In mid-2013, ISIS forces surrounded the Kuweires Air Base in Syria’s Aleppo Province, trapping a number of Syrian troops within. Since then, the base has been under intermittent attack, and under virtually total lockdown, with the troops still stuck inside.
Military sources reported that the siege formally ended today, with an advance of Syrian ground troops, backing by Russian airstrikes and Hezbollah forcing their way to the gates of the base, allowing hundreds of soldiers within to finally leave.
The Syrian state media presented the battle as a great military victory, with President Assad reportedly calling for congratulate the head of the defense for the air base for holding out for so long. The military suggested the offensive is continuing to try to secure the entire area around the base.
The Kuweires Air Base siege had been an important story within Syria for years, with protests held in Damascus by family members of the troops trapped within, demanding that the military do more to rescue them.
Russia will crush ISIL and the rest of the West's terrorist allies!
Famous last words! A state party never wins a war against an insurgency: the Dutch in Indonesia, the French in Indo-China and Algeria, the US in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and now, Syria, the Soviets in Afghanistan. Guerilla wars brought down the Portuguese dictatorship in 1974. Britain was able to bring the Northern Ireland insurgency to an end (after 30 years!) only by capitulating to the IRA on everything but formal independence. Israel has spent nearly 70 years trying to crush the Palestinians by military force and has got nowhere. Why should we believe that little Vlad will become the first leader in the history of the world to crush an insurgency by military means? Indeed, such claims are typically Russian and go back centuries. They bragg and overestimate themselves, they then go charging blindly in and suffer a defeat. It's happened in Ukraine and it will happen in Syria too.
Vlad isn't in charge of Syria or did you forget that part. Vald is just helping the legitimate government of Syria in their quest to crush the rebellion just like senior Assad did in 1982 who was successful in putting down the insurgency. By the way, Ukraine wasn't a defeat for Russia; it has been a defeat for Ukraine and the idiot taxpayers of the U.S. who are now having to fund their basket case of an economy.
Each of those conflicts had different beginnings and different outcomes, some are in no way related! Dutch, French conflict were classic colonial struggles that saw their demise after the second world war! Vietnam was a war of aggression by an Empire, which they lost more from what went on in their homeland than in Vietnam. The Israelis are an occupying force of aggression! Afghanistan was a ploy by the West to engage the old Soviet Union in a war that eventually brought down the old regime. The people of Syria overwhelmingly support the current government and the Russians have done much in the short period they have been there than the coalition has done in years mainly because they are actually targeting the enemy! Ukraine, a coup instigated by the West using fascist militias; Crimea was quite happy to go back to Russia and the east of Ukraine want nothing to do with the fascist west. "They brag and overestimate themselves" I think maybe the Americans do more of that or should I say they keep these chaotic situations ongoing, it's good for business and their end game!
What defeat in Ukraine? It was a victory for Russian Federation under more then unfavorable circumstances. We organize the coup, we select the nasty leadership, we approve of those Nazi-nuts treating the entire region of Eastern Ukraine that did not buy into their "revolution" — as terrorists. And along come the entire clueless Europe to echo US charge — blame Russia! Under circumstances, Russia won, hands down. First, tens of thousands of Ukrainian armed forces defected to the rebels, newly appointed Chief of Naval Forces of Ukraine switched sides and joined Crimea, along with most of the naval vessels, then Ukrainian army and the nasty death squads were repelled more then once, and on more then one occasion surrounded. EU had to rescue them twice, Minsk I and Minsk II. Every time after they lost big. With both Ukrainian arms and deserted soldiers — if Merkel and Hollande did not run to Moscow in a hurry, the rebels could have chased them to Dnepr. And then what? I think Europe knows very well not to try this the third time. Hence, push to implement Minsk II. Russia's victory of diplomacy.
As for Syria, unless you lived under a rock, there are no homegrown rebels there. Majority anti-Assad groups come from Iraqi refugees to Syria, and that is how you get repaid for trying to accommodate over a million of angry and poor Sunnis that lost jobs and wealth after the fall of Saddam Hussein. The rest of the rebel groups are the End of the World believers. The prophet will come to earth, defeat the enemies, and the Christ will come to defeat the anti-Crist in Israel. If you think they care about Assad — he is not a priority. He is a priority of those emigrants that are being "recognized" as representing Syria by the West. Not by the UN, though. This is a mess for the entire West, as it will be hard to admit who are the groups they are supporting. ALL of those groups have a lengthy track record. They ALL committed horrendous crimes against civilians. Horrendous. And now, let us see who will have the courage to own those groups. Naturally, they keep on renaming themselves, like a new group of Kurds and "Arabs". Wonder who the "Arabs" are. But the individuals have the track record, and it will not be hard to place them to the scene of their crimes. They made it easy, and have video evidence. Clearly, they thought that they will be winners like in Libya, so nobody will bring them to account for the crimes they committed. They and their sponsors better think about it.
Glad IS didn't kill all those soldiers.
It wouldn't have done them any good. If they had been Russians, they might well have killed them. Putin is obviously scared silly of body bags going home to Mother Russia and setting off an anti-war movement, so the best tactic for ISIS is to kill Russians.
yeah and good for Putin caring about his military unlike the lunatics in the U.S. establishment who view their military as useful dogs.
A lovely example of what I mean when I say that even if Putin "wins", loses. The more the Syrian military appears to be winning, the more Putin gets bogged down in the Syrian quagmire.
Your logic defies reason. So, Syrian's winning, makes Putin lose? And he is already into "quagmire" after one month?
And being able to get those people out is a GOOD THING, but you seem to be rooting for ISIS.
Great Victory for Mr. Assad!