Fierce fighting and air strikes continue in Syria

[webfact]

Fierce fighting and air strikes continue in Syria

 

 

DAMASCUS: -- Syrian state television, rebel groups and conflict monitors say fierce fighting and air strikes are continuing in several parts of northern Syria.

 

Sites in Aleppo and Idlib province have been hit on Sunday.

 

It comes after scores of people were reportedly killed in aerial bombardments on Saturday.

 

Turkish air strikes killed 20 ISIL militants in northern Syria on Saturday according to Turkish media citing the Turkish military.

 

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said several civilian rescuers were injured when a strike in the town of Saraqeb hit a civil defence centre.

 

When is the truce due to start?

 

A humanitarian truce, brokered by the US and Russia in Geneva, is due to come into effect at sundown on Monday.

 

However, Turkish officials say the two-week old “Operation Euphrates Shield” will “continue decisively”.

 

“It is our duty to our people to finish off Daesh (ISIL) in Syria and to reduce them to a level where they can’t carry out attacks in our country. Euphrates Shield is the first step in that,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised address.

 

Rebel factions to welcome deal
 

Syrian rebel factions are to issue a statement welcoming the US-Russia deal for a ceasefire and aid deliveries.

 

However, opposition officials say there are reservations about the handling of violations on the government side.

 

Rebel groups believe they are treated unfairly by the deal and complain they were not consulted about it, commentators say.

 

“A big part of the agreement serves the regime and does not apply pressure on it and does not serve the Syrian people,” said Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo.-based rebel group Fastaqim.

 

Does the ceasefire cover everyone?

 

No.

 

It does not cover fighters with the jihadist groups ISIL or Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, previously known as the Nusra Front.

 

The group broke its formal allegiance to al Qaeda and has changed its name.

 

On Saturday the US warned insurgents they would face “dire consequences” if they cooperate with Jabhet Fatah al-Sham.

 

The group fought alongside a range of mainstream and Islamist rebel groups during intense battles in recent weeks in southern Aleppo.

 

What they are saying

 

“The factions welcome a ceasefire and welcome the incoming of aid but have reservations about some points – what are the sanctions if the regime does not abide by it?” – Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo.-based rebel group Fastaqim.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-09-12

[Credo]

A ceasefire that doesn't cover everyone really isn't a ceasefire.   

[craigt3365]

A massive humanitarian disaster.

[Nasrullah]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

A massive humanitarian disaster.

a massive western alliance humanitarian disaster...

[craigt3365]

16 minutes ago, Nasrullah said:

a massive western alliance humanitarian disaster...

So you are saying they are the only ones involved?  Not Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey? LOL

[rijb]

Hats off to Brit sniper in Syria.  

 

The ISIS butcher — who reportedly delighted in burning hostages alive — had been on a US “kill list” for several months, sources told the paper, which did not identify the sniper or the executioner.

 

http://nypost.com/2016/09/11/sniper-takes-out-isis-executioner-from-a-mile-away/

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by rijb

[Nasrullah]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

So you are saying they are the only ones involved?  Not Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey? LOL

I could of added a few more.......but not russia,iran and lebanon.....the turks are knee deep in it.....

[craigt3365]

22 minutes ago, Nasrullah said:

I could of added a few more.......but not russia,iran and lebanon.....the turks are knee deep in it.....

Russia is in it as deep as it gets.

[Nasrullah]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Russia is in it as deep as it gets.

Yes......but in a mediator sort of way.....the western aggressors use ISIS to weaken Assad....that is their goal

 

Russia bombs ISIS with the sole intention of helping the west(defeat isis not assad)......Russia and Syria are allies.....

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, Nasrullah said:

Yes......but in a mediator sort of way.....the western aggressors use ISIS to weaken Assad....that is their goal

 

Russia bombs ISIS with the sole intention of helping the west(defeat isis not assad)......Russia and Syria are allies.....

Sorry, but it's well documented Russia did not 100% go after ISIS.  They are there to protect Assad and they admit it.

 

But yes, the Western alliance is trying to weaken the dictator Assad.  Not a bad thing.  He is the one who started this after all.

[Anthony5]

17 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Sorry, but it's well documented Russia did not 100% go after ISIS.  They are there to protect Assad and they admit it.

 

But yes, the Western alliance is trying to weaken the dictator Assad.  Not a bad thing.  He is the one who started this after all.

 

 

Sure Assad bad, Saddam bad, Qaddafi bad, oops wait................ it got a lot worse in that area, and anywhere else in the world except one particular country, after the latter two were removed.

[CharlieK]

18 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

 

 

Sure Assad bad, Saddam bad, Qaddafi bad, oops wait................ it got a lot worse in that area, and anywhere else in the world except one particular country, after the latter two were removed.

 

OK I'll bite! which country is that?

 

[Nasrullah]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Sorry, but it's well documented Russia did not 100% go after ISIS.  They are there to protect Assad and they admit it.

 

But yes, the Western alliance is trying to weaken the dictator Assad.  Not a bad thing.  He is the one who started this after all.

you first line is a contradiction don't you think!......

 

yes....they went after ISIS as the russians know they are a pack of nutters.....Yes...probably to protect assad....

 

Assad is not the bad guy here.He is a democratically elected leader(however we define this)by the people of syria.

in fact he has a higher approval rating than obama ever had.......

 

are you saying the russians stood on the front line in defence of assad?......repelling western forces?

[Nasrullah]

1 hour ago, CharlieK said:

 

OK I'll bite! which country is that?

 

yeah i'm confused too!

[craigt3365]

9 hours ago, Nasrullah said:

you first line is a contradiction don't you think!......

 

yes....they went after ISIS as the russians know they are a pack of nutters.....Yes...probably to protect assad....

 

Assad is not the bad guy here.He is a democratically elected leader(however we define this)by the people of syria.

in fact he has a higher approval rating than obama ever had.......

 

are you saying the russians stood on the front line in defence of assad?......repelling western forces?

With respect, this all started due to Assad.  Democratically elected or not (which the last election was very dubious, you can research that).

 

Russia has not gone against Western forces, who are trying to only go after ISIS.  Russia is going after any who oppose Assad, including freedom fighters not associated with ISIS.  It's basically a civil war now, with way too many outside players.  A proxy war at it's worst.

 

But please, place blame where it lies:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_war

 

Quote

 

The protests began on 15 March 2011, when protesters marched in the capital of Damascus, demanding democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners. Security forces retaliated by opening fire on the protesters,^[150] and according to witnesses who spoke to the BBC, the government forces detained six of them.^[151] The protest was triggered by the arrest of a boy and his friends by the government for writing in graffiti, "The people want the fall of the regime", in the city of Daraa.^[150][152] Writer and analyst Louai al-Hussein, referencing the Arab Spring ongoing at that time, wrote that, "Syria is now on the map of countries in the region with an uprising".^[152] On 20 March, the protesters burned down a Ba'ath Party headquarters and "other buildings". The ensuing clashes claimed the lives of seven police officers^[153] and 15 protesters.^[154] Ten days later in a speech, President Bashar al-Assad blamed "foreign conspirators" pushing Israeli propaganda for the protests.^[155]

 

Until 7 April, the protesters predominantly demanded democratic reforms, release of political prisoners, an increase in freedoms, abolition of the emergency law and an end to corruption. After 8 April, the emphasis in demonstration slogans shifted slowly towards a call to overthrow the Assad government. Protests spread. On Friday 8 April, they occurred simultaneously in ten cities. By Friday 22 April, protests occurred in twenty cities. On 25 April, the Syrian Army initiated a series of large-scale deadly military attacks on towns with tanks, infantry carriers, and artillery, leading to hundreds of civilian deaths. By the end of May 2011, 1,000 civilians^[156] and 150 soldiers and policemen^[157] had been killed and thousands detained;^[158] among the arrested were many students, liberal activists and human rights advocates.^[159]