Army thwarts ISIS attacks on military points in Deir Ezzor- SANA

Provinces, SANA – Army units, supported by the Syrian Air Force, thwarted attacks launched by ISIS terrorists on a number of military points on the southern axis of Deir Ezzor city, inflicting them heavy losses upon their ranks and equipment.

SANA reporter in Deir Ezzor said that army units engaged in heavy clashes with terrorist groups of ISIS that attacked a number of military points in al-Panorama, the area surrounding the 137 Brigade, Tal Barouk and the Driving School to the south of Deir Ezzor.

The reporter added that the clashes coincided with raids by the Syrian Air Force on movements, supply routes and fortifications of terrorists in al-Panorama, al-Rushdiyeh, al-Huweiqa, Huweijet Saqr, al-Matar al-Qadim, al-Mawared, al-Sinaa, al-Orfi, Ayash, al-Hamediyeh, al-Ardi and al-Maqaber (graveyards).

The Saudi terrorist Nizar al-Damami, who is a leader within ISIS, was killed due to army’s raids, along with many other terrorists.

The reporter added that the army airstrikes also destroyed equipment that were used by terrorists to refine oil stolen from wells located in Bukrus village in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

Local sources told the reporter that ISIS terrorists executed two young men from the locals of Hawayej Bomasaa in the western countryside of the province.

Damascus countryside 

Meanwhile, units of the army destroyed a vehicle and many gatherings for Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in Damascus south-western countryside.

SANA reporter said that the army carried out special military operations against gatherings of Jabhat al-Nusra in the farms of Beit Jin in Damascus countryside, killing a number of the terrorists.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=109080

Katar, Körfez ülkelerinin 13 maddelik talep listesini reddetti- Sputnik News

Katar, 4 Arap ülkesinin 13 maddelik talep listesini reddetti. Katar hükümetinin İletişim Direktörü Şeyh Muhammed bin Abdulrahman el Sani, taleplerin gerçekçi ve mantıklı olmadığını söyledi.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/ortadogu/201706241029025239-katar-korfez-talep-reddetti/

Army repels attack by al-Nusra on surroundings of al-Baath city in Quenitra, Israeli warplanes target facilities and residential buildings in the area- SANA

Damascus, SANA – As part of the Israeli enemy’s continuing support for terrorist organizations, Israeli warplanes attacked services facilities and residential buildings in the surroundings of al-Baath city in Quenitra province at the same time as Jabhat al-Nsura terrorists were attacking the area.

A military source said that Army and Armed Forces units, in cooperation with supporting forces, repelled a large attack by groups from Jabhat al-Nusra terror organization in the surroundings of al-Baath city in Quneitra countryside, inflicting heavy losses upon them.

The source went on to say that while this was happening, the Israeli enemy sought to provide support for al-Nusra, as Israeli warplanes fired rockets from within occupied territory at the Governorate parking lot and a residential building, claiming a number of lives and causing material damage.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=108737

At Least 20 Injured After Overnight Militant Shelling in Syrian City of Aleppo- Sputnik News

Overnight shelling of a market in the Syrian city of Aleppo left at least 20 people injured, some of them seriously, local media reported Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Syria's state broadcaster the shell fell after midnight on a market in Al-Furqan district of Aleppo injuring 20 people, with some of them in critical condition.

The shell reportedly was launched from Aleppo's western suburbs, where militants are located.

The city of Aleppo has become one of the main battlegrounds of the civil war in Syria. The city was liberated by the Syrian government forces in late 2016.

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706241054940921-aleppo-shelling-injured/

Syrian Army Entering Deir Ezzor Province- South Front

On Firday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies, supported by Russian and Syrian air forces warplanes, captured Wadi al-Wa’r, Al-Wa’r Dam and Al-wasta at the Syrian-Iraqi border.

According to pro-government sources, the  SAA has deployed in 20-30 km from the T2 strategic station east of Albuqmal Cityat the Syrian-Iraqi border.

In the eastern Homs countryside, the SAA seized the Zahr Abah area east of the Arak gas field and deployed in only about 25 km from Al-Sukhna town.

https://southfront.org/syrian-army-enters-deir-ezzor-province/

British Minister for Security from Lebanon: ‘Your Security is our Security’- Naharnet

Minister of State for Security the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP has ended a two day visit to Lebanon, where he highlighted the strength of the UK’s security partnership with Lebanon, a press release said on Friday.

During his two-day, the Minister met Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq; the heads of the Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces and General Security, as well as other senior security chiefs; and witnessed UK projects to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces.

The UK has committed $100m since 2011 to supporting Lebanese security through our partnership with Lebanese security forces, it said.

During his visit to Hamat Air Base, Minister Wallace learned how the LAF are effectively countering Daesh in the Qalamoun; discussed UK support to secure 100% of Lebanon’s border with Syria by 2019; and observed a live training demonstration on counter IED, as well as a new LAF training component on International Humanitarian Law, where he addressed LAF officers and spoke to them about the important of respect for humanitarian law and human rights. By 2019, the UK will have trained around 11,000 soldiers for frontline operations across Lebanon.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231881

Erdoğan: Kuzey Suriye'de bir devlete asla müsaade etmeyeceğiz- Sputnik News

Şanlıurfa'nın Akçakale ilçesinde konuşan Cumhurbaşkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Suriye'nin kuzeyinde bir devlet kurulmasına asla izin verilmeyeceğini söyledi.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/turkiye/201706231029018656-erdogan-kuzey-suriyede-bir-devlete-asla-musaade-etmeyecegiz/

Army establishes control over Ark gas station, kills ISIS and al-Nusra terrorists in Homs and Damascus Countryside- SANA

Provinces, SANA – Army and Armed Forces units, in cooperation with allies, established control over Ark gas station 6 km northeast of Ark village along with 4 vantage points 3 km northeast of the village, a military source stated on Friday evening.

Earlier, the source said that an army unit clashed with an ISIS terrorist group that was trying to infiltrate from the direction of Jabbab Hamad village towards one of the military points east of Umm al-Tababeer village in the eastern countryside of Homs, a military source said.

The source added that the clashes ended up with eliminating all members of the terrorist group and destroying the weapons and ammunition were in their possession.

According to the source, army units also thwarted an attack by Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups on a number of military points from the direction of Jawalak-al-Mahatta-Sensil in the eastern countryside of Homs, eliminating a number of terrorists and destroying their weapons and ammunition.

Later, an army unit, in cooperation with supporting forces, thwarted an attack carried out by Jabhat al-Nusra terror organization and groups affiliated to it in the southwestern part of Damascus Countryside.

SANA’s reporter in Quenitra said that the army and supporting forces that attempted to sneak from Beit Jinn farm towards al-Tal al-Ahmar in the surroundings of Harfa village, attacking farmers who were harvesting wheat in that area.

The reporter said that the clashes resulted in killing a number of terrorists, injuring others, and destroying the weapons, ammo, and vehicles that were in their possession, adding that terrorists also targeted with mortar shells and machinegun fire homes in Harfa village, causing material damage and fires in cherry and olive orchards.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=108602

Russian Air Force obliterates ISIL base in east Hama- Al-Masdar News

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:40 P.M.) – The Russian Air Force has carried out several airstrikes over the eastern countryside of Hama recently, targeting the Islamic State’s (ISIL) positions near their stronghold of ‘Uqayrbat.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russian-air-force-obliterates-isil-base-east-hama/

Syrian War Report – June 21, 2017: Government Forces Launched Large Advance In Daraa- South Front

On Tuesday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) launched a large military operation in an attempt to split the militant-held area in the Daraa province into two separate parts.

Initially, the SAA and the NDF captured the Daraa Air Defense Base and the Dahdah Hill, but then government forces were pushed to retreat and the joint militant forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) retook the area.

The SAA and the NDF also pushed in the direction of the Grain warehouses and inside the Palestinian camp but were not able to make notable gains.

During the clashes, militants destroyed a government forces battle tank, captured a battle tank, a bulldozer, and armoured vehicle.

On Wednesday, the Syrian Air Force continued bombing militant targets in the border area. This indicates that the SAA and the NDF may repeat an attempt to reach the border. If this is done, government force would develop momentum in the area in order to cut off supply lines to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies inside the city of Daraa.

https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-june-21-2017-government-forces-launched-large-advance-in-daraa/

The Campaign for Ar-Raqqa City: June 6 – 20, 2017- ISW

The U.S. Anti-ISIS Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began operations to clear ISIS from Ar-Raqqa City in Northern Syria on June 6. This urban combat phase marks the culmination of successful shaping operations conducted over the last eight months to isolate Ar-Raqqa City under Operation Euphrates Wrath. These operations included the seizure of the Tabqa Dam in Western Ar-Raqqa Province on May 10. Ar-Raqqa City is currently isolated along its three axes with only limited water traffic to the south across the Euphrates River. The fight for the city will nonetheless prove difficult. ISIS retains at least 2,500 fighters in the city behind an elaborate system of berms, tunnels, improvised explosive devices, and other defenses “very similar” to its posture in Mosul, Iraq. ISIS’s forces are intermingled with an estimated50,000 to 100,000 civilians, raising the complexity and requirements of ongoing clearing operations. ISIS has thus far mounted a kinetic defense, ceding some outlying districts in favor of raids, ambushes, sleeper cells, and suicide attacks as the group falls back towards the dense urban core of Ar-Raqqa City. The capability of the SDF – a coalition of irregular forces dominated by the Syrian Kurdish YPG – to sustain its offensive and overcome these challenges remains doubtful despite expansive support from the U.S. Anti-ISIS Coalition.

The campaign for Ar-Raqqa City also faces significant challenges beyond the urban fight. Continued U.S. support to the YPG risks alienating local Sunni Arabs whose support will be required to secure and govern the city over the long term against the threat posed by ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other Salafi-Jihadist groups. The local population’s long-standing ethnic and political grievances will not be addressed by the participation of Sunni Arabs in the Syrian Arab Coalition (SAC) or Raqqa Civilian Council – both of which locals view as mere puppets of the YPG in Northern Syria. The decision to back the YPG in Ar-Raqqa City also furthers a widening divide between the U.S. and Turkey in Syria. Turkey views with deep suspicion the institutional links between the YPG and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization that is currently waging an active insurgency in Southern Turkey. Turkish President Recep Erdogan mounted a failed lobbying campaign to convince both U.S. President Donald Trump and former U.S. President Barack Obama to halt their support for the SDF in Northern Syria in favor of opposition groups backed by Turkey. Turkey retains the capability to launch a major cross-border intervention against the YPG along the Syrian-Turkish Border - particularly at the border town of Tel Abyad in Northern Ar-Raqqa Province. Turkey nonetheless will likely eschew any intervention over the near term and instead hope that the YPG weakens itself through a sustained engagement in Ar-Raqqa City. The Russo-Iranian Coalition also remains poised to exploit any setbacks suffered by the SDF in Ar-Raqqa City. Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad advanced into regions directly abutting the SDF in Tabqa in Western Ar-Raqqa Province on June 13. The U.S. later shot down a Syrian Arab Air Force fighter jet after the aircraft dropped munitions near positions held by the SDF near Tabqa on June 18. Russia, Iran, and Assad likely intend to block further gains by the SDF near Ar-Raqqa City as part of a wider effort to constrain the U.S. Anti-ISIS Coalition in Eastern Syria that began in May 2017.

http://iswresearch.blogspot.com.tr/2017/06/the-campaign-for-ar-raqqa-city-june-6.html

State Security Arrests 'Emir' of Islamist Syrian Rebel Group- Naharnet

State Security on Tuesday announced the arrest in the Bekaa province of a “former emir of the Ahfad al-Hamza Battalion of the Ahrar al-Sham Front.”

Identifying the detainee as Syrian national M.H., State Security said he was arrested after surveillance and after he raised suspicion that he had ties to terrorist groups.

“During interrogation, he confessed to being a former emir of the Ahfad al-Hamza Battalion of the Ahrar al-Sham Front and that he had maintained communication with the group's members in (Syria's) Idlib,” State Security said.

It added that the 41-year-old detainee had entered Lebanon illegally via the southern border town of Shebaa on August 20, 2015.

“He then resided in the town of Majdal Anjar in the Zahle district,” State Security added.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231724

ABD, Suriye'de İran yapımı insansız hava aracını düşürdü- BBC Türkçe

ABD ordusu, ülkenin güneyinde hükümete bağlı birliklere ait İran yapımı bir insansız hava aracını (İHA) düşürdüğünü açıkladı. İHA'nın düşürülmesine gerekçe olarak, 'koalisyon güçlerini tehdit edecek şekilde ilerlemesi' gösterildi.

Fransız haber ajansı AFP'ye konuşan Amerikalı bir yetkili, F-15 Strike Eagle tipi avcı bombardıman uçağının Shahed 129 (Şahit 129) tipi İHA'yı Ürdün sınırı yakınlarındaki El Tanf garnizonu yakınlarında yerel saatle 12:30'da düşürdüğünü duyurdu.

Yetkili, "Birliklerimizi tehdit ediyorlardı. Üzerilerine mühimmat bırakmak için halkımızın olduğu yere doğru ilerliyorlardı" dedi.

ABD ordusu yazılı açıklamasında, İHA'nın 'koalisyon güçlerine doğru düşmanca niyetlerle ilediğini' söyledi.

Açıklamada, İHA'nın düşürüldüğü yerin, 8 Haziran'da koalisyon güçlerine bomba bıraktıktan sonra vurulan İran yapımı başka bir İHA'nın düşürüldüğü bölgeye yakın olduğu ifade edildi.

http://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya-40339487

WHO says child from Raqqa among 15 new polio cases in Syria- Al-Arabiya

Fifteen new cases of polio have been confirmed in Syria, including a child who may have caught the disease in Raqqa, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

Aid workers are unable to vaccinate the population in and around Raqqa, a city held by ISIS militants and a target of US-led airstrikes.

The WHO reported two polio cases in an area of Syria partly held by ISIS earlier this month, the first re-emergence of the virus in Syria since 2014 and a blow for hopes of eradicating the disease globally.

WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a UN briefing on Tuesday that 14 more cases had been found in the same area, the Mayadin district of Deir al-Zor province, and another had come from Raqqa, a city where ISIS militants are trying to resist a US-backed assault.

Tensions escalated on Sunday as the US military brought down a jet near Raqqa for bombing near US-allied forces on the ground, and Iran launched missiles at ISIS targets in eastern Syria - the first time each state has carried out such actions in the multi-sided Syrian war.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2017/06/20/WHO-says-child-from-Raqqa-among-15-new-polio-cases-in-Syria.html

Şam delegasyonu, Astana'daki görüşmelere katılacağını teyit etti- Sputnik News

Rusya Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Mihail Bogdanov, Şam delegasyonunun 4-5 Temmuz'da yapılması planlanan Astana görüşmelerinin bir sonraki turuna katılacağını teyit ettiğini söyledi.

Basın mensuplarının sorularını yanıtlayan Bogdanov, Suriye hükümet delegeasyonunun 4-5 Temmuz'daki görüşmeye katılacağını teyit ettiğini belirtti. 

Bogdanov, "Türkler, İranlılar, Kazaklar ve biz, görüşmelere katılmaya hazır olduğumuzu ifade ettik. Suriye hükümet delegasyonu da Astana'ya gelecek" dedi.  

Kazakistan Dışişleri Bakanlığı Basın Dairesi Başkanı Anuar Jaynakov, Kazakistan’ın başkenti Astana’daki Suriye görüşmelerinin bir sonraki turunun 4-5 Temmuz’da gerçekleştirileceğini açıklamı

https://tr.sputniknews.com/ortadogu/201706201028971400-bogdanov-sam-delegasyonu-astana-teyit/

Suriye uçağının düşürülmesi Ankara'nın Şam'la yakınlaşması için son fırsat'- Sputnik News

ABD'nin Suriye'yi yeniden şekillendirme politikasını uygularken önünde hiç bir engeli tanımadığını, güneye ilerleyen SDG birliklerini vuran Suriye uçağını düşürmesiyle teyit ettiğine işaret eden uzmanlar, son krizin Ankara-Moskova-Şam iş birliği için önemli bir fırsat olduğu görüşünde.

Tabka ilçesinin güneyinde YPG'nin başını çektiği Demokratik Suriye Güçleri'ni (DSG) vuran Suriye uçağının ABD öncülüğündeki IŞİD karşıtı uluslararası koalisyon tarafından düşürülmesi; Rusya'nın Suriye hava sahasındaki kazaları önlemek için ABD'yle yapmış olduğu iş birliğini askıya almasına neden oldu. Sputnik'e konuşan uzmanlar, art arda yaşanan bu gelişmelerin, Rusya'nın siyasi çözüm için iş birliği eli uzattığı ABD'nin, kendisine tanınan bu manevra alanını kötüye kullanarak Suriye'yi yeniden dizayn etme çabalarına girişmesinin sonucu olduğunu söylüyor.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/columnists/201706201028971155-suriye-ucak-turkiye-rusya-ankara-sam-recep-tayyip-erdogan-besar-esad-iran-sdg-ypg-pkk-tabka-irak-is-birligi/

Gulf Diplomatic Activity Expected in Beirut- Naharnet

Several gulf envoys are expected to visit Beirut this week, media reports said on Tuesday.

Kuwait's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah al-Mubarak al-Sabah will arrive in Beirut on Tuesday, reports said.

Dispatched by Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, the Minister is carrying a special message on Kuwait's preparedness to help Lebanon on various levels.

On Wednesday, a Saudi delegation led by Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan is expected to arrive in the country.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231682

Harb: Baabda Meeting Shouldn't be Confined to Ruling Authority- Naharnet

MP Boutros Harb said on Tuesday that an invitation for a consultative gathering at the Baabda Palace should have been extended to all political parties instead of confining it to those in power, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

“The invitation should not have been limited to the parties in power, it should have been extended to those outside the authority. Only then would the meeting at the Presidential Palace be chaired by the leader of the the entire Lebanese instead of leader of the ruling authority,” said Harb in an interview to the daily.

The MP added that it would be a good thing “if the President's invitation will lead to an improved ruling performance, respect for the constitution and motivates political parties in the government to work for public welfare. But, I hope this meeting never happens if they have an understanding to pass things contrary to the constitution.”

President Michel Aoun invited the country's top political leaders to a consultative meeting in Baabda on Thursday.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231678

Syrian War Report – June 20, 2017: Situation Further Escalates In Syria- South Front

The situation escalates in Syria following the US aviation attack against an Su-22 belonging to the country’s national air force.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the US move may be considered an “act of aggression,” and announced that it is halting all interactions with the US within the framework on the memorandum of incident prevention in Syrian skies.

Now, Russian missile defenses will track any US-led coalition aircraft west of the Euphrates River.

“In areas where Russian aviation is conducting combat missions in the Syrian skies, any flying objects, including jets and unmanned aerial vehicles of the international coalition discovered west of the Euphrates River will be followed by Russian air and ground defenses as air targets,” the ministry announced.

At the same time, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also joined the blame game by attempting to justify the act of aggression.

SDF Spokesman, Talal Selo, announced that Syrian government forces “have mounted large-scale attacks using planes, artillery, and tanks” against the SDF in the province of Raqqah.  Selo threatened the Syrian Army with retaliation if government forces attack the SDF again.  However, the SDF representative was not able to provide any info about these “large-scale attacks.”  Furthermore, no local sources reported such attacks in recent days, reducing the claim to mere propaganda on the part of the US-led campaign against Damascus.

Meanwhile, SDF units reportedly killed about 10 ISIS members and destroyed 2 ISIS vehicles.

The Syrian army and its allies launched attacks against ISIS from Ithriyah in the direction of Resafa, aiming to clear the road linking these [two] towns.

https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-june-20-2017-situation-further-escalates-in-syria/

New Data About Fate Of Pilot Of Syrian SU-22 Downed By US Warplane- South Front

According to pro-government sources, Ali Fahed, a pilot of the Syrian Su-22 warplane downed by the US-led collation on June 18 has not been rescued yet.

Al-Mayadeen TV network – one of the biggest Arabian news networks – claimed that the pilot was rescued by a special force from the Syrian Arab Army Tiger Forces.

However, hours later Al-Mayadeen TV reported that the early claim was false and the pilot is still missing.

According to pro-government activists, sources close to the Ali family claimed that he had been captured by the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF).

Other sources from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) also said that Ali was captured by a group linked to the SDF south of Tabqah and that negotiations are now underway between the group and the SAA to release him as soon as possible.

However, none of these reports can be officially confirmed now. No official source from the Syrian government or the SDF has announced anything related to the fate of the missing pilot.

https://southfront.org/new-data-about-fate-of-pilot-of-syrian-su-22-downed-by-us-warplane/

Israel Reportedly Providing Direct Aid, Funding to Syrian Rebels- Haaretz

It's been known that Israeli hospitals have treated wounded Syrian fighters, but Wall Street Journal report uncovers direct support in cash, without which fighters say they 'wouldn't have survived'

Israel has been secretly providing aid to Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights for years with the goal of maintaining a buffer zone of friendly forces to keep ISIS and forces aligned with Iran at bay, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The support has been substantial and direct, according to the report, including cash funds, food, fuel and medical supplies, creating a reality in which several armed groups and much of the civilian population in the area are reliant on Israeli aid. 

The Wall Street Journal based its findings on information provided by "half a dozen rebels and three people familiar with Israel's thinking," who said that Israel's secret dealings with the rebels began as early as 2013 under former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and that they continue to this day, with the goal of keeping pro-Iranian groups, like Hezbollah, away from the border.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.796480

Syria conflict: Why are air combat kills so rare?- BBC News

The shooting-down of a Syrian jet by the United States is believed to be the first air-to-air kill by a manned US aircraft since 1999.

Despite Hollywood blockbusters showcasing aerial dogfights, they have almost vanished from modern warfare.

In the 20th Century, skilled pilots who clocked up kills were often referred to as aces.

The US considers a pilot with at least five confirmed kills to be an ace - but no serving pilot holds the title.

What was the lesson of the Gulf wars?

A report published by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) in 2015 found just 59 kills since the 1990s - the large majority of which were in the First Gulf War.

Later that year, when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 plane along the Syrian border in a rare conflict, it sparked an international diplomatic row

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-40327934

Foreign Ministry: US-led alliance’s attack on Syrian aircraft reveals truth about America’s support for terrorism- SANA

Damascus, SANA – The Foreign and Expatriate Ministry affirmed that the attack by the US-led alliance’s aircrafts on a Syrian fighter plane near al-Rasafa while it was carrying out an operation against ISIS reveals with no doubt the truth about the US support of terrorism, demanding that Security Council break its silence and condemn such cowardly and reckless military actions.

In two letters sent to the UN Secretary General and the President of Security Council on Monday, the Ministry said that the US and its illegal alliance have revealed their real face and the underhanded goal they seek to achieve in Syria when they committed a new crime on June 18th 2017 by intentionally shooting down a Syrian Air Force aircraft while it was carrying out a combatant mission against ISIS terrorist organization on Syrian territory.

The letters stressed that it is shameful that the United States justified its terrible act by promoting open lies through official statements that are far from the truth, particularly since the Syrian fighter plane fell in an area close to al-Rasafa area which is controlled by ISIS, contrary to what the American side claimed, as the pilot was seen parachuting in areas controlled by ISIS terrorists.

The Ministry clarified that the disgraceful US military aggression confirms beyond any doubt the reality of the US position in support of terrorism and which aims to undermine the ability of the Syrian Arab Army which, along with its allies, is the only effective force exercising its legitimate right to fight terrorism across the country.

The Ministry added that this aggression cannot be separated from the crimes committed by the United States and its alliance against the Syrian Arab Army and its allies in al-Tanf area, in addition to the unjustified strikes launched by this alliance against the innocent civilians in the north and west of Raqqa area, which claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians and displaced more than 120,000 from the people of Raqqa who left their homes due to the arbitrary strikes carried out by the alliance against innocent civilians in Raqqa and other Syrian cities.

The letters noted that this aggression comes at a time when the Syrian Arab Army and its allies are making clear progress in fighting ISIS terrorists which is being defeated in al-Badiya desert area on more than one direction, adding that this aggression exposes the political and military inclinations and the malicious intentions of the US and its illegal alliance to manage terrorism and invest in it to achieve its objectives and realize the Western project in the region.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=108384

‘Suriye ordusu Tanf’da ABD’nin saldırganlığına karşı koyuyor’- Sputnik News

Suriyeli askeri uzman Hasan Hasan, ABD’nin Suriye’deki etkisi ve varlığının son 6 yılda düştüğünü, aksine Rusya’nın arttığını belirterek, “Bu durum ABD’nin işine gelmiyor” dedi.

ABD’nin Suriye ve Rusya arasındaki sağlam işbirliğinden rahatsız olduğu için son zamanlarda saldırılarını arttırdığını kaydeden Hasan, “ABD, teröristlerle mücadele ihtiyacının olmadığı bölgeye füze sistemlerini yerleştirdi. Üstelik bu konuşlandırma, Suriye hükümetinin izni alınmadan yapıldı. Tüm bunlar, Suriye’nin bağımsızlığına karşı saldırganlık çerçevesinde yapılıyor” ifadelerini kullandı.

'ABD, KURALLARI KENDİSİNİN DİKTE ETTİĞİNİ GÖSTERMEK İSTİYOR'

ABD’nin, başta Rusya olmak üzere tüm dünyaya, uluslararası hukukun kendisini bağlamadığını ve kendinin kuralları dikte ettiğini göstermek istediğini kaydeden Hasan, “ABD, Suriye ordusunun Irak sınırını kontrol altına almasına engel olmak istiyor. Amacı direniş gösteren taraflar arasındaki bağları, yani Tahran-Bağdat-Şam-Kudüs-Yemen bağını koparmak” yorumunda bulundu.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/ortadogu/201706191028958412-suriye-ordusu-el-tanf-abd-saldirganligina-karsi-koyuyor/

Rusya, Suriye'de ABD'yle işbirliğini askıya aldı- Sputnik News

ABD öncülüğündeki uluslararası IŞİD karşıtı koalisyonun Suriye uçağını düşürmesi hakkında açıklama yapan Rusya Savunma Bakanlığı, 'Suriye hava sahasındaki kazaları önleme memorandumu' kapsamında ABD'yle yapılan işbirliğini askıya aldığını duyurdu. Bakanlık, ABD'nin saldırıdan önce Rusya ile iletişim kanalını kullanmadığını vurguladı.

Koalisyonun, Rakka'da Suriye ordusuna ait Su-22 savaş uçağının düşürüldüğü operasyon sırasında, havada yaşanabilecek kazaların önlenmesi için Rusya'yla kurulan iletişim kanallarını kullanmadığını belirten Rusya Savunma Bakanlığı, memorandum kapsamında ABD'yle yürütülen işbirliğinin bugün itibarıyla askıya alındığının altını çizdi.

'ABD UÇAKLARININ TUTUMU SALDIRGANLIK EYLEMİ'

"Rusya Hava-Uzay Kuvvetleri, o sırada Suriye hava sahasında operasyon düzenliyordu. Ancak koalisyon güçleri, Suriye hava sahasında kazalardan kaçınmak için Katar'daki hava üssüyle Hmeymim'deki Rus üssü arasındaki mevcut iletişim kanalını kullanmadı" diyen bakanlık, ABD uçaklarının Suriye ordusuna yönelik tutumunu 'uluslararası hukukun en ciddi ihlali' ve 'saldırganlık eylemi' olarak nitelendirdi.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/ortadogu/201706191028952179-rusya-suriye-abd-isbirligi-askiya-aldi/

Kurdistan Syrian minister: Kurdish independence an ‘external meddling’ to split the region- Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A Syrian minister is opposed to the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum bid to separate from Iraq, claiming the timing is not suitable as both sides are in a war and it is an “external meddling.”

 

“In this situation, this referendum is not suitable as Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are in the state of war against terror and their priority should be focused on eliminating terror as ISIS represents the world terror,” Ali Haider, the State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs in Syria, told Rudaw by phone.

 

As ISIS militants are being pushed out of their largest urban stronghold in Mosul, Haider said Kurds in Kurdistan Region are trying to “impose a de facto” state if they currently insist on holding a referendum in order to implement the independence project at any point in the future.

 

“We are nations having been living on this land together for thousands years and that share the same destiny,” Haider said. “Any scenario or attempt active on the ground is an external meddling aimed dividing the region into pieces."

 

“Kurds have in the history proved they have played a considerable role in the region. They have all the rights which should be guaranteed within the context of a social contract.”

 

Haider said even if the independence of the Kurdistan Region is not declared now, it could be in the future as “Iraq is in the state of war.”

 

He spoke about any nation in the world having the right to self-determination.

 

“As principle and according to international agreements and declarations, every nation has the right to determine its fate, but each country has its own particular statues," he said. 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190620172

Klintseviç: Suriye'de Rusya'nın operasyon sahasına giren hava araçları 'otomatikman' vurulmayacak- Sputnik News

Rusya Federasyon Konseyi Savunma ve Güvenlik Komitesi Başkan Yardımcısı Frants Klintseviç, Suriye'de Rusya Hava-Uzay Kuvvetleri'nin operasyon sahasına giren hava araçlarının 'otomatikman' imha edilmeyeceğini belirtti.

Klintseviç, Sputnik'e verdiği demeçte Rusya Savunma Bakanlığı'nın Fırat Nehri'nin batısında Rusya-Hava Uzay Kuvvetleri'nin operasyon sahasında tespit edilecek hava araçlarıyla ilgili açıklamasını yorumladı.

'HER OLAY İÇİN MÜNFERİT KARAR ALINACAK'

Klintseviç, "Rusya, Hava-Uzay Kuvvetleri'nin operasyon sahasına giren hava araçlarını 'otomatikman' imha etmeyecek. Her olay için münferit olarak karar alınacak ancak saldırganlık eylemi olması durumunda söz konusu hava araçlarına sert biçimde önleme yapılacak" dedi.

https://tr.sputniknews.com/savunma/201706191028955261-klintsevic-suriye-rusya-hava-araci-otomatikman-vurulmayacak/

Russia cuts deconfliction channel with Washington after US downs Syrian jet- TASS

MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. Moscow is terminating its communication channel with the United States under a memorandum for preventing incidents in Syria's skies, as a consequence for the US downing a Syrian Su-22 plane, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"As of June 19 this year, the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation has ended its interaction with the US side under a memorandum for preventing incidents and providing for safe flights during operations in Syria and demands that the US command carry out a careful investigation and report about its results and the measures taken," the statement reads.

More: http://tass.com/defense/952119

Russian Missile Defense to Track US-Led Coalition Aircraft in Syria - MoD- Sputnik News

From June 19, Russia is halting all interactions with the US within the framework on the memorandum of incident prevention in Syrian skies, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday following the US-led coalition's downing of a Syrian army's jet near Raqqa.

Russian missile defense will intercept any aircraft in the area of operations of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria, the ministry said.

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706191054760684-russia-us-syria-deconfliction-channel/

Iran: Targeting terrorists’ sites in Deir Ezzor came in coordination with Syrian government- SANA

Tehran, SANA – The Iranian Foreign Ministry affirmed on Monday that the targeting of terrorists’ sites in Deir Ezzor by Iran was in coordination with the Syrian government and within the context of Iran’s firm policy of fighting terrorism.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that the targeting of terrorist sites in Deir Ezzor was carried out with the prior knowledge of Syrian government and within the framework of the principled and firm policy of Iran in combating takfiri Wahhabi movements.

He added that the Deir Ezzor operation was just a “small slap” and a warning to those who cannot or do not want to understand the realities of the region and do not know their limits.

He asserted that the fight against terrorism is part of the defense of the security and stability of the region and the security of Iran, which will spare no effort in fighting terrorists and will not compromise when it comes to defending its stability and security.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=108380

Russia to track US planes as 'targets' as Syria tensions rise- Middle East Eye

Russia on Monday said it would track as "targets" any US-led coalition planes operating west of the Euphrates river in Syria, and condemned the shooting down of a Syrian government plane by US forces.

The US shot down a Syrian air force Su-22 over Tabqa - 55km west of Raqqa city - on Sunday, saying the plane was threatening allies from the Syrian Democratic Forces as they fought intense ground battles with Syrian government allies around Raqqa.

Russia's deputy defence minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the incident was an "act of aggression". His ministry said the act voided a cooperation deal and that a military hotline for avoiding incidents in Syrian airspace had been suspended.

"The command of the coalition forces did not use the established communication channel for preventing incidents in Syrian airspace," the defence ministry said in a statement. 

As a result, it now "ends cooperation with the American side from 19 June based on a memorandum for prevention of incidents and ensuring safety of air flights during operations in Syria, and demands a careful investigation by the US command" of the downing.

"Any flying objects, including planes and drones of the international coalition, discovered west of the Euphrates river will be tracked as aerial targets by Russia's air defences on and above ground," it said.

The US military said later on Monday that it was repositioning its aircraft to ensure aircrew safety.

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/act-aggression-russia-slams-us-attack-syrian-air-force-60376712

US-led coalition says hostile actions of Syrian pro-regime forces will not be tolerated- TASS

WASHINGTON, July 19. /TASS/. The US-led coalition conducting operations against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia - TASS) will not tolerate the hostile actions of pro-regime forces toward its own and partner forces in Syria, the coalition’s headquarters said in a statement provided to TASS.

The statement confirmed that on June 18, a US F/A-18E aircraft had shot down a Syrian Su-22 bomber jet which, according to the coalition, had "dropped bombs near SDF (the Syrian Democratic Forces - TASS) fighters south of Tabqah." Before the incident, the coalition’s aircraft "conducted a show of force and stopped the initial pro-regime advance toward the SDF-controlled town."

More: http://tass.com/world/952039

Intense clashes break-out between Syrian Army and US-backed forces in west Raqqa- Al-Masdar News

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:50 A.M.) – Intense clashes have broken out between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the western countryside of Al-Raqqa, tonight, a military source informed Al-Masdar.

According to the source, units from the Syrian Arab Army attempted to cross SDF front-lines in order to rescue their fallen pilot; however, they were turned away by the latter.

This resulted in a fierce confrontation that is currently ongoing between the two entities near the key town of Resafa in western Al-Raqqa.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-intense-clashes-break-syrian-army-us-backed-forces-west-raqqa/

US releases statement accusing Syrian jet of attacking Kurdish forces- Al-Masdar News

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:45 P.M.) – The U.S. Coalition released a statement tonight, accusing the Syrian Air Force of attacking the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) at the town of Ja’ydeen in western Al-Raqqa.

In response to the Syrian Air Force’s attack, the U.S. claimed it had warned the latter about approaching this area before downing the jet near the Islamic State stronghold of Resafa.

“At 6:43 P.M., a Syrian regime Su-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense and Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Horne,” the Coalition’s statement read.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-releases-statement-accusing-syrian-jet-attacking-kurdish-forces/

Fawj Ra'ad al-Mahdi: East Aleppo Militia Expansion- aymennjawad.org

The Local Defence Forces network, set up and supported by Iran, has tens of thousands of people under its wing in Syria, going by the numbers given in internal documents. The statistics indicate that the network is most prominent in Aleppo province, where there has also been the most social media publicity for the Local Defence Forces. As the regime has expanded its control through the Aleppo countryside, most notably seizing large swaths of the rural eastern areas from the Islamic State (IS) that has culminated in IS' expulsion from its last notable Aleppo town holding of Maskanah earlier this month, so too has the Local Defence Forces network expanded. Indicative of this expansion of the Local Defence Forces is the creation of a new unit called Fawj Ra'ad al-Mahdi (The Thunder of the Mahdi Regiment), also known as Fawj Asha'ir Manbij (Tribes of Manbij Regiment).

http://www.aymennjawad.org/2017/06/fawj-raad-al-mahdi-east-aleppo-militia-expansion