Syrian Civil War (Graphic Photos/Vid Not Allowed)

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Deir Hafer encircled

 

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HTS suicide bomber

northern Hama

 

[bidonv]

This satellite image of Syria by night make you understand who is in power over Syria, large expances of territory attributed to Turkish backed forces with no population at all, only IS have some significant territory along the Eupherates river.

 

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[Hindustani78]

http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/us-backed-forces-begin-offensive-to-take-tabqa-dam/777573

U.S.-backed forces have started a "multi-pronged" campaign to wrest control of Syria's Tabqa Dam from Daesh, the U.S.-led coalition confirmed Wednesday.

Spokesman Army Col. Joe Scrocca told reporters the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) offensive took Daesh by surprise when the fighters carried out a "daring air assault" behind enemy lines.

"It takes audacity and courage, and the SDF has that in spades," he said.

The coalition backed the offensive with helicopters and other aircraft to airlift the SDF, airstrikes, M777 Howitzer artillery, special operations advisors, and Apache helicopters that provided close air support.

"This is a message for ISIS: their day is done," Scrocca said, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, another name for Daesh.

Scrocca said the airlift was the first such action taken by the coalition, and he didn't know if it would be the last.

"I’m sure ISIS will be expecting nothing less," he said.

The Tabqa Dam sits on the southeastern outlet of Lake Assad. It lies about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the city of Raqqah, Daesh's self-declared capital that the SDF has been working to encircle.

Retaking the dam, "a key element of northern Syria’s economy", and the surrounding areas is considered a major goal in the effort to isolate Raqqah.

"The dam, city, and air fields are locations critical to ISIS’ ability to import and harbor foreign fighters, export terror, and is ISIS’ last link to their territory west of the Euphrates," said Scrocca.

He said the dam's potential destruction would create a humanitarian catastrophe, and the coalition is "taking every precaution" to make sure that does not happen.

U.S. support for the YPG-backed SDF has long vexed Turkey, who views the YPG as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed PKK group. Turkey, the U.S. and the EU have designated the group a terrorist organization, but neither the U.S. nor EU have followed Turkey's lead on the YPG.

Asked if the SDF forces included Kurdish forces, Scrocca said they did, but he did not confirm whether the YPG had participated.

Approximately 80 percent of the SDF's forces were Arab fighters, he said.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tu...rkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=111154&NewsCatID=510

Turkey has summoned the Russian chargé d’affairs to the Foreign Ministry to express Ankara’s reaction after the killing of a Turkish soldier by Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) elements on the Syrian border.

Ankara recalled that it was also Russia’s responsibility to monitor violations of the ceasefire in Syria, urging that it will retaliate in kind in the event that such attacks continue.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hüseyin Müftüoğlu also reportedly expressed Turkey’s unease at Russian generals’ photographed wearing symbols of the PYD’s armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), on their uniform.

March/23/2017

 

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Grank captured Deir Hafer east of Aleppo

 

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Grank Su-25 jets kill civilians in Idlib province

 

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Su-30

Su-35:

 

[ptldM3]

Su-30

Su-35:

The SU-30 can provide close air support similar to an A-10 or SU-25 and it can prrform precision strike as well as air superiority. The fact is you are angry because the terrorists that Israel supports are being chopped into minced meat; and what is it with you and the white helmets? By now everyone knows they are nothing but propagandist that have been caught staging fake rescues. They are regarded as terrorist sympathizer and collaborators even by many in the west including western journalists that have been in Syria.

 

[Anomaly_y]

Tabqa Dam - Apache assisting SDF advance

 

[bananarepublic]

old but interesting

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/845282384366964736

 

[500]

Interesting. Rebels captured two T-90 and not one as previously though.

First was captured in April 2016 by Nusra at El-Eis:

https://twitter.com/x/status/722447190120075264

Spotted again in Hama March 2017:

Second by Zinki in June 2016 in al Malah farms:

https://twitter.com/x/status/741172384368103424

Spotted again couple times later:

https://twitter.com/x/status/828301640029569024