Iraq & Syrian Civil Wars - Page 365

On March 30 2016 22:55 Shiragaku wrote:

Does the fact that it's rather unique to the history of social media and war make it not worth discussing and instead make this about "You sheltered little boy, I have seen the bestgores and what war does to the mind through the internet. The blue pill is strong with this one."
So goddamn petty and childish

U.S.-led coalition forces conducted several airstrikes on strongholds of the radical group of ISIS in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, killing a prominent leader in the group’s ranks, local sources reported.

Abu al-Hayja at-Tounisi, ISIS alleged governor of Azaz district, was reportedly killed in an airstrike conducted by a US drone in the northern suburbs of Aleppo.

At-Tounisi was also in charge of the group’s military operations in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo.

“The US-led drone on Thursday targeted the car of the top ISIS official while on his way from Aleppo to the group’s de facto capital Raqqa,” media activist Mohamed Halabi said, citing local sources close to ISIS.

The source confirmed the death of a number of at-Tounisi’s escorts during the attack.

Abu al-Hayja at-Tounisi entered the Syrian territory in late 2013, and joined the hardline group to be a prince [Emir] of ad-Duwerina region in Aleppo suburbs, then he was appointed by the group’s leadership as a ruler of Azaz area as well as the military commander responsible for the whole province of Aleppo, an informed source said.

WESTERN-BACKED Syrian extremists admitted yesterday using chemical weapons against a Kurdish-held suburb of Aleppo.

In a statement, the Army of Islam said one of its brigade commanders had ordered the use of “forbidden” weapons in Thursday’s assault on Sheikh Maqsoud, defended by the Kurdish YPG militia.

“During the clashes, one of the Jaysh al-Islam brigade leaders used [weapons] forbidden in this kind of confrontation,” the statement said, using the Arabic name for the group.

It claimed the commander responsible would be court-martialled for the attack.

Video footage of the incident showed a large cloud of yellow gas and victims being treated for breathing problems.

Kurdish Red Crescent doctor Wallat Mamu told Russia Today TV: “The symptoms of those affected by the attack, such as choking, made it possible to affirm that they were poisoned as a result of the use of banned toxic gases such as chlorine or other agents.

The YPG accused insurgents of firing white phosphorus munitions into the suburb on March 9.

The Army of Islam is one of the two major factions represented in the Saudi-convened High Negotiations Committee of rebel groups at UN-mediated peace talks in Geneva.

The other is Ahrar ash-Sham, which renewed its alliance with Syrian al-Qaida branch the Nusra Front last weekend, launching a major offensive against army forces south-west of Aleppo.

Both Russia and Syria have demanded the exclusion of Army of Islam political leader Mohammed Alloush from the talks.

The United States has been pushing Turkey for a campaign to eject ISIS from a 60-mile stretch of border that it still controls between the Syrian towns of Jarabulus and Azaz. However, the joint U.S.-Turkey operation has faced several roadblocks. From the outset, the United States and Turkey have had different goals. Washington wants Ankara to close the border, which is the sole remaining crossing point for ISIS militants. Turkey, however, has been pushing the United States to establish a safe zone in the area, which could be used to relocate Syrian refugees and as a base for the opposition—something the Obama administration has been reluctant to endorse.

According to some sources I spoke with who wished to remain anonymous, the long-planned campaign was the number one item on the agenda of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meetings with the U.S. administration during his early April visit to Washington. Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s opposition to a P.Y.D.-controlled autonomous region along its southern border, and a U.S.-P.Y.D. cooperation that might enable such scenario. Erdogan may not have convinced the U.S. administration to stop working with the P.Y.D., but the two sides seem to have found a middle ground.

According to the new plan, the Free Syrian Army will take the 12-mile deep border strip from ISIS and the United States will provide air support to the F.S.A. offensives. The P.Y.D. will retake Manbij, which lies at the southeastern end of the 60-mile ISIS-controlled portion of the border, and serves as a major stronghold for the jihadists. The United States has apparently asked for Turkey’s support in the Manbij operation. Reportedly, Erdogan has voiced two demands before throwing its support to the Manbij offensive. Ankara wants the Syrian Arab tribes operating under the P.Y.D.-controlled Syrian Democratic Forces (S.D.F.), which will take part in the offensive, to leave the S.D.F. umbrella and undergo “background checks.”[1] Turkey also demanded the United States increase its support, and airstrikes, for the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army at Marea, which is located on the southwestern end of the 60-mile border.[2]

Turkmen sources say the most recent dynamics on the ground indicate the parties have already started executing the plan. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have recently established a military council to retake Manbij from ISIS. The S.D.F. also created a civilian council to establish a working transitional governance structure for areas liberated from ISIS. To support the Kurdish offensive, the United States has been conducting airstrikes near Manbij. Local sources report that the U.S. helicopters in the Rmeilan air base, in the Kurdish-controlled northern Syria, have recently provided weapons and ammunition to the S.D.F.[3]

AhlulBayt News Agency - The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) official media wing “Al-Amaq” reported that their forces captured 7 more villages in southeast Aleppo after advancing from the nearby Maskanah Plains on Thursday.

Al-Amaq did not name the villages they captured from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA); however, they are once again near the Khanasser Highway that leads from the Hama Governorate to Aleppo City.

Earlier on Friday, ISIS reported that they seized the village of Burj Al-‘Atshanah in the Khanasser Plains after a violent battle with the Syrian Armed Forces.

With ISIS quickly approaching the Khanasser Highway, the Syrian Armed Forces will have to mobilize more soldiers to help drive back the terrorist group.

...

Furthermore, for the first time in five years, rebel fighters and government troops are cooperating against a bigger foe; namely ISIS.

As a show of good will, the SAA recently allowed a Jaish al-Islam convoy to leave East Ghouta as to reinforce rebel fighters inside Dumayr city.

Thus, commanders of Jaish al-Islam and the Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) Ahmad al-Abdo Martyrs Brigade have exchanged phone numbers with local SAA commanders as the latter has provided rebel forces with much required air cover when needed in their clashes with ISIS.

Meanwhile, SAA troops of the 120th Brigade & 81st Brigade of the 2nd Division – backed by National Defence Forces (NDF) – are slowly advancing eastwards en route to the Sayqal Airbase which has been encircled by ISIS fighters for some time.

Thereby, both Syrian rebels and government soldiers are attempting to drive ISIS back into the eastern deserts of Syria. However, it seems highly unlikely that the so-called Islamic State will surrender the area easily as it marks ISIS’ only genuine way of reaching the Syrian capital.

Syria's opposition has rejected a proposal from the UN envoy brokering peace talks in Geneva that would have kept Bashar al-Assad as president with three deputies of his opponents' choosing, an opposition source told AFP Saturday.

Staffan de Mistura made the proposal for Assad to remain in office during a transitional period to the High Negotiations Committee -- the main Syrian opposition body -- during a meeting late Friday, the HNC source said.

"He proposed that President Bashar al-Assad would appoint three vice presidents that we choose, and that he would transfer his military and political prerogatives to them," the source said.

"Effectively, Assad would stay in a ceremonial position... But we categorically rejected the proposal."

Assad's ouster has been the key demand of Syria's opposition since the uprising broke out in March 2011, but Damascus says his departure is not on the table.

While the opposition insists on forming a "transitional governing body" without Assad, the regime says it wants to form a broader "unity government."

The HNC source said de Mistura had presented the idea as a way to end that "vicious cycle" of debate.

"This way, the president could transfer his prerogatives based on the current constitution, which does not include the formation of a transitional governing body," the source said.

According to him, de Mistura told the HNC committee that the proposal "was not his personal view... but that he hoped to hear our thoughts".

GENEVA - Syria's opposition has postponed its "formal participation" in peace talks in protest over escalating violence, but will remain in Geneva and may continue informal discussions with mediators, the UN envoy said Monday.

"I heard today from the HNC (opposition High Negotiations Committee) their intention to postpone their formal participation in the (UN offices) to the negotiations," United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura told journalists.

But de Mistura insisted that discussions aimed at setting up a new government in Syria would continue through the week.

The HNC does not plan to leave Geneva and may continue to meet UN staff at their hotel "to pursue technical discussions", including on political transition in Syria, de Mistura said.

"We plan, anyway, to continue therefore our discussions and consultations with every side in the (UN's European headquarters) or anywhere else," he said.

De Mistura stressed that the indirect talks format -- which has seen the HNC and President Bashar al-Assad's representatives meet separately with UN mediators -- created flexibility to continue the discussions.

But the opposition's decision to no longer attend official meetings at the UN is the latest blow to the troubled negotiations, which aim to set up a transitional government in Syria within six months ahead fresh presidential and parliamentary elections within 18 months.

So far, de Mistura said, neither side has made compromises on key issues, including Assad's fate.

"I do believe that both sides have been at the moment not yielding a comma, but that is normal in a negotiation," de Mistura said.

"The good news is that both of them are talking about political transition."

The HNC insists that any peace deal must include Assad's departure from power. Damascus has so far said that the president's future is off limits.

"The gap is clearly wide," the UN envoy said after meeting the HNC.

Beirut- Syrian Opposition sources revealed that Moscow is underway on preparing for an initiative, seen with U.N. sponsorship, for merging all Syrian Opposition delegations participating in the ongoing Geneva peace talks…

The merger proposed would have the Riyadh-based Higher Negotiations Committee (HNC) become a minority in an opposition representative delegation comprising 15 members. Sources highlight that the Russian proposal aims at foiling the peace talks.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the Hameem’s opposition delegation, the group playing a factor in the Russian proposal, has moved for Moscow boarding a Russian foreign ministry aircraft.

The last meeting bringing both Russians and the Hameem delegation members- before the Syrian Opposition announced its withdrawal from the peace-talks made it clear that the Russians are inclined towards their proposition of merger and are effectively pushing for it, sources added.

Russia has not objected to the regime’s ceasefire violations, and has promised the U.N. special envoy to Syria Sataffan de Mistura on the negotiations continuing despite the opposition’s withdrawal; in hopes of achieving a sort of internal negotiations.

As for the Hameem delegation, it comprises members of the People’s Council of Syria, party leaders, parties authorized by the government and figureheads related to the regime’s security body, sources said.

Opposition sources believe that Russians are heading towards toppling over the whole Geneva mechanism of negotiations, and that the opposition’s delegation would be represented by 15 members comprising three HNC members, three of the inner opposition and three others belonging to what is known by the Cairo Conference.

Added to the members are, Randa Kassis, Qadri Jamil and chances of the contribution of Moaz al-Khatib. Other members will be assigned according to what Moscow sees evidently playing to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s profit and stay in authority.

A Syrian Opposition member, residing in Paris, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the Russians had informed de Mistura of their new take on resolving the Syrian crisis, which entails an expanded government led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. However, the opposition considered the proposal to contradict enlisted conditions reached by both Geneva conventions held for the Syrian crisis.

On the other hand, Arab sources reported that the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had told an Arab official, who visited Moscow, on Russia striking an accord with the U.S. over the principals of a solution which are based on ceasefire, counterterrorism and a governmental transition.

The same sources also reported Lavrov saying that the only country which draws a red line on having the Syrian government collapse, other than Russia, is the U.S.

Randa Kassis (Arabic رندة قسيس) is a Franco-Syrian politician and a leading figure of opposition to the Syrian government. She is the President and founder of the Movement of the Pluralistic Society.[1] She was a member of the Syrian National Council until August 2012. Randa Kassis is the former president of the Coalition of Secular and Democratic Syrians and member of the Syrian National Council.[2][3] The Coalition of Secular and Democratic Syrians, the nucleus of a secular and democratic Syrian opposition, was created by the union of a dozen Muslim and Christian, Arab and Kurd parties, who called upon minorities in Syria to support the fight against the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Ahmad Moaz Al-Khatib Al-Hasani (Arabic: أحمد معاذ الخطيب الحسني‎, born 1960) is a former president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. He is also a former imam of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Born in 1960, Khatib comes from a well-known and notable Sunni Muslim Damascene family. His father, Sheikh Mohammed Abu al-Faraj al-Khatib, was a prominent Islamic scholar and preacher at the Umayyad Mosque.

Qadri Jamil (Arabic: قدري جميل) is a Syrian politician, media editor and economist. He is one of the top leaders of the People's Will Party and the Popular Front for Change and Liberation,[1][2] and a former member of the Assad government, having been dismissed from the post of deputy prime minister for economic affairs; minister of internal trade and consumer Protection on 29 October 2013.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani suggested that the 2012 crisis in Syria, which has claimed about 400,000 lives so far, was a political game and not a revolution as claimed by the West and its allies.

The London-based tycoon who still maintains close links with current Qatari rulers blamed Saudi Arabia for the worsening situation after the US gave the green light to the kingdom to intervene in Syria.

“I will tell you one thing and that is maybe the first time I say this: when we started being involved in Syria we had a green light that Qatar would lead this because Saudi Arabia didn’t at that time want to lead,” Sheikh Hamad said.

“After that there was a change in policy and Saudi Arabia didn’t inform us that they wanted us in the back seat. We ended up competing and it was not healthy,” he added in the FT interview published on April 15.

The FT reporter pushed him on another debacle in Libya, pointing out that the same policies were followed in the African country, where Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have backed opposing sides in the war.

Sheikh Hamad acknowledges that in Libya, “There were a lot of cookers in the end. That’s why it was spoiled,” the newspaper said.

Staffan de Mistura spoke to reporters early Thursday after briefing the UN Security Council via videoconference about the largely stalled indirect talks between the Western- and Saudi-backed opposition and envoys from President Bashar Assad's government, which has the backing of Moscow.

After 60 days, he said, the cessation of hostilities agreed to by both sides "hangs by a thread."

"I really fear that the erosion of the cessation is unraveling the fragile consensus around a political solution, carefully built over the last year," de Mistura said in his council briefing obtained by The Associated Press. "Now I see parties reverting to the language of a military solution or military option. We must ensure that they do not see that as a solution or an option."

The current effort to end the five-year Syria conflict was largely spearheaded by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, backed by major global and regional powers who formed the International Syria Support Group. It includes 17 countries as well as the United Nations, Arab League, European Union and Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

De Mistura said he hoped that the talks would resume in May, and he predicted the overall process would continue as previously planned through July. But he stopped short of setting a specific date, pointing to the recent upsurge in fighting, notably in and around Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war.

Lamenting the worsening violence, he said that "in the last 48 hours, we have had an average of one Syrian killed every 25 minutes, one Syrian wounded every 13 minutes ... How can you have substantial talks when you have only news about bombing and shelling?"

Speaking at the end of a third session of Syria peace talks this year, de Mistura said the truce brokered by the U.S. and Russia had pulled off a "miracle" by sharply reducing violence in March, but acknowledged that the renewed fighting has put the cessation of hostilities "in great danger."

The talks foundered last week after the Western- and Saudi-backed opposition called the High Negotiating Committee suspended formal participation in the indirect talks with Assad's envoys to protest alleged government cease-fire violations, a drop in humanitarian aid deliveries and no progress in winning the release of detainees in Syria.

De Mistura suggested back-channel work between Moscow and Washington was already under way to help the truce, and that a revival of it would help bring the two sides back to the table.

"I know that both the Russian Federation and the U.S. are talking among themselves on how to salvage on what has been actually a remarkable success — but needs to be sustained," he said, referring to the cease-fire. If it is revived, he predicted: "It will not be difficult for everyone to come back around the table."

Russia and the United States have agreed a "regime of silence" in Syria from midnight on Friday, RIA news agency cited a diplomatic source as saying.

Moscow and Washington will act as guarantors to the agreement which will apply to areas in Latakia and in the suburbs of capital Damascus, RIA cited the source as saying.

Russia and the US have agreed on a "silent" period in northern Latakia province and suburbs of Damascus in Syria.

GENEVA (Sputnik) – Russia and the United States have agreed to enhance the cessation of hostilities in northern Latakia province and suburbs of Damascus in Syria from midnight on April 30, a source in the ceasefire task force told Sputnik on Friday.

"At 00:00 on April 29-30 Russia and and the United States, as co-chairs of the task force on ceasefire in Syria, have agreed to introduce state of ‘regime of silence’ in northern regions of Latakia and Damascus suburbs. This is an extra measure to resolve local problematic instances," the source said.

The "regime of silence" will be introduced for 24 hours in the capital city of Damascus and for 72 hours in the province of Latakia.

"Russia has notified the Syrian government of an agreement reached by Russia and the United States on introduction of the ‘regime of silence’ which will begin at 00:01 on Sunday, May 1. It will last for 24 hours in Damascus and its suburbs, and in Latakia and its suburbs it will last for 72 hours," the source close to the negotiations said.

According to the source, Moscow and Washington would be the guarantors of the "regime of silence."

"We expect that both the government of Syria and the illegal armed formations will adhere to it, stop shelling and dangerous military activity," the source explained.

However, according to the source, the Syrian city of Aleppo, mired in heavy fighting will not be included in the silence regime.

Aleppo saw one of its bloodiest days since the ceasefire began on Friday, as government forces laid the groundwork for a “war of all wars” to retake Syria’s second city.