I think the situation in Syria is significant enough to merit it's own thread, since the topic has been invading the Ukraine thread and the Iran thread. Here is my first comment: SYRIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
According to the Moscow Times, Putin has informed al-Assad that Russia will not do anything substantive to save his regime. https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2024/12/...ovali-chto-rossiya-nebudet-ego-spasat-a149907 Hardly a surprise - as The Irish Rover explained, they simply don't have the ability. None the less it fills one with glee to see "Putin Surrenders Syria. Bashar al-Assad informed that Russia will not save him" in a headline.
It may also be the shortest thread unless some are moved over from the War with Iran. Lol. Multiple reports of Syrian army commanders defecting with the units under their command. Some to join HTS, others are just tryijg to carve out a little fiefdom for themselves.
While the northern group seems to get all the press, there are also rebel groups in the south and some east of Damascus near Palmyra, both of which are also now attacking. There's particularly heavy fighting in the south. Can't really say they are gaining territory, as there are basically roving clusters of troops with no defined front line, but they've won some victories as well. The government seems to be peacefully pulling out of the Kurdish SDF area, creating room for who knows how many opportunistic groups trying to carve out some territory. Among them, unfortunately, is Islamic State, trying to make a bit of a comeback. They took a small area not too far from the American base at Al Omar.
While the eastern group's goal was Palmyra, they weren't actually that close and things didn't seem that active on that front from what I saw on LiveMap. And yet while I slept Palmyra fell to the rebel forces. This group also took the government's largest air base, and are now moving towards Damacus. The northern group is now in Homs, although the government forces there are actually fighting back, unusually for them. Lots of Russian bombing on this sector. Things in the south are even more catastrophic. There was a massive surge today, and they are literally on the edge of Damascus itself. They've even taken the main road between the city and Damascus International Airport, so escape won't be easy. Looks like the government are preparing to make a last stand. At least in terms of the existence of the Assad regime. Doesn't mean the civil war will be over.
Yeah. Even at the resolution of Assad, the struggle for power over Syria will take a while. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Syria splits in two. But we are a long ways away from that in any case.
Thanks to the stupidface for making this thread! I hadn't seen it yet. Syria's civil war won't end tomorrow.
He’s still breathing, so not as sad as I am hoping! It is very odd for me to be so happy for someone else’s misery, but seriously ******** this guy.
Turkish media is reporting that Assad met his family in Abu Dhabi. When they hostilities began Assad took his family to Russia in an attempt to get Putin to save him, but Putin told him to poind sand and sent him back to Damascus. Assad left his family behind in Moscow tho. https://bsky.app/profile/antongerashchenko.bsky.social/post/3lcqcr456uk2y
when Aleppo fell and experts were discussing the difficulty of an advance on the southern axis i certainly never imagined Damascus would be on the verge of falling some days later
TBF - the forces that took Aleppo are not the same forces that are marching on Damascus. It is surprising how everyone immediately came out of the woodworks and how Assad’s forces just melted away. Maybe if he paid better, he wouldn’t be in this position. There is nothing for Iran or Russia to prop up.
Don't lose sight of the impact Russia and Iran skedaddling will have. The old script used to be that they don't abandon their allies in the region. Now look.— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) December 7, 2024
Opposition fighters have broken through to the centre of Homs as the Hezbollah fighters broke and the army is fleeing or the men are changing into civilian clothes and legging it. Assad is toast.
Over in the Ukraine thread I posted that "if he's still alive on Monday, I'll be very impressed." That's literally alive. Seriously. Finding a refuge for any toppling dictator takes time and work to organize, work that he hasn't put in at all. And since he's not just "any" dictator, who on earth is going to give him refuge?
Naah, my knees and back wouldn't allow it and I never could dance anyway. Then there's the wait before we'd get to perform: I think the queue is unlikely to be short. That, and I'm saving up for Putin's grave anyway.
Signs of possible evacuation at Russia's Khmeimim Air Base in Syria. Multiple airlifters have arrived at the base. 3 IL-76s and 1 AN-124. The An-72 is usually forward based there. There also appears to be a Su-24 on the runway. Major uptick in airlifted presence. Expect more. pic.twitter.com/uFpCLGpJ4g— The War Zone (@thewarzonewire) December 7, 2024