"And I have found both freedom and safety in my madness, the freedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, for those who understand us enslave something in us. But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a Thief in a jail is safe from another thief. "

Khalil Gibran (How I Became a Madman)

Lübnan Marunîleri / Yasin Atlıoğlu

NEWS AND ARTICLES / HABERLER VE MAKALELER

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Russian Envoy to Discuss Syria With EU Political, Security Committee Head- Sputnik News

Russia's EU envoy Vladimir Chizhov said on Wednesday he will discuss the situation in Syria with Walter Stevens, the head of the EU Political and Security Committee, on Friday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Commenting on the possibility of a dialogue with the European Union on the coordination of military operations in Syria, the envoy explained that the bloc is not involved in military action, with the exception of some member states, such as France, therefore, it has no coordinating function.

ABD Savunma Bakanı Carter Rusya'nın hava saldırılarını değerlendirdi- AA

ABD Savunma Bakanı Carter, Rusya'nın, Suriye'de muhtemelen DAEŞ güçlerinin bulunmadığı alanlara hava saldırısı yapmış göründüğünü söyledi.

ABD Savunma Bakanı Ashton Carter, Rusya'nın Suriye'de muhtemelen DAEŞ güçlerinin bulunmadığı alanlara hava saldırısı yapmış göründüğünü söyledi.
Carter, Pentagon'da düzenlediği basın toplantısında Rusya'nın Suriye'de başlattığı hava operasyonuyla ilgili açıklamalarda bulundu.
Rusya'nın bir taraftan DAEŞ'e karşı savaşma diğer taraftan da Esed rejimini destekleme niyeti ortaya koyduğunu belirten Carter, "DAEŞ'e karşı savaşırken diğer yandan da buna paralel olarak siyasi değişim için gayret göstermemek, sadece Suriye'de iç savaşı daha da tırmandırma riskini doğurur ve beraberinde de Moskova'nın kaygı duyduğunu iddia ettiği aşırıcılığı ve istikrarsızlığı getirir. Dolayısıyla bu yaklaşım, daha önce söylediğim gibi, ateşin üzerine benzin dökmekle eşdeğerdir" dedi. 
Bakan Carter, bir gazetecinin "(Rusların) Hava saldırılarının DAEŞ militanlarının bulunmadığı bir bölgede düzenlendiğini mi düşünüyorsunuz?" sorusunu, "Bilgiyi doğrulama konusunda dikkatli olmak isterim, ama öyle görünüyor ki, bunlar (hava saldırıları) muhtemelen DAEŞ güçlerinin bulunmadığı bölgelerde oldu" şeklinde yanıtladı.

IS conflict: French raid in Syria 'kills 12 child soldiers'- BBC News

An activist group has said France's first air strike on Islamic State (IS) militants in Syrian territory killed 30, including 12 child soldiers.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday's strike on an IS camp in eastern Syria had also wounded about 20 fighters.
French President Francois Hollande said on Sunday six jets had destroyed the camp in the province of Deir al-Zour.
France had previously limited its strikes on IS to Iraqi airspace.
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the raid had struck "an extremely sensitive site for [IS]", describing it as a "strategic hub" for militants travelling between Iraq and Syria.

Joint Communique Following the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Cooperation Forum- Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 30, 2015


The U.S. Secretary of State joined Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the Secretary General of the GCC today in New York for a ministerial meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Cooperation Forum (SCF). It was the fifth SCF since its establishment in March 2012. The SCF has served as an important forum to strengthen strategic cooperation and advance shared priorities and interests on political, security, economic, and military issues. Today’s discussions examined a range of issues, including the humanitarian and political crisis in Syria, the importance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between the P5+1 and Iran, the Middle East peace process, and the need for a political solution to the conflict in Yemen. The Ministers also discussed progress and next steps on the GCC-U.S. strategic partnership and areas of cooperation announced at Camp David on May 14, 2015.

The Ministers affirmed their commitment to addressing the tragic situation of refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria. The Ministers underscored the need for financial support to address the crisis and called attention to the UN Appeal for Syria, and urged the international community to provide urgently needed assistance, recognizing that previous generosity does not mitigate the need for additional, immediate funding to confront this catastrophe.

The Ministers agreed that the humanitarian crisis, destruction, and terrorism in Syria are symptoms of the Syria conflict and the brutality of President Asad, who has lost all legitimacy. The only way to solve the crisis, they emphasized, is a managed political transition away from Asad, in accord with the Geneva Communique that establishes a new government in Syria, reflecting the aspirations of the Syrian people, and that advances national unity, pluralism, and human rights for all Syrian citizens. The Ministers noted the regime has demonstrated neither the will nor the capability to confront Da’ish (ISIL/ISIS) safe-havens in Syria. The Ministers also noted the regime’s relentless violence against its own people, including the use of barrel bombs and chemical weapons. They strongly supported increased efforts to degrade and ultimately defeat Da’ish in Syria and warned against the influence of other extremist groups represent a danger to the international community and are a significant cause of the refugee crisis.


Rusya: IŞİD'i havadan vurduk- Sputnik News


Rusya Devlet Başkanı Putin yurt dışına asker göndermek için parlamentonun üst kanadı Federasyon Konseyi'nden onay istedi. Konsey oybirliğiyle askerlerin Suriye'ye gönderilmesini onayladı. Kremlin İdaresi Başkanı İvanov, hava operasyonlarının tamamen meşru olduğunu vurguladı. ABD bugün itibariyle Rusya'nın hava operasyonlarına başladığını açıkladı.

'ABD Askeri Uçakları Diyarbakır'da'- VOA

İki Amerikalı komutan, Diyarbakır’da Amerikan askeri varlığını doğrulayan açıklamalarda bulundu. Açıklamalar, dün Washington’da Türk-Amerikan Konseyi’nin 34’üncü yıllık Türk-Amerikan ilişkileri konulu konferansında konuşma yapan NATO Avrupa Müttefik Kuvvetleri Başkomutanı Orgeneral Philip Breedlove ve Genelkurmay Başkan Yardımcısı Orgeneral Paul Selva’dan geldi.
Bölgesel güvenlik ve istikrara katkılarından dolayı Türkiye’ye teşekkür eden iki general de, Ankara’nın hava üslerini IŞİD’le mücadele koalisyonunun hizmetine açmasını övdü.

Ahrar Al-Sham’s Revisionist Jihadism (Sam Heller- War on the Rocks)

War-torn Syria has become a battleground for competing ideologies as much as rival militias. The ultra-extremist Salafi-jihadism of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been the loudest and most visible of these ideological contenders, but Syria has also seen the birth of a revisionist trend within Islamist militancy. This trend has emerged as a reaction to the worst excesses of Salafi-jihadism and has been championed by the rebels in Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyyah (the Islamic Movement of the Freemen of al-Sham, usually just called Ahrar al-Sham). Ahrar al-Sham has by now emerged as not just a populist revolutionary force and the most powerful non-ISIL rebel faction in Syria, but also the vanguard of a revisionist school that is contesting the nature of the jihadist movement.

In interviews conducted in September 2015 over social media and messaging apps, several Ahrar al-Sham leaders and observers familiar with the group said Ahrar was originally something close to “Salafi-jihadist.” Many of its founders were alumni of the Islamist wing of Syria’s notorious Seidnaya Prison, jailed for joining or abetting international jihadist organizations that included ISIL’s precursor, the Islamic State in Iraq. Interviewees said the initial character of the group was a product of both biography and circumstance — like others taking up arms against the Syrian regime early in the revolution, they seem to have been reactivating old networks of fighters and financiers.

Mark Toner: Geçiş döneminde Esed'e yer yok- Al-Jazeera Turk

ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü Mark Toner mülteci krizi sebebiyle Suriye’de hızla siyasi çözüme gidilmesi ihtiyacı doğduğunu söyledi. Rusya’nın askeri ikmalini ‘Esed’e destek’ diye niteleyen Toner, geçiş sürecinde Esed’in yerinin olmayacağını tekrarladı.


Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Kurulu sebebiyle Dışişleri Bakanı John Kerry ile birlikte New York’ta bulunan Mark Toner, Al Jazeera’nin sorularını yanıtladı. Suriye’de bugünkü duruma gelmemek için ABD dahil tüm aktörlerin daha fazlasını yapabileceğini; bu noktadan sonra odaklanılan şeyin 'IŞİD’in zaman içinde yok edilmesi' olduğunu söyledi.
IŞİD’in yok edilmesiyle birlikte Suriye’de geçiş sürecinin de başlaması gerektiğini belirten Toner, Rusların Ortadoğu’daki müttefikini desteklemek istediğini, Esed’den sonrası için kaygılandığını belirtti. ABD’nin geçiş sürecinde Esed’in varlığını kabul etmeyeceğini hatırlattı.

Türkiye ile ABD arasında anlaşmazlık noktalarından olan Suriye’de YPG’ye desteğin devam edeceğini söyleyen Toner, Suriye'nin kuzeyinde kanton yönetimleri oluşturan PYD'yi kastederek, "Grupların kendilerine özel bir alanda yönetim ortaya çıkarmalarını istemiyoruz" diye ekledi. Güvenli bölgenin hâlâ gündemde olmadığı bilgisini verdi.

Russian general tells US diplomats: 'We launch Syria air strikes in one hour. Stay out of the way'- The Telegraph

Russian general tells US diplomats: 'We launch Syria air strikes in one hour. Stay out of the way'

Vladimir Putin orders airforce into action over Syria in first Russian war in Middle East since end of Soviet Union - giving US diplomats one hour's notice


Uzbek group pledges allegiance to Al Nusrah Front (Caleb Weiss- Long War Journal)

Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ), a largely Uzbek group operating in northern Syria, released a statement on its official website yesterday in which it pledged bayah (allegiance) to Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in the country.
KTJ’s statement reads: “To win in this global battle against Islam, we need to combine the strength and support. For this purpose, Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, in our current activities in Syria, has pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda’s wing in Syria. This allegiance was announced on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.” KTJ also blames the United States and Russia for waging a so-called “global battle against Islam.”
KTJ was led by an Uzbek named Abu Saloh and was largely comprised of Uzbeks and other Central Asians. It likely had native Syrians within its ranks as well. The group was always under al Qaeda’s influence in Syria, as demonstrated by its propaganda and its battlefield presence. Abdullah al Muhaysini, who is a pro-al Qaeda cleric at a minimum, appeared in a KTJ video alongside Abu Ubayda al Madani, an ethnic Uzbek who is the emir of Al Nusrah’s Sayfullah Shishani Brigade, which is predominantly Chechen.
Its areas of operation include both the Aleppo and Idlib provinces.  During the Jisr al Shughur offensive in Idlib earlier this year, KTJ operated closely alongside Junud al Sham, led by the Chechen Muslim Shishani, and the Syrian-wing of the Turkistan Islamic Party. Muslim Shishani is a US-designated global terrorist and has an extensive history with the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic Caucasus Emirate (ICE). KTJwas known to have operated at least two training camps in Syria. It also joined the Al Nusrah-led Ansar al Sharia operations room in Aleppo.

Russian parliament unanimously approves use of military in Syria to fight ISIS- RT

The upper chamber of the Russian parliament has unanimously given a formal consent to President Putin to use the nation’s military in Syria to fight terrorism at a request from the Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Consent was necessary for use of the country's military for foreign combat missions under the Russian constitution.
The request for use of force was sent by the president after considering the large number of citizens of Russia and neighboring countries, who went to join terrorist groups fighting in Syria, head of the presidential administration Sergey Ivanov told media. There are thousands of them, and Russia’s national security would be under threat, should they return home, he added.
“This is not about reaching for some foreign policy goals, satisfying ambitions, which our Western partners regularly accuse us of. It’s only about the national interest of the Russian Federation,” the official said.

Syria Situation Critical, ISIL on the Rise - Russian Upper House Speaker- Sputnik News


Russian Federation Council Speaker said that the situation in Syria is critical as the Islamic State group is taking control of more and more territory.

Iraq Welcomes Russia to Use Armed Forces in Fight Against ISIL in Syria- Sputnik News

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Iraq welcomes Russia’s decision to use its armed forces in the fight against the Islamic State as long as it stays within the borders of Syria, the head of Iraq’s defense and security committee said Wednesday.

“Iraq welcomes this decision [on airstrikes against the ISIL] as long as this is within the borders of Syria,” Haqim Zamli told RIA Novosti by telephone.

Al-Moallem: Syria is determined to combating terrorism… countries should coordinate with Syrian government in this domain- SANA

New York, SANA-Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Wednesday that Syria will continue combating terrorism, represented by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organizations whatsoever the sacrifices would be.
“The UN charter has authorized Security Council the first responsibility for protecting international peace and Security, yet, what has the council done to combat terrorism in Syria and Iraq,” al-Moallem said at a session for the UN Security council on counter-terrorism.
He inquired what had the council done to implement resolutions No. 2170, 2178 and 2199 to help the Syrian people who pay the tax of blood and destruction of infrastructure, history, civilization, women, children and men who are subjected to that terrorism in Syria.
“What the council did to force countries which back, finance and arm ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists to stop their support to the terrorist organizations which perpetrate the ugliest crimes in Syria and Iraq,” al-Moallem questioned.
On the alleged US-led international coalition against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, al-Moallem affirmed that “Those who want to combat terrorism on the Syrian territories should cooperate and coordinate with the Syrian government whose army carries on the war against terrorism and assumes its national duty in defending the Syrian people.”
Al-Moallem described the military operations carried out by Britain and France on the Syrian lands as “a flagrant violation of UN charter and international law,” reiterating that “Those who really wish to combat terrorism have to coordinate with the Syrian government.”

Putin asks parliament's permission to deploy troops abroad: Kremlin- FRANCE 24

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday formally requested permission from the upper house of parliament to deploy troops abroad, as Moscow mulls air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.




Putin submitted to the Federation Council a proposal to deploy "a contingent of troops" abroad, the Kremlin said in a statement, without specifying the region.
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko said earlier Wednesday that senators had begun debating the issue behind closed doors. She did not provide further details.
Putin had requested similar permission from the Federation Council to deploy military forces abroad ahead of the annexation of Crimea in March 2014.
On Monday Putin called for a broad UN-backed coalition to fight IS jihadists as he addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time in a decade.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

U.S., Russia agree Syria must be united and secular: Kerry- Reuters

The United States and Russia agree on "some fundamental principles" for Syria, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, adding that he plans to meet again with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday.
"There was agreement that Syria should be a unified country, united, that it needs to be secular, that ISIL (Islamic State) needs to be taken on, and that there needs to be a managed transition," Kerry told MSNBC, adding that differences remained on what the outcome of such a transition would be.

Speaking in the television interview from New York amid the United Nations gathering this week, Kerry said both U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin are both "looking for a way forward" in Syria, suffering from a four-year civil war as well as the rise of Islamic State.

Italy Prime Minister Renzi Calls for Russia to Be Part of Solution to Syria Crisis- WSJ

NEW YORK—Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called for Russia to be involved in any solution to the crisis in Syria and criticized resistance from Eastern European countries to a robust, European Union-wide solution to the spiraling migrants crisis.


Russians Lead the Battle in East Aleppo: Syrian Army Advances Towards the Kuweires Military Airport- Al-Masdar News

The Russian military advisors overseeing the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) inside the Deir Hafer Plains of east Aleppo have recently intensified the ground operations at this volatile front in order to accelerate the lifting of the two year long siege at the Kuweires Military Airport.
With the Russians leading the operations from the command room, the Syrian Arab Army’s Special Forces and the civilian-led “National Defense Forces” (NDF) have benefitted immensely from their guidance.
In fact, this logistical assistance from their Russian military advisors has propelled the Syrian Armed Forces to advance along the southwestern axis of the Kuweires Military Airport, resulting in the recent capture of Al-Salihiyah after fierce firefights with the terrorist group.

Suriye'de tüm yollar neden Beşar Esad'a çıkıyor?- BBC Türkçe

Yaklaşık 4 buçuk yıldır devam eden ve 250 bini aşkın kişinin ölümüne, 12 milyona yakın kişinin de evlerini terk etmesine yol açan Suriye iç savaşına çözüm bulmak için son haftalarda yeniden yoğun bir diplomasi trafiği başlatıldı.
ABD, Avrupa Birliği, Rusya ve İran'ın yanı sıra Türkiye de yürütülen temasların bir parçası halinde.
Tüm bu temasların odak noktasında ise Suriye Cumhurbaşkanı Beşar Esad ve Esad iktidarının geleceği var.
Artık başta Rusya ve ABD olmak üzere ülkeler arasında konuşulan konu, Esad'ın Suriye krizinin çözümünde nasıl bir rol üstleneceği konusu.
Her ne kadar ABD Başkanı Barack Obama, Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Kurulu'ndaki konuşmasında Esad'ı 'kendi halkını katleden bir diktatör' olarak tanımlamaya devam etse de, ABD Dışişleri Bakanı John Kerry geçenlerde Esad'ın Suriye müzakerelerinin başlangıcında gitmesinin zorunlu olmadığını söyledi.
İngiltere Başbakanı David Cameron'dan da benzer açıklamalar geldi.
Almanya Başbakanı Angela Merkel ise bu görüşü bir adım daha ileriye taşıyarak, Esad'ın Irak Şam İslam Devleti'ne (IŞİD) karşı mücadelede 'bir aktör' olabileceğini ifade etti.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Obama: ABD, Suriye konusunda Rusya ve İran'la çalışmaya hazır- Sputnik News

BM Genel Kurulu'nun 70. dönem toplantılarında konuşan ABD Başkanı Obama Rusya'yı tecrit etmek istemediklerini belirtip Moskova'nın dünya düzeninde adil biçimde yer almasını istediklerini ifade etti. "Rusya'yı tecrit etmek istemiyoruz. Bize güçlü bir Rusya gerekli" diyen Obama, Suriye konusunda Rusya ve İran'la çalışmaya hazır olduklarını söyledi.

Obama Rusya'ya Ukrayna krizi yüzünden uyguladıkları yaptırımların, 'Soğuk Savaş dönemine geri dönmek istedikleri' anlamına gelmediğini belirtti.
''Uluslararası düzene bağlılığımız Suriye'de olduğu kadar hiçbir yerde sınanmadı'' diyen Obama, ABD'nin Suriye krizinin çözümü için her ülkeyle işbirliği yapabileceğini belirtip Rusya ve İran'ın adını da ayrıca andı.
Suriye ve Irak'taki krizlerin çözümü için herkesin güç bir yapması gerektiğini belirten Obama, ''Eğer birlikte daha etkili bir biçimde çalışamazsak, bunun sonuçlarına katlanırız. ABD dünyadaki problemleri tek başına çözemez'' ifadelerini kullandı.
'ESAD, ÇOCUKLARI ÖLDÜREN BİR TİRAN'
Konuşmasında Suriye'deki iç savaşa da değinen Obama, 'çocukları öldüren bir tiran' olarak tanımladığı Suriye lideri Beşar Esad'ı destekleyen ülkeleri de kınadığını ifade etti.

Obama taunts Putin, China at U.N.: ‘I lead the strongest military the world has ever known’- The Washington Post

While casting his nation as the keeper of global order and saying the age of dictatorships is over, President Obama on Monday stressed that the U.S. is ready and willing to work with countries such as Iran, Russia and China and harbors no irreversible ill will toward its old adversaries.
In a highly anticipated speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Mr. Obama said his administration accepts the fact that the U.S. must cooperate with nations around the world, even those that often violate international norms or human rights. Such cooperation, the president said, is necessary in the 21st century.

Putin is ushering in a new era of geopolitics- Business Insider

The deployment of Russian military forces to Syria is a major geostrategic inflection.
Its significance goes far beyond the situation in Syria. It may well herald, in fact, a new era in global geopolitics and security.
Russian forces are establishing an airbase likely to become capable of conducting operations throughout the Levant and the Eastern Mediterranean.
It would be the first time in history that Russia had an outpost on land for projecting force beyond the confines of the Black Sea. The U.S. and NATO must consider and respond to this development recognizing its true stakes.
The Obama Administration remains inexplicably bewildered, however.
Secretary of State John Kerry stated on 22 September that the Russian equipment that had arrived in Syria was there to protect Russian forces. “We don’t yet have clarity with respect to the Russian effort,” he noted in a press conference.
After Kerry’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 27 September, the State Department stated: “Again, we’re just at the beginning of trying to understand what the Russians’ intentions are in Syria, in Iraq, and to try to see if there are mutually beneficial ways forward here.”
Understanding the Kremlin’s intentions at a basic level is not really very hard, though. Russian President Vladimir Putin certainly means to deter the U.S.-led coalition from attacking the forces of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, establishing any sort of no-fly zone, or taking any meaningful action that might harm Assad’s forces.

Ban: Suriye'de çözüm için Türkiye dahil 5 ülke uzlaşmalı- BBC Türkçe

Birleşmiş Milletler (BM) Genel Sekreteri Ban Ki-moon örgütünün Güvenlik Konseyi'nden, Suriye'de savaşın son bulmasına yardımcı olmak için adım atmasını istedi.
Ban Ki-moon çözüm için Türkiye dahil beş ülkeye önemli görev düştüğünü söyledi.
BM Genel Kurulu'nun 70. dönem toplantılarının açılış konuşmasını yapan Ban, Suriye'de barışın tesisinde sorumluluğun öncelikle ülkelerini enkaza dönüştüren, savaşan taraflarda olduğunu belirtti.
Ban daha sonra bölge ülkeleri arasındaki rekabetin savaşı körüklediğini kaydetti.
BM Genel Sekreteri Rusya, ABD, Suudi Arabistan, İran ve Türkiye'ye Suriye'deki savaşı bitirmek için uzlaşma çağrısında bulundu.
Genel Kurul toplantıları için New York'ta bulunan liderlerden ABD Başkanı Barack Obama ve Rusya Devlet Başkanı Vladimir Putin bugün BM'deki konuşmalarının ardından bir araya gelecek.

Syrian rebel chief who gave up equipment, not US-trained- Daily Star

WASHINGTON: The U.S. military says a Syrian rebel commander who surrendered coalition-provided equipment to an al-Qaeda affiliate did not attend an American training program but a number of his soldiers did.
U.S. officials have for days been trying to sort out what happened last week, when reports surfaced that some U.S. equipment was given to an intermediary linked to the Nusra Front.
Col. Pat Ryder, U.S. Central Command spokesman, says the commander was vetted by the U.S., but contrary to initial information, was not in the U.S. training program. The commander told officials he surrendered six trucks and some ammunition to the Nusra Front, totaling about 25 percent of the unit's coalition-provided supplies.
The report underscores persistent problems with efforts to train and equip Syrian rebels to fight ISIS.

Syria conflict: Russia wants 'co-ordination' against IS- BBC News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a regional "co-ordinating structure" against jihadist militant group Islamic State (IS).
Mr Putin reiterated his support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Western countries and the Syrian opposition have said must go.
The crisis is expected to be high on the agenda at the UN in New York.
Mr Putin will hold rare talks with US President Barack Obama to discuss the issue later on Monday.
Relations between Russia and the West have been strained over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula last year and support for separatist rebels.

Russian Jets Use Iraqi Airspace to Monitor ISIS in East Syria- Al-Masdar News

The Russian Air Force conducted over 20 reconnaissance flights above the Deir Ezzor Governorate on Sunday, capturing footage of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) movements between their strategic supply route from the aforementioned Syrian province and the Al-‘Anbar Governorate of western Iraq.
According to a military source from the Syrian Arab Army’s 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard, the Russian Air Force notified the SAA’s officers stationed at the Deir Ezzor Military Airport of their flights above the province, adding that these were merely for reconnaissance purposes and that they are coordinating with the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) to monitor the terrorist group’s movements.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq to Share Intelligence on Islamic State- VOA

Iraq says it will share military intelligence and security information with Syria, Iran and Russia to fight Islamic State.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the intelligence group will focus on "monitoring the movements of the terrorists...and degrading their capacity."
No details on the new arrangement were made available, but it is a clear sign of growing Russian influence in the region.
Moscow has sent fighter planes and other equipment to an air base in Syria in what U.S. military officials say looks like an effort to protect its own assets that are already there. But Secretary of State John Kerry has said Russia's true intentions in Syria are still unclear
A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq, Colonel Steve Warren, says the U.S. objects to Syria being part of the intelligence-sharing group.

El Nusra ile YPG arasında Halep'te şiddetli çatışma- Sputnik News

Suriye'nin Halep kentinde Halk Savunma Birlikleri (YPG) ile aralarında El Kaide'nin Suriye kolu olan El Nusra Cephesi'nin de yer aldığı sekiz silahlı örgüt arasında şiddetli çatışmalar yaşanıyor. Çatışmalarda ölü ve yaralılar var.

Edinilen bilgilere göre, El Nusra Cephesi, Ahrar'u Şam örgütü ve Şam Cephesi'nin de içinde yer aldığı sekiz ayrı örgüt ile YPG arasında şiddetli çatışmalar yaşanıyor. Muhalif sekiz örgüt, YPG'nin elinde bulunan Halep'in kuzeydoğu bölgesindeki Şeyh Maksud ve Eşrefiye mahallesine havan toplarıyla saldırdı.
Havan toplarının bir sivil yerleşim yerine isabet etmesi sonucunda dört kişi öldü ve 16 kişi de yaralandı. YPG güçleri de muhaliflerin kullandığı Halep — Kastilo yoluna havan topları ve roketatarlarla saldırı düzenledi. Saldırı sonucu üç kişi öldü, sekiz kişi yaralandı. Saldırı sırasında yoldaki bazı araçlar da yandı.

Syria Crisis: Russia puts troops on the ground in the fight against Isis (Robert Fisk- The Independent)

Uniformed Russian soldiers are now guarding checkpoints on roads around three military bases on the Syrian Mediterranean coast as Moscow plans its first attacks on the enemies of President Bashar al-Assad.
Russian drones – more than half flown by Russian ground controllers inside Syria – are now flying regularly over Palmyra, which may be the first Islamist target to be attacked, according to Syrian military sources. The Syrian army is reporting a vastly improved intelligence capability around the old Roman city, captured by Isis in May and used as an execution yard for civilians and captured government soldiers. Drones are being flown at night over the Isis-controlled deserts of eastern Syria.
Syrian troops are planning to recapture Palmyra if Russian aircraft can do sufficient damage to Isis around the city – perhaps within the next three weeks – but Syrian diplomats have been told by the Russians that Moscow’s actions depend on reaction to the speech which President Vladimir Putin makes at the United Nations on 28 September . Mr Putin is expected to present himself as the leader most capable of destroying Isis after the failure of the US and other western nations.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Syria crisis: The road to peace means more war- The Independent

Presidents Obama and Putin are meeting in New York to talk about possible moves to end the war in Syria. Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Assad should be involved in future negotiations. Turkey’s President Erdogan, previously adamant that the Syrian leader must go as a precondition for talks, says much the same thing. The signs are positive compared with the diplomatic paralysis over Syria during the past four years. 
But here in this Kurdish-controlled corner of north-east Syria, it is difficult to share in this mood of vague optimism. The triangle of territory known to the Kurds as Rojava is the most peaceful part of Syria, though this is not saying a lot. One day last week, I went to Hasaka, a mixed Kurdish-Arab city that Islamic State (Isis) had assaulted but failed to capture in an assault three months ago. Parts of it are defended by the Kurdish military forces known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and parts by the Syrian army, National Defence Force paramilitaries and pro-Assad militia of uncertain loyalties. YPG commanders say they have no communication with Assad’s men. 

Friday, September 25, 2015

Lebanese foreign minister: We cannot be the only ones receiving refugees- Al-Monitor


NEW YORK — In an interview with Al-Monitor, Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Bassil focused on the challenges of providing shelter and support for more than 2 million refugees, who now make up almost 50% of Lebanon’s population, and called on the international community to do more. He noted that “Lebanon cannot be the only one receiving refugees. We can give humanitarian assistance to people in need, but not be a political recipient for the problems of Syria.”

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Uighur jihadist group in Syria advertises ‘little jihadists’- Long War Journal

The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), an al Qaeda-affiliated Uighur jihadist group that is operating in Syria, recently released a video that includes photos of children with weapons and jihadist garb accompanied by an Uighur-language nasheed [A cappella Islamic music]. The children were described as “little jihadists” on the TIP’s official Twitter feed.
Most of the photos in the slideshow depict TIP fighters posing for the camera or operating near the frontlines, while others show more scenes from the battle at the Abu Duhour airbase in Idlib province. Nearly halfway into the video, fighters are seen posing with their children before the photos exclusively feature the “little jihadists.” The children are shown posing with AK-47 assault rifles, attending Sharia classes, and partaking in weapons training.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Putin in Syria- The Interpreter

The first and most widely reported sign that Russia was committing militarily to Syria was that of a BTR-82A in footage from a regime-backed channel, late last month.
On August 24 Oryx Blog identified the vehicle, which has not been exported to Syria previously, and only entered Russian army service in 2013. Some audible dialogue in the video was also identified as Russian. 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

US Considering Military Talks With Russia on Syria- VOA

Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States is considering Russia's offer of military-to-military talks on the war in Syria, as Moscow bolsters its military presence there.
Kerry, who held talks this week by telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said Wednesday he wants a "complete and clear understanding" of what Russia's intentions are.
"You have a conversation in order to do that,'' Kerry said. "It is vital to avoid misunderstandings, miscalculations [and] not to put ourselves in a predicament where we are supposing something, and the supposition is wrong."

US-led coalition’s achievements in fighting IS look modest — Russian Foreign Ministry- TASS

MOSCOW, September 16 /TASS/. The achievements of the US-led coalition in fighting the Islamic State (IS) militants look modest, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
"Air strikes (more than 5,000 air strikes which destroyed 7,655 targets according to official reports) combined with operations by special operations units (for example, the liquidation by US Special Operations forces of Abu Sayyaf who was responsible for the IS finance) did not stop the terrorist expansion," the ministry went on to say.

ABD'nin özel kara birlikleri Suriye'de- Al-Jazeera Turk

Amerikan NBC News kanalı, Savunma Bakanlığı yetkililerine dayandırdığı haberde ABD'nin özel harekât kuvvetlerinin IŞİD'e karşı savaşta PYD'ye yardım etmek için ilk kez Suriye'ye girdiklerini belirtti.
Savunma Bakanlığı kaynakları, haberi ABD Merkez Kuvvetler Komutanı Lloyd Austin'in Senato Silahlı Kuvvetler Komitesi'nde verdiğini söyledi. Austin'in konuyla ilgili detay vermediğini belirten kaynaklar, ABD kara birliklerinin bölgede daha çok yardım ve danışma görevinde bulunduklarını, direkt olarak çatışmalara girmediklerini ve çatışma alanlarından uzak, güvenli bölgelerde pozisyon aldıklarını belirtti.

Kerry Says Moscow Wants Talks with U.S. Military about Syria Ops- Naharnet

Russia wants talks with the U.S. military to ensure their forces do not come into conflict as it continues its build-up in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday.
Washington has expressed concern about Moscow's growing military support for the Syrian regime, even as it conducts its own air strikes against Islamic State rebels in the country.
"The Russians proposed in a conversation I had today, and in the last conversation specifically, that we have a military-to-military conversation and meeting," Kerry said.
"So we are currently evaluating. The White House, the Defense Department, the State Department are discussing the next steps in order to determine the best way forward." 
The United States suspended military-to-military dialogue with Moscow in March 2014 after Russian forces were accused of intervening in support of separatist rebels in Ukraine.
A Pentagon official said the U.S. military has no immediate plans to reopen ties but that "senior leaders continue to have the discretion to communicate with their counterparts as necessary."

8 civilians injured in a car bomb blast in Homs- SANA

Homs, SANA- Eight civilians were injured on Wednesday went terrorists detonated a car bomb near al-Zahra neighborhood in Homs City.
A source at the province told SANA’s correspondent that terrorists detonated a Kia Rio car rigged with explosive near the square of al-Zahra neighborhood, injuring 8 people who were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Syria conflict: Assad 'won't quit under pressure'- BBC News

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said in an interview for Russian TV he will not quit under foreign pressure, saying the Syrian people must decide.
Western powers and much of the Syrian opposition say it is not conceivable for Mr Assad to lead a post-war Syria.
Mr Assad said Iran was supporting his government "politically, economically and militarily" but denied that Iranian ground forces had been sent.
The latest comments come as Russia increases its presence in Syria.

Esad: Türkiye, IŞİD ve El Nusra'yı destekliyor- BBC Türkçe

Suriye Devlet Başkanı Beşar Esad, Rus medyasına yaptığı açıklamada Türkiye'yi 'IŞİD ve El Nusra'yı desteklemekle' suçlayıp yabancı ülkelerin baskısıyla iktidarı terk etmeyeceğini, kararı Suriye halkının vereceğini ifade etti.
Rossiya 24 televizyon kanalına konuşan Esad, "Eğer Avrupalılar mültecilerin kaderi hakkında kaygılılarsa teröristlere desteği durdurmalılar" dedi.
Esad, "Terörle mücadele konusunda, ülkenin kuzeyinde Türkiye sınırında 'IŞİD'den arındırılmış bölge' oluşturulması fikrine nasıl bakıyorsunuz? Batı ile El Nusra Cephesi ve diğer aşırı gruplar arasındaki dolaylı işbirliği hakkında ne dersiniz?" sorusuna şu yanıtı verdi:
"Türkiye ile sınırın terörizmden arındırılması, terörizme diğer bölgelerde izin verilmesi anlamına gelir. Bu kabul edilemez. Terörizm her yerde yok edilmelidir. 30 yıldır terörle mücadele için uluslararası koalisyon oluşturulması çağrısında bulunuyoruz."

Russia to Use of Egyptian Airspace Amid Strengthened Military Ties Between Assad and Sisi- Al-Masdar News

According to a senior officer from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the head of Syrian military intelligence, General ‘Ali Mamlouk, traveled to Beirut last week in order to attend a meeting with the head of Egypt’s military intelligence.
The meeting was facilitated by Russian security officials and meant to strengthen the renewed alliance between Syria and Egypt after the latter broke-off all diplomatic ties under their former president – Mohammad Morsi – in late 2012.
The source added that both parties agreed upon a contingency for Russia’s presence inside west Syria; this included the possible use of Egyptian airspace for the Russian Air Force.

President Assad’s interview with Russian media outlets (Full text)- SANA

Damascus, SANA- President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to the Russian media outlets, following is the full text of the interview:
Question 1: Mr. President, thank you for giving us all, from the Russian media, from RT, from Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Channel 1, Russia 24, RIA Novosti, and NTV channel. Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to talk to you during this very critical phase of the crisis in Syria, where there are many questions that need to be addressed on where exactly the political process to achieve peace in Syria is heading, what’s the latest developments on the fight against ISIL, and the status of the Russian and Syrian partnership, and of course the enormous exodus of Syrian refugees that has been dominating headlines in Europe.
Now, the crisis in Syria is entering its fifth year. You have defied all predictions by Western leaders that you would be ousted imminently, and continue to serve today as the President of the Syrian Arab Republic. Now, there has been a lot of speculation recently caused by reports that officials from your government met with officials from your adversary Saudi Arabia that caused speculation that the political process in Syria has entered a new phase, but then statements from Saudi Arabia that continue to insist on your departure suggest that in fact very little has changed despite the grave threat that groups like ISIL pose far beyond Syria’s borders.
So, what is your position on the political process? How do you feel about power sharing and working with those groups in the opposition that continue to say publically that there can be no political solution in Syria unless that includes your immediate departure? Have they sent you any signal that they are willing to team up with you and your government? In addition to that, since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, many of those groups were calling to you to carry out reforms and political change. But is such change even possible now under the current circumstances with the war and the ongoing spread of terror in Syria?
President Assad: Let me first divide this question. It’s a multi question in one question. The first part regarding the political process, since the beginning of the crisis we adopted the dialogue approach, and there were many rounds of dialogue between Syrians in Syria, in Moscow, and in Geneva. Actually, the only step that has been made or achieved was in Moscow 2, not in Geneva, not in Moscow 1, and actually it’s a partial step, it’s not a full step, and that’s natural because it’s a big crisis. You cannot achieve solutions in a few hours or a few days. It’s a step forward, and we are waiting for Moscow 3. I think we need to continue the dialogue between the Syrian entities, political entities or political currents, in parallel with fighting terrorism in order to achieve or reach a consensus about the future of Syria. So, that’s what we have to continue.