Regional geopolitics

[Vrej1915]

Քրդերի անկախացումից հետո անջատողականության թափանիվը կարող է հասնել ՀՀ սահման. իրանագետ

[Vrej1915]

Russian general in Syria killed due to US hypocrisy – Moscow

By Brecht Jonkers
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25/09/2017 Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov (right) , who died in battle near Deir Ezzor on Sunday
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:30 PM) – The death of Russian Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov is the fault of the hypocritical attitude displayed by the United States in the campaign against ISIS in Syria, according to Moscow. This was said in an official statement by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov on Monday.

“The death of the Russian commander is the price paid with blood for the hypocrisy of American policy in Syria,” Ryabkov said.

General Asapov was one of the top commanders of the Russian armed forces that are active in support of the Syrian government in the ongoing conflict against ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists. He was killed by a terrorist mortar strike on Sunday, near the city of Deir Ezzor, that has recently been liberated by Syrian and Russian forces.

Deputy Minister Ryabkov stated that while Washington keeps up the appearance that it is an active partner in the war against ISIS, the facts on the ground show a different reality. In his statement, Ryabkov called on the US to halt any actions that are at odds with the strategic objective of defeating ISIS in Syria.

Ryabkov’s statement reflects Russia’s disappointment with recent findings by the Russian airforce. Aerial pictures taken in Deir Ezzor Governorate on Sunday show US special forces deployed deep inside ISIS-held territory.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Americans do not face any “resistance from the ISIS militants” and don’t even have screening patrols near their bases, indicating that they “feel absolutely safe” despite being so close to ISIS encampments. The findings have enraged many in Russia and led to questions about the dedication of Washington to the eradication of the ISIS terrorist organisation.

[Azad]

"Azeris Rally in Capital to Protest Alleged $3 Billion Scheme

Several thousand Azeris demonstrated without incident in the capital on Saturday to protest the alleged role of government leaders in a $3 billion scheme to launder money, pay off European officials and buy luxury goods.

The protesters chanted “freedom” and “resignation,” demanding that President Ilham Aliyev step down."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-23/azeris-rally-in-capital-to-protest-alleged-3-billion-scheme

[Vrej1915]

Erdogan protesters beaten and ejected from New York speech

Media captionAnti-Erdogan demonstrators are punched as they are removed from a New York hotel
Violence erupted at a New York hotel after protesters heckled a speech by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with chants of "terrorist".

Mr Erdogan was addressing supporters in Turkish at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square when he was interrupted by several demonstrators.

"You're a terrorist, get out of my country," one protester shouted before he was punched and dragged away.

Mr Erdogan is in New York for the UN General Assembly. Image copyrightVOA
In footage from the speech on Thursday, protesters are seen being pushed and punched in the head as they are ejected from the venue by suited men.

It is not clear at this stage if they were pro-Erdogan attendees, presidential bodyguards, or guards providing security at the hotel.

The demonstrators, who later posted images of the clashes on social media, said their aim was to publicly condemn the president's policies in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

Some protesters carried flags and banners in support of the Kurdish militant group, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Mr Erdogan sees the YPG as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades. He has repeatedly said that he will never accept a US alliance with Kurdish forces fighting in Syria. Image copyrightREUTERS Image captionPresident Erdogan is in New York for the UN General Assembly
Supporters of Mr Erdogan can be heard shouting the president's name in the footage, in attempts to muffle the protesters' chants.

One protester, Meghan Bodette, wrote on Twitter that she had been "thrown out" of the hotel.

"Yes. I stood up with YPJ flag... was pulled from chair and removed," she wrote, adding: "I got escorted out and ran, some friends were briefly questioned."

The YPJ is an all-female Kurdish military group - the women's equivalent of the YPG.

Another Twitter user, Gissur Simonarson, posted images taken from amateur video footage showing a number of protesters being violently attacked.
Skip Twitter post by @GissiSim
End of Twitter post by @GissiSim

One eyewitness, Halil Demir, said he saw a man being pushed to the ground after interrupting Mr Erdogan's speech. Mr Demir said he later saw a second man outside the hotel in handcuffs on the floor, the New York Times reports.

Mr Erdogan was speaking at the invitation of the Turkish American National Steering Committee.

The New York Police Department said that about five protesters had been "briefly detained" but that no arrests were made.

In May, eleven people were injured and two arrested outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington DC, after a brawl broke out between supporters and opponents of Mr Erdogan.

The US summoned the Turkish ambassador over the incident, which Washington police called a "brutal attack on peaceful protesters".

The Turkish embassy denied that, saying the demonstrators had aggressively provoked Turkish-Americans gathering to greet Mr Erdogan, and that they had responded in self-defence.

[Vrej1915]

Kurdish forces capture ISIS oil fields east of Deir Ezzor, outrace the Syrian Army

By Chris Tomson
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22/09/2017

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (1:05 A.M.) – The US-backed ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ have virtually met up with the Russian-backed Syrian Arab Army (SAA) after scoring a large advance, Thursday, through the oil-rich desert directly east of Deir Ezzor’s provincial capital.

After ISIS insurgents reportedly withdrew from the area without a fight, SDF units managed to dash southwards of their positions on the M7-highway and capture the Tabiyeh and Al-Isba oil and gas fields in a remarkable coup.

This advance brings Kurdish fighters within a couple kilometers of SAA troops that are simultaneously expanding their beachhead east of the Euphrates River.

Earlier in the day, a separate eastern SDF pincer towards the Khabur River saw SDF forward units overrun three villages and come within striking distance of Al-Suwar, a key junction town and ISIS stronghold near the border with Iraq.

According to a SAA source close to Al-Masdar News, Major General Suheil Al-Hassan had otherwise hoped to capture the aforementioned fields but was obstructed by a powerful ISIS counter-offensive on Tuesday.

[Vrej1915]

Որ երկրներն են օգնել Բաքվին Լապշինի գործով

• Lragir.am
• Քաղաքականություն - 21 Սեպտեմբերի 2017

Բլոգեր Ալեքսանդր Լապշինն իր բլոգում գրառում է արել իր գործի վերաբերյալ: «Ուսումնասիրելով 11 հատոր գործի նյութերը, որոնք հավաքել է Ադրբեջանի գլխավոր դատախազությունը, մեծ հետաքրքրությամբ ընթերցել եմ այլ երկրների հետ գրագրությունը, որոնց Ադրբեջանը դիմել է «բլոգեր Լապշինի հանցագործությունները» ուսումնասիրելու գործով: Ադրբեջանը դիմել է 8 երկրի՝ Բելառուսին, Ռուսաստանին, Ուկրաինային, Մոլդովային, Վրաստանին, Իսրայելին, Թուրքիային, Իրանին», գրում է Լապշինը:



Բլոգերի խոսքով, Իսրայելն ու Իրանն անգամ չեն պատասխանել Ադրբեջանի հարցմանը, Ռուսաստանը պատասխանել է, որ հարցումը սխալ է ներկայացված: Մոլդովան և Թուրքիան շատ քիչ տեղեկություններ են ներկայացրել, մասնավորապես, Լապշինի մուտքը երկիր և ելքը:



Լապշինի խոսքով, Բելառուսը, Վրաստանը և Ուկրաիան Ադրբեջանին տրամադրել են բոլոր հնարավոր տեղեկությունները, անգամ այն, ինչ Բաքուն չէր խնդրել:



Վրաստանը, օրինակ, Ադրբեջանին է տրամադրել հայ-վրացական սահմանը հատելու մասին տվյալները, այդ թվում, իրեն անծանոթ տասնյակ այլ մարդկանց տվյալներ, որոնք իր հետ միաժամանակ հատել են սահմանը, Բաթումիում բնակարան գնելու մասին փաստաթղթեր, Bank of Georgia բանկում հաշվի մասին տեղեկություններ:



Լապշին նշում է, որ Հայաստանի քաղաքացիները պետք է զգույշ լինեն Վրաստանում անշարժ գույք գնելիս, քանի որ ողջ տեղեկատվությունը կարող է փոխանցվել երրորդ երկրի:

[Vrej1915]

Russia threatens to attack US-backed forces in Deir Ezzor

By Leith Fadel
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21/09/2017

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:10 P.M.) – The Russian Ministry of Defense has issued a formal warning to the US military regarding the behavior of their forces in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

“Russia unequivocally told the commanders of US forces in Al Udeid Airbase (Qatar) that it will not tolerate any shelling from the areas where the SDF are stationed,” the Spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, stated this morning, adding that the attacks put at risk Russian military advisers embedded with Syrian government troops.

“Fire from positions in regions [controlled by the SDF] will be suppressed by all means necessary,” he stressed.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have shelled the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions in Deir Ezzor at least two times this week; this has prompted the Russian Ministry of Defense’s to issue a stern warning to Washington.

[Vrej1915]

Chris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMN
A couple graphic images showing two dead SAA soldiers were also published by Amaq Agency in the same batch of pictures; Al-Masdar News has however chosen not to release these photos out of respect for the families of the fallen soldiers.

Despite ISIS’ propaganda wing hinting the contrary, the SAA is advancing rapidly in central Syria while it appears to be only a matter of time before the Islamic State’s pocket in eastern Homs/Hama is liquidated.

[Vrej1915]

In pictures: Syrian Army tanks trapped, destroyed by ISIS in eastern Hama

By Chris Tomson
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21/09/2017

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:00 A.M.) – In a remarkable series of photos, ISIS militants watch close by as an entire convoy of the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) tanks roll along the M45-highway in southeastern Hama.

The photos were released by Amaq Agency overnight and show the SAA convoy being targeted by gunfire, mortar shells and rockets. Two tanks are even shown completely burned out, suggesting them to have been knocked out in battle.

ISIS insurgents also notably deployed a T-55 tank of their own and captured some light weaponry from government forces: Chris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMNChris Tomson | AMN

[Vrej1915]

Pictures: Jihadists suffer hundreds dead, lose dozens of tanks, vehicles in failed north Hama offensive (18+)

By Andrew Illingworth
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20/09/2017


BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:55 P.M.) – The latest offensive by jihadist militias in northern Hama Governorate against the Syrian Army as turned out to be a complete disaster for their forces resulting in hundreds of casualties and the loss of dozens of military vehicles.

Yesterday, both Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate) and the Turkistan Islamic Party launched a huge offensive against Syrian Arab Army positions in northern Hama.

In the event, Syrian Army forces were completely prepared and stopped the offensive dead in its tracks by the end of the day.

Russian and Syrian airpower capitalized on the thwarted jihadist offensive by launching interdiction and strategic raids against militant bases, vehicle convoys and rear-area fire support positions in both northern Hama and southern Idlib provinces.

Now it has become apparent that within the space of 24 hours, jihadist forces lost hundreds of fighters dead as well as dozens of tanks and vehicles destroyed or abandoned.

According to one military source, on the front-lines around northern Hama, at least one militants were killed and another 150-200 wounded. In addition to this, the terrorists lost nine armed pickup trucks, five battle tanks (two of them T-90s which were captured in 2016), four BMP infantry fighting vehicles and two car bombs (both of which never even left their starting off points before being pre-detonated).

However these are only front-line statistics.

Interdiction and strategic raids carried out by the Russian and Syrian air forces throughout northern Hama and southern Idlib also resulted in at least another 200 terrorists being killed.