Syrian conflict.

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Al-Manar: Syrian army completed an operation to clean up the Marj al-Sultan in Eastern Guta. Engineering units began dismantling IEDs.

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Kerry seeks 'real progress' on Syria at Moscow talks

 

 

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he wanted to use a visit to Moscow on Tuesday to make "real progress" in narrowing differences with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over how to end the conflict in Syria.

 

   Kerry is seeking to prepare the ground for a third round of talks of world powers on Syria but it was not clear if a meeting penciled in for Friday in New York would go ahead.

 

   Russia and the United States have not reached agreement over the role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in any political transition or over which rebel groups should be part of talks.

 

   "I look forward to making real progress," Kerry said at the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

 

   "I think the world benefits when powerful nations with a long history with each other have the ability to be able to find common ground," he said.

 

   Kerry, who will meet Putin later on Tuesday, told Lavrov: "Even when there have been differences between us we have been able to work effectively on specific issues."

 

   Russia, one of Assad's staunchest allies, has launched a campaign of air strikes that it said targeted Islamic State militants but which also supported Assad's forces. The Kremlin says the Syrian people, and not external powers, should decide Assad's political fate.

 

   Lavrov told Kerry there was a need for more effective international cooperation in fighting terror. "On that route there are still questions which today we need to look at," Lavrov said in his opening remarks.

 

   The run-up to the Moscow talks underlined the distance between Moscow and Washington on how to deal with the Syria crisis.

 

   Speaking before Kerry's arrival, a State Department official said Kerry would raise concerns about Russia's continued bombing of Syrian opposition forces, including some backed by Washington and its allies.

 

   For its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement complaining that Washington was not ready to fully cooperate in the struggle against Islamic State militants and needed to rethink its policy of "dividing terrorists into good and bad ones".

 

   Kerry's visit follows a meeting last week in Riyadh which agreed to unite a number of opposition groups, not including Islamic State, to negotiate with Damascus in peace talks.

 

   While Kerry said there were still "kinks" that needed to be worked out, mainly to do with which groups should be included in the talks, the Kremlin rejected the results of the Riyadh meeting, saying some of the groups were considered terrorists.

 

   NO DEAL ON UKRAINE

 

   "We don't have a full meeting of the minds yet (on Assad)," a senior State Department official told reporters. "We will talk about some of the details of a transition...in the hopes of narrowing the differences between us."

 

   Kerry's talks in Moscow will delve deeper into details of a planned Jan. 1 ceasefire in Syria, as well as Monday's comments by Russia on supporting the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which has been fighting Russian- and Iranian-backed government forces.

 

   "We'll be interested to hear what the Russians have in mind there, given the Free Syrian Army's concern about how Assad has been treating his own people," the official said.

 

   Russia has given mixed messages on the FSA. News agencies on Monday quoted Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian army's general staff, as saying his country was providing it with weapons, ammunition and material support, while a top Kremlin aide later said there was no such arrangement.

 

   FSA rebels fighting Assad's forces in western Syria denied receiving any support from the Russian air force, saying on the contrary it continued to bomb them.

 

   White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Kerry will encourage continued efforts by Russia to de-escalate tensions with Turkey after it shot down a Russian military plane near the Syria border on Nov. 24.

 

   Kerry will also underscore the importance of implementing the Minsk peace accords on Ukraine and plans for free and fair elections in eastern Ukraine.

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Northen Latakia, artillery rounds hits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE-A9wXF55U

 

Allakhbabakhs video, SyAAF bombed Jaish Al-Fateh convoy near Idlib (south from it)

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/676711676457127936/pu/vid/320x180/f2WkTO9R40hJh0rf.mp4

 

 

First helicopters landed in Kuweiris base

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#Syria #Hama #NDF Leader's / Delegation visiting funeral of Bassel Al Asmar Leader of #SAA al Hadi Regiment 

 

 

 

 

#Syria #Latakia #Lattakia Reports from z past 4 to 12 hours of very intense battles ongoing @ #Mount_Nuba #SAA #NDF 

 

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#Syria #Homs #Christian #Christmas Decorations in a Town in Homs Countryside. #Valley_Of_The_Christians #Marmarita 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Syria #Qamishli Decoration in preparation for #Christmas & 2016. #Christian #Christmas #christmascountdown 

 

 

 

 

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#Syri #EastGhouta #SyrianArabArmy #SyrianArmy #SAA #SyrianArmedForces #Damascus 

 

 

#Syria #Hama Militants announce the death of Ziad Guessoum Military Commander for Alwiya al-Furqan #ألوية_الفرقان 

 

NSFW

 

 

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#Syria #Damascus #EastGhouta 7 #Jaysh_al_Islam Militants killed @ #Bilaliyah Farms this afternoon. 

 

 

#Syria From The Funeral of Bassel Al Asmar Leader of #SAA al Hadi Regiment martyred yesterday defending his homeland 

 

 

 

 

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Syrian Army Captures the Strategic Marj Al-Sultan Helicopter Base in Rural Damascus

 

Video from Marj al-Sultan

 

TV report, lol

 

More from that area, SANA report.

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Inside of "Yauza".

 

Those are rockets for TOS

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Dera'a, SyAAF Mi-25

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#Syria #Aleppo #SouthernAleppo Photos from Abu Ruwayl  #ابو_رويل village that #SAA & #Hezbollah Recently Captured. 

 

 

 

 

NSFW

 

 

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More detailed map of Eastern Ghouta, area near Marj al-Sultan

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#Syria #Aleppo #SouthernAleppo Photos from Southern Aleppo Showing Militant Ammunition captured by #SAA & #Hezbollah 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Syria #Aleppo #SouthernAleppo Photos from Southern Aleppo Showing Militant TWO BMP's captured by #SAA & #Hezbollah 

 

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#Syria #Hama #Ghab_Plain Militant group #جبهة_صمود "Jabhat el somoud" has joined #جيش_النصر Jaysh al-Nasr

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#SAA #NDF repel #IS attack on the outskirts of #Sadad in #Homs countryside

 

 

#SAA/#NDF control Tell Huwayr near #Souran in Northern #Hama 

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.359936&lon=36.740341&z=14&m=b

 

 

Intense clashes reported between #SAA vs #JN & allies on the summit of Mt Nuba #Latakia countryside 

 

 

#FSA group takes 4 points on #Damascus - #Baghdad highway in east #Qalamoun after clashes with #IS

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81 mm mortar round casing from #Turkey in southern #Aleppo 

 

 

Al Mayadeen from Zeitan. Southern #Aleppo

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#Syria #RuAF Mi-8AMTSh over Homs city

 

 

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#Syria Oil  market in Maʿarrat al-Naasan targeted by RuAF airstrikes. Casualties reported 

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The Russo-Iranian Military Coalition in Syria may be Deepening

 

 

#Iran #RuAF Su-34 & IL-76 in Shahid Nojeh AB (Hamadan), 25th Dec 2015. 

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@pfc_joker @2Rook14 @green_lemonnn From another angle. Looks like from MKEK defense company for UT-1 Havan mortar 

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#PT AQ/JN posted a picture of another dark green camo HUMVEE in Banis, southern Aleppo. 

Probably Iraqi paramilitarie's vehicle. Banis is located near Al-Eis, it is contested area.

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Hmmm... let's say that this is unconfirmed.

 

Damascus has the S-300 fully in service and 2 Iranian squadrons at T4

 

Source (in arabic)

 

Blog post/translation:

 

 

   Syrian war is rolling like a snowball on the edge of the winter with additional new elements that are introduced in the conflict. The presence of new weapons and armies will impose a heavy weight on the various forces fighting on the ground and over the ongoing diplomacy in the attempt to shorten the life of the war in Syria.

 

   A high-ranking officer within the joint operation room in Damascus (consisting of Russia, Iran, Syria and Hezbollah) said “Damascus received sets of S -300 advanced Russian missiles, ready to enter active service. Soon, Syria will announce that any country using the airspace without coordinating with Damascus will be viewed as hostile and will shoot the jet (s) without warning. Those willing to fight terrorism and coordinate with the military leadership will be granted safe corridors”.

 

   In another development, according to the same source, “Iran is preparing two squadrons of Sukhoi to engage the war in Syria. These will be stationed at the T4 Syrian military airport in Homs, very close to Palmyra (Tadmur), previously known as Tiyas. The Iranian Air Force will join the Russian Air Force in their war against extremist terrorist Kafeeree in Syria”.

 

   “The alliance of Russia, Iran, Syria and their allies like Hezbollah, the Iraqis and others are all directly involved in the battle. Russian armed forces, including ground troops, the Navy and the Air Force are supported by air defense system using TOR M 1 / M2 medium-range missiles, accompanied by Pantsir S- along with their most advanced S-400 missiles to create an air umbrella coverage over the Russian forces in the country. Another airport in Homs, al-Sha’ayrat, has been prepared to host newly arriving Russian Air jets.

 

   Al-Sha’ayrat is one of the most important military airport in Syria. Ground troops are securing a wide parameter to allow a comfortable maneuver. Engineers and ground crew services are ready and began to receive inbound aircraft of the Russian Federation, led by advanced Su-34 equipped with air-to-air missiles to protect other Jets while bombing terrorists from another incident like the Su-24 downed by Turkey last week”.

 

   The sources add “Iran sent 4000 IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) equipped with mechanisms grenades and rocket launchers with self-propelled cannons to support its offensive operations in Syria. Moreover two squadrons of the Iranian Air Force will be deployed in the T4 –Tiyas airport, located close to Al-Sha’ayrat, when the Iranian engineers will conclude their work at the site. Iran Air Force, trilled to raise the efficiency of pilots in real combat operation, will provide an air support for all ground forces from Palmyra to Raqqa. Moscow agreed to provide all maintenance and ammunition needed to the Iranian jets. ”

 

   On the S-300, the source concuded: “Syrian air defense crew completed their training on the S -300 missile system in Russia and received the full sets agreed with the government the Syrian forces. The Russian-made S-300s, which can engage 12 targets simultaneously at distances of 200 kilometers and heights of up to 27 kilometers, will be deployed in the liberated areas to cover the full Syrian geography. Damascus is expected – said the source – to announce, soon, that every unidentified jet flying in the sky of Syria will be considered hostile and will be shot down if no previous coordination have been made with the Syrian authorities. Syria is ready to provided safe corridors for those willing to strike terrorism”.

 

   It is unlikely that Syria would declare war in the sky on the western coalition hitting ISIS group despite the deployment of the S-300 and when it will be officially announced. Nonetheless, it is certainly a strong message to Turkey that is seeing its never lasting dream of “safe-zone” vanishing in the air now more than ever. It is also a way for Damascus to put pressure on the west, mainly France and the United Kingdom, to force a diplomatic coordination with the actual government, also in terms of security, intelligence and “war on terror”. However, sources in the Syrian capital confirm that Assad doesn’t expect a sudden return of the Blue/White/Red flag over the French Embassy and the return of an Ambassador, despite the Paris attack. But for the war on terror to be efficient, Paris needs Damascus, and not the other way around, for it’s own national security protection. There are over 1400 French Mujahedeen Takferees fighting along ISIS and al-Qaeda in Bilad al-Sham. Many of these are listed in Assad intelligence files. The DGSE, French external intelligence service, will have no access to these without a diplomatic price in exchange. It will be a challenge for France to fly its jets over Syria without any coordination with Damascus and with the risk of being shot down by the S-300, mistaken for a Turkish or unfriendly jet, like Israel.

 

Sha’ayrat airport location

 

T4 Military Air Base (known as Tiyas) location

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A second #Hezbollah #IED killed a group of 5 #ISIS not far from the first one close to border crossing between #Syria and #Lebanon.

 

 

Thousands Of Russian Troops Head To Turkish Border 

Article

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Reports SAA now completely controls Strategic Jabal Ahmar and its villages: Firinlik, Tishardakli, Kuk'dagh,& Awanli 

 

 

With capture of Jabal Al Ahmar, #SAA has successfully isolated Turkmen villages from direct Turkish lifeline 

 

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Just a moderate rebel from secular FSA/SRF accusing #ISIS of being a "Shia group who have nothing to do with Islam".