ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) 5th Corps, which is directly backed by Russia, was deployed on the Syrian-Iraqi border for the first time, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on December 17.
According to the London-based monitoring group, the 5th Corps troops were deployed in a number of border posts located near the town of al-Bukamal.
“Several Iranian-backed militias, including al-Nujabaa’ Movement, the Iraqi Hezbollah and al-Abdal, had handed over several posts to the 5th Corps, in accordance with a Russian-Iranian agreement whose terms have not been demonstrated yet,” the SOHR’s report reads.
Last week, the Russian Military Police established a headquarters in al-Bukamal. The al-Qa’im border crossing with Iraq is located less than 7 km away from the town’s center.
Russian forces have been operating in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside for almost three years. Their presence in the region is meant to counter ISIS as well deter the U.S.-led coalition, which maintains a large force on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
Pro-Israeli sources claim that the increasing Russian presence in southern Deir Ezzor and along the border with Iraq may be a sign of a nearing Iranian withdrawal from the region.
Iranian-backed forces were originally deployed in the region because the SAA was busy on many fronts in southern and central Syria. Most of these fronts were dealt with in the past two years.
The Russian anti-ISIS strategy in the Syrian desert since 2017 has been “chase them around for a few days, a few airstrikes here and there, and go back to sleep at base camp” instead of an actual anti-ISIS campaign to eliminate the Ziocorporate terrorists’ useful idiot mercenary ISlamist scum coming out of al-Tanf and eastern Syria.
Meanwhile, Putin is already calling for “respect-based cooperation”, whatever the fuck that means, with the Ziocorporate terrorists’ newest puppet Kameltoe Biden, so expect more US ships and planes flying and sailing in Ukranian skies and waters.
Respect based cooperation: Erdogan, Merkel pleaseeee buy my stuff. Biden pleaseeeee lift my sanctions.
‘Respect based cooperation’ – err, how about US cease their illegal military occupation of eastern Syrian state territory – there is absolutely no legitimate threat to US security interests to justify ongoing military aggression against the foreign, and very distant, Syrian state.
News to me.
There is no Syrian State. 25% of the population is not even in the country.
Alas, you do not arbitrate on the actual existence of any current nation-states, Syria retains it major state institutions intact. Bad luck, chump.
Jenny lives in idiocracy where minks murdered to ruin water
I agree.
Easternmost Syria is directly occupied by US military at al-Tanf – this creates giant umbrella area for Islamist militants to operate from under US protection. Trying to dislodge this highly aggressive and truculent US military presence is no an easy task for Syrians or Russians.
If so, its one of the few places in the whole Syria in peace.
Jenny dull witted—most violent part of SYria; your ISIS girlfriend left you?
Well it could be if a large force of SAA and allies with Russian air cover decided to throw some pontoon Bridges over the Euphretes at dawn one day and storm those oil fields,they need to call the Americans bluff,
@ shitokracy There is no Russian “strategy” since that is role of SAA to lead and provide main forces for anti terrorist actions with help of Iranian militias (and Russian modest assistance on the ground only). Russian activity is that Russian air-force provides support to Syrian air-force in those actions. End of story
Thats probarly true, but they do deploy some soldoers to Abu Kamal. We will see.
You are not better Yourself naming Jihadists as Jews. You probatly has learned that in You parrot school.
And as expected now Biden not even been a President yet has to be blamed as riutie enemy. You learned that too …
Thats why Ypu are nothing. If the Chinese take over, they will blame americans for not having killed all of You.
We dont deserve Middle Easters too.
dim racist CIA alias skylock, needs LGBT tent
If SAA units deployed around al-Bakumal are openly Russian backed, it undermines US-Israeli claims of Iranian backed militias as dominant presence in these areas, and ergo, undermines the basis for US-Israeli bombings of Syrian state backed military units along border territory.
USA and Israel i not there because of Iranians are there at all.
The Iranians are there because Assads having lack of support in the Syrian population there too and cant cover it themself.
I dont see how some few Russians can change that. Igive it a very small maybee and “can Russia even suport something that much far out”.
Yes indeed, it’s actually the other way around chronologically :Iranians and Russians came AFTER the US,its European allies, Turkey and Israel openly started to support anti-Assad militant groups with air cover and intelligence all over the country, in close cooperation with Gulf monarchies that in turn financed and funneled their weapons to these Safalist Al-Qaeda and Muslim Beotherhood-affiliated paramilitary groups that most Syrians couldn’t accept either,and ended up prefering Bashar even though he was far from ideal himself. If it wasn’t for their machiavelism and the ensuing unholy alliances of circumstance, Russia and Iran wouldn’t ever have had a reason to directly intervene they way they did. For every action,there is a reaction. In that regard Afghanistan should have been a lesson that was evidently not learned by Washington. Their loss,and the innocent people of Syria with it.
Thats right. I minimum should be to use a calender. Somany here also forget, that YPG/SDF didnt uprised against Assads and they were second choise AFTER ISIS got out of hand by Assads as well as USA.
blind jens needs better dealer —LSD too strong
Exactly, and it also presupposes a kinetic Russian response if a unit they sponsor is attacked by the jews or US.
It speaks for itself that there are “Russian-backed forces” and “Iranian-backed forces” in SAA.
I wonder if they have long range weapons. he gap to Al Tanf is 250 kilometers. They hardly speak the language.
https://youtu.be/7Pz3fZNlCEQ
He didnt fight for everone.
I listened to her interview on RT, and she struck me as having the tremendous courage and intellect of her father.
Iranian backed force are moving towards central syria specially near altanaf to put pressure on US force.and desert to fight ISIL and close all gap between AL tanaf and isil supply route. Thats why ISIL has sifted therie attack from homs desert towards ittiriya. ISIL cant take fight on Iranian and shia backed force. thats why they moved upward allepo
475 tonnes of humanitarian aid delivered from Russia to Syria yesterday—amerikans and submissive colonies –dimark, canada, ukrops, etc try to starve population.
Russian wheat crops surplus found its new home.
Russia should take the above ground facilities while Iran operates the under ground missile tunnel network.
“Russian forces have been operating in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside for almost three years.”
I’d have to say the exact opposite, for the last 2 and half years we haven’t seen much of anyone in southern Deir ez Zor except for Iran, Hezbollah, the NDF, and Isis, oh and a few US/Israeli warplanes too, but from my perspective it’s been spot the Russian for the last 2.5 years, it’s only recently I’ve seen them make an appearance in any sort of tangible capacity. Putin announced the Russian/Syrian/Iraqi operation to eliminate Isis from SAA controlled Syria in October 2017, by the end of December 2017 he announced Isis had been totally eliminated, then the Russians and Syrians pulled most of their forces out of southern Deir ez Zor and the Iranians and Hezbollah moved in, and then a little later Isis moved back in too. On top of that we also have some Israeli/US attacks as well, known US attacks against Isis and possibly against Iran/Hezbollah too, and possibly Israeli attacks against Iran/Hezbollah/Iraqi PMF, so we’ve had everyone here in Deir ez Zor, even the people who aren’t supposed to be here [or anywhere in Syria]. From most to least I’d say I’ve mostly seen the Iranian funded NDF militias [that local Sunnis hate] operate here, then Hezbollah, then Iran, then SAA, then Iraqi PMF, then the US, then possibly Israel, and lastly and most definitely the least, the Russians, which means SF and I have two totally different views/opinions about Russian participation in Deir ez Zor over the last 3 years.
And some of us are aware most of the Russian 5th army corps are recruited from former Sunni opposition groups that reconciled with the Syrian Government, but most of us aren’t aware that most of the 5th army corps [that Russia equips and funds] don’t like Iran or Hezbollah one little bit, in Darra/Quneitra/As Suwayda, the same 5th corps SAA are trying to calm down the local population [their friends and relatives], so they don’t revolt against the Government because of anti Iranian/Hezbollah sentiments, so there’s no love lost between the two groups. It’s going to be like locking up dogs and cats up together, no matter how well trained your dogs are you have to expect trouble, when natural enemies are confined together in the same pen it always happens, so I’m expecting some trouble now. Which means I’m not sure if this is a good move or a bad move on Russia’s part, I’ll have to wait and see what happens to find out.