Uprooted Palestinian: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM – سلام القدس عليكم: SYRIAN WAR REPORT – JULY 17, 2017: ISRAEL OPPOSES TO CEASEFIRE BROKERED BY US AND RUSSIA

Tuesday, 18 July 2017

SYRIAN WAR REPORT – JULY 17, 2017: ISRAEL OPPOSES TO CEASEFIRE BROKERED BY US AND RUSSIA

Thanks for assistance to Fernando Martinez Arauxo

The Syrian Army Tiger Forces and Tribal forces have liberated Bir al-Zamlah, Bir Rumaylan, Eastern Zamlah, the Zamlah pumping station and the gas fields of Zalmah and Khala, and Fahed and Dubaysan oil fields from ISIS terrorists in the southern part of Raqqah province.

Meanwhile, 12 Syrian soldiers have been allegedly killed in Hamima village in the eastern Homs countryside as a result of an ISIS attack started with VBIED. ISIS also claimed that it destroyed two SAA tanks with ATGMs and captured a T-62 tank, a bulldozer, 23mm and 12.7mm guns and two Konkurs missiles. A fighting is ongoing in the area.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) claimed on Sunday that its special operation units have managed to detonate a VBIED inside the Al-Mina al-Bida Naval base operated by the Syrian Navy in the northern part of Lattakia province. According to HTS, the attack killed and wounded of a number of Syrian service members. Some pro-government media argued that the photos are fake. However, local sources said that the explosion took place but without significant damage to equipment or personnel.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are still facing significant problems with breaking the ISIS defense inside the city of Raqqah. Almost no gains were made during last few days. According to Kurdish sources, 200 new US servicemen have joined the Raqqah advance in order to help the SDF to overcome these difficulties. A notable number of US Special Operations Forces units had been already involved in the operation, acting as forward air controllers and snipers and overseeing SDF units.

At the same time, the US-led coalition is attempting to solve the growing tensions between the SDF and local Arabs as well as between Kurdish and Arab factions of the US-backed force. They key problem is that nobody on the ground believes in the mainstream media mantra about so-called Arab allies of the coalition that allegedly are the core of the US-backed force. The SDF is almost fully controlled by Kurdish militias that are going to establish a full political and security control over the city and to include it into their self-proclaimed Kurdish-dominated federation after the defeat of ISIS.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that he opposes the ceasefire deal in southern Syria brokered by the United States and Russia. The reason is that the agreement does not serve so-called Israeli interests. According to Netanyahu, the agreement perpetuates Iranian plans to set up a long-term presence on Israel’s northern border.

Russian diplomat fires back at Israel’s disapproval of Syrian ceasefire

By News Desk

18/07/2017

The ceasefire agreement in southern Syria reached by Moscow and Washington will not be revoked because Israeli fears, a senior Russian parliamentarian wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

Israel categorically opposes the ceasefire agreement reached by the US and Russia as it will give an opportunity for Iran to expand its presence in the region, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper said on Sunday citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said later that the interests of Israel’s security were fully taken into account.

“Israel’s motives are not concealed: it fears the strengthening of Iran’s position in the region, and also, it appears, limited possibilities for Tel Aviv itself to act against [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad]. However, nobody will be revoking such an important document that gives hopes for a breakthrough in the Syrian situation only because of Israel’s guesses about Iran’s hypothetical intentions,” the chairman of the Federation Council’s committee for international affairs Konstantin Kosachev posted on Facebook.

“That is why, it would be more reasonable for Tel Aviv not to come down on the already reached agreement between Russia and the US, but instead find ways how to live with this and reap benefits from victory over Islamic State (a terrorist group outlawed in Russia) which are clear for all countries of the region,” Kosachev said.

The legislator from the upper house of the Russian parliament stressed that Iran is a major participant in Middle East processes and has secured its role in the Syrian settlement with an active position both in the military and diplomatic formats.

Kosachev also said he deemed it important for the US and Russia to carry out ‘in-depth negotiations’ with Israel on the issue.

A ceasefire agreement for southern Syria was reached by Russian and US Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, at their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Germany’s Hamburg on July 7.

Earlier, Netanyahu said Israel would hail real cessation of hostilities in Syria.

More:
http://tass.com/politics/956678

MILITARY SITUATION IN CENTRAL SYRIA ON JULY 17, 2017 (MAP UPDATE)

This map provides a general look at the military situation in the provinces of Homs and Raqqah on July 17, 2017. Government forces are advancing against ISIS south of Resafa and northeast of Palmyra. At the same time, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are clashing with ISIS in the city of Raqqah.

GOVERNMENT FORCES PROGRESS AGAINST ISIS IN SOUTHERN RAQQAH COUNTRYSIDE (MAP UPDATE)

MILITARY SITUATION IN SYRIA ON JULY 17, 2017 (MAP UPDATE)

This map provides a general look at the military situation in Syria on July 17, 2017. Government forces are pushing along the al-Tabqah-Palmyra road in order to besiege ISIS units operating south of the road between al-Tabqah and Salamiyeh.