"French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday joined calls for international observers to oversee the evacuation of civilians trapped under fire in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
At a meeting with his defence cabinet, Hollande said those trapped by the fighting should “be evacuated in a dignified and safe manner, under the supervision of international observers and in the presence of humanitarian organisations,” the presidency said in a statement.
Hollande also demanded that the population of eastern Aleppo receive “unconditional aid and protection” and said only a negotiated political transition could lead to “a lasting victory over terrorism” in Syria." AFP & AMN
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What is this "stiff" polling at now? 4%? 6%?"
On MJ today Mika bleated "but where are they going, all these poor families?" Ayman Mohy ad-Din told her that they were going to Idlib. "Where is that" she stammered. Ayman replied that this is a city and province still held by the jihadis. She stared blankly at him. It appears that she is as stupid and uninformed as Hollande.
The Borgist press carefully avoids describing the civilians voluntarily leaving East Aleppo by Green Bus (Assad Transport, Inc.) as the dependent families of jihadis as well as civilian jihadi cadres themselves. Get on the bus!
BTW I think Francois Fillon looks like a good man to be president of France, but then, I guess I am interfering in the French electoral process.
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"The Syrian army has driven militant groups out of the Aleppo areas that remined under their control, First Deputy Head of the Main Operations Department at the Russian General Staff Lieutenant General Viktor Poznikhir announced on December 15.
“The militants have been driven out of all the quarters that remained under their control as a result of the Syrian troops’ offensive. During the operation, over 900 terrorists have been killed, dozens pieces of heavy weapons and other military equipment have been destroyed,” the general said.
Poznikhir added that “105 city quarters with a total area of 78.5 square kilometers” have been liberated by government forces since the start of the offensive in November, 2016.
Over 3,000 militants have withdrawn from Aleppo under the agreement with the Syrian government. Over a half of the militant have been pardoned by the government.
“A total of 3,033 militants have left Aleppo voluntarily, 1,524 of them have been amnestied and released, while the rest are checked,” Poznikhir said.
Separately, over 1,000 militants have been evacuated from Aleppo via a humanitarian corridor opened from Salah al-Din to the settlement of Al-Rashidin-4."
https://southfront.org/govt-forces-control-100-of-aleppo-city-russian-general-staff/
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Well, well, well. You heard that this would happen first here and at MoA. It seems that "b" and SSTers can read a map and comprehend what happens when forces meet on a battlefield or in a campaign area.
The Palmyra area needs some reinforcement. The IS "reivers" ("Serenity" reference) should not be allowed to get west of Tiyas. The Palmyra salient was basically untenable with the troops available.
Idlib and the Bab al-Hawa crossing should have priority of resources in the next phase. pl
With Trump in power I think Marie Le Penn has a chance at winning the French election. At the very least she’ll pull the centre right guy toward the (real) right.
Lemur
MariNe Le Pen pl
excusez-moi
It seems that “b” and SSTers can read a map and comprehend what happens when forces meet on a battlefield or in a campaign area.
Yes, I agree. In spite of several, some more basic struggles and disagreements with Bernhard. For whatever reason we sometimes even agree. 😉
Concerning maps, but not only that, for the militarily more handicapped members of SST, I appreciate:
militarymaps.info
works quite well, if not best with whatever favored Private Browsing and Anti-Banner you use. The fifth interface from the top helps to shift swiftly to the location you want. Might have helped Mika … Like e.g, Aleppo or Palmyra.
I am still wondering about Lizzy Filan. Or for that matter why Lizzie Phelan as correspondent for RT surfaces with a US flag in Aleppo, though. 😉
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Phelan
Excellent analysis and forecasting on this site, and on MofA.
I just reread Patrick B’s last piece on Aleppo for this site — it holds up and was right.
One hopes that the R + 6 are eventually able to seal off the Turkish border so nothing can cross either way. One hopes that in the long run the R + 6 are able to prevent the GOAJ from saving any of their CLEJs or any of the CLEJ family members.
I cant help but wonder who are these bus drivers?!
SAA personal
It’s remarkable, the same question has been bugging me since the first time I saw this option of negotiated departure via bus in Syria, which is in use for some time already.
Sir
Fillon is being touted as the Thatcher of France. His wife is Welsh. He wants to cut government spending, reduce the bureaucracy and lower taxes. France has languished under statist policies. I think he defeats Le Pen in the general election as even the socialists will back him. That will be a campaign worth following and maybe as entertaining as our recent one. The interesting element is the candidate from the right is more socialist.
All
Nassim Taleb of Black Swan fame has this great chart on Syrian “regime” vs Moderate Rebels.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-15/nassim-taleb-syrian-war-condensed-almost-dummies
There has been excellent detailed reporting about the Palmyra situation (daily+) at colonelcassad.livejournal.com (translation needed). One of yesterday’s posts includes a lengthy eyewitness report by an SAA/militia soldier (apparently German) that had been posted in Arabic on FaceBook. This report provides a much clearer idea of what actually happened – including ISIS tactics, force levels on both sides, SAA/militia performance, etc. Some highlights were: ISIS beginning the assault with a suicide tank loaded with a huge amount of explosives to shock the defenders, Russians blowing the main ammo dump, half of the SAA force running, the other half fighting to then death to hold the city, etc. Also lot’s of photos including many of equipment and arms/munitions captured by ISIS at the Russian base, etc. I would suggest this is a “must read” for those interested in more than the daily “map” view from SouthFront, etc.
This eyewitness report is at the end of yesterday’s post “Fighting for Ties 14.12.16”.
Colonel, today “b” has a analysis on the on going CIA electoral coup against the incoming legally elected President Trump. Base in what he wrote, this is more serious than what I casually heard a few days back. I recomend everbody read his post and call thier congressional reps. If true it should be stoped immediately by we the people.
The numbers in this battle, and war in general, don’t really make much sense to me… A city with close to a million inhabitants, surrounded by an army of nearly 100,000 Syrians and allies, and an unknown number of Jihadists estimated to be between 3,000-5,000, and the outcome of this “battle” is 900 deaths and 3,000 evacuated?
This simply tells me that there wasn’t a battle, and only a very small fraction of that 100,000 Syrian force actually see any direct combat. This reminds me more like some sort of urban gang warfare, than any sort of military confrontation.
Let’s put things into perspective. I’ve heard analogies to Stalingrad…
At the conclusion of the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942, a city of less than half a million residents, the Germans suffered 400,000 casualties, 200,000 Romanians, 130,000 Italians and 120,000 Hungarians perished as well. The Soviets lost well over a million men.
What the Arabs here are practicing is just their usual tribal warfare.
Just when we thought the propaganda couldn’t get any more ridiculous, and EU think tank puts the cherry on top.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4032432/Pro-EU-think-tank-says-Russia-Syria-orchestrating-migrant-sex-attacks-swing-upcoming-German-elections.html?ito=social-facebook
Hollande ? Who is this guy ? Ho, yes, the guy who was crying ” Assad must go !
“. A new trophy for Assad to come! ( Well, I joke, but fell ashamed for my country )
IMO the next objective for SAA will be Saraqib and then Jist al Shogur, to cut djihadist supply lines from Turkey,or maybe Karf Hamra,Adanan,Ad Dana and Samarda.After all victory in Aleppo was possible as soon as SAA regain control of Zahraa and Nubl.
Modern war is about logistic.
aleksandr
Well, I favor one thrust from SW Aleppo to Idlib and another to closure of Bab al-Hawa. pl
Peter in Toronto
“The performance of armies can only be judged in terms of their opponents.” Quoting Churchill there. pl
kooshy
It does not matter. Trump will be elected. pl
The 1st rule of info war is to accuse your enemies of the crimes you are planning to or have committed. Therefore…
All:
EU supports Jihadists in Aleppo:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-leaders-demand-immediate-cease-fire-around-aleppo-1481831145
I too have wondered about that. Can you imagine driving a bus with a couple of dozen head choppers sitting behind you? I hope they are paid double time at least.
A French Thatcher? Mono-economy? Self-determination for Brittany in 30 years? Surely neo-liberalism has run its course?
Peter in Toronto,
My understanding is that the 3000 are fighters and family evacuated to Idlib, but tens of thousands of refugees who have no relationship to jihadi’s were able to get to SAA controlled Aleppo. I do not recall the numbers, but a few minutes with google should suffice. IN any case there were nowhere near the 250,000 claimed as under siege by the Borg media.
Entities have been trying to seal that border for more than a millennium.
National Socialist, Jack. I mean that in the generic use of the term.
Are you aware that the European Council of Foreign Relations is a newcomer among think thanks on the scene?
“foreign powers could collude to destabilise”. No doubt. How many get the “could”, and what is the Daily Mail’s interest with this snippet?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Council_on_Foreign_Relations
Profile:
http://www.ecfr.eu/profile/C346
Interests activity:
http://ecfr.academia.edu/GustavGressel/Activity
*****
I guess, were I British, I would avoid the paper.
Jonst & PA
I used the “candidate from the right is more socialist” more tongue in cheek.
Marine Le Pen is interesting. She pushed over her Dad to take control of the party. He made far to many statements that were deemed anti-Semitic. What I find interesting about her is not her anti-immigration stance but her euro-skepticism. She has stated that if elected she’ll have referendum on whether France should retain the Euro. If France exits that is the end of the EU bloc.
She like Fillon also want better relations with Russia. Where the two diverge is in economic policy. Fillon prefering a more capitalist framework whereas Le Pen prefers a more “managed” trade environment.
It will be difficult for her to win considering that in the second round the entire establishment will back her opponent who is likely to be Fillon.
Fillon is that Thatcher of France only in the propaganda. He was the doormat of Sarkozy. To be a Thatcher, you need a backbone, even if those policies were the right solution, which is doubtful.
I don’t think so. Did you know the FN only has one député, and two senators? Even if she wins, she’ll be powerless.
Since the Zbig is fairly smart, crafty as all hell, as devious as they come and does not seem foolish nor glib and inarticulate during interviews ……. Mika must be the milkman’s daughter.