Syrian Civil War: News

Russia, Syria Exchange Files on Foreign Fighters - Official

RIA Novosti

15:20 12/07/2013 MOSCOW, July 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russian and Syrian special services are exchanging data over reports that hundreds of foreign rebels – including Russians and Americans – are fighting in Syria, a Russian foreign ministry official said in a recent interview.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, a presidential envoy to the Middle East, told RIA Novosti earlier this week that Russians are among hundreds of rebels fighting the Syrian government forces in the conflict, which has been going on for more than two years.

He said that Russian and Syrian intelligence services are keeping in touch over the issue of foreign fighters and “exchanging information” on the issue. Bogdanov could not immediately say whether any foreign rebels had been detained.

“There are hundreds of mercenaries, militants from different states, including from European countries and the United States. Russians are formally there too, but [they] are fighting for the rebels of illegal militant groups linked to an underground terrorist resistance movement, and are affiliated with al-Qaida,” Bogdanov said in the interview.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that up to 600 militants from Russia and Europe are fighting together with Syrian rebels against the government there.

Federal Security Service (FSB) head Alexander Bortnikov said in May that about 200 Russian rebels are playing an active role in fighting in Syria.

A recent study by experts at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy together with Flashpoint Global Partners, a terrorism research group, analyzed the national origins of 280 foreign fighters reported killed in Syria between July 2012 and May this year.

According to the report, most foreign fighters participating in the conflict have come from nearby countries as a result of the Arab Spring.

The study found that at least 17 fighters of Russian origin had been killed over that period, including 10 from the Muslim-populated North Caucasus regions.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/syria/2013/syria-130712-rianovosti01.htm?_m=3n.002a.854.dd0ao031i6.s2o

Always good to see Russian equipment in action - new video from ANNA

Really good footage (interesting how traffic is going on like it is all in order  )



Anyway bandits are doing good job of killing between themselves. Interesting thing is now that one bandit group is seeking arms from US/EU to fight other bandit
group on a Syrian territory. This is getting ridiculous.

A new, quite reasonably looking map:

Viktor wrote:Always good to see Russian equipment in action - new video from ANNA

Really good footage (interesting how traffic is going on like it is all in order  )



Anyway bandits are doing good job of killing between themselves. Interesting thing is now that one bandit group is seeking arms from US/EU to fight other bandit
group on a Syrian territory. This is getting ridiculous.

Jesus. look at that all that destruction. Syria is screwed for decades.
At this point the best resolution IMO would be quick government victory (didn't say most realistic, just best) and some moderate replacing Assad. It would be an insulting shame if he lived through all this and continued to reign.

Video is very very interesting:
1.) Who was filming from the building when the Syrian IFVs were doing work on the road?
2.) Those BMPs were begging for slat cages. Especially in a scenario like that, with easy ambushes from buildings.
3.) Nice maneuver by BMPs to offload infantry right into buildings doorway, so they dont get hit in the open.
4.) Recoilless Rifle fired like an RPG :O
5.) Those BMPs were hasty. This seemed like a Thunder Run, Syria style.

China construction companies will clean this mess in no time. Seriously some contract have already been signed.  

(I have read some article that China build /in some African country can remember whose/ city for 200 000 people with roads, hospitals, apartments everything in

3 fricking years.

TR1 wrote:At this point the best resolution IMO would be quick government victory (didn't say most realistic, just best) and some moderate replacing Assad. It would be an insulting shame if he lived through all this and continued to reign.

But if the government wins, why should Assad be replaced? He would be the victor, right? Stepping aside would in part validate all of the insurgent's issues in the first place, would he really do that? If he stays in power the mess can be blamed on them. If he steps down, people can point to him and say "see, if you'd have done that in the first place none of this would've happened." Don't know enough about the guy to ponder how his mind might work, but if it was me, if I win, you've failed and are therefore stuck with me  

Viktor wrote:China construction companies will clean this mess in no time. Seriously some contract have already been signed. Very Happy

I have read some article that China build /in some African country can remember whose/ city for 200 000 people with roads, hospitals, apartments everything in

3 fricking years.

Fast construction isn't anything new in their part of the world. I remember living in the ROK and there was some city off of Highway 1 going into Seoul that basically appeared over the year I was there. Tall buildings and everything.

SOC wrote:

TR1 wrote:At this point the best resolution IMO would be quick government victory (didn't say most realistic, just best) and some moderate replacing Assad. It would be an insulting shame if he lived through all this and continued to reign.

But if the government wins, why should Assad be replaced?  He would be the victor, right?  Stepping aside would in part validate all of the insurgent's issues in the first place, would he really do that?  If he stays in power the mess can be blamed on them.  If he steps down, people can point to him and say "see, if you'd have done that in the first place none of this would've happened."  Don't know enough about the guy to ponder how his mind might work, but if it was me, if I win, you've failed and are therefore stuck with me  

I mean more in the passing away sort of replacement.

TR1 wrote:I mean more in the passing away sort of replacement.

Point taken  

Assad was the leader of a moderate government that was tollerant of all religious groups.

Any replacement is hardly likely to be any better and could possibly be much much worse.

The best result would be if foreigners stopped supporting the rebels and the Syrian government forces crushed them quickly so that things can be rebuilt and go back to the way they were before when Syria was a functioning country.

Demanding Assad step aside or pass away is stupid... a small armed militant group of groups that had dragged Syria into the shthole should have no demands met... their ridiculous violence should not be rewarded in any way.

Once it is over they can hold open and free and fair elections and let the people of Syria decide who should lead them and Assad should be an option as much as any other candidate.

The alternative is that the west wins by insighting the opposite of the peace and democracy they keep bsing about... how could that be a good result for the people of Syria... and if they did succeed where would it end? They care little for the deaths of Syrians or even their foreign stooges.

Of course the amusing thing is that if the rebels did finally get their way there is a pretty good chance the nutball sunni regime that takes over will please the US in being anti Iranian, but will likely also be anti Israeli and actually make things rather worse... which would be amusing, but I doubt the West or the US have thought things that far through... it is all about destabilising Iran so all that nationalised oil can be freed up and fill the profit margins of western oil companies...

SAA AFV losses October 2011-March 2013:


In total:

Tanks: 380

Infantry fighting vehicles: 320

Command post vehicles: 6

Armoured recovery vehicles: 7

Self-propelled guns: 14

Armoured personnel carriers: 14

Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons: 24

Reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM): 26

Shilka / (Flak) Self-propelled guns: 30

Armored cars: 31

I don't know the exact source.

I remember seeing a Russian list of lost AFVs several months ago and it was similar. Tank losses alone exceeded 300 or even 400 if I remember correctly (destroyed and captured)

These losses may not be as impressive at first considering that Assad army has 3000-4000 tanks but remember that during 2011-12 due to fear of massive defections Assad deployed only the most loyal one third of the armed forces. Maybe that's why they now rely heavily on pro-regime militias and foreign volunteers from Lebanon and Shia part of Iraq.

ttp://www.ejection-history.org.uk/CONFLICTS/SYRIA_2011_2012/Syrian_Conflict.htm - Air Force losses.

Russian data as of April 2013:

- While this map seems more realistic than other I must point out that all maps are wrong as there is no clear line between the bandits and Syrian Army. It is fluent and changeable from day to day. (expect for cities)

- Those losses represent about 10% of the Syrian army stocks. Syrian army is really strong in terms of numbers.

10% of AFV fleet is a lot. First -there are no replacements, second - we don't know how many of these thousands of tanks and BMPs are operational. During the battle of Kursk Germans lost about 25% of their tank fleet and it was considered an operational failure.

Russian data as of April 2013:

   



Ok, ok ......very funny joke , man.

You truly maked my day     

I am not going to discuss it with you anyway...

As Sa'iqa wrote:10% of AFV fleet is a lot. First  -there are no replacements, second - we don't know how many of these thousands of tanks and BMPs are operational. During the battle of Kursk Germans lost about 25% of their tank fleet and it was considered an operational failure.

Yeah those data mostly comes from western ass much as all the other stuff when talking about Syria.
Many of those knocked out tanks can be easily repaired by the crews on the ground or their logistic centers but will nevertheless be counted as destroyed. We have seen that many times done by US and Israel forces during their fighting.

Why not post the source for the table?

http://iltg2009.livejournal.com/

A blog by A Russian guy. Seems to have done a lot of analysis of the running battles.

Well Britain gave up on sending arms to bandits on the fears that could backfire on them
David Cameron warned arming Syrian rebels could embroil Britain in all-out war


Previously US did the same thing
Exclusive: Congress delaying U.S. aid to Syrian rebels - sources


Bandits clashing with bandits
Report: Syria rebels say al Qaeda attack opens new front in war


and the always funny Frenchie now want to talk to Assad
François Fillon: I leave Lebanon less pessimistic than when I arrived


Iraq foreign minister said that Iraq can not stop Iran sending arms to Syria (or they wont)
Iraq 'Can't Stop' Iran Arms Transfer To Syria


And Syrian army found more bandits chemical weapons around Damascus
Syrian rebels' Damascus chemical cache found by Assad army - State TV

I think the best idea is to arm the rebels well enough so that they don't lose but not heavily enough so that they are unable the win. The goal is to lure as many islamists as possible to fight and embrace martyrdom.

At the same time people from Europe who go to fight there should be stripped off their citizenship and not allowed to go back.

Werewolf wrote:You mean arm foreigner terrorists more that they can kill more civilians than they already did and delay the end of the war for another year or more?

Right. The more islamists embrace martyrdom there, the better.

It wouldn't be too hard to prolong the war as islamists generally lack even the most basic understanding of military strategy. Just look at Taliban and Al Qaeda - they bravely attacked the most powerful country in the world (USA) instead of trying to conquer their weaker neighbors first.

Werewolf wrote:They are not rebels, they are not syrians, the absolute minority are syrians rest are trained dogs with boot camps in Turkey, Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Kuwait, Jordan and even fucking Cechenian terrorists come there, few americans are there, europeans are there and so on, how exactly are these bastard Rebels? Rebeling against a foreign countries regime? That is not a rebellion it's a terrorist war fought by USA,Israel and their leashed dog NATO for oil, geopolitical positioning and regional power for Israhell.

Countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar aren't pro western in the strict sense. Even though they sell us oil and buy our weapons, they still consider us to be infidel dogs, worthy of nothing but death or living as second class citizens under Islamic rule.

That's why they spend a lot of money to spread Islam in the West, while on the contrary, no Christian priests are allowed to preach freely in these countries and local Christians aren't even allowed to build churches there.

And can yoo stop giving me bad reputation!? I don't minus you for not agreeing with me so you shouldn't do this either.

members are allowed to give what they see fit be, it negative or positive- RP

War creates radicals.

What you are advocating is continuing a war that will continue to suck in and kill more and more Syrians.

That is disturbing to put lightly, mildly psychopathic really.