ISIS/ISIL conflict in Syria/Iraq (No OpEd, No Politics)

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Massive development.

My initial view is that this is a really bad idea on Turkey's part.

Unless they plan on annexing northern Syria, I cannot see an exist strategy for them which doesn't involve defeat.

If they do annex northern Syria, they just put themselves down for decades of bloody counter-insurgency fighting and would be adding to its existing Kurdish problem by inflaming domestic Kurds while at the same time bring in a huge number of foreign hostile Kurds into its new expanded boarders.

The whole annexing parts of neighbours thing also won't sit well with anyone. So NATO won't have their back in this, and if they
Have another fall out with Russia, it would be hard to see how NATO could, or would even want to justify getting involved if the Russians decide to give the Turks a good spanking in Syria.

Almost feels like Putin has manoeuvred Erdogan into a trap here.

Make Erdogan think they are all made nice, trick him into making a silly aggressive land grab that NATO cannot stand behind, and then beat him up as proper payback for shooting down that Su24 when he no longer has NATO's skirts to hide behind.
Maybe Turkey's exist strategy is to make sure northern Syria does not fall in the hand of Kurds. That is all they care?

To guarantee that, Turkey will take and hold northern Syria until Syria stabilize and hand over to the future Syrian government, likely to make a bargain with it? Just like Israel holding Golan Height without outright annexation?

As I see it, Turkey/Erdogan initially expected to replace Assad with a pro-Turkey person therefor keep Kurds in check. After realizing that won't work (surely it won't work, what was he smoking:rolleyes:), Erdogan flips side and can accept whoever to rule Syria so long as that whoever is able to keep Syria in one piece with Kurds in firm hand.

The stupidity of Erdogan is that he has more ego than cards in his hand. Once again, as I said, punching above his weight class. He essentially destroyed the only regime that he can negotiate to secure Turkey's own survival (territory integrity). The good thing for Turkey is that, Erdogan is smart enough to realize the reality and made the flip before it is too late. But I am still skeptical about him due to his past behavior, he may flip again at the earliest sign of "returning" opportunity for his "Sultanate".
 
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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
man I wonder what set you off (normally you're not that defensive :)

my post again:


man I wonder what set you off (normally you're not that defensive :)

my post again:


your rebuke:


my rebuttal:
here's the map showing only the very recent events in Damascus area:
M2yj.jpg

common FORBIN I intentionally put the link in
(so that nobody asks me about the link hahaha) if you want, just visit that site (if you go over a marked point, it automatically puts its description in the map, you can immediately see the coordinates, the source and stuff)

Good :)
 
complicated situation in central-north Syria ... I looked at Twitter accounts of several sites, found this
hodgepodge of
  • Turkish claims (against ISIL & Kurds)
    Cqppu92XgAI4OZc.jpg
  • Kurdish claims against Rebels:
    Jarablus Military Council to act against Turkey-backed gang groups
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  • Kurdish "thinking loud" LOL
    CqpYtAWWAAAL8sr.jpg
now I rather look just at that hill in Southern Aleppo :)
 
...
now I rather look just at that hill in Southern Aleppo :)

the hill ... is called "Sanoubrat" in non-Government sources ...:
HXjT.jpg

(hill's position above is consistent with pro-Government maps: https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/is...no-oped-no-policis.t6913/page-411#post-411103)
...
... and from what I figured, the Government holds up there now ("Um Alqara" in the map below):
CqktBhaXgAI7FHk.jpg:large


now I skimmed through the related blog by "Cassad"
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(several fresh maps inside) who sounds cautious, points out the fights have been going on for 25 days and the lines are still fluid, so tactical loss(es) now may quickly have operational consequences (and he refers to both sides) ... is what I read in the source I quoted
 
Today at 7:15 AM
complicated situation in central-north Syria ...
... and plenty of activity going on there, but I'm short on time this evening, so I decided to briefly translate the points from the blog by "Cassad" (he blames the Big Satan for everything :) so I skip those fragments; source is
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and if you nitpick, I won't respond, I write this with my typing speed OK almost; anyway it'll be interesting to look at those points after some time):
  1. Jarabulus effectively under Turkish control except of isolated ISIL snipers
  2. Turkish armor has been arriving into Syria during tonight and in the morning, together
    with ammo for Rebels
  3. Rebels' front-units moved south to Jarabulus, positioned themselves towards Kurds' lines; infrequent clashes yesterday
  4. Kurds gave up the control of Manbij to some "Council"; Rebels are expected to take over the town
  5. Kurds to leave the area west to the Euphrates
  6. Rebels announced they would push towards Raqqa
  7. ISIL prepares for the siege of Al-Bab (of course being besieged there)
  8. Turks announced they would stay in Syrian border-areas until ISIL is gone from there and is replaced by Rebels; Turks wouldn't let these territories to get under Kurdish control
so I repeat it's not my points, and add the map:
Cqs2nXDVIAAOdWN.png:large

EDIT
quickly related to ... #7, purports to show what ISIL put up:
CqsshwnXEAAs885.jpg
 
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SampanViking

The Capitalist
Staff member
Super Moderator
VIP Professional
Registered Member
After weeks of steady gains in the district, AMN reported this morning that Daraya has surrendered and that some militants will accept the governments amnesty, while others will be given free passage to other rebel held areas.
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This evening the news has gone mainstream
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More troops coming free for the East Ghouter I would guess!
 
now I looked more closely into recent Kurdish claims (I don't think I saw a word about pulling east to the Euphrates ... but I might read just from fanbois :) anyway, in the map below, Manbij is marked, and they first (in general it's activity during this week; some dates are available in the map I posted yesterday https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/is...no-oped-no-policis.t6913/page-417#post-412068) took it north (marked as #1: crossing the Sayur, towards Jarabulus), then (#2) turned west to "screen" the interior of Syria from the Turks&Rebels (schematically shown in blue in Jarabulus area) and Rebels (schematically shown in Al-Rai); Kurdish bulge (schematically shown in orange, #3) now extends towards Arima in the west (but doesn't include it) and Khirbat Ar Rous in the south (and does include it):
U2k9S.jpg

(based on the most recent editions of
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and
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and what I saw in Twitter)
let's wait and see
 
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