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Today: 52 articles and 86 comments as of 18:33.
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Israel has resumed its strikes on Iran, targeting the underground Fordow nuclear facility
Today's Headlines
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10 17:30 Jack Salami [187] 
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2 14:26 Besoeker [48] 
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1 05:19 Skidmark [59] 
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3 16:19 Thing From Snowy Mountain [78] 
Page 1: WoT Operations
4 18:30 Clem+Elmish4239 [70]
2 09:56 Skidmark [94]
13 17:59 Frank G [178]
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3 16:10 Difar Dave [151]
1 09:07 Skidmark [69]
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5 18:23 Clem+Elmish4239 [186]
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1 15:32 DooDahMan [57]
2 13:10 trailing wife [76]
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Page 2: WoT Background
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9 15:31 DooDahMan [206]
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Page 4: Opinion
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2 14:52 Old Salty [112]
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1 01:06 MikeKozlowski [73]
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2 09:13 DooDahMan [96]
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Page 5: Russia-Former Soviet Union
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3 13:00 Abu Uluque [64]
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Page 6: Politix
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7 16:18 Thing From Snowy Mountain [156]
-Short Attention Span Theater-
Man Jumps From AU Radio Tower in Apparent Test of Gravity
[Washingtonian] A man who climbed a radio tower at American University on Tuesday jumped from the structure Friday morning in what appears to be a suicide, police say.

The man, who has yet to be identified, climbed halfway up the 321-foot-high tower and refused to come down. Officials on the scene Thursday told Washingtonian they were in communication with the man via a cell phone they’d managed to get to him. They said the man threatened harm anyone who tried to get him off the structure, which WAMU, WTOP, and other broadcasters use as an antenna.

"The matter is now a death investigation," a police spokesperson tells Washingtonian.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [56 views] Top|| File under:


-Land of the Free
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: Breitbart News ‘My Number One Source Every Morning'
[Breitbart] WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Breitbart News on Thursday evening that Breitbart News is in fact his "number one source" for news "every morning," and that it is the first thing he reads every day.

"It’s my number one source every morning," Bessent said about Breitbart News. "It’s the first thing I click in the morning."

Bessent also said he is a regular reader specifically of the Breitbart Business Digest daily newsletter from Breitbart News financial and economic editor John Carney, whom he said he is in touch with regularly. Carney just joined Bessent in London in the United Kingdom earlier this week when he, at the direction of President Donald Trump, traveled there to lead the U.S. delegation in trade talks with the Chinese government. Bessent said he enjoyed that Carney came for the trip.

"John and I are in constant touch," Bessent said. "I think he is one of the top three business reporters in America. You’re lucky to have him. It was great having John in London."

Bessent’s comments came earlier this week after, upon his return from London to the United States, he testified before a House panel and during an interaction with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) he made a comment about Breitbart News when Gomez asked him about recent reports of a physical altercation between him and Elon Musk at the White House.

Gomez had asked how Bessent was doing, and this is what happened next in the conversation during the hearing:


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 01:59 || Comments || Link || [48 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Breitbart has a lot of good stories but, IMHO, they give too much space to the insane rants of celebrities like Rob Reiner, Bette Middler, Rosie O'Donnell and Jennifer Lawrence. We already know those people hate Trump and I don't care what else they have to say.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/14/2025 12:40 Comments || Top||

#2  /\ Concur.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 14:26 Comments || Top||


Africa Horn
Somali President Visits Turkish Oil Survey Ship as Offshore Exploration Concludes
Working on a future income stream for the Erdogan neo-Ottoman sultinate.
[ShabelleMedia] Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday visited the Ottoman Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis, which has been conducting offshore oil exploration along Somalia’s coast, following the completion of a key seismic survey.

The president hailed the mission as a "strategic milestone" and praised Ottoman Turkish and Somali personnel for their joint efforts in advancing the country’s energy ambitions.

"This is a significant achievement that strengthens our objective for Somalia to fully benefit from its natural resources and convert them into economic and social progress," Mohamud said during the visit. "The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
has consistently played a leading role in demonstrating that Somalia is a country worth investing in."

The president reiterated his administration’s commitment to boosting the national economy by tapping into Somalia’s vast untapped natural resources, which officials say could play a crucial role in addressing the country’s development challenges.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [16 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Africa Subsaharan
Video on China's big construction projects in Africa
[YouTube]

Continued on Page 47
Posted by: 3dc || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [28 views] Top|| File under: Commies


Britain
Wreckage of ship that sank 140 years ago found off UK coast
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The wreckage of a ship that sank in the 19th century has been found off the coast of Great Britain. CNN reported this on June 12.

According to diver Dom Robinson, he learned about the unidentified wreck from the British Hydrographic Office and decided to investigate it. The 53-year-old diver dove to the wreck and found a broken plate with the seal of the Cunard Steamship Company. Thanks to it, Robinson realized that he had found the steamship Nantes, which sank 140 years ago.

Plymouth University history professor Harry Bennett said the Nantes sank in November 1888 after colliding with the German vessel Theodor Ruger, which tore a huge hole in its side and smashed its lifeboats. The crew tried in vain to plug the leak. Of the 26 people on board, only three survived.

“The idea that you’re looking at a plate that the crew may have eaten their last meal off of is very, very moving,” Bennett said of the find, adding that he considers every shipwreck a time capsule.

Robinson shared Bennett's enthusiasm. According to him, there is nothing for the average person to explore, except to go down to the bottom of the sea, explore it, find things and identify them.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: badanov || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [36 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
China building first industrial canal in 1000 years: Pinglu Canal
[YouTube]

Continued on Page 47
Posted by: 3dc || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [78 views] Top|| File under: Commies

#1  Take a billion shovels ...
Posted by: Skidmark || 06/14/2025 8:43 Comments || Top||

#2  It's the first major canal IF you ignore the south-north water project, which I hear was a major disappointment.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 06/14/2025 16:17 Comments || Top||

#3  For that matter, the Chinese edition of the Grand Canal didn't do their civilization any favors, either....
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 06/14/2025 16:19 Comments || Top||


Economy
Bean There, Done That: Another Big Company Flees a Blue State
[PJ] I’m not a coffee connoisseur. I’m not really a wine connoisseur; I just took a course to get certified at Level 1 because I thought it would be a cool hobby. We make most of our coffee at home, and so while there are a few varieties of beans I like, the truth is that in a blind taste test, I would not be able to tell Starbucks from Dunkin’ Donuts or Maxwell House. As I understand it, Dutch Bros is particularly beloved among those who are devoted to the mystical ways of java.

The fine people of Oregon, and particularly the residents of Grants Pass, are singing the bean blues this week over the fact that Dutch Bros is moving its headquarters to Arizona. Last year, the company began the process of relocating much of its workforce there at a cost of millions of dollars, and the announcement that the corporate office was officially hitting the road was made this week. So the whole kit and caboodle (or is that beans and basket?) is decamping from the northwest, which leaves Nike as Oregon’s heavy-hitter.

As the wise philosopher Gomer Pyle once said, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

The Portland Business Journal had the company’s official statement:

Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 04:28 || Comments || Link || [97 views] Top|| File under:


Revolutionary aircraft maker selects North Carolina for massive job-creating venture
[FoxBusiness] JetZero's $4.7B investment to bring over 14,500 jobs to Greensboro as company develops fuel-efficient blended-wing passenger jets.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Skidmark || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [62 views] Top|| File under:


The Grand Turk
More than 600 people evacuated from burning hotel in Turkish resort of Alanya
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] At least 622 people were evacuated from the burning Asrin Beach Hotel in the Turkish resort of Alanya in Antalya Province. This was reported on June 12 by the IHA agency.

It is specified that the fire occurred on the night of June 12 in the basement, where the sauna and laundry are located. Ten fire brigades and doctors arrived at the scene.

"In total, 622 tourists were evacuated during the one-hour operation. Three tourists were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning," the statement said.

The fire was localized and extinguished within an hour. The rescued people were moved to nearby hotels. As Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik noted on the X social network, "the firefighters responded to the situation quickly and in a coordinated manner."

As Ozcelik noted, on April 22, the city authorities found that Asrin Beach Hotel did not have a license to receive guests, and the hotel was sealed to correct the deficiencies. But two days later, the hotel owners received a court order to postpone the measures to close. Alanya City Hall filed an appeal, which the court upheld, and on June 11, the hotel management received an official notice that the hotel would be sealed, and the owners were given time to resettle the guests.

According to the preliminary version, the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: badanov || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [22 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Politix
Tim Walz Stuns Critics by Calling China the World's 'Moral Authority' Amid Rising Tensions Over Iran
[Townhall] Former Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shocked many by suggesting that China could serve as the world’s "moral authority" in the wake of Israel’s targeted strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership. His comments come at a time when the U.S. and its allies are confronting clear threats from Iran’s nuclear ambitions, making Walz’s praise of an authoritarian regime both baffling and concerning.

At a Center for American Progress event titled "What’s Next: Conversations on the Path Forward," Walz addressed a question from CEO Neera Tanden regarding the escalating tensions caused by the recent strikes. Walz remarked that, from Iran’s perspective, retaliation is inevitable, adding that the conflict in the Middle East has reignited and is spreading more widely than before. He questioned who has the moral authority and ability to negotiate peace in the Middle East, suggesting that the U.S. is not viewed as a neutral party and may never have been.
Neera Tanden - one of Biden's Politburo
He stated that the U.S. previously attempted to mediate during the Iran Nuclear Deal talks. However, Walz said that Americans need to accept the possibility that China may now be the only neutral party with the moral standing to lead negotiations in the Middle East effectively.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 04:41 || Comments || Link || [187 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Stunned" some critics.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/14/2025 4:47 Comments || Top||


#3  The US can't have the seas all to themselves now, can they?
Posted by: DooDahMan || 06/14/2025 9:15 Comments || Top||

#4  Tim said something moronic that reveals that he is a CCP stooge. I am not shocked at all. It’s like seeing Ronald McDonald eat some fries. It’s sort of expected to the point of being mundane.
Posted by: Super Hose || 06/14/2025 10:06 Comments || Top||

#5  That's his abnormal fetish for Chinese boys talking.

Nice unmasking Tim, very nice.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 06/14/2025 10:26 Comments || Top||

#6  "Now let's see, how can I best position myself for a 2028 run? I got it! I'll say that the Chinese Communist Party is the moral authority of the world."

The only good thing about that is that it's what he really thinks.
Posted by: Matt || 06/14/2025 11:40 Comments || Top||

#7  I didn't know that communists have morals.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/14/2025 12:48 Comments || Top||

#8  Walz is asshoe
Posted by: Regular joe || 06/14/2025 14:58 Comments || Top||

#9  Walz has become the world authority on political idiocy.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 06/14/2025 16:01 Comments || Top||

#10  Peking Candidate.
Posted by: Jack Salami || 06/14/2025 17:30 Comments || Top||


Science & Technology
When the Sun Caught Us Off Guard: Why Scientists Didn't See the Magnetic Storm
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Daniil Moskovsky

[REGNUM] On the night of June 13, meteorologists looked at their instruments in confusion. The Earth's magnetic field suddenly jumped to G2.3, above average, although no one expected it. The storm came unexpectedly, forcing experts to admit that our ability to predict space weather is far from perfect.

Missed the boat is too harsh a word to describe the work of scientists who monitor solar activity around the clock. But the fact remains: a medium-intensity magnetic storm hit the planet completely unexpectedly.

The laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences recorded an increase in plasma density and an increase in the magnetic field, but the speed of the plasma flow - the main indicator of an approaching ejection of solar matter - remained normal.

3D PUZZLE
Alexander Shadov, a specialist in space weather, explained the complexity of the situation in a conversation with the Regnum news agency : "In essence, a magnetic storm is an ejection of a plasma cloud from the Sun that reaches the Earth. Scientists have two methods of observation: photographs of the luminary and data on the parameters of the solar wind at the L1 Lagrange point - a special region in space between the Sun and the Earth, where observation satellites are installed."

The catch is that no more than two hours pass from the moment the emission is registered at the L1 point until it arrives on Earth - there is practically no time for preparation. Therefore, all long-term forecasts are based on images of the Sun, where specialists try to measure the speed, density and direction of the emission, and then create a three-dimensional model.

“Obviously, creating three-dimensional models from flat photographs is a very difficult task, ” Shadov admits. “ And assessing the level of impact of the emission on the magnetosphere is even more difficult.”

Astronomer Alexander Kiselev adds details: coronal mass ejections are especially insidious when they occur not from the central part of the solar disk, but from the edges: “If the ejection occurs from an area not located directly opposite the Earth, predicting its exact impact on our planet becomes much more difficult.”

INVISIBLE RIVERS OF PLASMA
But it's not just coronal mass ejections that can cause geomagnetic turmoil. Sometimes the culprits are solar wind streams from coronal holes — areas of low density in the solar corona. These cosmic "rivers" are less powerful, but if a coronal hole suddenly turns toward Earth or the stream turns out to be denser than predicted, the result is the same — a sudden storm.

“This means that the Earth’s magnetosphere was subjected to an unexpected energy blow,” Kiselev explains the mechanism of what is happening.

While people on Earth are clutching their heads, astronomers are observing fascinating pictures on the Sun itself. “Prominences are plasma that is held by the Sun’s magnetic fields, making them visible,” says Shadov.

Unlike the simple Earth magnetic field with two poles, the solar magnetic field has a complex configuration with many entry and exit points for magnetic lines. It is this complexity that creates those fascinating prominences - huge arches of hot plasma that rise above the surface of the star for hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

They can only be seen through special solar telescopes with H-alpha filters or during a total solar eclipse, when they become visible to the naked eye as reddish tongues of flame on the edge of the solar disk covered by the Moon.

A HEADACHE ON A PLANETARY SCALE
While scientists are sorting out the cosmic causes, doctors are recording quite mundane consequences. Neurobiologist Tatyana Smirnova, in a conversation with IA Regnum, admits: although the scientific community has not yet come to a consensus on the direct impact of magnetic storms on health, weather-sensitive people do experience an increase in unpleasant symptoms.

"Those who are prone to migraines, hypotension or vegetative-vascular dystonia may experience fatigue, drowsiness, anxiety or headaches," the specialist explains. Presumably, fluctuations in the magnetic field affect the autonomic nervous system and increase vascular reactivity.

The recipe for survival during geomagnetic disturbances is simple: reduce your workload, plan simple tasks, take breaks for walks and breathing exercises. If you have a headache, you should first try basic measures - fresh air, a cold compress, enough water - and only then resort to medication.

"Weather dependence is not a death sentence, " Smirnova reassures. " It often intensifies with chronic fatigue, irregular sleep, and lack of movement." Prevention is simple: a stable regime, physical activity, foods with magnesium - buckwheat, nuts, dark chocolate.

THE SITUATION REMAINS UNSTABLE
However, Alexander Shadov calls not to dramatize the situation: "Magnetic storms are not at all scary, but incredibly beautiful phenomena. There is no evidence of their serious impact on humans, except perhaps that some people become obsessed with observing space weather."

There are technical consequences, however: interruptions in radio communications, temporary failures in satellite operation, voltage fluctuations in power grids. But modern infrastructure is quite resistant to such impacts, and telecom operators and energy companies have long learned to take preventive measures when receiving warnings about geomagnetic disturbances.

As for the nearest forecasts, analysts warn: the geomagnetic situation will remain unstable for the next two or three days. From June 13 to 14, the impact of a large coronal hole is expected, which may intensify the current storm or provoke a new wave of disturbances.

The sudden magnetic storm of June 13 was another reminder: despite all the achievements of science, space is still capable of presenting surprises. The Sun remains an unpredictable neighbor, whose “moods” we have learned to read only partially. And perhaps this unpredictability has its own charm – it does not allow us to forget that humanity does not live in a vacuum, but in a Universe full of mysteries and surprises.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: badanov || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [50 views] Top|| File under:


An unpredicted magnetic storm has begun on Earth
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] An unpredicted average magnetic storm has begun on Earth, which may reach a stronger level. This was reported on June 13 by the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“A magnetic storm has been registered on Earth since 11 p.m. Moscow time and as of 4 a.m. it has not stopped, reaching the G2.3 level at the moment,” the report says.

Scientists noted that the G2.3 score is considered above average, exceeding the threshold at which the impact on energy systems and radio propagation becomes noticeable.

"The causes of the storm are not clear at the moment. In recent hours, measuring instruments have shown a noticeable increase in plasma density, as well as magnetic field induction in the solar wind surrounding the Earth," the experts explained.

They added that the plasma speed is not increased, and this is the main indicator of the arrival of mass ejections or a flow of matter from a coronal hole to the Earth.

Scientists said that the development of the event is difficult to predict. According to current data, the planet is prematurely entering a 2-3-day period of complex geomagnetic conditions with strong fluctuations in geomagnetic indices.

On June 8, specialists from the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Russian Academy of Sciences IKI reported that an exceptionally large plasma emission had occurred in the region of the Sun's south pole. According to specialists, a cloud of rare size and density was formed as a result of the destabilization of a giant solar prominence. Since it was located on the far side of the Sun, it was impossible to observe it from Earth.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: badanov || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [40 views] Top|| File under:


Russian Air Defense Lasers
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[ColonelCassad] Air defense lasers.
At one of the testing grounds, successful tests of promising laser air defense systems for countering UAVs were conducted, which will be integrated into the object air defense system.


Continued on Page 47
Posted by: badanov || 06/14/2025 00:00 || Comments || Link || [59 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Chinese Laser Weapon Is Claimed To Be In Russian Service
Posted by: Skidmark || 06/14/2025 5:19 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
25[untagged]
7Govt of Iran
5Commies
4Antifa/BLM
2Migrants/Illegal Immigrants
2Hamas
2al-Shabaab (AQ)
1[untagged]
1Houthis
1Human Trafficking
1Islamic State
1Sublime Porte

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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Sat 2025-06-14
  Israel has resumed its strikes on Iran, targeting the underground Fordow nuclear facility
Fri 2025-06-13
  Israel launches 'preemptive strikes' on Iran as explosions are heard across Tehran: Jerusalem declares 'special state of emergency' and braces for all-out-war
Thu 2025-06-12
  Over 330 illegals were arrested for partaking in the Los Angeles riots, and will now be deported
Thu 2025-06-12
  Internet shut down in Iran and game is waiting on IAEA vote UPDATE: IAEA sez Iran noncompliant, Iran announces to start toward nukes
Thu 2025-06-12
  Israel attacks Iran
Wed 2025-06-11
  Self-proclaimed Tren de Aragua member who shot NYC cops gets 28-year prison sentence
Tue 2025-06-10
  Third Chinese scientist charged with smuggling illegal biological pathogen into US from Wuhan
Mon 2025-06-09
  LA Mayor Karen Bass says LA doesn't need ''troops'' because the LAPD can handle the chaos as CNN plays a clip of rioters storming the 101 Freeway
Sun 2025-06-08
  President Trump sends National Guard as violent anti-ICE riots erupt in Los Angeles
Sun 2025-06-08
  President Trump sends National Guard as violent anti-ICE riots erupt in Los Angeles
Sat 2025-06-07
  
Sat 2025-06-07
   Salam says army dismantled 'more than 500' Hezbollah installations in south
Fri 2025-06-06
  Columbia University’s accreditation at risk over alleged civil rights violations
Thu 2025-06-05
  As Gazans clamor for aid, looting and shootings underscore new dangers
Wed 2025-06-04
  Rockets fired from Syria for first time in a year, Israel blames Sharaa; another Houthi missile downed without effect
Tue 2025-06-03
  Over 30 Soldiers Killed As al-Qaeda-Linked Group Invades Army Base In Mali
Mon 2025-06-02
  Nine Feared Dead, Several Injured As Bomb Explodes At Borno Bus Stop
Sun 2025-06-01
  IDF says dozens of strikes hit terror sites across Gaza; Hamas authorities say 60 killed
Sat 2025-05-31
  ISIS claims first attack on Syrian government forces since Assad’s fall


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