If you’re able, and if you like our content and approach, please support the project. Our work wouldn’t be possible without your help: PayPal: southfront@list.ru or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront
On Tuesday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) launched a large military operation in an attempt to split the militant-held area in the Daraa province into two separate parts.
Initially, the SAA and the NDF captured the Daraa Air Defense Base and the Dahdah Hill, but then government forces were pushed to retreat and the joint militant forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) retook the area.
The SAA and the NDF also pushed in the direction of the Grain warehouses and inside the Palestinian camp but were not able to make notable gains.
During the clashes, militants destroyed a government forces battle tank, captured a battle tank, a bulldozer, and armoured vehicle.
On Wednesday, the Syrian Air Force continued bombing militant targets in the border area. This indicates that the SAA and the NDF may repeat an attempt to reach the border. If this is done, government force would develop momentum in the area in order to cut off supply lines to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies inside the city of Daraa.
In the eastern Damascus desert, government forces have captured the Bir Qassab area. The advance was made after a series of firefights with US-backed militants. Government forces steadily drive US-backed forces from the eastern Damascus desert. According to some experts, the goal of this effort is to isolate US-led coalition troops and their allied militant units in the border area near the US military facilities of At Tanf and Al Zqur.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured Kasrat al Faraj from ISIS in the city of Raqqah. Clashes continued in al-Baryd and Qadisiyyah.
A pilot of the Syrian Su-22 downed by the US-led coalition, Lieutenant Colonel Ali Fahd, was captured by SDF units. Since then, negotiations are ongoing between the government and the SDF to free him.
The battle of Raqqa is an American farce . This battle plays into their conjob that they “Americans” are fighting ISIS .When in reality this strategy is designed to give the “illusion” to the general public in order to garner the public support . What is more likely happening is ,while the US and its allies are gaining ground in Raqqa ,the terrorists are being dispatched elsewhere ‘being allowed to leave unscathed’ ,more likely towards Dier Ez Zor, and the other goal is to destroy Raqqa as a city.
Stephan, ISIS are USA mercenaries. (They have not gone rogue.) The USA are not really fighting ISIS. The con is this: When USA wants to take control of a city (and its nearby oil and gas deposits), they tell ISIS to leave the city and move to the next area they want to take over before bombing the shit out of the city. Thus giving the appearance that they have destroyed and/or driven out ISIS. Here’s the order of the con: Mosul, Raqqa, DEIR AL-Zour, Al Mayadin. If the USA is allowed to take the last 3 cities they have won the war.
A mixed bag of updates by Canthama:
Suweida.
“… With the recent liberation of Bir Qassab and its surrounding in eastern Damascus Province, the US backed terrorists are in a very delicate situation. More advances are expected toward the red area below (map), pushing the terrorists away from the inhabited areas which in turn will secure the villages from terrorists for the 1st time since 2014-2015 when ISIS advanced toward Suweida.
Sometime ago it was reported the terrorists had 4 GRAD vehicles, 2 of them were destroyed few days ago by SAAF and RuAF after the terrorists attack at Marj Ruhayyil Airbase, interesting enough the so called US back terrorists were in fact supposedly retaliating the SAAF for its attack in Daraan, a clear indication the center command for the southern front and the US back terrorists in al Tanf is one and the same, and that both actions, US attempt to take control of the Syrian desert and the terrorist’s offensive in Daraa city were orchestrated to happen at the same time.
Syrian Su22 downing.
“… the US jets are flying from the Gulf (F18) and F15/F16 from Turkey and Jordan.
“… The F18 that hit the Su22 was in the area way before the Su22, and it received the order to engage from CENTCOM, most likely due to sats images reporting ISIS collapse in Resafa, it was intentional to slowdown the Tigers and allow the SDF to advance toward Resafa, the timing was so tight that SDF managed to reach 2 kms north of Resafa at Shuwayhan, it was as is the F18 was doing a CAS to SDF, but instead of firing into the Tiger Forces it hit the Su22 to paralize the Tiger Forces for a moment until the SDF could grab the crossroad.
That, in fact, is what happened. On the other side, the control of Shuwayhan gives the SDF a saying on the oil pipeline the runs through it, another collateral target for the SDF.
“… this whole situation is fishy at best, the F18 was clearly inside Syria for while, air air refuelling etc…literally placed there for situations like that, attack from high altitude toward SAAF bombers.
I tend to believe this premeditated action was to protect US assets in the area, most likely aiding ISIS to hold the Tiger Forces off Resafa, it was clear the race by the SDF toward Resafa that only started 2 days before the Tiger was approaching it, not sure why they did not try to do it before since it is a critical crossroad.
The Kurdish question.
“… Syrian and its allies are playing their cards correctly, not following provocations, even murderous one like the past 5 ground and air attacks, and keep on the long term strategy of defeating ISIS and controlling most of the ground of Syria, without ISIS, the coalition will shift to “protect our partners” and that is a much more political game, but the SAA won’t stop there, it will continue to advance toward Hasaka and will get the many arab tribes in Hasaka, Raqqa and Der ez Zor to support its move.
The Syrian Kurds seem to get the “exceptionality” bad quality from the US regime, and if they continue in this path they will be the ones losing badly, they had a clear chance in having autonomy from the Syrian Government, but they are choosing the path of independence and this will create issue among the many Syrian Kurd factions, Arabs, Assyrians and of course with the Syrian Government. They will lose of they continue believing they are invincible.
“… SDF is being played, several folks sharing that people inside SDF are questioning this act by the US, they know they will pay a heavy price if the confront the SAA, moreover when ISIS is defeated. There are a lot of Arabs inside Raqqa and Hasaka provinces that do not support the SDF, these are thousands and can and will be accessed by the Syrian Government when the SAA approaches Hasaka and Raqqa Provinces. The moment folks understand that context, people will understand why the Syrian Government and allies are doing all these deals, ceasefire, etc…that sometimes do not look good or it looks weak, but it is a long run play, and the moment ISIS is gone and the SAA is inside Der ez Zor Province, and control the right backs of the Euphrates (Raqqa Province and Der ez Zor), it will be the moment arabs in Hasaka will shift allegiance, not before that.
US plans are weak, they will lose this one very badly, so thus anyone falling into its plan, and that will be the most of the Syrian Kurds.
LNG gas.
“… The very long plan continues, a peaceful Iraq and Syria will get the gas from Iran, most likely Qatar now, all the way to the Med Sea in Lattakia.
From there it will connect to the already proved, yet to be explored, very large, low depth, profitable, gas field in the Syrian and Lebanese coast, then all the way to EU and/or connecting to Turkish gas pipelines.
The military presence all the way from Iran to Lattakia will be guaranteed, so the pipeline flows.
All of this will take many years to be accomplished, but once it does, KSA will be dead and most likely Israel will have lost all their cards. Until this plan is put in place, many big movements will happen, even a possible across the ME war, too many terrorists mercs, trained, will be out in the market.”
More short Canthama updates:
ISIS destroys Al-Nuri Mosque, Baghdad.
“… That is a clear sign of defeat. ISIS is done for good in Iraq. It remains to be beaten in Syria though and soon it will be homeless and lifeless.
ISIS.
http://www.atimes.com/article/fear-loathing-afghan-silk-road/
“… Pepe and you are right, ISIS will survive as a terrorist organization in other parts of the world.
The latest Pepe’s article is excellent, indeed, one that touches the very nerve of the current global geopolitics, I am really glad he is back to AT and writing freely, his detour in 2016 was not a good one.
Pepe is by far the one of the best journalist out there to see the big picture, and his knowledge on Asia is simply impressive. “
Iraqi PMUs.
[US told the Iraqi government to pull PMU 70 KM from its own borders and the next day US wacked the Iraqi base killing and wounding 15 Iraqi troops.]
“… rest assured, the coordination between the Syrian Government and the Iraqi Government is solid and goes very deep. Both High Commands coordinate every move at the border, and even battles fought across the borders. This level of coordination has never been in place due to the bad relationship between Syrian and Iraqi Baath parties. I am very optimistic with the future of Syria and Iraq should this coordination and level of cooperation continue, the people are brotherly and it can be seen on the ground, now the Governments are moving toward complicity, step closer to a very deep alliance.”
If it is ok, I want to invite anyone here to read the excellent article by Pepe Escobar that _smr just posted. Thank you for that.
He is connecting the dots. I wasn’t surprised that ISIS suddenly popped up in the Philippines, that was obviously to punish president Duterte for not dancing for the Empire.
But I was puzzled that ISIS had fought itself in the Hindu Kush. But Pepe Escobar sees the bigger picture: they area already positioning to sabotage the Chinese New Silk Road. And that is also valid for the positioning between Syria and Iraq, it’s more than just the supply route for Hezbollah.
I fear that the situation in Syria may take a while longer.
Tass reporting Rusia awaits details from the west re “unidentified”helicopters assisting ISIS in Afghanistan….Iran says it has proof of USA working with ISIS …..could get interesting…..