Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov © © Leonhard Foeger / Reuters
Russian Foreign Ministery Sergey Lavrov has said that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) struck a deal with ISIS terrorists offering them a safe corridor out of Raqqah, the terrorist self-proclaimed capital in Syria.
Lavrov rejected SDF statements arguing that the group had reached no agreement with ISIS.
“We, of course, heard eventual statements by the US command, which said they intended to change the tactics and instead of periodically organizing offensive forced marches around Raqqa, they will be encircling Raqqa to prevent IS militants from escaping. We’ll see how this will be implemented in practice,” Lavrov said according to the Russian state-run news agency TASS. “Our Defense Ministry confirms this information. It relied on authentic data. Moreover, soon after this information was made public, IS [ISIS] militants really exited Raqqa and moved towards Palmyra.“
The minister argued that wherever ISIS terrorists are staying, they must be destroyed and Russia will comply with this position.
a good way to punish the SDF is to take raqqa from under their nose.
How?
Now that Maskanah has fallen, the tigers could move along the west edge of the Euphrates to deir ezzor. While there is n SDF presence in tabqa, they would be faced with a choice, take on the tigers, or get out of the way.
do not dream. tiger forces are needed in aleppo. if they go waway, aleppo will be attacked. several days ago killed jihadists in west aleppo a group of saa soldiers.
what you sy has some truth to it, but getting to deiz ezzor and securing the west bank of the Euphrates is a priority. Several options exist for west Aleppo. Forces from the Homs Aleppo highway can be redeployed as ISIS threat is pushed from the highway, Iraq Shia militia could be flown in and used to bolster the defenses while Tigers advance. that advance would be paired with a northeastern push from Palmyra. Also the russians could pitch in by deploying something a few battalion in Aleppo, or better yet in tabqa vicinity. It would help if the advance was paired with a russian air force blitz that would cause the jihadists to stay in raqqa or die in the desert.
i know, 1 long year i propagated the idea of secure jordan border. there were anly 4 people, who hat the same idea. BUT now, when turks are in al baba, sorry, saa need lot of soldier to hold aleppo. they mad the worst combination of steps from all possibilities. americans send big thanks to putin.
1 more thing. everybody calculates with automatic movement of iranian and iraqi shia forces in syria. that is not so. until iraq does not agree, they can not move and the americans wil bomb thjem to the hell. only the iraqi government can make deal with the syrian one. but until nowthere was only single 1 comment from iraqi side: all movements of pmu to syria are illegal. this was some months ago also in almasdarnews.
Technically true, technically many illegal things happen I. Syria every day, done more illegal than others.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/06/donbass-on-fire-ukraine-unleashes-3600.html
It’s the Old Masonic game which is connective with Vatican vs everyone who rebels against them,…IE. ..the Orthodox Church which the Vatican and it’s Nazi spawn are vexed Against the Donbass. Putin and Lavrov just smile and play the game. Sure…they say one thing…yet do not obstruct the game. Syria is the Old Colonial Sykes Picot treaty. …no body’s Sovereignty is getting honored in the mid east. Anyone saying so also says BS like Partners ** when mention of US Turk or Saudi in negotiations. The Colonial East India company’s Piled into India and looted the place, …the British and French actually fought standing armies in India. Trade,spices, shipping…gun running,…Narcotics, ….same for Afghanistan. ..same for China. It’s a Jaded ancient Game and for certain. …nations must play. Iran is being forced to play as are the Saudi. …and Israel. Syria is evolving towards war with Iran…..Jews are so excited they just can’t stop talking about it.
I agree that breaking the siege on Deir Ezzor is more important at this moment.
PMU will push into syria from Iraq and erdogan will strike from the north from turkey. gang bang!
From Maskanah it is 235 km to Deir ez-Zur through SDF lines. I doubt the SAA is as keen as you to confront the SDF right now. From Arak east of Palmyra it is 173 km to Deir ez-Zur. This is the direct route to lift the seige of Deir ez-Zur and to secure the Euphrates River down to the border with Iraq.
sdf is busy with Isis. they are pretty well supplied on the east of the Euphrates but on the west end a fight with the saa could prove move then the group desires. sdf controls small portion of tabqa and bath dam, beyond that, its just retreating isis.
I measeured it on wikimapia. The SDF controls some 60kms of the highway south of the Euphrates and have good defensive positions around Tabqah.
No paseran.
The sdf has light forces that would be routed easily if they were confronted by a military force with air power
problem is US has announced US troops embedded in SDF forces west of Euphrates. Bomb US troops and US jets will bomb you. will get ugly fast
Its all about tact
It’s a minor problem, as they wouldn’t stay imbedded for long.
Maskanah to Deir Ezzor is ISIS territory on the “west edge” or south side of the river . SDF territory is on the “east edge” or north side of the river . The extra 60 km from Maskanah , verses Palmyra , is insignificant . At this point in time , Deir Ezzor is much more important than Raqqa . Besides the US has invested almost a year preping the Kurds for this fight , let them take it .
This is a sane reply and comment. Still, SDF is just 40kms ftom DeZ, not 173. Who will be first? That is, if SDF really wants it.
Well, I rather think they will say : come on then little guys. Show us.
Think those two to three thousand men can take on the 50.000 around Raqqah?
Think SDF is not digging in in Tabqah?
You. Red you understand that when the Russian red lines are crossed, and sdf is denied air support, Isis, saa and turkey will turn them into Kurdish jerkey.
logical step. similar negotiations are between assad and isis camp in damascus.
I don’t see the SAA moving to Raqqa but Deir Ezzor and the outlying areas ISIS is still located in.
“…US command, which said they intended to change the tactics and instead of periodically organizing offensive forced marches around Raqqa, they will be encircling Raqqa to prevent IS militants from escaping. We’ll see how this will be implemented in practice,”
as reported in todays Almasdarnews the SDF has encircled Raqqa: https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/kurdish-forces-brink-cutting-off-last-isis-supply-line-raqqa/
Crazy times.
Either Lavrov finally got his blood sugar level high enough again or Putin decided to let him of the leash finally. Sergey Viktorovich sounds poised to rip someone a new one…
Also without winning chance ISIS would destabilize the country.
“Russian Foreign Ministery Sergey Lavrov has said that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) struck a deal with ISIS terrorists offering them a safe corridor out of Raqqah, the terrorist self-proclaimed capital in Syria”…TRANSLATION…US-barked INTERNATIONAL MERCENARY TERRORIST (SDF) will combine forces with I.S.I.S in Raqqah to continuo their GENOCIDE campaign in Syria agains the Syrian people.
I disagree. more likely daesh rebels will move south to deir Ezzor and try to win. If they lose, they will move further south, change hats and join US back Sunni rebels against Assad.