Syria in Last 24 Hours:

US Army Dispatches More Armored Vehicles to Syria's Raqqa

Rasa - Footage surfaced online depicting flatbed tracks laden with American armored military vehicles passing through Syria, with conflicting commentary claiming that the materiel was bound for use by either US-backed Syrian militant groups or US troops themselves fighting ISIL in Raqqa city.

News ID: 431153

Date: 23 July 2017 - 19:48

RNA - The photos and videos were uploaded by Syrian Kurdish activists who are known affiliates of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The vehicles included Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, Mine-Resistant All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs) and armored bulldozers, the report said.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria.

Raqqa

Well-informed sources said that the weapons were mounted on the backs of flatbed trucks and were filmed passing through Qamishli, 170 miles Northeast of Raqqa city.

​

All three vehicle types were previously mentioned in Pentagon reports as assets being supplied to SDF fighters.

"Up-armored vehicles have been delivered to the SDF and (Syrian Arab Coalition) as part of our existing authorities to enable them," a spokesperson for US operations in Syria told Task & Purpose.

​

"Specifically, these vehicles will help them contend with the ISIL terrorists' IED threat in their current operation, and as they move to isolate (Raqqa)."

Mine-resistant vehicles are deployed against areas known to hide improvised explosive devices, which are a major danger to American soldiers riding in armored vehicles. At least half of all US casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan have been attributed to IEDs.

​

However, the spokesperson went on to tell Task & Purpose that MRAPs and M-ATVs were "not part of the package that is divested to the SDF." The Military Times noted that the M-ATVs were mounted with Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWs) systems, which allow for operators to fire the M-ATV's mounted.50 cal machine gun without exposing themselves to enemy fire. CROWS systems also weren't provided to SDF fighters.

​

Instead, the vehicles "are for use by the Coalition to protect our forces from IEDs." In other words, the Pentagon claims these armored vehicles are for use by Western operators, not SDF militants.

Under the Trump administration, there has been an uptick in American support for the SDF, a coalition of various militias.

In the meantime, the army units continued their tough battle with ISIL and managed to capture two towns on the Euphrates River after advancing some 35 kilometers through ISIL-held territories in Raqqa province.

Back by pro-government tribal fighters, the army's Tiger Forces dashed across Eastern Raqqa and captured the towns of Dalha and al-Aukarishi, thus reaching the Euphrates River in one of its largest single advances in 2017.

With Deir Ezzur city only 80 kilometers away, the Tiger Forces – commanded by Major General Suheil Al-Hassan – have been tasked with pushing Southeast along the M4-Highway, ultimately looking to lift the long-standing siege.

Reports also said that a large number of civilians fled their homes in Raqqa to escape the ISIL as well as the growing civilian casualties of the US airstrikes on the terrorist group's pseudo-state's Syrian capital.

As the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces of the Euphrates Rage Operation continue the bloody offensive on ISIL in Raqqa, the US-led coalition's increasing air raids lead to a growing number of civilian casualties.

Now local sources say that the heavy bombardments by the coalition and ISIL's attacks have caused civilians to escape the city in groups.

"Houses, families, children, women, all are hit in random strikes,” a man said.

Another civilian recounted how he had returned to his home one morning to find 12 people dead and then buried them, adding that “there is a massacre at every village, there is no exception for that, massacres took place in all of them".

According to reports, US-led coalition air strikes have killed hundreds of civilians in Syria. The air raids have resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also have led to tens of thousands of civilians fleeing their homes and becoming internally displaced.

Meanwhile, United Nations war crimes investigators has reported that the US-led coalition's aerial back up for the Kurdish forces to take control of Raqqa from ISIL have thus far killed hundreds of civilians and displaced tens of thousands more.

The UN investigators said that intensified US-led coalition air raids on ISIL's strongholds in Raqqa are causing a "staggering loss of civilian life".

Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry, said that intensified coalition airstrikes have killed at least 300 civilians in the Syrian Northern city of Raqqa since March.

He added that "we note in particular that the intensification of air strikes, which have paved the ground for an SDF advance in Raqqa, have resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes and becoming internally displaced."

Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that "the battle for Raqqa is not just about defeating ISIS (ISIL or Daesh), but also about protecting and assisting the civilians who have suffered under ISIL rule for three and a half years.”

"Coalition members and local forces should demonstrate concretely that the lives and rights of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Raqqa are a parallel priority in the offensive,” Fakih added.

Pentagon chief James Mattis has recently said that the US is “accelerating the tempo” of the fight against ISIL, and that civilian deaths should be anticipated as a “fact of life”.

The comments came after new figures from war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights found that the last four-week period was the deadliest for Syrian civilians on record since the US-led coalition bombing campaign began in 2014.

Based on reports, since the first days of 2017 hundreds of civilians have been killed in the US-led coalition's airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

The SDF started military Operations codenamed 'Euphrates Rage' to liberate Raqqa from the ISIL hands in November 2016, as the US has sent tens of trucks full of light and semi-heavy weapons to the Syrian Democratic Forces.

An army source announced on Saturday that the Syrian army established four humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians out of Raqqa.

The source told Sputnik that the necessity of the corridors arose as ISIL terrorists "have started threatening civilians as the army approaches and conduct unlawful actions."

"It was necessary to take emergency measures to protect and save our compatriots. We have the people a chance to return to a normal life," the source said, adding that the militants were trying to hinder the evacuation by mining local roads and crossroads.

Damascus

The army troops and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters continued to storm defense lines of Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) in Arsal heights at Syria-Lebanon border and managed to impose control over several heights and positions.

The resistance forces resumed their operation in Arsal heights with two offensives on Al-Nusra from different directions.

The resistance fighters hit the Al-Nusra positions in the Western Qalamoun heights from the town of Faliteh, and also stormed Al-Nusra's strongholds in the North and East of Arsal heights from the Southern parts of the heights in East Lebanon.

The Hezbollah forces in the Western Qalamoun managed to take control of Tal (hill) al-Barkan and the heights of al-Karah al-Awal, Zalil al-Haj and Haraf al-Sa'abah in Jaroud Faliteh region.

The Hezbollah troops also drove the Al-Nusra from the al-Rahwa plain, Wadi al-Daqiq, Wadi al-Za'arour (including the three positions of Ra'ad 1,2 and 3) in Arsal heights, and Tanftnaz position in Mount al-Qanzah and Zahrah al-Hawa position.

A military source reported that the resistance fighters' control over Zaharh al-Hawa position in Arsal heights has paved the way for the liberation of Wadi (plain) al-Kheil and Wadi al-Dab.

The source further added that tens of terrorists, including one of the commanders in Zaharah al-Hawa position along with three of his aides were killed and several more were wounded in the attack.

The source pointed out that the Al-Nusra has also lost a number of its military vehicles in the operation.

Informed sources said on Saturday that the terrorists that were targeted by the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in Arsal heights issued distress calls to urge their peers to rush to their aid.

The sources said that rapid advances of the Hezbollah troops in Arsal heights in Lebanon-Syria border region caused a growing wave of dispair among the terrorists of the Al-Nusra Front.

The sources added that the Al-Nusra terrorists have called for the assistance of their comrades in other battlefields.

The resistance fighters continued their attacks on Al-Nusra's positions in the Eastern part of Arsal heights and imposed control over the heights of Zahar al-Safa, Zalil al-Kheil and al-Azabeh region.

The Hezbollah combatants and the Syrian army soldiers also captured al-Koreh 2, Qana Kharba al-Javar, al-Zalil al-Aswad height, Haraf Wadi al-Oweini region, al-Shajara in Faliteh of the Western Qalamoun.

The army men and their popular allies also took military control over Wadi al-Oweini region.

Another field source reported that the terrorists left behind their weapons and equipment in Qanah al-Qanza in Arsal heights and fled the battlefield.

The source said that Al-Nusra terrorists deployed in Wadi Hamid and al-Malahi regions in Arsal have called for their comrades' help and support through radio distress calls.

In the meantime, the army troops continued to hit terrorists' strongholds in Ein Terma region and managed to destroy a large depot of arms and ammunition.

A source reported that the army men continued their anti-terrorism advances in Ein Terma and detonated a large arms and munitions depot Northeast of Sonbol petrol station, killing a number of terrorists, including several snipers.

The source added that several strong positions of the terrorists adjacent to Shimi Land project in Ein Terma were destroyed in the attack.

The source further pointed out that the army has imposed full control over three strategic positions of al-Menara School, Zmelka crossroad and Meat Packing Company in its one-month long operation in Ein Terma.

The army destroyed a tank, several BMP vehicles, eight missile launchpads, and ten heavy and semi-heavy machineguns of terrorists in its operation.

The source went on to say that over six military convoys of the terrorists along the road connecting Harmaleh passageway to their positions in Ein Terma, 37 tunnels and trenches including three tunnels for vehicles, media center of the terrorists were destroyed in the army's one-month-long operation in Eastern Damascus.

Over 400 militants were killed or wounded in the army operations too, the source added.

The Hezbollah fighters kicked off the second phase of a major offensive on the Al-Nusra Front in Arsal Heights and managed to drive the terrorists out of more strategic positions.

The resistance fighters engaged in fierce clashes with Al-Nusra terrorists and managed to impose control over the regions of Javar al-Sheih, Wadi Kreiti, Zalil al-Abyadh and Saraj Qavisaf South of Arsal heights.

The Hezbollah forces also captured Qarna Wadi al-Kheil region and Qarna al-Qanzah height.

In the meantime, Hezbollah's missile units shelled terrorists' positions heavily in Wadi al-Oweni triangle and Wadi al-Kheil region in Arsal heights, inflicting major losses on the militants.

Field sources said on Saturday that a sum of 100 terrorists announced their intention to lay down arms and surrender to the Syrian Army and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in Arsal heights at the two countries' border region.

The sources said that a hundred gunmen of Saraya Ahle Sham terrorist group declared intention to end fight with the Syrian army soldiers and Hezbollah fighters in Wadi Hamid region in Arsal Heights at Syria-Lebanon border.

Also Arab media outlets reported that the commander of the Al-Nusra Front in Western Qalamoun and Arsal Heights asked a hefty amount of money to leave the positons for Turkey amid the Syrian and Lebanese forces' raging operation in the region.

The Arabic-language al-Mayadeen quoted a field source as saying that Abu Malek al-Tali, the commander of ISIL in the regions of Qalamoun and Arsal at the Syria-Lebanon border asked $30mln to leave his positions for Turkey.

The source told al-Mayadeen that al-Tali refused all the mediation proposals to prevent bloodshed, adding that al-Tali has announced that he does not care for the fate of his forces and is ready to receive $30mln, hand over the region to the Syrian and Lebanese forces and leave the region for Turkey via Beirut airport.

Al-Tali has even refused a safe, but, unpaid relocation to Idlib, the source continued.

Field reports said on Saturday that the army soldiers continued their anti-terrorism operation in Ein Terma and Jobar regions in Eastern Ghouta to decrease terrorists' threats in the region.

The army's missile and mortar units opened heavy fire at terrorists' strongholds in the village of Jesrin East of Ein Terma, while the army ground forces managed to advance against the terrorists in the region under their comrades' heavy fire.

The army's missile and mortar attacks also pinned down Faylaq al-Rahman behind its positions in Jesrin.

A military source in Eastern Ghouta reported that the second phase of Jobar operation will start in the next few days, underlining that the priority of the upcoming operation will be purging the Western direction of Jobar that has long been under the terrorists' occupation.

The source further added that the army units have also kicked off a fresh round of attacks on terrorists' defense lines to drive them out of Ein Terma-Zmelka-Jobar triangle.

The source went on to say that the fresh operation in the Triangle is aimed at cutting off the supply lines to the positions of Faylaq al-Rahman that are threatening the security of the Eastern parts of the Damascus province.

Meantime, the Syrian armed forces declared the start of a ceasefire regime in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province starting from Saturday noon.

The ceasefire was reported to come in force at 12:00 local time, SANA reported.

Yet, the report said the Syrian forces reserve the right to respond to any violation of the ceasefire regime in Eastern Ghouta.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that the agreements on functioning of Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone in Syria's Damascus were signed.

The agreements, which were signed in Cairo, Egypt, define borders of the de-escalation zone and locations of control powers, according to the statement.

"These documents define the borders of the de-escalation zone, the deployment sites and powers of the de-escalation control forces, as well as the routes for delivering humanitarian aid and clear passage to the population," the ministry said.

The ministry added that the first humanitarian convoy to the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone is expected in nearest time. It will be followed by the evacuation of wounded civilians for East Ghouta.

The documents have been signed in the development of the Astana agreements with the mediation of the Egyptian side, it noted.

Idlib

Terrorists of Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at declared ceasefire after non-stop clashes in Idlib province.

Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham ended fight after the former took up to retreat from its positions in Bab al-Hawa border region in Northern Idlib and pass on control to a non-military council.

The two terrorist groups also agreed to halt clashes, remain committed to the truce and free each other's war captives.

Ahrar al-Sham Commander Abu Amar al-Omar had previously threatened that if Tahrir al-Sham attacked their positions, his forces would retaliate in alliance with other militant groups.

In reaction to the recent intensified clashes between terrorist groups in Idlib, the Turkish Army has deployed several artillery units in front of Bab al-Hawa border passageway in Northern Idlib and the Turkish fighter jets are carrying continued flights over the border region with Syria.

According to reports, over 90 terrorists were killed and 130 more wounded in the clashes between rival groups in Idlib in recent days.

Kurdish media outlet reported on Saturday that almost 150 militants affiliated to the Turkish Army entered the Northwestern province of Idlib following intensified clashes between Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at.

The Kurdish-language ARA news reported that a 150-member group of the Ankara-backed Euphrates Shield Operation forces crossed the Turkish border into the Northern territories of Idlib province via Bab al-Hawa border-passage after Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham engaged in a fresh round of fierce clashes in the province.

ARA quoted Ahrar al-Sham's Spokesman Mohammad Abu Zeid as saying that the first group of his forces, including 150 fighters, entered Northern Idlib from the Turkish territories via Bab al-Hawa, adding that more groups will arrive in the province soon.

News websites affiliated to the terrorist groups reported that over 300 militants of Ahrar al-Sham crossed the border into Northern Aleppo and moved towards Idlib.

847/940