ISIS update 1/18/2017..“Russia, Turkey in first joint strikes on Daesh”

“Russia, Turkey in first joint strikes on Daesh”

Syrian Army Makes First Gains In Anti-ISIS Operation South Of Al-Bab

ISIS destroys homes before fleeing from village west of Raqqa

Damascus residents try to cope with water crisis

Syrian army advances in strategic region near Damascus

Syrian tanks under cover of artillery entered Ain al Fijah in the area of Wadi Barada.

Fiercest ISIS offensive: Islamists cut off Syrian Deir ez-Zor airbase

Reports from Deir ez-Zor | January 17th 2017

Clashes SAA against ISIS in the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor

Deir ez-Zor. 01/18/2017

Briefly on the situation in Deir ez-Zor in the evening on 18 January.

Despite intensive bombing and attempts to counter-CAA, the gap between the city and air base is preserved. Holding the front against the main forces of the CAA in the area of ​​Al-Furat, a hospital, “Assad” and base “Panorama”, “black” are trying to expand the gap between the fragmented parts of the enclave, attacking in the urban areas to the north of Harabesha while trying to squeeze Syrian troops directly to AFB. The main battles are taking place here in the area of ​​the quarter Makabis, Dzhitrii and a field hospital to the north of the base. The enemy, using superior numbers, suicide and active artillery fire gradually pushes the Syrian infantry to the air base. Exchange of manpower (in the last days of party lost every day dozens of people killed) profitable “black”, as they have more opportunities on the sending of reinforcements and replenish battered parts. Active Air Force of Syria and videoconferencing RF is that only slowed down the advance of insurgents, but did not stop it. Complicating the situation sandstorm started today.

So far, air links with the enclave remains possible – Syrian enclave covers aviation airfield Kamishli, from there by helicopter today in the enclave were transferred a few dozen people to reinforce the garrison with the subsequent removal of the wounded soldiers. Caliphate obviously tends to compress the ring of encirclement around the base to be able to get the fire control system occurring at the air base, making it impossible to Kamishli helicopter message, and then taking the air base will be only a matter of time.

Along with the attacks on an air base near Dzhitrii and a field hospital, “black” click on the part of the enclave in the area of ​​the city. The fighting took place on the outskirts of the 137th army base and Tal Baruk (north-western part of the enclave).
The strategy of “black” is obvious enough – using the superiority in forces, they stifle their rivals strength CAA in order to find a new weakness in the defense of the enclave and prevent to concentrate forces for a strike in the direction of the air base.

Overall, the situation remains critical and the situation for the CAA in Deir ez-Zor continued to deteriorate.

Russian aircraft unit prepares to depart Syria

Syrian govt. opposition name delegation chiefs

Rouhani: Iran supports intra-Syrian political dialog

“US not to have any role in Astana talks”

Russia deprives US of leading role in Middle East

Kirby: Was Daesh a useful tool in Syria? (Lavrov) 17 Jan 2017

Peace Talks Notwithstanding: US Is Increasing Airdrops of Arms to Militants in Syria

War-party Washington continues to work for the downfall of the Syrian government, concentrating negative policy towards peace, without also taking cognisance of the slippery ground in which it is standing.

At a time when the Syrian government and opposition militants have announced the names of their delegation heads for the upcoming peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the United States is doing the exact opposite. It is increasing airdrops of weapons, ammunition and other equipment to foreign-backed terror forces in the northeastern city of Raqqah.

According to Gen. Carlton Everhart, commander of the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, “Our expanded precision airdrop capability is helping ground forces take the offensive and efforts to retake Raqqah (ISIL’s self-proclaimed capital). Airdrops are meant to boost the capabilities of militants who do not have extensive ground supply lines in a hostile environment. In those instances airdrops are absolutely essential.”

It couldn’t be clearer than this: The dirty war on Syria and the humanitarian crisis will continue to grind on. The United States and its allies have no intention to talk peace, let alone stop aiding various terrorist groups on the pretext of fighting ISIL. The “Assad must go” hordes are backing a proxy force of about 45,000 militants, allegedly battling ISIL, with airstrikes and dozens of US Special Operations troops. But in reality, they are arming the Al-Qaeda affiliates, fighting the Syrian government and Iranian-Russian allies.

In the prevailing environment, don’t believe it when the Pentagon says US Air Force uses GPS technology and steerable parachutes to guide bundles of supplies, ranging from small arms ammunition to vehicles, onto rebel-held landing zones. The terrorist group of ISIL always releases videos later, showing its forces collecting the same weapons and supplies airdropped by the US military.

Further still, the State Department has itself on several occasions told the whole world that the US cannot guarantee the weapons it sends to the militants would not end up in the hands of ISIL terrorists. It’s the same official position shared by the Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon, which in tandem are providing the same Al-Qaeda-linked militants with military training and weapons.

As is, the case for US airdrops of arms for militant forces has been, and still is, evasive and wrong. It’s in no way in compliance with international law and UN Security Council authorization. It is silly for the War Party to try to trump complying with international law and UNSC authorization, making arguments within the general category of “humanitarian necessity” backed by “moral responsibility.” Syria is not Rwanda or the Balkans. It has a functioning government, so they better stop. There is no “genocide” or “ethnic cleansing” being committed by the Syrian Army either. If there is any, it is being carried out by America’s own proxy forces. The UN makes that clear.

Likewise, the regime changers better stop loading the highly-emotive image into this line of argument that is “chemical weapons.” According to the United Nations investigators, the Syrian government has no chemical weapons and it has never used them against its own people. Again, it is America’s own “moderate” darlings that have used chemical weapons against people and government forces.

The mere fact of the ongoing crisis does nothing to confer US airdrops of arms with international legitimacy. True, such legitimacy can be found in the norm of international law called ‘the responsibility to protect.’ US acting on that norm nevertheless requires UNSC authorization for military intervention, which for obvious reasons has not been forthcoming and will likely not be forthcoming.

To sum it up though, if Washington is really serious about fighting terror and helping to relieve the human suffering of the Syrian population, there are immediate means by which it could act more intensely, such as by supporting the peace talks, by ending its support for militants, and by increasing aid to millions of civilians who have fled for refuge in neighbouring countries. Then again, this could only happen if Washington first replaces its artless pragmatism of regime-change fantasy with the diplomacy of wisdom.

Syrian-Iraqi War Report – January 18, 2017: War Against ISIS

CTS chief: Eastern Mosul recaptured from Islamic State

Exemption eastern Mosul

By mid-afternoon on January 18, the Iraqi army has almost completed the liberation of the eastern part of Mosul. View the complete liberation of the eastern neighborhoods still are prezhdvremennymi, but to organize the defense of the Caliphate on the east bank of the Tigris came to an end. Army occupied almost all previously controlled by “black” neighborhoods and to ensure control over the territory in the area of ​​destroyed bridges across the river. Patchy resistance continues in the north-eastern districts, as well as in the area of ​​the palace Al Rem. There is still need some time to sweep the city and further filtering to identify fighters who did not have time to cross to the west bank, or remained on the east bank to carry out attacks and terrorist attacks against Iraqi security forces.

After the eastern shore will be completely cleared before the Iraqi army will be a question beginning operations against the western quarters of the city, where the main force withdrew militants. This will require smuggled parts of troops on the west bank of the river to the south or north of the city), as well as assumptions stripping to the west of the city to make it more difficult message garrison town with a group of “black” in the area of ​​Tal Afar. Special desire to take Mosul gunmen not willing, so after the assault the western quarters, we are likely to see a repeat of what has already been observed in the eastern neighborhoods from November to January. At the same time it should be noted that the beginning of the end of December the operation to sweep the evolved much more successful than trying to early December, when the Iraqis have suffered serious losses.

It should also be noted that the persistence of fighters and high efficiency suicide attacks, have been unable to break bad for them the tide of battle, reflecting the simple fact – Mosul for them in the medium term will be completely lost, that the cause for the Caliphate as a serious blow, as the loss of Aleppo I hit the “moderate opposition” in Syria. 

Normal life returns to al Quds residents after liberation from ISIS

Documents Show ISIL Terrorists Not Willing to Fight in Mosul Anymore

The Iraqi forces have discovered several documents showing that ISIL members are no more willing to remain and fight in Mosul.

The documents found during the operations to liberate the Eastern parts of Mosul show that the terrorists have demanded their commanders to transfer them to Syria, specially Raqqa, as they are no more willing to remain in Mosul.

The demands were found as the Iraqi army has regained control over most parts of Eastern Mosul and the terrorists stationed in the region are either killed or forced to flee to Western Mosul after brief resistance.

Latest reports today said that the Iraqi security forces have cleared remaining enclaves in Eastern Mosul of ISIL militants and effectively established control over entire Eastern Mosul.

Iraqi forces purged Mosul Park, districts of al-Muhandisin, Nurqal, Taqafah and the Ancient Nineveh of ISIL militants, setting up control over the whole Eastern part of Mosul.

Iraqi forces also gained control over 5 Mosul bridges from the Eastern side of the city.

North of Mosul, the Popular Mobilization Units, also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi continued their rapid advance towards the strategic town of Tal Afar, killing and wounding scores of ISIL terrorists.

Meanwhile, near the Syrian border, the Iraqi Army has resumed their military campaign to liberate the final ISIL strongholds in the al-Anbar province.

Farsnews

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Documents Show ISIL Terrorists Not Willing to Fight in Mosul Anymore

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