The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Tiger Forces and their allies liberated the town of Bayt Siwa, the Tank Base around Hawsh al-Ash’ari and imposed fire control over the town of Misraba in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta on March 7. Next day, the SAA advanced further on militant positions in Misraba where clashes erupted.
If Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and its allies lose this town, the city of Douma and the militant-held part of the Harasta district will be isolated from the rest of the militant-held area.
Fierce clashes were also reported in the area between Bayt Siwa and the Armoured Vehicles Base, about 1km-long militant area left between two these government-held areas.
Pro-government rallies were reported in the villages of Hammuuriyah and Kafr Batna. Locals are especially upset with a decision by militant groups to reject a Russian evacuation proposal for Eastern Ghouta.
In the area of Afrin, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have captured the town of Mash’alah, the Maydanki Dam and the village of Hallubi Sagher on March 7.
The YPG attacked TAF and FSA positions in the southern part of the Shara district. According to the YPG media wing, Kurdish forces destroyed a battle tank, an armoured vehicle and killed over 30 Turkey-led fighters.
Meanwhile, the number of so-called “neutralized terrorists” in Afrin according to the TAF’s general staff grew up to about 3,000.
On March 8, the TAF and the FSA continued their advance aiming to isolate the YPG-held city of Afrin.
The SAA’s campaign in Ghouta continues to develop faster than expected. The Tiger Forces have achieve fire control over the Harastra – Beit Sawa bottle neck (800 meter), and therefore, the Ghouta pocket has been technically split in two.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXtisEXXcAIdwrQ.jpg
Sana has breaking news:
https://sana.sy/en/?p=129812
“Information about the exit of 53 persons from al-Ghouta, including 13 gunmen, across the safe corridor leading to al-Wafedeen camp later in the day….”
Looks like the terrorist resolve is crumbling if 13 gunmen are leaving (wonder how many are foreign intelligence?)…..like Aleppo they are surrounded into two pockets with the Syrian troops advancing quite quickly now against the terrorists. Local people are also out protesting.
Pictures: Syrian security forces seize anti-tank rockets and tank shells in latest arms bust near east Damascus
https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article/pictures-syrian-security-forces-seize-anti-tank-rockets-and-tank-shells-in-latest-arms-bust-near-east-damascus/
“Among the plethora of weapons and munitions seized were anti-tank rockets and their launchers, tank shells, mortar rounds, IEDs, heavy machine guns, high-powered sniper rifles, assault rifles, grenades and communication equipment.
According to reports, the illegal weapons transfer originated from an unspecified point somewhere in the desert of ‘central Syria’ (likely either out of the East Qalamoun pocket or At-Tanf region).
The arms smuggling attempt was busted when Syrian security troops dissected a truck as part of a routine check of passing vehicles through government checkpoints only to find it laced with weapons within hidden compartments.
According to Al-Masdar News journalist Ibrahim Joudeh, besieged rebel groups in East Ghouta who rely on resupply from the outside world often get weapons from nearby militant-held regions. In an ideal situation, the arms arrive near the Syrian capital by truck and are then transferred into the pocket via yet undiscovered tunnel systems.”
Der Spiegel Investigates, Finds No Proof for Fantastic Claim of Hundreds of Russians Killed in US Syria Strikes
Troublingly it also finds the 10-20 Russians killed by Americans were not taking part in any fighting
Marko Marjanović
http://www.checkpointasia.net/spiegel-investigates-finds-no-proof-for-fantastic-claim-of-hundreds-of-russians-killed-in-us-syria-strikes/
Comment below the article is also interesting:
Lets look at this another way. The kurds made a deal to hand over the field to the Syrian government and when they went to take it, the US had set them up for an ambush. How to explain drones, gunships and helicopters all being in flight. So the amerikans lit it all up to start something major with the Russians.
Exactly what the US Army did to Native Americans. They have always double-crossed their opponents. And always massacred the defenseless.
Even a white flag means nothing to them.
And they still have not won a war of any significance since 1945.
“…they [the US] still have not won a war of any significance since 1945.”
I am not very sure about this. When they fight a war, they have a purpose, a goal – kill a lot of people, create fear, destroy infrastructure… In Syria, several towns/cities were totally destroyed, as happened in Iraq and Lybia (similar to what happened to Dresden).
Unfortunately, it seems that the US wars have generally achieved what they wanted from them.
However, those were countries that could not defend themselves… The US would not fight a war against countries that can fight back because they know that, in these places, they would not achieve their goal.
The Massacre of Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hLhVREA6zo
@ they have a purpose, a goal
In Syria the goal was to split the country, to try Assad as a war criminal, to goad Iran into the vacuum and making a casus belli out of it.. They haven’t succeed yet. Then to goad Russia into a ‘second Afghanistan’ with massive casualties which would have induced people to revolt against Putin. Didn’t succeed yet, either.
@Anon (the one who listed failed war aims of the USA). You forgot Israel getting Syria’s Golan water, Syria’s Golan petroleum, Syria’s offshore gas; to carve out of Northern Syiria a new Rothschild-owned oil state (like the KSA) called Eretz Kurdistan. And most importantly — irrespective of robbing Syria of its water and hydrocarbon reserves — to destroy Syria as a rival to Israel’s hegemony over the Middle East: the way Bush and his “Coalition of the Killing” destroyed Iraq as a threat to Israel; and the way Israel hopes Trump will destroy Iran. None of these war aims have been achieved either.
But I think it is wrong to call your list and my list the war aims of the USA. What people still refer to as “the United States of America” is now (like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) merely an Anglo-Zionist-Capitalist branch office masquerading as a country.
Der Spiegel is NATO media. Attempting to access the original article by Der Spiegel is impossible due to a German language pop up, on the English site, which makes it impossible to view. I can find no way around it to view the article on which the report is based.
As to the report at the link above, by Marko Marjanović, he essentially blames pro Syrian fighters for the incident which has not been confirmed by any evidence whatsoever. No mention is made of a deal between Kurdish militia and pro Syrian forces, to turn over land, which in any case would not supercede any agreement made between the US and Russia, so the explanation given for why pro Syrian forces would put themselves in such jeopardy makes no sense.
This is disinformation reinforcing already discredited disinformation, previously denied by official Russian sources. Echo Moskvy and no less than Igor Strelkov (Girkin) are offered up as proof the story is substantiated by unofficial Russian sources. That made me laugh. Finally, the comment above by anonymous is both explosive and intentionally misleading.
Not to forget another area in the South, 20 min ago reports a significant shift against the NATZO occupation force near the Jordanian border: “An under-reported battle was fought recently between many Syrian allies and US backed terrorists & ISIS in al Tanf. The US terrorists tried to infiltrate the Syrian desert in the direction of Dumayr pocket to send weapons and fresh terrorists (ISIS among them) to resupply East Ghouta and help on its defense.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=pt&lat=33.782572&lon=38.110199&z=10&m=b&gz=0;380065155;334560784;1709747;3630107;4126739;1642589;727844;0;0;1007672;109863;2813954
The allied forces blocked their attack and even advanced inside the US terrorists protected area, inside the 55 kms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGb8wvF7X0Q&feature=em-uploademail
Important to note that SAAD was in high alert all the time due to US and Israeli jets flying inside crooked Jordan to support their terrorists, the jets were constantly painted and could not provide CAS to ISIS nor the other terrorists.
Syria War: What the mainstream media isn’t tell you about Eastern Ghouta
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/03/08/syria-war-what-the-mainstream-media-isnt-telling-you-about-eastern-ghouta/
Colonel Pat Lang believes that Erdogan intends to steal northern Syria:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2018/03/httpssouthfrontorgpentagon-halts-operations-against-isis-in-eastern-syria-because-ypg-members-move-to-.html
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/03/06/east-ghouta-vanessa-beeley-taylor-report-east-aleppo/
Most excellent report by this dedicated reporter
Yes I know it is a youtube but it is Eva Bartlett recently in London talking about imperialism with reference to Syria….but not watched it ….
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_UiCVQXd5kw
State Dept Alarmed as Syrian Democratic Forces Leave Coalition to Focus on Afrin
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803091062360713-usa-concerned-sdf-leaves-coalition-afrin/
“The United States is concerned as Syrian Democratic Forces abandon their posts with the US-led coalition fighting Daesh* terrorist group to instead focus on operations in Syria’s border district of Afrin, Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert said during a press briefing.
“We have seen as the situation in Afrin has taken hold that some of those SDF forces … have started to leave their work with coalition partners, the fight against ISIS, and head over to Afrin to handle those types of issues,” Nauert said on Thursday. “That takes the eye off the ball on ISIS. It’s a concern of ours.”
Is this genuine bitching or psywar? The israelis pindo bum bandit club, and that includes gold digger dogger nauert, are daesh’s main support.
Pentagon’s “New Tactical Scheme” for US-led Coalition Operations in Syria und Iraq in July 2016.
Washington’s long-standing strategy using various terrorist groups in order to oppose the growing
influence of Iran and Russia in the region.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/washington-uses-terrorist-groups-in-syria-and-iraq-in-order-to-oppose-the-growing-influence-of-iran-and-russia-in-the-region/5539886
Iranian General Soleimani, ewidence confirming cooperation between the US and ISIS.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/proof-of-us-isis-cooperation/5631077?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles
Trump Seeks Congressional Funding for 60,000-Man Army to Overthrow Assad
https://www.globalresearch.ca/trump-seeks-congressional-funding-for-60000-man-army-to-overthrow-assad/5631433
@Azorka. Only 60,000! Trump must have dropped a zero. Bush Jr needed a million man “Coalition of the Killing! to hang Saddam. Obama needed the “irresistible armed might” of NATZO to bayonet Gadaffi. Either this report is a joke or President Trump is trying to emulate President Kennedy’s “softly, softly” entry into Vietnam — in which case 60,000 is not the final number of US soldiers who will set out for the new ME but the number who will return dead.
Meanwhile in Canada, here’s what we get on Syria from a national ‘progressive’ website…
Massacres by government forces in Syria continue
http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/asia-pacific-currents/2018/03/massacres-government-forces-syria-continue
It was the same with Libya, the same with Ukraine and so it is with Syria. Smear, disinformation and propaganda.
Outrageous and disgusting.
Collision Cours in the North Between Israel and Iran
Teheran doesn’t seem to want directly confrontation with Israel at this time.
From Israel’s perspective would probably prefer things to go without direct clashes.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/collision-course-in-the-north-1.5888034
Until now SAA is fighting the enemy in the open (farms). But the Western Ghouta is different, it is urban area. Fighting in urban are with small arms has no effect. Using Standard methods of artillery it is different. If a machinegun nest is active in a building then the standard artillery use is:
Target machinegun nest.
Battery over machine gun Explosive Fragmental, Contact fuse, one round load.
Battery, interval 5 seconds Fire.
After the correction has been made:
Battery, over machinegun nest, 4 quick fire.
Normally the battery has 4 barrels 120mm, gun, and fires 4 rounds per barrel.
If you neutralize the first machinegun nest this way, others has to think twice before firing a single round.
Fighting the enemy behind a shield, building, you need 120mm to 160 mm caliber.
Most of the “militants” are “civilians” armed with the state of the art weapons, provided by aliens.
Syrian War Report – March 9, 2018: Syrian Army Gains Upper Hand in Eastern Ghouta Battle
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/03/09/syrian-war-report-march-9-2018-syrian-army-gains-upper-hand-in-eastern-ghouta-battle/
Reversion of a cancer. Time Lapse maps of shrinking NATZO territory in E.Ghoutta.
https://syriamaps.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/battle-of-east-ghouta/
Latest Ghouta map:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DX4OZ-7XkAEO8pe.jpg
E Ghouta Militants Plan to Stage Chemical Attack to Blame Gov’t – Damascus
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803101062395304-eastern-ghouta-chemical-attack/
“We received information that militants in Eastern Ghouta are going to stage a chemical attack [in] Hawsh al-Ash’ari, between the settlements of Mesraba and Beit Sawa. The terrorists of the Tahrir al-Sham group want to sacrifice several women for these purposes and spread false stories. This ‘show’ is expected to take place on March 11,” Syrian Deputy-Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said.
The official pointed out that the Syrian government was ready to assist in any investigation of chemical attacks in Syria but the international organizations refused to cooperate with Damascus and even visit the country to verify the data.
Last week, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation reported that Syrian terrorists were preparing provocations involving chemical warfare agents in Eastern Ghouta, which would be used by western states as a pretext for accusing Damascus of the use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilian population.”
AFRIN
basically lost due to Kurdish leadership’s selling out to the mafia.
GHOUTA
pocket technically cut into three pieces.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DX7f2kpWsAIrVx8.jpg
Maps Update.
Afrin’s sorry fate. City surrounded, water supply cut.
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/afrinmap20180311.jpg
Zion’s terror kibbutz in Ghouta cut into 3 pieces and shrinking fast.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DYBaX7iW4AEkdaG.jpg
Canthama on the Ghouta campaign thus far & outlook:
“[…] the best estimate for numbers of the many terrorist factions inside good was around 10,000, with 7-8.000 at minimum and 15,000 as far too much.
The battle for East Ghouta managed to put together over 50,000 of able SAA and NDF soldiers (those that were already in the large frontline plus the new arrivals from Idlib, Hama, Deir ez Zour among other fronts). The sheer advantage in nbrs keep the fight 24×7 against the terrorists (rare daily pause near the Duma for the 1st exit corridor), it takes time but the exhaustion builds up and defenses collapsed.
The combination of precise artillery shelling, missiles and air attacks reduced the nbrs of terrorists in the frontlines, as expected the offensive started from east toward west, it was expected tough battles to break the very strong first line of defense (it took over 5 days for the TFs to break through it Hawsh ad Dawahirah, after that there was basically no 2nd line of defenses inside the Ghouta farms, then the castle of cards collapsed from within.
The initial phase on the farms was expected to be faster than the urban warfare, the next phase speed will highly depend on on going deals to isolate the terrorists even more as well as reduce their footprint in fewer cities, once that done the speed will accelerate even more, but there is always a chance for factions to cut a deal with the Syrian Government to exit the pocket, they lost a chance to do it with their light weapons, next deal proposal will be tougher for the terrorists.
Mesraba is completely under the Tiger Forces control for about 2 hours, have said the army base south of Duma as a prime target about a week ago, the TFs are now few meters aways from it, this base control the road from Harasta-Duma, then Safra will be fully liberated thus connecting the TFs to the RGs coming from Harasta Orchards.
The pocket has finally being split in 2 right now where the TFs connected to the armoured vehicle.
This move will split the pokcet in 3 parts:
1)Duma
There will be a lot of negotiation for Duma, this si JIA HQs and there are dozens of NATO/Israel/GCC operatives here. This is the area with the largest nbrs of civilians, the tactic here will most likely be pressure-advance-negotiation-pressure-advance until a deal is broken.
2)Harasta/Al Zahle near the highway
This pocket, if not emptied by the terrorists once they know the isolation is a given (1-2 days max), will be stormed from behind where defenses are non existent, the terrorists that remains will be hunted down to the last, most of them buried under the tunnels.
3)South/SW
The key cities of Saqba, Kafr Batna, Hamouriyah, Madyrara, Jisreen will be all liberated with or without deals with the local leaders (many under final attempts to close a deal), but it will always depend if the local terrorist faction leader accept the deal with the locals, anyway those cities will be liberated, leaving behind the toughest nut to crack:
Zamalka,
Irbeen
Ain Terma
Hazeh
Jobar
The above may take a week or 1 month to finish, it will depend on the on going deals, if fight to death in the south/SW, then it will take longer.”
Now that the combat area is reduced in 2 pockets tactically the Artillery dictates the terms of battle. What Syria needs is 4 brigades of artillery. Two per each side of the pocket. Our brigade of artillery has 122mm Howitzers, 120mm mortar and 82mm mortars (one company).
122mm Howitzers were operated as a single battery of 4, or as 4 batteries of 4, 16 barrels to cover an Artillery Field (Checkerboard 100m X 100m).
Training an Artillery Brigade needs time and efforts. It took us 2 years to master. Since then we were firing to kill, with high precision and devastating results.
Firing a battery, we never stopped until the target was destroyed, with at least 30 rounds.
Using the Artillery Field Tactics, we were using at least 80 rounds, over an area 100m X 100m destroying 75% of enemy in this area. Sometimes artillery fields of 122mm Howitzers, combine with 16 X120mm mortars. If these artillery fields are combined by skillful artillerist, the panic and devastating of the enemy is unspeakable. The commander in chief of our Artillery brigade was graduated by the Russian Military Academy, while my task was Chief Operative of the Brigade.
No matter that Russians are Masters of the Artillery; unfortunately still I can’t se the real competence and discipline of the Russian artillery over the Syria.
Iraq Army Hunting Down ISIS Cells.
“ US is losing its game in Iraq/Syria, the Iraq Army has started to hunt down ISIS cells throughout the country, but most importantly, it has started to shell ISIS positions inside the US-ISIS protected area in eastern Deir ez Zour/Hasaka, this is a first & when the IAF kick start with CAS inside Syria, it’ll show US strategy all along, as protector of ISIS-SDF.” (Canthama)
RUAF Strikes Ex-Al Nusra Idlib C&C Center.
RuAF pulverizes Idlib Central Bank building – housing a Jewish Mafia safe space – in a precision strike.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.930448&lon=36.639383&z=18&m=b
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-video-russian-2000-pound-precision-bomb-obliterates-al-qaeda-headquarters-in-idlib-city/
Syrian Army Finds Chemical Weapons’ Workshop in Eastern Ghouta
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803121062431574-syrian-army-chemical-weapons/
“According to Syrian Army reports, militants in Eastern Ghouta planned a chemical attack provocation to put blame on Damascus.
Syrian government forces found a clandestine workshop for the manufacture of chemical munitions while sweeping through the village of Aftris in Eastern Ghouta after militants withdrew from the community, Syrian Arab Army Colonel Feruz Ibrahim told reporters on Monday.
“Presumably, the equipment of these munitions could be produced as part of a false flag accusation that government troops used chemical weapons,” he said.
Recently, Syrian Foreign Ministry said that militants in Eastern Ghouta may stage a chemical attack to blame Syrian government for it. Syrian official stressed that the Damascus was ready to assist any investigation of chemical attacks in Syria but the international organizations declined to cooperate with Syrian government.
Last week, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation informed that terrorists were planning provocations involving chemical warfare agents in Eastern Ghouta.”
Previously, the Syrians have found other storage depots and facilities showing how daesh is a tool of israeloamerica:
Warehouses With Israeli-Produced Weapons Discovered in Deir ez-Zor – Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201802131061628631-warehouses-discovered-israel-weapons/
“The warehouses with a huge amount of rockets, mortars, tank shells and other ammunition were discovered in Al Boukamal and Al Mayadin areas, according to the Syrian state-run news agency. The weapons reportedly were produced in Israel.
A source told the media outlet that in one of the tunnels in the al-Sbikhan village to the east of al-Mayadin, the army units found a factory for manufacturing shells and explosives as well as barrels with a strange essence that could be used for manufacturing toxic substances.”
WATCH Syrian Army Finds Huge Weapons Cache in Deir ez-Zor
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803121062427919-deir-ez-zor-weapons-/
“Earlier, Syrian Army units discovered a massive pile of US and European-made weapons inside Daesh dens near Deir ez-Zor.
According to SANA news agency, Syrian government forces have discovered lot of weapons, different ammunition and even a rocket launching pad in Deir Ez-Zor.”
Syrian Army Reportedly Finds Cache of French Weapons in Liberated Eastern Ghouta
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803121062441058-french-weapons-found-in-eastern-ghouta/
“The suspected find comes on the heels of the military’s discovery of a workshop used by militants to manufacture chemical weapons.
Syrian forces involved in a mopping-up operation in recently-freed areas of Eastern Ghouta have come across a large arms depot including weapons made in France, Fars News Agency has reported, citing field sources.
The French-made weapons and ammunition were found during the military’s operations to sweep the towns of Modira and Mesraba of militants, the sources said.
The discovery of a cache of French-made weapons comes following a report by the Syrian Army Monday that the military had found a clandestine workshop used for the manufacture chemical weapons in the village of Aftris.
Paris has made no secret of its weapons deliveries to Syrian ‘rebels’, with illicit deliveries continuing in 2012 despite a European embargo. In a 2015 interview, then-President Francois Hollande admitted that France had delivered the weapons, saying that he was “certain that they would end up in the right hands.” France provided the militants with small arms, rocket launchers, and anti-tank missiles. In addition to weapons, France has also provided rebel groups with other forms of support, including cash and military advisors.”
EXCLUSIVE: The Violent Reality of ‘Western Propaganda Construct’ White Helmets
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201803121062324498-white-helmets-vanessa-beeley/
“Among them is journalist Vanessa Beeley. Her take on the group is stark – the White Helmets are a “propaganda construct,” supporting the “neo-colonialist” ambitions of Western powers and violent extremist groups operating in Syria. Moreover, she has collected documentation indicating the group plays an active, often armed role in the terrorist war on the government of Bashar al-Assad.
“Anyone who spends even a few hours in East Aleppo can collect a vast number of allegations about major, violent abuses carried out and/or supported by the White Helmets, including the use of human shields. Where Al Qaeda and Daesh go in the country, the group is sure to follow. Their support has been logistical too, monitoring Syrian and Russian forces’ flight patterns and the like,” Vanessa told Sputnik.”
What follows is one of the better articles exposing this zionazi psywar campaign.
The israeli’s have ordered their quisling trump regime to threaten Syria, Russia, Hezbollah and Iran.
US prepared to act on Syria if UN Security Council won’t – Haley
https://www.rt.com/usa/421068-us-haley-syria-un/
“US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley has warned that the US will take action in Syria on its own if the UN Security Council fails to do so. The official cited last year’s attack on a Syrian airbase as an example of possible US action.
Haley announced a new US-sponsored draft of a ceasefire resolution for Syria, which will not have any “anti-terrorism loopholes.” The resolution, if adopted, would take effect immediately and call for a complete cessation of hostilities in Syria. It remains unclear exactly how the US plans to enforce the measure on terrorist groups.”
What the repulsive zionazi quisling haley threatened was open aggressive war against Syria and her allies if they don’t submit to israel’s terrorists taking over.
Really looking forward to seeing this whole lot swinging after their war crimes convictions.
Daesh fighter
Iraqi Military Reportedly Finds US Army Rations in Cave Used by Daesh (PHOTOS)
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803121062455388-us-rations-in-us-cave/
“Directorate 4, a Telegram channel monitoring the security situation in Iraq and Syria, reported the find, saying that US MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) individual field rations packaging was found in the terrorists’ cave.
The channel explained that in addition to caches of weapons and ammunition, the Iraqi military has also been finding these kinds of Daesh (ISIS)* underground shelters where the jihadists could get a bit of rest and relaxation. Directorate 4 added that it can be assumed that some of these secret facilities continue to be used.”