The Syrian Conflict Thread

Source: Pentagon plans to relaunch train & equip program for Syrian rebels

A top US commander has proposed relaunching a programme to train and equip Syrian rebels. General Joseph Votel was questioned by US lawmakers over the plan, and said the new effort would not repeat the mistakes that doomed the same scheme last year. Back then, weapons given to the rebels reportedly ended up in the hands of terrorists. While fighters trained by the US are known to have joined the Al Nusra terror group.
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[video=youtube;qm_FNnIb0vY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm_FNnIb0vY[/video]
 
Sky News reporting that Putin has announced that Russian military forces in Syria will start being withdrawn from tomorrow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the start of the withdrawal of his military from Syria.

During a meeting in the Kremlin with his defence and foreign ministers, Mr Putin said the pullout of forces should start on Tuesday, having largely achieved their aims.

A spokesman said the Russian leader had telephoned Syria's President Bashar al Assad to inform him of the decision.

More follows...
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http://news.sky.com/story/1659742/putin-orders-start-of-troop-pullout-from-syria
 
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Unhappy438 said:
Not all of them just the majority, says the main objectives have been completed. Pretty much part of the ongoing negotiations for a peace plan.
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According to Putin it appears to be virtually all the fighting forces, Tartus naval base (as prior to the intervention) and Khmeimim air base will be all that's left.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to start the withdrawal of forces from Syria starting Tuesday. Russia will however keep a military presence at the port of Tartus and at the Khmeimim airbase to observe ceasefire agreements.
“I consider the objectives that have been set for the Defense Ministry to be generally accomplished. That is why I order to start withdrawal of the main part of our military group from the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic starting from tomorrow,” Putin said on Monday during a meeting with Shoigu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

To control the observation of ceasefire agreements in the region, Moscow will keep its Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province and a base at the port of Tartus, Putin said.
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https://www.rt.com/news/335554-putin-orders-syria-withdrawal/
 
Unhappy438 said:
Those are the two bases anyway, its basically just the ground forces. The air force will remain untouched.
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Agreed, though ground forces are the ones most likely to have a problem, get stuck in the wrong place, IDE, someone gets captured. I suppose Putin is happy enough allowing Syria/Iran/Hezbolla take all the ground risks.

I wonder if he will be pulling out the artillery units? I can't remember where they were based.
 
Do any of the links about the Russian withdrawal mention Russia's anti-air defences?
 
Xarog said:
Do any of the links about the Russian withdrawal mention Russia's anti-air defences?
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They are on the airbase, so pretty likely they will remain. Especially when you consider Russia is still flying in the airspace, they aren't going to give Turkey any more chances to be stupid.
 
Dave123 said:
They are on the airbase, so pretty likely they will remain. Especially when you consider Russia is still flying in the airspace, they aren't going to give Turkey any more chances to be stupid.
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Turkey doesn't need the Russians in order to be stupid. Turkey are quite capable of being stupid on their own.
 
zippy said:
Turkey doesn't need the Russians in order to be stupid. Turkey are quite capable of being stupid on their own.
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Yes, but those S-400's (along with the Sukhoi SU-35s) are giving them something to think about before hitting the stupid button again.
 
Turkey is not going to do anything, we have been hearing for months about the impending Turkish invasion. At this point you have to question the propaganda campaign currently aimed against them.
 
Xarog said:
Do any of the links about the Russian withdrawal mention Russia's anti-air defences?
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Mentioned in links, but only to say there is no info on what the plan is:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/2016/03/15/Moscow-begins-withdrawal-of-military-equipment-from-Syria-defence-ministry

Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Moscow's Hmeimim air base in Syria and its Tartus naval facility would remain functioning and that some military contingents would stay behind.

He did not however give any details on how many soldiers would stay in Syria, nor whether Russia's S-400 air defence systems and combat planes would remain in the country.
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Unhappy438 said:
Those are the two bases anyway, its basically just the ground forces. The air force will remain untouched.
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On today's BBC news they have shown video of planes returning to Russia, so it looks like there is also a draw down on Air Force numbers.
 
Dave123 said:
On today's BBC news they have shown video of planes returning to Russia, so it looks like there is also a draw down on Air Force numbers.
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I saw that as well, they have said and done a lot of conflicting things with this withdrawal. I suppose we will only truly know the full extent of it over the next month or so.
 
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