Syrian government closes Homs-Palmyra Highway over ISIS threat

[Bleipriester]

ISIS is currently trying to cut off this highway. However, they face the fierce resistance of the Syrian and Russian forces.

ISIS attempts to cutoff the Homs-Palmyra Highway

 

[Bleipriester]

Uh-oh, here dey come back again...

In new push, IS advances toward Syrian city of Palmyra
May 11,`16 -- Islamic State militants advanced toward the central Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday, threatening to besiege the world-famous ancient site several weeks after the government recaptured it from the extremists.

"Funny", how western press only reports about ISIS advances...
...as if they are siding with them.
Heinously sitting in their air conditioned offices, they constantly throw dirt at the war on terror.

"The Syrian Armed Forces, backed by the fearless Desert Hawks fighters and Russian airstrikes, managed today to seize the deserted battalion (some 8 km to the northwest of the Tiyas Airbase (T4)."

Field Report: SAA recaptures strategic point near Tiyas Airbase | Al-Masdar News


"On Wednesday evening, the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” (Al-Hamza Brigade) – backed by the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Liwaa Al-Fatemiyyoun (Afghani paramilitary) – imposed full control over Tal Sawwan in northeast Homs after a violent battle with the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS).

While the Syrian Armed Forces have reclaimed several hilltops in Jabal Al-Sha’ar, they have yet to bypass ISIS’ defenses at the Al-Sha’ar Gas Field."

Tiger Forces liberate Sawwan Hill in northeast Homs | Al-Masdar News

 

[Bleipriester]

"Just 48 hours after losing the Muhajarah Tank Base to the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), the Syrian Arab Army’s 525th Regiment of the 18th Tank Division – backed by the National Defense Forces (NDF) – imposed full control over this site after an intense battle with the terrorist forces."

Breaking: Syrian Army liberates Muhajarah Base in east Homs | Al-Masdar News

 

[Bleipriester]

The government has reopened the highway for the public.

 

[Bleipriester]

The NDF have suffered significant losses after ISIS surprised them amid harsh weather conditions that prevented the Syrian and Rusian airfroces to intervene. Palmyra and the highway are save, though. It is said that ISIS lacks of the manpower to attack Palmyra as their strongholds Raqqa and Bab are endangered.

Battle of eastern Homs continues as ISIS keeps attacking: map update

 

[Bleipriester]

The terrorists are currently surrounding Palmyra. The question is why they are launching such a large offensive while their two capitals Mosul and Ar-Raqqa are endangered in addition to al-Bab. Earlier reports said, ISIS is moving its best arms to Syria. There are some possibilities:

1. ISIS is relocating to Syria, a more or less complete retreat from Iraq.
They try to establish a new presence as de facto border.

2. Nato told ISIS to attack Palmyra to make the Syrian army redeploy elite forces from Aleppo.
The critical situation of ISIS does actually not allow such an offensive at the current moment.

3. ISIS believes that FSA and SDF nullify each other at al-Bab and the about 5500 SAA soldiers are the real threat.
ISIS aims at the alleviation of pressure on al-Bab.

Fact is, the SAA must respond to this threat, immediately. If ISIS takes the city, it would be much harder to recapture it than to defend it. The question is, which troops can be redeployed. Weakening any front could promptly lead to another offensive. In the south, there could be a large scale offensive any time, anyway. The Islamist Hama offensive could be restarted. Damascus sent troops already to Aleppo, where tens of thousands of soldiers are deployed in and around the city, as well as in the surrounding area. In Latakia, the Islamists would be eager to launch an offensive.

ISIS reaches Palmyra's gates as the Syrian Army attempts to hold the city

 

[ESay]

The question is why they are launching such a large offensive while their two capitals Mosul and Ar-Raqqa are endangered in addition to al-Bab.

Because they understand that their losing of these cities is a matter of not too distant future, and there is little they can do with it.

Fact is, the SAA must respond to this threat, immediately. If ISIS takes the city, it would be much harder to recapture it than to defend it. The question is, which troops can be redeployed. Weakening any front could promptly lead to another offensive. In the south, there could be a large scale offensive any time, anyway. The Islamist Hama offensive could be restarted. Damascus sent troops already to Aleppo, where tens of thousands of soldiers are deployed in and around the city, as well as in the surrounding area. In Latakia, the Islamists would be eager to launch an offensive.

Does Palmyra have any strategic importance to the Syrian government?

 

[Bleipriester]

Because they understand that their losing of these cities is a matter of not too distant future, and there is little they can do with it.

I am not sure. Palmyra is a rather small city. The oil and gas fields may be more important to them but ISIS is - at least officially - contained and has no way to sell that stuff anymore.

Does Palmyra have any strategic importance to the Syrian government?

Yes, there are oil and gas fields and the city is the anchor point for the breaking of the siege of Deir-Ezzor when offensive and an obstacle for ISIS to reach the densely populated West when defensive.

Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi (right to the army man) visits endangered facility near Palmyra in 2015

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian army and Russian special forces smash ISIS out of Palmyra and surroundings under aircover of Russian and Syrian airforces

Reinforcements arrived just in time when the army was already evacuating civilians and preparing to retreat. Will Palmyra need further steady military aid?

"The third Battle of Palmyra (Tadmor) continues with Syrian Arab Army (SAA) now counterattacking on the outskirts of this ancient city.

Earlier on Saturday, the city was at some point on a verge of being captured by the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) after militants of this terror group had captured Jabal Tar mountain and Al-Amiriyah suburb while also entering eastern Palmyra neighbourhoods. SAA troops began evacuation of civilians and started preparing to retreat themselves.

However, after arrival of reinforcements, the government forces regrouped and launched a counterattack. Having cleared Al-Amiriyah and eastern Palmyra districts of ISIS terrorists, the SAA, with active air support from Russian and Syrian Air Forces, stormed ISIS positions at Jabal Tar mountain northwest of the city and Palmyra Grain Silos area located to the east. Some preliminary reports suggest that both sites were recaptured by the government forces, but no official confirmation had been provided yet.

It is noteworthy to mention that SAA's counterattack is supported by Russian Special Forces who helped drive out ISIS terrorists from Al-Amiriyah. Besides, they provide target designation for Russian attack helicopters and fighter jets that relentlessly strike ISIS positions."

Syrian Army counterattacks on Palmyra outskirts in order to secure the city

 

[Bleipriester]

"SOHR" reported that Palmyra has fallen to ISIS in a second attack. The army withdrew. Very bad news, this.
ISIS used many tanks and technicals, artillery and suicide attacks. They won´t stay for long.

 

[ESay]

It seems quite clear that undertaking a massive military operation in one place, Assad forces are unable to control the situation in other places, to say nothing about starting assaults in several sectors of the front. How Assad is going to take back the other parts of Syria in this situation is unclear.

 

[Bleipriester]

It seems quite clear that undertaking a massive military operation in one place, Assad forces are unable to control the situation in other places, to say nothing about starting assaults in several sectors of the front. How Assad is going to take back the other parts of Syria in this situation is unclear.

This is easy to say but this is how war goes. Nobody expected that ISIS would attack Palmyra, though. And not with the 4000-5000 terrorists they sent in particular. You surely understand that the Syrian army cannot deploy thousands of soldiers in each town. There were about 1000 in Palmyra. I hope they managed to evacuate all civilians before they retreated.

Aleppo has a high priority and the sooner the "rebels" inside are gone, the better it is. Aleppo is also the morale pillar of the "rebels". It is falling and this will have impact on their morale. Aleppo is surrounded by terrorists, though. Thousands of moderate terrorists in the west and north, and ISIS in the east.

Reinforcements arrive near Palmyra as Syrian Army regroups for counter-offensive (Photos)

 

[Bleipriester]

According to reports, ISIS traveled in small groups to avoid detection and the US jammed the VHF communications so that no reports could reach Palmyra soon enough.

'Short-Lived Setback': Syrian Army Prepares to Retake Palmyra

 

[Bleipriester]

ISIS captured a small Russian base. The heavy stuff was blown up before but they still boast of the arms they captured. The Syrian air base is still holding on and operational. Meanwhile, many soldiers are heading to this frontier as it is very important.

"At least 2,500 more soldiers are expected to be redeployed to the Palmyra front in the coming days, as part of the greater force to retake the oil fields surrounding this ancient Syrian city.

With the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham" (ISIS) in control of all the oil fields north of Palmyra, the people in the Homs, Hama, Latakia, Damascus, and Tartous governorates have limited electricity and fuel; it is now an imperative endeavor to restore these sites for the Syrian Armed Forces."
Reinforcements pour into Palmyra countryside as Syrian Army attempts to push back ISIS

 

[Bleipriester]

The airbase repelled another ISIS attack with the help of the Russian airforce. ISIS will probably repeat the attacks until the base falls or ISIS gets smashed away.

Syrian Army repels second ISIS assault on key airport near Palmyra

 

[Bleipriester]

ISIS launched another failed attack that as initiated by a failed suicide attack. A Syrian counter-offensive has cost ISIS a mountaintop and a base. Russian special forces have entered the airbase to boost defense. The Russian airforce is also operating from this airbase.

Field report: Syrian Army fights off ISIS near key airbase

 

[Bleipriester]

The US alleges ISIS has captured AA weapons and considers to strike the captured weapons.

The questions are whether AA weapons (apart from heavy guns) are useful against ISIS and thus deployed and if this strikes will result in more "mistakes" at the expense of many more Syrian soldiers´ lives.

US military: ISIS will use military equipment it captured in Palmyra

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian elite troops parachute into the T-4 airbase and launch attack. Also, Hezbollah reinforcements arrived.

"BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:35 A.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army's 800th Regiment of the Republican Guard's paratrooper division was deployed to the western countryside of Palmyra on Thursday morning after another powerful attack by the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham" (ISIS) threatened the strategic T-4 Military Airport.

The 800th Regiment, which is rarely used by the Syrian Army's High Command, parachuted into the western outskirts of the T-4 Military Airport on Thursday after the Palmyra-Homs Road was closed by the government due to the security threat posed by ISIS.

Alongside the forces already stationed at the military installation, the 800th Regiment drove back the attacking Islamic State terrorists, killing more than 70 (latest estimate) of their combatants before securing the entire area.

The 800th Regiment would later carry out the counter-attack that allowed the Syrian Armed Forces to clear the outskirts of the T-4 Airport on Thursday night."

Elite Syrian Army unit parachutes into Palmyra countryside
Hezbollah reinforcements pour into Palmyra countryside

 

[Bleipriester]

The US-led coalition conducted airstrikes on ISIS at Palmyra. A tank and an artillery position were destroyed. This is especially good for the Syrian, Russian and Hezbollah forces in and around the T-4 airbase since ISIS´ shelling of the base has been described as the most intense artillery shelling by ISIS yet in the war by T-4 based soldiers.



In video: US-led coalition strikes ISIS in Palmyra countryside for the first time

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian army on the offensive



"On Friday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and allied forces continued their counterattack in the vicinity of the strategic T4 (Tiyas) Military Airport in the eastern part of Homs province in a bid to reverse all the gains made by the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) recently in this area.

In close coordination with the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) and the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF), government troops managed to recapture the Qaryatayn - T4 crossroads area thus reopening the direct route between the T4 Airbase and the city of Al-Qaryatayn. According to a military source at the T4 Military Airport, government forces were able to destroy 5 armoured vehicles, 7 technical vehicles and 3 battle tanks while also killing and injuring more than 50 ISIS militants during the last 24 hours of non-stop clashes.

Speaking to Al-Masdar News, the same military source said that the village of Al-Shirfah located between T4 and Al-Qaryatayn was still under ISIS control. Therefore, the direct way from the airbase to Al-Qaryatayn is currently possible only through a makeshift road that passes by the aforementioned village. However, the military source added that the village can fall into government forces' hands at any moment as the Syrian Army and allies continue their advance.

Ibra Joudeh | Al-Masdar News
Above is the photo of Syrian Air Force Intelligence troops, that was taken yesterday at the T4 Airbase.

Important update: according to AMN's military source at the T4 Military Airport, the government troops have just recaptured Al-Shirfah village, so the main direct road between the airbase and Al-Qaryatayn is finally reopened."

Field report: Syrian Army counterattacks in east Homs, recaptures several sites