"Syrian govt forces roll back rebel gains in Aleppo" Daily Star & AFP

 

"Syrian government forces bolstered by Russian airstrikes recaptured territory overnight in the southwest suburbs of the battleground city of Aleppo, rolling back the short-lived gains of a rebel offensive.

Rebels and their extremist allies launched an assault Sunday in a bid to ease a more than two-week government siege of opposition-held districts of the city.

But government fighters have put up a fierce fightback, retaking several positions from beleaguered rebel forces, activists said Wednesday.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces seized two hilltops and two small villages in the southwest suburbs of Aleppo late Tuesday.

'The regime is launching counter-attacks to absorb the fierce rebel offensive,' said Observatory head Rami Abdel-Rahman."  Daily Star & AFP

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 IMO the crisis has passed from the R+6 point of view.   The rebel iihadis will soon begin to withdraw from their temporary gains having lost a lot of men (800-1000).  The external attacks having failed, the attacks from within the encirclement will also end as the word is passed of the failure of the relief force.

In the north end of the Aleppo battle, the Tiger Forces Brigade centered task force is fighting its way through the Handarat Palestinian Refugee camp with the assistance of the Palestinian militia who live there.  This was thought to be a back-up plan to provide for re-supply of West Aleppo in the event that the jihadi effort in the SW of the perimeter had succeeded.  Now that seems a danger passed the Handarat operation can be seen as part of the process of gradually shrinking the rebel jihadi held area in East Aleppo.

BTW, there are no longer many "moderate" FSA unicorns in East Aleppo and most of these are more in the nature of press liaisons for foreign Borgist media.

The YPG/SDF offensive against IS east of Aleppo is playing a major role in the fighting t Aleppo by "fixing" forces in position so that they cannot be used against R+6.

IMO an R+6 occupation of East Aleppo and the large number of casualties suffered by the rebels will set the stage for a negotiated end of the war in western Syria.

The war against IS will, IMO last for at least two or three years longer.  pl  

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Aug-03/365332-syrian-govt-forces-roll-back-rebel-gains-in-aleppo-activists.ashx

Comments

[johnf]

Really good news.

And, with a peace treaty fixed, if Hillary does become president the enemy is going to be ISIS - not al Qaeda hiding behind a forest of alphabet soup acronyms.

Justifying an intervention is going to become a whole lot more difficult.

[apol]

A report this morning is to be found here.
An over optimistic assesment??
Depending on your point of view..
I wish a lot of prersstitutes coud write so vigoursly!
http://syrianperspective.com/2016/08/terrorist-attack-crushed-in-aleppo-city-liberated-canthama-reports-on-the-terrorists-offensive-in-western-aleppo-and-the-fate-of-the-war-of-aggression-against-syria.html

[different clue]

If the war against IS will take two or three more years, that gives the Clinton Administration two or three years to support IS with weapons, advisers, political and diplomatic cover, money, etc.; if the Clintonites can figure out how to keep their hand hidden and maintain plausible deniability. Toppling Assad means that much to the Clintonites.

Can the R + 6 get ISIS exterminated from Syria and driven back into Iraq and the border impenetrably sealed before the Clintonites take power? That remains the ticking clock.

[Fred]

The article states "They have managed to keep control of at least four hilltops ..."
Seems like those would be good targets for the air campaign of the R+6.

There is also a reference to "... international observers, and 35 NGOs ... " not liking the safe passages, "... Russia announced the opening of "humanitarian corridors" to allow residents and surrendering fighters to flee for government-held territory.". Just which NGO's are these and who exactly are they giving aid too?

[Peter]

I don't think defeating the liver-eaters in western Syria and IS in the east before the next President takes power is possible. IMO clearing the Aleppo pocket then cutting off the remaining "rebels" in the west from Turkey is a much more achievable goal. If the R+6 can end the war in western Syria by the end of the year, if even possible, that would be the best case scenario. That would leave only IS in the east, and there won't be anymore cries in the mainstream media like there are now for the "rebels" in Aleppo. I have a hard time imagining CNN talking about how Assad must "end the siege" if it were Raqqa and not Aleppo.

[Lemur]

Spiritual rebel leader Abdullah al-Muheisni Tweets: They say "The attack on Aleppo failed". We say... "You are mistaken, because the attack didn't even start yet. Expect an attack on an axis you didn't even think about."

Abdullah al-Muheisni is a little discombobulated.

[Babak Makkinejad]

All:

The indomitable Robert Fisk:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html

[Dubhaltach]

In reply to johnf 03 August 2016 at 12:22 PM

No it's not - these people have proved repeatedly that they're utterly without shame. They don't care how often they lie or how transparent the lie is.

[Poul]

Is the offensive succeeding or failing? Pro-government and pro-rebel sources do not agree. Time will tell.

A pro-rebel source claims that they control the 1070 apartment blocks and are moving into the artillery base.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpGg26wVYAEgJ2c.jpg

[Poul]

Add-on:
This Iranian news source indicates that there is a rebel presence in the 1070 quarter.

http://presstv.com//Detail/2016/08/05/478519/Syria-army-thwart-attack-Takfiri-militants-Aleppo

Quote:
"“Here we monitor the supply line of the terrorists between Hekma building and 1070 quarter. Terrorists in the quarter are trapped, because our troops on the ground are encircling them. We will strike and kill them,” a Syrian army soldier told Press TV."

[Poul]

Another add-on:
It appears that the rebels have gaining access to the Artillery College grounds if they are still there is unknown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfGZnRs9rQA

Calling it the Battle of Ibrahim Youssef is telling of what will happen if they win.

[Poul]

The rebels may have taken the artillery base.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-rebels-capture-key-military-base-southern-aleppo/

[Lemur]

rebels saying siege is broken, loyalists denying

Whatever the case loyalist forces are under pressure because everything bar the kitchen sink is being conscripted for the defence of southwest Aleppo.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/massive-reinforcements-arrive-drive-back-jihadists-southwest-aleppo/

[Thomas]

Poul,

Let them congregate in a selected area, then apply an overwhelming dose of deadly force.

A lesson learned from those most merciless Mongols, bring the prey into the circle, surround them and then slay them.

[Poul]

The CEO of Al-Masdar News writes that the rebels have linked up. The siege is not broken as there is no good road connection, but now West Aleppo is also under siege.

https://twitter.com/leithfadel/status/761999598730747904

Best map of the situation from what I've read.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpNaiVUWYAAeZJd.jpg

Can the SAA and allies find the manpower to regain what was lost? Anyone have an idea if that is possible without major reinforcement from Iran or Russia.

[turcopolier]

poul

"Anyone have an idea if that is possible without major reinforcement from Iran or Russia" That is the kind of thing you learn by watching someone try it. you can guess in advance as I have had that R+6 is short of troops needed but you only really know when they try it. pl