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Syrian warplanes strike IS on Iraqi border following joint intelligence sharing

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Syrian jet fighter. Photo: Syrian government/gov.syrian,jet,Syrian warplanes strike IS

BAGHDAD,— The Syrian air force conducted a number of airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) Daesh positions in Raqqa and along the Syrian-Iraqi border based on intelligence gathered by the four countries of Russia, Syria, Iran, and Iraq.

Iraq’s Joint Command released a statement Saturday afternoon claiming that the airstrikes targeted areas where “prominent terrorists” in IS-held Raqqa, Abu Kamal in Deir ez Zor, and al-Dashisha village close to the Iraqi border, were present.

The Iraqi air force carried out airstrikes inside the Syrian border in late February for the first time since the emergence of IS in Iraq in 2014.

The Joint Command listed five targets for Saturday’s Syrian airstrikes, destroying what it said were command and control centers of the extremist group where IS suicide bombers and hit-and-run operatives were based.

“Based on the intelligence from the [Iraqi] intelligence agency and the federal investigation, and through the four-membered committee for intelligence sharing, the Syrian air force carried out a series of airstrikes that targeted IS positions in Raqqa, Abu Kamal, and Dashisha village close to the Iraqi border,” the Iraqi statement said, making reference to the Baghdad operation room were the four countries share intelligence.

It also said that a French IS operative of Algerian origin was killed. He was named as Abu Bakir bin al-Habib al-Hakim, military commander for the extremist group in Raqqa.

Hakim was formerly among the ranks of al-Qaeda and its Syrian branch Nusra Front, the statement detailed.

In al-Dashisha village close to the Iraqi border, the airstrikes targeted a gathering of IS suicide bombers of different nationalities.

The suicide bombers were trying to enter Iraq from the Syrian side but “the airstrike killed many of them,” the statement added.

raqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered airstrikes against IS positions in February inside Syria for the first time since the country started to fight against the extremist group in 2014.

Abadi said that the February attack was against those who “were responsible for the recent terrorist attacks in Baghdad.”

Abu Kamal is located on the border in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor governorate on the Euphrates River.

Iraqi forces deployed about 3,000 troops to fight IS in the western province of Anbar near the Syrian border in October last year.

The deployment was in the far west of the province, the largest by area. The Iraqi army, supported by Shiite and pro-government Sunni fighters, regained control of Anbar’s capital city Ramadi in late 2015.

On July 3, 2016, IS carried out its deadliest attack ever in coordinated bombings that killed more than 300 people, culminating in a suicide truck bomb targeting Baghdad’s district of Karrada.

 

The Syrian army said on Thursday that it will shoot down any Turkish warplanes violating the Syrian airspace.

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syria-will-shoot-turkishThe Syrian army said on Thursday that it will shoot down any Turkish warplanes violating the Syrian airspace.

ALEPPO (Sputnik) — The Syrian army said on Thursday that it will shoot down any Turkish warplanes violating the Syrian airspace in response to recent Turkish airstrikes on Kurdish villages in northern Syria that allegedly killed 150 civilians.

“The Syrian army warns that it is ready to shoot down Turkish warplanes by any means available if they attempt to once again violate the Syrian airspace,” the army general command said in a statement.

According to the statement, the Turkish authorities are responsible for the deaths of some 150 civilians in Turkish airstrikes on the villages of Hassajek, Vardia and Hasia on Wednesday night.

Russian Warplanes Hit 1,093 Terrorist Targets in Syria Over Past 6 Days

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10297398011Russian warplanes have conducted 302 sorties and hit 1,093 terrorist targets in Syria over the past six days, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

“Jets from the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have conducted 302 sorties and hit 1,093 targets in the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Hama and Homs from December 18 to December 23,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that Russian jets destroyed a terrorist training camp in the Syrian province of Idlib hosting fighters from Turkey and CIS states.

“Russian Su-34 bombers destroyed a major terrorist training camp in the Idlib province. A large group of experienced instructors from neighboring states had been stationed in the camp. Information about this camp, where the majority of terrorists arriving from Turkey were citizens of CIS countries, was received from representatives of the Syrian patriotic opposition about a week ago.”

Moreover, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said that Su-34 aircraft have destroyed two oil storage facilities and dozens of fuel pumps in the Deir ez-Zor province.

A Russian Su-24 bomber launched an attack on Daesh military equipment in the Syrian province of Homs, destroying six off-road vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns and three militants’ trucks.

“Russia’s Su-24 bomber conducted airstrikes against a concentration of Daesh military equipment in the Homs province.”

A Su-34 jet also destroyed a Ahrar ash-Sham militant group’s command post in the Aleppo province, Konashenkov said.

Source: sputniknews.com

Syria-Update: Russian Warplanes Hit 263 Terrorist Targets in 2 Days

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1028742067Russian warplanes have carried out 81 sorties and hit 263 terrorist targets over the past 48 hours in 8 provinces in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

“In the past two days, aircraft from the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have conducted 81 sorties and hit 283 [terrorist] targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Idlib, Latakia, Raqqa, Hama and Homs,” the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

“In the area of Tadmur in the province of Homs, a Su-24 bomber destroyed a major ISIL fortified area, as well as a tank firing position, a Zu-23 anti-aircraft gun and a mortar battery. The destroyed fortified area was located over 30 kilometers away from ancient Palmyra.”

“I draw your attention to the fact that Russian aviation launched airstrikes only against terrorist infrastructure targets that are located at a considerable distance from historical landmarks.”

A Su-34 bomber destroyed a Nusra Front training camp in the Deir ez-Zur province. “Near Al-Muhasan in the Deir ez-Zur province, a Su-34 bomber carried out a strike against a Nusra Front training camp.”
The Russian general added that as a result of a guided bomb strike, training infrastructure, as well as buildings and facilities used by terrorists for storing explosives were completely destroyed.
Moreover, Russian Su-25 attack aircraft destroyed a Nusra Front ammunition depot with anti-tank missiles in the Idlib province. Nusra Front jihadists wanted to use the missiles to target Syrian government army’s armoured vehicles, Konashenkov said.
“According to data received from the joint Information Center in Baghdad, a batch of anti-tank missiles was delivered to one of the ammunition depots near Maarrat al-Nu’man in the province of Idlib.”
“After checking the information via several channels, two Su-25 attack aircraft launched a strike against this target, as a result of which the ammunition depot was destroyed.”
The Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed two fortified checkpoints in Raqqa, he said.
“Su-34 bombers hit by two fortified checkpoints of terrorists located on the outskirts of the city of Raqqa. A pinpoint strike with a bomb destroyed terrorist fortifications, as well as four units of armored vehicles.”

According to the Russian defense ministry spokesman, Russian aviation hit an ISIL base in the mountains of Jebel-Mgar near Damascus. A terrorist ammunition depot, a command post and shelters with military equipment were located in caves of the mountain.
Russian Su-24M bombers destroyed ISIL workshops in the Aleppo province, which repaired armoured vehicles.
“In the vicinity of the Al-Nayrab airport in the province of Aleppo, Su-24M bombers destroyed workshops located in several buildings that repaired ISIL armored vehicles.”

Source: sputniknews.com

Syria-Update: Russian Warplanes Destroy 83 ISIL Targets in Syria

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CR16avpUEAA2No7The targets destroyed by the Russian air force include an ISIL command center, a militant rendezvous point, a number of warehouses and vehicles.

Russian warplanes have carried out 46 sorties in Syria over the past 24 hours destroying 83 ISIL targets, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman said Wednesday during a briefing in Moscow

 

“The planes of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have carried out 46 sorties on 83 objects of infrastructure of the Islamic State terrorist group in the past 24 hours. Primarily the strikes were carried out in provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zur, Damascus and Hama,” Konashenkov said.

Specifically, they destroyed a militant rendezvous point in the Idlib province, he told journalists.

The Russian drones had uncovered the center in Idlib as they were conducting reconnaissance, Konashenkov said. “The group controlled the launches on the battlefield from that object… The object was destroyed by a Su-24 bomber strike.”

A large field camp of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra group detected near Khan-Sheikoun in El Ghab valley was destroyed by Su-25 attack aircraft. It included militants’ housing, warehouses, and vehicles, Konashenkov said.
The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed a radio-controlled explosive device factory, as well as an explosives depot of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group in Syria, he went on to say.

“After carrying out a precision strike with guided aerial bombs and the subsequent detonation of explosives, the site and two nearby trucks, carrying tens of tons of explosives, were destroyed.”

The Defense Ministry spokesman said militants were mining abandoned housing complexes and social infrastructure buildings with remote controlled explosive devices before deserting their positions.
“A large portion of these explosives are carefully disguised and are fixed with timers that should detonate after a certain time, sometimes after several weeks,” Konashenkov said.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Islamiс State is in talks with other terrorist groups operating in Syria about joining forces against the Syrian Army.
“Intercepted radio communications suggest that commanders of several large units of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group have begun talks with leaders of the Islamic State terrorist organization about joining forces to contain the Syrian Army offensive,” Konashenkov said.
Russia started precision airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria on September 30, following a request from Syria’s internationally recognized government. The Russian airstrikes hit targets that are chosen based on intelligence collected by Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Source: sputniknews.com

Saudi warplanes bomb Houthi positions in Yemen

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Staff Writer, Al Arabiya News
Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Houthis storm presidential palace in Yemen

Houthis storm presidential palace in Yemen

Warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force bombed the positions of Yemen’s Houthi militia and destroyed most of their air defenses, Al Arabiya News Channel reported early on Thursday.

Arab Gulf states had announced that they have decided to “repel Houthi aggression” in neighboring Yemen, following a request from the country’s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

In their joint statement Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait said they “decided to repel Houthi militias, al-Qaeda and ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] in the country.”

The Gulf states warned that the Houthi coup in Yemen represented a “major threat” to the region’s stability.

It also accused the Iranian-backed militia of conducting military drills on the border of Saudi Arabia, a leading member of the GCC, with “heavy weapons.”

In an apparent reference to Iran, the statement said the “Houthi militia is backed by regional powers in order for it be their base of influence.”

The Gulf states said they had monitored the situation and the Houthi coup in Yemen with “great pain” and accused the Shiite militia of failing to respond to warnings from the United Nations Security Council as well as the GCC.

The statement stressed that the Arab states had sought over the previous period to restore stability in Yemen, noting the last initiative to host peace talks under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

In a letter sent the U.N. Security Council and seen by Al Arabiya News, Hadi requested “immediate support for the legitimate authority with all means and necessary measures to protect Yemen and repel the aggression of the Houthi militia that is expected at any time on the city of Aden and the province of Taiz, Marib, al-Jouf [and] an-Baidah.”

In his letter Hadi said such support was also needed to control “the missile capability that was looted” by the Houthi militias.

Hadi also told the Council that he had requested from the Arab Gulf states and the Arab League “immediate support with all means and necessary measures, including the military intervention to protect Yemen and its people from the ongoing Houthi aggression.”

Two Turkish fighter jets crash, killing four

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n_78827_1Two Turkish warplanes crashed during a training exercise on Feb. 24 in the central Turkish province of Malatya, killing all four crew, the military said.
Contact was lost with the RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft after they took off from Malatya air base on Feb. 24 evening for planned night training, a statement on the Chief of Staff’s website said.
“Search operations were immediately started. At 2045 the wreckage of our two planes was discovered and unfortunately four pilots have been martyred,” the statement added. No reason for the crashes was given.
The planes came down in Akçadağ district, more than 150 km (90 miles) north of the Syrian border, a military source told Reuters.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala confirmed that four soldiers were killed in the incident but did not elaborate on the reason of the crash.