Civil War in Syria

[Crumpets]

Why would Assad flee Syria when his side is winning the war? This seems like fake news designed to demoralize the Assadists.

My point is that the reports of Assad fleeing don't seem to exist - only the reports denying the (alleged) reports that he's fleeing. I don't know why he would flee, except unless he thought a US strike might hit his compound (and we did see new anti-aircraft weapons installed around the presidential complex just in the last few days), so that's a possibility. Either way, I don't think he's "fled" in the "permanently left and given up on the war" sense, but there's a chance he could be bunking with Rouhani for the next few days.

[CatoMinor]

I read somewhere the Turks are removing Kurdish/Arabic signs in Afrin and replacing them with Turkish/Arabic signs. Pretty terrible if true.

[Crumpets]

I read somewhere the Turks are removing Kurdish/Arabic signs in Afrin and replacing them with Turkish/Arabic signs. Pretty terrible if true.

They also took down a statue of Kaveh the Blacksmith - a Persian folk hero who legendarily defeated a foreign tyrant occupying Persian lands - because he was seen as being too much of an anti-Turkish symbol.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

I dislike the TFSA as much as the next SDF supporter, but can we not use words like "Turkish filth" and "cleansing"?

Same with Assad. Maybe you believe due to realpolitik, it's better to support Assad's regime than his rivals - whatever - but let's recognise that the man is taking a lot of civilian "collateral damage" in his stride.

[Mr. Morden]

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-administration-wants-arab-allies-to-send-troops-to-syria-to-replace-us-forces-2018-04-16

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[CatoMinor]

It seems to me the most logical outcome at this point would be an Assad victory with the north-east given some level autonomy. But Turkey could still f   this up and drag the war out.

[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

[GoTfan]

It seems to me the most logical outcome at this point would be an Assad victory with the north-east given some level autonomy. But Turkey could still f   this up and drag the war out.

If Erdogan thinks this war benefits him somehow, then he'kk keep it going as long as possible.

[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

[CatoMinor]

It looks like the government forces are attacking the SDF across the Euphrates.

[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.

[CatoMinor]

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"?

[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

You must be logged in to read this quote.

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

[CatoMinor]

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.

True, but they are still rebels by any reasonable definition.

[Tender Branson]

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

You must be logged in to read this quote.

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.

[CatoMinor]

Looks like Daraa is up next, and I imagine Idlib up next. When Assad goes after the Turkish backed rebels in Afrin I wonder how far Turkey is willing to go in their involvement.

[Cory]

Looks like Daraa is up next, and I imagine Idlib up next. When Assad goes after the Turkish backed rebels in Afrin I wonder how far Turkey is willing to go in their involvement.

I would imagine the Assad forces would liquidate the Hama cauldron before turning North to Idlib.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Looks like Daraa is up next, and I imagine Idlib up next. When Assad goes after the Turkish backed rebels in Afrin I wonder how far Turkey is willing to go in their involvement.

I would imagine the Assad forces would liquidate the Hama cauldron before turning North to Idlib.

They have cleaned out a lot of it in a deal that sent a lot of rebels to Idlib.

Anyways, VIVA BASHAR! Damascus has been liberated after a brutal brawl of well over half a decade!

[Strudelcutie4427]

So when are they gonna go after those last ISIS pockets? One near Hajin on the Iraqi border, and the other is a small wedge near the Israel and Jordan borders

[Tintrlvr]

So when are they gonna go after those last ISIS pockets? One near Hajin on the Iraqi border, and the other is a small wedge near the Israel and Jordan borders

The continued survival of ISIS in a weakened but not totally defeated state is convenient for the regime as a propaganda tool, so probably until basically everyone else has been swept up.

[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

You must be logged in to read this quote.

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

You must be logged in to read this quote.

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