If you’re able, and if you like our content and approach, please support the project. Our work wouldn’t be possible without your help: PayPal: southfront@list.ru or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront
Voiceover by Harold Hoover
On April 26, Chief of the Main Operational Directorate Gen. Sergei Rudskoi announced that Russia had withdrawn half of its warplanes from the Hmeymim Airbase in Syria. Rudskoi said that the number of Russian aircraft in Hmeymim between November 10th, 2016 and January 10th, 2017 did not exceed 35 fighters; 80 UAVs. He added that the withdrawal of some warplanes comes after a decrease in the number of terrorists in Syria.
Pro-government forces, led by the Syrian Army’s 5th Assault Corps, recaptured the key ash-Shair gas filed and the ash-Shair gas plant from ISIS in the province of Homs. Earlier this week, government forces had captured a number of small hills near the ash-Shair field. Therefore, ISIS terrorists were pushed to withdraw from the area without stiff resistance.
The advance on ash-Shair is a part of the broader effort aimed at securing the countryside of Huwaysis and the nearby gas fields. If the Syrian army succeedes in this area, it will be able to secure the road between Salamiyeh and the T4 Airbase as well as gain control over gas fields located along the road.
The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), one of the largest groups in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), suspended its military operations with the US-led coalition in Syria, according to unconfirmed reports from some pro-Kurdish sources.
During the past two days, Turkish warplanes and artillery have bombed several YPG targets in northern Syria. Kurdish parties and groups in both Syria and Iraq have called the US-led coalition to establish a No-Fly zone against Turkish aircraft in northern Syria.
So far, the SDF has been continuing its operations against ISIS in the Raqqah countryside. However, it has not released any statement denying the YPG suspension of its anti-ISIS operations in Syria. Even if reports are not true, the Turkish actions have already delayed the SDF operation against ISIS.
The Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that the airstrikes will continue in both Iraq and Syria against what they described as “terrorist groups.” Turkish President Recep Erdogan said that Washington, Russia, and the Iraqi government were aware of the airstrikes and that Turkey would not allow the Sinjar Mount or northern Syria to be turned into a safe haven for PKK militants.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-bR07OW0AA1e1s.jpg – I believe this can happen soon
Nice map Trustin, this would definitely shorten the front lines. Allowing SAA to move and concentrate forces easier. I read the desert hawks are now part of the 5th Corps. This looks like their operation I think.
Yes . Meanwhile Turkey it seems preparing for Tel Abyad .
Turkey is playing a very dangerous game. Trump is unpredictable and stupid. At any moment he could do anything. Trump has a soft spot for the YPG. Under Erdogan’s leadership, turkey is becoming a nation non grata in the NATO alliance, and the islamic presence in europe may force Turkey out.
Trump is many things but not stupid, although i believe that other groups could set him up in the near feature
You can call it what you like. The decisions Trump is making are precarious vis a vis Russia, Syria, North Korea. The basic tasks at home he is also not delivering like healthcare, immigration, he hired his daughter and her husband, which is nepotism, and she is an incompetent idiot who opposes most of the immigration policies he ran on and has no clue about real life. Other than looking really hot in the oval office, she is completely outside the scope of her qualifications. Just recently, Trump gave away a major negotiating point known as DACA, which would allow people brought here as minors to stay. Everyone assumed he would extract the condition that Democrats fund the wall, but he did no such thing. He did it to look nice, to virtue signal. What do you think of them apple?
DACA is widely supported by both parties. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry said it would be cruel to deport children who grew up in the States then be suddenly tossed into an alien culture completely opposite of what they’re used to. Perry also supported providing those children with access to educational grants along with eligibility for state tuition so they can earn a higher education or attend a trade school so they could achieve the Amercan Dream, which was why their parents took the risk to bring them here in the first place.
I doubt if his “Wall” will ever be built since illegal crossings have been dropping each year since 2008 (last year saw a 40% drop) and now the Feds are planning on deporting illegals for multiple criminal offenses such as DUI, driving w/o a license, thefts, burglaries, etc. Texas just passed a state law that make it a crime if police departments, sheriffs and constables fail to take into custody any illegal alien they encounter. Arizona and New Mexico should follow suit fairly soon. That will weed out the criminals and scofflaws along with deterring others from crossing the border since that will eliminate their sanctuary cities.
China needs to get Kim over to Beijing so they can put a bullet in his head then buy off the generals to allow the North to unite with South Korea so they can foot the bill and headaches to modernize their economy. I think Kim’s die-hard soldiers will forget about their fearless leader if offered a substantial reward to quit the military and receive training for a well=paying job.
DACA was a bargaining chip, trump gave it away because he is bad at bargaining. If the wall is not built the base will defect. Republicans will get trounced in 2018 and trump will resign or lose by 2020. North Korea is not our problem. I don’t care if they blow each other to death.
The Palmyra pincer should advance to As Sukhna, there is a road going north that will intersect 42. Do not need much to establish some fire positions and link with the forces advancing east on 42. If ISIS has unaccounted surprises, they can be identified and dealt with gunships.
The SAA should have reinforcements in place along that thin stretch in the north that separates Daesh from the militant controlled territory just in case the Daesh units to the south try to punch their way thru to safety instead of risking a very long dash thru open desert. Daesh did launch an attack at one point up there not that long ago that was turned back after a firefight that lasted a few hours. Daesh might of done that to test the defenses and time how long it took for reinforcements to be sent in. They may show again fairly soon en mass and rush the position with all guns blazing and not stopping as they sweep by to take on the next SAA position in their way. That is an effective way to gain ground if one doesn’t mind taking casualties.
Last report that a Daesh rebel group fled from N Hama area towards Raqqa in this area (after killing their Jihadist captives and destroying their heavy equipment) It appears that they do not play well together. GOOD NEWS
I think they will attack along the highway 45. Highway helps the SAA bring their big toys into play, and it limits jihadists to slower movement where they are vulnerable to ambushes, air strikes and misfortunate circumstance.
Like heavily mined roads that force them out into the desert where they get lost, get mired in deep sand, find their paths blocked by deep wadis, suffer mechanical breakdowns which gets many pissed off where they start fighting each other for the remaining operational vehicles.
That is the likely fate of the jihadists.
Why not thru the road 45 ?
because trustin! :))
You ca do a diversionary attack on 45, however, the shortest way to close the pocket is more efficient. ISIS has good cross country capability, they either get out of the pocket, or they get trapped.
There shouldn’t be very many roadways out in that rugged desolate desert except for those that lead to existing oil and gas fields along with a few exploration well sites. Those were found in the 70’s and 80’s when sesmic crews were routinely helicoptered into remote locations with portable equipment to take readings with the exploration companies building roads only to the best prospective sites so usually end there. There may be few old roads cut out for mineral rock exploration that intersect the few improved roads. The SAA should know exactly where they are and should’ve been slipping in to mine random sections of those to hinder Daesh traffic. I hope they’ve been doing that all along with Daesh failing to replace all their destroyed vehicles so now their fighters don’t have enough to waste on attacks since they need a certain number to distribute supplies picked up at central depots and now to beat a hasty exit. More factors to consider is Daesh going broke and having their supply lines severely disrupted. They used to buy smuggled quality fuels for their main fighting vehicles then sell the high sulfur crap they refined in their tea pot operations. The civilians hated using it since the sulfur quickly ruined motors. Daesh may have been forced to use that junk themselves for a number of months and now have fleets of smoke belching vehicles of all sorts that struggle to motor up normal road grades so would have a heckuva time trying to travel across the desert with a full load of fighters where no roads exist. The strained motors wouldn’t last very long and seize up, forcing the fighters to continue on by foot carrying what ever they can to survive and fight for their lives.
How many estimated ISIS combatants in the pocket?
137
You are wrong, the number is more like 419. :)
mea culpa! :)
I was guessing they would have around 500 due to the length of their front line and having income producing oil and gas fields to protect. Now I suspect ISIS has much fewer since they gave up the al Sha’er Field without a fight and those manning the front line are small units to perform delaying tactics to slow SAA’s advance so the rest can withdraw to the north then east to avoid being trapped.
I was also making a guess based upon frontage and condition of ISUS. Hoping for a surprise attack by SAA from Ithriya to the south to take out the ISUS roads.
That is like 10-20 fighters per km of front line without even considering the depth, not even a battalion.
However, I think IS is also aware of such a possibility, and will try to resist.
Drawing an arrow on a map is easy but is this axis of attack even possible? The SAA in its attacks around Palmyra are road bound. I can’t see any roads on Google Maps that make this thrust possible. An advance up Highway 45 seems much more realistic.
That would be great if SAA could liberate the whole area Trustin highlighted and after they reach Ithyriya the SAA should go east to AL Tabaqah and from Deir Hafer south, if ISIS shows little resistance. If SAA succeeded this will provided large buffer zone and SAA could move some of the Air Force, ammunition and fuel east, away from Israelis
Dier Ezzor is the most important operation at this time .
Great news for Syria, Russia, China, Iran etc about Turkey the Kurds and the USSA and its master Israel. The Yilon plan for a greater, racist, supremacist, Israel, through military conquest of Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon etc. is very close to defeat.