On January 8 and 9, government forces re-captured over a dozen villages in southern Idlib, including Zifr Kabir, Zifr Saghir, Harmala, Burtuqanah, Ajjaz and Jahman from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda).
In total, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Tiger Forces and their allies have liberated over 400km2 in southern Idlib since the start of 2018.
On January 8, the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) sent reinforcements, including about 20 vehicles armed with various weapons, at least two battle tanks and a few artillery pieces, to support Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the area. Reports also appeared that other militant groups, including Ahrar al-Sham, are preparing to join the battle in southern Idlib against the SAA.
Should various militant groups be able to find common ground in Idlib, they would have a chance of stopping the SAA advance on Abu al-Duhur.
Meanwhile, ISIS cells also resumed their activity and seized more villages in northeastern Hama from HTS. According to reports, the expansion of ISIS in the area had become possible thanks long-prepared sleeper cells and to defections from HTS.
Russian forces repelled an attack by 13 militant unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on its facilities in Syria during the night on January 6, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on January 8.
10 UAVs attacked the Khmeimim air base and 3 UAVs attacked the Tartus naval logistics base. The Russian military took control over 6 UAVs and a Pantsir-S1 short-range air-defense system shot down 7 others. According to the statement, all of the UAVs were detected “at a considerable distance from the Russian military objects.” The attack resulted in no casualties among Russian military personnel and the two bases “continue to operate as normal.”
It was the “first time that terrorists massively used unmanned combat aerial vehicles of an aircraft type that were launched from a distance of more than 50 kilometers, and operated using GPS satellite navigation coordinates. Technical examination of the drones showed that such attacks could have been made by terrorists from a distance of about 100 kilometers,” the statement reads.
The ministry added that the advanced technologies used by the militants “could have been obtained only from a country possessing state-of-the-art technologies, including satellite navigation and remote control of … explosive devices [for] release at certain coordinates.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankin-Galloway commented on the issue saying that that “those devices and technologies can easily be obtained in the open market.”
“We have seen this type of commercial UAV technology used to carry out missions by ISIS,” the official told the Russian state-run news agency Sputnik. He added that the militarization of such devices by militants “is cause for concern.”
Drone attack clearly a US mission. US spy plane circling over Khemim air base and Tartus naval base as reported by RT says it all.
ISIS may have the skill but not the hardware or programming knowledge to do this without help from a 1st nation.
The US clearly has learnt nothing from the USS Donald Duck Kibini over flight by unarmed Su24s three years ago.
Russian electronic warfare clearly still superior in taking control of 6 of the drones late on a Saturday evening when staff levels would have been at their lowest!
Pantsir very impressive considering how lightly armed it is. A really good value for money air defence network.
You have to ask…just how useless is the Aegis system? While this attack does not address this issue directly, it is clear that if this drone attack is the best the US can do, Pentagon chiefs must be having not just sleepless nights, but nightmares too!
Just how behind and out of date are the US’s conventional weaponry? I’d say technically 20 years give or take 5.
The difference between Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (the US) and Ronald Pearson’s Theory of Creativity (Rus…which proves we can go faster than light speed and solves the Cosmological Constant). No comparison. The US might as well surrender now…bunch of losers.
@Pirouette. Surrender to what enemy? As far as I know, Russia is not at war with the USA. But for sure The Exceptional Nation, having now come up against Russia, should join The Man of Destiny and The Leader of the Master Race: stop trying to conquer the whole world.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the drone attack was more of a test of Russian defense capabilities, and especially EW capabilities, than it was an actual attack.
The spy plane was no doubt listening to every little ripple in the radio spectrum as the UAVs were being didrected to land on the base.
Amerkanski,
I have to agree with you. The previous attacks (with missiles and mortars) and this one with drones suggest that they are not just harassments of Russian forces in Syria (make Russia pay a heavier price..) but a test of Russian capabilities …It looks like the most efficient weapons were the mortars…the least sophisticated ones…If the RF don’t show some resolute and unequivocal answer to this attacks for sure they will continue… Why not? Once enough information is collected a better and more efficient attack will follow. The war is far from over and Mr. Putin will have to return the withdrawn forces back in the fight..
This recent coordinated drone attack may actually be an attempt to create division between the Turks and the Russians.
This piece from AM provides a fairly good picture of the situation in Syria at the time of the drone attack, as well as a summary of what was known about it.
Russia to respond after massive drone attack hits Syrian base
http://theduran.com/russia-response-after-massive-drone-attack-syrian-base/
I disagree with his speculation about the israeloamericans staging the attack to warn the Russians off upgrading the base. I think there were different reasons.
Some background. The Turks feel threatened by the recent Syrian advances in Idlib.
Turkey Summons Russian, Iranian Envoys Over Syria Safe Zone Violation – Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801091060625760-turkey-russian-iranian-envoys-idlib-violation/
“Turkey appeals to Russian and Iranian diplomats to urge Syria’s government to cease violation of de-escalation zone borders’ violation in Idlib, according to the newspaper.
Turkish diplomatic sources say that Ankara has voiced to the ambassadors its “concern” about the operation which is conducted by the Syrian government forces in the south-east of idlib. This operation on the ground is percieved by Turkey as “a violation by the Syrian armed forces of the borders of the de-escalation zone in Idlib, which was agreed during Astana talks between three guarantor-states.”
Earlier, Ankara’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that Syrian armed forces have been carrying out attacks on the so-called moderate opposition in the province of Idlib under the pretext of fighting terrorism.”
Latest news on the drone attack:
Drones Attacked Hmeymim Base From ‘Moderate’ Opposition-Controlled Area
https://sputniknews.com/military/201801101060634030-drones-attacked-hmeymim-moderate-opposition/
“The drones that attacked Hmeymim air base earlier this month flew out of the area in the southwest of the de-escalation zone Idlib controlled by the so-called “moderate” opposition, the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, the official publication of the Russian Defense Ministry, said on Wednesday.
“According to the Russian Defense Ministry, it was established that the launch of the drones was carried out from the area of the Muazar settlement located in the southwestern part of Idlib de-escalation zone controlled by the armed formations of the so-called ‘moderate’ opposition,” the statement said.
It is noted that in connection with this incident, the Russian Defense Ministry had sent letters to the Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, Gen. Hulusi Akar, and Head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization, Hakan Fidan.
“The documents indicate the need for Ankara to fulfill its obligations to ensure compliance with the ceasefire regime by the armed formations under its control and to step up work on the installation of observation posts in Idlib de-escalation zone in order to prevent such attacks by UAVs against any objects,” the statement added.”
The drones we’re launched from a area the Turks are supposed to be managing as a deconfliction zone. Are the Turks behind the attacks then and they are a warning to Russia over the above cited deconfliction zone objections?
But then what about this:
US Spy Aircraft Flew Between Russian Bases in Syria During Drone Attack – MoD
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801091060620442-us-spy-aircraft-russian-bases-syria/
“The US Navy’s Boeing P-8 Poseidon was on a patrol mission in the area between the Russian Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base in Syria when militants attempted to attack the facilities using 13 drones, the ministry revealed on Tuesday.
“… This forces us to take a fresh look at the strange coincidence that, during the attack of UAV terrorists on Russian military facilities in Syria, the Navy reconnaissance aircraft Poseidon was on patrol over the Mediterranean Sea for more than 4 hours at an altitude of 7 thousand meters, between Tartus and Hmeimim,” the ministry said.
After preventing the attack, the Russian military analyzed the design of and ammunition inside the seized UAVs, saying that such drones could have been supplied to the militants only by a country that is capable of “providing satellite navigation and remote control for the dropping of explosive devices.” Later in the day, the Pentagon issued a statement saying that such drones could be bought on “the open market.”
Commenting on the Pentagon’s statement, the Russian military expressed its concern over the remark that the technologies for attacking Russian military facilities are “easily accessible on the open market.”
“What are those technologies that are being talked about?” the ministry asked. A spokesperson also called for the Pentagon to reveal where this market is “located and what special service is selling space reconnaissance data” to militants.”
The Russians are all but outright claiming the americans were behind the attack. Since the drone attack originated from a turkish monitored zone, could this be a turk-israeloamerican joint op? Remember when the turks shot down the Russian Su-24? There was an American p-8 involved in that attack and it was a turk-american joint op.
Given the strained turk-american relations now, though, there is another possibility. What if the israeloamericans launched the drones from the Turk managed region to make it look to the Russians that the Turks were behind the attacks? An attempt to sow division between Russia and turkey?
Israel just attacked syria again prior to satanyahu meeting with putin…can someone tell me why is Russia on stand by? and why this is not discussed here? your feedback on this will be appreciated the saker.
Seeing the pictures of the drones, it is obvious to me that these drones could have been made in any workshop in the world, including the ones from the most poor countries.
Considering the overwhelming amount of open information on the web on how to build the hard- and software of such a drone, I am astonished to hear from the Russian authorities, that you need a university degree of a western country to be able to build such a thing.
A usb-gps is costing about 10 euro’s, or less.
A barometric pressure sensor is costing about 1 Euro
You can use Raspberry pi’s as CPU, and Arduino’s for controlling the servo’s,
costing both double nothing.
The software is for free:
http://www.librepilot.org/site/index.html
Are the Russians really thinking that people from third world countries are stupid?
By the way, plenty of third world people have a western university degree.
@Rikki. OK. Make one for 11 Euro plus double nothing for the PC with IO , program it with free software, and put it on ebay. I’ll buy.
You’re missing the point.
The planes are made from iron, wood and duck-tape.
gpsd is open software to read gps,
LibrePilot also is open software.
The electronica from LibrePilot is open hardware.
Have a look at their forum, these people are already busy flying their planes according to preset gps way-points.
https://forum.librepilot.org/index.php?topic=2707.0
They are doing flipflops and rollovers pre-programmed.
Turning camera’s right, left, up, down, zoom in, zoom out.
Letting loose of a bomb is much more easy.
Have you ever been to a third world country?
I can assure you, they have skyscrapers, highways, and Mercedes Benz.
They are not (at) all walking around naked through the bushes.
(mod-to note: condescending segment of line removed) – for an Engineer, or a couple of them (from the South, or anywhere, with or without a university degree from the West), making such a drone should be not too difficult.
Since it’s all already there.
You don’t have to be really, really smart, nor do you have to have a million dollars.
Selling them on Ebay though, is not advisable.
https://www.wired.com/2011/03/what-not-to-sell-on-ebay-drones/
So, you feel that your judgment of the sophistication of these devices based on simply seeing pictures of them, and on your assumptions of technologies used, should be taken more seriously than that of Russian authorities that have examined the actual devices themselves?
An interesting article of Thierry Meyssan on this: http://www.voltairenet.org/article199339.html
Meyssan claims that this was initiated by Ahrar al-Sham.
Since e.g. quite some Europeans joined rebel groups there, we cannot state that this is beyond their capabilities. The well-known ISIS beheader Jihadi John had an university degree in ICT.
Considering the ´burning´ question about who´s satellite was used, could it be that regular GPS satellites have been used, like my car navigation system?
Since an American reconaissance plane happened to be so conveniently close by, it is all too obvious to see the USA behind it. It could be just a test and analysis of the Russian EW dynamics.
If I´m not mistaken, probably due to this over 30 Tomahawk cruised missiles are now on the bottom of the Mediterranean.
Meyssan states that these capabilities might change the dynamics on the battlefield considerably. He might have a point.
Cheers, Rob
“IDLIB, Syria – Over 150 pre-made news tweets against the Syrian Army have been formulated by opposition activists who support the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra in Syria’s northwest Idlib province.
A variety of claims are prepared for tweeting under the hashtag “#Outrage4Idlib,” suggesting that a false flag operation is being prepared to try and force a foreign intervention against the Syrian Army…….”etc
http://www.fort-russ.com/2018/01/important-is-false-flag-operation-about.html
presumably those opposition members and representatives should be “anulled’ , disqualified from the Astana talks?
Any news-facts about mortar attack on H.air base? Why were 2 valuable SU-35 so exposed + couple of SU25M also damaged in incident..any seriously destroyed assets? Military police should monitor at least 20 km echalon around vital military assets like airport imo. Front line in Latakia, Hama is to close anyway…
It’s easy to see what happened. The Pentagon decided to be a little bit clever, sending mini drones against Russian bases and in the process testing the efficiency of Russian radar and Russian AA missiles, presumably the Panczir AA missile system. The Pentagon wanted to see if Russian radar had the capability of detectiungf small flying objects and if the Panczir AA missile system could shoot them down. Well, the Pentagon got it’s answer, in fact more than it bargained for. Russian electronics even took control over 6 of the drones. This was not the first time it did so. In Crimea Russian electronics took control of at least one drone, which it safely landed on the ground. I trust the Pentagon has been educated.
SyrPer military analyst Canthama posts Science and Tech link from Russia Beyond [The Horizon?].
https://www.rbth.com/science-and-tech/327225-drone-warfare-how-russias-military-fights
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankin-Galloway, however, claimed that “those devices and technologies can easily be obtained in the open market.” He later also told Sputnik that the US already saw what it called “this type of commercial UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] technology” being used in Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) missions.”
Interesting. How does HE know what technologies were used in these drones? Sounds like the US protest was a Freudian slip. And quite the coincidence that the operation being monitored by a Poseidon. Was a warning radioed to the Russians that what appeared to be a swarm of drones was detected incoming? They surely would have mentioned it. The attacks by various mediums over the last few days on the Russian airbase clearly shows defenses are being tested, and apparently tested in some scientific detail by having spy plane monitors. May be for planning of future attacks, may be because the US has determined it is losing and wants to gain as much intel as possible now, in case they have to bug out soon and lose the ability to test current tech Russian defenses. Best place in the world to do so without starting a top-level conflict. One wonders if the drones were all configured differently, in an attempt to pin down up to what level of shielding Russian tech could take over a drone, and beyond which they would have to be shot down.
@JSwift: “‘, may be because the US has determined it is losing …”
When I read that, a dark memory surfaced, of crude little boxy flying bombs swarming toward London. Sent by a deranged loser in a last futile attempt to salvage his genocidal war. Guided by the most advanced Systems algorithms of the 1940s. Victory weapon V1. Followed by victory weapon V2 with even more sophisticated technology — the weapon which defined the future of warfare. Followed by Unconditional Surrender — of the Power who sent them.
When I first saw images and vids of drones available on the consumer market back in the day, I told me ol’ daddio, that the times, thems are sure changing.
It is plausible deniability, that these delivery devices add to an arsenal.
I can hardly wait, till someone drives one of those loaded with some H.E. into some or other public gathering of the “elite”.
Get yours while you still can…
As to who did it?
Time and money will tell.
Tovarish Putin has been quite quiet lately, but I’m sure he’s noot snoozing…or tweeting sweet nothings to incosequential parties.
Not his style…
Useful assessment of general Syrian situation
http://russia-insider.com/en/israel-bombing-syria-show-its-still-relevant-government-forces-march-victory/ri22141
SAA & allies are about to free 3.000 sq km in Idlib.
https://twitter.com/Syria_Hezb_Iran/status/951158057677017088