Today, Americans Are Risking in Syria

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Written by Vladimir Muhin; Originally appeared at NG, translated by Theo N. Kaufman exclusively for SouthFront

The US again refused to send an official military delegation to Moscow for a next conference on international security, which last Wednesday, for the fifth time was conducted by the Russian Defense Ministry. Although the main topic of discussion there was a struggle against terrorism. However, it becomes increasingly clear: virtually fruitless talks in Geneva, the United States prompted on Syria to implement , on that Middle Eastern country a so-called plan “B”. Of course, with the active participation of Turkish and Arab middlemen. The plan calls for armed support to the so-called moderate opposition fighting against the government troops.

This, of course, affects the interests of Russia and its allies in the region. Commenting on the decision of US President Barack Obama on sending in this country of 250 US military, the Pentagon press secretary, Peter Cook on Monday said that they will not be “in areas where there is a Russian aircraft.” A spokesman for the president of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian military are in Syria at the request of official Damascus, clearly alluding to the fact that the US military in Syria – are uninvited guests. And, they say, our combat aircraft and helicopters, fighting with militants can operate in any area of ​​the SAR, including where use of US special forces is planned. As is known, the Russian and American experts have different opinions on the actions of the Syrian opposition. And more than once stated that during videoconferencing with Damascus and the RF. Where Syrian legitimate troops were attacked by groups that the Pentagon assessed as part of the moderate opposition, and they thought the government forces were terrorists. It is possible that if such “moderate terrorists” will support the American special forces, the forces of Assad under shelling and our aircraft will be exposed to the US military. There is a clear conflict of interest.

In February 2016, when a similar situation had already been discussed, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said bluntly that uninvited troops in his country – are invaders, but “any military intervention without the consent of the SAR government will be seen as aggression, in connection hence why the invaders are sent home in coffins. ” But Americans are clearly unwilling to notice and appeal to the official Syrian authorities, and to the Russian leadership. Peter Cook recalled that the United States earlier asked Russia to “not to strike in certain areas” on the Syrian territory. “This discussion will continue,” – said a spokesman for the Pentagon. But the looming situation here is very entertaining … The decision to send additional US special forces in Syria has already been taken, while with Russia the issue is still being debated. And discussed in a way where the special forces are destroyed …

It is known that already 50 US troops are in Syria. And in Washington they desire: to send another 250 people should the campaign against “Islamic state” accelerate (IS – is a terrorist organization banned in Russia). That is, the number of US special forces increased six-fold. But Pentagon spokesman stressed that these soldiers and officers will not participate directly in hostilities because their task is – to “contact with the troops on the battlefield, make the preparation of intelligence assessments and assessment purposes.” For how long this mission is designed and in which areas it will be carried out, Cook said. He explained that he refrains from details, so as not to harm the security of the US military.

At stake – are the oil regions

Earlier it was reported that US special forces soldiers, have been transferred to Syria, since November 2015 acting in the interests of the Kurdish militias in the north-east of the country, fighting against IS. These areas are known to be rich in oil deposits. And, apparently, it is for them Americans, used as a pretext, the fight against terrorism, as a way to establish their own control. Meanwhile, it is possible that the application of the geography of the US special forces will be expanded. In an interview with BBC, US president on Sunday said that a full-scale US invasion of Syria is excluded. At the same time, Obama stressed that the coalition led by the United States will continue to strike targets of the “Islamic state”, such as Mosul and Raqqa “to try to isolate and block those parts of the country, where foreign fighters are sent to Europe.” Thus, he said, the territory controlled by IS, will be gradually reduced.

As it is known, in Raqqa strikes are planned and done by the Russian Air Force and the Syrian air force. And in the plans of Russia and Assad are also taking the IS capital. In short, the coordination of efforts by the Americans, official Damascus and and the RF are essential. But the US somehow is interested to leave the issue unresolved. At the same time through the system and its Arab media, they form the world public opinion about the excessive use of force by government troops and aviation of the Russian Federation. According to reports by the US State Department, these questions were, for example, central at the time during a telephone conversation, on Monday, between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry. The head of the US State Department press service of John Kirby at the same time reiterated the complicated situation around the city of Aleppo, adding that government forces continued to move toward him, and that, in the opinion of Americans, is very undesirable.

Here intersect the interests of not only the US but also other countries in the region, especially Turkey. According to Syrian media, “according to radio intercepts, to coordinate the actions of militants and the Turkish secret services on the territory of Syria, in Aleppo and Latakia region were sent several groups of Turkish military advisers”. Besides, in Syria in recent days, came more than 300 militants of the illegal armed formations (FSA), and they have joined the radical group “Dzhebhat en-Nusra” (banned in Russia). It is reported that all through the Turkish border checkpoints in Syria they delivered 5 tanks, 50 LAW missiles ( “Lau”), 45 MANPADS “Stinger”, 13 pickup trucks mounted with heavy machine guns and 4 passenger car bombs.

Despite this, according to reports from Syria, government forces in several provinces confidently control the situation. It is planned to clear the environment further of Aleppo and Palmyra and start a new offensive in the direction of Deir ez-Zor. It is reported that there came an Iraqi Shiite group called “Hashd Al Shaab”, which, despite its small size (about 250 people), will help the city garrison to resist until the arrival of government troops. But, unfortunately, the opposition groups are active and supported by the US and Turkey.

Against who did Assad declare jihad

According to Arab media and social networks, with the support of Ankara’s illegal armed group “Liwa al-Haqq,” “Adzhnad al-Sham”, “Ahrar al-Sham”, “Failak ar-Rahman”, the 13th Division of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) previously considered themselves part of the moderate opposition, came out of the armistice. They are in interaction with the militants of “Dzhebhat en-Nusra” and began an active attack in the northern provinces of the country (Latakia, Idlib and Aleppo). They also are active in Damascus and Homs (in the Palmyra area). All this is accompanied by false information, discrediting the Syrian government’s peace efforts.

The other day, for example, the Western and Arab media have published no less than hundreds of similar reports of air strikes on the city of Maaret en Nuuman (province of Idlib), which killed more than 40 civilians. Basically links were located in London, the so-called Syrian Observatory. And speaking after the incident, US State Department spokesman John Kirby began to assert that “the airstrike was probably done by forces of the Syrian Air Force.” Sources in the Syrian General Staff denied it because, according to them, the government aircraft did not struck in Idlib province, “since all the forces were deployed to counter the terrorists in the provinces of Latakia and Aleppo”.

In Damascus it is believed that Maharet en Nu`maniyah happened by trained militant diversions, accompanied by a massive “injection of information” beneficial to the opponents of Bashar Assad. Its purpose is to justify the refusal of the “group of Riyadh” to continue the talks in Geneva, under the pretext of accusations of the Syrian authorities in the strikes on the civilian population. Naturally, the military support of the so-called moderate opposition groups from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, is beneficial to the Americans. And in the Syrian media are already reporting that these opposition groups are supplied with weapons, including American (anti-tank missiles “TOW”, artillery, ammunition, etc.), which were previously purchased Ankara and Riyadh. It is alleged that the security services of these countries, with the support of the CIA organized the supply of weapons to the Syrian opposition, and from other states.

The other day, for example, in social networks were published pictures, which show that the militants associated with the PAS group “Harkat Tahrir” in the province of Homs have at their disposal the Chinese man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) FN-6. The text on the photos said that at least 10 militants have been trained and are now able to use these systems in the fight against government troops. Syrian media make the assumption that the supplying of arms to the militants might be done by Qatar, who carried out the transfer of MANPADS to militants via Sudan. From media publications it is known that this year, at least three combat aircraft were shot down by MANPADS in Syria. However, not previously reported, is, what countries these complexes belong too. But it is clear that if they and other modern weapons appear en masse in opposition groups, the forces of Assad will be in trouble.

They are already in trouble. The territory of the province of Aleppo gets regularly shelled by Turkish artillery. And published by Ankara’s Hurriyet newspaper, citing military sources, reported that Turkey has significantly increased the number of tanks and howitzers, placed along a section of the border with Syria. Because, it is necessary to fight alleged militants IS. However, Ankara itself created and still supports many of these militant groups.

Syrian sources report that there came out a truce between militants and they launched an offensive in the area of ​​civilian settlements of Zeytan, Barney and Khan Tuman, in Aleppo province. Without the support of the Turks this offensive would be impossible, since a month ago, these opposition groups were crushed, and therefore agreed to a truce. But as time passed, and they recovered. Fighting resumed.

On the map it is clear that if the terrorists in the course of these actions will be able to recapture Khan Tuman, they again block the highway Aleppo-Damascus in the area between the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo. Damascus claims that to assist them in the area of ​​Aleppo, came Iraqi volunteers – fighters of the Shiite group “Harakat Al-Nudzhaba”. A Wall Street Journal reporter, citing sources in the US official circles, has said that allegedly, government forces deployed Russian artillery units, in Aleppo and Latakia. It is not known how the Russian troops appeared in Syria, as the Defense Ministry has repeatedly reported that our troops do not take part in the country in active combat operations on land. There’s the basic strokes that are known to carry combat aircraft and helicopters.

B-52 bombing Syria and Iraq

Similarly, apparently, there Americans are going to act. As I reported a few days ago the official representative of the US Central Command of the Armed Forces, Colonel Steve Warren, told that, the American strategic bombers B-52, have been transferred in the beginning of April to the air base, “Al-Udeid” in Qatar, and this week they struck the first blow to IS targets in Iraq and Syria. What specific targets were destroyed in Syria, he did not elaborate.

Earlier it was reported that the US Air Force is mainly supporting the actions of the Kurdish militias. But it is possible that if Washington will formally announce its plan “B”, it is possible that the Pentagon’s aircraft, supporting the moderate opposition, will be bombing Syrian government forces. And this means, that the direct firing on each other, by Russian and US military in Syria, is gaining credibility.

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