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Syrian army makes new gains as Russia brings reinforcements - rebels, residents

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

 

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Khan Sheikhoun in the southern countryside of Idlib March 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

 

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia and its Syrian army ally stepped up aerial raids on northwest Syria as they sent reinforcements from elite army units and Iranian-backed militias to bolster a major offensive against the last big rebel stronghold, opposition sources, army defectors and residents said on Friday.

 

The Russian-led alliance took the town of Khwain, Zarzoor and Tamanah farms in southern Idlib, pushing closer into densely populated parts of Idlib province where millions of people who fled fighting elsewhere in Syria have taken refuge.

 

They were the first gains since the alliance seized a main rebel pocket in nearby Hama province last week.Jets flying in high altitudes believed to be Russian according to activists who track warplanes dropped bombs on the outskirts of the heavily populated Idlib city, the capital of the province.

 

Opposition sources say hundreds of troops from the country's elite Republican Guards, led by President Bashar al Assad's brother Maher al-Assad that defends the capital Damascus alongside fighters from Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, were deployed in the frontlines of southern Idlib province.

 

"There are daily reinforcements coming from the Iranian militias, elite Republican Guards units and Fourth Armoured Division," Colonel Mustafa Bakour, a commander in Jaish al Izza rebel group, told Reuters.

 

Moscow's despatch of ground forces had finally made a breakthrough after months of costly battles that yielded little or nothing for Assad's side and risked humiliating Moscow, according to Western intelligence sources.

 

Rebels resistance has been eroded by a relentless aerial campaign against civilian areas since the campaign began late April that has knocked down dozens of hospitals, schools and civil defence centres that has paralysed life in rebel-held areas.

 

Moscow and Damascus deny they have targeted civilians and say they are responding to militant attacks by the former Nusra Front, a jihadist alliance now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that is the dominant force in Idlib.

 

The new lineup of Russian backed-forces facing a coalition of jihadists and mainstream Turkey-backed rebels has been credited with the rapid progress achieved in the last few weeks, an army defector and two senior opposition sources conceded.

 

"The Russians have now moved to depending on the Iranians and elite army formations in this campaign," Bakour added, saying this was a shift away from reliance on the so-called Tiger forces who previously provided most of the Syrian army's ground troops.

 

Since capturing the strategic town of Khan Sheikhoun nearly ten days ago, Russian and Syrian jets were now escalating strikes on the city of Maraat al-Numan that lies further north.

 

At least twelve civilians, including five children were killed during raids overnight on the now ghost city that has seen most of its over 140,000 flee in the last few weeks.

 

The gains of the last twenty four hours brings the Russian-led alliance closer to capturing the town of Tamaneh, one of dozens of rural villages and towns that have been pummelled in heavy air strikes.

 

Over half a million civilians have now been uprooted in the course of the offensive that the United Nations say hundreds have been killed and resulted in large scale destruction of civilian areas.

 

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-30

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[Puchaiyank]

This has been a mop-up detail for months...without American arms support they stand no chance of survival...remember the "redline"? 

[Pedrogaz]

Good news for all Syrians. There needs to be a decisive result and a strong leader for the country to ever unite again. The US keep spinning this out to the detriment of the Syrian people such that they will end up like Afghanistan....shame on you US, shame in you. Get out of Syrian and let Assad and the Syrians have thier country back.

 

 

[Nigel Garvie]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Good news for all Syrians. There needs to be a decisive result and a strong leader for the country to ever unite again. The US keep spinning this out to the detriment of the Syrian people such that they will end up like Afghanistan....shame on you US, shame in you. Get out of Syrian and let Assad and the Syrians have thier country back.

 

 

It was always about the US singing the Sunni tune to please the Saudis and Gulf states. When they finally came to their senses and saw that the Salafi inspired ISIS, who the Saudis had already helped, were truly evil (Salafi/Wahabbi Islam is), did they do the right thing. Al Nusra is Al Qaeda, rebranded, they should be destroyed, and Turks have no place in Syria, the sooner they are driven off Syrian land the better. 

[Morch]

5 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Good news for all Syrians. There needs to be a decisive result and a strong leader for the country to ever unite again. The US keep spinning this out to the detriment of the Syrian people such that they will end up like Afghanistan....shame on you US, shame in you. Get out of Syrian and let Assad and the Syrians have thier country back.

 

 

 

I wouldn't know that's great news for Syrians not cheer-leading for Assad. Or say, the Kurds.

Not expecting any coherent or non-conspiracy theory variant answer as to how the USA is currently a major obstacle to Assad's efforts. USA presence in Syria is neither significant, nor directly active against Assad's regime.

[JemJem]

6 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

It was always about the US singing the Sunni tune to please the Saudis and Gulf states. When they finally came to their senses and saw that the Salafi inspired ISIS, who the Saudis had already helped, were truly evil (Salafi/Wahabbi Islam is), did they do the right thing. Al Nusra is Al Qaeda, rebranded, they should be destroyed, and Turks have no place in Syria, the sooner they are driven off Syrian land the better. 

Well, the problem is by whom, how and when Erdogan will be told to get his forces out of Syria. As you know, it has been quite a long time since Turkish forces took Afrin (and a few other smaller places). Until now, no force has threatened them directly. And, it looks like those forces (and their semi-jihadi Syrian allies) might be in and around Afrin long-term. As far as I know, Americans (and Russians) haven't told Erdogan 'You must get your troops out of Afrin soon'. Do you think this will change anytime soon ? I hope it will, but I am sadly guessing it won't.

 

As for the Syrian Army, I doubt very much that they will try to attack the Turks in Afrin, because of the NATO factor. So, it sadly looks like Erdogan is looking sort of unmovable from Afrin. In the foreseeable future anyway.

Edited August 30, 2019 by JemJem

[Nigel Garvie]

52 minutes ago, JemJem said:

Well, the problem is by whom, how and when Erdogan will be told to get his forces out of Syria. As you know, it has been quite a long time since Turkish forces took Afrin (and a few other smaller places). Until now, no force has threatened them directly. And, it looks like those forces (and their semi-jihadi Syrian allies) might be in and around Afrin long-term. As far as I know, Americans (and Russians) haven't told Erdogan 'You must get your troops out of Afrin soon'. Do you think this will change anytime soon ? I hope it will, but I am sadly guessing it won't.

 

As for the Syrian Army, I doubt very much that they will try to attack the Turks in Afrin, because of the NATO factor. So, it sadly looks like Erdogan is looking sort of unmovable from Afrin. In the foreseeable future anyway.

Well that is possible, and of course worrying for all. I expect that the Syrians and Russians are taking this step by step, clear Idlib province first, fortify the border, build up their forces, bring in the Iranian troops, surround the area- Afrin etc. I think that the US is minimally interested, whereas the Russians still are. To my shock the US actually didn't betray the Kurds after they had used them to help defeat ISIS. The Kurds must have been astonished, everybody betray's them. I doubt it was Trump's doing, he'd sell his own mother if he thought he'd make a profit on it. 

[Morch]

3 hours ago, JemJem said:

Well, the problem is by whom, how and when Erdogan will be told to get his forces out of Syria. As you know, it has been quite a long time since Turkish forces took Afrin (and a few other smaller places). Until now, no force has threatened them directly. And, it looks like those forces (and their semi-jihadi Syrian allies) might be in and around Afrin long-term. As far as I know, Americans (and Russians) haven't told Erdogan 'You must get your troops out of Afrin soon'. Do you think this will change anytime soon ? I hope it will, but I am sadly guessing it won't.

 

As for the Syrian Army, I doubt very much that they will try to attack the Turks in Afrin, because of the NATO factor. So, it sadly looks like Erdogan is looking sort of unmovable from Afrin. In the foreseeable future anyway.

 

2 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

Well that is possible, and of course worrying for all. I expect that the Syrians and Russians are taking this step by step, clear Idlib province first, fortify the border, build up their forces, bring in the Iranian troops, surround the area- Afrin etc. I think that the US is minimally interested, whereas the Russians still are. To my shock the US actually didn't betray the Kurds after they had used them to help defeat ISIS. The Kurds must have been astonished, everybody betray's them. I doubt it was Trump's doing, he'd sell his own mother if he thought he'd make a profit on it. 

 

Unlikely that NATO will get involved in any hostilities. Not even to support Turkey. Especially if operations are limited to Syria's borders. Given ongoing issues between NATO and Turkey, hard to see a whole lot of goodwill on this front.

 

But then again, the likelihood of Russia supporting any significant military move against Turkey isn't high either. Improving relations with Turkey (at the expense of Turkey's relations with NATO, the EU and the USA) was one of Putin's main diplomatic achievements. Don't see him throwing that away and pushing Erdogan back into NATO's corner. Them arms sales might ring a bell for some, too.

[candide]

7 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

Well that is possible, and of course worrying for all. I expect that the Syrians and Russians are taking this step by step, clear Idlib province first, fortify the border, build up their forces, bring in the Iranian troops, surround the area- Afrin etc. I think that the US is minimally interested, whereas the Russians still are. To my shock the US actually didn't betray the Kurds after they had used them to help defeat ISIS. The Kurds must have been astonished, everybody betray's them. I doubt it was Trump's doing, he'd sell his own mother if he thought he'd make a profit on it. 

Well, it seems to be the only rational position. The Syrian government is rather pro-Iran; Iraki forces are dominantly Shia; Syrian rebels are dominantly Sunni Islamist. The Kurds seem to be the only ones that are not unreputable.

[JemJem]

19 hours ago, Morch said:

 

 

Unlikely that NATO will get involved in any hostilities. Not even to support Turkey. Especially if operations are limited to Syria's borders. Given ongoing issues between NATO and Turkey, hard to see a whole lot of goodwill on this front.

 

But then again, the likelihood of Russia supporting any significant military move against Turkey isn't high either. Improving relations with Turkey (at the expense of Turkey's relations with NATO, the EU and the USA) was one of Putin's main diplomatic achievements. Don't see him throwing that away and pushing Erdogan back into NATO's corner. Them arms sales might ring a bell for some, too.

I am not sure if I agree with your NATO point. I mean, NATO might not be happy about interfering there on behalf of Turkey, but it might feel COMPELLED to get involved if Turks get attacked by Syrian forces. But anyway I have a feeling that the Syrian Army won't attack the Turkish forces, mainly due to that possibility. It is only Americans who can cause Erdogan to withdraw his troops from there. But sadly I don't think this will happen in the foreseeable future. Do you also think it is unlikely ?

 

As for what you wrote about Russia, I agree. It was the Russians who betrayed the PYD/YPG just before the Turkish attack of Afrin. Many sources and experts agree that Russians could easily have prevented that attack.

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, JemJem said:

I am not sure if I agree with your NATO point. I mean, NATO might not be happy about interfering there on behalf of Turkey, but it might feel COMPELLED to get involved if Turks get attacked by Syrian forces. But anyway I have a feeling that the Syrian Army won't attack the Turkish forces, mainly due to that possibility. It is only Americans who can cause Erdogan to withdraw his troops from there. But sadly I don't think this will happen in the foreseeable future. Do you also think it is unlikely ?

 

As for what you wrote about Russia, I agree. It was the Russians who betrayed the PYD/YPG just before the Turkish attack of Afrin. Many sources and experts agree that Russians could easily have prevented that attack.

 

If Assad's forces were to attack Turkey, rather than Turkish forces within Syria - maybe. If Turkey's invasion was coordinated with NATO - maybe. As it stands, doubt NATO would be compelled to intervene.

 

Assad would probably not go there, because without Russia's support, the outcome is questionable, and might leave him in a worse position if the effort fails. Starting another war, while the civil war isn't fully over and done with? Doubtful.

 

Trump's USA doesn't seem to have a much clout when it comes to Turkey. Or the will to use it. Or maybe just missing the diplomatic skill to make a difference. Not sure how you arrived to the conclusion that "only the Americans can".

 

Wouldn't know that Russia "betrayed" the Kurds. Did they give the Kurds any assurances or promises? 

As for asserting that Russia could "easily" have prevented the attack - doubt it. Not "easily", for sure.