Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian Al-Qaeda branch) has declared that it’s in control of the Al-Assad Neighborhood in the western part of Aleppo city. By now, the only video & photo evidence of the claim has been a picture from the drone.
If this is true, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham will be able to develop momentum in the direction of the strategic al-Assad Military Academy and the 3000 Apartment Project, threating the northern flank of Syrian government forces in the 1070 Apartment Project.
Meanwhile, reports have appeared that the ‘moderate opposition’ detonated its 4th suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) in the area between 1070 and 3000 projects.
Heavy clashes are ongoing in western Aleppo.
So… where is this imminent fall of opposition? Russia and Iran can not deliver. This will not end any time soon.
Noone said it would end soon, just sit tight and compare progress every 3-4 months.
SAA incompetence in tactical situation and Russian incompetence in strategic understanding is baffling. All these idiotic ceasefires and useless humanitarian corridors on one hand (Russia), and the inability to retain fortified(?) positions on the other (Syria).. Terrorists will not stop until they either win or die. Why is it so hard for Kremlin to accept this and focus on winning the war?
This is war, dude. Back and forth, look at the big picture and it is clear that the SAA are winning in a big way. Just because the terrorists massed some forces and found some sheep to blow themselves up, then got control over a few dozens ruined buildings, doesn’t mean anything.
Hope you are right..Still, they managed to do this after being allowed to rearm and regroup because of idiotic “ceasefires”. Also, do not underestimate the effect this successes have in the moral of both forces.
Let’s see how the situation develops. I agree that the inability of the SAA to retain control of fortified positions is pretty troubling. As is their inability to stop VBIEDs from detonating in the middle of their defenses.
But – as previous jihadis’ offensives proved – the main issue in my opinion is how costly these relatively meagre (for now at least) progresses were for the militants. Russian and Syrian air forces have been bombing the lines of communications and the form up points for hours. If they can keep up the interdiction and the pounding of the militants formations, the jihadis will probably prove unable to keep the territory they have currently taken from the SAA and their victory might prove a Pyrrhic one. This is how the last two militants offensives turned out. Only time will tell…
Anyway, the SAA and the Russians are definitely dealing with a determined enemy.
They overrun an-admittedly small and poorly defended-district in 2-3 hours. I would not call it meager. Also massively boosts morale for them.
“the SAA and the Russians are definitely dealing with a determined enemy.” And they both lack the determination to do what it takes to win. SAA because it has suffered great casualties over 5 years and it fights on a very large and complex front and Russia because the fools in Kremlin, still hope that a reconciliation Chechnya-style will work here.
What I’m saying is that they did the same in august and in the end they lost anyway because their not-decisive successes came at a terrible cost and the attrition took a toll at last. Al-Masdar reports that several SAA soldiers got killed by the VBIEDs, but that the vast majority withdrew to more defensible positions. I don’t know if they just ran or if they decided to give ground and absorb the violence of the attack, but we still don’t know if the militants will be able to keep up their momentum. In the past they got bogged down and pounded to oblivion by the air force. It’s too early to say.
The SAA is in the best position it has been in years! I think morale should be good.
The ceasefires also allowed the SAA to regroup. Also, the ceasefire have been started after big successes of the SAA, like the closing of the Azaz corridor, the surrounding of Aleppo etc.
So it was a chance to consolidate their gains, de-escalate the diplomatic situation so the USA don’t intervene and the terrorists are the ones who get surrounded anyway. And they and the USA look bad when they break the unilateral (and almost fake) ceasefire.
In Kremlin have inferiority complex toward West.They take care about what the media write for them.If they continues like that they will loose in all the fronts.
Exactly man! 100% correct! Putin and Lavrov are part of the 90s “Why can’t we get along together” mentality. Their main objective, albeit delusional, is becoming “strategic partners” of the-falling and decadent-West..
This is flanking maneuver designed to put pressure on SAA’s own flanking offensive to capture hills around 1070 complex, to cut off the militant supply lines there. Whether this Nusra action means much with anything behind it or is desperate diversion action is not clear.
Jesus fuckin’ Christ, the SAA surrenders quicker than the French!
Because Lavrov nailed in their back with “Humanitarian cease -fire.“
Clearly a long-standing local tradition, then . . . .
Breaking…The results of Lavrov treason “humanitarian-cease fire“Earlier on Friday, militants “used the moratorium of Russian and Syrian combat flights” and attempted to break into eastern Aleppo, the General Staff representative said.
“The attack was carried out by three groups [of militants]… with support of 20 tanks and 15 APCs. All this was accompanied by heavy fire from rocket launchers and artillery,” he said. Today in Moscow furious Iranian and Syrian foreign ministers asked Lavrov to stop to undermines the Syrian army and allies with the suspicious ceasefires.More to RT https://www.rt.com/news/364565…
Breaking… RT .Putin rejects Russian military request to resume airstrikes in east Aleppo.
Delusional fool..I hate to say it. I used to be a fan of the guy.. After essentially betraying Novorossia and this lukewarm approach in Syria..
Haha! What an embarrassment to Russia & Syria. The rag tag rebel forces trained by UK/Turkey/US will easily break the siege again if they can do this much so quickly. No wonder why Russia is so keen on settling this in diplomacy while the West’s only interest is the total downfall of Assad. The West knows they can win this militarily.
You getting tad over optimistic there jihadist fanboy.
You mean pessimistic. Unfortunately as of today, Aleppo is officially lost. It’s going to go downhill really fast this day forward.
“Aleppo is officially lost. ”
What a craven little foat-gucker you are…. The Wahabbi rats temporarily gain some ground after one of their mindless human-wave attacks and you want to throw in the towel?…
A lot of idiots spouting their pro-Jihadi (or at least anti-Putin/lavrov) BS… just shutup and grab some popcorn and watch what happens next. The last big Jihadi push to “break the siege” was a flop – they quickly lost their “gains” and in efect traded men and equipment for a few PR headlines. This will be the same.
The Wahabbi rats are desparate to save their head-chopper compadres in East Aleppo, and they are having to throw caution to the wind. They will FAIL and the SAA and its allies will mop up afterwards.
Gary Sellars This type of takeover should not have been allowed unless someone is sleeping on the job.
This it the result of Russia helping Syria in slow motion, the slow motion war in Syria makes good money for Russia, Iran has to pay hard US$s for every piece of equipment supplied to Syria.
Are people seeing a pattern of the Syrian Military fighting the same battles over and over?
There are more than a million IRGs in Iran who polish their boots daily.
Send in 250,000 IRGs ASAP.