Iran-backed Iraqi PMF buckle against opposing counteroffensive, SW Aleppo

Tinted section of areas claimed taken by FH, JaF and FsyA during counter-offensive against IRGC-QF directed forces  [source: archicivilians]

According to Leith Fadel at Al-Masdar News, dated 23NOV15:

On Monday morning in the southern Aleppo countryside, 16 Islamist rebel factions – led by Jaysh Al-Fateh (Army of Conquest), Harakat Nouriddeen Al-Zinki, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, Jaysh Al-Islam, Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen, and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) – launched a powerful assault on several sites under the control of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and their allies.

The Islamist rebels began their assault at the large village of Kafr Haddad, where they encountered a large force from Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary) and Kataeb Hezbollah (Iraqi paramilitary) that were protecting its southern flank.

Following a series of violent firefights, the Islamist rebels from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham broke-through Harakat Al-Nujaba’s frontline defenses and imposed full control over Kafr Haddad, Tal Al-Bakarah, and Tal Mamou.

Not long after capturing Kafr Haddad and its surrounding hilltops, the Islamist rebels – led by Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham – captured Tal Al-Banijayrah, Al-‘Aziziyah, Al-Makahlah, Al-Khariyah, and Tal Bajar; this left the strategic village of Al-Mariyoudah susceptible to an assault from the Islamist rebel groups.

However, the Islamist rebels did not attack Al-Mariyoudah; instead, they chose to attack the contested village of Burnah, seizing this site after a brief firefight with the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Aleppo City.

COMMENTARY: The IRGC-QF directed push towards the besieged Syrian Shia enclaves at Kafarya and al-Fu'a appears to have been dealt at least a momentary setback, by an opposing force counteroffensive buckling sectors held by Iran-backed Iraqi PMF.

This counteroffensive follows the mobilization and commitment of opposing forces detailed above in the graphic rendered by "archicivilians."

Trophies of war depicted in Al-Qaeda Syria affiliate, including emblems of Iran-backed Kata'ib Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Ansar Allah al-Awfiyya.

Also appearing on social media, imagery such as this emerged of Russian Federation T-90A third-generation main battle tanks aboard transporters, claimed depiction at the Aleppo front

Free Syrian Army Delegation Visited Moscow Last Week – Russian DFM

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bodganov said on Monday that delegations from the Syrian Free Army, a coalition of ten moderate opposition groups in Syria, have visited Moscow on more than one occasion, Reuters quoted Russian news agencies as saying.

“Yes, they were here, including this week,” Bodganov said, answering a question of whether the FSA had visited Moscow last week. (Interfax/Reuters, 26 October)

Meanwhile, the Western-backed FSA said today it has not refused an offer of military support from Russia.

“We didn’t turn down the offer. We said if the Russians were serious in their offer they should stop immediately targeting our bases and targeting the civilian areas,” Major Issam Al Reis, an FSA spokesman, told the BBC today. “We don’t need help now, they should stop attacking our bases and then we can talk about future co-operation.” (BBC/Reuters, 26 October)

Image: FSA logo (Wikipedia)

Insurgents Seize Control of Syrian City

An al-Nusra Front-led coalition of Islamists on Saturday captured the town of Jisr al-Shughour, the second largest city in northern Syrian province of Idlib. They had already captured Idlib City, the provincial capital, in late March.

Jisr al-Shughour sits on the strategic M4 Highway, directly leading to Latakia, the principal port city of Syria, 47 miles (76 km) to the south. The coastal Latakia is also the Alawite stronghold.

The fall of Jisr al-Shughour represents a significant advance by the insurgents toward the government-held coast. The battle for the town also signaled an alliance emerging among groups opposed both to the Assad regime and to ISIL. Al-Nusra, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda, other hardline Islamist groups and the Free Syrian Army have made advances in the north and south in recent weeks.

Photo credit: Nusra Front fighters ride a military vehicle seized from Syrian government forces (news.yahoo)

U.S. Ditches FSA – Building New Local Force in Syria

Retired Gen. John Allen, coordinating the U.S.-led alliance against the Islamic State, said on Wednesday that the United States is not coordinating operations in Syria with the Free Syrian Army.

“At this point, there is no formal coordination with the FSA,” Allen told reporters at the State Department. (McClatchy DC, 15 October)

Allen’s comments confirmed what the FSA commanders have complained for months that the U.S. is discarding the Free Syrian Army and building a new local ground force to fight ISIL in Syria. Allen told reporters that the United States’ intent is to start from scratch in creating a homegrown counterweight to the Islamic State.

“It’s not going to happen immediately,” Allen said. “We’re working to establish the training sites now, and we’ll ultimately go through a vetting process and beginning to bring the trainers and the fighters in to begin to build that force out.”

Allen added that as important as the Syrian arena is, the emergency in Iraq right now is “foremost in our mind.” There will also be a simultaneous training-and-equipping campaign for Iraq.

“We have the capacity to do both, and there is significant coalition interest in participating in both… But it’s going to take a while,” Allen said.   

File photo: A 2012 photo of Free Syrian Army fighters (vice.com)