What Will It Take To Get Rid Of ISIS?

**Klondyke** · 01-06-2019, 08:59 PM

US govt preparing a grant $75M for a NGO that would be able to help for better understanding of USA generosity in Syria.

A chance for TD NGO? (closing date August)

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi...l?oppId=316384

**Neverna** · 01-06-2019, 09:11 PM

^ Why didn't you post the actual details?

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to advance the following U.S. Government policy objectives in Syria:

• Ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and counter violent extremism, including other extremist groups in Syria;
• Achieve a political solution to the Syrian conflict under the auspices of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254; and,
• End the presence of Iranian forces and proxies in Syria.

The Department of State's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) aims to advance these policy objectives by supporting the following assistance objectives:

• Strengthen responsive and credible governance and civil society entities to capably serve and represent communities liberated from ISIS.
• Advance a political solution to the Syrian conflict under the auspices of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254; and,
• Counter extremism and disinformation perpetuated by Iranian forces, designated terrorist organizations, and other malign actors through support for local governance actors and civil society organizations.

**Klondyke** · 01-06-2019, 09:17 PM

On the other hand, to avoid dissemination of fake news among "international community" about Syria and Eastern Ukraine:

YOUTUBE BANNED ANNA NEWS CHANNEL

YouTube blocked ANNA News (Abkhazian Network News Agency) channel, the news agency reported on its website on May 28.

According to the ANNA News statement, the video channel was allegedly downed for “community guidelines” violations. No further details were provided.

A back-up YouTube channel of ANNA News can be found here.

ANNA News is the news agency of Abkhazian origin, which became known to an international audience thanks to its field reportages from Syria and eastern Ukraine.

https://southfront.org/youtube-banne...video-channel/

**OhOh** · 02-06-2019, 09:16 AM

Useful for our TD Russian speakers.

**SKkin** · 02-06-2019, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Neverna

and other malign actors

Interpretations of who are the malign actors may vary...

**Neverna** · 02-06-2019, 03:38 PM

^ Indeed. The Trump regime is the most malign in the world at the moment, IMHO.

**OhOh** · 02-06-2019, 06:36 PM

Army Takes Back Kafr Nabudah, Delivers Blow To Militants

"Syrian War Report – May 27, 2019: Army Takes Back Kafr Nabudah, Delivers Blow To Militants

On May 26, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Tiger Forces and the National Defense Forces launched a surprise attack on the town of Kafr Nabudah in northwestern Hama, which had been recently captured by Hayat Tahir al-Sham (the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria) and its Turkish-backed allies.

The attack began in the morning after a series of airstrikes by Syrian and Russian warplanes. By the evening, government troops had established full control of the town killing at least 5 militants.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led forces seized Kafr Nabudah on May 22. Then, militants claimed that they had killed at least 50 pro-government fighters and captured several pieces of military equipment. Kafr Nabudah is the key strong point of militants in this area. The inability of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to keep it under its control create a threat to the western flank of militants deployed in Khan Shaykhun, Kafr Zita and nearby settlements.

SAA units seized seizing several weapons caches, including Grad rockets, tank rounds, artillery shells, mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades and loads of ammunition of different calibers, in Kirkat. The SAA also discovered a underground tunnel leading to a fortified operations room in the town of Qalaat al-Madiq.

The SAA captured Kirkat and Qalaat al-Madiq earlier in May in the framework of its ongoing military operation in northern Hama.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, militant groups lost 350 fighters, five battle tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, 27 pickup trucks, two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and three rocket launches since the start of the ongoing round of hostilities in northwestern Hama.

Clashes in the area are expected to continue. The SAA’s 7^th Division has recently sent reinforcements, including T-55 battle tanks, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, Shilka anti-aircraft vehicles and 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, to the frontline. A source in the 7th Division told SouthFront that these reinforcements could participate in future military operations against Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in the region. However, he declined to provide additional information.

The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham repelled another SAA attack on their positions south of Kbani in northern Lattakia. Media close to the TIP claimed that several soldiers were killed. According to sources in the 4^th Division, the SAA is seeing Kbani as a high priority target for offensive operations.

Turkey has resumed its weapon supplies to “mainstream Syrian rebels” to help them fend off the SAA advance in northern Hama, Reuters reported on May 25. According to the news agency, Turkey is supplied the militants with dozens of armored vehicles, Grad rocket launchers and anti-tank guided missiles, including US-made TOWs. Multiple Turkish-supplied armoured vehicles were also spotted on the frontline in northwestern Hama.

The de-escalation efforts in the so-called Idlib zone seem to be on the brink of full collapse."

https://southfront.org/syrian-war-re...-to-militants/

**Klondyke** · 09-07-2019, 03:24 PM

Germany has refused Washington's request to deploy ground troops into Syria

Berlin said Monday it had no plans to send ground troops to Syria, refusing a US request for Germany to ramp up its military involvement in the fight against Islamic State militants.

"When I say that the government intends to continue with its ongoing measures in the framework of the anti-IS coalition, then that means no ground troops," said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert.

US special representative on Syria James Jeffrey told German media including the Die Welt newspaper Sunday that Washington wants Berlin to put boots on the ground in northern Syria.

Jeffrey, who was visiting Berlin for Syria talks, added that he expects an answer this month.

But the comments prompted discord to break out in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition on Sunday.

A clear rejection of the American request came from Merkel's junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD).

"There will be no German ground troops in Syria with us," tweeted a member of the interim SPD leadership, Thorsten Schaefer-Guembel.

"I don't see people wanting that among our coalition partners" in Merkel's centre-right CDU, he added.

But deputy conservative parliamentary leader Johann Wadephul told news agency DPA that Germany should "not reflexively reject" the US call for troops.

"Our security, not the Americans', is being decided in this region," added Wadephul, seen as a candidate to succeed Ursula von der Leyen as defence minister if she is confirmed as European Commission chief.

As well as the SPD, the ecologist Greens, liberal Free Democrats and Left party all urged Merkel to reject the US request for troops.

The mandate for Germany's participation in Syria runs out on October 31, meaning that parliament would be called on to decide what to do beyond that date.

Seibert noted that Germany has "for years been making a significant and internationally acknowledged contribution" to fighting the Islamic State militants.

Berlin is now in talks with the US on "how the engagement should develop further", he added.

The US appeal comes after Trump has repeatedly urged Berlin to increase its defence spending, last month calling Germany "delinquent" over its contributions to NATO's budget.

But such criticisms have more often hardened resistance to forking out more on the military rather than loosening the country's purse strings.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told business newspaper Handelsblatt on Saturday that Trump wanted "vassals" rather than allies.

"I'd have liked the federal government to tell him once or twice that it's none of his business" how much Germany spends on defence, Schroeder said.

Washington has two goals in northeastern Syria: to support the US-backed Kurdish forces that expelled IS from northern Syria because they are increasingly threatened by Turkey, and to prevent a potential IS resurgence in the war-torn country.

The US is hoping Europe will help, pressuring Britain, France and now Germany, which has so far deployed surveillance aircraft and other non-combat military support in Syria.

However Germany's history makes military spending and foreign adventures controversial.

Berlin sent soldiers to fight abroad for the first time since World War II in 1994, and much of the political spectrum and the public remains suspicious of such deployments.

https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/7/8/germany-declines-us-request-for-ground-troops-in-syria

**Klondyke** · 11-07-2019, 03:06 PM

There are others in EU who can help out...

UK and France to send further forces to Syria in aid of US withdrawal

Move has been described as ‘major victory’ for Donald Trump’s national security team

Britain has agreed to deploy additional special forces in Syria alongside France to allow the US to withdraw its ground troops from the ongoing fight against the remaining Isis forces in the country.

US officials briefed on Tuesday that Britain and France would contribute 10% to 15% more elite soldiers, although the exact numbers involved remain secret.

The decision was first reported in the journal Foreign Policy, which described the development as “a major victory … for Donald Trump’s national security team” because few other countries had been willing to help out.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Germany had rejected a request to deploy ground troops in Syria. Other countries have been dragging their heels, the US admitted, although Italy is considering whether to join Britain and France.

The British support comes at a time when the UK is embroiled in a full-scale diplomatic row with Trump over Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Sir Kim Darroch, in the aftermath of leaked diplomatic cables in which the diplomat described the Trump administration as “inept” and “dysfunctional”.

Trump has been pushing to withdraw all ground troops from Syria, a decision that led to the resignation of his defense secretary, James Mattis, in December.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-us-withdrawal

**Neverna** · 12-07-2019, 08:19 AM

^ Let's hope the Syrian government grants the UK forces permission to operate inside the country legally.

**jabir** · 12-07-2019, 08:54 PM

Doomed project, France will send in the Legion rather than endanger French bodies.

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