Day 5: Amazing progress! Dam almost taken + Airport taken + No resistance from ISIS I've been following this news and collecting information all morning for what would be a very necessary post on the situation taking place presently, concerning the operation to take Raqqa. The latest two news items first- I'll update with both earlier news and breaking news later todaySputnik Headline: Syria's Biggest Dam Partially Collapses Due to Fighting
Syria’s largest Tabqa Dam located on the Euphrates river partially has collapsed on Sunday as a result of the fighting between armed units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and militants of Daesh near the city of Raqqa.
DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — Tabqa Dam, which functions primarily as a hydropower plant, suspended service after its control center was damaged by what could have been an airstrike or shelling, a source told Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen, adding that technical experts could not reach the site due to continuing fighting in the area.
2. Now only fighting on the ground, no airstrikes. Liberation of dam is slow because we want to avoid damaging it. #Raqqa #Syria— Lizzie Phelan (@LizziePhelan) 26 марта 2017 г.
Earlier this week, US and Syrian opposition forces were air-dropped to Syria's Raqqa province to conduct a joint operation to liberate several villages in the vicinity of Syria's northern Al Tabqah town from Daesh.
As of this moment I don't believe the Sputnik by line at all. Sensationalizing much Sputnik?2nd source: Fighting puts Syria IS-held dam at 'risk of collapse'
"The dam is designed to hold a certain amount of water and if its floodgates are closed this will increase the water levels and could exceed the pressure the dam can withstand," civil engineer, Mounir Suwaid, told The New Arab."The dam has a spillway to get rid of excess water but it cannot discharge all of it," Suwaid said.He played down the danger that the dam would collapse because of excess water levels, however, he added that the continued air raids could weaken the dam and lead to a disaster."The biggest danger lies in the repeated airstrikes and shelling near the dam, which could crack the dam's structure," the engineer said.IS ordered residents to evacuate the Syrian city of Raqqa on Sunday following reports on its propaganda agency Amaq that the dam "is threatened with collapse at any moment because of American strikes and a large rise in water levels."
This update is being posted at 3:40 pm est: There are no reports present time that the dam has collapsed, however earlier today reports were coming out of Syria that the dam might collapse. SANA has no coverage of this imminent collapse or partial collapse what so ever! Here's what I suspect... So called "ISIS" made a whole lot of noise regarding the dam and it's imminent collapse for a few reasons..1- Quick way to displace the populace- of their own volition If you were in the flood zone of the Euphrates/Tabqa Dam you would not wait to find out if these reports were true or false! Because Lake Assad is huge. It's the largest lake in Syria- all artificially created.
The maximum capacity of Lake Assad is 11.7 cubic kilometres (2.8 cu mi) at a surface Qal'at Ja'batl, an ancient castle now surrounded by the waters of Lake Assad area of 610 square kilometres (240 sq mi), making it the largest lake in Syria.
The project included a hydroelectric power station in the Tabqa Dam, and the construction of a vast irrigation network capable of irrigating 640,000 hectares (2,500 sq mi) of land on both sides of the Euphrates.
Lake Assad is the most important source of drinking water to Aleppo, providing the city through a pipeline with 80,000,000 cubic metres (2.8×109 cu ft) of drinking water per year.
Nouar Shamout, a researcher at UK-based think tank Chatham House, explained that, with Raqqa under Islamic State, the waters of Lake Assad/Revolution Lake were being used as a tool to “escalate fatalities and migration rates.”
****Bonus for the interlopers (Kurd/Israel/America)- Taking the dam will enable the control of Aleppo city- Being very nearly entirely reliant on pipelines from the reservoir 2- Convenient way for ISIS to give it up to the Kurds and Americans- As they flee the alleged collapsing dam and blend in with the civilians. ISIS has repeatedly, and I mean repeatedly fled when the Kurds came to any town- I've covered this several times. Theatre.And speaking of the convenience of ISIS fleeing3- It's reported the Americans and their Kurd militia pals took the US desired airport. Having all this confusion regarding the dam's collapse could have only been favourable to the usurpers. Earlier today, let's say about 5- 6 hours ago it was reported the airport was fully surrounded
Fighters of the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have encircled the military airport of Tabqa to the south of the Tabqa city in order to take the Raqqa city and Tabqa Dam under control.After liberating two villages to the south and southwest of the airport last night, SDF fighters launched an offensive on the military airport.
And just like that! They got it! Syrian airport "taken back" by US Forces Just like that! Boom! Confusion caused by claiming the dam will collapse and ISIS leaves this most desired airport for the taking
US-backed local forces fighting Islamic State in Syria say they have taken full control of a former Syrian army airport near the city of Tabqa along the Euphrates River.The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias supported by a US-led international coalition, said in a statement on Sunday they had seized the air base.
Earlier, SDF spokesperson Talal Silo said its fighters had seized "60 to 70 per cent" of the airport but were still engaged in intense clashes with the ultra-hardline militants inside the air base and on its outskirts.
Additional reporting on the taking of the airport:
U.S.-backed local forces fighting Islamic State in Syria said on Sunday they had taken full control of a former Syrian army airport near the city of Tabqa along the Euphrates River.
US and Friends Kurds............................. ISISThis idea that there has ever been any REAL fighting between America/Israel's two proxies is utter nonsense. KurdIShISEarliest report:
The Islamic State group ordered residents to evacuate the Syrian city of Raqqa on Sunday following reports that a dam contested by U.S.-backed forces upstream on the Euphrates River could collapse, activists reported.The militants said coalition airstrikes had weakened the Tabqa Dam, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Raqqa, and that the water level behind the dam was rising
Syrian activists say the Islamic State group has ordered an evacuation from its de facto capital, Raqqa, following warnings that the Tabqa Dam upstream on the Euphrates River could collapse.The activist-run Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently says civilians are fleeing Raqqa en masse. It says the militants are warning residents that the dam is out of service, weakened by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, and could collapse. It says water levels are rising behind the dam.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-run monitoring group, is also reporting the dam is out of service.
How long before Trumps no fly/safe zones are created. This moves looks like a worse case scenario for Syria.Turkey. And, Iran.Finally! Someone else besides myself and Willy Loman is mentioning there is a plan for Greater Kurdistan. Inside Syria Media Center
According to the documents at our disposal, the U.S. authorities and the Syrian Kurds reached an agreement past week on the boundaries of the Kurdish autonomy in the territory of Syria, which had been guaranteed to Kurds in case of capturing Raqqa and Al-Tabqah (34 miles to the West of Raqqa). This confirms the reports about the U.S. plans to divide Syria.
In addition, Washington has already defined the boundaries of the new state of the Great Kurdistan on the territory of Syria and Iraq. It is to be created after ISIS defeat and the final collapse of Syrian Arab Republic. According to the U.S. military, Kurds remain the only force capable of defeating ISIS.
In order to strengthen its positions the new U.S. administration announced the upcoming liberation of the so-called ISIS capital, Raqqa. To grease the wheels the Americans resorted to money, their weapon of choice. They bribe ISIS field commanders and increase payments to YPG and FSA units.
The U.S. government intends to capture Raqqa by April and to eliminate ISIS in Syria and Iraq this summer. The implementation of these plans requires making concessions to Kurds. This is why the U.S. promises them an independent state in case of victory.
This was always the plan. The desired outcome for the US and Israel. The details needed fine tuning but the goal was a creation of a greater Kurdistan aka Israel 2.0.From Tabqa I expect the move will be towards the city of Raqqa itself, and yes, some water may be let go from the dam to 'encourage' the people to leave.I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of coverage regarding what is occurring- But then the killing and displacement that has taken place all to create the desired Kurdistan has been hidden in plain site as the "fight against ISIS". And obfuscated by many. This is why Turkey has been so blatantly and abundantly demonized in the msm and alt media-- Because betraying a NATO ally has to be spun just the right way- as I've stated time and time again.At least I learned, the hard way, which alt media was not trustworthy 5:00 PM EST: US claims Tabqa dam is not in danger of bursting
U.S.-led coalition forces say the Tabqa Dam in northern Syria is structurally sound.The Islamic State group claimed Sunday that coalition airstrikes had locked the dam's gates, causing Euphrates River water levels to rise dangerously behind the structure. The group warned the dam could burst.The coalition denied the report in a letter to The Associated Press, saying U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces were in control of a spillway north of the dam "which can be used to alleviate pressure on the dam if need be."The U.S. has provided substantial air and ground support to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who are closing in on the IS capital Raqqa, 40 kilometers (25 miles) upstream from Tabqa Dam.The coalition says the dam has not been structurally damaged, to its knowledge, and says it has not targeted the dam.