International Military Review – Syria-Iraq Battlespace, Nov. 03. 2015

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The Russian Air Force’s support allowed the Syrian forces to liberate more than 50 settlements. Following the reports, SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence can conclude that only Russian airstrikes killed 400-600 militants since the start of the military operation. Pro-government forces are advancing in the Aleppo, Latakia, Idlib, Hama and Damascus provinces. Despite the efforts on the ground and in the air, terrorists are holding their positions in a number of areas which have been turned in heavily protected points since the start of the Syrian war. Furthermore, and al-Nusra and ISIS have already united their military efforts in the Hama province.

Separately, some al-Nusra units joined to the Ahrar ash-Sham group which Western media and officials call “moderate rebels”. Some other terrorist groups are also seeking to rebrand themselves in order to argue that the Russian anti-ISIS coalition fights against “moderate opposition” instead of terrorists.

On October 26, the Jund al-Aqsa militant group leaved the Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fatah) military operations coalition. The official reason was that another member of the Army of Conquest, Ajnad al-Sham suggested to fight ISIS. According to reports, ISIS executed about 200 militants tried to join al-Nusra. Militants wanted to change the terrrorist group because ISIS is a primary target of the Russian Air Force in Syria.

There is unconfirmed information that Turkey and Saudi Arabia have a plan to supply SAM-8 and SAM-9 antiaircraft systems to the Syrian terrorist through Ukraine.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) supported by Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces (NDF) imposed full control over the Ahad Mountains after a series of intense firefights with ISIS on November 2. According to the field reports the SAA and Hezbolalh also advanced north of the Ahad Mountains in order to control the remaining ISIS combatants that are entrenched along the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway that leads to the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate.

Over the weekend, the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command issued a statement inferring that the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway could be reopened as soon as Tuesday. However, this will not be an easy task due to the ISIS forces pushing north from their stronghold of ‘Aqaybat, which is located east of Al-Salamiyah and south of Sheikh Hilal.

Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) advanced against the militants in the vicinity of al-Houl town towards the village of al-Bahra in al-Hasaka countryside on Monday, reports said.

ISIS has killed 12 children, aged 12 to 16, recruited in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul apparently because they had tried to desert. The children were receiving training at Ashti military camp in Mosul.

In their latest advance against ISIS militants, Iraqi army troops backed by volunteer forces have entered the city of Ramadi, which is currently under the control of the terrorist group. The Iraqi military advanced into the city center after crossing the strategic bridge of Albu Faraj, north of Ramadi. Reports said earlier in the day that Iraqi forces had killed a senior ISIS member, known as Abu Masab, in the northern part of the city.