Syrian War Report – May 23, 2017: Syrian Army Expels US-backed Militants From Syrian Desert

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Voiceover by Harold Hoover

US-backed militant groups, often referred to as the Free Syrian Army (FSA), have declared the start of a counter-offensive against “the regime and its foreign militias” in the area east of Suweida in southeastern Syria. The counter-offensive was dubbed operation “Desert Volcano”. Its declared goal is to expel government forces from the Syrian desert.

Since last weekend, the Syrian Army and its allies have made notable gains east of Suweida and along the Damascus-Baghdad highway. These advances posed a direct threat to the US-led plan aimed at building a buffer zone controlled by US-backed factions between Syria and Iraq. Now, the US-led forces are going to use force against the Syrian military in order to achieve their strategic goal.

Meanwhile, the US-led coalition’s aircraft have reportedly dropped leaflets on the ISIS-held border town of al-Bakumal. The leaflets called on locals to avoid moving near ISIS objects in the area. This event could be linked with the coalition’s willingness to capture this border town and expand its influence along the Syrian-Iraqi border. However, this goal is complicated by the low number and quality of US-led militant groups operating in the area.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), Liwa al-Quds, the 5th Assault Corps, and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have resumed their push against ISIS east of the ancient city of Palmyra, aiming to take control over the village of Arak and the nearby Arak gas field. Government troops have advanced over 3 km northeast of Palmyra and entered a number of hills in the area north of Arak. With this advance, government forces are going to outflank ISIS units in the area of Arak and are going to set a fire control over this area.

Pro-government forces, led by the Tiger Forces, continued their advance on the ISIS-held town of Maskkanah in the province of Aleppo. According to pro-government sources, 7 ISIS militants were killed and a vehicle destroyed in the recent clashes.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have isolated further the ISIS stronghold of Raqqah. SDF units have captured two main roads east and west of Raqqah and have continued their advance aiming to reach its vicinity from the northern and western directions. The only road from Raqqah under the control of ISIS is the road to the south.

Summing up the recent developments, it becomes clear that in the nearest future the main competition will take place in the Syrian border area with Jordan and Iraq and in the countryside of Deir Ezzor. If the US-led coalition is able to prevent the Syrian government from re-establishing control in these areas, it will achieve a strategic victory that will impact dramatically the situation in post-war Syria.

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Jonathan Cohen

SAA needs to attack ONLY from Palmyra and transfer in all offensive forces from both Northern and Southern offensives to the Palmyra/Arak offensive if they want to race to the Iraq border and link up with PMU.

Mustafa Mehmet

Over and out general

Thegr8rambino

Why only from Palmyra?

Jonathan Cohen

To achieve overwhelming force at Palmyra for Blitzkrieg against ISIS in order to win the race to the border against NewSA. Other offensives would bleed away the overwhelming force.

Thegr8rambino

at palmyra? but its already under SAA control. wouldnt advancing from multiple fronts in different directions be better?

Jonathan Cohen

FROM Plamyra, through Arak, and on to the border without having to bother with Norweigians to the South.

Thegr8rambino

but if they leave al-tanf alone, US will cut off that vital road they can get supplies and stuff from iran thru iraq to damascus

desertspeaks

The US military is committing acts of war, in violation of international law and the laws of nations by illegally entering Syria and AIDING TERRORISTS..
18 USC 2331 unequivocally defines all so called “moderate rebels” as terrorists!
18 USC 2339 makes it a felony to give any type of aid to known or even suspected terrorists!

The US government has openly and repeated admitted to aiding “moderate rebel” TERRORISTS.
By their own repeated admissions and actions the US government has proven itself to be a rogue terrorist state that aids terrorists.
The US government doesn’t have permission of the sovereign government of Syria to enter Syria under any circumstance! There is no UN mandate, There is no declaration of war by the US congress.
Every single thing the US government is doing in Syria IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND AN ACT OF WAR!

EL ZORRO

An INTERNATIONAL NUREMBERG TRIBUNAL must be formed to bring the US/NATO/ISRAEL/TURKEY/SAUDI ARABIA/QATAR/JORDAN for their CRIMES AGAINS HUMANITY on their CREATION, SUPPORT, TRAINING, ARMING, RECRUITING AND FUNDING INTERNATIONAL MERCENARY TERRORISTS, TO INVADE THE SOVEREIGN COUNTRY OF SYRIA.

Mustafa Mehmet

what about Iran. hezbollah..worst 1 hafis asad. you talking like headless chicken

Tudor Miron

“Judge them by their deeds”
Iran is just fine.
Hezbollah – its considered terrorist organisation ony by Israhell and US.
Assad is elected (by Syrians) president of Syria. US could not prove any of their allegations against him.

Kristy Rain

Bashar Al-Assad is a wonderful leader. Syrians I’ve spoken to here where i live think he is a great leader who cares for the ppl across Матушка Сирия ♡

If Syria was not crippled with ancient and useless sanctions, it’s economy would THRIVE far beyond the scale of its neighbors.

Asma Al-Assad and her husband are so liked by the people , that whenever they would move about the cities they did so without a heavy detail.

Atrocities commited are by the mercenaries, terrorists, and member states of the so-called “coalition forces”.

The Syrian people have been butchered in ways most barbaric at the hands of people armed, trained, and supported over all by the coalition. The siege of al-kindi hospital was a gallant last Stand by the men of the SAA. Those who stayed to buy their men time to escape, died bravely and shall not be forgotten. THE same level of courage and strength has not been displayed by the Salafist rats and their allies.

Long live, and God Bless Syria, Iran, Hezbollah in the fight against a truly horrible evil. ♡

Jens Holm

Many plusses for that – may 24.2017= None.

Jens Holm

Arab leage minus Syria and lebanon has declared Hesbollah as a terrorist organisation. Thats about 20 countries more, and they are local ones.

Assads elected. Hahahahah….not by all. Look at the map. And dont use the usual trick adding the 8-10 millions, which wont fight for him and others.

Tudor Miron

Arab leage? Those that fund/train Al Qaeda and ISIS? Ah, OK if they said so than it must be true :)

Jens Holm

But You wrote as a fact, that only Israel and USA says Hesbollahs are terror.

But actually 20 very local countries say the same. So USA has much local support from 20 countries.

Too much dirt from You. It doesnt matter You put sand or snowstorms over. Its 20 countries whatever they support Qaida, ISIS or what.

Tudor Miron

OK, Jens :) Let’s name this 20 counties :) That will be a nice list of terrorist backers :)

Jens Holm

Thats compleetly irrelevant. When 2 are written and there are 22 – well even in the region, which locals should know – its far out.

Most in the world knows who they are, but You didnt.

Tudor Miron

Yes Jens, there are two countries that are relevant in this regard. The rest are just puppets.

Jens Holm

Chickens are clever in their own way.

Its might be chose to kill a lot of woman, so all the dead heros at least have some of the 72 as females.

Jens Holm

You connect fine with desertleaks.

The Nurnberg trial was made ny the 4 winners of WW2. So a minumum for that kind of court should be to find a winner or more before its even possible.

desertspeaks

hmm desertleaks.. oh is this you attempting to impugn me? how about you take a shot at actually refuting my post, point by point?? can’t do it huh? didn’t think so!
thanks for playing, loser!

Brad Isherwood

The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer. [The New World Order] cannot happen without U.S. participation, as we are the most significant single component. Yes, there will be a New World Order, and it will force the United States to change it’s perceptions.”
– Henry A. Kissinger, World Affairs Council Press Conference, Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel , April 19th 1994.

Trump’s has crazed warmonger Generals who want full war with Iran.
Trump has Jared Kushner and Chabad Lubavitch leveraging on him to war with Iran.
Trump spoke recently about the Tomahawks and stayed with the lie that Assad bombed
His people with Chemical weapons.
Trump knows that’s not true….but his Jew ass kiss mode was on along with lie to
Saudi for Iran war lust.

Putin and Lavrov are running out of toys to toss to the stunted Child Trump to save face in Syria.
US Generals were boasting they will stay in Iraq after Mosul, …build bases. …keep
1000s of Troops in Iraq with media silent.
Something similar and sinister for Syria… as US Romances the Kurds ,arms FSA,
Sends CIA on opps to create chaos.
Syria is holding another election thus summer if memory serves,…part of the
Geneva accords.
US ,Saudi and Erdogan will be busy to delegitimize the results.

Jens Holm

They dont – idiot.

You should be in jail for that for being stupid. How many times has You been told why and how and learned nothing, zero, 0, nada, Nillo.

desertspeaks

well scooter instead of running your mouth, refute my post, point by point with your evidence.. is that too difficult for you to comprehend? Refute that the so called “moderate rebels” are not terrorists as defined in 18 usc 2331 as I referenced, refute that giving aid to known or suspected terrorists in18 usc 2339, then refute that the government has openly and publicly admitted to aiding “moderate rebels” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-syria-obama-order-idUSBRE8701OK20120802
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/19/us-weapons-to-syria-repeats-historical-mistake
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/27/world/middleeast/cia-arms-for-syrian-rebels-supplied-black-market-officials-say.html

Then you can start refuting that the US government has permission from the soveign nation of Syria to enter Syria and conduct military raids.
Then you can show us all the UN mandate that allows the US military to make war on Syria.
Then you can show us the declaration of war in the US congress that specifies Syria.

WHEN YOU FAIL TO REFUTE AND DISPROVE EVERYTHING, THEN AND ONLY THEN IS THE US NOT GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES, ACTS OF WAR, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, and NOT A ROGUE TERRORIST STATE!

PUT UP OR SHUT UP BOOTLICKER!

charlie

american terrorist scum….and zio proxies.

Montenegrin

What is with this guys pronounciation? It is really bad. “Uh rack” for Arak…

Solomon Krupacek

Tennessee

Gary Sellars

Its better than the usual “eye-rack”….

Doom Sternz

He does a great job, i really like how he speaks. I guess you cant please all the people.

gravity

I did not understand what Russia is doing when his ally have been attacked and they kept silent, so when Russia will stop US and tell them what you are doing is against the international law and this behaviour must stop right the way. Because US will never understand talk without threat therefore Russia needs to threat US and tell will use force if you will attack our allies. Last week they attacked Syria army to protect their allies where they are inside Syria that is blatant violation of international law. Russia too needs to protect their allies and they need to come out and tell Us get fuck out of Syria period.

Brad Isherwood

Both Putin and Lavrov do criticise the US for illegal attacks and violations of Syria’s Sovereignty.
However….US knows that’s about all that will occur, …and afterward it’s back to the
Partners** game.
Russia has forward aviation assets moving with SAA forces in Southeastern Syria.
There is risk for these assets as ISIS,FSA have Manpads.
Russian attack Helicopters may have missile jammers .

Russia has satellite coverage whereby they Could hit FSA and ISIS via Kalibr
Or other strike package.
Saudi,Jordan and US have choices now as per the tempo of the conflict.
Saudi have US support now vs Iran,….The Game may shift towards conflict with any Shia
Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria.
If Russia is not hoping to stop US….the US can attack Shia and push FSA and ISIS
To make the Syrian war more about Iran than Assad.

gravity

criticism is not enough for US because US violated so many international law while other countries obey international law. Also us interfere in other countries affairs and any country which try not to follow America policy will be considered as terrorists according to us.

Brad Isherwood

Trump boasted to Saudi/World media days ago the Tomahawks attack because Assad
Bombed Syrians with Chemical weapons.
Trump knows Assad never did this,…Trump lied ,…to maintain the Anti Iran/Anti Syria
Government position….which is Rothschild, /Zionist Jew,Masonic,Illuminati,
Basically all that NWO BS…
Trump…accused Iran of sponsoring terror ,….then did the same ass kissing in Israel.

Putin and Lavrov call the US out on their intrigues,…yet pull back from identifying
Who** Trump is serving the shit sandwich up for,
IE. ..The Rothschilds,And Power Jews.

http://www.conspiracyschool.com/blog/donald-trump-chabad-lubavitch-and-oligarchs

Putin appears to be playing the Masonic game….
I’m not saying He is a NWO,Rothschild puppet,….simply,…Putin is playing the
Dangerous game,……He has no choice**