Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) attends a meeting of the Security Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, April 21, 2016. Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/Kremlin via Reuters
Reuters: White House concerned by Russia's military moves in Syria
The United States said on Thursday it was concerned about reports that Russia is moving more military equipment into Syria to bolster President Bashar al-Assad, with a truce in tatters and peace talks in meltdown.
A U.S. official separately said Russia has been repositioning artillery to northern Syria - a move that may suggest the Syrian government and its allies are preparing another assault on the divided city of Aleppo.
The arrival of Russian reinforcements would risk driving the war into an even higher gear after the effective collapse of the truce and U.N.-led peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending a five-year war that has killed at least 250,000 people.
Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Read more ....
Update #1: White House Raises Concerns About Russia Moving Artillery Into Syria -- WSJ
Update #2: US Concerned By Russia's Increased Military Presence in Syria -- VOA
Update #3: Russia ignores Obama's plea for Syria ceasefire, shifts forces to Aleppo -- FOX News
WNU Editor: I concur with this analysis .... The Russians and the Syrian government are preparing a major offensive .... Russian Movement in Syria Sparks Speculation of Large-scale Operation (Moscow Times).
Update #4: This is not going to happen .... Putin Must Help Prevent Syrian Cease-Fire Collapse, Obama Says (Bloomberg).
17 comments:
The R+6 is just waiting for the twin ISIS/FSA and al Quida/FSA offensives to burn through that fresh US shipment of 180 tons of ammo and weapons, and burn out,
Then they will take and clear the jihadi held areas of Aleppo and Dir Ezzor.
MoA has noted that the SAA has been using a new tactic, ( which speaks to the professionalism and combat experience of the R+6 Forces). When hard pressed in forward positions by jihadi attacks, the R+6 falls back to a second line, waits for the jihadi's to reinforce for an attack on the second line, then utterly "hoses" the first line with artillary fire. The next day, the SAA simply "walks" back to the first line and does some repairs.
So far in the joint jihadi offensives, the jihadi's are dying by the hundreds, over and over, for the same little patch of ground.
It was quite evident from the start to the Russians and the +6 that the ceasefire, such as it was, was a non starter. They knew the "rebels" and their backers would take the opportunity to regroup and rearm. This is exactly what they did.
All the vomit about the "unresonable" government, sorry, "regime", is just a dodge. When the takfiris carry on like this in good ol fascist fashion it means that the other side isn't interested in legitimating their backward and ridiculous zero sum demands/plans.
So now that the bastards and the pimps in Riyahd, Ankara and Washington have shown their ass to the world once again, it's time to kick them in it. The point has been proven that there is no one (sane) to talk to on that side and no rules, ceasefire or otherwise, except Hama Rules need be followed.
And honestly, those are the only rules that matter in the Middle East, and the world, today.
Truce = time to rest, rearm and reload.
"R+6 falls back to a second line, waits for the jihadi's to reinforce for an attack on the second line, then utterly "hoses" the first line with artillery fire."
WW1 tactics. Not rocket science, but effective.
The Germans in WW2 called gas bag tactic, I think. They used it at Seelowe Heights. It minimized casualties for a while, but at that point they did not have much they could counter with.
The fall back tactic does have the advantage that it can somewhat neutralize the multiple VBIED tactic.
For the fallback tactic to really work, you have to keep some outposts in the 1st line to keep the other side honest and from infiltrating. At least in the past.
Still your density is sparser so artillery will be less effective.
The "lines" in Syria, are not continuous trench lines and positions, there is so much open ground and clear lines of fire, that an entire valley can be covered by a spotter, a Kornet crew, a DSHK and a couple of guys with AKM's.
A lot of the "first lines" are crude hilltop forts of rock and sandbags, while the "second line" is a walled village partway down the hill towards the valley floor.
The SAA is preregistering all their artillary fire, and on e the jihadi's have been "given" the hill, and are staging up for the assault downhill towards the village, the SAA hits the hill with everything from 90mm mortars, to a rain of thermobaric GRADs.
The SAA then walks back up the hill, bags the bits of jihadi's, dump it in a hole and reset the sandbags and rocks up.
In the flatter terrain of the Dir Ezzoir area, the "first line" is the shells of stone houses, which the SAA engineers have reworked to eliminate cover for north heading fire, but cover for fire heading south.
From the battle footage I've seen and accounts read, it appears most of the action is fought on the company or battalion level. There are few, if any, large set piece engagements over wide fronts involving tens or hundreds of thousands of soldiers/fighters.
The fighting strikes me more as search and destroy, fix and kill, or bait and blast as Jay mentions.
Heinrici's move on Seelow was more reflective of the relative weakness of the German forces at the time. He timed his withdrawal so that the Soviet attack, especially that of the massed artillery (which caused a major atmospheric disturbance), would fall on empty trenches while Soviet forces would be funneled into kill zones for the guns on the heights. Heinrici was delaying and attriting a superior force to buy time. The SAA is baiting and massacring an inferior (and f'n crazy stoopid) one again and again to eventually wipe them out.
What the SAA is doing is different as it is falling back in the face of an attack, blasting its former positions and then reoccupying them. These same positions are then often used as staging areas for offensives by "Tiger" forces or other Republican Guard units well supported by artillery and air strikes, or for overwatch as Jay mentioned.
It's an offensive strategy, and a damned effective one at that, which displays that the SAA, with support, can still effectively maneuver and deal murderous blows to the enemy. As we can see by how the "lines", such as they are, continue to creep in the government's favour, the tactic is working within the larger strategy of remaining resilient, and maintaining strong alliances, in the face of enormous pressure.
And it's nothing compared to what the Mukhabarat is going to do in the liberated zones. A person could get cramps in their a$$ just thinking about being MB, al Nusra, IS or any other Wahhabi, Takfiri, or assorted "rebel" foreign collaborator.
SAA, what are you talking Ajy. Clearly you dont know who is fighting in South Aleppo. SAA LOL
It's a variation on battles of attrition, with just one side doing the attriting,
And it's often followed up by "kettles" when the jihadi's break and run.
You should be careful of what you write Miguel,
While the EU is "hunting" Fanboys of ISIS and al Quida,
The US is still in the "rendition" business in Europe and elsewhere, they just don't use "Black Sites" in Syria anymore
Did I say something about the Mukhabarat...?
Smells like Miguel still needs a Baath.
You can say Iran, Hez and HEz from Iraq, Afg and Pak but not SAA in South Aleppo.
I dont support Hitler Assad like you so dont talk me about ISIS or AQ. All 3 should burn in Hell. And take the cossacks for a ride.
RRH which troll are you, trans?
It is much better to support Assad than the opposition.
My family would know how to deal with it. Work, become white collar, and stay out of politics.
I much prefer Assad to Al Nusrah, Muslim Brotherhood or ISIS.
Ah Miguel, I see you had your Obamaphone minutes recharged.
"Hitler" Assad bad but Ukro Nazis good right Miguel?
No SAA in South Allepo?
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/6-april-saa-storming-icarda-in-south-aleppo
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/25-february-saa-in-control-of-the-strategic-town-of-khanaser
Sure, just like there are no Nazis in the Ukraine.
When Assad, IS, AQ and your buddies from Azov and Aidar etc. get to hell, make sure you hold door open and give them the grand tour.
As for Syria,
You said it Aizino; work. The bain of every wannabe caliph, imam, Gauleiter, princess, feudal lord and layabout in general since Cain slew Abel.
The mo##$/^&^@/ers don't want to work and they cannot suffer a policy, ideology or state that demands productive labour out of them. They're too "good" (religious, ethincally pure, blue blooded, fragile, beautiful whatever) for that.
My Syrian friend explained to me that when he came up there was "zero tolerance" for bullshit. A person couldn't get away with not performing at home, school or work because they were lactose intollerant, ethnically exceptional, had ADD or some shit. In Syria you got your ass kicked.
I'd take Assad too and set myself to doing my job as opposed to f'n around figuring how I'd make trouble so some bullshit system could be established so me and my lazy buds could lord over someone else...cuz God, (or glorious Ukraine) says so.
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