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Marcello

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Palmyra situation looks worrying now.

I think not: Syrians keep key fortified positions around the city, and even if ISIS manages to cut supply road – it is only question of day or two for SAA mobile “fire fighting team” to arrive. Now, when Aleppo pocket significantly reduced and some of pockets around Damask gone, SAA is in much better position to deal with events like this then when it was during decisive battle for Aleppo. Also RusAF could deliver more as they are mostly free from other tasks.

 

Yes I agree. I mean there seemed to be a risk of significant losses as some positions are overrun.

Edited by KV7
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Strange that DAESH is seeking a propaganda success against the Russians when it has greater concerns. Until you understand that DAESH gets it's marching orders not from Baghdadi but the KSA paymasters. These forces have been assembled from their Deir Ezzor grouping after the PMUs cut off the Mosul grouping by seizing Tel Afar and closing the pocket against the American plan. Perfidy describes the US well.

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Right guy is, i think, from Kubinka-based 45th regiment, or imitating their fashion. Who is the 3rd (right) portrait on minibus?

ating their fashion. Who is the 3rd (right) portrait on minibus?

CzQ_BFCWIAAKIV3.jpg

 

Curious to see a VSS silenced rifle there too...

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ISIS seems to have taken the Silo's and into the airport in Palmyra.

 

Reports now have them moving into the city. Russia has mounted gunship sorties, but the weather is bad for air support:

 

CzUctiwWgAEbATN.jpg

 

CzU4X19UcAAN6oo.jpg

 

The only news that has any good side is that Daesh said that the SAA blew up its arms depot in Tadmor rather than letting Daesh take it. That's progress over earlier regime retreats.

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. Also the Palestinians who remained loyal to the Regime will likely see their status improved, not sure if Syria every granted them citizenship, but if not, then they likely get it.

 

 

I think, The Syrians 'Senior Assad' had always felt that 'Palestine' always belonged to Syria--I think it's based on the Ottoman Map of the old administrative area, as did Lebanon, Parts of Jordan & Cyprus. Also might explain why Syria was so resolute in it's opposition to Israel's existence.

 

BUT..that is only what I have heard at some forgotten website so I don't know how true/false it all is.

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Current situation around Palmyra (one of many maps circulating).

RGXQ21N_IvI.jpg

 

The question is why this ISIS attack is taking place at all - as, from strategic point of view, it is waste of resources. May be idea is to distract SAA reserves and RusAF (especially UAVs) from territory west from Aleppo, to allow rebel reinforcements mass up for another attempt to relief what is left of rebels in Eastern Aleppo? Some people in RuNet insist there are Western advisors stuck among rebels in Eastern Aleppo - it may explain both repeated attempts of Western diplomacy to negotiate some free passage, and this coordinated activity in regions far away from Aleppo...

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Current situation around Palmyra (one of many maps circulating).

RGXQ21N_IvI.jpg

 

The question is why this ISIS attack is taking place at all - as, from strategic point of view, it is waste of resources. May be idea is to distract SAA reserves and RusAF (especially UAVs) from territory west from Aleppo, to allow rebel reinforcements mass up for another attempt to relief what is left of rebels in Eastern Aleppo? Some people in RuNet insist there are Western advisors stuck among rebels in Eastern Aleppo - it may explain both repeated attempts of Western diplomacy to negotiate some free passage, and this coordinated activity in regions far away from Aleppo...

Are those people on drugs?
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ISIS attacks weak places. Iraq is getting too hot for them and while they will defend Mosul to the last man, troops from some other regions in Iraq can still cross the border. With the Syrians and Iranians concentrating on Aleppo and Damascus area, it seems that only very weak forces were in place around Palmyra, giving an easy chance to score some prestige and morale points.

 

Having said that, it seems like the situation is stabilising and the army is counterattacking. I guess the "fire brigade" has arrived.

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ISIS attacks weak places. Iraq is getting too hot for them and while they will defend Mosul to the last man, troops from some other regions in Iraq can still cross the border. With the Syrians and Iranians concentrating on Aleppo and Damascus area, it seems that only very weak forces were in place around Palmyra, giving an easy chance to score some prestige and morale points.

 

Having said that, it seems like the situation is stabilising and the army is counterattacking. I guess the "fire brigade" has arrived.

 

That and the RuAF made a major air support effort, including using heavy bombers.

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Seems like it is worth having an inf battalion with heli transport on standby

Good infantry battalion-size unit is big force in Civil War - the same was in Russian Civil War when relatively small infantry units or single armored trains were able to run deep through enemy territory

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Seems like it is worth having an inf battalion with heli transport on standby

Good infantry battalion-size unit is big force in Civil War - the same was in Russian Civil War when relatively small infantry units or single armored trains were able to run deep through enemy territory

 

That may be the case but it shouldn't be. The uncommitted general reserve should be far bigger than a battalion.

 

If there is any lesson to be gleaned from the Greek civil war is that the creation of a large self-defense organization for the country side (ie some 100 "national guard" battalions in that case, consisting of armed villagers*) released the divisions from static garrison duties and allowed a more aggressive and relentless posture which ultimately brought the destruction of the rebel force.

 

*of course, like in all Europe, most men had received compulsory military training and, in those years, most were veterans of real war.

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If there is any lesson to be gleaned from the Greek civil war is that the creation of a large self-defense organization for the country side (ie some 100 "national guard" battalions in that case, consisting of armed villagers*) released the divisions from static garrison duties and allowed a more aggressive and relentless posture which ultimately brought the destruction of the rebel force.

Syria already did that a year or two ago.

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ISIS offensive in Palmyra under way - seems like SAA (de-facto militia) not able to stand against competent and dedicated ISIS infantry, even when having air. Most likely some important positions lost to ISIS (including, by some report, citadel and old city). Up to 4000 ISIS fighters reported to be taking part in offensive,

CzZ90JzWgAEnQcg.jpg

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Iranian and Russians left Syrian army soldiers to die in Palmyra

 

Syrians stream out of eastern Aleppo as fighting rages

 

New York Times Published 3:45 pm, Saturday, December 10, 2016

 

BEIRUT — Islamic State fighters appeared close to retaking Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday, just nine months after Syrian government forces drove them from the desert city, where they had terrorized residents and blown up irreplaceable ancient monuments.

 

Residents said Islamic State militants were battling soldiers in the city’s center, after retaking outlying oil fields and nearly encircling the city over the past week as the government and its allies were focused on a pivotal battle in Aleppo, farther north.

 

Losing Palmyra for a second time would be a major symbolic and military blow for the Syrian government, which touted its reconquest of the city in March, after 10 months of Islamic State rule.

 

Russia, the government’s main ally, which had helped with air support and advisers, flew an orchestra to play a victory concert in Palmyra’s ancient amphitheater that month.

 

The Russians also established a small base in the city, but residents said all Russian troops had pulled out in recent days as the militants approached.

 

The setback in Palmyra comes as the government has been scoring its most important victories in years in Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city.

 

The army and allied militias there have retaken most of the eastern half of the city. East Aleppo has been held for four years by rebels opposed to President Bashar Assad.

 

Another battle, also unfolding Saturday, may further complicate the government’s war strategy. A rebel coalition backed by Turkey made advances against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in the city of Al Bab in northern Aleppo province, an area that the Syrian government hoped to conquer from the group.

 

Residents were in a state of fear and anxiety, according to activists from the Local Coordination Committee of Palmyra, a group that opposes both Assad’s government and the Islamic State’s self-described caliphate.

 

The activist group said that residents were being abandoned by government forces, which had withdrawn from several areas. The events echoed those of spring 2015, when most government forces left the area, leaving residents and a few junior soldiers at the hands of the Islamic State.

 

Many of those who remained were executed.

 

On Saturday, pro-government social media accounts reported that Russian advisers and other “allies” — possibly including militiamen from Iraq and the Lebanese group Hezbollah — had abandoned Palmyra as the Islamic State approached, leaving Syrian government troops to fend for themselves.

 

Hezbollah played a major role in the battle to take back Palmyra nine months ago, a victory it sought to publicize in order to show that it, too, was battling terrorism and saving the ancient ruins from further destruction

http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Syrians-stream-out-of-eastern-Aleppo-as-fighting-10788360.php

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