Syrian War: News #13

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:35 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) resumed their offensive in northern Syria, Monday, targeting the Islamic State’s (ISIL) last positions along the Raqqa-Aleppo axis.

Led by their elite Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army stormed a number of villages in western Al-Raqqa, striking the Islamic State’s weak defenses from the northern flank.

According to a military source from the Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army liberated more than 15 villages in the Al-Raqqa Governorate after a fierce battle with the Islamic State.

As a result of today’s advance, the Syrian Arab Army has reached parts of the Al-Raqqa Governorate that they have not seen since their withdrawal from the area in early 2013.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-isil-mass-retreat-syrian-army-advances-raqqa/

Yusha Yuseef‏@MIG29_ 55m55 minutes ago
Replying to @MIG29_ @hamza_780

East Homs Map update
Syrian Army advance north Abo Kula Dam
BY @MIG29_
BY @hamza_780
HD | http://store4.up-00.com/2017-06/149729974351021.jpg …

There is a serious death toll going on in the SAA, many officers of all ranks are dying round the country. This is just the latest, shows a definite leading from the front.

Ivan Sidorenko‏ @IvanSidorenko1 3m3 minutes ago

#Syria #SyrianDesert #Syrian_Desert Brigadier General Asef Selim Sabbouh of the #SAA #SyrianArmy 1st Division was Martyred 2 days ago.

Rushing to capture things will get them in really bad shape in long run. They need
to advance but with major priority in not losing soldiers. Because all those zone they capture can be reversed over night ,as we saw ISIS can do with lots of suicide bombers.

VIDEO: Syrian Army sets up several bases near Iraqi border
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-syrian-army-sets-several-bases-near-iraqi-border/

US nurtured Al-Qaeda & supported terrorists in Chechnya – Putin

The US is to blame for the rise of Al-Qaeda and its late mastermind Osama bin Laden, which it empowered to fight Soviet troops in Afghanistan, Vladimir Putin told Oliver Stone. Putin also said there is proof the CIA supported terrorists in Russia’s Chechnya.

In the first episode of Stone’s hugely anticipated Showtime series, which aired Monday night, the Russian leader reflected on the origin of Islamic extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda.

“Al-Qaeda is not the result of our activities. This is the result of activities of our US friends. This all started in the times of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, when the US security services supported different movements of Islamic fundamentalism in their struggle against the Soviet troops in Afghanistan,” Putin told Stone, adding that the “US side has nurtured both Al-Qaeda and [Osama] bin Laden.”

Washington should have foreseen that backing Islamists will backfire, with extremists eventually getting out of control.

“It always happens like this. Our US partners should have been aware of it. It is their fault,” Putin said.

Nevertheless, Moscow stood by the US’s side after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, claimed by Al-Qaeda. In a show of solidarity with Washington, Moscow decided to scrap the scheduled war games following the attack, Putin revealed to Stone.

“In these kind of situations the first persons are in need of moral and political support. We wanted to show that kind of support,” the Russian leader said.

CIA styled Chechen terrorists as ‘opposition’
Speaking to Stone, Putin accused the US of both openly cheering and covertly financing the Islamist militant groups in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Chechnya during the two Chechen wars. Moreover, the president said there is evidence available that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) even admitted keeping in touch with the terrorists, styling them as the “opposition.”

“If we speak about a political support, there is no need in proving evidence. It has been done publicly, openly. And if we speak about urgent financial support – we have such evidence and furthermore have already provided it to our US colleagues,” Putin said.

Putin revealed he confronted George W. Bush about the CIA supporting Chechen militants and got a response from Bush that he would “deal with it.”

Later, however, Moscow got a letter from the CIA through “partner channels,” which suggested there will be no change in policy on the issue.

“Indeed, we have later received via our partner links a letter from the US CIA, which said that our colleagues consider that they have a right to maintain relations with all the representatives of the opposition and would continue to do so. It was obvious that it was not only about opposition groups, but about terrorist groups and organizations,” Putin said.

Touching on the issue of the current state of the US-Russian relations, Putin said that if the US strategy toward Russia is indeed focused on disrupting its economy and toppling its government to get hold of its vast nuclear stockpile, then it is incredibly shortsighted.

“I think that it is a wrong policy exactly because such understanding of relations with Russia is not aimed at future. People, who think like that, do not see further than 25-50 years ahead,” Putin said, adding that attempts to turn Russia state into a vassal state will inevitably backfire.

The Russian president argued that the US has “got a false sense that it is able to do everything without any consequences,” in particular after the Soviet Union’s collapse.

“In such a situation, a man or a country begins to make mistakes… The state begins to function ineffectively. One mistake follows another. That is the trap in which, as I believe, the United States got caught into,” Putin reflected.

https://www.rt.com/news/392022-putin-stone-us-alqaeda-chechnya/

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Iran’s Supreme Leader calls US fight against ISIS ‘a lie’ as allegations intensify

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has claimed Washington is lying about fighting terrorism in the Middle East, saying US activity has instead given rise to Islamic State. Tehran’s foreign minister says the US has not honored the nuclear deal.
"You [the United States] and your agents are the source of instability in the Middle East... Who created Islamic State? America ... America's claim of fighting against Islamic State is a lie," said Khamenei, the hardline Iranian leader known for his sharp anti-American rhetoric, addressing senior Iranian officials on Monday.

Weighing on the chances of Iran-US relations improving, Khamenei said there was hardly any room for rapprochement, arguing that Washington is against the very idea of “an independent Iran,” Reuters reported.

“America is a terrorist country and backs terrorism... therefore, we cannot normalize ties with such a country,” Khamenei said.

It comes as relations between Tehran and Washington have grown increasingly strained, most recently overshadowed by a string of allegations made by a number of high-ranking Iranian officials claiming the US had forged an alliance with Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

On Sunday, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mostafa Izadi, claimed Tehran had obtained “documents and information” that purport to prove that Washington has been directly supporting IS to wage “a proxy warfare in the region.”

Earlier, Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani accused Washington of being an ally of Islamic State in the region.

https://www.rt.com/news/392016-iran-khamenei-us-isis-fight-lie/

20+ more villages captured by Tigar Force.

Some quick maps

to the road to RAKKA...
Resafa - Sergiopolis liberated
https://www.google.gr/maps/@35.6290748,38.7652122,12.71z

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-kicks-off-raqqa-offensive-big-way-key-town-liberated/
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a massive offensive in the Al-Raqqa Governorate, Monday, targeting the Islamic State’s (ISIL) last positions in the western countryside of the province.

Led by their elite Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army liberated several villages in the western countryside of Al-Raqqa, yesterday, paving the way for their rapid advance to the key oil field of Rusafa this morning.

According to a source from the Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army reached the Rusafa Junction earlier this morning before they reached the town itself.
The source added that all of the area west of the Rusafa Oil Field has been liberated, along with the town; however, the army has yet to enter because of potential hazards like IEDs planted by the retreating terrorists.

As a result of today’s advance, the Syrian Arab Army has reached the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) lines around Tabaqa, marking the first time in nearly three years that they have had any presence in this area.