Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share the link of this article with your facebook friends

 

Fierce Syrian Government Air Strikes to Thwart the Rebel Forces Attempt to Break Aleppo Siege

October 29, 2016 

Editor's Note:

The coalition which fights the Islamic State and other Sunni groups in Syria consists of US-led NATO forces, Russian forces, Syrian Alewite government forces, Iranian-backed Shi'i militias, and Kurdish peshmerga forces. The coalition's continuous attacks have resulted in the killing of thousands of Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arabs and the eviction of thousands as a result of the destruction of their cities and villages.

Millions of Sunni Muslim Arabs have already left their cities and villages as the fighting intensifies towards an all-attack by the US-led coalition on Raqqa and Mosul, as well as by the Russian-regime attacks on other cities. The end outcome is going to be evicting (ethnic cleansing of) Sunni Muslim Arabs from Syria, particularly the upper Euphrates region of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria. 

For a background, read: 

Zionist Creative Destruction of the Middle East for the Benefit of the Apartheid Israeli Regime 

 

A Syrian fighter loading a bomb in his firing machine, in Homs, file, October 29, 2016	Violent clashes continue in the second day of Aleppo battle, October 29, 2016

Syrian government Air strikes on Aleppo, October 29, 2016	Syrian government forces attack on Ghouta, October 29, 2016

 

Syrian Rebels Launch Aleppo Counter-Attack to Break the Siege

October 29, 2016

By Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall

Reuters, BEIRUT ---

Syrian rebels including jihadists counter-attacked the army and its allies on Friday aiming to break a weeks-long siege on eastern Aleppo, insurgents said.

The assault, employing heavy shelling and suicide car bombs, was mainly focused on the city's western edge by rebels based in the countryside outside Aleppo. It included Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, a former affiliate of al Qaeda previously known as the Nusra Front, and groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) banner.

The offensive prompted the Russian Defence Ministry to ask President Vladimir Putin for permission to resume air strikes against militants in rebel-held eastern Aleppo after 10 days in which the army said it had not struck, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. But Putin said it was unnecessary to resume strikes yet, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said more than 15 civilians had been killed and 100 wounded by rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo. State media reported that seven civilians were killed.

There were conflicting accounts of advances in areas on the city's outskirts.

Aleppo, Syria's biggest pre-war city, has become the main theater of conflict between President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Iran, Russia and Shi'ite militias, and Sunni rebels including some supported by Turkey, Gulf monarchies and the United States.

The city has been divided for years between the government-held western sector and rebel-held east, which the army and its allies put under siege this summer and where they launched a new offensive in September that medics say has killed hundreds.

Photographs showed insurgents approaching Aleppo in tanks, armored vehicles, bulldozers, make-shift mine sweepers, pick-up trucks and on motorcycles, and showed a large column of smoke rising in the distance after an explosion.

Fateh al-Sham said in a statement that rebels had gained control over Dahiyet al-Assad, a suburb with a low-rise residential district of about a square kilometer on the southwest corner of the city.

Zakaria Malahifji, an official with Fastaqim, a nationalist rebel group in the offensive, said insurgents had captured the residential area but not the whole of Dahiyet al-Assad. The Observatory said rebels had gained most of the suburb.

But a Syrian military source said earlier that the army and its allies had thwarted what he called "an extensive attack" on south and west Aleppo. A state television station reported that the army had destroyed four car bombs.

REBEL BOMBARDMENT

Abu Anas al-Shami, a member of the Fateh al-Sham media office, told Reuters from Syria the group had carried out two "martyrdom operations", after which its fighters had gone in and had been able to "liberate a number of important areas". A third such attack had been carried out by another Islamist group.

A senior official in the Levant Front, an FSA group, said: "There is a general call-up for anyone who can bear arms."

"The preparatory shelling started this morning," he added.

Heavy rebel bombardment, with more than 150 rockets and shells, struck southwestern districts, the Observatory said.

Fateh al-Sham played a big part in a rebel attack in July that managed to break the government siege on eastern Aleppo for several weeks before it was reimposed.

Abu Youssef al-Mouhajir, an official from the powerful Ahrar al-Sham Islamist group, said the extent of cooperation between the different rebel factions was unusual, and that the largest axis of attack was on the western edge of the city.

"This long axis disperses the enemy and it provides us with good cover in the sense that the enemy's attacks are not focused," he said.

JIHADISTS

The powerful role played by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, listed by many countries as a terrorist group, has complicated Western policy toward supporting the anti-Assad opposition.

The United States has prevented more powerful weapons such as anti-aircraft missiles from being supplied to rebels partly out of fear they could end up in jihadist hands.

The Syrian military source said Friday's attack had been launched in coordination with Islamic State, a group against which all the other rebels, including Fateh al-Sham, have fought.

Islamic State fighters did clash with the Syrian army on Friday at a government-held airbase 37km (23 miles) east of Aleppo, next to territory the jihadist group already controls, the Observatory reported.

Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced half the country's pre-war population, dragged in regional and global powers and caused a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe.

Mouhajir, the Ahrar al-Sham official, said cloudy weather was helping to reduce the aerial advantage enjoyed by the Syrian military and its Russian allies. Inside Aleppo, tyres were also burnt to create a smokescreen against air strikes.

Grad rockets were launched at Aleppo's Nairab air base before the assault began said Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group, adding that it was going to be "a big battle".

The Observatory also said that Grad surface-to-surface rockets had struck locations around the Hmeimim air base, near Latakia.

(Additional reporting by Tom Perry and Lisa Barrington in Beirut and Polina Devitt in Moscow; Writing by Angus McDowall, Editing by Angus MacSwan/Tom Perry)

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The following are news stories from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) website (http://www.syriahr.com/en/):

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Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a is witnessing the fiercest and largest battels, air and missile strikes accompany the intense continued clashes in the second day of Aleppo battle

29/10/2016

Aleppo Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a is witnessing the heaviest and largest clashes since the start of the battels in Aleppo. The fierce clashes continue in the neighborhood between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them from Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against the rebel and Islamic factions, the Islamic Turkestan Party and Fath al-Sham Front.

This is an attempt by the factions to achieve new advancement in Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a neighborhood, amid clashes in the areas of Family House, project 1070-apartments and other areas west of the city, where the of second explosion was heard.

It is believed to be caused by detonating a booby trapped vehicle near Al-Assad Suburb in Hamdaniya area, also the regime forces and Hezbollah managing to restore points in al-Assad Suburb, while the clashes since this morning were accompanied by launching of hundreds of missiles and tank and artillery shells.

Three people were killed and at least 5 were injured in shelling by the regime forces on areas in Salahuddin neighborhood, while Russian and regime’s warplanes renewed the raids on the front stretching from the outskirts of Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a neighborhood west of Aleppo city, to the southern and southwestern outskirts of the city, which is witnessing clashes since yesterday between both parties.

More than 12 people were injured when shells landed on areas in the neighborhoods of Salahuddin and Hamdaniya and other areas controlled by the regime forces in the western part of the city, while the regime forces shelled areas in the neighborhoods of Bab al-Hadid and al-Neirab in Aleppo city, no information about casualties.

Injuries in Deir Ezzor city and airstrikes target villages in the northern countryside of Hama

29/10/2016

Deir Ezzor Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

Shells launched by the “Islamic State” landed on places at al-Jorah neighborhood which is under the control of the regime forces in Deir Ezzor, which caused injuries.

Hama Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Warplanes carried out 5 raids on places at Al-Lataminah town in the northern countryside of Hama, while other places in Tayyibat al-Imam town at the northern countryside had more airstrikes, in conjunction with continued missile strikes on areas in the town, no information about injuries.

Casualty in the Eastern Ghouta and the regime forces target Jobar, explosion kills 2 commanders in the countryside of Daraa

29/10/2016

Daraa Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

2 commanders of the factions were killed in an IED explosion that targeted a car they were traveling in at the road between Naemeh and Um al-Mayathen in the countryside of Daraa.

Rif Dimashq Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: A person died affected by injuries he had in an aerial bombing at Arbin city in the Eastern Ghouta earlier.

Damascus Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The regime forces shelled places in Jobar neighborhood at the outskirts of the capital, amid targeting areas in the neighborhood with heavy machineguns, no information about casualties.

Violent clashes continue in the second day of Aleppo battle, heavy shelling at the fronts west of the city

29/10/2016 

Aleppo Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

An explosion shook the western outskirts of Aleppo amid conflicted information about the nature of the explosion; whether it was caused by a booby trapped vehicle or as a result of the heavy missile bombing at the outskirts of Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a.

Violent clashes are still taking between the place regime forces and militiamen loyal to them from Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against the rebel and Islamic Factions, the Islamic Turkestan Party and Fath al-Sham Front at the outskirts of Jam’eyyat al-Zahra’a neighborhood and in other areas in Al-Assad Suburb and project 107-apartment.

The regime forces are trying to advance and regain control of areas and buildings that they lost yesterday, after losing the first round of Aleppo battle. Now the clashes are accompanied by intense exchange of shelling between both parties.

In conjunction with bombing by warplanes at the clash lines at the suburbs of the city and its outskirts and on the areas where the factions have advanced, in addition to the fall of shells on regime forces’ controlled areas in the western part of Aleppo city.

Each party targeted the vehicles of the other party, which damage and destroyed several of them, and confirmed information about more casualties in the ranks of both parties, also areas controlled by the factions in Salahuddin neighborhood are witnessing intense shelling by the regime forces.

No information about casualties so far, also the regime forces shelled areas in Anadan town at the northern countryside of Aleppo, no information about casualties.

Shelling target the northern countryside of Hama and regime forces target Dael

29/10/2016

Hama Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The regime forces shelled places in the town of Tayyibat al-Imam and Lahaya village at the northern countryside of Hama this morning, while the helicopters dropped barrel bombs on areas at Qastun village and other areas in Sahl al-Ghab at the northwestern countryside of Hama, no information about casualties.

Daraa Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Area in Dael town at the mid-sector countryside of Daraa was bombed by missile believed to be ground-to-ground launched by the regime forces, in conjunction with shelling by mortar and artillery shells on areas at the town, no information about casualties.

Clashes in the eastern desert of Homs and casualty in shelling at al-Fuaa

29/10/2016

Homs Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

Clashes are taking place in the vicinity of al-Mohr field in the eastern countryside of Homs, between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them against the “Islamic State”, and information about casualties.

Idlib Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: A person was killed in the fall of rocket shells launched by Islamic factions this morning on areas in the town of al-Fuaa which is inhabited by Shiite citizens. 

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The following are news stories from the US Department of Defense website (http://www.defense.gov/News) :

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US Strikes on ISIL Territories in Iraq, Syria

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 28, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted three strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike damaged an ISIL supply route.

-- Near Mara, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles and a heavy machine gun.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter, remotely piloted and rotary wing aircraft and rocket artillery conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Rutbah, a strike engaged an ISIL bunker.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and four fighting positions; destroyed four vehicles, four tunnels, two vehicle bombs, two mortar systems, a mortar cache and a weapons cache; and damaged a tunnel.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike engaged an ISIL headquarters building.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

Coalition Strikes Hit ISIL in Iraq, Syria

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 28, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted three strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike damaged an ISIL supply route.

-- Near Mara, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles and a heavy machine gun.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter, remotely piloted and rotary wing aircraft and rocket artillery conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Rutbah, a strike engaged an ISIL bunker.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and four fighting positions; destroyed four vehicles, four tunnels, two vehicle bombs, two mortar systems, a mortar cache and a weapons cache; and damaged a tunnel.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike engaged an ISIL headquarters building.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

US Strikes on ISIL Territories in Iraq Syria

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 27, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Attack and bomber aircraft and rocket artillery conducted seven strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL oil wellhead and an oil pump jack.                                          

-- Near Shadaddi, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions and an anti-air artillery system. 

-- Near Raqqah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Ayn Isa, a strike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter, rotary and remotely piloted conducted 11 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Rutbah, a strike destroyed five ISIL bunkers.  

-- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a tunnel.  

-- Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed eight anti-air artillery systems, seven fighting positions, five tunnels, four mortar systems, three weapons caches, two vehicle-borne bombs, two vehicles, a vehicle-borne-bomb facility, a command-and-control node, a tunnel entrance, a heavy machine gun and an artillery system; and damaged two ISIL tunnels.  

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIL bunker. 

-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed an ISIL dump truck.

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