Syrian War Report – August 29, 2016: Militant Strongholds Fall near Damascus

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The situation in Aleppo city remains tense. The Syrian army, Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces, supported by Russian and Syrian warplanes, have been continuing pressure on Jaish al-Fatah militants in the areas of the 1070 Apartment Project, the Air Force Technical College, the Ramouseh Roundabout and the Khan Tuman-Ramuseh road. It’s expected that the pro-government forces will attempt to physically cut off the road advancing on Mushrifah from the Um Al Qara Hill. If the Syrian army and its allies are able to achieve success in any of the aforementioned directions, the militant defenses in the area could easily start to collapse. There are also reports that 2500 servicemen of the 4th Armoured Division of the Syrian Arab Army will be deployed to reinforce the Syrian government forces in southwestern Aleppo in coming days.

Local sources report that following the surrender of Daraya city near the Syrian capital, Damascus, militants are going to withdraw from the nearby town of Moadamiyeh. The first reports about such possibility appeared on August 26 and have been repeated by various sources since then. Negotiations between representatives of Moadamiyeh militants and the Syrian army have reportedly been ongoing since August 25. If it’s confirmed, the liberation of Moadamiyeh will become an important step on a long way to secure the area of Damascus.

The Free Syrian Army and other Turkish-backed militant groups, supported by Turkish ground and air forces, have been advancing southwest of Jarabulus. The fifth day of the Turkish Operation Euphrates Shield resulted capturing the villages of Amarina, Ayn al-Bayda, Dabis, Balaban, Suraysat, Jub al-Kussa, Maghayer, and Qiratah by the Turkey-led forces. Most of them were seized from the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). By August 29, the Turkey-led forces have crossed the Sajur River and have been developing their advance further. According to leaders of militant groups involved in the operation, the Turkish-led forces are going to seize Al Bab and Manbij and link Jarablus and Al Rai. Meanwhile, the United States has temporarily halted all arms supplies to the SDF.

While Ankara denies any civilian casualties, non-Turkish sources report that over 50 civilians have been killed since the start of operation.

The footage and photos appeared last weekend, showing the beating of captured SDF fighters by Turkish-backed militants in northern Syria. Pro-Kurdish sources also argue that the SDF fighters have been tortured and Turkish soldiers involved. However, no proofs of the involvement of Turkish servicemen have been provided.

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Spunkyhunk

So why isn’t the great Putin, supposedly the “beacon of hope” of the world, helping the Syrian Kurds against this vicious onslaught by the Turkish-backed jihadis? Afraid to offend the feelings of his new buddy the Islamic tyrant Erdogan?

chris chuba

Because the Kurds have not entered into an agreement with the legitimate govt of Syria?

Days before the Turks entered Syria, the Kurds attacked Assad loyalists in Hasakah and even shelled a Syrian Army supply road leading to Aleppo. This kind of poisoned the waters. Why isn’t the U.S. govt, the official backers of the SDF doing anything about the situation?

Spunkyhunk

“the Kurds have not entered into an agreement with the legitimate govt of Syria”

This is nonsense. The Syrian Kurds have been fighting independently and with great success against the jihadi invaders of Syria for five years now, keeping large pockets of Northern and Eastern Syria terrorist-free and tying down large amounts of jihadist forces. If they hadn’t done that, or if they had joined the terrorists to fight the Syrian government forces, the Syrian government would have fallen by now. Where’s the gratitude? What “agreement with the govt” were they supposed to have entered? There HAS been a tacit agreement from the beginning of the war: to leave each other alone, and fight the jihadi terrorists separately, each in his own way. This has worked fine until now – why change or spoil it, at such a critical and dangerous time?

The Syrian Kurds are sandwiched between Turkey on one side and the jihadis on the other, both of which want to slaughter them; and they don’t get any serious help from either the Syrian government or the cowardly pusillanimous Russian government (which is more interested in trying to kiss up to the criminal regime of the psychopath Erdogan). So of course they are desperate and jump at any kind of temporary aid coming from any direction – even if it comes from the duplicitous U.S. Can you blame them for that? What would YOU do if you were in their place? This is a life-and-death matter for them – not like keyboard cowboying.

“the Kurds attacked Assad loyalists in Hasakah and even shelled a Syrian Army supply road leading to Aleppo”

This was done by a faction within the Kurds who were probably bribed, tricked or forced into it by the Americans – not all or a majority of the Kurds. The Hasakah clashes were brief, subsided within a day or two, did not involve even moderate casualties, and have been resolved more-or-less peaceably. It is not even clear who, exactly, participated in these from the Kurdish side – it may have been initiated by U.S./Western special forces with a few helpers, for all we know. Because of these relatively minor incidents, all the Kurds should be thrown under the bus and the Kurdish areas of Northern Syria surrendered to Erdogan and his pet jihadis? Are you insane??

“Why isn’t the U.S. govt, the official backers of the SDF doing anything about the situation?”

Surely this isn’t a serious question, right? The evil U.S. government is the head of the snake in all this, the biggest ally of the “moderate jihadis”, Erdogan, and the Saudis. Of course they are not going to help the Kurds if it means confronting Turkey and the FSA on their behalf; and of course they were always going to treat the Syrian Kurds as disposable trash and backstab them whenever they felt the need to. It’s RUSSIA that should be helping the Syrian Kurds, instead of licking Erdogan’s ass! Duhh – does all this even NEED TO BE SAID??

John Kennedy

It seems you are following pro-PYD news and believing in everything they say.

Richard the Slav

They have the opposite interests, Kurds are seperatists, Bashar obviously isn’t.
They also attacked SAA in Hasakah and forced them out of the town(while police retained the center).This certainly doesn’t help relations between Russia and SDF if there even is any.

The kurds screwed themselves now, they’re unable to ally with US because US picked Turkey and for now Syria and Russia don’t want them due to Hasakah

andrey

Why should more Russian pilots die to satisfy your egos? I am russian and I will not fight unless it is absolutely necessary, we are in a tough position right now, noone promised that we would rescue any of you, we are fighting everyone on the world stage, our primary policy is to distract the west and rebuild our army to actually survive a fight, not save the world for couch warriors. We are not soviet union, these proxy wars cannot be won, endstory.

Spunkyhunk

IDIOT! You are a stupid, defeatist, cowardly fool! This is not about satisfying anybody’s ego! You have few remaining friends in the world as it is; and they are being attacked mercilessly, one by one, by the U.S. and the rest of your enemies. If you don’t stand by them and defend them when they are being directly attacked and destroyed, there will be noone left to stand with or help you when it’s YOUR turn to be attacked. You think you’re “fighting everyone on the world stage” NOW? Just wait until your handful of remaining allies are destroyed; and you’re REALLY left all alone by yourself against the whole world. Syria is Russia’s only remaining true ally in the Middle East; if the current Syrian government falls to U.S./Turkish/Saudi-backed extremists, then (in addition to the massacre of untold numbers of Syrian secular people, Christians, Alawites and other minorities, which you OBVIOUSLY don’t give a DAMN about), Syria will turn into Jihad Central where jihadis will be getting trained and sent to carry war directly into Southern Russia itself!

“these proxy wars cannot be won”

Says WHO, idiot? The U.S. certainly doesn’t seem to think so – and neither do Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc. And anyway, this whole thing is not about “fighting proxy wars” – it’s about helping friendly nations defend themselves from the OTHER SIDE’s proxy jihadists (who have also attacked and will continue to attack Russia directly).

Real Anti-Racist Action

Actually, Russia is hardly fighting anyone. While more then 70% of NATO forces have been in combat zones in the last ten years. Fewer then 5% of Russian forces have been in a combat zone.
Further more. Most of Russia’s allies can win the wars mostly by themselves.
If sold good equipment (such as the S-400 system) and other stuff. And very minimal air help, Syria and Iran and Armenia and Iran and Yemen can win themselves.
However, Russia does not to watch out for backstabbing Norway. Norway will damage Russia as much as they can. Their bottomless greed for Arctic-oil is a thirst that can never be fulfilled.
Norway harasses Russian solders on a monthly bases, and this never makes the news.
It is actually called among SAS and Norwegian special forces as (The Secret War).
NATO is Marxist, and the USSA is the Soviet States of America.
The roles are now reversed from where they were in the 30’s and 50’s.
Stand up man, and defend Nation states from a globalist Communist regime.

dutchnational

Russia must be terrified of the huge and famous norwegian special forces, all thousand or so of them. They must be shaking in their boots, right?

Seriously?

Ronald

” An Agreement with the Government of Syria” , is definitely a good idea for Kurdish survival right now. They must understand that without it , they are just another group of rebels aiding the US objective of tearing Syria apart. The Yankees likely suggested that Turkey go into to Syria to create a wedge , allowing for the resupply of ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. Erdogan , has the opportunity of separating the Kurds to the north of Aleppo , from those who just took Manbj. The Yanks really don’t care if Assad has to fight ISIS or other “moderate” Wahhabi rebels, or the Turks or the Kurds. They want the massive pool of oil sitting under the Golan Heights , and if Syria becomes a “failed state” and is broken into smaller pieces, they will get it . Look up ” Geni Oil and Gas Inc.” out of New Jersey. An agreement with the government , would make both parties stronger and survival possible.

The great news just keeps on rolling in. And we’ll all be able to celebrate once Syria’s heartland the Golan Heights are liberated from the Jewish occupiers. http://realjewnews.com/

mogol_gr

They are not Turks they are Nato soldiers, or if you like Ukrainians