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Russia has taken the initiative in the Middle East. Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria have made an agreement to set a joint information center to coordinate their operations against ISIS. The center will be based in Baghdad. The main goal of the center will be gathering, processing and analyzing current information about the situation in the Middle East – primarily for fighting IS. The Iraqi army’s joint operations command confirmed the agreement on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Syrian troops took control of the hills overlooking the Eastern Ghouta region east of Damascus, pushed the Jaish al-Islam terrorist group from there. Positions on the top hills allow to maintain supply routes in the sector.
The fight also has been going in the town of Harasta located in the area of Damascus. Pro-government sources reports that “scores of terrorists were killed and dozens more fled during the operations in the two areas”.
In Aleppo province Syrian forces have been continuing to fight against al-Nusra Front militants. 120 terrorists were reportedly killed there.
Number of military experts argue that Russian military advisers’ assistance is the main reason of the Syrian government’s gains on the battlefield.
In turn, the amin US ally in the region, Israel, fired a number of missiles into the Syrian Golan Heights. The Syrian soldiers protecting the strategic hilltops of Tal Al-Ahmar and Tal Al-Qaba’a believe that these IDF missile strikes were an attempt to propel the Islamist rebels of the Free Syrian Army and “Jabhat Al-Nusra” past their fortifications.
Thus, there are 2 different alliances on the Syrian battleground. They are the US with European allies and the Russia, Iran, Syria triangle. The Western media argue that the US regional allies participate in the US coalition, but indeed they follow own interests. The unknown feature is China. At the first sight, it’s impossible that China will participate in solving the crisis. But China has a long standing goals in the Middle East. The region is crucial for its oil supplies. And it’s evident that Beijing won’t participate in the US coalition.