Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

Some more good news:
https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/745992732393484288

quote:

For the first time, UN relief items have been sent to Ş�x Meqsud.

Some interesting news:
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/745902763599663105

quote:

Aircraft are landing in #DeirEzzor bringing in reinforcements made up of #SAA, Palestinian militiamen & #Hezbollah fighters

Other news, a longform about Fallujah (click the link, it has pictures):
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/23/world/middleeast/a-tour-of-falluja-reveals-grim-remnants-of-life-under-isis.html?_r=0

quote:

As Iraqi forces move through Falluja, the city is yielding the grim remnants of more than two years of Islamic State rule. Beheaded and decaying bodies. Clumps of facial hair from fighters who shaved their beards to blend in with fleeing civilians. A prison where detainees were held in cages suitable for a medium-sized dog. The forces have found books on Wahhabism, the extreme version of Sunni Islam from which the Islamic State draws inspiration, and on Saddam Hussein, whose rule by fear and secrecy the group has replicated.

Yet even as the picture of what life was like inside Falluja under the Islamic State is becoming clearer, a visit over the weekend to areas of the city taken by pro-government forces made clear that there is still heavy fighting.

Days after Iraqi forces raised the national flag over the main government compound and declared victory, the battle has moved to western neighborhoods, where some Islamic State fighters, many of them foreigners, remain, officials said. About a third of the city has been cleared of insurgents, said Col. Christopher C. Garver, an American military spokesman in Baghdad. Still, American officials believe that the city will eventually fall fully into government hands.

The battle has not yet played out as many feared it would: as a vicious, house-to-house fight like the one American Marines faced in 2004.

�The Islamic State did not fight seriously this time because the big leaders left their fighters on their own,� said Col. Mohammed al-Jumaili, a commander of a government-allied Sunni militia in Anbar Province. He said that many of the local Islamic State fighters resisted at first, but began escaping with their families once it became clear that the loose, pro-government alliance of soldiers, policemen, Shiite militiamen and Sunni fighters was winning.

He continued: �In 2004, many people of Falluja had resisted the American troops because they viewed the U.S. as invaders and that it was an Islamic obligation to fight them. This time the people realized there is a difference, that there is no purpose to fight your own people.�

Commanders said that the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, built up its defenses on the city�s perimeter, and that once Iraqi forces punched through, they were able to move easily on the city center as many Islamic State fighters fled.

�This is the Nazal area, the most difficult area for the Americans in the first war,� said Lt. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saadi, the commander of the Iraqi counterterrorism forces that have taken the lead in the battle. He was surrounded by rubble, with the sounds of explosions and gunfire ringing from the distance.

General Saadi moved through the streets carrying a tablet computer that showed maps of the battlefield, and with a radio in which he could call in coordinates for artillery and airstrikes. At one point, he stopped to talk to his soldiers � some holed up in houses, others on rooftops along with snipers � and to take pictures. Suddenly, one of his men was shot in the leg, the source of the bullet unknown. Everyone ducked for cover, and the soldier, who was not seriously wounded, was hustled off in a Humvee, blood streaming from his calf.

There is so much destruction that some parts of the city look as if they are out of a science fiction film. Dust being whipped up adds to the apocalyptic feel. But other sections are relatively intact. In fact, the level of destruction is far less than in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, which was liberated at the beginning of the year. There, the Islamic State destroyed many buildings as it left. Iraqi bombardment and airstrikes from the American-led coalition flattened more buildings in Ramadi, where there were fewer civilians left to worry about striking.

The battle for Falluja has once again highlighted Iraq�s place as an arena for competition over influence between the United States and Iran.

In one area of the city are General Saadi�s men, who have worked closely with the United States for more than a decade and have strong reputations as fighters. In another area are federal police units, which have proved instrumental in the push on the city center.

But there are also Shiite fighters from the Badr Organization, a militia backed by Iran. The Badr fighters had promised not to enter the city but have done so wearing federal police uniforms, according to witnesses and a group of Sunni lawmakers who publicly criticized the deception. The militiamen�s presence inside Falluja has raised concerns within the American military.

�We�ve seen rumors� about their wearing police uniforms, Colonel Garver said. �It concerns us because we don�t support those groups. We support the federal police. If we don�t know who people are on the battlefield, that may impact how we provide our support.� This has allowed the appearance that only government forces are fighting in Falluja, which the United States has insisted upon � on the basis that Shiite militiamen in the Sunni city of Falluja would heighten sectarian tensions.

Here, too, there is cause for concern even if the worst fears have not come to pass. No widespread sectarian blood bath has broken out. But the militias, who took a leading role weeks ago as the forces began clearing the outskirts of the city, have been accused in cases of torture and extrajudicial killings, and the government has made some arrests.

With each turn in the Falluja fight, and in the discussion of how the Islamic State could be uprooted from the city of Mosul and its remaining Iraqi strongholds, the broader question of Iraq�s ability to reconcile as a multisectarian state hovers over everything. Even if the Islamic State is eventually pushed from all of its territory in Iraq, it is likely to endure as a Sunni guerrilla insurgency, like Al Qaeda in Iraq before it. But the most important question is whether its ideology will remain appealing to Iraqi Sunnis, many who saw the Islamic State as a protector against the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.

Ryan Crocker, a former American ambassador to Iraq, warned in an online column recently that victory in Falluja, instead of bringing a lasting peace, is likely to worsen Iraq�s sectarian divide because of the dominant role here of Iran, the region�s pre-eminent Shiite power, which has stood in the way of political outreach to Sunnis. �The Iranians and their proxies dominate the political arena as they do the battle space, and there will be no outreach to Sunnis,� he wrote.

Many Falluja residents, who fled to the desert in the thousands recently, adding to a worsening humanitarian crisis, said life under Islamic State rule was fine for them until the government siege began in December. �In the beginning we had no problem,� said Eman Mustafa, in her late 20s, who was interviewed at a camp for the displaced. �They treated us well.�

Ms. Mustafa used to work in Falluja�s main hospital, helping deliver babies, and she spoke in classical Arabic, which is not commonly heard in Iraq. She said she learned to talk that way from foreign women who had come to live in Falluja under the Islamic State �To be honest, I just care about security, whether it is with Daesh or with Baghdad,� she said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.

Many others, though, spoke of the terror of living under ISIS, of being shot at as they tried to escape in recent weeks, and of having little to eat as militants hoarded food for themselves while the siege unfolded. In the camps, there is a notable lack of men among the families taking shelter. Many have been held by the government on suspicion of having some tie to the Islamic State.

One man who made it through detention and was back with his family said he was treated well and was happy to name all the Islamic State members he knew � many of them his neighbors. The man, Abdulhamid Abdella, 47, believes there should be no mercy for anyone who joined the group: �Believe me, if it was my own son, I would slaughter him.�

Interesting that the resistance in Fallujah was a lot less than everyone on the ground expected. Also interesting that some people just want stability and don't care who's in charge.

# ? Jun 23, 2016 20:37

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# ? May 26, 2024 12:38

Ikasuhito: Sep 29, 2013; Haram as Fuck.

fade5 posted:

I mean I get why the FSA is leery of the YPG, and even considers them "collaborators", but it's like... what exactly does the FSA want the YPG to do at this point?

The YPG/SDF already assisted in keeping Mare from falling to ISIL and let in all the civilians that were evacuated from Shaykh Isa/Mare, you would think that would have generated a little bit of goodwill.It's certainly possible this is due to a difference between the Kurds/YPG/SDF in Afrin and the Kurds/YPG/SDF in Kobani/Cizire. Afrin is isolated from the rest of Rojava, and so the SDF in Afrin isn't really the same SDF that's fighting in Manbij or getting new recruits from Shaddadi.

I believe the counter argument would be that part of the reason the Azaz pocket was in such a desperate situation was partially because of the Afrin kurds. They did swoop in and take several towns and villages after all. Plus the assistance with Mare was hardly some huge altruistic gesture, the opposition handed over Shaykh Isa as payment so that Afrin would take the Mare civvies.

# ? Jun 23, 2016 20:40

Captain Bravo: Feb 16, 2011; An Emergency Shitpost
has been deployed...

...but experts warn it is
just a drop in the ocean.

fade5 posted:

what exactly does the FSA want the YPG to do at this point?

I'm guessing some variation on "Get hosed". Like, anger and retribution and pettiness aren't exactly good qualities, but they are eminently human ones. If you're starting with the assumption "Both the FSA and the SDF are going to be around, and they both deserve to be around" then yes, some solution has to be reached for the two groups to coexist. But not everyone is going to start with that assumption.

# ? Jun 23, 2016 22:59

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

Ikasuhito posted:

I believe the counter argument would be that part of the reason the Azaz pocket was in such a desperate situation was partially because of the Afrin kurds. They did swoop in and take several towns and villages after all. Plus the assistance with Mare was hardly some huge altruistic gesture, the opposition handed over Shaykh Isa as payment so that Afrin would take the Mare civvies.

Captain Bravo posted:

I'm guessing some variation on "Get hosed". Like, anger and retribution and pettiness aren't exactly good qualities, but they are eminently human ones. If you're starting with the assumption "Both the FSA and the SDF are going to be around, and they both deserve to be around" then yes, some solution has to be reached for the two groups to coexist. But not everyone is going to start with that assumption.

These are both good points. I've been looking at the situation from the outside and from a long-term perspective, but the FSA guys on the ground have a very different perspective than me; presumably we both have very different sources of information as well.

I guess all we can do is wait and see.

E: Well poo poo, that victory didn't last long:
https://twitter.com/NorthernStork/status/746082563354132481

quote:

#IS SVBIED targeted rebel forces entered al-Ra'i briefly today.

https://twitter.com/dkimball12/status/746058547939540992

quote:

ISIS claims to have killed 25 #FSA fighters in Al Rai with a VBIED hours after its capture

https://twitter.com/Dalatrm/status/746070140253536256

quote:

Hours after controlling #AlRai, #IslamicState claims #VSO/#FSA fled town following VBIED attacks, 35 killed

https://twitter.com/VivaRevolt/status/746085857199792128

quote:

FSA withdrew from Raii

https://twitter.com/BosnjoBoy/status/746043380371689472

quote:

@LHWBos @arabthomness Rebels, they withdrew from the entire town now, but clashes ongoing. I'm out now...

Looks like ISIL withdrew from al Rai and let the FSA fighters move in, then sent in an SVBIED that may have killed 25 (or possibly even 35) fighters, and so then the FSA had to withdraw.

fade5 fucked around with this message at 00:05 on Jun 24, 2016

# ? Jun 23, 2016 23:42

A Fancy 400 lbs: Jul 24, 2008

Does anyone have a good article on the arrests and reports of torture that led to the early protests against Assad? My friend wants to read up more on it and I've given him a basic timeline, but I mainly learned about it following news sites, twitter feeds and from here on SA when it was happening so I don't have a good single source to send him. Something including Ceaser's leaks would be preferable. Thanks in advance.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 00:03

Volkerball: Oct 15, 2009; by FactsAreUseless

Captain Bravo posted:

I'm guessing some variation on "Get hosed". Like, anger and retribution and pettiness aren't exactly good qualities, but they are eminently human ones. If you're starting with the assumption "Both the FSA and the SDF are going to be around, and they both deserve to be around" then yes, some solution has to be reached for the two groups to coexist. But not everyone is going to start with that assumption.

This. There's so much bad blood at this point that it's a very difficult situation. And it works both ways.

quote:

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said his group did not aim to spark a battle with FSA groups. But he added: "If they want a war, they will certainly lose."

Hardly burying the hatchet. I don't know what's to be done.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 00:42

Bates: Jun 15, 2006

Syria now officially a province of Russia. Russia Today announces new government ahead of regime media

Syrian Observer posted:

The Kremlin-backed Russia Today channel preceded the Assad regime in publishing the names of the new Syrian cabinet shortly after Syria�s official news agency SANA on Wednesday announced Assad had appointed Electricity Minister Imad Khamis to form the government.

Regime loyalists were hit with disappointment from the regime news media after Russia Today announced ahead of SANA days ago that Khamis had been appointed to form Assad�s new cabinet.

It appears regime officials are preferring to make statements to Russian media over the regime�s official agencies as SANA�s news on Khamis� appointment was identical to what the Russian channel noted earlier.

Russia Today�s website quoted unnamed sources as saying that �Khamis is already close to announcing the names of the new government team which includes 12 new ministers while keeping the current ministers in the sovereign ministries, which are: Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, Interior Minister Mohamed al-Shaer, Defense Minister Fahed Jassim, and Finance Minister Ismail Ismail.�

The sources told the website that the Assad government would appoint new ministers, include Fares al-Shahaabi as deputy prime minister for economic affairs � industry minster, Heyyan Suleiman as economy minister, Bashr al-Subaan as minister for local administration, Mohamed Jihad al-Laham as justice minister, Hellal Hellal as communications minister, Nasouh Samneeyeh as electricity minister, Ambassador Ali Abdel Kareem as information minister, Rama Azeez as agricultural minister, Emad al-Aseel as minister of internal trade and consumer protection, Fadiyeh Deeb as health minister, and Farah al-Mutlaq as education minister.

Reactions over the appointment of Khamis to form the government, and SANA�s initial denial of his appointment, quickly began to appear among regime loyalists on social media sites. Many criticized the decision to appoint Khamis to form the government, as well as the �lack of transparency� of the regime media, while others believed the new cabinet was made in Moscow.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 09:17

Dapper_Swindler: Feb 14, 2012; Im glad my instant dislike in you has been validated again and again.

Anos posted:

Syria now officially a province of Russia. Russia Today announces new government ahead of regime media

assad is going to end up like Nur Muhammad Taraki or Hafizullah Amin, isnt he. I mean he loving deserves it but still.

fade5 posted:

It seems like every single day the scale of that defeat gets worse:

The SAA was literally pushed all the way back to square loving one.

Pro-gov people are blaming Russia:
https://twitter.com/Ibra_Joudeh/status/745602444672049152

Lots to unpack here, assuming this is accurate.
-Why no air support for the SAA?
-Why the gently caress is it automatically Russia's job to provide air support?
-The SAA couldn't have pulled a couple helicopters off of Barrel Bomb duty to provide air support?
-Why the gently caress was the SAA making such a huge, thin salient with no goddamn air support?
-This is the force that's going to "retake control of all of Syria". Uh huh. Sure. Right. Any day now.

My guess is its easier for russia and the SAA to gas/bomb/kill civies then fight ISIS. So they basically just make foolhardy unsupported offesives at ISIS and then go back to bombing civilians for easy "victories" they dont give two fucks about how many of their men die because they havent learned poo poo from Afghanistan.

Brother Friendship posted:

What surprises me is that after the tremendous momentum Russia injected into the conflict when they first entered the fray has seemingly vanished over the past few months. I honestly thought and remember discussing in this thread how the rebellion seemed doomed because Iranian troops + SAA + Russian airpower was literally melting the opposition that stood in their way. There's a video of two of their helicopters barely above rebel positions blanketing an entire hillside with fire and death and those visuals will always stand out to me from this war. Massive gains and a completely new dynamic was created in its aftermath.

I still don't understand that their strategy was in regards to the ceasefire from around the start of this year really was about. Did Russia think that the opposition and their geopolitical enemies would give way after such an impressive show of force and a negotiated settlement was within reach? Maybe, but that seems naive in this conflict and Russia is nothing if not cynical. I remember looking at the scale of Russian air strikes and thinking that they must have been operating their equipment with such frenzy that it must have been impossible to keep with up the maintenance or costing them too much money to continue on a sustained basis. Or maybe they just ran out of good bombs and Turkey shooting down one of their jets affected their thinking. Maybe ~2 or 3 months ago the Assadian faction started losing and it simply hasn't stopped. History may vindicate Obama for saying that Russia was getting itself into something it could never escape from. That ceasefire, whatever the reasons were, allowed the rebel factions to get their footing back and adapt (somewhat) to air strikes. It also had the perhaps unintended side effect of empowering the SDF.

It was probably the Russians showing force and using our tactics in iraq(04-07 years)

# ? Jun 24, 2016 19:08

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

Some news in French today, translations below the tweets:
https://twitter.com/RomainCaillet/status/746292956227829760

quote:

#Syrie : la contre-offensive de l'#EI au Sud de Raqqa se transforme en avanc�e contre le r�gime au Nord de #Hama.

ISIS's counter-offensive to the South of Raqqa turns into an advance against the regime North of Hama

https://twitter.com/MENA_Wars/status/746324276991692801

quote:

L'EI n'est plus qu'� 5km d'Ithriya.

Daesh is just 5km away from Ithriya

Assad/the SAA is claiming this is still part of the plan and that the SAA is still advancing, so have the same tweet in more humorous form:
https://twitter.com/Mr_Ghostly/status/746328173541941248

quote:

Assad's offensive #To_Raqqa continues as planned w/ ISIS trampling them backwards, now 5km from Ithriya.

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/746166063021293569

quote:

MANBIJ: 23JUN 2016. 2230 EDT. Grain silo complex reported surrounded. 9 airstrikes hit southern and western suburbs.

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746295710358847489

quote:

#Manbij SDF progressing gradually around the silos but very cautious due to IEDs. via ANHA

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746237340176154625

quote:

#Manbij Hospital in Qenat El-Ş�x Tebaş, 1km south of Kitab roundabout, and in SW Manbij, has been liberated.

Manbij is slow, but still going.

Some bad news, ISIL is still doing retribution against Kurds in its territory:
https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746346326510678016

quote:

As ISIS continue kidnapping Kurds in Northern Aleppo villages, 200 civilians fled the area + have arrived to Efr�n.

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746346521847803905

quote:

ANHA reports that ISIS have kidnapped over 900 civilians so far as they raided around 15 Kurdish villages in Northern Aleppo.

Poor civilians.

Finally, bonus Brexit tweet that's relevant to the Middle East:
https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746285462168473600

quote:

Boris Johnson, potential next British Prime Minister: "My sympathies are very much with the PKK and Peshmerga."

Yes, it's real:
http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-11-24/boris-johnson-tells-itv-news-he-supports-a-banned-terror-group/

quote:

Boris Johnson told ITV News today that "his sympathies are with the PKK" - despite the group being regarded as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government.
The Mayor was speaking to ITV News about the case of 21 year old Silhan Ozcelik from North London, who was sentenced to 21 months in jail for plotting to join the group, otherwise known as the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Ms Ozcelik's friends and family are now appealing against her sentence, because the PKK is fighting against so-called Islamic State - which they argue is the same objective the Government has.

"My sympathies are very much with the PKK and the Peshmerga and I hope that the legal system will reflect that, and that she gets sensible treatment rather than some absurd punishment."
� BORIS JOHNSON MP, MAYOR OF LONDON

Voicing his support for their cause, the Mayor said he sympathises with the banned group, and argued against an 'absurd punishment' being handed out by the UK courts.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 19:14

Kurtofan: Feb 16, 2011; hon hon hon

turkey's going to love that last bit.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 19:16

TildeATH: Oct 21, 2010; by Lowtax

Kurtofan posted:

turkey's going to love that last bit.

I can't wait to live in a world where Turkey is in the EU and Britain is not.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 19:42

Bip Roberts: Mar 29, 2005

Dapper_Swindler posted:

assad is going to end up like Nur Muhammad Taraki or Hafizullah Amin, isnt he. I mean he loving deserves it but still.

My guess is its easier for russia and the SAA to gas/bomb/kill civies then fight ISIS. So they basically just make foolhardy unsupported offesives at ISIS and then go back to bombing civilians for easy "victories" they dont give two fucks about how many of their men die because they havent learned poo poo from Afghanistan.

It was probably the Russians showing force and using our tactics in iraq(04-07 years)

I would guess that even if Russia is willing to drop bombs at a rate close to the US the lack of 13 years of very active CAS missions means there is no comparison with regard to bombing a mobile attacking force.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 20:00

Dusty Baker 2: Jul 8, 2011; Keyboard Inghimasi

Hadi Abdullah's friend and photographer Khaled Al-Essa has died due to injuries sustained in last week's assassination attempt against Abdullah.

# ? Jun 24, 2016 23:35

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

A video, the Kurdish Language institute begins testing for 500 students after their first 2 month learning course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13fVnZQOwDg
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/4poo28/kurdish_language_institute_begins_testing_for_500/

quote:

The first woman basically just describes the testing process and what they'll learn from course and what they'll be able to sign up for after finishing.
The man explains how many people signed up and what they're doing.
The final student that's interviewed basically says that they're there to learn their language so they can teach the next generation to speak in their mother tongue.
This is in Qamishli.

It's in Qamishli, specifically in the YPG/SDF/Kurdish section of Qamishli. (Obviously it's not in the regime section, Assad would never allow the Kurds to teach the Kurdish language.)

More info/background on those 100 elite tribal fighters that joined the SDF, and two very interesting sentces about the future of east Syria:
http://aranews.net/2016/06/kurdish-led-sdf-attracts-arab-fighters-syrias-deir-ez-zor-amid-growing-anti-isis-campaign/

quote:

More than 100 fighters from the Sheitaat tribe split from the FSA-group elite forces northwest of Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria after tribal disputes, and joined the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), local sources reported on Thursday.

�The defection took place in the past 2 weeks due to tribal issues between fighters in the elite forces since the majority of fighters are from al-Sheitaat tribe which clashed with ISIS in the northern western countryside of Deir ez-Zor,� according to the SOHR.

The Islamic State group (ISIS) massacred over 700 Sheitaat members in August 2014, after the tribe rose up against the ISIS self-declared Caliphate.

Parts of the Sheitaat tribe have joined the Assad regime�s National Defence Forces, while others have joined the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition in southern Hasakah and northern Deir ez-Zor. Moreover, a new FSA group called the Elite Forces, that are not part of the SDF, have been engaged in clashes with ISIS on the outskirts of Shaddadi city in Hasakah province.

The US-led coalition denied in a statement any link with this new small group of FSA fighters.

Speaking to ARA News, Coalition spokesman U.S. Army Colonel Christopher Garver said: �In northern Syria the [US-led] Coalition is partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group that includes Syrian Arabs, Turkmen, Kurdish, Christian and Assyrian fighters. The SDF also includes the Syrian Arab Coalition.�

�The US-led Coalition has quietly, but strenuously, courted tribal groups that live inside ISIS-controlled areas of eastern Syria to turn against the Islamic State,� Nicholas Heras, a Washington-based Middle East researcher at the Centre for a New American Security, told ARA News.

�The Sheitaat are a target audience for this recruitment campaign. These Sheitaat defections to the SDF make sense in that the Syrian Democratic Forces coalition is a rising power in eastern Syria, it is slowly but steadily incorporating more Arab tribal fighters, and it has strong U.S. military support,� Heras said.

�The SDF is increasingly viewed by anti-ISIS Arab tribal groups as a battering ram to bust down the Islamic State strongholds in eastern Syria. More and more, the SDF is becoming a coalition of components, such as the Syrian Arab Coalition that is constituent to but a part of the SDF, and which can mobilize fighters from skeptical identity groups, such as Arab tribes, to combat ISIS,� he said.

Abu Ali (27), the pseudonym of an Arab SDF fighter originally from Raqqa, told ARA News that many Arabs from Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa are joining the SDF forces.

�They just want to liberate their province and country from ISIS,� he said.

The Arab fighters receive training from Americans with light weapons and also get support from US advisors on the ground as part of the Syrian Arab Coalition (SAC)�an SDF faction. Recently, 158 Arab fighters, mostly from the Jibouri tribe, finished their training in the Shaddadi area and joined the SDF forces.

�For some skeptical groups, such as the Sheitaat, where once the Assad regime was viewed as a comparatively more trustworthy partner than the Americans to defeat ISIS, the successes of the SDF, backed by Coalition airpower and Special Forces, are becoming more attractive,� analyst Heras told ARA News.

Kurdish official Perwin Yusuf Mohammed in the local administration of Hasakah said it is possible that the SDF will move into Deir ez-Zor in the future.

�We work as Syrians to liberate areas from the chauvinist regime and ISIS,� she told ARA News. �For the SDF, if they have the opportunity they will liberate all areas from ISIS.�

Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg

Source: ARA News

The sentence that really sticks out to me is the line "The SDF is increasingly viewed by anti-ISIS Arab tribal groups as a battering ram to bust down the Islamic State strongholds in eastern Syria." That really squares with all the recent advances, alliances, and recruitments that have been coming out places like Shaddadi; the tribes in the east just want ISIL loving gone, and if that means joining up with the SDF as "battering ram", well then that exactly what they're going to do.

The other very interesting line is "Kurdish official Perwin Yusuf Mohammed in the local administration of Hasakah said it is possible that the SDF will move into Deir ez-Zor in the future." If those same anti-ISIS Arab tribal groups are basically using the SDF to clear out ISIL, the the "SDF" could end up taking control of most of eastern Syria along the Euphrates. It wouldn't be the Kurds/YPG doing that though, it would be a bunch of local tribal fighters under the SDF banner.

fade5 fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Jun 25, 2016

# ? Jun 24, 2016 23:54

Constant Hamprince: Oct 24, 2010; by exmarx; College Slice

TildeATH posted:

I can't wait to live in a world where Turkey is in the EU and Britain is not.

The UK was the strongest (probably only) advocate for Turkish membership. It's never going to happen.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 09:10

Dusty Baker 2: Jul 8, 2011; Keyboard Inghimasi

Anybody have a good breakdown of the Syrian Tiger Forces? Like an Order of Battle or something, something that shows all the component units of the Tiger Forces, or any information on them really that goes beyond what Wikipedia has on them.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 09:58

MothraAttack: Apr 28, 2008

Syrian position in eastern Homs is looking increasingly fragile. They've lost Huwaysis for the second time this year and ISIS has advanced back to the gates of Palmyra city and near its airport. Meanwhile as noted above they're also pushing against Ithriya to the north in eastern Hama. I wouldn't want to be NDF in Salamiyah or its countryside about now.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 12:54

Bates: Jun 15, 2006

Apparently the New Syrian Army is being turned into the airborne wing of the rebel alliance.
https://twitter.com/Mzahem_Alsaloum/status/746666303721717760
Not quite sure if this is a splendid idea and how they will be used. It might freak out ISIL and force them to have deeper defensive lines. I dunno.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 16:29

Bip Roberts: Mar 29, 2005

Anos posted:

Apparently the New Syrian Army is being turned into the airborne wing of the rebel alliance.
https://twitter.com/Mzahem_Alsaloum/status/746666303721717760
Not quite sure if this is a splendid idea and how they will be used. It might freak out ISIL and force them to have deeper defensive lines. I dunno.

In what world would parachute insertions be a good idea when helicopter raids are available?

# ? Jun 25, 2016 18:10

Volkerball: Oct 15, 2009; by FactsAreUseless

Is twitter going to unsuspend malcolmite at some point or

# ? Jun 25, 2016 18:34

OctaMurk: Jun 21, 2013

Bip Roberts posted:

In what world would parachute insertions be a good idea when helicopter raids are available?

They could insert them by parachute at night and retrieve them by day

# ? Jun 25, 2016 18:47

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

Volkerball posted:

Is twitter going to unsuspend malcolmite at some point or

Who knows. Tweets and accounts related to the Syrian Civil War seem to disappear with alarming frequency, it's why I always include the text of the tweet below the actual tweet when I post twitter stuff. Hell, the tweet in this post is already gone, and that was just three days ago.

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/708094898084421632

quote:

Why have Twitter suspended the account of Heval Polat Can, YPG rep for the Coalition against ISIS?

Hell, back in March the twitter account for the literal YPG representative to the anti-ISIL coalition got suspended for a while, and that's a super high profile account compared to most of the other stuff posted here.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 20:30

ThingOne: Jul 30, 2011; Would you like some tofu?

I imagine every side spams every other side with reports. I don't know if Twitter has an automated system but if you send enough of them one will stick.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 20:54

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

ThingOne posted:

I imagine every side spams every other side with reports. I don't know if Twitter has an automated system but if you send enough of them one will stick.

Twitter's actually had to work on technology that specifically targets ISIL accounts, becuase ISIL is prolific with spamming twitter accounts, and it's been a hell of a fight/cat-and-mouse game between the two:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/05/technology/twitter-terrorists-isis/

quote:

The social media company said in a blog post Friday that it has suspended 125,000 accounts over the past seven months for threatening or promoting terrorist acts. Most of the people behind the accounts were affiliated with or supported ISIS, Twitter said.

ISIS recruiters have successfully used Twitter to lure disillusioned people to join their cause.

"We condemn the use of Twitter to promote terrorism," the company said in the blog post. "As the nature of the terrorist threat has changed, so has our ongoing work in this area."

Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) said that it has grown the team that reviews reports of terror activity on the network. The extra staff has made great strides in identifying terrorists on its network and has "significantly" reduced Twitter's response time when it needs to suspend an account, the company said.

Other tools in Twitter's arsenal against ISIS include spam-fighting software that is designed to seek out terrorists' accounts. Twitter is also partnering with law enforcement and online organizations working to counteract terrorists' online recruiting efforts. Account suspensions are up and terrorist activity is down, Twitter claims.

It's very possible that malcomite was accidentally caught in the virtual crossfire.

Anyway, not much news from Manbij because there's another media blackout:
https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/746760445776756736

quote:

MANBIJ: 25 JUN 2016, 1400 EDT. News blackout in place. YPG/SDF continue to consolidate gains and mount attacks.

That "heavy armor" he mentions includes this:
https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746663524810752001

quote:

#Manbij Vehicles moving to the front.

Looks like the SDF has at least one tank for the Manbij offensive.

Finally, a rather sad anniversary yesterday/today:
https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746625390320422912

quote:

Koban� today - One year anniversary of the Koban� massacre where over 200 civilians were killed by ISIS.

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746626597214629888

quote:

Koban� today

https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/746628887774433280

quote:

Koban� today

# ? Jun 25, 2016 21:49

A GIANT PARSNIP: Apr 13, 2010; Too much fuckin' eggnog

Bip Roberts posted:

In what world would parachute insertions be a good idea when helicopter raids are available?

The photo op costs way less than a $500,000 airstrike. If they force a single ISIS pickup truck to patrol useless parts of the desert they've had a great return on their investment.

There's also a very small chance that ISIS freaks the gently caress out and put a bunch of resources into protecting against fake parachute troopers.

A GIANT PARSNIP fucked around with this message at 23:36 on Jun 25, 2016

# ? Jun 25, 2016 23:33

A GIANT PARSNIP: Apr 13, 2010; Too much fuckin' eggnog

The Green Bay Packers have a couple of plays where receiver Randall Cobb tucks in as a running back. The Packers didn't spend much time cobbling the play together and they run it once every 2-3 games. Cobb never gains more than 2-3 yards, but the yardage isn't the point. Opposing teams need to look at it and talk about it in practice, which gives them less time to talk about more important things.

Even if ISIS doesn't commit a single unit to patrolling useless desert, there's going to be people in ISIS who waste their time looking at this and evaluating this when they should be focusing on other things.

# ? Jun 25, 2016 23:46

mobby_6kl: Aug 9, 2009; by Fluffdaddy

Falluja liberated? :woop:

quote:

The Iraqi army says it has seized the last strongholds of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in the city of Falluja.

The head of the counterterrorism forces in the operation, Lt Gen Abdul-Wahad al-Saadi, said his troops had entered the northwestern Golan neighbourhood, the last area still under IS control.

The city was "fully liberated", he said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36633140

Not much information otherwise so far.

# ? Jun 26, 2016 11:22

CherryCola: Apr 15, 2002; 'ahtaj alshifa

So apparently four years ago, I posted this article to Facebook:
http://jezebel.com/5921534/syrian-rebel-fighter-performs-impromptu-backstreet-boys-concert
Video doesn't work, but here's a repost. So charming :3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiuKalqE4LQ

I was curious what happened to this guy. Well, apparently he was with Al Muhahjereen Wal Ansar...turns out they joined the Al Nusra Front in 2015 and are now considered a terrorist group. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

What do you think are the odds that any of the people in this video are still alive?

# ? Jun 26, 2016 14:42

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

mobby_6kl posted:

Falluja liberated?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36633140

Not much information otherwise so far.

https://twitter.com/Alex_de_M/status/747038872350134272

quote:

Fallujah cleared in under a month with light casualties&relatively little damage. Job well done by ISF:

The Iraqi Army handled Fallujah better than the US army did. I'm still loving astounded by that.

https://twitter.com/MaxRostock/status/747109647673364483

quote:

#SDF has reached Haram Roundabout and Ajlan Gas-Station in #Manbij.

The account got the info via Jack Shahine, so it's probably reliable. No more info out of Manbij because of the info blackout.

fade5 fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Jun 26, 2016

# ? Jun 26, 2016 19:25

Homura and Sickle: Apr 21, 2013

fade5 posted:

The Iraqi Army handled Fallujah better than the US army did. I'm still loving astounded by that.

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20065&LangID=E

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/civilians-fleeing-fallujah-face-extreme-abuse-160607170116953.html

Also the Marine Corps were the main effort in 2nd Battle of Fallujah

# ? Jun 26, 2016 20:36

TildeATH: Oct 21, 2010; by Lowtax

fade5 posted:

#SDF has reached Haram Roundabout and Ajlan Gas-Station in #Manbij.

Sounds like a bad roundabout.

# ? Jun 26, 2016 20:41

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

Jagchosis posted:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20065&LangID=E

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/civilians-fleeing-fallujah-face-extreme-abuse-160607170116953.html

Also the Marine Corps were the main effort in 2nd Battle of Fallujah

quote:

�There are extremely distressing, credible reports that some people who survive the terrifying experience of escaping from ISIL, then face severe physical abuse once they reach the other side,� the High Commissioner said. �Eyewitnesses have described how armed groups operating in support of the Iraqi security forces are intercepting people fleeing the conflict, separating the men and teenage boys from the women and children, and detaining the males for �security screening�, which in some cases degenerates into physical violations and other forms of abuse, apparently in order to elicit forced confessions. There are even allegations that some individuals have been summarily executed by these armed groups.�

Iraq can't ever have nice things. Yeah, the militias are still sectarian shitheads, and I wish the Iraqi Army/Iraqi Government had better control over them. Sadly, there's probably not much that would change even if that would happen.

Mostly I'm just glad that Fallujah wasn't utterly leveled like Ramadi was, which bodes a bit better for the long-term.

And of course it was the Marines lead Fallujah, it's always the Marines when something gets utterly hosed up.

# ? Jun 26, 2016 20:59

Dapper_Swindler: Feb 14, 2012; Im glad my instant dislike in you has been validated again and again.

fade5 posted:

Iraq can't ever have nice things. Yeah, the militias are still sectarian shitheads, and I wish the Iraqi Army/Iraqi Government had better control over them. Sadly, there's probably not much that would change even if that would happen.

Mostly I'm just glad that Fallujah wasn't utterly leveled like Ramadi was, which bodes a bit better for the long-term.

And of course it was the Marines lead Fallujah, it's always the Marines when something gets utterly hosed up.

yeah, it sucks. I can kinda see abuse/executions if they are isis collaborators though. the problem is shia militia just kill anyone Suni. at least ISIS is being pushed back.

# ? Jun 26, 2016 22:08

Freakazoid_: Jul 5, 2013; Buglord

TildeATH posted:

Sounds like a bad roundabout.

It doesn't like to spend the day their way.

# ? Jun 27, 2016 01:19

Bates: Jun 15, 2006

Industrious Syrians finding new and tasty uses for Russian submunitions.
https://twitter.com/bm21_grad/status/747169939564396544

# ? Jun 27, 2016 01:48

goatsestretchgoals: Jun 4, 2011

Bip Roberts posted:

In what world would parachute insertions be a good idea when helicopter raids are available?

I imagine that Syrian rebel factions don't have a working IFF infrastructure, and also the entire country has or knows where a MANPADS is.

E: Edited to be less of a dick.

goatsestretchgoals fucked around with this message at 02:05 on Jun 27, 2016

# ? Jun 27, 2016 02:03

pantslesswithwolves: Oct 28, 2008

This is a very good and uncomfortably detailed article regarding the US and Gulf states' aid to rebels in Syria. Specifically it's about how some Jordanian intelligence officers were funneling said weapons to the black market.

Phone posting so I can't really post quotes, but it's very pro-read.

# ? Jun 27, 2016 05:42

fade5: May 31, 2012; by exmarx

suboptimal posted:

This is a very good and uncomfortably detailed article regarding the US and Gulf states' aid to rebels in Syria. Specifically it's about how some Jordanian intelligence officers were funneling said weapons to the black market.

Phone posting so I can't really post quotes, but it's very pro-read.

This is indeed a pro-click/pro-read.

In Manbij news, take your pick of maps:
https://twitter.com/Nrg8000/status/747411587888099333

quote:

#Map. The battle for #Manbij has become too fine for my basemap but here's the situation as of last night.

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/747212641513373697

quote:

MANBIJ: 26 JUN 2016, 1940EDT. Heavy fighting in north, YPG SDF advance as far as Manbij cemetery in south.

Which one of these maps is the most accurate? I honestly have no idea. It's certainly possible the SDF has made huge advances under the media blackout, or some of these maps may be overestimations. However, they all generally agree that the SDF is doing a push from the south towards the city center.

# ? Jun 27, 2016 14:51

Count Roland: Oct 6, 2013

Turkey is mending relations.

quote:

Israel and Turkey have normalised relations, ending a six-year rift over the killing by Israeli troops of 10 Turkish activists on a Gaza-bound ship.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a deal reached on Sunday would see Israel pay $20m (�15m) in compensation.

It will also allow Turkey to send aid to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects in the Palestinian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement would help bring "stability" to the Middle East.

Turkey was once Israel's closest ally in the region, and the two countries share many strategic interests.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36639834

And what to me is a surprise:

quote:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has apologised for the downing of a Russian military jet on the Turkey-Syria border, a Kremlin spokesman said.

Mr Erdogan sent a message to President Vladimir Putin expressing "sympathy and deep condolences" to the family of the killed pilot, the spokesman said.

Turkey had angered Moscow by failing to apologise for the incident in November.

Russia responded by imposing trade sanctions and suspending Russian package tours to Turkey.

Mr Putin said at the time the restrictions would not be lifted until Russia received an apology.

Mr Erdogan spoke of his deep regret for what happened and said he wanted to restore relations, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with which the Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations," Mr Peskov said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36643435

# ? Jun 27, 2016 15:47

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# ? May 26, 2024 12:38

TK-42-1: Oct 30, 2013; looks like we have a bad transmitter

Ergdogan seeing the US not give a poo poo about him, tries to cozy to Russia. Big surprise.

# ? Jun 27, 2016 15:55

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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