The National Front for Liberation (NFL) announced on February 28 that its militants had carried out a series of anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) strikes on Syrian Arab Army (SAA) troops in southern Idlib.
The Turkish-backed group shared videos showing its militants targeting a BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), an ATGM launcher and a fortified position of the army near the town of Dadik and Saraqbi city.
Meanwhile, al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) shared photos of its militants destroying a T-72 battle tank of the SAA near Dadik with an ATGM.
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In the last two weeks, the SAA lost dozens of vehicles in southern Idlib. While some were taken out by militants ATGM strikes, most of them were targeted by Turkish combat drones. Other vehicles were captured by the militants.
Turkey’s support for HTS and the NFL appears to be making a real difference in southern Idlib, slowing down the SAAs operations in the region.
they lost a lot of armor in the last couple of days after turkish artillery and drone strikes, i don’t understand how russia is allowing turkish drones to roam over idlib and hit army positions they need to be shutdown bring the pantsir to idlib front …now militants having air support is some crazy sh*t that russians are allowing …no fly zone over idlib not even birds have the permission to fly over it only russian and syrian jets shootdown everything that move over idlib ffs!! …without erdogangsters airsupport saa would’ve captured saraqib back yesterday …smh
ohhh duuuu i dont understand how Russia is allowing ………
smalll Boy dont understand……ohhhh duuuu… Maybe time to use something called BRAIN…..it works..it is called THINKING!!!! hope i could help ridiculous person
Sometimes people ask questions for the purpose of exposing the ridiculousness of a situation.
What “drone strikes”? Who told you that ?
Turks does not operate with big armed drones of that size (usually of Chinese origin) in Idlib because S-400 would take them down immediately..
Syria has also Pantsir’s and plenty of automatic cannons there. That should be enough . Russia can’t baby sit SAA in every minor problem. It is war and they must find solutions if the small drones are guiding Turk artillery to the SAA positions
Russian Pantsir’s protect Russian choppers in Al Hasakah and 2 Russian bases Tartus and Hmeimim. They can’t be everywhere.
“It is war and they must find solutions if the small drones are guiding Turk artillery to the SAA positions” Yes and the solution is to bomb Turk artillery positions, convoys and outposts. Is Russia there to help Syria or not?
They have Syrian jets for air-support as well So why don’t you direct that question to SAA as well? You are trolling by insinuating that Russians does not care. They are bombing all over Idlib and they can’t be everywhere. SAA must designate the targets and if Turk radars see Russians flying they inform artillery to hide
And why don’t you ask where is the Syrian air force I ask you? Russian’s don’t have plenty bombers any longer and they are already present lot in Idlib See on the map if they do bombings or not
https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/26-february-violent-clashes-take-place-between-the-rebels
The Syrian air force isn’t nearly as capable as Russia’s air force. There is much that could be done but isn’t because Russia is not willing to get into direct conflict with Turkey. At least up till now perhaps and we “could” know that for sure after this weekend. Will Russia continue to hold back or will they make a statement?
Oh give me a brake. Russia has limited personnel and very limited air force definitely not bigger than Syrian air force. Of course Russia is “not willing “. Only lunatics are suicidal and seek death and destruction but they do not try to avoid to bomb terrorist and they still stand with SAA. If Turks push for war they will have the war. Russia will not run away from the war.
That doesn’t mean that Russia actively seek to start the war against Turks as soon as possible since Syria is not their country
I wish I can say the same for Iran and Hezbollah about whom I haven’t heard anything for while. Where is their help when it is needed the most? Kurd’s as well, where are they?
Russia is super power but that is not magic wand. Any war would hurt Russia lot (specially economically). So why would Russia push for the war?
Of course they are not enthusiastic to fight it for the foreign country as they would be for their own.
Of course Turks will not push for war with Russia but with Syria, since it’s not Russian’s country, they are already backing down.
Russia will not “back down” from destroying terrorists and all that mix with them in Idlib. They will continue bombing.
And Russia will stick with Syria. I only wish that other Syria “allays” show the same commitment.
No, you give me a “break”. I said willing and that doesn’t mean eager as you seem to represent it. Erdogan has vowed to destroy the Syrian “regime” if they haven’t pulled out of Idlib by the end of the month which is tomorrow. They have trucked in massive amounts of military equipment and it seems Erdogan is serious. It is about time for Russia to decide if they are going to fight Turkey or let Erdogan have his way. IS Russia there to help Syria or not? As far as Iran and Hezbollah, I was under the impression that they were aiding Syria on the ground since Iran doesn’t have an air force present in the area and Hezbollah doesn’t have an air force. No Russia does not have a magic wand but they do have the power to stop Turkey inside of Syria.
Smaller dogs (like Turkey) tend to bark lot.
The smaller they are the more aggressive posture they take. I don’t think that Erdogan is that much suicidal to start the war against Russia. SAA will not pull out from Idlib and plenty of Turks will be dead if they continue with the same tactics. Russians will continue with bombings of HTS in Idlb. So strategy stays the same. It is up to Turks to make the choice or offer reasonable compromise on the situation. If they try to start war on SAA lots of Turks will be killed. I do not hear single word on Hezbollah or Iran in any of the articles and I am asking myself why? Are they still helping SAA or not? The same question is for the Kurds.
Why don’t they join the fight against Turk invasion? Why don’t they attack and try to liberate Afrin?
They are just common thieves ripping Syria off, by taking their oil together with USA. Russia doesn’t have support of their own population to start the war against anybody. They are in Syria only because of terrorists and they intend to finish that job.
Hez and the Iranians have been retaking western Aleppo with heavy losses of their own. The Kurds are holding the line with the SAA and Russians while providing assistance for the Idlib IDPs that managed to reach their region of control.
Thanks Bill I still think that only 5% of Kurds are fighting, while others are robbing Syrian oil..
Nah. The US is doing Assad a favor by selling the oil then turning over the proceeds to the YPG who use the revenue to help pay administration costs in the territories under their control. The SDF is around 100,000 strong with 40 – 45% being Arabs and other ethnic groups. Their militias are made up from the local populations so they have all-Arab militias in all Arab regions and a mix of ethnic groups in militias where the population is mixed. The YPG also allows the local populations to elect their own council members and administrators, which has worked out very well for everyone.
” The US is doing Assad a favor by selling the oil then turning over the proceeds to the YPG”
What stupid comment. Or you are just troll.
how do you know US is turning over the proceeds of oil to YPG?
Here is Hezbollah and Iran putting their lives on the line.
https://southfront.org/nine-hezbollah-fighters-killed-in-turkish-strikes-on-northwest-syria/
i mean i’ve seen the videos turkish media published of clear drone strikes on saa postions and vehicles…they seem so precise and guided i don’t think it’s only artlllery
“Turkish media published of clear drone strikes” Turkish media published of 309 dead SAA soldiers also! So do you believe even that? Of course “turkish media published” lots of crap to save face to Erdogan because they don’t want to make Erdogan get angry at them. You do not know if those videos are from Turkey-Kurd (in Syria and Iraq ) war, or from latest conflicts don’t you? And you do not use your brains either to ask yourself that it just might be special-ops misinformation operation of Turk secret service. To manipulate opinions about Turk success.
Turks have already asked Russia for permission, (which is HUMILIATION) to fly big armed drones from Incirlik airbase. Why would they humiliate themselves if they can fly them around already?!
To make fun of Russian air defense, smart ass. HTS was launching swarms of drones from Idlib to Latakia Russian base, according to Russian media, Israel bombed Latakia targets just kilometers away from the Russian bases.
So why did they stop with their Israli produced crappy “swarms”? Because Russian Tor and Pantsir shot them down all. You are just another loser from NATO country who would be happy to have Russian capabilities.
All the drones were intercepted in time, no damage in assets. Not bad, while the U.S. cant even stop sling shots from houtis and Iran…
That is the question I am asking. Are the Turkish drones, meaning the large ones attacking the SAA in Idlib? Are they using drones against the Kurds and or SAA in the Turkish invasion in the north?
Link for proof of Turkish drones over Idlib. https://twitter.com/GDarkconrad/status/1233386888859353090
There isn’t a ‘no fly zone’ over Syria. For some reason people believe that because Russia has air defences and aircraft in Syria they have imposed a “no fly zone”. What Russia has are air defences and a deconflict line with the USA, Israel and Turkey …. that’s it …. and the Russians have never made claims about a “no fly zone”.
Russia air defences in Syria protect Russian assets. Syria has their own air defence network that includes Pantsir close defence systems. If the SAA are being attacked by air they better deploy some pantsir units to roll with the offensive.
That being said Russia has told the Turks they will shoot down Turkish aircraft over Syria and they shot down a Turkish drone the other day. The Turks asked permission to fly Helicopters into Idlib for medevac and the Russians said no
Syria has a ‘no fly zone’ over Syria.
How do they enforce it? I would say they have a no fly policy with no way of actually enforcing it. The Turks have a superior air force to the Syrians as well as better EW and intelligence gathering assets. The Syrians have a decent air defence system but not enough to deter the Turks. The Syrians would have to rely on the Russians to to make their air space un-contestable and it’s the threat of Russian retaliation that keeps the Turks from flying over Syria. if the Turks decide to escalate then the Russians have some hard decisions to make.
Now is when we find out just how committed Russia is. My expectations are not high.
You will lose :)
We’ll know in the next few days. Perhaps by tomorrow which is months end.
Russia can’t afford to lose…Otherwise it’s military credibility will be in jeopardy, and that would be an open door to further international threats…They will fight till the end.
Exactly.
Clearly a troll
All in all , what will make the difference in this war is the Syrian air space control. On that point, Russia should eventually send more aircrafts to Syria and increase air defense strategy. Moreover Russia will probably provide new vehicles to SAA….The only thing I don’t understand is whow come those head choppers bastards manage to take so many vehicles including T90 from the SAA…
That was a T-72B3 upgraded with Shtora-1. The T-90 doesn’t have gaps in it’s reactiv armor plating. Crew panicked probably.
if turkey drone can destroy them i am sorry but russia no fly zone is not strong enought we have something i don’t understand in this story and why russia take so many time to respond on saraqib front… they already use kalibir in this war why the doesnt use some to calm down turkey
Are you aware that Russia has only 4000 troops and 70jets in Syria? They can’t be everywhere 24/7.
of course i am aware but turkey get full otan support no in men of course but material and information syria is a small country so they need full russian support
Russia gives them everything they need, but don’t forget Russia is the biggest country on the planet, it needs a lot of men and assets to protect it. They can’t strech themselves thin.
It is not even question of numbers as much as it is question of – financial resources. People are hypocrites and they simply reject common sense. In their opinion Russia is suppose to risque her own existence while they themselves belong to the (NATO and other) countries that are enemy of Assad. So Russia must save Assad and them from the globalist evil.
Yeah, Russia is a poor country, vulnerable to NATO economic sanctions
In a Disney movie… Sanctions made Russia only stronger. U.S. debt to GDP ratio is at a 130% vs 12% in Russia. Debt per capita U.S. $65,000 vs $6000 in Russia. Forex reserves are a $120billion in the U.S. vs $560billion in Russia. U.S. has a trade deficit of $640billion per year vs Russia has a surplus of $300billion per year. U.S. debt is increasing with $1.2trill per year. Russian debt is decreasing with $100million per year. Better luck next time…
Which is why the USA is stealing oil in Syria and trying to steal it from Venezuela too
So NATO wins lets go home…and than you woke up…
Please do try to load 10 tons of material on 2 tons truck ! See what happens after that and drive the conclusion !
or out of fuel….. or perhaps they fought until their ammo ran out
the best move russia can do is to mimic turkey and try sending russian troops in battle with saa as military advisors i bet then the turks won’t have the balls to shoot one shot at army positions with a clear warning from russia that any targeting of syrian troops will endanger russian personnel safety…the saa will gain sarakib and the m4 in matter of days
If the Turks dare to shoot at Russian jets, which they did, than they will shoot at Russian troops as well. Russian Spetznaz are already on the Frontline.
yes Turkey are stupid enought to kill russian as the already did we are not in negotiation anymore erdogan have to understand that he loose war in syria and baschar win
Airstrikes 24/7 + MLRS, that’s the only way to win with minimal losses.
The leader of the TURK COMMANDOS killed yesterday
https://twitter.com/ynms79797979/status/1233380704144252928
SAA continues to push north to the M4 highway … now within 1 kilometer from it in several areas
https://twitter.com/ynms79797979/status/1233399588192690176
Turkish mothers ….
https://twitter.com/HadiNasrallah/status/1233407539246702592
Poor people And all that for that lunatic Erdogan. Was it worth it bringing death and destruction to Syria and pay that with their lives?
Turks must rise up … there will be a lot more like this very soon otherwise
battle map as of 6 hours ago
https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1233374884379680768/photo/2
SAA needs more air defense around the M4 & M5 junction … these armed Turk drones must be neutralized
OkK you seam to be reasonable person and well informed
Do tell: What “armed Turk drones”?! Armed how? With something like Hellfire missiles? Very big drones?
yes they have air to ground missiles on them
https://thebulletin.org/2019/12/turkeys-military-drones-an-export-product-thats-disrupting-nato/
newer map .. just out
https://twitter.com/RojavaNetwork/status/1233415946540404742
thank you Tim for all your updates and encouraging words i really love it!
and now a newer one
https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/status/1233411632329641988/photo/1
I’m glad to see Syria regaining control of Idlib’s prime agricultural land.
Turk adventurism is getting very costly … nobody seems to like them very much
https://twitter.com/MIG29_/status/1233378170373656576
poor erdogan can’t accept the fact that he lost the war …i bet he’s having nightmares at night of assad slapping him like a little b*tch he is…he is dellusional and in full disbelief that the moment is finally here…either take the L as a man and calm the fu*k down or be a whinning little prick about it and the half brain chose the latter… the poor cunt basically everyone told him to go fu*ck himself …i bet the emergency meetings in turkey with him is like that meme video scene of hitler losing his mind
here is the video ….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op1wBbIWWbk
HAMA completely rat free now
https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/status/1233414084479111170
thanks God and SAA
Raqqa slowly getting back to a normal life
https://twitter.com/NotWoofers/status/1233416116661190657
Like in chess, this will provoke an evolving counter-move.
Truth is that Syria allowed Turkey to mass a small force of artillery because they didn`t want to fully engage them in combat. They don`t want to battle Turkey.
Now, Turkey decided to go all out. Fighting directly. Syria surely had plans for that, but one thing is a plan, another, putting it to run. Right now they focus on the south offensive, and is going well. That will take presure from Saraquib, because Turkey (we should talk now about turkey more than al qaeda now) must defend M4 as well.
Later, SAA should do something to take Turkey artillery slowy… because they will try no to destroy turkey forces, but run them down to the point they accept they are defited and go out of the region, with a political agreement.
I think the Syrians are doing better than might appear. The war of maneouvre continues – they may have the M4 in their hands soon. The Turks do not appear to have great situational awareness, and the Turks don’t have much air support. The headchoppers are all very well when they’re stoned on captagon, but when they start to lose they run just as fast as the greenest SAA recruits. Nobody wants to die on a battlefield, jihadist or not. I don’t think Turkish soldiers are fond of being killed either, and if things turn sour even the jihadis will turn on the Turks
Looks to my eyes to be about roughly 30 – 40 square miles left to liberate for the SAA.
It is salient to recall that the SAA donated a number of these to the headchoppers recently
Comments on this live tracking showing Turkish Drones over Saraquib and Idlib?
Link taken from – https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/28-february-turkish-drone-is-flying-over-idlib
https://twitter.com/GDarkconrad/status/1233386888859353090
KILL ALL RATS AND DOWN ALL TORKI DRONES
What they need are drone fighter-interceptors to shoot down the Turk drones before they reach the fields of battle.
Great idea, Drone Wars.. drones chasing drones could become a video game, you’ll make a fortune.