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The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the National Defense Forces (NDF) and other pro-government factions have further advanced against ISIS and US-backed militants in the province of Homs. On Thursday, government troops captured Tal Ghurab northwest of the US garrison of Zquf near the Syrian-Iraqi border. With the liberation of Tal Ghurab, the SAA and its allies increased pressure on US-backed militants operating in the area and strengthened the Syrian military position at the border with Iraq.
Separately, the SAA and the NDF captured Zahar Abah and clashes with ISIS at the Arak gas fields area. ISIS militants fiercely defend their positions east of Palmyra.
In the province of Raqqah, the SAA and the NDF have resumed attempts to re-take the Ithriyah-Resafa road from ISIS terrorists. An intense fighting is ongoing.
Earlier this week, the SAA seized a large ISIS workshop in Resafa, capturing a notable number of battle tanks and other equipment.
Turkey, Russia and Iran have been working on a plan to deploy their troops in de-escalation areas in Syria, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told media on Thursday.
“We will probably be most prominent in the Idlib region with the Russians; mostly Russia and Iran around Damascus, and a mechanism involving the Americans and Jordan in the south in the Daraa region is being worked on,” Ibrahim Kalin said, adding that the sides will further discuss the de-escalation agreement during talks in the Kazakh capital Astana in early July.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Shamanov, head of the defense committee at Russia’s State Duma said that Moscow has been negotiating with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan suggesting them to deploy some forces into the recently established de-escalation zones.
Russia, Turkey and Iran signed a deal in Astana on May 4 to establish four de-escalation zones in order to minimize violence in the war-torn country.
On Thursday, reports appeared that the government and militants operating in Daraa have reached comprehensive reconciliation agreement and the SAA may re-establish control over the border with Jordan in the area. However, these reports were not confirmed by government officials. Clashes in the area continued.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued an advance south of Raqqah, capturing Al-Kamb from ISIS. If the SDF seizes Mustajid Naqib, ISIS units will be fully encircled inside the city. ISIS launched a series of counter-attacks in Raqqah but didn’t regain any large areas.
All three fronts in Syria are doing very well, Ithryia to Resafa linkage will be done rather quickly, the Palmyra advance against Sukhana is going well, after Sukhana SAA and allies should move with ease anywhere they want, Deir-Ezzor is bleeding ISIS badly, and FSA is getting whipped repeatedly.
I also believe the Russians started to unleash their fearsome air defenses on US drones that are trying to gather intelligence to help US crumbling proxies.
The Russians have had enough of American double talk and complete disregard for rules of engagement.
Good commentary! Thanks!
yes, i have also heard that S-300 downed an american EQ-4 global hawk over the med the other day. it was helping US soldiers training their terrorist proxies to have instant communication with USAF/navy for air support, but now that its at the bottom of the med most likely, they cant do that so easily :))) and they only have 4 of these types of drones, well 2 now, since i heard another one crashed in cali! lol!
There is not much mention of it, yes I think the Russians shot down the EQ – 4, the Americans claimed the same drone that got shot down over Meditaranean crashed in California in a remote high elevation location.
That was a very juicy target and taught those naysayers that Russia will not do anything, Russia will do things quietly and let US explain their unexpected predicament.
Yes for sure, although I’m wondering if the one that crashed in cali is a separate unrelated incident or if its the same one Russia shot down, just that the media is trying to spin it somehow to not make US look weak or something, similar to how Israel tries to cover up its combat losses.
I do not believe it is separate, they do have an unaccounted drone in their inventory, they have to provide some reason as to what happened to it.
Americans are going to find out that their equipment will not measure up well against Russian weapons, the military and the media will continue spinning their narrative.
I also heard from unconfirmed sources that 3 Special forces were killed before the Suk 22 was shot down. Were these special forces imbedded with ISIS? Or in very close proximity to ISIS?
True. I do not know, I have not heard of those reports. These were tiger forces? Or US spec ops?
US special forces.
probably embedded lol
Do you have link?
I think I heard it on this video .
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3lpAuj-OggA&itct=CAoQpDAYCCITCLHj4ITu2NQCFYZQAwodbt0AaDIHcmVsYXRlZEie-eapmonMtZQB
The Arak gas fields must be money makers with ISIS holding in the area so tightly , they do not want the Syrian government having any money . “We will probably be in the Idlib area , along with the Russians ,…….the Americans and Jordan in the south in the Daraa region ” . Any territory given to Turkey or the Americans , is lost to them , especially the Americans .
http://russia-insider.com/sites/insider/files/medialib/u16498/dcr2lmhxkaipl_2.jpg
Biggy huge opportunity to lay waste to fleeing ISUS.
like rats trying to run away hahahah
Another Lebanon?…no thanks only Turkish forces to avoid Kurds dreams to capture oil fields or convert Kurdistan in a new Israel with US/Israeli bases is right!…But US/ Jordan forces only have one purpose..it is to Take Damascus!….Iran troops deployed is important to save Shia people from Israel and their backed sunni terrorist!
The same battles being fought over and over.
Certain sources are reporting the Russians shot down a US Global Hawk drone with an S-300 over the Med and the SU-22 shootdown was retaliation, any news on this?
https://youtu.be/3lpAuj-OggA
Dont know why they didnt just hack it and land it in Latakia like they did to the one in Crimea?
http://beforeitsnews.com/prophecy/2016/06/russians-easily-shooting-down-us-drones-and-why-this-is-happening-videos-2481603.html
They shot it down in purpose of plausible deniability I would assume. It would be hard to say and not break into laugh that SAA hacked the drone and landed in their base. In the “drone and sea” scenario plausible deniability is available for both sides.
Wou, didn’t know about this guy – I like his style – thanks!
Yes its good to have a voice of reason from the Israeli side, he posts here sometimes.
my dear, s-300 is against other targets than drones. russians would use other type of SA missile against drone.
btw., the su-22 was before the “maybe” shotdown of drone.