As mentioned in yesterday’s post:
From Aleppo to Munich and Back- The Ceasefire that isn't
- Kerry told reporters the ceasefire would not apply to extremist groups including Isis and the al-Nusra Front.I pointed out that the ceasefire would apply to the YPG. But they would ignore it.“The ceasefire does apply to the Kurdish PKK militias backed by NATO. They will ignore it.”And of course they did.The text of the agreement is here Relevant section as follows:
“ b) ensure effective communications among all parties to promote compliance and rapidly de-escalate tensions; c) resolve allegations of non-compliance; and d) refer persistent non-compliant behaviour by any of the parties to ISSG Ministers, or those designated by the Ministers, to determine appropriate action, including the exclusion of such parties from the arrangements for the cessation of hostilities and the protection it affords them”
If you read that text you understand that the YPG/PKK can continue non compliant behaviour and not have to participate in the ceasefire. Bad behaviour gets them a reward. As the US and company rearm them should we assume they really don’t want YPG/PKK to take more territory? Or is that just a No, for now? For the time being? Until more arms are in place?Bloomberg:
The U.S. Defense Department is urging Turkey and Kurdish forces in Syria to quit firing at each other as reports of fresh violence between the two parties threaten their efforts to counter Islamic State.“We are concerned about the situation north of Aleppo and are working to de-escalate tensions on all sides,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “We have urged Syrian Kurdish forces affiliated with the YPG not to take advantage of a confused situation by seizing new territory. We have also seen reports of artillery fire from the Turkish side of the border and urged Turkey to cease such fires.”
Breaking that statement down to address the two issues separately
“We have urged Syrian Kurdish forces affiliated with the YPG not to take advantage of a confused situation by seizing new territory” “We have also seen reports of artillery fire from the Turkish side of the border and urged Turkey to cease such fires.”
We have, in essence, Pentagon verification of moves by YPG/PKK to take new Syrian territory, when they are supposed to be abiding by a ceasefire ? Pretty brazen!We have Pentagon verification of artillery fire from the Turkish border, but, no verification or acknowledgement of movement from the Turkish side. Interesting. Prime Minister Davutoglu demanded that the YPG militia leave the border region immediately.
"Today retaliation was taken under the rules of engagement against forces that represented a threat in Azaz and the surrounding area," Davutoglu told reporters in televised comments.
Greek authorities say they have arrested two heavily armed suspects near the border with Turkey.
Both Iraqi-born British subjects in their 20s.The two were arrested Saturday night by coast guard officers near the port of the northeastern Greek city of Alexandroupolis. They were driving a trailer.A coast guard spokesman also confirmed the arrests but would not provide further information.The suspects were carrying more than a dozen guns and well over 20,000 bullets, the security official says. The two are not on any terrorist or criminal database.
Some other interesting tidbits:With thanks to an anonymous commenter for bringing news of GRADS making their way to the NATO backed fighters;
AnonymousFebruary 13, 2016 at 6:45 AMIt seems that some of the takfiris have got their hands on some Grad multiple rocket launcher systems. These can fire volleys of 16 - 24 missiles over long distances. Any guesses where they came from and where the takfiris were trined in how to use them? /sarcThe takfiris will use these against civilian targets and the historic parts of Aleppo. Russia will be blamed for it.https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UT…
Same info from Reuters
PennyFebruary 13, 2016 at 7:21 AMBack again!Found an English story for the Gradshttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-missiles-idUSKCN… al-Assad's foreign enemies have sent rebels new supplies of ground-to-ground missiles to confront a Russian-backed offensive by the government near Aleppo.The missiles with a range of 20 km (12 miles) had been provided in "excellent quantities" "It is excellent additional fire power for us," said one of the commanders, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. The second rebel commander said the missiles were being used to hit army positions beyond the front line. "They give the factions longer reach," he said."Assad's enemies have been supplying vetted rebel groups with weapons via a Turkey-based operations center. Some of the vetted groups have received military training overseen by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency"Notice the wording? "Via a Turkey based operation center". Not a Turkish operation center. Then "overseen by the US CIA" This tells us who is running the center. The CIA is running the center based in Turkey.
Raqqa:
PennyFebruary 13, 2016 at 7:35 AMIt looks as if Ashton Carter is also shoring up IS at RaqqaWe know from my previous post that the US has already sent special ops into north eastern syria- to support IS because Syrian Army was moving in on that areaCarter's support:http://timesofoman.com/article/77339/World/Middle-East/Defence-Secretar…"We're going to try to give opportunities and power to... particularly Arabs in Syria who want to re-seize their territory back from IS, especially Raqqa,"Now to the SAA news about Raqqa:https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-enters-al-raqqa-govern…"For the first time since August of 2014, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has reentered the Al-Raqqa Governorate in northern Syria after a successful past few days of fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) along the Salamiyah-Raqqa Road that flows through much of east Hama