Nusra, originally Jabhat an-Nuṣrah li-ahli ash-Sham min Mujahideen ash-Shām fi Sahat al-Jihad or “Victory Front for the People of the Levant by the Mujahideen of the Levant on the Fields of Jihad”, was founded in January 2012, when military operations between the government forces and groups of armed Syrian opposition were in full force. Jabhat al-Nusra arose with the direct support of the Iraqi cell of al-Qaeda,
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-january-26-2018-turkey-threatens-to-attack-manbij/ On January 25, ISIS units attacked positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the villages of Kishmah and Ghuraybah in the province of Deir Ezzor. According to the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq, ISIS killed several army soldiers and destroyed two battle tanks with anti-tank guided missiles. However, the terrorist group did not overrun the SAA defense and was forced to retreat. According to the Syrian state-run media, 25
