Civil War in Syria

[Tender Branson]

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/05/15706380-syria-loads-chemical-weapons-into-bombs-military-awaits-assads-order?lite&google_editors_picks=true

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Hmm, this is not good ...

If this is not just a tactic to scare the rebels and they are actually using it, the US and others should probably intervene there based on a UN mandate and wipe out the Assad regime.

And this is coming from a left-winger like me, but the consequences of using these weapons would probably justify a mission to get rid of the regime in a hopefully quick way.

But the situation there and what might happen with the chemical bombs if the allied forces are invading are just ... nuts.

[Tender Branson]

Syrian troops using killer gas bombs, says Syrian Observatory for Human Right

SYRIAN troops have deployed bombs containing a killer gas while fighting rebels in the central city of Homs.

"Activists in Homs say that six rebels died on Sunday night on the Khaldiyeh-Bayada frontline because they inhaled odourless gas and white smoke," said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists, lawyers and doctors to document Syria's raging conflict.

"Gas spread in the area after regime troops threw bombs that gave off white smoke as soon as they hit the walls," said the Observatory, which added the bombs were deployed during street clashes with the rebels.

"Those who inhaled the gas felt nauseous and suffered severe headaches. Some suffered fits," it added.

"These are not chemical weapons, but we do not know whether they are internationally prohibited," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"Activists say it is the first time they have recorded these effects," he added. "They are not conventional weapons."

The Observatory called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently send a specialised medical team to Homs, several of whose districts have been besieged by army forces for more than six months.

The Local Co-ordination Committees also reported the use of "bombs containing gases" in Homs.

"These gases lead to muscle relaxation, severe difficulty in breathing and the narrowing of the iris," said the LCC, a grassroots network of peaceful activists.

Amateur video filmed by activists and distributed online by the LCC showed a man laid out on a stretcher struggling to breathe as an unidentified doctor held an oxygen mask over his face.

"It's definitely a poisonous gas, but we don't know what type it is," said a field doctor.

http://www.news.com.au/news/syrian-troops-using-killer-gas-bombs/story-fnehlez2-1226543183488

[Tender Branson]

Chancellor Faymann has said that if the EU fails to reach an agreement on the arms embargo for the Syrian rebels that's running out in June, Austria might pull out of the Golan completely. Currently, Austria has 400 soldiers in the Golan between Israel and Syria as part of a UN peacekeeping mission that started in the 70s. If Austria moves out, the Philippines will do so as well (they have said so a few weeks ago). Austria and the Philippines have almost all troops there, just a few Indian troops are there as well. Arming the rebels would be way too dangerous for our soldiers there, especially if they or the regime decides to attack Israel via the Golan. Vice Chancellor Spindelegger and Defense Minister Klug back the Chancellor on this issue.

[Tender Branson]

Iran to send 4000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards to Syria-link goes to Google search

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Good that we are getting out of there right now ...

[Tender Branson]

Here is a more alarming version of this:

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[Tender Branson]

The Assad regime's forces are just one step away from taking the major city of Aleppo back, according to a few Turkish newspapers.

15.000 FSA (Free Syrian Army) rebel fighters have abandoned the city today.

Turkey says about 2-3 million more Syrian refugess could cross borders if Aleppo falls to the Assad regime again.

[Tender Branson]

In Iraq, the government has taken Tal Afar with ease, but ISIS are holed up in a small suburb of the city.

The Tal Afar area is now completely cleansed from IS, even the suburbs you mentioned.

Remaining areas under IS control: the Hawiya pocket and the desert/Euphrates valley in the West.

[Tender Branson]

This is not over yet. ISIS will counterattack very soon. And large parts of the city are still held by ISIS, the battle for them will be brutal.

Huge progress is being made right now in both Syria and Iraq:

In Syria, 90% of Raqqa has been cleansed from the Islamist fu**ers and the Russian-backed Assad forces have reached Deir-el-Zor and cleansed the surrounding areas (they even crossed the Euphrates to the north). Meanwhile, the Kurds are moving south towards DEZ and the Euphrates valley.

In Iraq, the army has started their liberation of the remaining Hawija pocket, which is now almost half cleansed.

IS only has some areas of the lower Syrian Euphrates Valley left. The other remaining area is just uninhabitated desert.

[Tender Branson]

Deir ez Zour (Syria) and Al Qaim (Iraq) were liberated from ISIS today. The SAA have launched an offensive towards the border crossing at Al Qaim as the SDF continue cleaning up IS pockets Northeast of Deir ez Zour.

Looks like IS is done in Iraq.

The only IS area left there is uninhabitated desert north of Al Qaim.

[Tender Branson]

The Assad forces have made HUGE gains in recent weeks in the rebel-held countryside between Aleppo and Hama:

Link 1

Link 2

The destruction of the rebels is imminent this year ...

[Tender Branson]

Rebels are leaving East Ghouta, after being bombed to ashes by Assad & Co:

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http://www.india.com/news/agencies/jihadists-to-be-evacuated-from-syrias-ghouta-rebel-group-2935799

[Tender Branson]

East Ghouta almost fully liberated from the rebel forces.

I wonder what Assad will do next ... move north to fight them in Idlib ? Or clear the remaining rebel pockets first south to Damascus and close to Israel and in the South-Western desert ?

Plus, the filthy Turks have almost taken the Afrin region. I hope the invading Turks get purged at some point later on and be removed from Syria.

[Tender Branson]

Chancellor Kurz has called Putin and Merkel today, because he wants Syrian peace talks to continue in Vienna.

Both Putin & Merkel have welcomed the idea.

The Kurz government also donated 4 million € for humanitarian aid in Syria.

http://www.krone.at/1695451

[Tender Branson]

The Assad army is now invading the IS-held Yarmouk pocket in the South of Damascus, which is the last extremist-held pocket left in the Damascus area.

If this area is liberated from IS and the Islamo-Fascist "rebels", Assad can focus on the Israeli/Golan area (where IS and the Islamo-Fascist "rebels" still control a larger area), or the small pocket between Homs and Hama.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-displaced/doomsday-as-syrian-air-strikes-pound-camp-south-of-capital-idUSKBN1HX39K

[Tender Branson]

IS is almost destroyed in the south of Damascus in the area of the previous Yarmouk refugee camp. The other "rebels" have left the area and were "evacuated" to Idlib.

The same in the small pocket between Hama and Homs.

Maybe Assad will focus on the Golan area close to Israel now and rid the area there of the "rebels" and remaining IS-fighters ?

Also: On the Euphrates, the Kurds are once again starting the fight in the remaining IS pockets near the Iraqi border and desert.

[Tender Branson]

IS is almost destroyed in the south of Damascus in the area of the previous Yarmouk refugee camp. The other "rebels" have left the area and were "evacuated" to Idlib.

The same in the small pocket between Hama and Homs.

Maybe Assad will focus on the Golan area close to Israel now and rid the area there of the "rebels" and remaining IS-fighters ?

Also: On the Euphrates, the Kurds are once again starting the fight in the remaining IS pockets near the Iraqi border and desert.

Why are you putting quotes around "rebels"?

Because they are Islamo-Fascists, only 1% better than IS ... and not rebels worth supporting.

[Tender Branson]

Iran targets Israeli bases across Syrian frontier, Israel pounds Syria

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http://news.trust.org//item/20180510042654-cukj5

[Tender Branson]

The whole Damascus area is now "rebel" and IS-free:

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-44198304

Also, the Hama-Homs pocket is now "rebel"-free as well, meaning the Syrian Army will now focus on the area near Israel.

[Tender Branson]

A massive number of re-inforcements and military equipment from the Syrian Army has been sent to the "Rebel"/IS-held area of Daraa near Israel lately for the coming offensive there.

Russia and Israel have negotiated a deal in which Iranian/Hezbollah militias will withdraw from that area though, leaving the battle to the Syrian army vs. the "Rebels"/IS there:

Iran-backed forces withdraw from Southern Syria

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http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2018/06/01/Iran-backed-forces-withdraw-from-Southern-Syria.html

[Tender Branson]

Some good news:

Syria extends deadline for contentious property law claims to 1 year

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https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2018/Jun-02/451756-syria-extends-deadline-for-contentious-property-law-claims.ashx

Probably about time for many Syrian/Iraqi/Afghan/Pakistani refugees to go back to their countries again. Many places there are already secure again.

[Tender Branson]

I think the Daraa offensive by the Syrian army will start in the coming week and that the area will be taken rather quickly. It is already cut in half and there's fighting between the "Rebels" and IS there, helping the Assad forces.

Also, the Assad-regime has called on the US to leave the Al-Tanf base on the border to Iraq and Jordan.

If the Assad-forces take the Daraa area and the US leaves Al-Tanf (either voluntarily or by advancing Assad-forces), Assad has virtually re-claimed most of the country - except Idlib and the Turkish + Kurdish-occupied areas.

[Tender Branson]

Daraa offensive about to start:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-44563769

[Tender Branson]

Daraa offensive about to start:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-44563769

The Assad forces are now advancing, also with Russian air support - while the US is abandoning the so-called "rebels":

"Syria pounds rebel areas in south, thousands flee to border zone."

"You're on your own, US tells Syrian rebels, as Assad goes on offensive."

[Tender Branson]

The Daraa offensive is progressing quickly, with the Assad army gaining ground from the so-called [Islamo-Fascist] "rebels" and the remaining IS pocket near the Golan:

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https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180626-assad-forces-seize-opposition-territory-in-south-syria/

[Tender Branson]

The Eastern Daraa pocket (see map above) might soon be liberated from the so-called "rebels" (= Islamo-Fascist jihadists), because these so-called "rebels" are increasingly surrendering to the Syrian Army. Just today, "rebels" from about 10 major cities/towns in that area have surrendered themselves and their weapons to the Syrian army ...

Now on to the western pocket, near the Golan/Israel.

Also, according to the Syrian government/Ministry of Defense: The huge desert area held by IS in the east of Syria has been re-taken by the army.