BLUF:
[BLAZE] As Numenor started to descend into discontent, the people's morality began to bend. Factions arose to either preserve or destroy its sacred cultural institutions. One faction in particular, the King's Men, sought to subvert the ideals of what made Numenor great in the first place in an effort to pursue immortality. Sauron convinced the King's Men and their wicked leader, Ar-Pharazon, to cut down and burn the White Tree of Nimloth. This tree was a cultural institution in Numenor that had stood for over a thousand years. Sauron hated it because it was a symbol of the blessing that the Numenoreans received for their faith and loyalty to the forces of good. Sauron redefined the tree as a symbol of Numenor’s oppression. The voice of the Faithful men of Numenor had become so quiet that they were unable to stop this atrocity from taking place.
#4
Tolkien had a sense of the pendulum of history. Every generation has its challenge against evil. In our case, our backs are against the wall against the globalist/communists. I think we will win because I believe in God. Short of that I would be pretty pessimistic.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/10/2023 12:57 Comments ||
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[American Thinker] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's state Senate impeachment trial is underway in the heart of Texas, and the prosecution's case appears to be crumbling before our eyes. While media outlets have long portrayed Paxton as a controversial figure, the trial's proceedings reveal a different story — one of weak evidence and a politically motivated agenda.
The central accusation against Paxton revolves around allegations that he abused his office to benefit a friend and donor, Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor. However, a closer look at the prosecution's case reveals a glaring lack of concrete evidence to support these claims.
The witnesses called by the prosecution have yet to provide any solid testimony pointing to Paxton's wrongdoing. Instead, they have consistently stated that they did not witness Paxton engage in illegal activities. Furthermore, the documents presented as evidence are circumstantial, failing to establish a clear link between Paxton's actions and any criminal intent.
One notable piece of evidence the prosecution presents is a text message from Paxton to Paul, where Paxton says, "I'm here for you." While the message may raise eyebrows, it fails to provide any context or specifics regarding Paxton's actions. It is plausible that Paxton was merely offering moral support to a needy friend rather than engaging in corrupt activities.
#1
The whole thing is a hit job from day one. The Dems and the establishment Repubs cut a deal to squash him. Kinda like what they did to the Tea Party.
They both agree that if it's not under their control, it needs to be broken.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/10/2023 9:09 Comments ||
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#2
Everything these days is tending towards zero threshold. I think soon, the DOJ will just send out letters to random people telling them they have probably committed a crime and will be indicted soon.
We're headed from "burden of proof" to "burden to prove you are innocent," the exact opposite of what the Founders intended.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
09/10/2023 9:14 Comments ||
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#3
Ah, but my wife, who thinks he is guilty of many things, observed, "Well, this is not a criminal trial. The senators can vote on evidence or politics."
I think that supports Ed's statement (#1).
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/10/2023 10:24 Comments ||
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#4
In an impeachment case, the defendant’s popularity is important as the evidence. They certainly can remove him without evidence, but voters are awake an engaged. Getting the Liz Cheney treatment will become a more and more common occurrence going forward.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/10/2023 10:56 Comments ||
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[PowerLine] Perhaps the most important case now wending its way through the federal courts is State of Missouri v. Biden. In that case, the states of Missouri and Louisiana, along with individuals including Jay Bhattacharya and Jim Hoft, allege that various federal agencies violated their First Amendment rights by leaning on social media platforms to censor their speech. Yesterday, in a 3-0 decision, a panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court decision in plaintiffs’ favor as to the White House, the FBI, the Centers for Disease Control and the Surgeon General, finding that those agencies improperly coerced social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, in violation of the Constitution. Scott wrote about the decision here.
The decision, which I think is impressively well-reasoned, is embedded below. I encourage you to read it; you probably can skip the lengthy discussion of standing. The starting point is that the Constitution constrains government, not private parties. So the question is, when does conduct undertaken by a private party (a social media platform) become state action for purposes of the First Amendment?
[EurasiaReview] The Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... Khorasan Province (ISKP) recently released a 59-page booklet in Pashto that has sent shockwaves through the region. In this document, the ISKP nullified the Fatwa issued by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and even went a step further by inviting low-ranking Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... members to join its ranks. This move signifies a complex and troubling development, shedding light on a dispute over religious authority, alliances, and the ongoing power struggle within Afghanistan’s turbulent landscape.
The ISKP’s rejection of the IEA’s Fatwa has significant implications. The Fatwa, issued by the IEA, was rooted in Sharia law, serving as a religious decree aimed at consolidating the authority of the Taliban over Afghanistan. The fact that the ISKP chose to dismiss this Fatwa reflects a direct challenge to the IEA’s religious and political legitimacy.
This dispute over religious authority within Afghanistan’s Islamist landscape is indicative of the deep-rooted ideological divisions that continue to plague the region. It highlights the ISKP’s determination to chart its own course, outside the realm of the Taliban’s authority, and underscores the complexities of interpreting Islamic law in a way that aligns with specific political agendas.
A NEXUS OF TERROR: ISKP-TTP AGAINST TTA
The ISKP’s rejection of the IEA’s Fatwa is not an isolated incident. There is an ongoing nexus between the ISKP and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) aimed at countering the influence and control of the Taliban in Afghanistan (TTA). The TTP has already given a twisted explanation of the decree by the Taliban, hinting at a potential alignment with the ISKP’s stance to reject the Fatwa.
This alignment between the ISKP and the TTP against the TTA demonstrates the complex web of allegiances and rivalries that define the region’s bully boy landscape. It also underscores the challenges the IEA faces in consolidating its rule and imposing its religious decrees across Afghanistan.
The ISKP’s strategic choice to encourage defections among lower-ranking IEA officials is not unique. It aligns with broader terrorist tactics, where holy warrior factions seek to weaken their enemies from within by fostering internal conflicts. By targeting low-ranking Taliban members, the ISKP aims to create dissension and disarray within the ranks of its rival group, further destabilizing the already fragile situation in Afghanistan.
The invitation extended by the ISKP to low-ranking Taliban members to join its ranks is a troubling development. It reveals the ISKP’s willingness to exploit disillusionment and dissent within the Taliban’s ranks, potentially sowing the seeds of further conflict and division. This move should serve as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat posed by holy warrior groups that seek to exploit vulnerabilities within Afghanistan.
It’s essential to note that allegations have been made suggesting that the ISKP operates as an Indian proxy and pursues an anti-Moslem and anti-Islam agenda. While such claims should be critically examined and based on credible evidence, they underscore the complexities of regional dynamics and the role of external actors in Afghanistan’s security landscape.
CONCLUSION
The ISKP’s rejection of the IEA’s Fatwa, along with its invitation to low-ranking Taliban members, is a concerning development that reflects a dispute over religious authority and a deepening power struggle within Afghanistan. This move highlights the ISKP’s determination to carve out its own path and challenge the religious and political legitimacy of the Taliban. The ongoing nexus between the ISKP and the TTP against the TTA further complicates the situation in Afghanistan, making it imperative for the IEA to assert control and stability over the nation. Fostering internal conflict and extending invitations to defectors are tactics often employed by holy warrior groups, underscoring the need for vigilance and unity in the face of such threats. As Afghanistan continues to grapple with these challenges, it remains essential for the international community to closely monitor developments in the region and work towards a peaceful and stable Afghanistan that can resist the influence of holy warrior factions like the ISKP.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
09/10/2023 00:00 ||
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#1
If I were a CIA employee, I would have already created an AI Mullah to release controversial fatwas to sow discord into the Ummah.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/10/2023 11:15 Comments ||
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[8am] The Doha Agreement obligated the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... to cut their connections with regional and international terrorist groups. Despite this commitment, with the Taliban’s return to power, concerns have been raised by the United Nations ...where theory meets practice and practice loses... Security Council, United States, Russia, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and other security bodies regarding the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. A report from the Hasht-e Subh Daily, two years after the Taliban’s resurgence, reveals that a considerable number of regional jihadists, along with their families, are actively operating within Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
These findings indicate that approximately 300 families linked to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Ansarullah of Tajikistan have settled in the northeastern region, particularly in Badakhshan province. Reliable sources in eastern Afghanistan further verify that thousands of families associated with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are currently residing under Taliban governance. Moreover, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighters, despite China’s backing of the Taliban, are capitalizing on the benefits of their presence in Afghanistan. Many of these murderous Moslems maintain ties not only with the Taliban but also with al-Qaeda.
Moreover, the Taliban not only incorporate certain jihadists into their own ranks but also furnish them with Afghan identification documents and passports, dispersing them across different regions of the nation. Intriguingly, these murderous Moslems have also formed familial connections with Afghan households to strengthen their foothold under Taliban governance in Afghanistan.
UNVEILING AL-QAEDA: THE PRESENCE EXPOSED BY AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI
One of the groups that causes widespread concern among many countries is al-Qaeda, which they believe should not be present in Afghanistan. The Doha Agreement directly addresses this issue, with the United States securing a commitment from the Taliban to sever ties with this group. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri ...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra... in Afghanistan exposed a remarkably close relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda—one that not even the Doha Agreement managed to break. Even prior to al-Zawahiri’s demise, suspicions lingered about the Taliban’s intentions. The United Nations Security Council repeatedly asserted that the Taliban maintained connections with al-Qaeda hard boys. During that time, reports indicated that al-Qaeda operated in 15 provinces across Afghanistan. al-Qaeda members usually assumed a secondary role in battles alongside the Taliban, primarily focusing on offering guidance and training. Now, with the Taliban’s resurgence to power, this group’s members are inclined to rejuvenate their network and leverage the Taliban’s rule.
Zawahiri’s Letter to bin Laden, discussed in the Hasht-e Subh Daily during the reexamination of the Abbottabad ... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden.... case, indicates that al-Qaeda does not intend to leave the Afghan geographical sphere under any circumstances. In the letter, Zawahiri states that al-Qaeda must remain close to the Taliban leadership and work on building trust. Conversely, the letter also demonstrates the commitment of the Taliban leadership to preserve and support al-Qaeda. While the undeniable presence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is evident, determining the exact number of individuals in this network remains challenging. The Taliban even deny the presence of a single al-Qaeda member and have made significant efforts to conceal the identities of these individuals.
However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... the National Directorate of Security ...the Afghan national intel agency... (NDS) of the previous government recently reported that around 300 al-Qaeda members are fighting alongside the Taliban in their conflict. The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, on the other hand, has cited estimates ranging from 400 to 600 hard boys. Despite the Taliban’s concerted efforts over the years, particularly in the past two years, to avoid exposing the identities and locations of al-Qaeda members, their active presence within the Taliban’s structures as advisors is a detail that the Taliban cannot conceal.
TTP AND SANCTUARIES ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is also one of the murderous Moslem groups aligned with the Taliban. These two groups share a deep bond, and their recent activities have demonstrated that both, adhering to a common ideology, have been collaborating against the republic system. In the past, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) provided refuge to the Afghan Taliban, but now the hosting role has shifted to the Afghan Taliban. Among all jihadist groups worldwide, they are the sole entity with territorial control. Alongside their close interaction and alignment with the Taliban, the Pak government has repeatedly urged the Taliban to deny sanctuary to the TTP within Afghan soil. In response, the Taliban asserts that no foreign jihadist group has a place in Afghanistan and poses no threat to other countries.
However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that around 10,000 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are present in Afghanistan with their families. Most of these hard boys, along with their families, reside in the districts of Goshta, Bati Kot, and Lal Pur in Nangarhar The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province; areas close to the Durand Line, which provide convenient movement for TTP. According to local sources, while many TTP murderous Moslems have been in these areas, particularly in the Salalah region, for several years, their numbers have increased after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Sources state that TTP murderous Moslems and their families are present in regions like Salalah, Mama Khel, Ziarat-e Dagh, Zharai, and Ograi of the Goshta district, where they fulfill their basic needs from the markets of the Goshta district.
Most of these hard boys, who are also believed to be part of the Taliban’s reserve forces, have traveled from Lal Pur district in Nangarhar to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistain to wage war against the Pak government. An informed source, who prefers anonymity in the report, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "Many of them have gone from Lal Pur mainly to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. I know a commander who recently went with 30 individuals. The commander is known as Naaser, with the pseudonym Qahraman, he is for the Spin Tankai area in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Other commanders are named Bismillah and Enayatullah. Another one is known as Mullah Piran, originally from Swat, who is currently residing in Kashkot and Gaurik areas. Now the Emirates (Afghan Taliban) members also take the TTP’s seal of approval and head to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, claiming to wage jihad. This was a statement from a TTP commander who was saying that the Afghan Taliban have declared jihad against Pakistain."
On January 4, 2023, Pakistain conducted an aerial attack on the Salala area, but its Foreign Ministry denied responsibility. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... local sources and non-governmental individuals in the Goshta district confirm Pakistain’s Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s on the positions of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). According to them, the attack took place in an area where families of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) were residing. Local sources stated that after the bombing, flames and smoke were observed in the region. The exact casualties of this event were not publicly disclosed, as the Taliban warned people not to discuss the matter among themselves. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "No one can raise their voice out of fear, and [people] don’t talk about it among themselves."
Nonetheless, a recorded audio tape came into the possession of the Hasht-e Subh Daily in which members of the Taliban discuss the attack on TTP positions in the Arazi bazaar. The United Nations Security Council also confirmed the presence of TTP murderous Moslems on Afghan soil in a report. The monitoring committee of the UN Security Council referred to the TTP as the "largest constituent" of the Taliban. According to the report, the TTP has between 3,000 to 4,000 murderous Moslems in Afghanistan. The report identifies Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud as the current leader of the TTP and based on that, the TTP has become stronger and can pose a bigger threat in the region. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... Fazal Ur Rehman Khattak, the leader of the National Awami Party (NAP), in a conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, regards the TTP as an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. He states, "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. This organizational distinction between them required intelligence games so that the international community would not see their bases within Pakistain as the Afghan Taliban’s region. Like before, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) exists in Afghanistan." Khattak also confirms the presence of thousands of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan, saying, "Regarding their numbers, it’s difficult to be certain, but their count is not less than a few thousand." Last year, this Pak politician mentioned in a special interview with the Hasht-e Subh Daily that most ISIS members are murderous Moslems of the TTP. Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of Afghanistan, mentioned the presence of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan in his speech at the Herat ...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns... Security Conference which was held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. In his speech, Mr. Nabil stated: "Currently, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), under the leadership of Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, are active along the Durand Line, with six to six and a half thousand hard boys."
NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN: BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR TAJIK AND UZBEK MILITANTS
The presence of Central Asian murderous Moslems in the northern part of the country was a contentious issue in the former government. Security sources claimed the presence of dozens of foreign murderous Moslem groups in Badakhshan province. At that time, the Khostak Valley in the Jurm District of Badakhshan province hosted around 300 Central Asian hard boy families. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... after the collapse of the Republic system, most of these foreign groups redirected toward the central parts of districts and cities in the northeastern region of Afghanistan. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "During the Republic regime, [foreign hard boys] were here in Khostak, and now they’ve all moved down to the valley. The majority of their families have gone to the province of Takhār. Another group has gone to the forests of Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province. About 20 to 30 families have gone to Baharak district. A few families are located in Fayzabad City. Five families have gone to Jurm District. Similarly, they’ve moved away from the Khostak Valley because no one is dealing with them, so they’re not causing any disturbances. They operate freely and conduct their activities normally. Another group of them has gone to Kalafgan District in Balkh province."
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... according to another informed source from Badakhshan province, the number of foreign murderous Moslems present in the Ragh district of Badakhshan province, along with their families, amounts to around 200 to 250 individuals. This source states that the conditions for living and operations have been established for these groups in various districts and urban centers, and as a result, they are attempting to spread out across different densely populated areas. The source adds, "The number of foreign murderous Moslems in Ragh has reached around 200 individuals. They are Tajiks, they are Uzbeks. Khostak Valley used to be their center, but now they have dispersed; they have come to the district of Raghistan, and they are seeking refuge. Some of them have gone to the Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province with their families. They are also present in Fayzabad city. A group of them is in the Maimay area too."
Another source confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that a significant number of these groups have received support from the Taliban and have established family ties. This source adds, "Most of them have obtained Afghan identity cards with the help of the Taliban. Several Tajiks [Tajikistani hard boys] have obtained ID cards in Fayzabad City. A number of them have obtained ID cards in various districts." The source states that around 20 families of Tajikistani Taliban members are living in three villages in the Ragh district. The source elaborates, "Two families among them have married locally, giving and taking daughters of each other. They are living in areas like Sefidab, Dahn Shala, and Khonilar. Similarly, they have dispersed across various areas of Badakhshan province. They have a strong interest in Ragh district due to its gold resources. These people [foreign hard boys] possess resources and capital. Their true intentions and plans remain unknown. The situation is quite complex." The source further revealed, "Before the fall of Badakhshan province to the hands of the Taliban, the center of foreign murderous Moslems was in Khostak valley. A person named Gul Heidar Shafaq has conducted major coordination. Another person named Abdul Rahim is involved. These two Tajiks have plans in this region, but it’s unclear what they are doing."
Referring to the killing of a commander from the Tajikistan border forces at the Afghanistan border, a source states, "A group of them, who were in Maimay, around 6 to 8 individuals, intended to intimidate the Tajiks, transfer their substances [drugs], and monitor the situation. They went for sabotage but clashed with Tajik security forces, resulting in the death of two and the return of four. Foreign murderous Moslems who were in Badakhshan province have mostly gone to Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province, where they have established training centers. Their number exceeds a thousand. They have centralized their operations there, focusing on training and procuring military equipment. It appears significant plans have been laid for Central Asia, but no one dares to voice concern."
Another source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily that those families of foreign murderous Moslems who have come to Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province, live in the area close to the "former national army recruitment center". Additionally, according to the source, foreign murderous Moslems who previously collaborated with the Taliban against former security forces are now in command of the former National Army recruitment center. The source adds, "Foreigners have their base in the same recruitment and mobilization center. Foreign groups that were with the Taliban, of them are now in the former recruitment and mobilization center. They have a very limited presence within the city. They go out during the evening and night." The source further states that some families of foreign murderous Moslems in Badakhshan province are involved in arms trading and gold mining activities.
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... one of the residents of Badakhshan province has shared his observation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily regarding the presence of foreign murderous Moslems in Kunduz province. They report seeing individuals who cannot speak languages like Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, and Turkmen. According to this source, "It was a few months after the fall [of the previous government]. Our vehicle’s diesel pump was broken. They had just opened a square in the city of Kunduz. There was an automobile repair shop nearby. There were two vehicles packed with individuals. One of their vehicles was broken, so they took it inside the shop. They had a model of a fielder vehicle without a license plate with Left Hand Traffic (LHT). They were dressed in white clothes and wearing handmade traditional skullcaps. They were speaking among themselves, and we couldn’t comprehend. I think they might have been Uighur or Kazakh because they sounded similar to Russian or Kazakh. They had long beards, and their hair was machine-cut. They resembled local Turkmen, but they weren’t Turkmen because it was clear they had no familiarity with the people or the region. Everyone was saying that these are foreign Taliban."
Simultaneously, sources in Badakhshan province reveal that most of the Tajikistani murderous Moslems have gone to the forests of the Imam Sahib district, where they are engaged in training and planning. An informed source estimates the number of Tajik murderous Moslems in this district to be around 30. According to them, the Taliban use these individuals as a means of pressuring Tajikistan. The source adds, "Their number is not more than 30. They have a couple of tanks. Some days, they go to Shir Khan Bandar with the Taliban. There, they showcase themselves to the Tajik trucks passing through the border. They engage in fishing in the Shir Khan Bandar River. Everyone knows them there because they are well-armed and possess American weapons. Tajiks believe they can conquer their country in a day. The Taliban employ them for psychological warfare and pressuring the Tajiks."
A former government official with an in-depth understanding of the northeastern region of the country also informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that all jihadist groups, including ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), are active in northern provinces, particularly the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar, Balkh, and Sar-e Pol. They added, "Under the Taliban’s protection, they have bases in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province in Spin Zar housing schemes, Shah Ron area, and other locations."
Regarding the presence of leaders from ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the source stated, "Sheikh Abdul Haq Uighuri, responsible for the military network of ISIS, and Mullah Ibraheem, head of Ansar Allah hard boy group have military bases in Baghlan province. Furqan (one of their commanders) lives in the house of Commander Gul Ahmad in the vicinity of Central Silo in the city of Pul-e Khumri, the center of the province."
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, stated that the Tajikistan Ansar Allah group, Jundallah ..."Soldiers of God," a name used by two multiple separate terror outfits, one active in Iran and the other in Pakistain. Both are Sunni organizations that target Shiites. The Pak version has close relations with al-Qaeda and the Pak Talibs and is probably a false nose and mustache for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi... group, and the Islamic Jihad ...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah... group led by Alim Beg Mohammadov and the Tajik Taliban led by Mehdi Arsalan/Mohammad Sharifov are also present in northeastern Afghanistan, with around 200 to 300 hard boys. Informed and local sources in Badakhshan province also confirm the number of murderous Moslems in these groups and state that they are mainly stationed in border areas with Tajikistan.
THE PRESENCE OF THE EAST TURKESTAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT (ETIM) IN AFGHANISTAN
According to the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is also actively present in Afghanistan. Haji Furqan, the overall commander of the military fronts of this group, spends most of his time in Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province. Informed and reliable sources confirm to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that this member of the leadership of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is currently residing in Faizabad city and his security is ensured by the Taliban. He has married in Badakhshan province and has acquired a forged identity and passport. This matter has also been confirmed by the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report. The United Nations report states that Badakhshan province serves as the main base for this group. An individual named Abdul Haq al-Turkistani is responsible for leading this group.
Sources continue to confirm that this group is currently rebuilding its strongholds in the Wurduj district of Badakhshan province. A source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "They have occupied the area and are reinforcing their strongholds. They control the region entirely." The United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report also states that this group has reconstructed several strongholds in Badakhshan province and expanded its operational area. According to the report, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has clandestinely procured arms to enhance its military capabilities.
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, estimates the number of murderous Moslems in the Turkestan Islamic Party ...... Uighur jihadi group based in Badakshan, Afghanistan and listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Their Syria subsidiary currently reports to Al Nusra in the Idlib-Latakia region, where the Russians and Americans have been taking turns shooting them — they’re on their third Number 1 in three years...... (TIP/ETIM) to be around 700 to 800 individuals. Mr. Nabil has stated that the Uighur murderous Moslems are led by Haji Furqan and Sheikh Abuzar, who are mostly active in the northern and northeastern regions of the country. Mr. Nabil also mentions that this group is active in the provinces of Badghis and Ghor, with an estimated 100 to 150 hard boys.
According to the United Nations Security Council’s Monitoring Committee report, it has been mentioned that this group is actively engaged in exchanging military experiences and manufacturing kabooms in collaboration with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and Ansarullah group. The Security Council’s report states that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is focusing its attacks on China’s interests in Afghanistan. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement’s (ETIM) primary goal is to establish an independent Islamic state for Uighurs in China and other Turkic-speaking groups in East China and Central Asia. While this group was previously listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, Washington removed it from the list last year.
Sources speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily claim that Haji Furqan is between 65 to 70 years old. One source states: "[Haji Furqan] mostly resembles Afghan Turkmens. He has a long beard, and a strong build, and is considered a religious scholar. He possesses eloquence and fluency, speaking fluent Persian. His preaching has had a significant impact in the areas he has operated in, attracting a larger following. The Taliban hold him in high respect. He has also trained the Taliban in using mines, explosives, and tanks during their fight against the former Afghan government."
Another source, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, stated that Haji Furqan spent most of his time during the Republic era in the village of "Keyu" in the Jurm district, near the Khostak and Warduj valleys. This source added, "During the Republic era, Haji Furqan was a primary financial supporter of Qari Fasihuddin [the chief of staff of the armed forces of the Taliban]. To the extent that Furqan gave money to the Taliban in Badakhshan province, the Taliban themselves [the Taliban regime] did not provide financial assistance." This source mentioned, "Furqan is currently on the move. He is mostly in Fayzabad. He has a close relationship with a drug smuggler and the third-ranking member of the Taliban in this province, and he spends most of his time at his house. He has taken a wife and established personal connections."
Furthermore, this source mentions another Taliban member who monitors the security situation of Haji Furqan, but due to security issues, the name of this Taliban member is not disclosed.
It is noteworthy that according to the claims of sources, Haji Furqan has also been involved in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province. According to one source, some members of this group operate under different aliases in a secretive manner in Tajikistan, and their financial resources are provided by drug smugglers. It is mentioned that Haji Furqan has spent some time with the al-Qaeda network and currently maintains close ties with that network as well. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... the Hasht-e Subh Daily cannot independently confirm Haji Furqan’s role in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province.
Members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have also attempted to establish familial ties in Afghanistan. Some members of this group have obtained Afghan identity cards and passports with the help of the Taliban. The United Nations Security Council report states that this group seeks to establish a presence in Afghanistan through various methods, including marriage, acquiring identities through fraudulent documents, and portraying their members as Afghan residents.
Earlier, Ramazon Rahimzoda, the Interior Minister of Tajikistan, had stated that the Taliban had distributed passports to around 3,000 members of "terrorist groups." He added that terrorist groups in northern Afghanistan are located near the Tajikistan border. Rahimzoda also asserted that over 20 terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan.
Previously, the Taliban have repeatedly declared that they have severed ties with terrorist groups in the region and denied the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan. This group, which interacts with regional countries, has also provided written assurances to China that it will not support the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other groups opposing the government of China in Afghanistan. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... it is noteworthy that the leadership members of this group (ETIM) in northeastern Afghanistan receive protection and identity documents under the stringent security management of the Taliban. Rahmatullah Nabil has also confirmed that foreign terrorist groups, due to their deep and ideological connections with the Taliban, have obtained Afghan identities and have settled in various parts of the country under different names.
It should be noted that alongside the United States, China, Pakistain, and Central Asian countries, Russia has also expressed serious concerns about the infiltration of murderous Moslem groups in Central Asia. Although Vladimir Putin ...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances... , the President of Russia, handed over the Afghan embassy in Moscow to the Taliban, he has issued warnings about the presence of terror groups in Afghanistan. He stated that these terrorist groups pose a threat to the stability and security of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. It remains unclear how long these concerns will persist, but documents and evidence indicate that the relationship between the Taliban and regional and global jihadist groups is not conclusively terminated. It appears that in any case, the group will either protect them within their structures or under their support.
#2
I am shocked to hear that the whackos are vigorously whacko-ing. Likely spending US funds to do so, and handing out door prizes of US arms.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/10/2023 9:12 Comments ||
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#3
We will end up doing what should have been done after 9/11, Operation Giant Ashtray. Make sure all other muzz countries are informed that a female admiral at the Pentagon gave the launch order and female XOs on SSBNs pushed the buttons.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
09/10/2023 9:27 Comments ||
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#4
female admiral at the Pentagon gave the launch order and female XOs on SSBNs pushed the buttons.
#9
Fortunately, for the moment, it is only a Supreme Court Justice.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
09/10/2023 9:44 Comments ||
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#10
I think my hypothetical female Navy officers in this scenario would all be very good looking, unambiguously female in the ways God intended and give off lots of muzz debilitating hair rays.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
09/10/2023 9:46 Comments ||
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#11
^ I always forget about the hair rays
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/10/2023 10:41 Comments ||
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[Washington Examiner] Since its founding, America has had a leg up on other countries because of its willingness to think boldly and try new things.
This was summed up by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who in 1932 described how "a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory, and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country." From that was born the idea of states as "laboratories of democracy," a practice that continues today.
For several decades, a collection of progressive states, counties and cities have conducted an experiment called sanctuary policies. Based on a preponderance of evidence, especially in the last few years, it is time to declare America’s experiment with sanctuary policies to be a complete failure and seek a better way.
The theory must have sounded great when articulated in the faculty lounges of places like Oberlin and Columbia. The idea of defying federal immigration law and shielding those here illegally from consequences no doubt stroked the egos of intellectuals who see themselves as having superior levels of compassion and charity. Those opposed to the idea were dismissed as captive to the darker human instinct towards "otherism" and xenophobia.
As is often the case, however, theory and reality are two very different things. Sanctuary policies in practice have been a disaster, resulting in overcrowding, more crime, maxed out city budgets and unbearable tension in the communities where they are practiced.
New York City has become the cautionary tale for this failure. City leaders long thought that, by its sheer size, resources and welcoming spirit, Gotham could absorb the additional illegal alien arrivals who would be drawn to the city’s permissive atmosphere.
That all changed in the summer of 2022, when the governors of Texas and Florida sent busloads of aliens to New York. Within weeks the city was on its knees, forcing Mayor Eric Adams, a supporter of sanctuary policies, to beg the White House for a financial bailout. He also pressured, then sued, upstate, non-sanctuary New York communities to accept his city’s overflow.
In short, it was a complete repudiation of sanctuary policies, as well as the tiresome bumper sticker line that "Immigrants make communities stronger." Would anyone argue that New York is stronger today as a result of its sanctuary policies? On the contrary, it has never looked weaker.
Even before the full impact of the migrant influx to the city last summer, the Immigration Reform Law Institute named New York City as the most dangerous sanctuary community in America.
[Last Refuge] The first discussion of this moment appeared on Twitter, where several people were caught off guard by how President Trump seemed to become emotional as he discussed our great nation and the damage that is being done to it. From Twitter, the video segment started to be shared and quickly became viral.
After eight continuous years of constant attacks, simply because President Trump demands we put America First, the recap of his speech focusing on how great our nation really can be started to hit a core nerve in the otherwise indefatigable candidate. The American people know how much Donald J. Trump loves this country, and watching the man in the arena fight for all of us is something quite remarkable, and yes, emotional.
We have all experienced that moment, it comes from deep inside, that moment when the knot we keep buried begins to surface. That moment when we look away from the face in front of us.... that moment when the callouses we have developed on the inside start to fail... We all know this feeling, this moment... WATCH [6:00:49 Prompted]:
#2
I have a question: Where is the Russian offensive? Is it content with the status quo, or has it really run out of gas and is now content just to level Ukraine's cities?
#3
^Why should they attack as long as Ukrainians come to them to be killed? After WWII they spend more than a decade hunting Banderista guerrillas. This time around Russians figure "Let all the Ukrainians willing to fight die in attacking our fortifications (half the male population of military age has already left the country). And then we can have peace, without having to conqueer Ukraine = having to take care of this bunch of retards again like we did for 300 years."
#4
You ask why they should attack? Because Putin promised to overrun the fascist state in the first few hours of the war. So, what happened Grom? We already know the Ruble is taking a beating. Is it possible that the vaunted Russian arms production is really on a par with that in the USA? That the Russians can't take the Ukraine because they can't?
#6
Ukrainians won't stop. The offensive will switch to lighter vehicles and more infantry, which thy have been doing to get across the Russian minefields.
But it is important for the Ukrainians to reach Tokmak. For the surfaced roads and to cut Russian access to the railroad that supplies Zaporozhye and Donetsk.
#8
^Cheering for our team is as American as apple pie. International relations are, just a bit, more complicated.
Here is my prediction. In the 2024 election Democrats will be running as an anti-war (in Ukraine) party, and American involvement will be attributed to Republicans.
Ukraine itself will be divided into NovaRussia (Donetsk, Luhansk, and seaboard - conqueered by Russia [along with Crimea] from the Turks under Ekaterine the Great) - member of Russian Federation. Malorussia (Ukraine proper) - "independent" country, and Gallitzia (Austro Hungarian until WWI, Polish between wars, Soviet after WWII - seat of Ukrainian nationalism) - Polish protectorate.
Alternatively: WWIII with nukes, and China dominated postwar World.
Alternatively: WWIII with nukes, and China dominated postwar World.
Thank you for admitting how weak Russia is. The Kremlin knows full well that US and NATO will destroy the Russian military on first use of a nuke. Without force Russia will break apart into many pieces. Certainly, Chinese domination (more like annexation) of Russia is in order.
#13
Update to #7 - First paragraph from TFA is: Ukraine has little more than 30 days left of fighting before the weather hinders its counter-offensive, the top-ranking US military officer says.
So far, so good. Top man in question is Gen Mark Miley. But wait, there is more! After some generic bloviation about the course of the war, in the last para we get: Gen Milley ruled out entering politics himself, and said he would "run for best grandad" when he retires in a few weeks.
Ah, Miley is retiring! And soon. I have joked that one of the reasons for having a war now was that a lot of high-level NATO staff are nearing retirement age and as a going away present, we wanted to give them one last shot at the Russians. Sure, it's not the the Fulda Gap, but we finally get to go toe to toe with Rooskies even if only by proxy. At least I thought it was a joke.
Because Putin promised to overrun the fascist state in the first few hours of the war.
This meme keeps popping up but I do not believe Putin ever said this.
(Corrections welcome! No hearsay please, Putin's actual words)
As near as I can tell, the source for this idea is our own General Miley. This is either a disinformation play or really bad analysis that confuses the distraction in the north with the real center of gravity in the south.
Seriously, are you telling me that the Russians, famous as chess players and takers of well-planned dumps have been improvising for 500-some days after the unsuccessful play at Kiev? Bah, I say!
#18
RE: #17
The actual RIA Novosti article is titled The Advent of Russia and the New World It appears to be a geopolitical discussion about the emerging relationships between Russia, the "Atlanticists", and Europe.
[Tablet] Sometimes, U.S. foreign policy is what you see on the news. Increasingly, however, changes in policy are hidden from view because they are unpalatable to many Americans. The growing divide between the policies that America claims to be pursuing and the policies that it’s implementing on the ground poses a growing threat to America’s global standing, as well as to its democracy, which is supposed to exert oversight of foreign policy through Congress. In order to maintain key alliances, allies must believe that American commitments will endure regardless of changes in administration. In order for American commitments to be worth the paper they are written on, allies must believe that America has their backs.
Nowhere is the split between formal U.S. policy and the stealth agendas being implemented by U.S. policymakers more glaring and toxic than in the Middle East. This is true because the core of U.S. Middle East policy is the de facto alliance with Iran promoted by the Obama administration and enshrined in the JCPOA. Obama’s revisionist approach to Iran has in essence left the U.S. with two Mideast policies—one enshrined in our alliances and understandings with historic U.S. allies, and the other centered on dumping our commitments to our allies in order to appease Iran. Only one of these is truly U.S. regional policy, of course—the policy that seeks to establish Iran as the center of a new Middle East. As a result, American commitments now serve to gaslight our allies into going along by encouraging them to imagine that, sooner or later, things will go back to normal.
The focus of the split in U.S. policy and of gaslighting our allies is the Lebanese pseudo state run by Hezbollah, the terror army controlled by Iran. By dealing with "Lebanon," the U.S. can help forward the objectives of its Iranian partner without ever dealing directly with Iran—and thereby can continue gaslighting its allies to the extent that they would prefer to believe that the U.S. is still their partner.
The latest act in the Biden administration’s Middle Eastern Kabuki theater is the use of Lebanon to rescind America’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. No formal announcement of this major policy shift was made, of course. Instead, it was buried in the fine print of the U.N. Security Council’s reauthorization of UNIFIL, the force that ostensibly secures Lebanon’s border with Israel. In a reprise of Barack Obama’s passage of Security Council Resolution 2334 in the final days of his second term, Team Obama-Biden on Aug. 31 again used the route of the Security Council to abandon a formal American commitment and implement a new policy with extreme repercussions for Israel’s security.
With UNSCR 2334, Obama adopted the so-called 1967 lines as the official U.S. position on Israel and its conflict with neighboring Arabs. The resolution called upon all states "to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967," and reaffirmed that all Israeli communities established in territory "occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity." It meant that the U.S. had adopted the position of Israel’s enemies on East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, as well as on the Golan Heights.
UNSCR 2334 was the twin of UNSCR 2231, the resolution Obama used to lock in his deal with Iran at the Security Council. Obama’s objective in both cases was to bypass Congress and to tie the hands of his successor by etching his preferences—what people like to call his "legacy"—in Security Council resolutions.
Both planks of Obama’s "legacy" were cracked by Donald Trump, who made two historic moves of his own: moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
When Trump made his move, officials from Team Obama (who now serve in the Biden administration) publicly opposed it. Obama’s former ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, who is currently the Biden administration’s senior adviser for "Regional Integration," was particularly vocal in his opposition to the recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan. In fact, Shapiro wrote, the recognition might become an obstacle to a future Israeli-Saudi agreement—a line that offered a preview of how the Biden administration would invert the Abraham Accords in order to reassert Obama’s framework.
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/10/2023 11:05 ||
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#1
They are likely to do a good bit of messed up things in the lame duck with respect to diplomacy. Having McCarthy and McConnell in place during that time period may extend the danger into legislation.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/10/2023 11:22 Comments ||
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#2
Biden backdoors Israel at the U.N., rescinds recognition of sovereignty over Golan Heights
“To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal.”
— Henry Kissinger
That's by the way why I support Bibi - he's the only one in Israeli leadership who can counteract USG anti-Israeli policie swithout an open break up.
[Jpost] Next week marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Oslo Accords, one of the most colossal strategic errors in modern Israel’s history.
Three decades after prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO terrorist-in-chief Yasser Arafat shook hands as a beaming US president Bill Clinton looked on, the smiles have long ago been erased thanks to the disaster wrought by the agreement.
And since the legacy of that catastrophic capitulation by the Jewish state is still very much with us, it is worth gazing back, however briefly, at the folly of that regrettable attempt to appease terror with territory.
Tossing logic to the wind, and blithely ignoring the warnings of senior IDF officials as well as the opposition, Rabin and foreign minister Shimon Peres inexplicably decided to rescue Arafat from political oblivion.
Despite his ignominious career ordering the hijacking of airlines and cruise ships, plotting school massacres, and reveling in the murder of innocents, Arafat was suddenly granted legitimacy as a "partner" by Israel’s government thanks to Oslo. Socialist f@cktards needed Arab Israeli vote to return to power (in all fairness, there are good reasons to believe that Rabin was non compos mentos and a sock puppet for Peres) OSLO PREDICTABLY RESULTED IN BLOOD AND TERROR
Not surprisingly, the aftermath of this turn of events was as bloody and lethal as it was predictable.
Consider the following: In the five years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, more Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorists than in the 15 years prior to the agreement. A total of 279 men, women, and children were murdered in the half decade following the Accords, whereas 254 were killed in the 15 years that preceded it.
All told, there have been thousands of Israelis murdered and wounded by Palestinian terror in the past three decades, which is what Oslo was ostensibly supposed to prevent.
...Rabin and Peres went ahead and gave up plenty of land, but they most certainly did not receive any peace in return.
BY ANY measure, the Oslo experiment was the diplomatic equivalent of the Titanic, a grandiose exercise in hubris that crashed and sank, sending countless innocents to an early grave.
Nevertheless, until today Israel continues to suffer from Oslo, as various American and international leaders persist in their prattle about the necessity of a "two-state solution" and the need to create an independent Palestinian state. They also say that gender is fluid, Earth will burn up in a few years, and - while the World needs USA as World Cop - American cities don't need cops.
...Oslo and its underlying principle of "land for peace" was an illusion founded upon the delusion that appeasing terror, rather than opposing it, was the answer.
But this is not a battle over borders, and it never has been. It is a clash of civilizations, a struggle between the Jewish people, who are reclaiming their ancestral homeland, and our numerous foes.
The fact is that there has never been a Palestinian state in all of history, and there isn’t one now.
And Israel should make clear, once and for all, that there never will be.
Thirty years on, we can say with confidence that Oslo and everything that it stood for is dead. Rather than trying to revive it, we would do well to offer it a fitting eulogy. My proposal is to drop FAE (can't use nukes due to distances) on Gaza.
Posted by: Grom the Reflective ||
09/10/2023 00:00 ||
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#1
INTIFADA, (1989) a book written prior to the Israeli capitulation notes the dispute that existed involving Likud party members and the military; A dispute that made the Oslo Accords possible: "Dan Shamron, Amram Mitzna, and other members of the [Israel] General Staff repeatedly stated that the solution to the Intifada could not be a military one." Wrong then. Wrong now.
[MAIL] Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' hand-picked surgeon general has warned against getting the new COVID-19 booster vaccine that is expected to receive approval in the coming days.
The state's Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo made the claims at a press conference on Thursday, saying there was no evidence to support getting the shot and that there are 'red flags' about its safety.
The updated shots, which target an Omicron subvariant named XBB.1.5, are awaiting FDA approval on standards for safety, effectiveness and quality, and must then receive CDC sign-off, which could come as early as Tuesday.
'Listen inside to what makes sense, what feels right, you know, what feels like truth,' said Lapado, offering his advice on receiving the shots.
'We all know it when we feel it inside.' Lapado went on to claim global studies showed people who had the boosters were more likely to catch COVID itself.
DeSantis joined Lapado at the event and did not offer a specific opinion on the booster, but slammed federal regulators at the FDA and CDC as corrupt, claiming they 'have basically become an arm of Big Pharma.'
#5
I am hopeful that Whoppie will get the new vaccine which is supposed to counteract the new strain that just appeared so it must have been formulated and tested by prophetic microbiologists.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/10/2023 11:03 Comments ||
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Text taken from a variety of sources including memoirs by Kirill Romanovsky. Text is ncopyrighted by (c) Commissioner Yarrick. Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
Excellent material dedicated to the 6th anniversary of breaking the blockade of the heroic Deir ez-Zor. Memorable events, in 2017 I had a lot of materials on this topic.
Walking through the desert. How the Wagner PMC broke the blockade of Deir ez-Zor.
The fall of 2017 for the Syrian Arab Republic and its allies was marked by several important successes in the campaign against the terrorist group Islamic State (IS)*. Thanks to the Russian assault detachments of the Wagner PMC, the Syrians managed to liberate vast territories of the Syrian desert, gain a foothold in Central Syria and begin an operation to regain control over the eastern part of the country.
The beginning of a major military operation was the advance to the city of Deir ez-Zor, a key administrative center in eastern Syria. At that time, the city was under siege by IS militants for more than three and a half years: the defenders of Deir ez-Zor constantly experienced supply problems, fought close positional battles, but confidently held out against the forces of the terrorist group.
After gaining a foothold in Central Syria and eliminating the terrorist threat in the Akerbat area in Eastern Hama, the Wagner PMC assault squads were finally able to break through the encirclement and release Deir ez-Zor. The breakthrough of the “musician” detachments to help the defenders of the city was predetermined by the subsequent military defeat of the main ISIS forces at the end of 2017.
On the anniversary of the breaking of the siege of Syrian Deir ez-Zor, the head of the military-political Telegram channel Astra Militarum recalls the events of August-September 2017, during which the Wagner PMC and the Syrian army came to the rescue of the blocked garrison of the city and consolidated successes in the war against Islamic State. state"*, reaching the banks of the Euphrates River.
Massacre on the banks of the Euphrates
The Syrian Deir ez-Zor became the scene of bloody battles between the Syrian army and groups of anti-government forces back in 2013. In 2014, the situation in the province of Deir ez-Zor took a threatening turn after ISIS gangs broke through the Syrian-Iraqi border into the area of the village of Al Bu Kemal in April. By the summer, the forces of the terrorist group controlled the area of the Syrian desert near the T2 pumping station, the territory north of the Euphrates and the western part of the province.
Realizing that the pace of advance of troops from Iraq could no longer be stopped, the militants of other groups for the most part either fled from the occupied territories or voluntarily went over to the side of the Islamic State. As a result, on July 3, the forces of the self-proclaimed “caliphate” established full control over the province of Deir ez-Zor, taking Al-Mayadeen and Al-Shuheil, as well as the largest oil field Al-Omar, without firing a shot.
Only Deir ez-Zor itself remained uncontrolled by the militants: IS forces besieged the city and the surrounding areas from all sides. In addition, by the fall of 2014, areas of the city previously captured by Jabhat al-Nusra* and the Free Syrian Army (FSA), as well as large islands in the delta of the Euphrates River - Huweyja Katya and Huweyja Sakr - were under the control of militants. However, despite dense urban and rural positional battles, the defenders of Deir ez-Zor managed to hold back the first offensive impulses of the Islamic State and prevent the complete capture of the city.
From that moment on, a protracted blockade of Deir ez-Zor began, which would last a total of three years and two months.
The Guard is dying, but does not surrender
By the summer of 2017, the situation in besieged Deir ez-Zor had become extremely complex and dangerous. In the city there were forces of the 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard of the SAR under the command of Major General Issam Zahreddin and armored vehicles of the 137th Mechanized Brigade of General Mohammad Khaddour. In addition, support for the Deir ez-Zor garrison was provided by local militias of the Syrian National Defense Forces (NDF). However, the main defense forces of the city were considered to be the troops of Issam Zahreddin, whose strategic genius and zeal made it possible to competently organize the defense of Deir ez-Zor.
In a strategic sense, the coalition attack on the defenders of Deir ez-Zor significantly bled the besieged garrison and led to catastrophic consequences on the front around the city. The massive IS offensive and continuous attacks, starting in September 2016 and ending in the spring of 2017, led to the fact that the line of combat contact around Deir ez-Zor moved close to the gates of the airbase, the airport runway and the Panorama interchange, considered the gateway to residential part of the city. De facto, the zone of control of the Syrian army and allies was divided into two loosely connected enclaves: the only place that the troops used for communication and supplies was the area of the city cemetery, which was under continuous fire.
In parallel with the military difficulties, a humanitarian catastrophe was growing in Deir ez-Zor itself. According to official data as of February 2016, about 200 thousand people lived in the city, while the siege led to permanent hunger among the civilian population and the military. For some time, an air bridge was operated by the Syrian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces, which dropped humanitarian aid from the UN into the city. However, in January 2017, air deliveries were stopped due to too close proximity to militant firing positions. As a result, mortality in Deir ez-Zor increased markedly, and by the summer of 2017 there were already 90 thousand people left in the city.
Memoirs of a participant in the events from Kirill Romanovsky’s book “Eight Years with Wagner”:
“They (the Syrians - Ed.) have been fighting with the spirits there for a long time. They have a gray zone between the positions of the parties - only 100-150 meters. Both sides are dug into the ground up to the nostrils, as in the First World War - somewhere there is a mirror sticking out, somewhere there is a window, somewhere a pipe is poured into the parapet. On both sides."
Through hardship to the stars
The deterioration of the situation in Deir ez-Zor required the Syrian command and the Russian military to carefully study the operation to restore control over the region. However, it took the Syrian army and its allies a year to break the siege of Deir ez-Zor and drive ISIS militants out of key areas of Eastern Syria. During this time, pro-government forces achieved significant success and stabilized the situation in Central Syria, not least thanks to the active work of the assault units of the Wagner PMC.
To continue the counter-terrorism operation against the Islamic State, it was necessary to regain control of Palmyra, which the militants recaptured as a result of the offensive on December 11, 2016. Having retreated again to the T4 airbase (in common parlance “Tifor”) in the vicinity of the city of Tiyas, the Russian military command hastily called in detachments of the Wagner PMC to Syria - a few months before this, the head of the “orchestra” Yevgeny Prigozhin was given an order from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the disbandment of the unit.
Throughout January 2017, the “orchestra” has been recruiting volunteers and amassing forces to attack IS positions – again, in the same way as in March 2016. As sources note, as a result, an offensive group with a total number of seven thousand people was assembled to advance towards Palmyra. It included separate units of the Syrian army and militia, pro-Iranian units and Hezbollah units - and the key striking force was the soldiers of the 1st assault detachment of the Wagner PMC under the command of Alexander Kuznetsov (Ratibor), who were in the vanguard. "Orchestra" is a reference to Wagner operators, as in Musicians of Mars, a phrase used in the US Army Artillery School in Fort Sill.
In mid-January 2017, a widespread counter-offensive began along the entire front line. By the end of the month, fighters from the Wagner PMC advanced 15 km from the T4 airbase in Tiyas and created a bridgehead for returning to Palmyra. As a result of persistent fighting, by the end of February 2017, the “musicians” liberated part of the oil and gas fields northwest of Palmyra and came close to the ancient city. After the 1st SHO "Ratibora" took Palmyra by storm for the second time, on March 2, Sergei Shoigu reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Palmyra was again under the control of the Syrian army.
In order to gain a strategic advantage before the global advance into eastern Syria, government forces needed to gain a foothold in the desert and mountainous areas of Homs province, which were still under IS control. As a result of three months of fighting, units of the Wagner PMC liberated the Al-Shair gas fields north of Palmyra from the Islamic State, and pro-Iranian militias occupied the Khneifis phosphate deposits south of the ancient city.
As a result, Palmyra was freed from strategic encirclement from the south, while free access to the city from Damascus was again opened. And the Syrian army had a serious chance to clear the Syrian desert. On May 30, the Syrian army, together with the National Defense Forces and Iraqi paramilitary forces, occupied the Helba area in the southeastern part of Homs province, thus approaching the border with Iraq at a distance of 50 kilometers.
Prolonged fighting around Palmyra led to the fact that the Islamic State militants were forced to regroup and leave part of the territory in order to unite all their units in the Es-Sukhne area and thereby prevent Syrian government forces along the highway to Deir ez-Zor. On June 13, Liwa Fatimiyoun troops occupied the city of Arak and nearby gas fields almost without a fight; the next day, the Syrian army reached the T3 pumping station and occupied the At-Talila intersection, which has long been considered the main line of defense of the Islamic State. As a result of the retreat and regrouping of the Islamic State, by June 23, pro-government forces occupied the first points in the Syrian desert - Ard Al-Washash, the Al-Wair Dam and large areas within 25 kilometers of the T2 pumping station.
After clearing the entire province of Aleppo from Islamic State militants and regaining control over the section of the highway to Raqqa from Itria to Ar-Rasafa, the Syrian army faced the need to liberate significant territories in the south of Raqqa province in order to reach directly into the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor.
On July 14, 2017, the combined forces of the Syrian army, led by the Tiger Forces of Suheil al-Hassan, launched an offensive in the south of Raqqa province, moving south from Ar-Rasafa with the support of Russian aircraft. Over the next few days, a number of oil and gas fields in the south of the province, in particular the large Dbeisan field, came under the control of government troops. By July 18, government forces had driven IS out of the western and southwestern parts of Raqqa province, while simultaneously reaching the outskirts of the Jabal al-Bishri mountains, which contained secret routes and communications between IS fighters between Deir ez-Zor, Sukhneh and Akerbat.
By July 21, the Syrian army had advanced 30-35 km east of Ar-Rasafa and intensified its offensive on the west bank of the Euphrates River. The key target of the advancing combined forces was the city of Maadan, beyond which passed the administrative borders of the province of Deir ez-Zor. On July 27, Syrian army troops advanced within four kilometers of Maadan and, having blocked the small IS garrison in the city, crossed the border of Deir ez-Zor province from the west for the first time.
In the summer of 2017, the Syrian army was faced with a difficult situation at the front, during which it was necessary to eliminate significant forces of militants in Eastern Hama in order to continue the offensive on Deir ez-Zor. The center of the IS fortified area became the settlement of Akerbat - the westernmost point of control of the militants, which over the course of several years was turned into an impregnable citadel.
Taking advantage of the difficult terrain and numerous desert shelters, IS militants continued to travel between Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, attacking gas fields in the Palmyra area. Up to one and a half thousand militants with heavy weapons and military equipment, tanks, artillery and “shahid mobiles” with explosives, as well as foreign terrorists and saboteurs equipped with the latest military equipment, have accumulated in the city.
The first two attempts to encircle the fortified area of Akerbat and stop the threat of IS advance in Eastern Hama were unsuccessful: despite high-quality support from the Russian Federation, which destroyed the routes for the transfer of militants, the Syrian army for a long time could not break through the defenses of the forces of the terrorist group. Only after fighters of the Russian Special Operations Forces and assault units of the Wagner PMC were involved in the task, was it possible to cut off the Akerbat area from communications. After which the fighters of the “orchestra” began an operation to liberate the enclave - and as a result, by September 2, Akerbat was completely liberated by the forces of the Wagner PMC and the Syrian special forces unit “ISIS Hunters” trained by “musicians”.
At the beginning of August 2017, it became known that terrorists were beginning to flee from areas of Eastern Homs, which were the most strategically important points. Amid the loss of Mosul and the tight siege of Raqqa by pro-American forces, significant IS forces were withdrawn from Akerbat and Es-Sukhneh east of Palmyra along mountain routes and trails towards besieged Deir ez-Zor.
Pro-government forces took advantage of the consolidation of IS militants to form a springboard for an attack on Deir ez-Zor. On July 23, the forces of the 5th Volunteer Assault Corps besieged Es Sukhne, which at that time was defended by a small but extremely fanatical garrison of militants. Despite the fact that the troops managed to take up the first defensive formations in the immediate vicinity of the populated area, the density of fire and flank counterattacks of the Islamic State forced the transfer of additional army forces to Sukhna. By August 2, after prolonged fighting, the militants began to withdraw from the city in order to preserve some units in the upcoming battle for Deir ez-Zor.
The next day, government forces took control of 20% of the city, and Sukhne was completely liberated by August 5. The Syrian army fighters were accompanied by fighters and instructors from the Russian Special Forces and the Wagner PMC, who closely monitored their charges. At the same time, the Syrian army gathering for an attack on Deir ez-Zor remained extremely vulnerable all the way from Palmyra to Es-Sukhne, where the enemy carried out flank counterattacks. Thus, on August 9, IS militants carried out a large-scale offensive in the east of Homs province near the T-2 pumping station. After an hour of intense fighting, the attack was eventually repulsed, with army commanders reporting that more than 80 IS militants were killed and army casualties amounted to 22 soldiers.
Memoirs of a “Wagnerite” from the book by Kirill Romanovsky “Eight Years with Wagner”
“One day we are given a task - during the offensive, to reach the front line of the Syrians and understand where they have gained a foothold after their advance. I rode along the left flank with our colonel, the military adviser to the Syrians. We look at the left flank - everything seems to be fine, the Syrians have completed their tasks. We look at the right flank and see that to the right of the road the cars were moving straight towards the enemy. Well, we think - well done, Syrians, they are advancing straight in a column. Moreover, there were a lot of cars - I counted about a dozen pickup trucks.
We went behind the column to see where it would anchor. We are driving in two cars: the adviser from the Moscow Region is driving in the first, and we are in the second. We crossed the road and followed them in the direction of Deir ez-Zor. We drive and drive, but there are still no Syrians. There is no leading edge of positions. At all.
“What the hell is this?” I think. And the adviser is driving in the car ahead. Suddenly I look - there are cars in the distance, Zushki are standing, the crowd is somehow incomprehensible. I look at the reaction of the car in front - it sharply hits the brakes, turns sharply 180 degrees and begins to take off. I understand that something is wrong, I give a command to the driver - let's get him urgently, in the opposite direction.
Then it turned out that it was the enemy: he was retreating, and we just came across him. And there the distance was up to 300 meters - we almost drove into enemy territory. We have almost caught up with them. As I understand it, they themselves did not understand who was moving behind them - they thought they were their own, so there was no fire from their side. We returned back, began to investigate, and began to look for the positions of the first Syrian corps. And when they found it, it turned out that they didn’t even go anywhere. They remained in their previous positions and remained there. And thanks to the inaction of the right flank of the Syrians, only one detachment went on the offensive.”
To protect the flanks from ongoing attacks, the Syrian army conducted two military operations on August 11. As a result of the landing at the junction of the borders of the provinces of Homs, Hama and Raqqa north of Sukhneh, Tiger Forces troops occupied Al-Qadir and 12 kilometers of the territory around the Al-Qom oasis, thereby cutting off the main communications of IS militants between the three provinces and securing the approaches to the highway to Es-Sukhnah. After the main forces of the Syrian army arrived at the landing site on August 23-24, government forces liberated more than 2 thousand square kilometers of territory and blocked IS forces in the province of Deir ez-Zor.
In parallel with the successes north of the highway, the Syrian army managed to pin down the IS forces in the area of the village of Humeima in the Syrian desert, from which there was also access to the province of Deir ez-Zor. After ten days of fighting, IS forces abandoned Humeimah, thereby, after four years of war, the oil pipeline line stretching from Iraq to the Mediterranean coast completely came under the control of government forces.
Along the highway
Starting from the end of August 2017, the Syrian army, Russian military and assault units of the Wagner PMC began planning an operation to relieve Deir ez-Zor. On August 25, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, announced that the city on the Euphrates will be the next target for the advance of the Syrian army with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces. According to his statement, units of the Syrian army and people's militia, with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces, are rapidly developing an offensive on Deir ez-Zor from three directions:
“Now the main efforts of government troops and the Russian Armed Forces are focused on defeating the last stronghold of IS armed forces in the Deir ez-Zor area. With the release of this city, the defeat of the most combat-ready formations of the IS terrorist group in Syria will be completed. It is there that the IS terrorists are gathering their remaining forces: militants from Mosul and most of the most combat-ready terrorist units from Raqqa have moved there.”
The capture of Es-Sukhne and the liberation of Akerbat allowed the Syrian side and the assault troops of the Wagner PMC to intensify operations in the direction of Deir ez-Zor. On August 27, the Syrian army began advancing along the Homs-Palmyra highway, advancing by August 29 to a position near the village of Ghanem Ali, 66 km from the city of Deir ez-Zor. The Syrian troops and Wagner attack aircraft were helped to advance by the Russian Aerospace Forces, which destroyed 26 pieces of equipment and two IS fortified areas in the vicinity of the besieged city within 24 hours.
Memoirs of a “musician” from Kirill Romanovsky’s book “Eight Years with Wagner”:
“The offensive took place near Es-Sukhne towards Deir ez-Zor along the road. We advanced along the route from left and right. On the left side was the combined Syrian corps, in my opinion, the 101st corps. And on the right flank there was, it seems, the first corps. In both corps, the command was replenished by our officers from the Ministry of Defense - they were competent and commanded normally. We advanced as if in waves: on the first day the Syrians advanced, reached the planned line, the next day, starting from their positions, our units advanced.”
The entry of the Syrian army into the province of Deir ez-Zor caused massive movements in the territories of the Islamic State: according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, militants began transporting heavy equipment, including tanks and off-road vehicles with large-caliber weapons and mortars. The consolidation of IS equipment in the area of Deir ez-Zor itself was interrupted by the Russian Aerospace Forces, which on September 1 destroyed concentrations of militants in the Jebel al-Sarda area, in the Ar-Rashidiya area, near the Panorama roundabout, and also near military warehouses in Ayash.
After active fighting on the approaches to Deir ez-Zor, the Wagner PMC, which was at the forefront of the offensive, was able to get within 8-10 km of the city.
Participants in the events in Kirill Romanovsky’s book “Eight Years with Wagner” recall:
the fighters covered the path from Palmyra to the outskirts of Deir ez-Zor through the desert almost on their own two feet: “In 2017, when we walked towards the Euphrates, we really walked a lot and for a long time . We covered a huge amount of mileage during the day. Later, a couple of years later, I had to drive there by car - I was so tired of driving. I think to myself: “Epera Theatre, have we walked that much?”
The support of Russian aviation during these days did not stop even for a day: ammunition depots, armored vehicles, trucks and IS artillery firing points came under attack from the Russian Aerospace Forces. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, in the first days of September 2017, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out more than 80 sorties to support the offensive on Deir ez-Zor. Thanks to the coordinated actions of all advancing units of the Wagner PMC, they were able to break through the militants’ defenses in the most important strategic directions.
Breakthrough
In parallel with the strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the forces of the elite Tiger Force brigade Suheil al-Hassan were advancing towards the city. On August 31, government forces established full control of the Jebel al-Bishri mountain range west of Deir ez-Zor. By September 2, the Tiger Forces, together with detachments of the 5th Volunteer Assault Corps and the Afghan militia Liwa Fatimiyun, advanced from the mountain range towards the hills of Jebel Nazyrat al-Bishri, Jebel Azman and Jebel Adima, which covered the route to Deir ez-Zor.
The siege of Deir ez-Zor was broken on September 5, 2017. At night, the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed more than 100 ISIS militants on the outskirts of the city, but the Russian military reserved the main blow for the morning. From the frigate Admiral Essen of the Black Sea Fleet, sea-based cruise missiles "Caliber" were launched at IS positions near Deir ez-Zor. As a result of the precise strike, command and control facilities and a communications center, weapons warehouses, as well as an enterprise for the repair of militant armored vehicles were eliminated.
The strike of Russian cruise missiles predetermined the fall of the blockade of Deir ez-Zor: at about 14:00 local time, the advancing units of the Tiger Forces met with Issam Zahreddin and soldiers of the 104th and 137th brigades. The defenders of the city could not hide their emotions: finally, the three-year siege of the city was over.
Few people, however, paid attention then to what was happening southwest of the place where the blockade of Deir ez-Zor was broken, described in the media. While Syrian troops were trying to break through from the north-west to connect with the first part of the defenders of Deir ez-Zor, fighters of the Wagner PMC fought their way to the territory of the Deir ez-Zor airport along the M-20 highway. The Wagnerites needed to clear the entrances and key roads leading to the once besieged city from Islamic State militants. And while the Tigers were fraternizing with the garrison of Deir ez-Zor, Russian fighters had to wrest strategically important communications from the clutches of the militants.
At the beginning of September, the route was practically cleared of militants everywhere except one position. Located 30 km from Deir ez-Zor, the village of Ash-Shola was the only section of the road that remained with IS militants after breaking the blockade of the city. The first attempts to take the village by the combined forces of the Wagner PMC and Syrian soldiers ran into fierce resistance from IS militants who tried to encircle the advancing formations.
The words of a fighter from the PMC “Wagner” in the book by Kirill Romanovsky “Eight Years with Wagner”:
“The spirits cut us off then. One fine morning they blow up an ammunition depot in our rear. There was a long distance between our posts - a kilometer and a half. In general, they somehow got through between the posts - not because of our oversight or negligence, but because it was not clear where the Syrians were standing. Because of this confusion, the militants insolently drove up, worked and settled down along the embankment. We remained against them as part of one squad: we threw grenades, a quadcopter dropped NATO mines on us. We had two “three-hundredth” lungs. But in the end we fought them off.”
By September 6, additional Wagner forces were deployed near Ash-Shola, who were supposed to gain a foothold in the populated area and provide full access to the highway. On September 7, the offensive continued. The forces of the “Islamic State” tried several times to attack the advancing column of Russian soldiers, but were unable to contain the advance of the Wagner PMC and were forced to retreat.
A breach in the ISIS defenses forced militant groups to retreat along the M-20 highway. As a result of the offensive along the road, the forces of the “orchestra” reached the southern outskirts of Deir ez-Zor - the area of the airport, cut off from the rest of the city’s defenders.
Memoirs of a “musician” from Kirill Romanovsky’s book “Eight Years with Wagner”:
“We broke through the ring of ISIS fighters who kept the airfield surrounded, and our platoon was the very first to go there. We go out to the airfield - everyone is dirty, we have walked through all the quarries, we have squeezed the spirits out of their holes. We look like fighting homeless people. I'm wearing a helmet and holding two ATGMs. And a Syrian comes out from this gang that ran the airport there, he saw us and said: - Inshallah! “Praise be to Allah, reinforcements have arrived.”
Having encountered the massive advance of the Wagner PMC detachments, IS militants were forced to hastily flee from their positions near the airport, abandoning weapons, ammunition and ammunition, including NATO-style ones. As it later became clear, the leaders of the Islamic State ordered the Islamists to go beyond the Euphrates River, where the militants had full-fledged strongholds. Using the area of the Deir ez-Zor airfield as a springboard for the offensive, the forces of the Wagner PMC began clearing the IS stronghold on the territory of the gas processing plant. The fighting in the area of the “Gas Plant,” as Russian soldiers nicknamed this area, was accompanied by numerous attacks by suicide bombers, which were launched in order to slow down the offensive and cover the withdrawal of IS forces beyond the Euphrates.
Words of the “orchestra” stormtrooper from Kirill Romanovsky’s book “Eight Years with Wagner”:
“We went to the Dukhovsky stronghold and, when we were already moving the front, martyrs attacked the airport,” says an eyewitness to one of these attacks. “There was an old fire station there, and two suicide bombers blew themselves up there.” I don’t know what kind of explosive charge there was, but when these two suicide bombers exploded, they were completely scattered across the territory. I then walked through these fragments of equipment, scraps of suicide bombers - the largest fragment that I saw was the size of a palm, a piece of the spine and ribs.”
The fight continues...
The breaking of the blockade of Deir ez-Zor was an important milestone in the Syrian conflict - but the story of the war against the Islamic State does not end there. In order to stop the expansion of terror, it was necessary to inflict a crushing military defeat on the group, after which ISIS militants would not be able to carry out such extensive activities as they carried out three years ago. And first of all, to drive out the militants of the terrorist group from the occupied areas of Deir ez-Zor and the surrounding area.
Its main defender, Issam Zahreddin, did not wait for the complete liberation of Deir ez-Zor. After a short vacation and meeting with his family in Es-Suwayda, the Syrian general returned to the city with the intention of continuing the battle with terrorists. However, on October 18, 2017, two weeks before the liberation of the city, Zahreddin was killed in a mine explosion on the island of Huwayja Saqr in the Euphrates Delta. However, the work of the “Lion of the Republican Guard” was continued by his comrades.
The next stage of fighting in Deir ez-Zor lasted for two months: the Islamic State militants were not going to give up positions in the captured city neighborhoods. On September 14, 2017, the Syrian army launched an offensive to recapture the remaining IS-controlled areas of the city of Deir ez-Zor, occupying the Al-Bagiliya area. While the Syrians were diverting the attention of the militants to themselves, detachments of the Wagner PMC began the legendary operation to cross the Euphrates: on September 18, the fighters of the “orchestra” carried out a landing on the eastern bank of the river, cutting off the militants remaining in Deir ez-Zor from supplies and assistance.
Finding themselves completely surrounded, without the opportunity to cross the river and go to other combatants, the remaining militants surrendered block by block and were destroyed by pro-government forces. On November 3, 2017, the Syrian army completely recaptured the city of Deir ez-Zor and its environs from IS, and on November 17, the Wagnerites cleared the militants’ last stronghold of defense – the island of Huwayja Katya, where a group of several dozen militants was completely destroyed.
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