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Syrian Civil War (Graphic Photos/Vid Not Allowed)

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/us-general-russia-inadvertently-struck-us-backed-syrians

WASHINGTON — A Russian airstrike in northern Syria hit U.S.-backed Syrian Arab forces who are part of the fight against the Islamic State group, a senior U.S. general said Wednesday.

Russia denied responsibility, saying in a written statement that it had adhered to U.S. guidance on avoiding friendly forces in that area.

Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, said an unspecified number of American military advisers were a few miles away from the bombed site, out of immediate danger but close enough to see their Syrian partners get hit. He declined to say how many of the U.S.-backed Syrian fighters were killed or wounded.

Townsend said the Americans sent word that quickly reached Russian officials, who acknowledged the problem and stopped the bombing. Townsend, who spoke to reporters at the Pentagon from his headquarters in Baghdad, said he believes the Russians thought they were striking Islamic State positions in the village. But ISIS fighters had withdrawn before the bombing, and members of what the Americans call the Syrian Arab Coalition had moved in, he said.

In Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement contradicting Townsend's version of the events. It said that in communications prior to the airstrike, a U.S. officer had expressed concern about the possibility of U.S.-backed Syrian fighters being struck inadvertently.

"To prevent any such incidents, a U.S. representative gave precise coordinates of the U.S.-backed opposition forces in that area to a Russian military officer," the statement said. "The Russian military command took that information into account. Russian or Syrian aircraft haven't dealt a single strike on the areas designated by the U.S."

The incident happened southeast of the city of al-Bab, which Townsend said has been fully "liberated" by Turkish forces.

Townsend mentioned the incident to illustrate his point that the battlefield in Syria is exceptionally complex. He expressed worry that the complexities could lead to more severe miscalculations and undercut an anti-IS military campaign that is approaching a crucial juncture as U.S.-backed Syrian Arab and Kurdish fighters close in on Raqqa, the self-declared ISIS capital.

Townsend said the U.S. is still talking to Turkey about whether and how Turkish forces might be involved in an assault on Raqqa. The issue is a sticky one because the Turks are opposed to the U.S. relying on Syrian Kurdish fighters in and around Raqqa; the Turks consider the Kurdish force known as YPG to be terrorists and a threat to Turkey.

Russia's military involvement is a further complication, from the U.S. point of view. It's unclear whether President Donald Trump will seek military coordination with Russia in Syria; his predecessor deemed it inappropriate, arguing that the Russians were at cross purposes with the U.S. by acting to prop up the Syrian government.

Townsend did not comment on relations with Russian other than to mention that a U.S.-Russian military communications link set up during the Obama administration was used in response to the airstrikes that hit U.S. partner forces Tuesday. The link was established to "deconflict," or avoid collisions between U.S. and Russian warplanes over Syria.

"We used that mechanism and it worked," Townsend said.

More broadly, the general said he is satisfied that the U.S. counter-IS strategy as developed during the Obama years is working. He said he has forwarded up his chain of command a set of recommendations on possible adaptions of the strategy, but he would not discuss those. He suggested that no major changes were needed and explicitly stated that sending large numbers of U.S. troops, as Trump proposed during the presidential campaign, would not help.

"I don't foresee us bringing in large numbers of coalition troops, mainly because what we're doing is in fact working," he said. "But in the event that we bring in any additional troops, we'll work with our local partners both here in Iraq and Syria to make sure that they understand the reasons why we're doing that and to get their buy-in of that."

Others have said the Trump administration might seek to accelerate the assault on Raqqa by putting additional U.S. trainers and advisers into Syria and possibly sending small numbers of conventional forces to operate long-range artillery.

Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sent to the White House his outline of how the administration might change the counter-ISIS strategy, which relies heavily on airstrikes and has evolved since President Barack Obama reintroduced troops into Iraq in 2014 after IS fighters swept across the Syrian border and captured large portions of northern and western Iraq.

Townsend said U.S. intelligence estimates put the number of ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria combined at 12,000 to 15,000. That is down from an estimate of 19,000 to 25,000 in February 2016 and 20,000 to 31,000 in 2014.

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A Kurdish fighter from the People's Protection Units, operating alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the town of Hisha after the SDF took control of the area from ISIS, in the northern Raqqa countryside, Syria, November 14, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said

http://www.businessinsider.com/us-commander-downplays-big-iraq-syria-troop-hike-2017-3

Trump's push against Islamic State in Syria could soon present him with an unenviable choice of potentially alienating NATO ally Turkey by relying on the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which in addition to Arabs includes Kurdish YPG fighters who Turkey considers a threat.

Turkey is strongly opposed to YPG involvement in the operation to liberate Raqqa, not only because it sees the force as an extension of the PKK militant group, but also because it says Raqqa is an Arab-dominated city.

Townsend, however, stressed they would have some role in the campaign.

"There are going to be Kurds assaulting Raqqa for sure. The number, the size of them, and how many Kurdish units are participating in that, I can't really say right now," he said.

Townsend also delivered a robust defense of the YPG fighters who receive U.S. support, saying he had seen no evidence linking them to attacks on Turkey from Northern Syria in the past two years.

"I've talked to their leaders and we've watched them operate and they continually reassure us that they have no desire to attack Turkey, that they are not a threat to Turkey, in fact that they desire to have a good working relationship with Turkey," Townsend said.

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http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syrian-army-deserter-flees-to-turkey/762354
A member of the Syrian regime army deserted and fled to Turkey on Thursday, security sources have said.

The soldier was found in the southern Turkish border province of Hatay, a security source told Anadolu Agency.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldier had surrendered to Turkish border troops.

After an initial interrogation, in which he claimed to have been forcibly conscripted into the Syrian military, he was handed over to Turkish police.

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Speaking to reporters via video link from Baghdad, Iraq, Gen. Stephen Townsend said "Kurds will participate in the operation."

"The facts are there are Kurds from Raqqah, and larger Raqqah district and province," he said.

"I don't think we're going to change the demographics of Raqqah by Kurds or Turkomen or any group participating in the operation. But I expect that probably all types of Syrians in northern Syria will participate in the liberation of Raqqah," he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters could lead the Raqqah offensive.

Turkey views the YPG as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed PKK group. Turkey, the U.S., and EU have designated the PKK as a terror group, and it resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.

Washington has refrained from similarly labeling the YPG, and has relied on the group as its principal on the ground partner in Syria to Ankara's consternation.

Seeking to allay Turkish concerns about the YPG, Townsend said he's been assured by the group's leaders that "they have no desire to attack Turkey."

"They desire to have a good working relationship with Turkey and I have seen absolutely zero evidence that they have been a threat to or supported any attacks on Turkey from northern Syria over the last two years," he said.

The YPG forms the backbone of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria where the SDF has ousted Deash from successive towns and villages with coalition's heavy war equipment, air support, training and advisors.

Townsend said he believes the SDF will lead the Raqqah operation, but stressed that no final decision has been made.

If the SDF is to lead to lead the charge, Townsend said they "will probably need additional combat power".

"But those decisions have yet to be taken,” he said.

Responding to claims that pictures posted by U.S. Central Command (Centcom) depict child soldiers in the ranks of the SDF, Townsend maintained that the coalition does not "allow child fighters, underage fighters".

And as the general was speaking to reporters, Centcom wrote on Twitter that "All partner nation trainees are vetted through an interview process, including age."

"Those not willing to provide assurances to this vetting process are disqualified," the Middle East command added.

Townsend confirmed that Russian and Syrian airstrikes hit Arab components of the SDF on Tuesday outside of al-Bab, the city Turkish-backed forces recently liberated from Daesh in northern Syria.

The aircraft thought the areas "were held by ISIS", but Syrian Arab fighters that are part of the SDF had recently moved into the targeted villages that were recently vacated by Daesh, Townsend said.

The American general did not detail casualties beyond confirming that some had occurred before the air raids were halted through a U.S.-Russian channel meant to prevent accidental clashes.

U.S. forces were about five kilometers away, Townsend said.

ALEPPO, SYRIA - MARCH 1: Members of Free Syrian Army (FSA) are seen in Tel Tuveyran after retaking Tel Tuveyran and Kaarat villages of Al Bab town from PYD/ PKK terrorist organizations in Aleppo, Syria on March 1, 2017. ( Muhammed Nour - Anadolu Agency )
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ALEPPO, SYRIA - MARCH 1: Members of Free Syrian Army (FSA) are seen in Tel Tuveyran after retaking Tel Tuveyran and Kaarat villages of Al Bab town from PYD/ PKK terrorist organizations in Aleppo, Syria on March 1, 2017. ( Muhammed Nour - Anadolu Agency )
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ALEPPO, SYRIA - MARCH 1: Members of Free Syrian Army (FSA) are seen in Tel Tuveyran after retaking Tel Tuveyran and Kaarat villages of Al Bab town from PYD/ PKK terrorist organizations in Aleppo, Syria on March 1, 2017. ( Muhammed Nour - Anadolu Agency )
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Syrian regime fighters take position as they advance to retake the ancient city of Palmyra, from Islamic State (IS) group fighters on March 2, 2017.(AFP Photo)

An army statement carried on state news agency SANA said its forces had “regained control over Palmyra and surrounding territory after a series of successful military operations”.

IS has suffered a string of setbacks since taking over swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014, and its two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa both face assaults by forces backed by a US-led coalition.
 
wahabis killing wahabis gotta love that. He was a merc and died for a saudi paycheck and chose money over a strategically impportant city like a fool. Was used like toilet paper by your king who didnt even send his soldiers or give refuge to his family. ISIS? The same ISIS that were brothers with the rebels until americans told the rebels to attack them?
Your playing dumb or just living in denial about the civil war. The same ISIS whose biggest online supporters hail from KSA. Now non ISIS wahhabis are splitting again and killing each other and I've asked you several time which brethren you supporting lol. The same ISIS that are redistributing saudi religious books but with their logo on. Same wahhabi religious ideology only differences are policitics one bows to the royals like you and the others want a unified state and follow Baghdadi.
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Last time i checked you were screaming along with the saudis when Russains were bombing ISIS

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I didn't watch the video you uploaded or read what you wrote because I found it full of ignorance. You must know the flag Daesh is carrying is a flag that has the Shahada (creed of Islam) and the prophet's seal below it. It is a respected flag among all Muslims. So other groups carrying this flag doesn't make them evil or "Daesh".

Daesh is surely scum of earth, but ignorance can be quite filthy as well - especially the type of ignorance that leaves your mouth.
 
I didn't watch the video you uploaded or read what you wrote because I found it full of ignorance. You must know the flag Daesh is carrying is a flag that has the Shahada (creed of Islam) and the prophet's seal below it. It is a respected flag among all Muslims. So other groups carrying this flag doesn't make them evil or "Daesh".


You are either playing stupid or being ignorant. Yep FSA waiving around Isis flags doesn't mean anything and doesn't implicate them. Just like the FSA calling Isis brothers, conducting joint operations and defecting doesn't really make them Isis or guilty of anything. :lol:


Next try to justify FSA beheadsings. The FSA is not really evil, they use knives because chiefs use knives, they wear masks because they like to ski, beheading people does not make them evil, it's part of Islam and the FSA just likes to show off their calinary skills while skiing.
 
You are either playing stupid or being ignorant. Yep FSA waiving around Isis flags doesn't mean anything and doesn't implicate them. Just like the FSA calling Isis brothers, conducting joint operations and defecting doesn't really make them Isis or guilty of anything. :lol:


Next try to justify FSA beheadsings. The FSA is not really evil, they use knives because chiefs use knives, they wear masks because they like to ski, beheading people does not make them evil, it's part of Islam and the FSA just likes to show off their calinary skills while skiing.
I'm not justifying their methods of killing other terrorists. Nor ISIS, nor FSA nor YPG is a state with ethical rules and regulations. So instances of barbaric actions from all these groups can be expected compared to civilized societies.

I highly doubt that FSA is doing joint operations with ISIS, as of most of FSA territories doesn't even border with ISIS except of the areas controlled by Turkey in nothern Syria. If they had any such "joint operations" it would've been in the past where I can imagine they both decided to fight the "greater evil" being Assad and all his supporters. But truly if one believes a proof of support makes an entire organization or country a 100% supporter of a terror organization, then you must be completely ignorant of warfare.
In that case, every country is a supporter of ISIS and all other (terror) organizations in Syria.:laughcry::omghaha:

Leave your cave.
 
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/sy...h-pm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=110445&NewsCatID=341

A Syrian military jet has crashed near the Turkish-Syrian border, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said late on March 4. According to PM, a MiG-23 plane crashed.

“There is information that a MiG modeled plane estimated to be belonging to the Syrian regime crashed in the [southern province of] Hatay, Samandağ, Yaylacık region. There is information that the pilot jumped from the plane. Our units there are helping the search efforts,” Yıldırım said, Anadolu Agency reported.

Yıldırım was asked whether the plane fell in the Turkish territories.

“There is no clarity on that issue. It can be in our border or Syrian border, that will be clear after the examinations. There is also no clarity on the reason for why it crashed, but there are reports that the weather conditions were rather unfavorable,” he also said.

Hatay Governor Erdal Ata, meanwhile, said that the gendarmerie and medical teams reached the wreckage of the plane.

“According to the information I received a short while ago, the gendarmerie and medical teams reached the wreckage of the plane. It was seen that the cockpit place of the plane was empty. We think that the pilots survived by jumping,” Anadolu Agency reported Ata as saying.

Earlier, Ata said that the plane might be belonging to the Syrian side.

“We think that the plane doesn’t belong to us, but to the Syrian side. The findings show that,” Ata told the agency, as he added that they received and confirmed information that there were no aviation activities of Turkish civil aviation or Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the region.

“According to the information received from the citizens, the pilots jumped with parachutes. We are investigating them. Our police, gendarmerie and [Turkey’s disaster agency] AFAD are carrying out search and rescue efforts in the region that the pilots probably jumped in,” he said.

Ata was asked whether there were any border violations.

“No, this has nothing to do with border violations. We don’t know whether it’s a technical malfunction or another incident that took place in the other side. Thus, an intervention done to the plane from our side is out of question. We don’t know if it crashed technically or was shot,” he said.

Meanwhile, Syrian Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham told Anadolu Agency by phone that the group downed a jet belonging to the Syrian government, which was bombing rural Idlib.

“The regime plane was flying low when it was bombing rural Idlib. We hit it with 23 milimeters anti-aircraft. When it was struck, a technical malfunction occured in the plane. Then it was seen that it started falling,” Ahrar al-Sham spokesperson Ahmed Karaali told the agency on March 4.

March/04/2017
 
Series of terror attacks by Assad aka Khamenai aka Putin in Idlib province:


I really dont understand the amount of hate towards Syrian people.

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Any supporter of these thugs can explain?
 

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