After “Liberation,”

After “Liberation,” U.S. To Give Control Of Raqqa To “Rebels”, Not Syrian Government

The Syrian city of Raqqa – the “stronghold” of terror group ISIS – will be governed by a “civilian council” with the support of U.S. troops following its “liberation” from terrorists. Their refusal to return the city to the Syrian government will only worsen the nation’s six-year-long civil war.

By Whitney Webb

Global Research, April 21, 2017

MintPress News 20 April 2017

 

While the public justification for the presence of United States troops in Syria has long been focused on fighting the terror group Daesh (ISIS), the recent actions of the U.S. and its allies within Syria continue to suggest that fighting terrorism is merely a cover for a very different type of operation, one that seeks to keep Syria fragmented and destabilized long after any terrorists are defeated.

On Tuesday, the U.S.-allied militias that have been encircling Raqqa – the de facto stronghold of Daesh – announced that they had formed a “civilian council” to govern Raqqa after its capture from Daesh militants. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed militia that comprises a large number of Syrian Kurds, claim to have spent six months setting up the council, with a preparatory committee having met “with the people and important tribal figures of Raqqa city to find out their opinions on how to govern it,” Middle East Eye reported.

SDF spokesman Talal Selo stated that some towns near Raqqa had already been turned over to the council following a successful operation to drive out Daesh forces.

The U.S. military had previously hinted that power would be given to rebel groups following Raqqa’s “liberation” when the head of U.S. Central Command General Joseph Votel told the Senate in early March that military officials anticipated “that America’s allies will need assistance preventing their [Daesh’s] return and establishing Syrian-led peacekeeping efforts” after a successful operation.

Considering that the Syrian government is far from being one of “America’s allies,” Votel’s statement implied that the U.S.-backed militias would be given control of Raqqa and the surrounding area, despite the implications this would have for Syrian sovereignty and further destabilization in the war-torn country.

As MintPress previously reported, Votel also told senators that “conventional U.S. forces would be required to stabilize the region once ISIS fighters are flushed from Raqqa,” meaning that the current U.S. troop build-up around Raqqa is by no means a temporary deployment, but rather the foundation for creating a standing army.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not been surprised as to what the U.S.-backed operation to remove Daesh from Raqqa would bring.

Last week, Assad told Agence France-Presse:

“We support whoever wants to liberate any city from the terrorists, but that doesn’t mean to be liberated from terrorists and being occupied by American forces, for example, or by another proxy, or other terrorists. So, it’s not clear who is going to liberate Raqa. Is it really Syrian forces that are going to hand it over to the Syrian army? Is it going to be in cooperation with the Syrian army? It’s not clear yet.”

Given that the Trump administration’s current position involves the removal of Assad from power, keeping Raqqa out of the Syrian government’s control via a U.S.-backed militia seems like a clear attempt to force Assad’s hand.

While Assad had previously stated that the country’s civil war would likely conclude this year – barring foreign intervention – a U.S.-military-supported rogue government in Raqqa would prevent the Syrian government from reacquiring its territory. Any attempts by the Syrian Army to take back Raqqa from the SDF and U.S. military could allow U.S. officials to demonize Assad and take stronger actions to remove him from power.

However, the U.S. plan is unlikely to go smoothly, given the Kurds’ dominant presence in the SDF. Turkey, Syria’s northern neighbor, will probably not be happy to see a Kurdish-majority group gain governing power over a region near its border, as the Turkish government has long considered Syrian Kurdish militias, including those backed by the U.S., to be terrorist groups. Turkey has repeatedly bombed U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds for this very reason.

Whitney Webb is a MintPress contributor who has written for several news organizations in both English and Spanish; her stories have been featured on ZeroHedge, the Anti-Media, 21st Century Wire, and True Activist among others – she currently resides in Southern Chile.

The original source of this article is MintPress News

Copyright © Whitney Webb, MintPress News, 2017

 long been focused on fighting the terror group Daesh (ISIS), the recent actions of the U.S. and its allies within Syria continue to suggest that fighting terrorism is merely a cover for a very different type of operation, one that seeks to keep Syria fragmented and destabilized long after any terrorists are defeated.

 

Syrian Army Repels Daesh Suicide Attack in Raqqa Province

 

© REUTERS/ Rodi Said

Middle East

13:26 11.06.2016(updated 13:40 11.06.2016) Get short URL

044760

The Syrian army has repelled an attack by a group of underage suicide bombers in the southwestern Raqqa province, a military source told Sputnik on Saturday.

© AP Photo/ Alexander Kots/Komsomolskaya Pravda

Syrian Army Takes Control of Oil Facility, Power Station in Raqqa Province

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – According to the source, four out of the five Daesh jihadist group members managed to blow themselves up.

"[The army] managed to detain the fifth suicide bomber, he is 13 years old. The other bombers were no older than 16," the source said.

Raqqa has been under control of the Daesh, a designated terror group outlawed in the United States and Russia among many other countries, since 2013.

In the past week, the Syrian army has been closing in on Raqqa with air support from the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160611/1041172781/syria-army-daesh.html#ixzz4BGkBOguu

The U.S. Operation In Raqqa

The “ISIS” Capital, Why Now?

TOPICS:Afraa DagherISISMiddle EastSyria

June 4, 2016

Op-Ed by Afraa Dagher

No reasonable person would deny the de facto role of the US in supporting the terrorists gangs in Syria. Since the very beginning of this proxy war against Syria, they were the crystallization of the West’s plan to achieve the destruction of Syria and its army, which, in turn, also helps the Zionist-Israeli plan regarding a new Middle East and a greater “Israel.”

The US depended on its regional allies like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey to destroy Syria by funding, training, smuggling of every kind of armed terrorist to the country.

The opposition recently revealed that a secret document has been signed between themselves and Qatar. In 2012, to get support, in exchange of overthrow president Assad, the Saudi kingdom funded the extremist Islamist terrorists in order to turn over power in Syria to those extremists!

Why doesn’t the US and Israel want Assad in as head of the Syrian government? Why do they prefer a caliphate and “moderate rebels”?

First, it should be remembered that these “rebels” vowed to destroy Syria and reduce the number of Syrian Soldiers.

Second, they never made any demands regarding the Israeli-occupied territories.

These terrorists would give more territory to Turkey.

They would allow the Qatari gas line to cross the Syrian lands!

And what did they achieve from their vows to the US?

Nothing but more sabotage of Syria and its people! Not only that, but they are now running private businesses under international protection due to their classification as a moderate opposition!

These businesses often manage the transfer of refugees from Turkey to Europe on board rickety boats, essentially human trafficking, but when the transit across the sea results in death, they blame the Syrian government. This is in addition to the trade in human organs back and forth between the terrorists, Turkey, and Israel! We should also mention the theft of Syrian archeology and the transfer of it to the West. Also, the drug smuggling operations and the smuggling of terrorists.

Lastly, we can’t forget how this war and the Western sanctions has destroyed the value of our currency too.

However, that was never a concern for the US!

Still, after more than five years of war against Syria, the West and its proxies have not achieved one goal. There is no transitional government. There is no division of Syrian land.

It was depressed for the US, the failure of its regional allies and local clients in changing the government, break the Syrian Army and divide the Syrian land!

For this reason, it is the time for the U.S. to run its media campaign, claiming that the US, alongside with its local allies, are liberating Raqqa, a Syrian province, which has fallen into the hands of ISIS. Of course, this city was conquered “rebels” earlier in this war but the “rebels,” for some reason the U.S. has never explained, simply gave it to ISIS.

The US jets, tanks and commandos have supported the same terrorist groups under the name of the Free Syrian Army as well as what they call the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF. But even to attach the label “Syrian” to any of these groups is disingenuous. There is nothing Syrian about them. The SDF is just another Free Syrian Army as it includes Canadians, Africans and Kurds, the latter being either extremists themselves or fighting for a separate state. I would ask, “Why has the YPG never coordinated with the Syrian Army, since the military represents the whole of Syria and not merely one race, sect, or group?”

In Western media, the purpose of supporting these groups was to defeat ISIS but what about the real purpose?

It is to gain political victories in the Geneva talks, to support the federalization of Syria, and to support the case of separation and to divide the people and the country!

How could anyone believe that the ones who invaded Syria on board enemy tanks would be the ones to liberate our land?

Any group that joined American troops in the north of Syria should never be trusted. This brings to our memory the traitors and idiots in Iraq who actually welcomed the U.S. “liberation.” Indeed, the plan of the United States is to give entire areas of Syria to racial groups, sects, or religious affiliations so that it can break a unified country currently in opposition to its agenda and subsequently gain greater influence of all the resulting “autonomous” regions.

Thus, to thwart this evil plan, we trust that the Syrian Arab Army and the Hezbollah resistance movement backed by their allies, are the only ones who could liberate this land. And the real Syrians who believe in the unity of Syria, whatever their race, sect, or ethnicity are the only ones who have the right to make decisions about Syria.

At the time the US and its agents use their money, which is tainted by Syrian blood, to divide Syria and impose the federalization on this country, for the advantage of a Zio-US project, the Syrian people, with their blessed army, have been paying in blood for the sovereignty and unity of their homeland.

Afraa Dagher is a political analyst currently residing in Syria. She has made numerous media appearances commenting on the current state of affairs inside Syria as well as the nature of the current crisis. She has appeared on RT, PRESS TV, and is a regular guest on Activist Post writer Brandon Turbeville’s Truth on the Tracks radio program. Her website is www.SyrianaAfrona.wordpress.com.

 

Source:  http://www.activistpost.com/2016/06/the-u-s-operation-in-raqqa-the-isis-capital-why-now.html

World War 3:

Russia And Syria To Confront US Army In Raqqa

Submitted by IWB, on June 2nd, 2016

by Sean Adl-Tabatabai

A World War 3 scenario looms as both the Syrian army flanked by Russians, and the US army flanking Kurds head to Raqqa, Syria to ‘destroy ISIS’. 

A massive convoy of soldiers from the Syrian Armed Forces traveled to the Hama-Raqqa border over the weekend, in order to liberate the city from ISIS.

Almasdarnews.com reports:

According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent in Damascus, over 1,500 soldiers, mostly from the Desert Hawks and Syrian Marines, departed for the Hama-Raqqa countryside this weekend after the Syrian Arab Army’s High Command and their Russian military advisers issued orders to liberate Raqqa City.

The entire force is comprised of approximately 4,800-5,000 soldiers from the Syrian Marines, Desert Hawks Brigade, Golani Regiment, 550th Regiment of the 4th Mechanized Division, and Al-Ba’ath Battalions.

 

Due to several setbacks in the months of April and May, the Syrian Armed Forces are no longer inside the western countryside of the Al-Raqqa Governorate.

Instead, the large pro-government force can be seen at the imperative desert town of Ithriya, where they have already made the necessary preparations to strike the Islamic State terrorists.

This latest government offensive is expected to begin in the coming weeks, as more soldiers pour into the east Hama countryside in order to participate in this major assault.

Syrian Warplanes Heavily Pound ISIL Positions in Raqqa

Thu May 19, 2016 4:48

• 

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian air force launched heavy attacks against the ISIL positions in Tabaqa region in the Western part of Raqqa province on Thursday.

The airstrikes inflicted heavy damage on the militants while killing tens of them, including a field commander, a military source said.

Different weapons and equipment belonging to the ISIL terrorists were also destroyed in the attacks, he added.

Local sources disclosed on Tuesday that growing concerns over the imminent operations of the Syrian army troops and their allies have forced the ISIL to extend the "state of emergency" in Raqqa.

"None of the military or non-military members of the ISIL in Raqqa can apply for over a week of vocation, the number of checkpoints and guarding shifts have been increased across the city, operations for digging tunnels and underground hideouts have been accelerated, internet connection in some districts has been banned and most of the command centers of the terrorist group have been transferred to the underground hideouts," the sources said, adding, "Over 10 reconnaissance flights over Raqqa's airspace per day have made the ISIL commanders confused and angry."

Sources said last week that reports about the imminent operations of the Syrian Armed Forces and their allies to liberate the terrorist-held city of Raqqa caused the ISIL leaders to declare state of emergency in the city.

"As soon as the Russian envoy in the UN announced preparation of the Syrian Army and its popular allies to launch large-scale operations to liberate Raqqa and end ISIL siege of Deir Ezzur, the ISIL terrorists started covering their military vehicles and equipment in order not to be identified in case of any airstrike," the sources said.

"The ISIL, meantime, has relocated scores of its forces and has transferred them to new hideouts without any flag of the group," they added.

"The ISIL has built several underground hideouts for such days and has divided the hideouts between the Syrian and non-Syrian commanders," the sources went on to say.

"The underground hideouts are equipped with the depots of foodstuff, weapons and ammunition and enjoy drinking water and electricity," the sources said, adding, "The city of Raqqa enjoys radar and alarming systems to inform the group's members to move to the underground hideouts in the time of air attacks."

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Spokesman Tajir Kobani announced at the time that commanders of the SDF-affiliated groups in Northern Syria have, in a secret meeting, coordinated the process of a joint final operation for liberating Raqqa from the ISIL terrorists.

"Our troops with their heavy weapons have been gathered near Kobani in Northern Syrian," the spokesman said, adding, "We will begin our operation from three directions simultaneously."

"The SDF will make a push for the city from the recently liberated Tishrin dam Northwest of Raqqa, and from two more directions of Tal Abyadh and Hasaka Northeast of Raqqa," Kobani went on to say.

The SDF that is comprised of mainly Kurdish fighters as well as a few hundred Syrian Arab dissident forces have received trainings from the US and have been provided with scanty US-coalition air support in their battles in Raqqa province in Northeastern Syria; but in Northern and Northwestern battlefronts, they have been operating alongside the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and received the Russian air backup in their Aleppo wars that started with the conquest of Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates early in February.     

 

Source:    http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950230000664

 

State of ‘Emergency’: US Officials Say Daesh Readying for Assault in Raqqa

© AP Photo/ Raqqa Media Office

Middle East

00:50 14.05.2016Get short URL

011610

Daesh extremists are rushing to fortify positions in their de-facto capital city of Raqqa in Syria, likely bracing for an external attack, US military officials revealed, citing social media.

"We have seen this declaration of emergency in Raqqa, whatever that means," US Colonel Steve Warren of US-led anti-Daesh coalition told reporters on Friday.

© AFP 2016/ DELIL SOULEIMAN

Daesh 'Underground City': Liberated Syrian Town Reveals Militant Secrets (VIDEO)

Warren said that various reports read that the violent extremist group is in turmoil, feeling “threatened, as they should." He detailed that Daesh is relocating its troops around Raqqa and constructing shields to protect positions from both air and ground attacks in different parts of the city.

Earlier this week, spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance Tajir Kobani told Sputnik that they are readying for a three-pronged attack on Raqqa that would eventually free the city from extremists. The offensives are expected be conducted from the northeast and northwest of the war-torn country, he added.

"Raqqa's liberation," Kobani underscored, "will be a serious blow to Daesh positions in Syria. We intend to liberate the people of Raqqa from the jihadists."

Warren said Daesh is aware of maneuvers planned by the SDF along with the Syrian Arab Coalition “both to their east and to their west," that make the alliance “increasingly able to generate their own combat power in those areas."

© REUTERS/ Ali Hashisho

Dirty Games: Secret Docs Reveal Turkey Turns Blind Eye to Daesh Activities

By repositioning their personnel and military apparatus, Daesh is trying to respond to those activities, he asserted.

“I guess what they think may be coming next," Warren said. "And we've seen reports of them repositioning personnel… either within the city or even out of the city."

Warren added that the movement of extremists throughout Raqqa plays into the hands of the anti-Daesh coalition, as it provides surveillance aircraft with the opportunity to detect extremist positions.

The US military hasn’t confirmed whether Daesh head Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is in the city. His death wouldn’t mean an immediate defeat for the group, as there are said to be other leaders that could replace him, US defense officials said.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160514/1039594166/daesh-readying-assaul-raqqa.html#ixzz48Znj2nhf

France Blasts ISIL Targets in Third Night of Airstrikes on Syria’s Raqqa

© AP Photo/ ECPAD

Middle East

23:10 17.11.2015(updated 23:35 17.11.2015) Get short URL

249962

The French military has launched a new series of airstrikes against the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State terrorist group in Raqqa.

"At this moment, our air force…10 fighter jets are against hitting Raqqa, and as you know tomorrow the aircraft carrier Charles De Gualle will leave for the eastern Mediterranean to continue strikes on specific targets in particular around Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour," said French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to Reuters.

© AP Photo/ French Army

French Strikes Hit 2 Targets in Attacks on ISIL Stronghold in Syria’s Raqqa

"The number of French air force airstrikes on ISIL targets will grow," he added, saying that there would be 36 fighter jets in the region capable of striking IS targets once the Charles de Gaulle reaches its destination.

Using 10 Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, the, most recent strikes eliminated a terrorist command center and training center according to the French Defense Ministry.
"Both targets were hit and destroyed simultaneously," the ministry said in a statement. "Conducted in coordination with US forces, the raid was aimed at sites identified during reconnaissance missions previously carried out by France."

© Sputnik/ Vladimir Pesnya

Paris Terror Attacks Force a Sea Change in French Policy – French Deputy

In light of the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, France has stepped up its efforts to strike the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group in Syria. This has signaled renewed cooperation between France and Russia.
Le Drian also praised Russia’s missile strikes against Raqqa.
Earlier Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to "establish direct contact with the French and work with them as allies."

In a telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin and Francois Hollande agreed to ensure military and intelligence cooperation between Russia and France.
This is the latest major French airstrike against the IS stronghold, after dropping 20 bombs the city on Monday.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151117/1030289772/france-blasts-isil-targets.html#ixzz3rmeobEMC