A pro-Assad commander has declared that, despite international efforts to avoid a confrontation in southern Syria, an offensive on opposition territory will proceed.
The “non-Syrian commander in a military alliance that backs Damascus” told Reuters on Tuesday of an imminent assault on Dara’a Province — where the Syrian uprising began in 2011 — and Quneitra Province, near the Jordanian border and the Israel-occupied Golan Heights.
In recent days, Russia and Israel have been maneuvering for an arrangement in which only regime forces — with no involvement from Hezbollah, Iranian units, or Iranian-led militia — carrying out the attacks. The Israelis have warned that any extension of the Iranian and/or Hezbollah presence in southern Syria could bring their military intervention.
See Syria Daily, May 29: Russia Points to Deal with Israel — Only Regime Forces on Border
Syria Daily, May 28: Claim — Israel and Iran in Indirect Talks to Avoid Confrontation in South
The US weighed in last week, with the State Department warning of “firm and appropriate measures” if pro-Assad forces proceeded with an offensive.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed on Monday to a political process for rebel departure from the area. He did not discuss what measures would be taken if they refused.
Last July, Moscow and the US announced a “de-escalation zone” for Dara’a and Quneitra. Russia has broken de-escalation agreements to enable the Assad regime’s recapture of areas such as East Ghouta near Damascus last month; however, it faces difficulty in using its standard pretext — a supposed focus on attacks against the Islamic State or the jihadist bloc Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham — in the southern case.
A rebel commander in Dara’a said there has been no sign of mobilization for an assault, accusing Damascus of waging psychological warfare.
The “non-Syrian commander” in the pro-Assad alliance indicated acceptance of the Russian-Israeli agreement while maintaining, “The Syrian army will wage all the battles and has now become strong and capable.”
The Assad regime’s forces have yet to win a major campaign in the seven-year conflict without significant Hezbollah and Iranian involvement on the ground and/or Russian airpower.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov reiterated on Tuesday:
We have well-known agreements concerning the southwestern de-escalation zone. Those agreements were concluded by Russia, the United States and Jordan. Israel was perfectly aware of them while they were still being drafted. They stipulate that the zone of de-escalation is expected to consolidate stability and that all non-Syrian forces must be pulled out of that area.
I believe this must happen as soon as possible. This is precisely what we are busy with now in cooperation with our Jordanian and US counterparts.
Tiger Forces have already arrived in the governorate of Daraa, so the offensive will begin soon. The FSA shelled the convoy but no losses reported.
Tick tock tick tock
Tick tock tick tock…..that must be the sound of your brain when you twist your head. Poor thing.
If getting towards that time that ISIS, the FSA, Al Nusra and the rest of the moderate rebels should be getting their affairs in order.
If there is anything you’d like to day to the Caligola, now would be a good time.
Learn proper english. You hardly make sense when you get it right immagine when your grammar fails.
LOl
He has learned two new words this week though….tick tock. Impressive i might say 🙂
“The Syrian army will wage all the battles and has now become strong and capable.”
And this non syrian comander is in charge of the humour part of the campaign ?
It’s great to see you swing the funny side of the fact the SAA has completely cleared Damascus and Homs. Daraa is tiny and the eastern part as well as the city will likely be liberated quickly.
SAA, irony division.
Yeah. Must be a branch of the running away division. 🙂
Tick tock tick tock
Tick tock ? You barely control 40% of the country and even less of resources and you speak ? lol wake up ffs or continue to be treated as a clown.
Actually I don’t control any of Syria seeing as I’m Australian. Neither do you in spite of your attempts to frame this as some kind of ball game. The Assad government controls more than 60% (and growing) and 90% of the populated areas, which is all that counts. Soon they will add Daraa 🙂
Empty areas of desert don’t matter, like most of the area East of the Euphrates.
If you are referring to the oil fields, those are producing negligible output as the facilities are largely destroyed and the US aren’t going to waste their time repairing them. Whatever they are producing, the Kurds are selling to Assad at below market prices. The Kurds can’t sell it to anyone else (sucks to be landlocked) and if they withhold it from Assad, he has threatened to blow up the well heads.
Your Kurdish hope to the east are living on borrowed time. There isn’t going got be a Kurdish state. No territory that is landlocked and has negligible resources is viable. The Iraqis took back Kirkuk, the main source of revenue for the Kurds. The Turks will pressure the US to leave as the US are not going to sacrifice their alliance with Turkeys for the Kurds. Nor are they going to risk driving Turkey further into the arms of Russia.
So as it turns out, time is on Assad’s side. Like I said…..Tick tock tick tock 🙂
Thanks god nobody gives a crap of what you write in here and we take it as humour.
Given all the responses from you Caligola, you seem to give a crap Caligola. 🙂
Deangelies i reply to you cuz you are pure entertainment. Dont even think for a second i reply to your “intellectual” content. There ain’t one. You are just pure frustration and depression. I like to ride on it. USA. 3 letters a liftime nightmare for Andre. Priceless.
I’d say you are the one suffering from depression. All your predictions have proven wrong. Every time the US has launched a missile attack, you were cheering desperately for a knock out blow and first to report on massive destruction, only to end up with egg on your face.
Read Scott’s other link suggesting that Russia and Israel have agreed to Assad taking back all of Southern Syria. That means Washington is on board as they are they take their orders from Jerusalem.
USA. Lost Ian Iraq. Lost in Afghanistan. And no lost in Syria. An empire in decline and heading on a fast track to irrelevancy.
Tick tock tick tock. 🙂
You must be suffering from late stages of dementia.