Reuters: Battle rages near Aleppo, air onslaught continues
Warplanes bombed a strategic camp on the northern edge of Aleppo on Sunday as Syrian government and rebel forces battled for control of the high ground in a Russian-backed offensive that has left Washington's Syria policy in tatters.
Planes also continued to pound residential parts of the town, flattening buildings, rebels and residents said. More than 250,000 civilians are trapped in the besieged opposition sector and there is growing concern about the escalation in violence since a ceasefire, announced just two weeks ago, unraveled.
The United Nations Security Council is due to meet at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT) to discuss the fighting but the latest campaign for a decisive battlefield victory by President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies appears to have buried any hope for diplomacy.
Read more ....
Syrian War news Updates -- September 25, 2016
Syrian rebels reverse government gains in Aleppo stalemate -- AP
Fresh strikes pound Aleppo ahead of UN Syria talks -- AFP
Fierce battle rages on in eastern Aleppo as Syrian and Russian planes continue attacks -- IBTimes
Syria's Aleppo Reels from Air Strikes, UN Chief 'Appalled' -- AFP
Syria: 6 children killed by barrel bombs in Aleppo offensive, say activists -- CNN
Russian and Syrian jets bomb Aleppo camp retaken by rebels -- Fiscal Tiems/Reuters
Syria says belief in victory in war against terrorism 'even greater' -- Reuters
Rebels: Peace talks futile with Aleppo bombing -- Reuters
Aleppo 'dying': UN fears catastrophe as Assad launches ferocious blitz and the city's water is shut off -- Daily Mail
Water 'flowing again' in western Aleppo but east remains at risk, UN charity warns -- ITV
Syrian Army forces pour into area near Israel border, prepare operation -- Jerusalem Post
Turkey keen on coalition push in Raqqa -- News.com.au
Turkey could only join US Raqa op without Kurds, says Erdogan -- AFP
Russia, Turkey Reach a 'Gentleman’s Agreement' on Syrian Airspace -- Sputnik
France, UK, US Call Emergency UN Security Council Meeting Over Aleppo Violence -- Sputnk
Call for emergency UN meet amid regime assault in Syria -- Al Jazeera
Kerry's ceaseless diplomacy faces sternest test on Syria -- Reuters
Western powers slam Russia’s action in Syria -- Financial Times
Obama says Syria war 'haunts' him -- CNN
Syria Believes It's on Way to Military Victory -- AP
What will it take to end Syria's war? -- Upfront/Al jazeera
12 comments:
Anna news ground report from Handarat, the Northest part of the encircled Eastern Aleppo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT22pAyBz4Y
mlacix,
In the report at around 1:12 to 1:20, the back of a gray haired man with a short gray beard is shown being greeted by various guys. That might be Solemaini. The team he's with is a command team of sorts and they are very careful not to show his face on camera. Otherwise a very interesting report, much better than the usual from out of that area.
James:
I think it's not Solemaini, because he still have all of his hair, and he rarely can be seen in military outfit, his style is more simple and monochrome. However I do not know exactly who they are, but there were photo report from other sources that they got some visitors after capturing Handarat, even some high ranking person visited them from Syr. Gov. I think those wto are just some local commander or al-Quds leader.
Handarat is in rebels hands ... recaptured yesterday.
Miguel:
Yes that's true, and the linked video also mention it that it was partiall taken back by 9AM today. The reason for that, or at least I heard so, is that SAA ( and related forces like al-Quds, but I just call everyone as SAA) could not fortify the area well enough, so they retreated instead, because they heard about the counterattack the rebels planned. Previously rebels also retreated from the area, becaue of the same reason.
I checked some satelitemap for you, and the cameraman of Anna News, at 0:29 of the video were positioned right at the ridge, at the southmost end of the Handarat Industrial Zone, and the advancing of SAA forces were shown only the eastermost part of Handarat housing area. The Handarat housing area lie a little bit more than 2 km long in a vallay, just at the NE border of Aleppo City. Now the problem for the rebel is, that SAA holding most of the ridges that between this district lie. However SAA does not yet hold the ridges all long, and this make them a problem when they advance deeper into the vallay, they could not give as much fire support. I heard SAA launched an attack against the Kindi hospital (or whatever remained of it), but heard no success about it. But as soon as they take Kindi, the whole Handarat housing area, with it's full lenght will be exposed to fire from any direction, and this will be the point when SAA truely capture the area, because at that point for the rebels there is no way to defend it. The question is will they take Kindi first, or they go to valley meatgrindg.
This just reminds me of the old day, the battles for Feruz Abad, and how much the ridges matter.
mlacix,
"This just reminds me of the old day, the battles for Feruz Abad, and how much the ridges matter."
Until technology has it's triumph, old rules will always hold true.
On the video of the command element you mentioned other photo reports did they show a face?
Your right as to his standard dress, that is my biggest doubt on it being him, but until I see a face........
James:
Check @IvanSidorenko1 on Twitter, and scroll down to yesterday or something, and you will see a couple of photos that supposed to show al-Quds leaders, soldiers, visitors around Handarat. There are a bunch of photos, so you can go and check for faces, there mayt be some that could match, I did not found ny that would be 100%. Another source I'm often checking just note every showup of Solemaini in the region, and he posted nothing related recently, so I have my doubt that it would be he in the video.
mlacix,
Thanks, I think I got a hit on Sidorenko 1. The guy isn't Solemaini, but he is interesting. He's got on a generic uniform which is slick (no insignia) and has more than hi share of radios, but doesn't seem to carry them himself. I don't think he's Syrian. Probably no big deal, but interesting.
PS. I looked the terrain (ridges) you talking about and yeah, if they (the Syrians) don't screw up it's just a matter of time for them and not very long.
James:
Thats probably because Liwa al-Quds were originally made of mainly Palestinians.
The man you two are referring to appears to be a Quds commander.
Perhaps the man on the right in this photo?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWnwWRgWoAEpTgZ.jpg
RRH:
It's very well could be him, but why would he wear the "Syrian Resistance" insignia? Units of SR were sent to Aleppo this year, and they could fought on the same frontlines. But instead of the SR insignia, the man in the video have something else on his left arm, and it's looks like the al-Quds one. I think he is just another commander of the group, just one among the many.
I noticed the insignia too but I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the top of it in the video. I also noticed the flags in the background of the photo which appear to be Quds.
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