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As the Turkish Defense Ministry announced another round of ‘devastating blows’ to the Syrian Army in the province of Idlib, the reality on the ground was a bit different.
On February 10, Syrian government forces liberated the villages of al-Qanati, Kafr Halab, Khirbat Jazraya and Miznaz from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and other radical groups.
The advance came despite the Turkish-backed attack on the Syrian Army near the city of Saraqib. So far, the only result of the Turkish push towards Saraqib was 5 killed and 5 injured Turkish soldiers.
Why I don’t see comments “How did Putin allow Turks to do what they want in Idlib?”
maybe putin thought erdogan wasnt that suicidal, or maybe its all in the playbook that its all a big show with a few deaths here and there to give a good reason to shake hands again, who knows?
I am just dissapointed that i have to wait longer for the big event at rashidin 4 i had the tickets i had the popcorn and than comes that turkish drive by shooting to mess up the schedule.
C’mon now. Erdogan’s moves and options are well known.
Let us wait, right now it is not clear what Putin will do, but if Turkey kill Russia fighter, for sure Russia will stop pleasing Turkey.
Putin ground Russian jets.
What I see is green area shrinking and red are growing. Despite your endless trying to bash Putin for what he does and doesn’t.
It’s a bit early for you to party, but I trust Putin this time.
what are the tigers doing, it looks allmost as if they stopped their advance on the m5 and want to cut idlib city off from turkey from the north side?
A bit of tactical variety doesn’t hurt.
The Tigers seized the road that runs parallel to the M5 from Aleppo to Idlib. It runs thru a rolling plain that contains farmland and a few small villages so they’ll probably retake all of that while moving down to Idlib to have a buffer zone for the M5. I’m curious to see if the SAA makes a move west towards Ariha, south of Idlib, since it appears that the HTS has left that region.
This is a monumental miscalculation from the increasingly ridiculous Erdogan.
Turkey has no air support in Idlib (Russians won’t allow it), no effective air defences, and no support from other countries.
Erdogan expected the Russians to withdraw their embeds from the SAA as the Americans did in NE Syria. Nope. If the Turks attack the SAA then they’re attacking Russian personel and will be attacked in return.
There will be no invocation of NATO article 5 since Turkey are the aggressors in another country, and also attacking 3rd party countries – arguably committing war crimes. They’re on their own, both militarily and diplomatically, except possibly some weak sauce support form the US state department.
Erdog and Turkey have no good cards to play and it’s time to find some face-saving route to climb down.
“They’re on their own, both militarily and diplomatically, except possibly some weak sauce support form the US state department.”
It’s infuriating that they should receive even that. I voted for Trump, in large part because Clinton is a serial war criminal. I blame Trump for his stupidity in believing the propaganda, and for appointing neocons Bolton and Pompeo, but he does seem to be up against the entire War Party and Establishment whenever he makes noises about leaving Syria or Iraq or Afghanistan.
Obama and his crew, including Clinton, Kerry, Power and Brennan, should all be serving life terms in Supermax, right next to the jihadis whose ideological brothers they paid and armed in Syria.
Well after failed impeachment Trump has kinda “carte blanche” to drain the swamp. But I can bet my old socks he won’t do it. In fact he didn’t accomplished most of his promises. No wall, no “boys back home” and after his trade war with China most of his electorate feels not quite good. Just an opinion from aside: Trump is nothing but alter ego of Hillary. The only reasonable candidate was Rand Paul.
Don’t worry, as long Erdogan across the Israel interest in the Mediterranean, he will not receive any help
Turkey has the S-400 to shoot Russian air-fighters down. That’s why they bought them……..LOL. Turkey will show no mercy no matter who it is if they don’t move OUT of Turkish Idlib……..LOL. NATO can do what it like. Legal trifles have not been in the way so far…………………LOL.
Offf, Tommy, you didn’t go to bed yet? Where is Jerry??
Gods, what a fucking retard… he thinks that Russian made export-grade S-400s (which aren’t deployed anywhere near Idlib) are going to shoot down Russian jet fighters????
Jeebers but they breed ’em stoopid down on the farm.
Why the hell is Turkish troops embedded with these jihadis! I understand that they support and fund them but embed troops with them? Really? This was bound to happen. The jihadis used artillery to strike SAA positions and Syria retaliated and turks got on the cross fire.
Turkey promised to its terrorists to protect them, and this is what it is doing.
because turkey = REAL ISIS (500 years of devsirme childabduction)
our historybooks are full of ottomans atrocities..
Is called despair. Turks believe their army is… invincible. They really believe that. And Erdogan wants his ottoman empire back. Or a piece of it. He will try more, I have no doubt.
We don’t even know that! There are rumours and a huge amount of disinformation + the fog of war. Militarily any Turkish engagements with SAA are close to suicidal, so they are unlikely to be that stupid.
look live eu map syria SAA avanced the north the djihadists take only 7 klm highway M5
You are talking about “https://syria.liveuamap.com/”……we know that.
36 minutes ago – “Syria: strikes on TSK convoy in Idlib countryside are now visually confirmed”
…….. From the above to the below is all BS propaganda + the white helmets are back and mentioned after their OSCAR. …….. 4 hrs ago – “Death toll of Turkish soldiers due to artillery shelling by the pro-Assad forces on Taftanaz Airport rises to 6”.
4 hrs ago – There is no agreement on idlib after Russian and Turkish meeting. Russian delegation refused to withdraw to Sochi line.
5 hrs ago – “5 dead and 4 wounded in artillery shelling by pro-Assad forces on the Turkish point in Taftanaz Airport in the eastern countryside of Idlib”
5 hrs ago – “5 Turkish soldiers were killed and 5 soldiers were injured as a result of artillery fire of the pro-Assad forces in Idlib”
6 hrs ago – “Reports of casualties at Turkish base in Taftanaz after artillery shelling, helicopters are flying now over the Syria-Turkey border”
? kafr nuran > ibbin > hazzanu (cuts off turkish access to idlib city from the north ?
i think the same..
Time to drop some on Erdogan himself. CIA already tried to get rid of him
What a strange direction they’re taking… You’d think they would clean up the M5 first and meet up with 4th AD in Aleppo?
By the look of it I’d say they’re flanking the Turkish position on the M5. To do that they have to secure their left flank hence the drive to the west.
If you go in a straight line the enemy will punish you for being too predictable.
Liberating the villages of Miznaz and Kafr Halab cuts off the very important old Idlib – Aleppo road as well as blocking the shortest route between the border crossing from Turkey and Idlib/Saraqib frustrating the Turkish supplies to Idlib/Saraqib area. I think it is a clever move.
I just read a few big online turkish newspapers to see what they have to say about the situation but its all the exact same copy-paste government story, how big erdo is gonna work things out with the russians, it looks like independent journalism is allmost dead in turkey. Especially the articles how fettulah gullen is already sabotaging the next elections is funny, because erdogan has a serious candite against him , the increasingly popular mayor from istanbul and now he needs to be “Gullinised” to put him all over the newspaper like a traitor. Discusting stuff as usual we come to expect from erdogan.
Hey SF – could you please do one of your before and after maps as I was away for awhile and it still looks the same as before. Cheers.
You were sorely missed ,Al :)
Thank you.
Trust me Al – it is VERY different. 7km to Idlib city – how about that? You can get an idea of old map looking at placements of Russian and Turkish observation points. Border (green/red) was going in between them.
erdogan looks like a guy who should be working at best buy or something lmao
In the back room where no one needs to look at his face.
hahahaha
These modern ottomans are just 500 yrs late