Utopia Talk / Politics / tukrey,Russia, Syria avec IX

swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Jan 06 22:13:36 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C1eKMxFXEAAqgEY.jpg:large
jergul large member	Sat Jan 07 02:10:11 I actually don't see much wrong in that statement. The US chose non-involvement and saw some upsides to a radical group gaining momentum. It does contradict what the US has said earlier (that Assad fostered ISIS), but beyond that...
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Jan 07 20:00:33 How The Mainstream Media Turned Al Qaeda Into A US Ally In Syria http://www...-turned-al-qaeda-us-ally-syria
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Jan 07 20:16:49 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey: "I know major Arab allies who fund them." http://www...es-us-arab-allies-funding-isis
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Mon Jan 16 11:37:09 Situation in Dier ez zor is not looking too good right now.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Jan 17 12:24:38 Syrian Army attempts to lift the siege on Deir Ezzor Airport http://www...lift-siege-deir-ezzor-airport/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Jan 17 12:35:07 Syrie: la Garde présidentielle et le Hezbollah débarquent à Deir ez-Zor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udvtMPcUOdc&feature=youtu.be
Pillz Member	Tue Jan 17 13:27:30 Noooooo The druze beast will hold it.
Rugian Member	Tue Jan 17 18:09:29 ISIS' ability to fight on, like, every front is impressive. Between Dayr al-Zawr, al-Bab, Tadmur, al-Raqqah, and Mosul, that's five(?) battlegrounds underway as we speak, against a multitude of national and subnational governments. Niggas know how to make their mark, got to give them that.
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Wed Jan 18 01:22:38 It is actually not as impressive as one would think. The people fighting IS are not coordinating. Think of a badly coordinated movie fight, when the bad guys jump the hero one by one only to get their asses handed to them. Not quite, but in that direction. Meanwhile IS has one central command, not 5 national and sub-national. Their "success" is as much about the ineptitude and unwillingness of people around them.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Jan 18 09:53:29 Germany’s Leopard Tanks Prove Vulnerable In Islamic State Fight (excerpt) (Source: Stars and Stripes; published Jan 17, 2017) By Slobodan Lekic KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany --- The reputation of Germany’s vaunted Leopard 2 tank, which forms the mainstay of NATO’s armored forces, has taken a pounding in battles with Islamic State militants in Syria. At least 10 of the 60-ton main battle tanks have been destroyed during a Turkish attempt to recapture the strategically important northern town of al-Bab, located just 15 miles south of the Turkish border, media reports have said. The Turks have deployed several thousand soldiers in the operation, which began in September. But despite airstrikes by Russian warplanes in support of the advancing troops, they have been unable to take the town in the face of determined opposition. Several dozen Turkish soldiers and local allies have died in the combat. Germany’s Die Welt newspaper said at least 10 Leopard 2s were destroyed and many others damaged in street fighting on the outskirts of al-Bab. The rebels are said to have used both U.S.-made TOW and Russian Kornet anti-tank missiles in attacks on the tanks. Turkey’s leaders have criticized the Obama administration last month for not providing strike support to their units engaged in the al-Bab operation. The 60-ton Leopard 2, built by Bavaria’s Krauss-Maffei, has been in service since the 1980s. A total of 2,100 were bought by the German army. But after the Cold War, defense cuts caused a sharp reduction in numbers, and only 325 of a modernized version currently remain in the inventory of the country’s panzer units. About 20 of these are the heavily redesigned and modernized A7 model, but many are earlier A4 models — the same as used by the Turkish army. (end of excerpt) Click here for the full story, on the Stars and Stripes website. -ends- http://www...ulnerable-in-syria-combat.html
murder Member	Wed Jan 18 16:58:12 "Turkey’s leaders have criticized the Obama administration last month for not providing strike support to their units engaged in the al-Bab operation." Provide your own damn support!
murder Member	Wed Jan 18 17:01:18 "It is actually not as impressive as one would think. The people fighting IS are not coordinating. Think of a badly coordinated movie fight, when the bad guys jump the hero one by one only to get their asses handed to them." So what you're saying is that ISIS is Bruce Lee? Shit, even Chuck Norris can't beat him! :o(
Allahuakbar Member	Fri Jan 20 11:44:05 After Russians fled IS can finish the work finish the work :-) http://eur...itheater-syrias-palmyra-544977 ISIS Destroys Roman Amphitheater Facade in Syria’s Palmyra The group also destroyed the tetrapylon, a cubic-shaped ancient Roman monument. By Jack Moore On 1/20/17
McKobb Member	Fri Jan 20 11:49:44 Destroying tangible history is the only way they will be remembered in a thousand years.
jergul large member	Fri Jan 20 15:52:42 Hardly anything remarkable about destroying cultural artifacts. Besides, its just a smokescreen to increase the marketable value of smuggled antiquities. No one will be looking if they think it was destroyed.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Jan 21 20:49:26 21 January 2017 What’s going on in Idlib? - TTG “BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:30 P.M.) - The jihadist rebels of Jund Al-Aqsa (Al-Qaeda franchise) and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham clashed again in the Idlib Governorate, marking the end of this brief period of peace. According to local rebel activists, Jund Al-Aqsa carried out a surprise attack in the Jabal Al-Zawiyah area of rural Idlib on Friday, targeting a Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham prison that was holding 13 of their members. Jund Al-Aqsa's surprise attack on this prison paid off, as they managed to free 13 of their members while also seizing a large cache of weapons from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham in the village of Qaminas. These two rebel factions are no strangers to infighting, as they both have engaged in their share of attacks against one another in both Idlib and Hama.” (Reported in Al Masdar News on 20 Jan) ———————————— Release No: NR-019-17 Jan. 20, 2017 U.S. manned and unmanned aircraft conducted a precision air strike Jan. 19 against an al-Qaida training camp in Idlib Province, Syria. More than 100 al-Qaida fighters were killed in the strike. The Shaykh Sulayman Training Camp was operational since at least 2013. The removal of this training camp disrupts training operations and discourages hardline Islamist and Syrian opposition groups from joining or cooperating with al-Qaida on the battlefield. U.S. strikes have killed more than 150 al-Qaida terrorists since Jan. 1. These strikes include the removal of Mohammad Habib Boussadoun al-Tunisi, an external operations leader, on Jan. 17; Abd al-Jalil al-Muslimi, a facilitator associated with a network plotting terror attacks in the west, on Jan. 12; and Abu Hasan al-Taftanaz, an al-Qaida senior leader, on Jan. 6. These strikes, conducted in quick succession, degrade al-Qaida's capabilities, weaken their resolve, and cause confusion in their ranks. (official DOD press release) ———————————— Seems the growing pool of jihadis around Idlib are suffering from the dual effects of “multi-culti” overcrowding of different groups in too small an area and the loss of their sugar daddies. That’s enough to make anybody testy. Good. Let the bastards soften themselves up with all this infighting before the R+6 must inevitably deal with them. What’s happening in Idlib now brought to mind one of the scenarios Colonel Land and I bandied about when we were developing the last war game. ———————————— “On the heels of the liberation of Aleppo, the Russian 45th Detached Reconnaissance Brigade received orders to prepare for deployment to Syria. A few days before Christmas and augmented with Hizbullah commando units its teams were inserted by ground infiltration, airdrop and helicopter insertion to conduct reconnaissance of the area north of Idlib to include the Kafriya/al-Fou'ah pocket and the Taftanaz Military Airfield. Within days of their arrival on target, these Spetznaz and Hibzullah teams began targeting jihadi leadership in surrounding towns along with ATGM launchers and ammo stores. These attacks simulated a pattern of inter-group fighting among the jihadis through targeted killings, raids and ambushes. The locations of AA launchers and missiles were provided through GRU cooperation/penetration of Turkish suppliers. After the murder of Ambassador Karlov, Erdogan has quietly slowed the resupply of the Idlib rebels/jihadis and has deftly hampered the efforts of NATO and the Gulfies to effectively reorganize the rebels. It seems the Russians can be quite persuasive and know the value of discreet diplomacy. They are also masters of maskirovka. Russian and Syrian media outlets play up the apparent disunity and in-fighting among the Idlib rebels and attribute the increasing assassinations and attacks to that in-fighting.” (from an email between TTG and Turcopolier) ———————————— Developing this stuff was fun. It was so much fun, I went down to the cellar and dug my web gear out of my old rucksack. I fondled it and, just for a moment, wished to be a young man again. In this scenario, the boyos from the 45th were the invisible hand behind the growing jihadi distress and infighting among the Idlib jihadis. That’s probably not happening in Idlib today, but who knows. A man can dream, can’t he? I’m sure most of you heard about the nine IS jihadis who were rendered unconscious and killed by unknown assailants in the village of Hatleh outside Deir az-Zor on 19 Jan. In the nearby towns of al-Mayadeen and al-Ashareh,the locals stormed several IS centers and set them on fire. Whether this is a sign of popular uprisings against the jihadis or the result of some invisible hand gently nudging from behind, this is a damned good turn of events. DOL TTG Posted at 07:00 PM in Syria, TTG | http://tur...ats-going-on-in-idlib-ttg.html
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Jan 21 21:00:41 Below The Turret Ring Samstag, 21. Januar 2017 Leopard 2 in Syria - part 2 http://bel...leopard-2-in-syria-part-2.html in Syria - part 2
jergul large member	Mon Jan 23 01:41:12 MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russia and Syria have signed an agreement on expanding the territory of the Russian Navy’s logistics facility in Tartus for 49 years. The document was published on the official legal information portal. "The current agreement will stay effective for 49 years and be automatically prolonged for 25-year periods, if neither party makes a twelve months’ notice in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the agreement’s operation," the document runs. "Russia will use the facilities subject to joint use on the disinterested basis," the agreement says. Read also Russia returns lost positions by expanding Navy base in Syria’s Tartus ― lawmaker Deal on Russia’s Tartus naval base in Syria 'at final stage' — senator Lawmaker says military base in Tartus will elevate Russian militaries’ status Russia plans permanent naval base in Syria's Tartus — official Russian warship heads for Syria's Tartus "The logistic facility shall enjoy full immunity from the civil and administrative jurisdiction of Syria. Its movable and immovable property enjoys immunity from search, requisition, arrest or executory measures," the document states. The facility’s personnel, including its commander, personnel and crews and their members will enjoy immunity and privileges. They are guaranteed the inviolability of the person. "They shall not be subject to arrest or detention in whatever form by the Syrian authorities. The personnel of the facility, the families of personnel and of crewmembers are guaranteed the inviolability of the home, documents, property and correspondence," the agreement states. The archive of the logistics base, all official correspondence and all documents enjoy immunity regardless of their location. Up to 11 Russian vessels including nuclear ships will simultaneously stop at the naval facility in Syria’s Tartus. "The maximum number of Russian warships allowed to stay simultaneously at the maintenance base is 11, including nuclear-powered combat ships, provided that nuclear and environmental safety is complied with," the document says. "The Russian side has the right to bring to the logistics facility through the territory of Syria and evacuate from the logistic facility across Syria any weapons, ammunition, equipment and materials crucial to maintaining the security of the personnel and their families, crewmembers and Russian contractors and to performing missions by Russian ships without any duties levied by the Syrian side." Hmeymim aerodrome Russia and Syria have signed an agreement for 49 years on the presence of Russia’s aerospace group at Syria’s Hmeymim base. The document was published on the legal information portal on Friday. Under the arrangement Syria will let Russia use part of the Hmeymim airdrome and ground facilities on disinterested terms. Gallery 4 photo Russia's S-400 air defense systems © Russian Defense Ministry Three layers of Russian air defense at Hmeymim air base in Syria "Perimeter protection of places of deployment of the Russian aerospace group is ensured by the Syrian side. The Russian side ensures air defense of places of deployment of the Russian aerospace group, interior guard and law and order at places of deployment of the Russian aerospace group," the document says. According to the protocol, the Syrian side will be responsible for outer protection of the coastal borders of places of deployment of the logistics center. The Tartus base will be maintained through Russia’s forces and resources, the document says. "The Russian side has the right to send to the Syrian Arab Republic and maintain at its expense the required personnel of the maintenance center," the document says. The Russia-Syria agreement on the presence of Russia’s aerospace group at Syria’s Hmeymim base will operate for 49 years and will be prolonged for subsequent 25-year periods, if neither party makes a twelve months’ notice in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate its operation. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an instruction to sign a protocol to the agreement on deployment of a Russian aerospace group in Syria in December 2016. The protocol regulates issues of deployment of the Russian aviation group and its property, as well as logistics issues. More: http://tass.com/defense/926348
jergul large member	Mon Jan 23 01:44:16 MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. The Russian army will get over 900 tanks and armored vehicles and 170 aircraft in 2017, Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said at the ministry’s final board meeting. Read also Russia’s Aerospace Force to fully renew aircraft by 2026 "The task is to ensure the delivery of 905 tanks and modern armored vehicles, make 170 new and upgraded aircraft operational in the Aerospace Force and naval aviation. To rearm four antiaircraft missile regiments with S-400 systems. To make operational eight surface ships and nine combat boats operational in the Navy, deliver four Bal and Bastion missile complexes to the coastal defense troops. To place three radar stations of high factory readiness on combat duty in Yeniseisk, Orsk and Barnaul," the defense minister said, speaking about the ministry’s plans. The Russian Aerospace Force is set to receive five modernized strategic bombers in 2017, the defense minister said. There are plans "to make operational five modernized strategic aviation airborne systems," he added. Strategic forces regiments Three regiments armed with modern missile systems will assume combat duty in Russia’s Strategic Missile Force in 2017. "For the strategic nuclear forces, the task is to put three missile regiments armed with modem missile systems on combat duty in the Strategic Missile Force," the defense minister said. Read also A ballistic missile silo (archive) Russian Strategic Missile Force armed with about 400 ballistic missiles — Defense Ministry Six regiments armed with Yars ICBMs assumed combat duty in 2015 and another four were put on combat duty in 2016. The Russian Aerospace Force received almost 250 aircraft in 2015 and the plans for 2016 envisaged the delivery of about 200 planes, including nine modernized strategic bombers. In 2016, the Russian Defense Ministry rearmed five regiments with S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems while 24 warships and vessels and two submarines joined Russia’s Navy. Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov said earlier that the Defense Ministry planned to annually purchase about 200 aircraft and helicopters, up to 30 warships, vessels and submarines and also up to 600 pieces of the armor. The Russian Defense Ministry intends to reinforce its army groups in the western, southwestern and Arctic areas next year: "To take measures to reinforce the army groups in the western, southwestern and Arctic strategic areas, to make sure that defense contracts are placed and fulfilled in time." The Black Sea Fleet to receive three submarines The Russian Black Sea Fleet will receive three new submarines and two frigates next year, Fleet Commander Alexander Vitko said on Thursday. Read also Sukhoi Su-34 plane nicknamed ‘Duckling:’ Russian Aerospace Force’s best bomber A watershed year for Russia's Sukhoi combat aircraft on the global arms market New Su-30, Il-38 planes and other top picks of the Russian Navy this year Defense minister says new military hardware enhances Russia's combat potential "In 2017, we’ll accept three submarines and two frigates," the commander told journalists at an enlarged board meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow. The commander said two of these submarines had the names Krasnodar and Stary Oskol. "New ships are arriving for the Fleet. This year, we have accepted about 30 ships and vessels, of which ten are combat ships and boats," the commander said. A new formation of coastal defense troops was established in the Black Sea Fleet this year, the commander said. More: http://tass.com/defense/921460
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Mon Jan 23 18:23:50 ISIS Destroyed Russian-Made T-90 Tank East Of Khanaser (Photo, Video) http://sou...ast-of-khanaser-graphic-photo/
jergul large member	Thu Jan 26 02:48:36 DAMASCUS, January 26. /TASS/. Residents of the Wadi Barada River valley, a region, which supplies water to Syria’s Damascus province are finally returning to normal civilian life. More than 2,600 gunmen that were active there have laid down their arms. Those who refused to return to a ‘normal’ life have been evacuated by the authorities to the Idlib province with their families, Colonel Alexander Blinkov, Spokesman for the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, told reporters. Read also Russian strategic bombers wipe out terrorist targets in Syria "The local population in the Wada Barada valley is returning to a peaceful civilian life," he said. "Steps are currently being taken as part of the first stage of a comprehensive reconciliation plan in this area. To date, more than 2,600 people have already legalized their status. Hardcore opposition members who refused to surrender weapons are leaving for the Idlib province with their families with the assistance of the Syrian authorities." The militants who are filing to adjust their legal status have joined self-defense units. "The population continues to receive humanitarian aid and basic necessities, such as food packages and medicines," Blinkov stated. He noted that some extremist-bent opposition members, who refused to lay down their arms, are hiding in the mountainous areas and continue to shell the adjacent areas and populated localities from time to time hindering civilians’ return to a normal life. "The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties has stepped up efforts, primarily ideological, to persuade the militants remaining in this area that settling the reconciliation issue is only possible by returning to the peace talks," he said. The majority of settlements in the region have joined the reconciliation process. Lines at reconciliation points Civilian life is presently being restored. "Recently, a great number of militants have come to realize the need to return to a peaceful routine and live a normal life like all the rest under our flag," said Osama al-Almari, the head of administration of the village of Ain El-Fijeh. People come to specially arranged reconciliation points to legalize their status, get benefits and so on. There are hundreds of people waiting in line. Read also Russia reports 14 ceasefire violations in Syria overnight Syrian talks in Astana successful — Turkish top diplomat Damascus won’t accept unilateral decisions on Syria’s federalization — envoy Syrian opposition hopes UNSC will pass resolution based on its proposals Syrian opposition hopeful war in Syria will end due to Russia’s role Militants come there too. "I’ve come here to return to civilian life. The whole country is awaiting peace," one of them said. Some of the gunmen who have legalized their status have joined the ranks of pro-government forces. One of them is Adek Agil, a former commander of a militant group who is now in command of a local self-defense unit. "I fought against the government troops. Eventually, I realized that this is wrong. They (militants - TASS) deceived us," he said. "That was a mistake, and I regret it. That is why I sided with the government forces to live as before." People in the valley hope that the conflict will be resolved soon, the militants will leave the area and it will be possible to return to civilian life and live in a peaceful atmosphere. They also hope that tourists will return to the area, said Mahmoud Haydar, head of the administration of the Deir Qanoun populated locality. "A normal life has returned to our village after a long war. Now, all departments in our inhabited locality - medical services, schools, various bodies under government control - are functioning properly," he said. Gallery 13 photo Aleppo's historical sights after Syrian civil war Strategic area Wadi Barada is a strategically important area providing cities in the Damascus province with water. In February 2012, it was seized by Free Syrian Army gunmen. In January 2017, the militants lost some important heights and then pressed for a truce. During the talks, agreements were reached on restoring the Damascus water supply infrastructure, evacuating those militants, who are not involved in the ceasefire agreement on Idlib and surrendering militants’ weapons. Currently, there are no hostilities in the valley. About 500 gunmen remain in the Wadi Barada area. Negotiations on their evacuation are in progress. More: http://tass.com/world/927405
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Jan 27 17:50:57 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C3Mwku9WcAEVprg.jpg:large
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Jan 31 12:12:59 Syrian groups see more U.S. support for IS fight, plan new phase http://uk....isis-syria-raqqa-idUKKBN15F1AG
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Feb 01 11:49:23 British man fighting Isis 'shot himself' to avoid being taken hostage http://www...-himself-hostage-a7556361.html
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Feb 01 11:50:17 Syria rejects Russia’s suggestions on autonomous communities in Syria, including Kurds http://www...unities-syria-including-kurds/
jergul large member	Wed Feb 01 13:22:41 VLADIVOSTOK, February 1. /TASS/. Russia has switched to the third stage of its ambitious Far Eastern Hectare program intended to spur the development of its vast and sparsely populated territories in the Far East. Starting from February 1, every Russian citizen is entitled to file an application for getting a hectare of land in any region of Russia’s Far East for free. Read also China sees no cause for concern over East Siberian land lease to Chinese businessmen The Law on the Far Eastern Hectare came into force from June 1, 2016. During the first stage of its implementation, the law entitled residents of "pilot" regions in the Russian Far East to choose a plot of land in their municipalities. Four months later, on October 1, 2016, Russia switched to the 2nd stage of implementing the law, allowing Far Eastern residents to get land plots on the entire territory of the Far East in their regions. From February 1, 2017, every Russian citizen is entitled to choose a plot of land in any of the regions of Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District. For this purpose, Russia has set up a federal information web portal allowing Russian citizens to file an application for a Far Eastern hectare without any bureaucratic delays. A Russian citizen can do this at home, in any part of the world through the Internet or by applying to a local multifunctional municipal center. "The website also publishes measures, which can be obtained to develop a hectare of land. There are currently 35 of them. They are related to the possibility of getting a grant for farming, obtaining quotas for timber for building individual housing, taking out micro-loans, taking agricultural machinery on lease and so on," Russia’s Far East Development Ministry quoted Minister for the Development of the Far East Alexander Galushka as saying. According to data of the Far Eastern Hectare program’s website, almost 4,200 land plots covering an area of about 3,900 hectares have been allotted since the law came into force. More: http://tass.com/economy/928361 ========== Avec. I could not but hope TC might one day qualify for 1 hectar and a mule.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Feb 07 11:36:23 February 07, 2017 Hearsay Extrapolated - Amnesty Claims Mass Executions In Syria, Provides Zero Proof A new Amnesty International report claims that the Syrian government hanged between 5,000 and 13,000 prisoners in a military prison in Syria. The evidence for that claim is flimsy, based on hearsay of anonymous people outside of Syria. The numbers themselves are extrapolations that no scientist or court would ever accept. It is tabloid reporting and fiction style writing from its title "Human Slaughterhouse" down to the last paragraph. But the Amnesty report is still not propagandish enough for the anti-Syrian media. Inevitably only the highest number in the range Amnesty claims is quoted. For some even that is not yet enough. The Associate Press agency, copied by many outlets, headlines: Report: At least 13,000 hanged in Syrian prison since 2011: BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian authorities have killed at least 13,000 people since the start of the 2011 uprising in mass hangings at a prison north of Damascus known to detainees as "the slaughterhouse," Amnesty International said in a report Tuesday. How does "at least 13,000" conforms to an already questionable report which claims "13,000" as the top number of a very wide range? Here is a link to the report. Before we look into some details this from the "Executive Summary": From December 2015 to December 2016, Amnesty International researched the patterns, sequence and scale of violations carried out at Saydnaya Military Prison (Saydnaya). In the course of this investigation, the organization interviewed 31 men who were detained at Saydnaya, four prison officials or guards who previously worked at Saydnaya, three former Syrian judges, three doctors who worked at Tishreen Military Hospital, four Syrian lawyers, 17 international and national experts on detention in Syria and 22 family members of people who were or still are detained at Saydnaya. ... On the basis of evidence from people who worked within the prison authorities at Saydnaya and witness testimony from detainees, Amnesty International estimates that between 5,000 and 13,000 people were extrajudicially executed at Saydnaya between September 2011 and December 2015. There are several difficulties with this report. 1. Most of the witnesses are identified as opposition figures and "former" officials who do not live in Syria. Some are said to have been remotely interviewed in Syria but it is not clear if those were living in government or insurgent held areas. Page 9: The majority of these interviews took place in person in southern Turkey. The remaining interviews were conducted by telephone or through other remote means with interviewees still in Syria, or with individuals based in Lebanon, Jordan, European countries and the USA. It is well known that the Syrian insurgency is financed with several billion dollars per years from foreign state governments. It runs sophisticated propaganda operations. These witnesses all seem to have interests in condemning the Syrian government. Not once is an attempt made to provide a possibly divergent view. Amnesty found the persons it questioned by contacting international NGOs like itself and known foreign financed opposition (propaganda) groups: These groups include Urnammu for Justice and Human Rights, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, and the Syrian Institute for Justice and Accountability. 2. The numbers Amnesty provides are in a very wide range. None are documented in lists or similar exhibits. They are solely based on hearsay and guesstimates of two witnesses: People who worked within the prison authorities at Saydnaya told Amnesty International that extrajudicial executions related to the crisis in Syria first began in September 2011. Since that time, the frequency with which they have been carried out has varied and increased. For the first four months, it was usual for between seven and 20 people to be executed every 10-15 days. For the following 11 months, between 20 and 50 people were executed once a week, usually on Monday nights. For the subsequent six months, groups of between 20 and 50 people were executed once or twice a week, usually on Monday and/or Wednesday nights. Witness testimony from detainees suggests that the executions were conducted at a similar – or even higher – rate at least until December 2015. Assuming that the death rate remained the same as the preceding period, Amnesty International estimates that between 5,000 and 13,000 people were extrajudicially executed at Saydnaya between September 2011 and December 2015. From "between x and y", "once or twice a week", "suggests" and "assuming" the headline numbers are simply extrapolated in footnote 40 in a back-of-the-envelope calculation; "If A were true then B would be X": These estimates were based on the following calculations. If between seven and 20 were killed every 10-15 days from September to December 2011, the total figure would be between 56 people and 240 people for that period. If between 20 and 50 were killed every week between January and November 2012, the total figure would be between 880 and 2,200 for that period. If between 20 and 50 people were killed in 222 execution sessions (assuming the executions were carried out twice a week twice a month and once a week once a month) between December 2012 and December 2015, the total figure would be between 4,400 and 11,100 for that period. These calculations produce a minimum figure of 5,336, rounded down to the nearest thousand as 5,000, and 13,540, rounded down to the nearest thousand as 13,000. 2. I will not go into the details of witness statements on which the report is build. They seem at least exaggerated and are not verifiable at all. In the end it is pure hearsay on which Amnesty sets it conclusions. One example from page 25: “Hamid”, a former military officer when he was arrested in 2012, recalled the sounds he heard at night during an execution: "There was a sound of something being pulled out – like a piece of wood, I’m not sure – and then you would hear the sound of them being strangled… If you put your ears on the floor, you could hear the sound of a kind of gurgling. This would last around 10 minutes… We were sleeping on top of the sound of people choking to death. This was normal for me then." A court might accept 'sound of "I'm not sure" "kind of gurgling" noise through concrete' as proof that a shower was running somewhere. But as proof of executions? Of all the witnesses Amnesty says it interviewed only two, a former prison official and a former judge, who describe actual executions (page 25). From the wording of their statements it is unclear if they have witnessed any hangings themselves or just describe something they have been told of. 3. The numbers of people Amnesty claims were executed are - at best - a wild ass guess. How come that Amnesty can name only very few of those? On page 30 of its report it says: Former detainees from the red building at Saydnaya provided Amnesty International with the names of 59 individuals who they witnessed being taken from their cells in the afternoon, being told that they were being transferred to civilian prisons in Syria. The evidence contained in this report strongly suggests that in fact, these individuals were extrajudicially executed. and Former prison guards and a former prison official from Saydnaya also provided Amnesty International with the names of 36 detainees who had been extrajudicially executed in Saydnaya since 2011. Those 95, some of whom may have been "executed" - or not, are the only ones Amnesty claims to be able to name. That is less than 1-2% of the reports central claim of 5,000 to 13,000 executed. All those witnesses could provide no more details of persons allegedly killed? Amnesty acknowledges that its numbers are bogus. Under the headline "Documented Deaths" on page 40 it then adds additional names and numbers to those above but these are not from executions: the exact number of deaths in Saydnaya is impossible to specify. However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights has verified and shared with Amnesty International the names of 375 individuals who have died in Saydnaya as a result of torture and other ill-treatment between March 2011 and October 2016. Of these, 317 were civilians at the time of their arrest, 39 were members of the Syrian military and 19 were members of non-state armed groups. In the course of the research for this report, Amnesty International obtained the names of 36 additional individuals who died as a result of torture and other ill-treatment in Saydnaya. These names were provided to Amnesty International by former detainees who witnessed the deaths in their cells The "Syrian Network for Human Rights" (SNHR) is a group in the UK probably connected to British foreign intelligence and with dubious monetary sources. It only says: SNHR funds its work and activities through unconditional grants and donations from individuals and institutions. Now that is true transparency. SNHR is known for rather ridiculous claims about casualties caused by various sides of the conflict. It is not know what SNHR qualifies as civilians - do these include armed civil militia? But note that none of the mostly civilians SNHR claims to have died in the prison are said to have been executed. How is it possible that a organization frequently quoted in the media as detailed source of casualties in Syria has no record of the 5,000 to 13,000 Amnesty claims were executed? 4. The report is padded up with before/after satellite pictures of enlarged graveyards in Syria. It claims that these expansions are a sign of mass graves of government opponents. But there is zero evidence for that. Many people have died in Syria throughout the war on all sides of the conflict. The enlargement, for example, of the Martyrs Cemetery south of Damascus (p.29/30) is hardly a sign of mass killing of anti-government insurgents. Would those be honored as martyrs by the government side? 5. The report talks of "extrajudicially executed" prisoners but then describes (military) court procedures and a necessary higher up approval of the judgement. One may not like the laws that govern the Syrian state but the courts and the procedures Amnesty describes seem to follow Syrian laws and legal processes. They are thereby - by definition - not extrajudicial. 6. In its Executive Summary the Amnesty report says that "Death sentences are approved by the Grand Mufti of Syria and ...". But there is no evidence provided of "approval" by the Grand Mufti in the details of the report. On page 19 it claims, based on two former prison and court officials: The judgement is sent by military post to the Grand Mufti of Syria and to either the Minister of Defence or the Chief of Staff of the Army, who are deputized to sign for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and who specify the date of the execution. It is very doubtful that the Syrian government would "deputize" or even inform the Grand Mufti in cases of military or criminal legal proceedings. Amnesty International may dislike the fact but Syria is a secular state. The Grand Mufti in Syria is a civil legal authority for some followers of the Sunni Muslim religion in Syria but he has no official judiciary role. From the 2010 Swiss dissertation Models of Religious Freedom: Switzerland, the United States, and Syria quoted here: In Syria a mufti is a legal and religious expert (faqih and ‘alim) who has the power to give legally non-binding recommendations (sing. fatwa, pl. fatawa) in matters of Islamic law. ... Queries which are either sought by a shari‘a judge or private individuals regard the personal status laws of the Muslim community only. In the Arab Republic fatawa are given neither to public authorities nor to individual civil servants, .. Neither the Syrian constitution nor any Syrian law I can find refers to a role of the Grand Mufti in any military or civil criminal court proceding. The Amnesty claim "approved by the Grand Mufti of Syria"is not recorded anywhere else. It is very likely false. The Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, is a moderate, recognized and accomplished scholar. He should sue Amnesty for this slander. Syrian law includes a death penalty for certain severe and violent crimes. Before 2011 actual executions in Syria were very rare, most death sentences were commuted. Allegedly the laws were amended in late 2011, after the war in Syria had started, to include the death penalty as possible punishment for directly arming terrorists. It is quite likely that the Syrian military and/or civil judiciary hand out some death penalties against captured foreign and domestic "rebels" it finds them guilty of very severe crimes. It is fighting the Islamic State, al Qaeda and other extreme groups well known for mass murder and other extreme atrocities. It is likely that some of those sentences are applied. But the Syrian government has also provided amnesty to ten-thousands of "rebels" who fought the government but have laid down their arms. The claims in the Amnesty report are based on spurious and biased opposition accounts from outside of the country. The headline numbers of 5,000 to 13,000 are calculated on the base of unfounded hypotheticals. The report itself states that only 36 names of allegedly executed persons are known to Amnesty, less than the number of "witnesses" Amnesty claims to have interviewed. The high number of claimed execution together with the very low number of names is not plausible. The report does not even meet the lowest mark of scientific or legal veracity. It is pure biased propaganda. Note: An earlier version of this piece mixed up the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Both are registered in the UK and claim to provide accurate casualty data from Syria. Only SNHR is referenced in this Amnesty report. Posted by b on February 7, 2017 at 04:41 AM http://www...nesty-report-hearsay.html#more
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Tue Feb 07 12:02:31 5000-13000 seems like a reasonable number given the scale of the war and the 450 000 casualties so far for the regime in it's entirety, but in this one prison? Everything to make this look like an industrial slaughter, like Hitler.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Feb 09 10:13:13 3 Turkish soldiers accidentally killed in Russian airstrike in Syria, Moscow confirms http://www.rt.com/news/376836-russia-turkey-strike-soldiers/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Feb 10 08:32:21 Assad tells Belgian reporter Belgium & EU merely obey 'US master' on Syria – English Subtitles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZEG8lPYFZk
Rugian Member	Fri Feb 10 08:35:16 Assad confirmed for based shitlord. I unironically love him now.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Feb 16 11:32:05 Syrian rebel turned refugee given life sentence in Sweden for massacring captured soldiers in Idlib http://www...cring-captured-soldiers-idlib/
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Thu Feb 16 12:16:49 Swedish prison, as we all know, is way too good for that piece of shit.
Paramount Member	Thu Feb 16 12:29:38 Sweden should probably turn him over to Assad in Syria. The crime was done in Syria after all.
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Thu Feb 16 12:40:15 He would most likely be executed and since our country is run by pussies we can't do that.
jergul large member	Thu Feb 16 14:10:49 He would most likely be put on a green bus with his personal weapons and transported to Idlib. Statistically speaking.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Feb 17 12:44:16 Syrian government demands Turkish Army immediately withdraw from Syria http://www...my-immediately-withdraw-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Feb 21 10:22:27 Exclusive: CIA-backed aid for Syrian rebels frozen after Islamist attack - sources http://www...urce=twitter&utm_medium=Social
Forwyn Member	Tue Feb 21 10:26:33 Oh, that's good. They realized after 5 years that arming smaller "moderate" groups is tantamount to arming the jihadis?
jergul large member	Tue Feb 21 10:53:12 Forwyn No. That would be rational. So the reason has to be something else.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Feb 22 09:32:14 Refugee accused of murdering 20 Syrian soldiers by Austrian courts http://www...rian-soldiers-austrian-courts/
Forwyn Member	Wed Feb 22 21:40:04 "Muh grassroots moderate rebels" http://imgur.com/gallery/jeXBx
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Feb 23 08:44:30 http://www...RDP86T01017R000100770001-5.pdf
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Feb 23 15:23:13 Mike Robinson, Patrick Henningsen and campaigner Robert Stuart take a look at what is quite possibly the worst example of mainstream media fake news in history - the BBC Panorama documentary Saving Syria's Children. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wtt4LbWl84
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Feb 24 13:13:52 Vote on UN Syria sanctions could come soon; Russia vows veto http://www.apnews.com/29985be9fc3b4e0ab3f80282cc88d964
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Mar 01 15:27:58 Russia denies accusations of bombing US-backed opposition fighters in Syria http://www...ssia-syria-fighters-us-backed/
Aeros Member	Wed Mar 01 15:36:45 One thing to keep in mind about ISIS's territory, is that while it may look like its alot of land, they don't actually operate out in all that empty desert. They operate in the few villages and cities, and on the major roads that connect them. If you factor for the barren wasteland that nobody goes into, the amount of territory they control is actually quite small. This allows them to create concentration of forces, and in as much as they control the major roads, shift them around as needed. Anyone wishing to attack them must likewise move on easily predictable routes, insuring ISIS will be ready for them when the offensive begins.
murder Member	Wed Mar 01 16:49:25 "and in as much as they control the major roads, shift them around as needed." In as much as we allow them to control roads. There's nothing stopping us from junking anything traveling on any road we wish to shut down. We permit them freedom of movement.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Mar 11 13:19:24 Armour in the Islamic State, the DIY works of Wilayat al-Khayr http://spi...slamic-state-diy-works-of.html
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Mar 11 14:56:10 A Flawed UN Investigation on Syria http://con...wed-un-investigation-on-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sat Mar 11 15:04:52 Turkey, Qatar vow to educate Syria's next generation http://aa....-syrias-next-generation/765688
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Mar 21 11:00:18 ISIS Seizes Humanitarian Aid Dropped for Syrian Military in Deir ez-Zor http://sou...yrian-military-in-deir-ez-zor/
jergul large member	Tue Mar 21 11:38:34 Bound to happen with high alt airdrops.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Mar 22 12:22:32 Russia’s grave mistake of getting bogged down in sectarian mess http://www.arabnews.com/node/1071391
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Mar 23 09:55:14 Turkey warns Russia following sniper fire from Syria http://www.apnews.com/91ead6530c0c4f89b8f2e0bdd8f519e5
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Thu Mar 23 13:12:46 Can we consider the cease fire over?
jergul large member	Fri Mar 24 18:44:21 Nimi There are literally 100ds of ceasefire agreements covering 1300 settlements of various sizes. Which one were you thinking was over?
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Mar 30 15:28:11 Germany Admits Role in US Airstrike That Killed 33 Civilians in Syria German Recon Planes Provided Pictures of School Full of Civilians Before Strike http://new...-killed-33-civilians-in-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Mar 31 09:08:16 McCain Furious At Rex Tillerson For Saying Assad Can Stay http://www...illerson-saying-assad-can-stay
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 04 18:18:34 False Flag Chemical Attack in Syria? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr_ByQH2QY0&feature=share
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 04 18:37:58 Jumping to conclusions; something is not adding up in Idlib chemical weapons attack By Paul Antonopoulos - 04/04/2017 BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:47 P.M.) – At least 58 people were killed in a horrific gas attack in the Idlib Governorate this morning. However, even before investigations could be conducted and for evidence to emerge, Federica Mogherini, the Italian politician High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, condemned the Syrian government stating that the “Assad regime bears responsibility for ‘awful’ Syria ‘chemical’ attack.” The immediate accusation from a high ranking EU official serves a dangerous precedent where public outcry can be made even before the truth surrounding the tragedy can emerge Israeli President, Benjamin Netanyahu, joined in on the condemnation, as did Amnesty International. Merely hours after the alleged chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhun, supposedly by the Syrian government, holes are beginning to emerge from opposition sources, discrediting the Al-Qaeda affiliated White Helmets claims. For one, seen in the above picture, the White Helmets are handling the corpses of people without sufficient safety gear, most particularly with the masks mostly used , as well as no gloves. Although this may seem insignificant, understanding the nature of sarin gas that the opposition claim was used, only opens questions. Within seconds of exposure to sarin, the affects of the gas begins to target the muscle and nervous system. There is an almost immediate release of the bowels and the bladder, and vomiting is induced. When sarin is used in a concentrated area, it has the likelihood of killing thousands of people. Yet, such a dangerous gas, and the White Helmets are treating bodies with little concern to their exposed skin. This has to raise questions. It also raises the question why a “doctor” in a hospital full of victims of sarin gas has the time to tweet and make video calls. This will probably be dismissed and forgotten however. maytham @maytham956 Terrorist Mohammed Alloush is not a gas expert, he is just one of the participants in the crime#Idlib #Syria https://twitter.com/maytham956/status/849235559117619201 … Follow Malinka ‎@Malinka1102 @maytham956 Hmm...'Patients are flooding in' YET this 'doctor' (seems the main source of 'gas attack') has time to film, tweet and videocalls...#Syria pic.twitter.com/SfLOfjE2pG 8:54 AM - 4 Apr 2017 It is known that about 250 people from Majdal and Khattab were kidnapped by Al-Qaeda terrorists last week. Local sources have claimed that many of those dead from the chemical weapons were those from Majdal and Khattab. This would suggest that on the eve of upcoming peace negotiations, terrorist forces have once again created a false flag scenario. This bares resemblance to the Ghouta chemical weapons attack in 2013 where the Syrian Army was accused of using the weapons of mass destruction on the day that United Nations Weapon’s Inspectors arrived in Damascus. Later, in a separate chemical weapon usage allegation, Carla del Ponte, a UN weapons inspector said that there was no evidence that the government had committed the atrocity. This had however not stopped the calls for intervention against the Syrian government, a hope that the militant forces wished to eventuate from their use of chemical weapons against civilians in Khan-al-Assal. Therefore, it is completely unsurprising that Orient TV has already prepared a “media campaign” to cover the Russian and Syrian airstrikes in Hama countryside against terrorist forces, with the allegations that the airforces have been using chemical weapons. And most telling, there announcement of covering the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government, hours before this allegation even emerged…….. Seems like someone forgot to tell him that it would not occur for a few more hours before his tweet. Within Syria ‎@WithinSyriaBlog Orient TV reporter : "tomorrow we are launching a media campaign to cover the airstrikes on Hama country side including the usage of CW" 8:42 AM - 4 Apr 2017 Meanwhile, pick up trucks have been photographed around bodies of those killed. Again, it must be questioned why there are people around sarin gas without any protective gear, and not affected at all when it can begin attacking the body within seconds? Also, the pick up trucks remain consistent to what local sources have said that many of those dead were kidnapped by Al-Qaeda terrorists from pro-government towns in rural Hama. Also, what is brought into question is where the location of the hose is coming from in the below picture, a dugout carved into the rock. This also suggests that the location is at a White Helmets base where there are dug out hiding spots carved into the mountainside and where they have easy access to equipment, as highlighted by Twitter user Ian Grant. In response to the allegations, the Syrian Arab Army soldiers in northern Hama denied the use of chemicals weapons today. This is consistent with the Russian Ministry of Defense who denied any involvement in the attack. The army “has not and does not use them, not in the past and not in the future, because it does not have them in the first place,” a military source said. And this of course begs the question. With the Syrian Army and its allies in a comfortable position in Syria, making advances across the country, and recovering lost points in rural Hama, why would they now resort to using chemical weapons? It is a very simple question with no clear answer. It defies any logic that on the eve of a Syria conference in Brussels and a week before peace negotiations are to resume, that the Syrian government would blatantly use chemical weapons. All evidence suggests this is another false chemical attack allegation made against the government as seen in the Khan-al-Assal 2013 attack where the terrorist groups hoped that former President Obama’s “red-line” would be crossed leading to US-intervention in Syria against the government. Most telling however, is that most recent report shows that the government does not deny striking Khan Sheikhun. Al-Masdar’s Yusha Yuseef was informed by the Syrian Army that the air force targeted a missile factory in Khan Sheikoun, using Russian-manufactured Su-22 fighter jet to carry out the attack. Most importantly, the Su-22’s bombs are unique and cannot be filled with any chemical substances, which is different than bombs dropped from attack helicopters. Yuseef was then told that the Syrian Air Force did not know there were any chemical substances inside the missile factory in Khan Sheikhoun. It remains to be known whether there actually were chemicals in the missile factory targeted by the airstrikes, or whether the terrorist forces used gas on the kidnapped civilians from the pro-government towns and brought them in the lorry trucks to the site of the airstrikes. Whether they were gassed by the militant forces, or the airstrikes caused a chemical weapon factory to explode, the gruesome deaths of children, seen foaming in the mouth because of the gas, lays in the hands of the terrorists. Therefore, it becomes evident that the area targeted was definitely a terrorist location, where it is known that the White Helmets share operation rooms with terrorist forces like Al-Qaeda as seen after the liberation of eastern Aleppo. Civilians and fighting forces, including Kurdish militias, have all claimed that militant groups that operate in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo countrysides, have used chemical weapons in the past. Therefore, before the war cries begin and the denouncement of the government from high officials in power positions begin, time must be given so that all evidence can emerge. However, this is an important factor that has never existed in the Syrian War, and the terrorist forces continue to hope that Western-intervention against the government will occur, at the cost of the lives of innocent civilians. The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Al-Masdar News. http://www...idlib-chemical-weapons-attack/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 04 20:43:17 World News | Mon Apr 3, 2017 | 8:51pm EDT Syrian people do not want Assad as leader: U.S. envoy to U.N By Michelle Nichols | UNITED NATIONS The United States does not believe that the Syrian people want President Bashar al-Assad as their leader any longer, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Monday. Haley was asked about U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday, in which he said that Assad's status would be decided by the Syrian people. She said it does not mean the United States will accept Assad participating in future elections. "It's that we don't think the people want Assad anymore; we don't think that he is going to be someone that the people want to have," Haley told a news conference to mark the U.S. presidency of the U.N. Security Council for April. "We have no love for Assad. We've made that very clear. We think that he has been a hindrance to peace for a long time. He's a war criminal. What he's done to his people is nothing more than disgusting," she said. Tillerson and Haley on Thursday drew criticism for playing down a long-standing U.S. goal of pushing Assad to leave power to help end the six-year-long Syrian civil war. Haley told a small group of reporters on Thursday: "You pick and choose your battles and when we're looking at this, it's about changing up priorities and our priority is no longer to sit there and focus on getting Assad out." She then told ABC News on Sunday that "Assad is always a priority" and the United States wants to bring him to justice. A crackdown by Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war and Islamic State militants have used the chaos to seize territory in Syria and Iraq. Half of Syria's 22 million people have been uprooted and more than 400,000 killed. The administration of former President Barack Obama, in its later years, was focused on reaching a deal with Russia that would eventually see Assad go, though it also shifted its focus to the fight against Islamic State militants. The White House said on Friday that the U.S. focus is on defeating Islamic State militants. "Our goal is to do what we need to to defeat ISIS (Islamic State). I don't know that our goal is to talk to Assad in doing that," Haley said on Monday. "Now that could change and the administration could think otherwise, but right now Assad is not our No.1 person to talk to," said Haley, adding that the United States supports U.N.-led peace talks. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Lisa Shumaker) http://www...dNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 04 21:02:23 Rebel warehouse with chem weapons hit by Syrian airstrike in Idlib – Russian MOD Published time: 4 Apr, 2017 23:19 Edited time: 5 Apr, 2017 00:55 The Syrian Air Force has destroyed a warehouse in Idlib province, where ammunition dump containing chemical weapons was being produced by militants before being delivered to Iraq, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman has said. The strike, which was launched midday Tuesday, targeted a major rebel ammunition depot east of the town of Khan Sheikhoun, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. The warehouse was used to both produce and store shells containing toxic gas, Konashenkov said. The shells were delivered to Iraq and repeatedly used there, he added, pointing out that both Iraq and international organizations have confirmed the use of such weapons by militants. The same chemical munitions were used by militants in Aleppo, where Russian military experts took samples in late 2016, Konashenkov said. The Defense Ministry has confirmed this information as “fully objective and verified,” Konashenkov added. According to the statement, Khan Sheikhoun civilians, who recently suffered a chemical attack, displayed identical symptoms to those of Aleppo chemical attack victims. At least 58 people, including 11 children, reportedly died and scores were injured after a hospital in Khan Sheikhoun was targeted in a suspected gas attack on Tuesday morning, Reuters reported, citing medics and rebel activists. Soon after a missile allegedly hit the facility, people started showing symptoms of chemical poisoning, such as choking and fainting. The victims were reportedly also seen with foam coming out of their mouths. While the major Syrian opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, and other pro-rebel groups put the blame on the attack onto President Bashar Assad’s government, the Syrian military dismissed all allegations as propaganda by the rebels "We deny completely the use of any chemical or toxic material in Khan Sheikhoun town today and the army has not used nor will use in any place or time, neither in past or in future," the Syrian army said in a statement. The Russian military stated it did not carry out any airstrike in the area either. However, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, commenting on the incident, was quick to point to the Syrian government as a culprit, saying that it bears responsibility for the “awful” attack. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed Mogherini, accusing the Syrian government of perpetrating the attack calling it “brutal, unabashed barbarism.” He argued, that besides the Syrian authorities, Iran and Russia should also bear “moral responsibility” for it. http://www...lib-warehouse-strike-chemical/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Apr 05 14:15:23 Analysis of evidence contradicts allegations on Syrian gas attacks http://the...gations-on-syrian-gas-attacks/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Apr 05 21:26:30 Another Dangerous Rush to Judgment in Syria http://con...ous-rush-to-judgment-in-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Apr 06 08:24:44 Syria Denies, Condemns Use Of Chemical Weapons by Tyler Durden Apr 6, 2017 8:02 AM With global sentiment turning against Syria again, and even president Trump yesterday saying his opinion on Syrian policy has changed (it was not immediately clear just how), on Thursday Syria’s foreign minister dismissed allegations that the Syrian Army deployed chemical weapons in the city of Idlib, saying the military will never use such weapons against its own people or even terrorists. As reported by AP, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem denied claims that the military used chemical weapons in the western city of Idlib. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Muallem said an airstrike by Syrian military had targeted an arms depot where chemical weapons stockpiles were stored by Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front militants. He said it’s impossible that the army – which has been making significant gains in almost all theaters of the Syrian war – would use banned chemical weapons against its “own people” and even terrorists. Asked if Damascus would allow a fact-finding mission into the Idlib incident, Muallem said past experience of similar investigations was “not encouraging.” He also said that he could not predict “the reality of US intentions” in Syria. Muallem added that such a mission must not be politicized and must start its operations “from Damascus, not Turkey,” apparently referring to the latest statements by Ankara condemning the incident, as well as the fact that some victims were taken to Turkey for autopsy. Meanwhile, the Kremlin on Thursday called the attack in Syria's Idlib province earlier this week a "monstrous crime," but said Washington's conclusions about the incident were not based on objective data. "This was a dangerous and monstrous crime, but it would be incorrect to hang labels (to identify those who did it)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. The use of chemical weapons was "unacceptable," he said, urging the Syrian army to ensure such arms did not fall into the hands of terrorists. Peskov said evidence about the incident provided by the White Helmets civil defense group could not be considered reliable and added: "We do not agree with these conclusions." "Immediately after the tragedy no one had access to this region ... any data which the U.S. side or our colleagues from other countries might have had access to could not have been based on objective facts," Peskov told reporters. The disagreement was unlikely to change the nature of ties between Russia and the United States, Peskov added. Russia's Foreign Ministry said earlier on Thursday it was too early to accuse the Syrian government of being responsible for the attack in Idlib and said a proper investigation was needed, the RIA news agency reported. “Immediately after the tragedy no one had access to this area, so no one could have hard verifiable data. Consequently, any information which the US side or our colleagues from other countries might have had access to, could not be based on objective facts,” Peskov told reporters. Though Peskov rejected “hasty assessments” of the alleged use of chemical weapons, he emphasized that there are always disagreements between Moscow and Washington, but mutual discords over the Idlib incident are unlikely to affect “the spirit of our cooperation.” * * * Also on Thursday, the WSJ reported that autopsy results of three victims of the gas attack in Syria show evidence their deaths were linked to chemical weapons, according to Turkey’s justice minister. Specialists from the World Heath Organization and the United Nations joined Turkish forensics teams in an examination of three Syrians who died after being brought to Turkey for treatment following the attack on the village of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province this week. After the attack, Turkey joined an immediate international emergency response. Dozens of injured Syrians were brought by ambulance to Turkish medical facilities close to the Syrian border. The autopsies took place in the city of Adana. It was not immediately clear why Turkey - which has had a clear conflict of interest in the Syria conflict and has repeatedly stated its desire to remove the Assad administration - had been tasked with this fact-ficning mission. Biological samples from the victims were taken during autopsies that started late Wednesday and continued until Thursday morning, according to the Turkish state Anadolu news agency. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag didn’t immediately provide further details on the results or what chemical substance was allegedly used. Bozdag told Anadolu that the teams are continuing to examine the samples, but his view is the evidence shows forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were behind the attack. “The autopsies’ results establish that chemical weapons were used. The forensic report presents this in a very clear way,” Anadolu quoted Mr. Bozdag as saying, adding that “Assad’s use of chemical weapons is established through this scientific examination." The Syrian army has denied using any chemical or toxic substances in air strikes launched Tuesday, according to state media, and blamed “terrorist groups and those behind them.” The Syrian government routinely refers to most opponents of the regime as terrorists. In any case, the results from Turkish autopsies on the victims of a suspected poison gas attack in northwest Syria will be sent to the Dutch capital of The Hague for an additional examination, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said on Thursday. The suspected chemical attack believed to have been carried out by Syrian government forces killed at least 70 people in the rebel-held Idlib province on Tuesday. Thirty-two victims have been brought to Turkey and three have subsequently died during treatment. That said, while the presence of sarin gas will almost surely be confirmed, the question remains how the west will prove whose sarin gas it was, although since like in 2013 the "chemical attack" appears to have been a goalseeked event intended to result in a goalseeked outcome, namely to get the US involved in the Syria conflict once again with the intent of removing Assad, we have little doubt that the narrative of Assad - who had little to gain and everything to lose from the alleged gas release - being behind the attack will hardly be challenged in the legacy press. http://www...-condemns-use-chemical-weapons
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Apr 06 10:21:57 http://acl...ck_Khan_Sheikhoun_4_April_2017
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Apr 06 12:51:12 BREAKING: US helicopter lands deep behind enemy lines to assassinate ISIS leader http://www...lines-assassinate-isis-leader/
Aeros Member	Thu Apr 06 18:01:13 Its looking increasingly likely the US is going to "do something". What remains to be seen, but my money is on a highly punitive attack on the Syrian Airforce.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Apr 06 19:27:32 http://www...un-syria-on-april-4-2017-18448
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu Apr 06 21:53:50 Israel's Channel 10 reports that the Israeli cabinet will convene on Sunday to discuss possible humanitarian intervention in Syria. http://twitter.com/AviMayer/status/850075200590884864
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Apr 07 07:08:28 Russia To Upgrade Syria Air Defenses, Suspends Airspace Pact With U.S. by Tyler Durden Apr 7, 2017 7:40 AM If Trump wanted to provoke the Kremlin - an odd decision considering all the daily "press coverage" that the Kremlin controlled the president - he has achieved just that: Russia said it will reinforce Syria's air defences and, as reported previously, is sending a missile carrying warship to the eastern Mediterranean in response to a US cruise missile strikes on a Syrian government airbase. The Russian ministry of defence said in a statement that "to protect key Syrian infrastructure a range of measures will be taken reinforce and improve the effectiveness of the Syrian armed forces air defence." The announcement came as the Admiral Grigorevich, a cruise missile carrying frigate, passed through the Bosporus en-route to Russia's Syrian navy base at Tartus. Also on Friday Russia announced it had halted its air safety agreement with the US, meant to avoid "air incidents" with the US over Syria, saying US air strikes had caused “considerable” damage to Moscow-Washington relations. The memorandum, signed in October 2015, was designed to avoid clashes in the crowded airspace over Syria, with each side giving the other warning over planned strikes. The defense ministry also said that six MiG-23 fighter jets were destroyed in the US missile strike on a Syrian airfield in Homs province, but the runway remained intact. The strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria’s Homs Province destroyed a material storage depot, a training facility, a canteen, six MiG-23 aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station. Two Syrian servicemen are missing as a result of the US attack on an airfield in the country, while four were killed and six were injured extinguishing the flames, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Friday. "According to the information of the leadership of the Syrian airbase, two Syrian servicemen went missing, four were killed and six received burn injuries during the firefighting," he said. The runway, taxiways and the Syrian aircraft on the parking apron remained undamaged, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement. The ministry described the combat efficiency of the strike as “quite poor.” “On April 7, 2017, between 3:42am and 3:56am Moscow time, two US Navy destroyers (USS Porter and USS Ross) fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in Homs Province, Syria, from an area near the Island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea. “According to our sources, only 23 of them reached the Syrian airbase,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said, adding that the points of impact of the other 36 cruise missiles remain unknown. The ministry also slammed the US actions as “a gross violation” of the memorandum of understanding signed by Moscow in Washington back in 2015 to prevent flight incidents in Syrian airspace. All justifications for the strike are “groundless claims,” the ministry continued. "The administrations of the United States are changing, but the methods of unleashing wars have remained the same since Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya. And again, the pretext of aggression is not an objective investigation, but allegations, fact manipulation, showing photos and pseudo-vials at international organizations," Konashenkov said. “Russia made an earlier statement that the Syrian forces did not use chemical weapons. We are waiting for clarification from the US on undisputed – as they claim – evidence that it was the Syrian Army that deployed chemical weapons in the town of Khan Sheikhoun.” The ministry also pointed to the events that followed the strikes, a large-scale offensive against the Syrian Army carried out by Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front terrorists. “We hope that this offensive was in no way coordinated with the US,” the ministry said. "A number of measures aimed at strengthening and improving the effectiveness of the Syrian air defense system will be implemented in the near future in order to protect the vital parts of the Syrian infrastructure," Konashenkov said. http://www...-halts-air-safety-agreement-us
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sun Apr 09 13:40:57 US Ambassador To UN: "Regime Change In Syria Is Now A Top Priority For Trump" http://www...e-syria-now-top-priority-trump
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Sun Apr 09 13:56:43 Syria will remain a playground for many years to come.
Paramount Member	Sun Apr 09 14:21:30 "Israel's Channel 10 reports that the Israeli cabinet will convene on Sunday to discuss possible humanitarian intervention in Syria" They are gonna look for organs and sell it to people in need in Israel and China?
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sun Apr 09 14:27:46 Liberal leaders call for challenge to Gabbard over Syria skepticism http://www...aders-gabbard-syria/index.html
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sun Apr 09 15:48:44 Iraqi Shiite Cleric Says Russia, America and Assad All Should Get Out of Syria http://www...d_assad_get_out_syria_20170409
Pillz Member	Sun Apr 09 17:56:13 Syria belongs to the lion of Damascus!
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Mon Apr 10 10:02:35 Trudeau: Russia partly to blame for Syria attack, solution can't include Assad http://www...-can-t-include-assad-1.3361932
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 11 08:46:58 Idlib ‘chemical attack’ was false flag to set Assad up, more may come – Putin http://www...utin-idlib-attack-provocation/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 11 10:16:39 Isil militants attack British special forces base in Syria http://www...ish-special-forces-base-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Apr 11 16:56:19 http://twitter.com/Nrg8000/status/851096246001451008/photo/1
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Sun Apr 16 20:54:39 200 Syrian civilians kidnapped by Al-Qaeda faction amid evacuation deal By Chris Tomson - 16/04/2017 DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:30 P.M.) – Over 200 civilians from Fuah and Kafraya have gone missing in the Rashideen neighborhood after they were supposed to enter government-held Aleppo yesterday. Regrettably, most of the missing people are girls. According to an Al-Masdar News source, the Shi’ite residents from Fuah and Kafraya are believed to have been kidnapped by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), an Al-Qaeda affiliated rebel faction which stands accused of killing 126 civilians in a car bomb attack yesterday. An eye witness said HTS lured children to the car bomb with sweets and chips, only to detonate a massive bomb that killed 68 kids in scenes too gruesome to describe. Al-Qaeda considers Shi’ites to be apostates and deviants from Islam. Although the evacuation deal has not gone to plan, 55 buses from Zabadani and Madaya did reach Idlib city while 73 buses from Fuah and Kafraya reached Aleppo on Sunday evening as thousands of civilians exited enclaves to enter rebel and government heartland. The Madaya-Fuah deal was agreed upon last month, a development which Al-Masdar News was the first outlet to reveal at the time. http://www...-faction-amid-evacuation-deal/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Apr 19 15:30:55 T-E-R-R-O-R-I-S-T-S Butcher 80 Children in S-Y-R-I-A, US Media Silent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xIXiSq3K_c&w=640&h=390
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri Apr 21 10:35:54 OPCW’s block of on-site probe shows Western powers now aiming to oust Assad – Lavrov http://www...ov-opcw-mission-syria-blocked/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Wed Apr 26 10:13:42 Turkey Kills Dozens of US Allies in Iraq, Syria Warplanes Pound Sinjar Area in Northern Iraq http://new...ns-of-us-allies-in-iraq-syria/
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu May 04 15:13:35 War in Syria: Russia, Iran, Turkey Agree To Create Safe Zones for Civilians, But Rebels Protest http://www...turkey-agree-safe-zones-594624
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Fri May 05 17:50:52 Al Jazeera rejects Russian news claim that it faked Syrian gas attack video #Media Calling the story 'fake news,' Al Jazeera says it will pursue legal action against Russia's Sputnik news agency http://www...an-gas-attack-video-2113907209
jergul large member	Fri May 05 17:57:05 One thing about Trump. Threats of legal action only make the source seem more credible.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Mon May 15 13:51:28 مهمة سرية في إدلب AlQaeda Emirate of Idlib. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQunFm0YMgs
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Mon May 15 18:11:58 Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate escapes from Canada's terror list Failure to list group keeps Canada in line with U.S., but complicates potential prosecutions http://www...terror-list-omission-1.4114621
CrownRoyal Member	Thu May 18 11:38:33 Buzzfeed is reporting that US bombed Assad convoy in Syria today. On purpose.
pillz Member	Thu May 18 12:18:15 Just like the airfield, i assume it was toothless and just to distract media from Trump/Russia stories. If it wasn't a toothless strike, a Russian-instituted no-fly zone looks like a possibility.
jergul large member	Thu May 18 12:30:08 BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:50 P.M.) – The U.S. Coalition bombed the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions in eastern Al-Sweida, today, the Pentagon claimed this evening. A U.S. Coalition jet allegedly attacked the Syrian Army’s positions near the Rasi’i Well after the latter advanced more than 35km into rebel-held territory near the Jordanian border. According to a military source in Damascus, the US Coalition carried out a “warning” strike, which was meant to deter the Syrian government forces from advancing further into rebel-held territory; however, this has not been confirmed by the Syrian Army’s High Command. The same source alleges that the Coalition jet was actually Jordanian, not a U.S. warplane. If this report proves true, this attack by the U.S. would mark the second time this year that the Trump administration has targeted the Syrian military.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Thu May 25 20:17:01 Theresa May Pushing For UK Intervention in Syria Following Manchester Attack http://www...wing-manchester-attack/228177/
jergul large member	Thu May 25 23:57:24 But of course. It is important to attack random 3rd countries.
Rugian Member	Fri May 26 09:34:51 ST's link, if credible, is worthy of its own thread. WTF Theresa?
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