The terrorists have deployed 1,200-strong attack force to storm the southwestern government-controlled areas of Aleppo city, the Russian General Staff said on October 21.
The deployed terrorist force includes 30 suicide bombers. Terrorists in Aleppo also continue to receive arms and ammunition, including portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS). The terrorists used the ongoing humanitarian pause to receive reinforcements to prepare new offensive operations.
“A group of over 1,200 militants, including 30 suicide-bombers, is preparing an attack on Aleppo from south-west. They have tanks, armored vehicles and over 20 pickups with heavy machine guns,” Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, the chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, said.
Rudskoy noted that all humanitarian corridors that should be used by civilians and ‘moderate militants’ to leave Aleppo are blocked by the terrorists.
“Militants continue to launch attacks from mortars and rocket systems on residential neighborhoods in the western part of Aleppo, including humanitarian corridors. Over the past 24 hours, eight have been killed and over 30 wounded in militants’ fire. As a result of one of the attacks 3 officers of the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation were lightly injured.”
The Russian general added that “yesterday [on Thursday] Ahrar ash-Sham militants have publicly executed 14 local officials for calling on civilians to used corridors to leave eastern parts of Aleppo.”
We recall earlier today Jabhat al-Nusra and its allies publicly claimed that they are going to attack the government forces in Aleppo city. ‘Moderate militants’ from Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki also stated that the next phase of Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield will be aimed against the Syrian army in Aleppo.
I can not say that I have seen any advantages in these ceasefires. I know in the Damascus area there have been local agreements which result in some sort of peace, but in Aleppo the only result seems to be the killing of a few fleeing civilians and a reinforcement of ‘militants’.
There comes a point when the job should be finished. That point has already passed.
Paul – A pure military brute force is not the best solution. Russia needs to be careful to let any civilian out before storming the city. Also to leave it very clear to the West that they know who and where the mercenaries (and the foreign special forces) are. Then it is just a matter of unleashing the MRLS towards that direction and no one will be in the position to say “I did not know”.
@Mexican(:-[) You really seem to have an experienced grasp of this nitrite situation and very prudent ideas as to how the SAA and its allies must proceed. Your assessment is more than sound, it’s exact. It seems Putin isn’t the only noteworthy strategist/tactician surveying the Aleppo battle theater. Let me compliment you by adding that preparatory and surgical moves, such as the ones you are describing, tend to reduce the amount of counter-moves necessary. “Checkmate in 5”.
You mean like how the U.S. and Iraq have done in Mosul? Oh, wait, no they haven’t.
This is sereal. Everytime Russia has a cease fire to help get the sick ,wounded, and elderly out of an area, the militants will not allow it…They line the roads with IEDs. Snipers target those who try to flee; and as a result, few get out of harms way. In addition to this, the militants/terrorists always seem to resupply in both munitions and men. I agree with Paul ” There comes a point when the job should be finished. That point has already passed” As each area is cleared of militants, the locals come out in mass and rejoice. It is time for Aleppo to rejoice. CLEANSE ALEPPO OF ALL TERRORISTS!
The Russians want to make sure that everyone understands the situation as well as you do.
1200 Mann, Tanks, 20 trucks….this all need to be somewhere hiden, and this can not be hidden. Why don’t the RuAF/SyAF use 20 Termicbombs and all is over before it start. Lets do it like in WW2, bomb a complete area of 10 km2 to dust
Yeah, it’s kind of odd. So they have the intelligence about all this equipment and manpower, yet they cannot act on that intelligence and bomb these targets? The area south west of Aleppo is not some dense forest – it’s open arid country bare of trees. So how do these rebels manage to assemble all these forces and approach Aleppo without being obliterated by airstrikes before they ever reach the edge of the city?
They won’t. If they are there, the Russians will hit them. The Northern fleet is less than a week out, and if I know the Russians, many of those vessels, like their Kirov class battlecruiser is stacked to the rafters with cruise missiles.
Some % of the Rebels/Takfiri are released from cities and locals in amnesty. These might also be pressed as they say… by organizers who know they were combatants. The amount of ammunition that went into Syria. … These rebels have to be running out. It’s partly why large groups accept amnesty in city districts which could not be supported.
Still…Syrians are one screwed up family….look around…you wrecked the place 10 times over. Allah be Praised ! ( sarcasm)
Between the Syrian war and ISIS a new generation of well trained well armed militants are forming. Whatever happens to ISIS or Syria the greater implications of this power house of militants may have a direct affect from the subcontinent in the East to Europe and the US in the West.
Could this have all been prevented with the Swiss answer? Even in a country like Syria with strong ethnic divisions – Every household has weapons and is trained in their use. Would any ISIS group have dared to march like upright chickens down a main street if every window had a weapon trained on them?
The right to bear arms is a universal right, It was Saddam who empowered the Sunni population with AK47 RPG IED and mortars. All people of all countries deserve right to bear arms. Arms for everyone. Justice for all.