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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Russian, western coalition forces continue air strikes on ISIS |
| 2015-10-02 |
| By Chris Covert Rantburg.com As the Syrian Army prepares an offensive near Homs and Hama, Russian and NATO aircraft struck Islamic State in Syria (ISIS) targets Wednesday according to both English and Russian language news reports and news releases. According to a news account in regnum.ru, Russian bombers struck an ISIS training center and ammunition depot near Maaret En Nuuman in Homs province. According to Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman General Major Igor Konashenkov, a direct hit on ISIS ammunition supplies detonated ammunition, which in turn destroyed ISIS vehicles and buildings. According to a report in ria.ru, Russian aircraft totaling 50 aircraft struck 12 ISIS targets including an ISIS command post in El Latamna and an ammunition ammunition depot near Tel-Bissau. North of Homs, Russian warbirds hit an ammunition factory at Al-Rastan. Meanwhile near Novorossiysk in the eastern Black Sea a total of 40 vehicles were observed preparing to be moved by ship to Syria from the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, including 10 BPM-97 scout cars, 20 BTR-82s, four BTR-80s, five transport trucks and one command APC of unknown type. According to a report by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin, many of the vehicles are painted in desert camouflage scheme, and presumably will be turned over to Syrian government forces. The vehicle group was seen traveling from Krasnodar in southern Russia to Novorossiysk. NATO aircraft hit 19 targets in Iraq NATO bombers hit ISIS targets in Syria near Mar'a, destroyed two "excavators", according to a US Central Command news release. NATO bombers also hit a number of other targets in Iraq, according to data supplied in a Central Command news release.
Upcoming Syrian Offensive A Syrian Army offensive is to be launched soon between the towns on Homs and Hama, according to a separate news account in regnum.ru. Quoting a Syrian armor formation commander identified as Bassam Ahmad Mayrub, the new offensive is set to eliminate ISIS and Dzhebhat al-Nusra isolated armed groups between the two towns. Although the Syrian Army claims to control the roads, according to Bassam Ahmad Mayrub, sufficient numbers of rebel units operate in the area to warrant the new offensive. According to the same report, a Syrian Army operation that took place in the last day or so on the border between Idlib and Homs eliminated three top Dzhebhat al-Nusra commanders and 107 others. Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #2 Thnx, Ship |
| Posted by: badanov 2015-10-02 20:59 |
| #1 This CC dude knows his Rooshan stuff. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2015-10-02 20:19 |