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The Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) and the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have conducted more than 130 airstrikes on Greater Idlib since January 22 morning, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
In a report, the London-based monitoring group said that Syrian and Russian airstrikes targeted more than 30 areas in the southern Idlib countryside as well as in the western countryside of Aleppo.
Both regions are controlled by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Other al-Qaeda factions and Turkish-backed militants also maintain a strong presence in these regions.
Earlier today, HTS and its allies attacked the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the town of al-Tah in southeast Idlib. The failed attack involved at least 30 militants with 3 vehicles equipped with weapons.
Despite the ever increasing militants’ attacks around Greater Idlib, the SAA doesn’t appear to be on its way to launch a ground operation in the region. This will likely lead to more escalation by HTS and its allies, which are gaining more and more confidence in their impunity.
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Well well its patience
Why is SAA just waiting????
I don’t know. I’ve been wondering the same. Man they are ready since September 2018 and could have liberated Idlib within 2-3 months. These “ceasefires” just helped the terrorists getting more stronger and stronger. 2 years ago no one would have thought about making endless ceasefires without al-qaeda forces. All thanks to Turkey and Russia. I know Russia accepted the ceasefire request from Turkey, but Turkey was the side which started begging for ceasefire. After the Abu al-Duhur operation the SAA was actually planning the advance further into Idlib by breaking the siege of Kafraya & al-Fuah and with this move they would have cut off the M5 highway, but this didn’t happen and we all know why. HTS was severely weakend after the Abu al-Duhur operation. They lost hundrets of fighters and I’m sure that they would have been fully defeated there, if the SAA had launched the Idlib operation then. Now they have that mess. Terrorists are getting more stronger and stronger (by receiving turkish weapons, Some groups were united into the “NLF” and “wa harid al-muminin”), after the Sochi agreement reached in September 2018. Seriously I don’t know if the big operation will ever come, as long as Russia won’t change its stand on the situation and becomes harsher towards Turkey. Without the full political support of Russia, the SAA will always launch small operations, which will later be stopped by Russia by “ceasefire”, which will last several weeks and then the SAA prepares for a new operation, which will take few weeks as well. Before the operation will come, the SAA will only launch small attacks to scare the Jihadis off from attacking them and hope that the terrorists will immediately change its stand, reconcile with the government and that HTS will just dissolve on the Uyghur, Chechen and Uzbeki fighters will go home and that’s it, but this won’t happen and I guess the SAA knows this, but they can’t do much against this situation, because they need Russia’s full support, which they will not provide them, because Putin tries not to anger Erdo.
Well you seem to forget the eastern front.
Alot of work was done in the north east of syria in 2019, it was wise to secure the eastern flank better before finishing idlib.
All is not lost, in fact progress never stopped, its just slow going.
Be patient brother.
The front in the NE is stable now. The SAA can now fully focus on Idlib. The sooner Idlib gets liberated, the less syrian soldiers die in the desert from ISIS attacks. After Idlib, the time for the remaining ISIS cells in the desert and At-tanf runs out.
.. and time remaining thus for the decrepid, slumbering, menacing, violent US empire, runs out also, yes?
i agree, i am really hoping either putin is gone soon and someone replaces him who is much harsher and meaner towards turkey and the west in general, or erdodog is gone, thats the only way these ceasefires will stop, SAA should ignore any and all ceasefires and just soldier on full steam giving no rest to the rats not for 1 second, i used to admire and like putin much more in the past few years but his love affair with erdoshit has just gone too far now
I feel like Putin needs to stay. I don’t know anyone who could be better than him. He is a smart man, like Assad. I hope that Erdomeme will lose the next elections and be gone, but I think he will just manipulate them again.
They need someone who has more balls than him, and turkey needs someone much less pro-jihadi
Because all the minor terrorist assaults suggest that there is a plan . The terror gangs appear to be baiting the SAA and allies to attack NOW.
WHY?
I think it’s likely to be some behind-the-scenes Russo-Turkish diplomacy. The Russians have other fish to fry apart from Syria and Turkey is an important Russian ally given their location. Sometimes you have to swallow things even if it’s like taking cod liver oil. I am sure Assad knows this, and he won’t commit his troops to the meat grinder as it would be political suicide to do so. I’m sure the Syrian soldiers know this too. The INTEL is probably that Idlib is descending into chaos, so a bit of wait and see wouldn’t hurt much
I agree. The problem with any mercenary proxies throughout history has always been the difficulty the paymaster has to control them. Their only loyalty is to the highest bidder , but only as long as it suits them.
I’m sure the SAA has a plan.
softly softly catchy monkey
God bless SAA!
Did the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights count each bomb dropped? Did they lose some supporters? Are some phone numbers no longer valid? Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham control both regions, so the SOHR must be dealing directly with terrorists in order to get their info. The British gov’t likes to crow of their fight against terrorism yet it allows the SOHR to function right under its nose. The Britsh gov’t is so busted, and so is the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Just heard on western media that 40 or so people were killed in the airstrike. I understand your argument that in war this occurs but 40 civilians in an airstrike by the govt is not acceptable. Even if they targetted rebels, this sort of bombing on civilians should be seen as reckless. If this is a false claim could you please debunk for me south front. I support the Assad regime but its becoming harder and harder to support him even though I understand he has good intentions for Syria and the extermination of Jihadists. Anyway, thank you South front for the quick and updated feedback.
How many of those “people” were jihadist and the fact is the SAA have been too careful about civilians throughout this war and have lost a lot of soldiers in the process any way in all of the wars in this century most of the deaths have been civilians yet in this war most of the deaths have been SAA what does that tell you. any other government would have completely flattened Idlib by now you say it’s getting harder and harder to support him who are you going to support then?
130 airstrikes isn’t nothing. Maybe the SAA paused to wipe out a bunch of these termites from the air. They seem to be getting pretty good at that.
The SAA and the Russians are too worried about civilian casualties the jihadist don’t care about such things that gives them the upper hand the civilians have had over a year to get out of there and they haven’t why because they fear going to government held areas because they have been supporting the jihadist. Hear that Russia flatten the fucking place.
HTS uses civilians as human shields—don’t expect this conflict to magically and rapidly resolve itself