Russia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed a Friday incident in which ISIS shot down a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter, killing a pair of Russian military pilots, who were designated as “instructors” during the deployment. The incident was east of Palmyra and Tadmur.
The helicopter was scrambling to try to stall an ISIS advance in the area, and reportedly had used up all its ammunition, turning to return to base when it was hit by ISIS fire. It crashed, killing the pilots on board.
This brings the toll of active Russian military killed over the course of their involvement in the Syrian Civil War to 12. There are claims of other Russians who have been killed fighting alongside the Syrian military, though these do not appear to have been current soldiers.
Tadmur and Palymra are strategically important as the only major city in their area, and after being “liberated” by the Syrian military earlier this year, with intense Russian air support, ISIS has been trying to push back into the area.
So, Palmyra has been “liberated” from ISIS? We can get such info on any. neocon site. Because we are to understand that peoe in Syria do NOT feel liiberated when their army wins and ISIS is on the run. Are we to beilieve they prefer ISIS or Al-Qaeda? Any reporter can go there now and check for themselves. The fact that ISIS has US weapons is more worrying.
And what is with the quotes? The “instructors”. Were not both Russian. One Russian and one Syrian. I suppose it does not matter — they have not rely liberated ghe place. Is there one tiny village liberated by our years and years of “fighting” ISIS? Now this is worth quotes.
Empire USA created and now arms and funds the Islamic State, Russia is tearing guts out of such corruption and yet you say not one word about it. What exactly is your point?
What is your point? What you say is obvious. I was trying to understand the author — and his meaning of quotes. If Pmyra is only “liberated”, what will it take in author’s opinion to be truly liberared? Who is the preferred hero in the narrative then — ISIS or Al-qaeda? And Russians are “instructors” — as opposed to what kind of instructors that would be legitimate in author’s eyes? The crew consisted of one Russian and one Syrian pilot — something typical for training missions. They were cled in to provide close air support snd shot down by american weapon by ISIS. Perhaps the Antiwar concept has made me believe that truth matters. But if we start believing that the legitimacy of go ernments does not matter — and that anybody is entitled to grab power by force — how different are we from ISIS or any other caliphate loving Islamic cult? We are then subscribing to their values — and one of those values is lack of recognition of sovereign state, its borders and its institutions. Once we cross this Rubicon — there is no institution called “state”, and we treat all the same. ISIS thus is a faction on the same level as Syrian Army that is commanded by Syrian government. Syrian Government is not a “faction” as many articles losely suggest. Syrian Government represents Syria in UN — not a motley crew of emigree personalities that presumay represent “rebels”. For as long as we low ourselves to be confused by the narrative of ISIS legitimacy by equating It with defending army — we are cresting the false illusion that somehow Syrian peoe are divided — and the mythical rebels faveoyalty of popace, we are living the lie of our own making. Syria s can ot wait for their army to liberate them. As for Salafi cults under whatever names — they do not believe in nation state, or borders, they do not see themselves as Syrians or Iraqis. The only option is for Saudi Arsbia to offer them residence. Thry will not be allowed to have their caliphate snd sharia in countries that have secular state and judiciary. Time for looking the cult in the eye — and either low them to immigrate into Saudi Arabia or ogher gjlf nations — or face war and inevitable tragedy.
Dallas shootout — Over MONEY
Surely, for the legalized killers were shooting to protect the “unalienable right” of the upper half of society to hoard all the MONEY.
For Micah was shooting to end the injustice of veteran laboring men having been plundered of all their MONEY.
Your article fails to mention that many other reports are stating that it was an American made TOW missile that shot down the helicopter. The US has been handing these out like candy (and bragging about it) to the ‘good guys’ Islamic crazies. So, it might be an interesting bit of journalism to follow the story of just how it is that ISIS is firing off missiles made by the USA.