The next phase in Syria

(I couldn't crop this - sorry)

This is the situation in NW Syria and the east on 31 October.

1. The situation in Eastern Syria has become relatively stable.  The US government's proxy forces (SDF) have advanced to the east bank of the
   Euphrates and as a result sovereign Syria will be limited to the country west of the river for some unforeseeable period.
2. The SDF and R+6 are engaged along with Iraqi forces in a race along both banks of the river to determine who will control the Albukamel border crossing on the Deir al-Zor to Baghdad highway.  The US coalition apparently wants to keep that highway communication out of SAG hands so as to continue to weaken the government.  The Iraqi government wants the crossing open and in Syria's hands, so this is bound to be a cause of friction between the US and Iraq.
3. The large IS pockets in central Syria have been eliminated with some jihadis being allowed to evacuate into the Albukamel area and others seeking to flee into Idlib Province where they are being given a hostile reception by HTS (Al-Qa'ida).
4. This has freed up a large number of Syrian troops who are being re-deployed either to the Euphrates or to the coming offensive in Idlib Province.
5. The Syrian general command has appointed new commanders to the north overall and to the offensive that will drive into Idlib Province from the south.
6. Action on the axis astride Route 5 from the south has begun.  Secondary attacks should be expected from Aleppo City and from Latakia Province going east.
7. Such action is facilitated by the fact that both HTS and IS are excluded from the terms of the de-escalation agreement in Idlib Province.
8. The situation will become really interesting when R-6 forces reach the outposts now manned by the Turks in northern Idlib Province.  pl

Comments

[Will2.71828]

per their rules of engagement, the SAA & the ISF are allowed to penetrate each others borders up to 10 km. Consistent with this, the SAA is already on the ground around abu Kamal, consider this:
"Aleksandr Stepanov‏ @AStepanov321 3h3 hours ago
More
Waiting for confirmation. #SAA has reportedly entered Syria from #Iraq and storming villages east of #Abu_Kamal #Al_Bukamal"

[Ishmael Zechariah]

BM,
The current group of klepts running Turkey were brought into power by Fortress West and other useful idiots. One needs to go back a decade to hear all kinds of praises of tayyip and his band of brothers in the ziocon press. "Democracy", "Mild Islam", "Democratic Islam"... the tripe dished out was amazing. tayyip was going to give the kurds their "rights", israel would be safe, peace would bloom all over the ME. The real goal was the Yinon Plan: after all regional powers were fractionated into the smallest possible tribes the Tribe would rule them all! We secularists played Cassandra. No matter; Russia survived Yeltsin; Turkey survived WW-1 and Vahidettin. We will survive this as well.
Ishmael Zechariah

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Mike,

Why don't you send in the PYG and their "women warriors" to teach us a lesson? Are they too busy fighting R+6 and trying to steal Syrian oil? They certainly performed wonders in Kirkuk.
tayyip will soon get what is coming to him, and so will your kurds. As the old saying goes "you cannot consummate your marriage w/ your uncle's d**k."

Ishmael Zechariah

[Babak Makkinejad]

Surviving is not a positive action.
I suggest you align yourself with the other wing of your civilization, i.e. Iran. That would help you as well as the Iranians.

[mike]

Ishmael Zechariah -

"you cannot consummate your marriage w/ your uncle's d**k."

An apt saying. Bridegroom Erdogan will find that out soon. His uncle Vladimir and cousin Bashar are already whispering sweet words to and cooperating with the Syrian Kurds. Three Kurdish organizations, including the PYD, have been invited to the Sochi meeting of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress coming up on 18 November. In the past Erdogan was able to block the Kurds from Astana and Geneva, but it seems that Uncle Vlad is now tired of Erdo's tantrums.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-pyd/syrian-kurds-favor-attending-russia-backed-peace-talks-party-head-says-idUSKBN1D1518?il=0

Your comment "Are they too busy fighting R+6 and trying to steal Syrian oil?" is blatant Erdogoebbel propaganda. Assad and Putin saw through that a long time ago and know better.

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Mike,
Kirkuk ??? A legend was written... Send in the female kurds-Amazons extraordinaire?
You seem to be living in the future; kurds will do this, and kurds will do that. They will do squat. What have they done for the past millennia plus?
We (Turks) do not need anyone's help to take your kurds and convert them into Alpo. If you wish to see some real action, suit up and come on down. Plenty folks around. Will be fun.
Ishmael Zechariah
BTW: tayyip will get his as well. Be patient.

[mike]

Ishmael Zechariah -

I pray for the day when Erdogan gets justice. May his living flesh rot, his bones be shattered, and his mouth filled with excrement.

Not sure what you have against the ladies. Turkey had their own Amazon, Black Fatma. Perhaps Enver Pasha was too busy turning Armenians into Alpo so needed the ladies to kick the Greeks out of Turkey:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Kara_Fatma_and_her_colleagues.jpg