Russian Marines and Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen Build a Protectorate in Western Syria

[Bleipriester]

Here is the beginning of the end of Erdogan´s Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fateh), the bunch of Islamists, that subjugate Idlib, introduced Sharia and the Turkish Lira. The deployment of Russian and Iranian troops is not only an additional military and political barrier for the Islamist terrorists, it also frees thousands of Syrian troops resulting in an 1:1 reinforcement for the Army and NDF, wherever they want it to have.

"The recent arrival of Russian military personnel to the Syrian port-city of Tartous has allowed for the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the civilian-led “National Defense Forces” (NDF) to concentrate their military units to a number of different fronts outside of the Syrian Government stronghold of Latakia.

With much of the SAA and NDF units deployed to more volatile fronts, the Russian Marines and Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG) have relieved their positions by installing military checkpoints inside the cities of Slunfeh (east Latakia Governorate), Masyaf (east Tartous Governorate) and Ras Al-Bassit (Latakia coastal city).

According to a senior officer in the Syrian Arab Army, at least 2,800 soldiers from the Special Forces have been redeployed from their base at Slunfeh; this allowed for the Russian Marines and Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen to build fortifications around this mountainous city that overlooks the Al-Ghaab Plains.

The Russian Marines and IRG replacing the Syrian Army in Slunfeh is imperative for two reasons:

1. The Islamist rebels would have to go through Slunfeh if they wanted to cross into Latakia from the Al-Ghaab Plains – meaning, they will have to go through the Russian and Iranian defenses.
2. Their presence in east Latakia is a clear warning to the Islamist rebels that Latakia is off limits for their military endeavors.

Ras Al-Bassit is another important site; however, not because it is in any-kind of danger, but rather, due to the fact its the 4th Mechanized Division’s headquarters in northern Syria (main HQ is in Yafour, Damascus).

The Russian Marines and IRG stationed at Ras Al-Bassit will likely travel back and forth to the predominately Armenian city of Kassab on the Syrian-Turkish border – another warning to the Islamist rebels that this area off limits.

Finally, there is Masyaf in east Tartous; this city is the National Defense Forces’ headquarters, as it houses the largest number of militiamen (est. 12,000-16,000) in Syria.

East of Masyaf are the predominately Christian cities of Al-Sqaylabiyah and Mhardeh; these two cities have been under attack by the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra”; however, the civilian militiamen inside these two cities were able to fight off every attack.

Once again, the Russians and Iranians form this protectorate around Masyaf to deter any Islamist rebels from entering the Tartous Governorate.

Whether or not the Islamist rebels harbor these military aspirations is unknown; but they have been given a fair warning by the Iranians and Russians to not expand west."

Russian Marines and Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen Build a Protectorate in Western Syria

 

[Bleipriester]

Russian and Chinese Air Forces to Use Hmamiyat Airfields

"The recent news of the Chinese Navy’s imminent arrival to the Syrian port-city of Tartous has renewed the optimism that was once lost among the Syrian populous living under the government-controlled parts of Syria.

When the Chinese Navy finally arrives in Tartous, they will be welcomed by their Russian counterparts that are already stationed in Syria’s western countryside; however, unlike their Russian allies, the Chinese will not likely send infantry units to deploy around the country.

Instead, the Chinese Armed Forces will transport their aerial assets to the Hmamiyat Airfields inside the Bassel Al-Assad International Airport, where they will join the Russian and Syrian Air Forces.


The Hmamiyat Airfields are located inside a section of the Bassel Al-Assad International Airport that was used to by the Syrian Air Force as an airbase to conduct flights along the vast coast – the airport itself is located in the Jableh District of Latakia.

According to a senior officer in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Hmamiyat Airfields are primarily used by the Russian Air Force at the moment – he added that the Syrian Air Force moved most of their aerial assets from the Bashar Al-Assad International Airport to the Homs Governorate in preparation for the Chinese Air Force’s arrival."

Russian and Chinese Air Forces to Use Hmamiyat Airfields

 

[Bleipriester]

Over 30 Foreigners Killed in Northern Latakia by the Syrian Army

"On Sunday morning, the Syrian Arab Army’s Special Forces – in coordination with the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), the National Defense Forces (NDF), and Muqawama Souri (Syrian Resistance) – carried out a powerful assault in the Latakia Governorate’s northeastern countryside, resulting in the destruction of a number of armored vehicles and enemy hideouts.

The Syrian Armed Forces began their assault by targeting Jabhat Al-Nusra’s (Syrian Al-Qaeda group) defensive positions in Salma’s east district, killing 11 enemy combatants before they advanced to the eastern orchards inside this city located in northeastern Latakia.


Following their assault in Salma, the Syrian Armed Forces launched a powerful assault on the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jabhat Al-Nusra’s positions inside the village of Mureij; this attack resulted in the death of 38 enemy combatants, all of whom, were reportedly foreigners from either Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Lebanon.

In addition to the death of 38 enemy combatants inside Mureij, the Syrian Armed Forces also destroyed a weapons depot and militant hideout that was used by the Islamist rebel fighters to conduct attacks on the SAA and NDF units in this area.

Fierce clashes between the Syrian Armed Forces and Jabhat Al-Nusra were also reported at the towns of Ghannam and Al-Rubiyah in northern Latakia."

Over 30 Foreigners Killed in Northern Latakia by the Syrian Army

 

[waltky]

Russia takin' the forefront in Syria...

US On The Ropes: China To Join Russian Military In Syria While Iraq Strikes Intel Deal With Moscow, Tehran
9/27/2015 - Last Thursday, we asked if China was set to join Russia and Iran in support of the Assad regime in Syria.

Our interest was piqued when the pro-Assad Al-Masdar (citing an unnamed SAA “senior officer”), said Chinese “personnel and aerial assets” are set to arrive within weeks. To the uninitiated, this may seem to have come out of left field, so to speak. However, anyone who has followed the conflict and who knows a bit about the global balance of power is aware that Beijing has for some time expressed its support for Damascus, most notably by voting with Russia to veto a Security Council resolution that would have seen the conflict in Syria referred to the Hague. Here’s what China had to say at the May 22, 2014 meeting:

For some time now, the Security Council has maintained unity and coordination on the question of Syria, thanks to efforts by Council members, including China, to accommodate the major concerns of all parties. At a time when seriously diverging views exist among the parties concerning the draft resolution, we believe that the Council should continue holding consultations, rather than forcing a vote on the draft resolution, in order to avoid undermining Council unity or obstructing coordination and cooperation on questions such as Syria and other major serious issues. Regrettably, China’s approach has not been taken on board; China therefore voted against the draft resolution.

In other words, China could see the writing on the wall and it, like Russia, was not pleased with where things seemed to be headed. A little more than a year later and Moscow has effectively called time on the strategy of using Sunni extremist groups to destabilize Assad and given what we know about Beijing’s efforts to project China’s growing military might, it wouldn’t exactly be surprising to see the PLA turn up at Latakia as well. Sure enough, Russian media now says that according to Russian Senator Igor Morozov, Beijing has decided to join the fight.

Here’s Pravda (translated):