Fighting continues to grow in Syria’s southernmost Daraa Province, described as the heaviest fighting yet today as Syrian troops, backed by Shi’ite militia forces, aimed to move deeper into rebel-held areas along the Iraqi border.
This was the second time they captured a region of the Iraq-Syria border in the past few days, hoping to use this as a land route through which Iraqi Shi’ite militias, currently fighting ISIS along the border, can enter into Syria and get involved in the fight there.
The rebels expressed concern that the government forces might violate the southernmost safe zone in an attempt to more quickly overrun rebel territory. So far, however, the Shi’ite militias and their affiliates seem to be finding plenty of ways to go after the rebels without violating the zone.
Syrian officials insist the push is not a violation of the ceasefire that is currently in place, but rather reflective that the military remains committed to respond to aggression, claiming that the “terrorists” in Daraa had actually started this round of fighting.
So many excuses as to why Syria’s government perhaps shouldn’t be allowed to take military action within Syria, while numerous world powers are free to meddle as covert action.
Or overt at times. Lately, US attacked Syrian Army that tried to take over the control of Al-Tanf, a border crossing. And since, US has established some sort of base there, to control border. Elsewhere, Syria and Iraq managed to link up and secure their common border. The continuous derogatory identification of the paramilitary as “shia” is meant to tell us that it is Iran — not Syria, fighting there. In fact, as Iraq is over 60% Shia, no shocker that theiir military or paramilitary is Shia. But in Syria, propaganda is vicious. Even though MAJORITY of Syrian Army is SUNNI, you would never know it. Even though Syrian Sunni authority is pr-Assad, you will never know it. The entire free Syrian population — those not occupied by ISIS or Al-Qaeda linked militia — are supporting Syrian Army. This us why there are also Christian mlitias, and Palestinian –Sunni — militias. Iraq and Syria must have a common secured border — to FINALLY stop Saudi supply lines to ISIS. It is absurd for US generrlals to essentially be an ISIS rear guard operation. And the trwnsparent way ISIS from Mosul moved to Deir Azzor — not Raqqa — tells volumes of the real role of ISIS. It is merely a placeholder for Kurdish occupation. While brainwashed idiots are fighting, ISIS command knows exactly when to move heavy artillery from supposedly beseiged Raqqa towards Deir Azzir. All that in effort to prevent Iraq and Syria controlling common border. But Syria can any time alliow Iraqi forces to chase ISIS into Syria — and it cannot be stopped. Of course, mysteriously Baghdad will experience a new bout of bombing — a reminder that they are on imperial radar.
The Syrian confluct is getting more bizzare by the day. ISIS will not be “defeated” in Raqqa fir as long as they are mounting a powerfull offensive on a beseiged yown of Deir Azzor. Not a PEEP from Human Rights Watch on the fate of people who can only be supplied by air dropps from Russian planes. Here, ISIS can do whatever it pleases, as they are fighting Syrians. But this tactics used first in Mosul that alliwed ISIS militants to go to Syria — may not work. Syrian Army is approaching Raqqa along the lake, and ISIS defences are weak. Turkey has been punished by its main ally, Qatar, being economically squeezed. This is a message to Turkey to give up on Kurdish issue in Syria. But it will not happen. Qatar issue will prove to be less of a punishment to Turkey, and mire if a boon to its standing in the region where Saudi Arabia is despised among people in the Gulf. Minarchies are funny things — they rule absolutely, but also take absolute responsibility when things go wrong, and people do not approve of how monarchy runs the country. When ordinary people of Gulf countries started communicating their support for Qatar on social networks — laws have been introduced to CRIMINALIZE expressions of sympathy for Qatar.
This may backfire on Saudis — and a drama inside royal family might ensue — to give KSA a face saving process to climb down. While Qatar may be too happy to change Al-Jazeera management or give a boot to AlQaradawi, whose MB credentials are marred by his Soros projects. But short of war — risky proposition — Qatar has no reason to change foreign policy.