Israel insists its jets not to blame for downing Russian Il-20

RT2118/9/23
‘We didn’t hide behind any aircraft’: Israel insists its jets not to blame for downing Russian Il-20

Israel says its jets were not to blame for the downing of the Russian Il-20 during an air raid in Syria, and that Moscow has been presented with "thorough" evidence. This conflicts with a Russian military timeline of the incident.

“The IAF (Israeli Air Force) did not hide behind any aircraft and… the Israeli aircraft were in Israeli airspace at the time of the downing of the Russian plane,” the IDF tweeted on Sunday.

The Israeli military also insisted that “the deconfliction mechanism [with the Russian forces] operated in the relevant timeframe.”

“The safety and wellbeing of the Russian troops who operate in Syria are a focal component in every approval of any activity by senior officials in the IDF and in Israel,” it added.

The IDF again squarely laid responsibility for the incident on Syria and its ally Iran. The “severe and tragic” incident has proven that the “use of advanced weapons by irresponsible entities significantly endangers the area,” it said. The statement said Israel will continue to use its “lethal and accurate weapons” to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent presence in Syria.

Earlier on Sunday, Russia’s Defense Ministry presented a minute-by-minute account of the Il-20 reconnaissance plane’s downing in Syria on September 17. It said the blame for the incident, in which 15 Russian troops were killed, “lies entirely with the Israeli Air Force.”

The previously undisclosed radar data and communications showed that the plane was shot down by Syrian air-defense units, while an Israeli F-16 jet was effectively using it as cover during the attack.

The Israeli Air Force gave the Russian side less than a minute’s warning before the bombing, and misinformed it about the positioning of its jets and their targets, Moscow said, calling such actions “a clear violation of the 2015 Russian-Israeli agreements.”

“The military leadership of Israel either has no appreciation for the level of relations with Russia, or has no control over individual commands or commanding officers who understood that their actions would lead to tragedy,” the Defense Ministry said.

Moscow also stated that it’s in possession of other “irrefutable data” that supports materials presented at the Sunday briefing and proves that Israel was responsible.

the Israeli Air Force misled Moscow by providing wrong information

RT2018/9/23‘Criminal negligence’ or disregard to Russia-Israel ties: MoD details chronology of Il-20 downing



A minute-by-minute account of the Il-20 downing shows Israel's culpability and either its military bosses' lack of appreciation of relations with Moscow, or their control of commanding officers, the Russian defense ministry said.

"We believe that the blame for the Russian Il-20 aircraft tragedy lies entirely with the Israeli Air Force," said spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov, before revealing a detailed account of events leading to the downing of the Russian Il-20 military aircraft on September 17. The plane was shot down by the Syrian air defense units as Israeli's F-16s effectively used it as a cover during the attack on its neighbor.

The report featured previously undisclosed radar data and details of communications between Russian and Israeli militaries, and concluded that "the military leadership of Israel either has no appreciation for the level of relations with Russia, or has no control over individual commands or commanding officers who understood that their actions would lead to tragedy."

Misinformation & 'criminal negligence'

On the evening of September 17, the Russian Ilyushin IL-20 with 15 crew on board was circling over the Idlib de-escalation zone on a special reconnaissance mission, when four Israeli F-16 fighter jets left their country's airspace and flew over the neutral Mediterranean waters towards the Syrian coast. The Israeli Air Force gave the Russian side less than a minute's warning before dropping the precision-guided glide bombs, leaving virtually no time for any safety maneuvers, Konashenkov said, calling such actions "a clear violation of the 2015 Russian-Israeli agreements."

Moreover, the Israeli military failed to provide the location of their jets or properly specify their targets, claiming they were going to attack several 'industrial facilities' in northern Syria, close to the Il-20’s area of operation. The misinformation prompted the Russian Command to order the recon plane back to the Khmeimim air base. The Israeli jets, however, instead almost immediately attacked the western Syrian Latakia province.

The misleading information provided by the Israeli officer about the area of strikes did not allow the Russian Il-20 airplane to move timely to a safe area.

Once the Syrian air defenses responded to the initial strike, the Israeli jets switched on radar jamming and pulled back, apparently preparing for another attack. One of the Israeli jets then came closer to the Syrian coast and approached the Russian plane, which was preparing to land at that time.

The Israeli pilot must have been well aware of the fact that the Il-20 has a much larger radar cross-section than his F-16, and would become a "preferred target" for the Syrian air defense units, who use different friend-or-foe systems with the Russians, Konashenkov said. Thus, for the Syrians, the reconnaissance plane could appear as a group of Israeli jets.

"The Israeli jets saw the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 and used it as a shield against the anti-aircraft missiles, while they carried on maneuvering in the region," Konashenkov said during the news briefing.

The actions of the Israeli fighter pilots, which led to the loss of life of 15 Russian servicemen, either lacked professionalism or were an act of criminal negligence, to say the least.

Finally, the Israeli jets carried out their maneuvers in the immediate vicinity of the Khmeimim air base, which is used both by military and civilian aircraft, including passenger planes, the ministry's spokesman emphasized, saying that the reckless actions of the Israeli pilots could also have posed a threat to any passenger or transport aircraft that may have happened to be there at that time.
Israel 'crossed the line of civilized relations' with 'ungrateful response'

Israel's negligent behavior amounts to a flagrant violation of the very spirit of cooperation between the countries, Konashenkov stated, noting that Russia has never broken its commitment to the deconfliction agreement – it has always informed Israel about their missions in advance and has never used its air defense capabilities against the Israelis, even though their airstrikes sometimes put the Russian servicemen in danger.

Russia has sent as many as 310 notifications to the Israeli Air Force Command, while the latter appeared to be reluctant to show the same level of commitment, notifying only 25 times even though its jets carried out more than 200 strikes against targets located in Syria over the past 18 months alone.

"This is an extremely ungrateful response to all that has been done by the Russian Federation for Israel and the Israeli people recently," Konashenkov said.

The Russian military supported the Syrian military operation in the Golan Heights to "ensure there were no shelling attacks on Israeli territory" anymore, thus allowing the UN peacekeeping mission to resume patrolling of the contested border between Syria and Israel after "a six-year hiatus."

Russia also managed to secure the withdrawal of all Iran-backed groups from the Golan Heights to a "safe distance for Israel," more than 140 kilometers to the east of Syria, the spokesperson said, adding that this was done at the request of Tel Aviv. "A total of 1,050 personnel, 24 MLRSs and tactical missiles, as well as 145 pieces of other munitions and military equipment were withdrawn from the area," Konashenkov told journalists.

The Russian Defense Ministry had provided assistance in preserving Jewish sacred places and graves in the city of Aleppo. Putting Russian Special Forces soldiers' lives in danger, it also organized the search for the remains of some Israeli servicemen that died during the past conflicts in an area where the Syrian forces were combating Islamic State (IS, former ISIS) terrorists at that time.

In view of the above, the hostile actions committed by the Israeli Air Force against the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft cross the line of civilized relations.

While Israel said that it mourned the deaths of Russian troops, the IDF statement following the incident shifted all the blame for the incident solely on Damascus, and its Iranian and Lebanese allies.


FARSNEWS2018/9/23
MoD: Israel Violated Agreement with Russia to Prevent Incidents in Syria
TEHRAN (FNA)- Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday that the Israeli Air Force misled Moscow by providing wrong information about the area of the planned air strikes in Syria on September 17, thus preventing the Russian Il-20 from moving to a safe zone.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, the Russian defense ministry spokesman provided more details on the downing of Russian Il-20 military aircraft in Syria on September 17, Sputnik reported.

"Today, we share detailed information about the crash of the Ilyushin IL-20 airplane of the Russian Aerospace Forces near the Syrian coast on September 17. We will present a minute-by-minute account of this tragic incident that was made based on the objective radar readings including those from the Plotto air information display system," he stated.

According to Konashenkov, the Israeli Air Force provided Russia with misleading information on the area of its airstrikes on targets in Syria, which stopped the commander of the Il-20 plane from relocating to the safe zone and led to its destruction.

"During the negotiations via the deconfliction channel, the representative of the Israeli Air Force Command reported that the targets assigned to the Israeli aircraft are located in Northern Syria … As you can see on the map, the Israeli jets delivered strikes in Lattakia which is a Western province of the country − and not in the North of the Syrian Arab Republic. The city of Lattakia is located on the Western coast. The misleading information provided by the Israeli officer about the area of strikes did not allow the Russian Il-20 airplane to move timely to a safe area," Konashenkov added.

Konashenkov told a briefing that the Israeli Air Force notified Russia of its planned attacks on Syrian targets simultaneously with the beginning of the strikes instead of doing it in advance, thereby violating the 2015 bilateral agreements to prevent such incidents in Syrian airspace.

"Israel did not inform the Russian force about its operation in advance − but rather they issued a warning simultaneously with the beginning of the strikes, which constitutes a breach of the agreements. These actions constitute a clear violation of the 2015 Russian-Israeli agreements aiming to prevent clashes between our armed forces, in and over Syria, that were reached by the joint working group," Konashenkov said.

He further added that the IAF has on multiple occasions created potentially dangerous situations for the Russian forces located in Syria, emphasizing that Moscow warned Tel Aviv about its air force operations in the war-ravaged country 12 times more often.

Konashenkov emphasized that the ministry possessed an audio recording proving that the IAF had warned the Russian side in the Russian language about the envisaged airstrike on targets in Syria when Russia's IL-20 was downed.

"The talk was conducted in Russian. The Russian Defense Ministry has a record of the conversation," he stressed.

According to the fresh released information, the Il-20 crew began emergency descending after it was hit by a missile, with pilots of Israeli F-16 fighter jets using the Russian aircraft as a "shield" against Syrian air defenses.

Konashenkov elaborated that an Israeli plane maneuvered toward approaching Il-20 − which was considered as another attack by Syrian air defense systems.

He further debunked claims by the IDF that their jets had already been within Israeli airspace when the Syrian Army launched the missiles that hit the Russian plane, saying that F-16s left the area only 10 minutes after receiving the information on the downing.

"The presented objective data testifies that the actions of the Israeli fighter pilots, which led to the loss of life of 15 Russian servicemen, either lacked professionalism or were an act of criminal negligence to say the least. Therefore, we believe that the blame for the tragedy with the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft lies entirely with the Israeli air forces and those who made the decision to carry out such actions," Konashenkov stressed.

The spokesman went on to say that Israeli jets may have posed a threat to passenger planes when the Il-20 was shot down, and stressed that Russia has never violated the agreement on flights in Syria with Israel.

"Thus, the Israeli jets created a direct threat to any passenger or transport aircraft that could have been there at that time and could have become victims of the adventurism of the Israeli military," Konashenkov added.

The Il-20 vanished from radar screens over the Mediterranean Sea on September 17 after being hit by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile near the Hmeymim air base, which coincided with airstrikes by Israeli F-16s on Syrian targets in the province of Lattakia. Shortly after the incident, the Russian Defense Ministry accused the Israeli Air Force of using the Russian plane as a shield against Syrian air defenses.

While expressing its condolences in connection with the death of 15 servicemen onboard, Israel insisted that Syria was responsible for the tragic incident.

Meanwhile, addressing the incident earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Israel didn't down the Russian plane; it was a “chain of tragic accidental circumstances” that led to the crash.

"Russia's retaliatory measures with regard to the Il-20 downing will be directed primarily at stepping up security of Russian military officers in Syria, our military facilities in the Syrian Arab Republic. These will be the steps everyone will notice," he stressed.

FARSNEWS2018/9/23
Israeli DM: Tel Aviv Won’t Change Syrian Policy Despite Downing of Russian Plane
TEHRAN (FNA)- Israel will not cease operations in Syria, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced just before the Russian military published a detailed chronology of the downing of its Il-20, for which Moscow says Tel Aviv is to blame.

In the run-up to the publication of the Russian Defense Ministry report, Lieberman told local Kan Bet radio that he is not eager to engage in a media debate with Moscow over the incident, RT reported.

However, he was quick to reiterate that Syrian government forces were responsible for the incident.

The top Israeli military official stated that “nothing” has or will change in Tel Aviv’s approach to the Arab Republic, which it considers to be turning into Iran’s “base” for anti-Israeli operations.

The Russian defense ministry published a minute-by-minute account of the Il-20 downing, stressing that the blame for the crash “lies entirely with the Israeli Air Force”.

The plane was on a reconnaissance mission over the Idlib de-escalation zone on Monday when it was shot down by Syrian air defense units responding to an Israeli air raid. Russia insists that Israel left the aircraft almost no time to leave the area before the strike.

Tel Aviv has denied the accusations, shifting all blame for the incident on Damascus. Shortly after the downing of the aircraft, a team of Israeli military officials, including its air force chief, rushed to present Russia with their own version of how events had unfolded. There has been no immediate comment from Israel in response to the Russian MoD report.

ジョージアで生物兵器が研究されているらしい

※　Dilyana Gaytandzhieva @dgaytandzhieva氏の2018/9/23のツイート
US diplomat lies on camera when asked what he is working at in a secret military biolab in #Georgia. This practce is often used by the CIA to provide cover for its agents. The full documentary here http://dilyana.bg/diplomatic-viruses/ …



sputniknews　15:44 14.09.2018
Russian Specialists Studying Documents on US Laboratory in Georgia - Russian MoD
Early reports stated that a number of countries, including Russia, suspected that a laboratory in the Georgian capital may harbor a secret military biological weapons program run by the US military and private contractors.

Russia's Ministry of Defense has analyzed documents connected to the US military's biological program, released by a former Georgian cabinet minister Igor Giorgadze; the results are slated to be published in due time.

"Presently, all documents published on the website of former Georgian (State Security) Minister Igor Giorgadze are being examined by specialists from the Russian Ministry of Defense. The results of the analysis will be revealed to Russia and the global community," the statement of the Ministry of Defense reads.

According to the Ministry, the documents contain some signs pointing to serious violations of the international convention against bioweaponry.

The Lugar Center was opened in 2011 and has received the attention of both journalists and intelligence agencies, including Russia's FSB, which suspects that the lab has been involved in bioweapons research.

Dilyana Gaytandzhieva, a Bulgarian investigative journalist who has written extensively on the Pentagon's alleged secret bioweapons program, believes the Lugar Center is a component of this program.

Dilyana Gaytandzhieva　ディリアナ・ゲイタンディッシュヴァイバは、ブルガリアの女性ジャーナリスト。シリアのテロリストに対するCIAの武器発送を暴いた調査報道で知られています。

※　やのっち(｡･ɜ･)d @_yanocchi0519氏の2018/9/14のツイート
ジョージアのジオルガゼ元国家安全大臣が、証拠を提示し、米国が一部の病気の予防接種を口実に、グルジアの人々に対して細菌兵器や化学兵器の人体実験を行っていたことを暴露️2015年10月、C型肝炎の治療を受けていた約30人の患者のうち、24人が1日のうちに死亡したという。

parstoday　2018年09月13日18時51分
ジョージア元国家安全相、同国でのアメリカの人体実験を暴露
ジョージアの元政府関係者が、証拠を提示し、アメリカが一部の病気の予防接種を口実に、グルジアの人々に対して細菌兵器や化学兵器の人体実験を行っていたことを明らかにしました。
タスニーム通信によりますと、ジョージアのジオルガゼ元国家安全大臣は、１１日火曜、ロシア・モスクワで行われた記者会見で、アメリカの軍と一部の医療関係者が、アメリカの研究所ルガール・センターで、この秘密の人体実験をジョージアの人々に対して行い、一部の証拠は、この事実を証明していることを暴露しました。
ジオルガゼ元国家安全大臣による情報によりますと、２０１５年１０月、C型肝炎の治療を受けていたおよそ３０人の患者のうち、２４人が１日のうちに死亡したが、その死因は不明だとされているということです。

イランの軍事パレードで発砲 25人死亡

Terrorist Attack on Military Parade in Ahwaz

Several Casualties in Terror Attack on Military Parade in Ahwaz

RT2018/9/22
Up to 25 killed, 50+ injured during attack on military parade in Iran – state media
An army parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz has come under attack. Journalists and children are among those shot in an assault that has reportedly left over 20 people dead and more than 50 injured.

Gunmen opened fire from behind the stands during a military parade in Ahvaz on Saturday. The event was attended by members of the local elite, including the Ahvaz governor as well as high-ranking clerics and MPs. Shooting broke out several minutes into the event, which featured troops from the Iranian Army’s 92nd armored division.

The attack has left as many as 25 people dead, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported. Some 60 people were wounded, including women and children. Journalists covering the parade also came under fire.

The assailants were apparently wearing military uniforms, and the attack lasted for about 10 minutes. The agency's Twitter account has released a set of photos showing the aftermath of the assault.

It is said that two out of four attackers were killed as troops and security forces returned fire. Two other assailants were arrested.

According to Irna, the assaults have been claimed by the "Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz" group. The group blamed for the assault is affiliated with Saudi Arabia, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman Ramezan Sharif said, as cited by Press TV. Other Iranian media also consider the assailants to be linked to the Saudis, Iran’s regional arch rival. There has been no reaction from the Saudi side so far, nor has Tehran elaborated on the accusations.

Iran’s military later said that the terrorists were trained by two “Gulf countries” and had ties to the US and Israeli spy agency Mossad, Reuters reported citing brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi. Neither Washington nor Tel-Aviv have commented on the claim so far and Iran has also not elaborated on the accusation.

The attack comes as the nation commemorates the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War that ended in 1988. The anniversary was marked by a grand military event in Tehran, where mobile missile launchers, heavy armor, and troops paraded through the main street of the capital.

During the Tehran parade, Iranian leaders seized the opportunity to send a message to the US. Hassan Rouhani said Iran will never abandon its efforts to develop ballistic missiles, as these are “the most powerful weapons of the Islamic Republic.” He stressed their “defensive” nature, however.

RT2018/9/22
Dramatic footage made on the spot shows the moment assailants opened fire at troops participating in an Iranian Army parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz.

The video emerged shortly after the attack took place. A trembling camera records soldiers lying on the ground while multiple gunshots are heard in the background. Several seconds into the footage, troops wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles are seen crawling through the area.

Warning! Footage contains scenes you may find disturbing.


RT2018/9/22
Several killed as militants open fire at military parade in southern Iran – state TV
Unknown assailants have attacked an army parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, local media report. The attack has left several people dead, it is said.

Gunmen opened fire from behind the stands during a military parade in Ahvaz on Saturday, killing and injuring several people. The attack comes as the nation commemorates the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.

Shooting broke out several minutes into the parade, which featured troops from the Iranian Army’s 92nd armored division, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported. The assailants were apparently wearing military uniforms, and the attack lasted for about 10 minutes.

The agency's Twitter account has released a set of photos showing the aftermath of the attack.

The gunfire has left as many as 20 people injured before the troops and security forces returned fire and eliminated the attackers, IRNA reports.

The parade was attended by members of the local elite, including the Ahvaz governor as well as high-ranking clerics and MPs. No one has claimed credit for the shooting yet.

AMN2018/9/22
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:00 A.M.) – A group of unknown assailants targeted the Iranian Army parade in the town of Ahvaz this morning, the state-owned media reported.

According to Iranian state media, the unknown assailants opened fire on a number of people at the Iranian Army parade, resulting in several casualties.

FARSNEWS2018/9/22
Military Parades Start in Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- Various units of the Islamic Republic Army, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Law Enforcement Police and Basij (volunteer) forces started nationwide parades in Tehran and other cities across the country on Saturday morning.

In Tehran, the ceremony took place at the mausoleum of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, the Late Imam Khomeini, South of the capital.

The parades mark the start of the Sacred Defense Week, commemorating Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s.

Different units of Iran's military forces marched in uniform before top Army and IRGC commanders in a show of military might and defensive power.

The ceremony in Tehran was participated by senior military and government officials, including Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri and President Hassan Rouhani, as well as foreign diplomats, military attaches and reporters.

Typical units of the Islamic Republic Army, the IRGC, Basij forces and the Islamic Republic of Iran's Law Enforcement Police participated in the parades.

Also, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and other commanders of the IRGC, Army and Basij forces participated in a similar ceremony in the Southern province of Hormozgan and the territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

Foreign delegates as well as military and civilian officials were also present in the ceremony. Ranking commanders of the Armed Forces also took part in the ceremony.

Different surface and subsurface vessels, air force and naval units of the Army and the IRGC participated in the parades in the Persian Gulf.

イスラエル軍幹部がロシアに事件の説明 ロシア納得せず

FARSNEWS2018/9/22
Russia Rejects Israeli Findings on Downed Plane
TEHRAN (FNA)- Russia rejected the findings of an Israeli investigation into the deadly crash of a Russian military aircraft in the Syrian province of Lattakia, and called on Tel Aviv to launch a new probe into the matter.

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper said on Friday that the Russians had not accepted Israel's findings, which considered Moscow and Damascus responsible for the downing of a Russian Ilyushin 20 reconnaissance aircraft some 35 kilometers off the coast of ‎Lattakia as it was returning to a nearby Russian base earlier in the week.

15 Russian servicemen were killed in the incident.

Haaretz’ report came after an Israeli delegation led by Amikam Norkin, the regime’s air force commander, visited Moscow to brief Russian officials on Tel Aviv’s initial investigation of the incident.

The paper noted that the visit failed to defuse the crisis and the Kremlin rejected the Israeli conclusion that Syrian forces were to blame for the incident.

During their meetings in Moscow, Norkin’s delegation claimed that the Syrian military had fired more than 20 missiles – including the missile that hit the Russian plane – “in an unprofessional manner”.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Israeli military official said the Israeli warplanes were “nowhere near the Russian plane when it was shot down”, adding that the aircraft had been fired upon at a point when Israel’s aircraft were already landing in Israel.

The delegation claimed that the Russians did have sufficient advance notice, but failed to divert the plane from harm’s way after it had completed its surveillance mission.

Earlier, the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv had censured Israel for its “irresponsible and unfriendly actions”, and pinned the blame on Israel’s Air Force, which was conducting aerial assaults against Syrian army positions when the incident happened.

“Moscow views as irresponsible and unfriendly actions of Israeli Air Force, which exposed Russian Il-20 aircraft to danger and led to the deaths of 15 servicemen,” it said in a tweet, adding that Russia would “take all necessary measures to eliminate the threat to life and security of our military fighting against terrorism”.

The Israel regime has over the past years carried out numerous strikes against the Syrian army positions in what is widely viewed as an attempt to help the terrorists survive in the face of successful Syrian army operations. It has defied criticisms of its unlawful military actions against Syrian soil.

The regime’s minister for military affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, stated Thursday that the regime would not stop such attacks, but would do more to “de-conflict” them with the Russian forces.

AMN2018/9/22
Netanyahu orders Israeli Air Force to maintain contat with Russia in Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:00 P.M.) – Israeli Air Force commander Major General Amikam Norkin met with the Russian military command on Friday to discuss a number of topics, including the recent downing of the IL-20 aircraft.

Following the meeting with the Russian command, Norkin informed the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the results of the meeting.

Netanyahu’s office released a statement in which the premier called for Israel to maintain contact with the Russian military command in Syria.

“This morning, Prime Minister Netanyahu held a meeting with the leadership of the security bloc, during which he listened to a detailed report of Air Force Commander Norkin on the talks in Moscow,” the press release said.

“The prime minister instructed [Norkin] to continue constant contacts with Russia,” the office said in a statement.

AMN2018/9/20
Israel MoD blames ‘unprofessional’ Syrian military for shooting down Russian aircraft
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:50 P.M.) – The Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman stated on Thursday morning that the ‘unprofessional’ Syrian military was to blame for shooting down the Russian aircraft off the coast of Latakia on Monday evening.

“The plane was shot down by irresponsible and unprofessional Syrian air defense personnel who fired when (our) air force jets had already returned to Israeli territory,” Lieberman told Israel’s Army Radio.

Lieberman expressed his sorrow for the lost Russian servicemen, while also acknowledging Russian President Vladimir Putin’s words regarding the downing of the IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft.

“I accept Russian President (Vladimir Putin’s) words that it was a tragic mistake, but the one responsible for this tragic mistake is (Syrian President Bashar al-) Assad’s army,” Lieberman added.

However, the Russian Embassy in Israel did not see eye-to-eye with Lieberman on this claim, as they blamed the Israeli military for the downing of the aircraft.

“Moscow views as irresponsible and unfriendly actions of Israeli Air Force, which exposed Russian Il-20 aircraft to danger and lead to the death of 15 servicemen,” the official Twitter account of the Russian Embassy in Israel tweeted on Thursday.

“Russia would take all necessary measures to eliminate threat to life and security of our military fighting against terrorism,” they added.

AMN2018/9/20
Assad says downing of IL-20 aircraft ‘result of Israeli arrogance’
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has sent a letter to Russian president Vladimir Putin, expressing his condolences over the recent Russian Il-20 plane crash in Syria, local media reported.

Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad wrote in his letter to Vladimir Putin that the Russian Il-20 plane crash near Hmeymim air base was a result of Israeli arrogance, SANA news agency reported.

Syrian president expressed his condolences over the tragedy and said that he hoped that the plane crash would not impede Russian and Syrian joint fight against terrorism.

The Russian Hmeymim airbase in Syria had lost contact with the Il-20 military aircraft late on Monday during the attack of Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia.

The Russian Defense Ministry said later that the Israeli military deliberately created a dangerous situation by using the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems.

Earlier, Israeli military delegation led by Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin will travel to Moscow on September 20 with information about the crash of the aircraft.

RT2018/9/19
Satellite pics show Syria strike as IAF chief goes to Moscow to explain Il-20 incident

Timely released satellite images have revealed the destruction left by IDF air strikes in Syria’s Latakia after Israel was forced to make a rare admission to the raid which resulted in the downing of the Russian Il-20 recon plane.

On Wednesday, Israeli satellite imaging company ImageSat released three photos of an “ammunition warehouse” in Latakia, showing it before and after the Monday night attack. The three photos, posted on Twitter, show the building was completely destroyed in the strike.

Israel does not normally acknowledge its airstrikes in Syria, at least not until much later. However, the IDF made a rare immediate admission of responsibility on Tuesday, after the Russian Defense Ministry identified Israeli F-16 jets as taking part in the attack, and said the Il-20 aerial observation platform vanished from radars during the strike.

Moscow criticized Israel for not providing advance warning of the raid and said the Israeli jets used the Russian plane to mask their approach. Targeting the Israelis, Syrian air defenses fired the missile that shot down the Il-20 instead.

The IDF rushed to explain that their airstrikes targeted a Syrian army facility “from which weapons-manufacturing systems were supposed to be transferred to Iran and Hezbollah.” On Tuesday, the IDF expressed“sorrow” for the deaths of Russian airmen, but once again said the responsibility lies with the “Assad regime.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to express his condolences and offered to send his air force chief to Russia with a detailed report.

Major-General Amikam Norkin will arrive in Moscow on Thursday, and will present the situation report on the incident, including the “the findings of the IDF inquiry regarding the event,” and the “pre-mission information” the Israeli military was so reluctant to share in advance.

Norkin will be joined by Brigadier General Erez Maisel of the International Cooperation Unit, as well as officers of the Intelligence and Operations directorates of the Israeli air force, according to the IDF. The delegation is also supposed to further acquit themselves of any blame and inform Moscow of “continuous Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organization and to establish an Iranian military presence in Syria.”

Though the Russian military condemned“these provocative actions by Israel as hostile” and said it reserves “the right to an adequate response,” President Putin described the loss of the plane as a likely "chain of tragic accidental circumstances," rather than a deliberate provocation.

Monday’s attack came just hours after Russia and Turkey negotiated a partial demilitarization of the Idlib province, which is the last remaining stronghold of anti-government militants, including the Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (also known as the Jabhat Al-Nusra).

At the request of Damascus, Russia sent an expeditionary force to Syria in September 2015, to help the government defeat Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and other terrorist groups.

アサンジのロシア逃避について接触はないとロシア

FARSNEWS2018/9/22
Russia Denies Contacting Assange's Associates over Alleged Escape Plan
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday Moscow has not held any talks either with the associates of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange or the staff of the Ecuadoran Embassy in London, where he has been residing for years, regarding Assange's reportedly prepared escape from the United Kingdom.

"The article contains a whole series of similar anti-Russia innuendos. On our part, we stress that Russian diplomats have not contacted either the staff of the Ecuadoran Embassy in London or Mr. Assange's associates in order to assist in his leaving the territory of the United Kingdom," the foreign ministry stated, Sputnik reported.

The foreign ministry added that regular meetings between Russian and Ecuadoran diplomats in London were nothing more than a regular practice of diplomatic relations.

On Friday, The Guardian newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources, that Russia had allegedly secretly contacted Assange's associates in London in order to help him escape from the embassy. According to the newspaper, Russia was considered as one of the options for his final destination.

Assange has been residing in the Ecuadorian Embassy since June 2012 after the United Kingdom granted his extradition to Sweden, where he was accused of sexual offenses. While the Swedish police dropped the charges in 2017, Assange is still wary of being extradited to the United States, where he is wanted for leaking classified documents of the US State Department.

Russia turned tide of war when ISIS was about to ‘roll over Damascus’

Russia turned tide of war when ISIS was about to ‘roll over Damascus’ – top Israeli commander
Russia’s military presence in Syria has effectively turned the tide of war back in 2015, the year Islamic State was about to “roll over Damascus,” the head of Israeli Air Force intelligence said in an interview.

The Aerial campaign Russia started against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) in 2015 had “categorically” decided the fate of war in President Bashar Assad’s favor, Brig. Gen. Uri Oron, head of the Israeli Air Force Intelligence, told Haaretz newspaper. He acknowledged the Russians came at the time when Syrian defenses were on the brink of collapse.

“In the summer of 2015 everyone was sure that ISIS was about to roll over Damascus too,” Oron opined. The Russian deployment in Syria “was one of the strongest things to shape reality in the area in recent years,” along with the milestone nuclear deal the six major world powers signed with Iran the same year.

Dozens of Russian warplanes, including the state of the art fighter jets, tactical bombers and attack helicopters, are now stationed at Khmeimim airbase in Syria’s Latakia province. The fortified compound is protected by S-400 air defense systems.

In Oron’s view, the situation is changing rapidly on the ground, and Damascus secured huge strategic wins over the past months after it regained sovereignty over militants-held parts of Syria. “In south Syria, the story is over,” Oron said.

Asked if Russian presence constrain Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) operations, Oron said: “It challenges us. We have to be very precise.” Nevertheless, he stated that does not mean “the IAF only flies in Israeli skies.”

Russia and Israel established a military-to-military hotline to prevent dangerous encounters in Syrian airspace, yet an incident involving both sides still occured just recently.

A Russian Ilyushin Il-20 surveillance plane, with 15 crew on board, was shot down by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile earlier in September. Syrian air defenses were trying to repel an Israeli attack in Latakia province, and the Russian military said Israel’s jets were using the Russian plane for “cover” during the strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “regret” over the loss of lives and promised to assist in investigating into the incident. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the downing of the plane as a tragedy, but noted the incident “looks like a chain of tragic circumstances, because the Israeli plane didn’t shoot down our jet.”

Israel rarely acknowledges carrying out raids in Syria, but recently the Israeli military revealed that it carried out at least 202 attacks on Iranian targets in the war-torn country. A total of 792 bombs and missiles were launched at Syria since 2017, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) informed, saying the strikes were to hamper Iran’s influence in the region. Damascus has repeatedly branded such sorties "a violation" of its sovereignty.

The intelligence chief casually claimed Tehran is striving to dominate the country, despite Iran says its military advisers are present on Syrian soil upon an official request from the Syrian government.

Intense clashes breakout between Syrian Army and Turkish-backed forces in east Aleppo

Intense clashes breakout between Syrian Army and Turkish-backed forces in east Aleppo

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – Intense clashes broke-out between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Turkish-backed rebels in east Aleppo this evening after a relatively quiet few months.

According to a military source in Damascus, the intense clashes broke out after the Syrian Arab Army fired a couple of mortar shells towards the Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) positions at Al-Bab in east Aleppo.

In response, the Turkish-backed rebels fired several missiles towards the Syrian Arab Army’s positions in the nearby town of Tadef, which is just south of Al-Bab.

A flurry of gunfire was then exchanged between the Syrian Arab Army and Turkish-backed rebels near the Al-Bab-Tadef axis, resulting in a fierce engagement this evening.

The clashes are still ongoing at this time; however, the total number of casualties for either party is still unknown.

This is the first major confrontation between the Syrian Arab Army and Turkish-backed rebels at the Al-Bab axis in nearly a year.

Russian Navy Preparing for Military Operation in Northwestern Syria If Ankara-Moscow Agreement Fails

FARANEWS2018/9/22
Russian Navy Preparing for Military Operation in Northwestern Syria If Ankara-Moscow Agreement Fails
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Russian destroyers are preparing to launch massive attacks on terrorists' positions in Northwestern Syria as commanders of two main terrorist groups opposed a reconciliation agreement endorsed by Moscow and Ankara, a Russian media outlet reported on Saturday.

The Arabic-language website of RT quoted Vladimir Mokhin, a Russian analyst, as saying that Russian navy's current drills in Eastern Mediterranean Sea and its air drills in a large region between Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus that will last till September 26 have reinvigorated, speculations that the Russian destroyers might come into operation and launch missile attacks on terrorists' positions in Idlib if needed.

RT further said that Moscow and Ankara have been preparing for such a scenario, adding that as the Turkish Foreign Minister and Defense Minister has announced, Ankara forces will remain in Idlib in coordination with the Russian side, the Russian forces are also preparing to kick off military operation against terrorists if the agreement endorsed by Moscow and Ankara fails.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday that the terrorist groups of Horas al-Din, Ansar al-Tohid, Ansar al-Din, Ansar Allah, Tajamo al-Forqan, Jund al-Aqsa and more groups affiliated to Tahrir al-Sham declared their opposition to the Turkish-Russian agreement on Idlib.

It further said that the opposing terrorist groups rejected to retreat from contact lines with the Syrian army from Jisr al-Shughour to Eastern Idlib and underlined that they will counter any side that would try to disarm them or force them to retreat.

In the meantime, militant-affiliated sources reported that senior commanders of Tahrir al-Sham, including Bu al-Yaqzan Mesri and Abu Mariyeh Qahtani, opposed the contents of Sochi agreement endorsed by Moscow and Ankara.

The sources further said that the Mufti (religious leader) of Tahrir al-Sham, Abu al-Fatah al-Farqani Mesri, has warned that if they retreat then they would be forced to hand over their arms, witness disunity and loss of power.

They went on to say that former Head of the Political Office of Tahrir al-Sham Zeid al-Atar has also said that the group's weapon is a sign of their strength and will guaranty their future objectives.

On Monday, after three-hour negotiations between Turkish President Rajab Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin , Russia and Turkey agreed to create by October 15 a demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib province along the contact line between the Syrian government forces and the armed opposition. According to Ankara’s proposal, the armed opposition’s tanks, multiple launch rocket systems and other heavy weaponry are to be fully withdrawn from the area by October 10. The demilitarized zone will be controlled by mobile patrol groups of the Turkish military and Russia’s military police.

Idlib is the only Syrian province still controlled by illegal armed groups. In 2017, a de-escalation zone was established in the region, where militants reluctant to lay down their arms can move together with their families. According to United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, Idlib currently hosts about 10,000 militants from the Jabhat al-Nusra and Al-Qaeda terror groups. In case Damascus succeeds in restoring control over Idlib, it will bring large-scale military activities in Syria to an end.

サウジ系のテロリスト集団は地下トンネル掘削作業に従事した囚人の多くを殺した

これほどの規模のトンネルを素人が作れるものだろうか、業者に発注したのではないかと思っていましたが、少なくともこのトンネルに関する限り奴隷労働によるものだとされています。

EU’s Tusk delivers savage blow to Theresa May: Brexit plan ‘will not work’

EU’s Tusk delivers savage blow to Theresa May: Brexit plan ‘will not work’
The head of the European Council (EC) has declared that Theresa May’s proposed economic partnership with the EU post-Brexit “will not work.” EC President Donald Tusk says the UK PM’s plans risk undermining the EU’s single market.

Tusk was speaking at the end of an EU summit in Salzburg, where the leaders of the 27 remaining states in the bloc were discussing Brexit. He said that while there were “positive elements” in May’s Chequers plan, a deal that puts the single market at risk cannot be accepted.

“Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic co-operation will not work, not least because it is undermining the single market,” Tusk said, adding that he could not “exclude” the possibility that the UK could exit the EU in March with no deal.

May has been urging her European counterparts to accept her controversial Chequers plan, which has divided the Conservative party and the UK in general after it was thrashed out back in July. Despite the glacially-slow negotiation process, the UK is set to leave the EU on March 29 2019 – with or without an exit deal.

One of the main issues which has seen May and the EU at loggerheads has been how to avoid new checks on the Irish border. May has claimed that her proposals were the “only serious, credible” way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister said during a press conference after the Salzburg meeting that she would not accept the EU’s “backstop” plan to avoid a Northern Ireland hard border. She said the UK would shortly be bringing forward its own proposals.

ルクバン難民キャンプ

AMN2018/9/20
Breaking: Russian FM says US proposed refugees leave Rukban camp for SAA territory
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:15 P.M.) -The U.S. proposed refugees at the Rukban Camp in southern Homs leave the area for Syrian government-held territories, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday afternoon.

The Russian Foreign Ministry did not provide anymore details regarding this alleged proposition by the U.S. military.

The U.S. and Russian governments have been at odds over the fate of the Rukban Refugee Camp, with both sides trading accusations over the suffering of the people there.

Due to the U.S.’ control over the Tanf Zone in southern Homs, the Damascus and Moscow have blamed Washington for the plight of the refugees, adding that their occupation of this vast desert area has done more harm than good.

In turn, the U.S. has accused the Syrian and Russian governments of purposely prohibiting aid from reaching the Rukban Camp.

With the recent departure of one of the largest U.S.-backed rebel groups in the Tanf Zone, it appears that the U.S. is working to find a solution to issue with the Rukban Camp and their eventual departure from the area.


AMN2018/8/31
Syria plans first transition of refugees from Rukban Camp
The Syrian government is planning the first organized transition of Syrian refugees from the Rukban refugee camp to their places of previous residence, representative for the Syrian Interior Ministry Hasan Maruf stated on Thursday. The camp is located in the US-controlled Al-Tanf area.

US hampering humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria’s Rukban, al-Tanf and Raqqa
“An important issue for us is the presence of Syrian citizens at the Rukban camp. Currently, we are planning the first organized transition of our citizens to the places of pre-war residence,” Maruf said during a joint session of interdepartmental coordination headquarters supervising the return of refugees to Syria.

※　Maurice Schleepen @MauriceSchleepe氏の2018/8/23のツイート
Maria,#Zakharova,called on the #US to fulfill its international legal obligations & withdraw its forces from #Syria,added #US forces in Al-Tanf & Al-Rukban camp are fully aware of the presence of #IS & Al-Nusra terrorists in the Camp & are using the displaced as Human Shields.



上の地図でAl-Tanfと書いてあるところの国境線沿い少し西です


右下の部分を拡大しています。


遠望写真。まったくの砂漠です。水や食料の確保はどうしたのでしょう。このキャンプにはテロリストの家族も住んでいました。

米国の侵略戦争はテロリストと正規軍の二段構え

テロリストを先兵とした他国侵略戦略を米国は捨てられないでしょう。アフガニスタンに移動させたり、リビアに送り出したりしていますが、イドリブに多数が残されてしまいました。ロシアとシリアがイドリブのテロリストを掃討することを何としてでも食い止めたいとの米国の狙いがあらわになっています。

米国が必死なのにイスラエルはあまり発言、行動しているようには見えませんから、アルカイダ、アルヌスラは米国がコントロールする直轄に近い傭兵のようです。

今は、ロシアと米国が互いに戦力を誇示していますが、衝突の危険性もあるのではないかと見ています。

イドリブにいるテロリストは5万人とも言われており、逃がすにはトルコ経由しかありません。トルコはコアのテロリストを懐柔、支配しきれていませんから受け入れは拒否するでしょう。そうであれば、シリア軍の攻撃を引き延ばすしか手はないことになります。南部のアルタンフでも同じ構図になっています。



AMN2018/9/20
Over 2,500 ISIS members transferred from Syria to Afghanistan – CSTO
BEIRUT, LEBNAON (1:00 P.M.) – The Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said on Thursday that a large number of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists had left Syria for Afghanistan this year.

“Over 2,500 ISIL members redeployed to Afghan-Pakistani zone from Syria in 2018.”

The CSTO Joint Staff then said that most of the Islamic State terrorists are now concentrated in Afghanistan following their heavy losses in Syria, Iraq, and Libya.

“Afghanistan is now the principal center of the Islamic State terrorists.

The CTSO report did not specify how the Islamic State terrorists were transferred from Syria to Afghanistan; however, in the past, Russia has accused the U.S. of moving these militants to the country.

Currently, the Islamic State still maintains a large presence in eastern Syria, despite ongoing efforts of the US-backed forces and Syrian government troops to clear the terrorist group from this vast desert region.

In recent months, the Islamic State has taken to the Syrian Desert to evade capture by the government troops and US-backed forces; this has also allowed them to carry out hit-and-run attacks against both entities.

As of now, both the Syrian Army and US-backed forces are attempting to clear the Deir Ezzor Governorate of the remaining Islamic State terrorists before the new year.

FARSNEWS2018/9/16
Syrian Military Expert: US Attempts to Help Terrorists Survive Idlib Operations
TEHRAN (FNA)- The US is attempting to foil the Syrian army's efforts to launch massive operations against the terrorists in Idlib, a prominent Syrian military analyst said, adding that the militants are preparing to launch false-flag chemical attacks in the province.

Colonel Mar'ei Hamdan said that the terrorists have transferred mustard gas to Idlib, adding that they are to use the gas in a false-flag operation in a bid to accuse the Damascus government of a chemical attack.

He added that the terrorists in Idlib coordinate these operations with their main supporter, the US, in a bid to frame the Syrian army and push the army plan for Idlib into failure.

Hamdan said that given the fact that the Idlib operations will be the last major anti-terrorism battle in Syria, the US who attempts to maintain the status quo for a foreseeable future, is trying to block the Syrian army's military operations or lead it into failure after the start.

On Saturday, the Russian defense ministry announced that militants in Syria’s Idlib have transported several canisters containing chlorine to the village of Bsanqul, apparently preparing to stage a false flag chemical attack.

The chlorine-filled canisters were delivered by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants of Tahrir al Sham, formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, a spokesman of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, Lieutenant General Vladimir Savchenko, said in a statement.

He added that the latest developments showed that the militants are preparing for a false flag attack that would be used to accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against its people.

This is the latest warning from the Russian military on what it says is a chemical “provocation” in the making. On Wednesday, it noted that the White Helmets group has shot videos intended to be used in framing the Syrian government. Earlier, the MoD stated that toxic chemicals had been delivered Idlib and accused the White Helmets of carrying out the delivery.


RT2018/9/14
In Idlib it’s different? For US, ‘humanitarian’ concerns supersede rooting out Al-Qaeda
With Al-Qaeda’s last major foothold in Syria now under threat, the US has suddenly become deeply concerned about civilians that could be caught in the crossfire – even as the US military loosens its own rules of engagement.

Citing humanitarian concerns, Washington has now signaled that even a conventional attack on Idlib, branded by Moscow "a terrorist nest," could result in military action from the US and its allies. The Syrian military is reportedly preparing to launch an offense to liberate the northwestern province from the jihadists.

Idlib, it seems, is different: The US military has always found a way to justify its anti-terrorism operations – even in urban areas. In fact, as Nicolas J. S. Davies, author of 'Blood On Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq', told RT, the US military continues to loosen its rules of engagement so that its bombing campaigns don’t run into any red tape.

“The Obama administration had already loosened rules of engagement in the war against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq to permit more killing of civilians in the bombing campaign the US conducted,” Davies said.

“They expended over 100,000 bombs and missiles to destroy cities like Raqqa and Mosul. President Trump has reportedly loosened rules of engagement further.”

RT’s Igor Zhdanov looks into how the US approach in fighting terrorists differs depending on the region – or the motive.

AMN2018/9/14
US sends powerful message to Iran, Russia in latest military drills with Syrian rebels
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:40 A.M.) – The U.S. and their rebel allies recently conducted an eight-day long military exercise in the Tanf region of southern Syria this week.

Speaking to Reuters this week, the commander of the US-backed Maghawir Al-Thawra group, Muhannad Al-Talaa, said that the military exercise included live-fire air and ground assaults that included hundreds of U.S. and rebel rebel personnel.

“These exercises have a big importance and have beefed up the defenses of the area and raised the combat capabilities and morale and that of civilians in the area,” Talaa told Reuters by phone from Tanf.

Furthermore, the U.S. military drills sent a powerful message to the Russian and Iranian forces that have surrounded this large desert area near the Iraqi border.

A U.S. military spokesman said the exercises were a show of force and that the Pentagon had notified Moscow through “deconfliction” channels to prevent “miscommunication or escalate tension”.

“The exercise was conducted to reinforce our capabilities and ensure we are ready to respond to any threat to our forces within our area of operations’” Colonel Sean Ryan told Reuters in an email response.

RT2018/9/13
US destroyer arrives in Mediterranean as Syria tensions rise
With the arrival of another guided missile destroyer to the Mediterranean, the US may have 200 ‘Tomahawks’ ready for a strike on Syria, as Russia warns that jihadist groups in Idlib are planning a fake chemical attack.

The USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, entered the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar on Wednesday, the Russian news agency Interfax reported citing international maritime monitoring data. A Gibraltar-watcher confirmed the destroyer’s transit on September 12.

With the arrival of the Bulkeley, the US forces in the region have up to 200 ‘Tomahawk’ cruise missiles available to strike targets in Syria if ordered to do so, Interfax reported. Last week, the attack submarine USS Newport News (SSN-750) arrived in the Mediterranean as well.

Last week, Russia conducted massive naval maneuvers off the Syrian coast, culminating in marine landing drills and missile launches. The presence of Russian ships in the area was seen as a possible deterrent to further US military action against Syria.

Washington has repeatedly claimed that the government in Damascus is preparing chemical attacks against civilians in the Idlib province, the last remaining bastion of jihadist rebel groups. The most powerful of these groups is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra; it is an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization the US holds responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The White Helmets, a self-proclaimed civil defense group that operates solely in rebel-held areas, also have a presence in Idlib.

Russia has accused the White Helmets of staging a chemical attack in Idlib in order to provoke a Western military intervention in Syria. The group has already filmed at least nine videos intended to serve as evidence of claims that Damascus has used chlorine against civilians in Idlib, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria said on Wednesday.

China slashes US Treasury securities to six-month low as trade tensions mount

China slashes US Treasury securities to six-month low as trade tensions mount
The biggest holder of US Treasury bills, notes and bonds – China – has dropped $7.8 billion worth of US sovereign debt as a large-scale trade conflict, launched by Washington earlier this year, breaks new ground.

The latest statistics released by the US Treasury Department showed that China’s share of US sovereign bonds hit a six month low of $1.171 trillion in July, from $1.178 trillion in the previous month. Brazil, the UK, Switzerland, Germany and Hong Kong followed the suit. China’s July outflow of treasuries was the third in the past four months.

At the same time, Japan, the second biggest holder of US debt, reportedly increased its share of US debt holdings in July, as did Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Singapore and France.

The escalating trade spat between Beijing and Washington began in early July when US President Donald Trump introduced export tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods – with the move triggering an immediate retaliation. The mutual imposition of export duties along with numerous threats to toughen the measures evoked a plunge in the Chinese national currency by nearly two percent at the time.

“It doesn’t surprise me, given the weakening of the yuan over the course of the month of July,” John Briggs, head of strategy for the Americas at NatWest Markets, told Bloomberg. “They could be diversifying their holdings, of course, but that could be the reason.”

So far, the US-China trade conflict has culminated in Washington slapping 10 percent tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese products. Beijing retaliated against the move, announcing tariffs on about $60 billion worth of US imports. The measure is set to come into force on September 24.

スナイパーは後ろに回り込んで肉眼では見分けにくい距離から狙います

AMN2018/9/20
YPG carries out deadly attack against Turkish-backed rebels in Afrin
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:30 A.M.) – The Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) carried out a deadly attack against the Turkish-backed rebels in the Afrin region of northwest Aleppo this week.

According to the official media wing of the YPG, their sleeper cell targeted a group of Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters in the Sherawa District.

On September 18th,YPG targeted a military point of the Ahrar al-Sharqiya mercenary fraction, located between the villages of Kafr Nabu and Berade of Afrin’s Sherawa district.

As a result of this attack, at least two Free Syrian Army fighters were killed and three others were badly wounded.

Below is the video footage of the attack that was carried out by the YPG:

下で使われているのは、一般のライフルの銃弾よりも大きなもののようです。黒煙が上がります。

Not aliens, after all? Mysterious solar observatory closure triggered by FBI child porn probe

RT2018/9/19
Not aliens, after all? Mysterious solar observatory closure triggered by FBI child porn probe
Despite much speculation and conspiracy theories, the reason for the mysterious closure of New Mexico’s Sunspot Solar Observatory by the FBI earlier this month was an ongoing child pornography investigation, court documents show.

The secret behind the 11-day closure of the facility was finally explained in newly unsealed FBI records and its application for a search warrant. According to the court documents, the federal agents were investigating a janitor suspected of using the observatory’s WiFi network to download child pornography.

Authorities launched an investigation after a tip-off from a source within the observatory, who stumbled on a computer with images described as “not good.” After narrowing the list of suspects, the FBI discovered that a personal laptop was used to access prohibited content via the internal network.

The suspect, however, has not yet been detained or charged with anything, even though his name was mentioned on the warrant, according to KTSM.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory, located in the mountains of southern New Mexico, was abruptly shut down on September 6 without any public explanation by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, which runs the facility. The staff of the observatory, a local post office, and those who live on the site were all evacuated. While it was later explained that the facility was shut due to “security concerns,” the vague explanation and cloud of secrecy surrounding the closure led social media users to explore conspiracy theories.

Many wondered if scientists at the astronomical observatory, designed for the study of the Sun, could have found signs of alien life. Others thought that the scientists might have discovered an imminent lethal solar flare. Some even suspected the state of a government cover-up, recalling how the Pentagon finally admitted last year to running a long-secret UFO investigation program, which allegedly ended in 2012.

英国国防相ウクライナ訪問 ロシア人モデルの暗殺物語がタブロイド一面に

RT2018/9/19
UK’s Def Sec Gavin ‘Russia should shut up’ Williamson tours Ukraine’s ‘frontline’
British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson has visited Ukraine and toured the eastern part of the country, where Ukrainian officials told him how they are fighting against a “Russian aggression.”

Two regions of Ukraine are divided between rebel-controlled parts and those under control of the central government in Kiev. Ukrainian officials regularly host tours for foreign dignitaries to show off its military, which, Kiev insists, is fighting Russian aggression rather than its own people who rejected the 2014 armed coup in Kiev.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is the latest such visitor to be snatched by hosts and brought to what can be loosely called the frontline. Gen. Sergey Naev, the commander of Ukraine’s military crackdown on the rebels personally told the visiting Briton about his successes and needs and “thanked the government and the people of Britain for supporting Ukraine in her fight with the insidious enemy,” as the Facebook page of his task force put it.


RT2018/9/19
‘Putin wants me dead’: Russian ‘model’ seduces UK tabloids with new Salisbury poisoning claims
A 30-year-old Russian model, whose husband may have been poisoned by rat poison at a Salisbury restaurant, has claimed “Vladimir Putin wants me dead.” Even more astonishingly, a British tabloid decided this was front page news.

When the story was first breaking on Sunday, the excitement in the Sun’s newsroom must have been palpable. Another reported poisoning in a knock-off Italian eatery in Salisbury, and a Russian was involved as well. Almost too good to be true, this was the Skripal poisoning all over again.

Anna Shapiro, a 30-year-old Russian model (although a part-time model, which one assumes is a bit like a part-time actor) and event organizer, described to The Sun how she found her husband Alex King fighting for his life in the toilet at restaurant Prezzo and “foaming at the mouth."

移住は人権か ハンガリーが国連にかみつく

RT2018/9/19
‘Immigration is not a human right’: Hungary slams ‘pro-migrant’ UN officials for ‘spreading lies’
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused the UN human rights watchdog of “spreading lies” about his country, saying that immigration was not a “fundamental human right.”

The official took aim at the “independent experts” with the UN Human Rights Council, stating they “should not be independent from the truth.”

“Recently, unfortunately, some UN officials started to spread lies against and about my country,” Szijjarto told the UN body’s meeting on Wednesday.

イスラエルは、シリアからのイランとヒズボラの離脱に狙いを絞ってきた

AMN2018/9/19
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:30 A.M.) – UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura stressed that with the Russia-Turkey deal over Idlib “there is no reason not to move forward expeditiously with the political process,” during a UN Security Council in New York City on Tuesday.

Russian representative Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya, however, told Mistura to “facilitate but not to lead the process.” He added “The Syrian decisions need to be owned by the Syrian people themselves as is stipulated in Resolution 2254.”

“If Russia is interested in bringing peace to Syria, it should make sure Iran and its militias leave Syria once and for all. The risk of a broader conflict will leave with them,” US representative James Jeffrey stated.

FARSNEWS2018/9/20
TEHRAN (FNA)- Israel's move to use Russian plane as a cover to raid Syrian Army centers was seeking nothing but humiliating Russia and insulting President Vladimir Putin, Editor-in-Chief of a trans-regional paper said on Thursday.

Editor-in-Chief of the Arabic-language Ray al-Youm daily Abdul Bari Atwan said in an article that Russian mum on the Israeli air raids on Syria, which stands at 207 cases in the last recent eighteen months announced by official sources, made Israeli military to be dare enough to use the Russian cargo plane as a shield to target Syrian army centers, adding that Tel Aviv's move was only an insult to President Putin who has hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu three time since the beginning of the current year.

Atwan further said that the Israeli leaders embarked on the humiliating move against Russian based on three reasons, adding that Tel Aviv's attack on Syrian army position in Lattakia that is near Russia-run Humeimim airbase can be supposed as a threat for Russian and its most important base in Syria.

He went on to say that Israel informed Russian about their raid only a minute before the raid on Syria's soil that also can be supposed as a great humiliation and an intentional biased attack on the Russian partner.

Atwan also added that Israeli attack on Syria's Lattakia was aimed at disturbing the Russians' pleasure over accessing to a strategic agreement with Turkey to avoid or delay military solution for Idlib.

He concluded that Russian military is capable choosing two choices, countering directly Israeli raids on Syria or equipping Syrian Air Defense Units with S300 or S400 Air Defense Systems.

The Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday that a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 plane that was flying back to the airbase at Syria’s Humeimim crashed over the Mediterranean Sea late on Monday.

According to the defense ministry, four Israeli F-16 fighter jet were delivering airstrikes on Syrian targets in Lattakia province at the moment. The ministry said the Russian Il-20 was shot down by Syria’s air defense over the Mediterranean Sea because Israel’s F-16 fighter jets used it as a cover, since the Israeli command centers and the F-16s’ pilots could not but see the Russian plane, which was approaching the runway from an altitude of five kilometers. Fifteen Russian crew members died.

Syrian Army strikes northern Latakia and west Idlib hard despite Sochi agreement

AMN2018/9/19
Syrian Army strikes northern Latakia and west Idlib hard despite Sochi agreement
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:00 P.M.) – It appears the new demilitarized zone agreement in Idlib has no affect over the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) troops in northern Latakia, as they carried out new strikes in northwest Syria.

The Syrian Arab Army launched a number of artillery shells and missiles towards the jihadist defenses in the northern Latakia and western Idlib this week, despite the fact a DMZ agreement was established by Russian Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on Monday.

According to a military source in Latakia, the Syrian Army and their allies from the National Defense Forces (NDF) carried out these strikes in retaliation for the attack launched by the jihadist rebels on late Monday.

As shown in the video below, the Syrian Army rains artillery shells and missiles on the jihadist defenses around the Jabal Al-Akrad region of Latakia and Jisr Al-Shughour District of Idlib:

AMN2018/9/19
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:00 P.M.) – The Islamic State (ISIS) is in serious trouble in southern Syria, as they recently surrendered their last water source to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Al-Safa region of Al-Sweida.

Led by their 3rd Corps, the Syrian Arab Army managed to score a number of important advances inside the Al-Safa region in the past 48 hours.

According to a military communique, the Syrian Arab Army was able to seize this vital Islamic State water source in the Qabr Sheikh Hussein area after a fierce battle with the terrorist group.

In addition to capturing the water source, the Syrian Arab Army also claimed that they killed more than 20 Islamic State terrorists, including 5 snipers, that were attempting to hold onto this site.

As shown in the video below, the Syrian Arab Army can be seen heavily targeting the Islamic State’s positions before seizing the terrorist group’s last water supply: