This map provides a general look at the military situation in Syria on November 15, 2017:
- A fighting is ongoing between government forces and local militants in Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus.
- In northern Hama, the Syrian Army has liberated a number of points from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies and are still developing momentum.
- The Syrian Army and Hezbollah are clashing with ISIS in the border city of al-Bukamal.
- The Syrian Tiger Forces are advancing in the direction of al-Bukamal from al-Mayadin.
- The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are consolidating their gains in the province of Deir Ezzor.
Click to see the full-size map
I do hope there is a plan here, because I am becoming one frustrated man here.
The SDF must be totally overstretched now and if they go further South, even more so, the what about a quick push East from Ma’adan and break them in 2.
I thought the PMU had come into the fray, why haven’t they pushed Northwards ?.
Get rid of those damned blobs as well, the green ones, especially Al Tanf with the Yanks; no more false diplomacy, because they just lie.
>>The SDF must be totally overstretched now and if they go further South, even more so, the what about a quick push East from Ma’adan and break them in 2.<<
Because then the US Chair Force would start bombing the shit out of the SAA? And Russia is not crazy enough to risk WWIII over this when it can probably employ a more long term strategy here? In the end the SDF is not the new Israel and can never hope to be because it is landlocked by hostile neighbors. It needs to make deals with them in order to survive. And that presents leverage to the Russians.
Agreed and SAA is overstretched too.
I do agree with the SAA being overstretched, hence my question about he PMU ?
Regards WWIII; I again Russia is not crazy, however the Yanks are and I bet it is already planned and in action.
Nice comment though, thanks.
SDF might be somewhat overstretched, but so is the SAA which cannot even function anymore without Hezbollah, PMU’s, Iranians, Afghans.
A counterattack against SDF is, at present, beyond the SAA capabilities, more so as long as US supplies air cover to SDF.
An even more practical point is that it appears that all pontoon bridging elements have been used in DeZ city and the small bridgehead SAA had north of Mayadin (Diban) had to be abandoned because it could not be sustained by SAA and or its allies.
SDF/YPG are nothing but an average militia – it is the embedded US-SOF, US Marine artillery units and US aircraft that are the actual firepower allowing the ‘SDF’ to rapidly move around central east and south east Dier Ezzore province in eastern Syria.
So is NDF/hezbollah/PMU mostly what SAA relies on.
SDF is way overstreched, but so were Iraqi Kurds all over Kirkuk and the Iraqi Army took back control of it and its oil fields without problems.
I think SAA’s biggest problem right now is not SDF but finishing off ISIS, HTS and other militias. Then they would switch the focus over to SDF I guess.
SDF consolidatin its gains has to be read as SDF has been clearing the remaining pockets and is quickly advancing eastward along the river banks, seizing the many villages between the river and the already taken desert areas north of the river valley, thereby reducing its vulnarability to counterattacks, reducing frontlines and, theoretically freeing up forces that can be used to advance elsewhere.
SAA has to advance from sukhna axis and cover that are between hamimah and maydeedn like this they can free up many soldier. SDF will not cross any river now bcuz its beyond their capabilies and also SDF cant take abu kamal as its already surrounded by saa and allies. Now saa has to start offensive from sukhna and hamimah to cover a and clear that area between maydeed and t2 pumping station .