Operation Featherweight: Month 43, Week 1, Day 3.

This should be read as a direct continuation of yesterday's post; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/operation-featherweight-month-43-week-1.html

I should start by correcting an omission from that post.

ISIL are allied with the Army of Khalid Ibrahim al-Walid/Jaish Khalid Ibn al-Walid group who operate in the Yarmouk River basin. ISIL themselves continue to maintain a presence on the border between Hama and Homs Provinces and the Euphrates River basin. They also maintain control over the Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian Refugees in the suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus.

Apart from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD) the other main force which has been fighting to clear ISIL from the Euphrates River basin are the Syrians themselves. They are backed by longstanding allies Russia and Iran alongside the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Since the late spring of 2017 the Syrians have been working to liberate central Syria from ISIL. Both in the north and south of the country.

In August 2017 the Syrians north and south advances converged on the town of as-Suknah. This around 130km (75 miles) south of Raqqa, 65km (40 miles) north-east of Palmyra and around 200km (120 miles) west of Syria's border with Iraq.

Having converged on as-Suknah Syrian forces then liberated the cities, towns, villages and other population centres along the south bank of the Euphrates River.

On September 24th 2017 (24/9/17) the Syrians liberated Madan. This sits around 55km (30 miles) south-east of Raqqa and around 65km (40 miles) north-west of Deir-ez-Zour City.

On October 14th 2017 (14/10/17) the Syrians liberated Mayadin. This sits around 60km (35 miles) south-east of Deir-ez-Zour and around 70km (40 miles) of the Syria/Iraq border.

On November 18th 2017 (18/11/17) the Syrians fully liberated Deir-ez-Zour City. The capital of Deir-ez-Zour Province this is the largest city on the Euphrates save for Raqqa.

On November 9th 2017 (9/11/17) the Syrians liberated Abu Kamal/Al-Bukamal. The last major population centre held by ISIL on the south bank of the Euphrates this sits around 80km (50 miles) south-east of Mayadin and just 8km (5 miles) from Syria's border with Iraq.

Following the liberation of Abu Kamal ISIL were able to re-group outside of the town. Along with sleeper cells remaining in the town they were able to launch a counter-offensive which had recaptured around 50-75% of the town by November 12th 2017 (12/11/17).

However bolstered by reinforcements from Mayadin the Syrians were able to launch a fresh attempt to liberate Abu Kamal on November 13th 2017 (13/11/17). By November 19th 2017 (19/11/17) had been once again liberated and remains under Syrian control.

Finally the Syrians set about liberating the areas between Mayadin and Abu Kamal. On December 5th (5/12/17) the Syrians liberated Qataa, Jalaa, Ramadi and Buqan. These all sit in an roughly 65kmsq (40 milesq) area.

The last area under ISIL control the liberation of the Qataa to Buqan area allowed to Syrians to declare that all the territory on the south bank of the Euphrates had been liberated from ISIL.

With the SDF liberating the northern bank of the Euphrates and the Syrians liberating the southern bank there has obviously been some tension between the two.

For example on December 2nd (2/12/17) the Syrians liberated al-Jadlah. This sits around 50km (30 miles) north-west of Abu Kamal and around 30km (20 miles) south-east of Mayadin.

Crucially al-Jadlah sits on the northern bank of the Euphrates which is generally considered to be the SDF's area of operations. It also sits within the area traditionally controlled by the Sheitat Tribe.

As such the Syrians move into al-Jadlah seemed to be an attempt to prevent the SDF from liberating the Sheitat Tribal area instead keeping it under Syrian government control. However the Syrians have not attempted to advance beyond al-Jadlah and although I've not had it confirmed may have withdrawn to their side of the Euphrates.

On December 22nd 2017 (22/12/17) the SDF and the Syrians exchanged fire at Busayrah and Khisham. Busayrah sits almost on an island where the Khobar and Euphrates Rivers meet. Khisham sits almost directly to the south-east of Busayrah.

This exchange of fire was initiated by the Syrians. It occurred during the eighth round of meetings in the Astana Process in Syria.

The main topic for discussion at that eighth round of meetings were efforts to arrange the Syrian National Congress. This provisionally scheduled to be held in Sochi, Russia on January 29th 2018 (29/1/18) and January 30th 2018 (30/1/18).

This was initially agreed upon at the seventh round of meetings in the Astana Process held on on October 30th 2017 (30/10/17) and October 31st 2017 (31/10/17). The congress was supposed to take place on November 18th 2017 (18/11/17). However Turkey backed out of the agreement due to plans to include Syria's Kurds in what is supposed to be a national dialogue of all Syrian people.

Turkish President/Prime Minister/Emperor Recep Tayyip Erdogan's objection seems to be to all Kurds wherever the may be in the World. However he specifically objects to the involvement of the SDF within the Syrian National Congress. Therefore there are certain advantages to the Syrians and the Russians showing they share Erdogan's hostility to the SDF.

The eighth round of meetings in the Astana Process concluded with a much firmer commitment to the Syrian National Congress being held in Sochi at the end of January. As a concession Erdogan has agreed to allow Syria's Kurds to be represented by the Kurdish National Coalition (ENKS).

However the ENKS have little influence amongst Syria's Kurds being an extension of the Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP). Under the Barzanis the KDP has become little more than a puppet regime for Erdogan.

In their sweep across the south of the country the Syrians liberated the town of al-Tanf in early June 2017. This is located right on the Syria/Iraq border around 280km (170 miles) east of the Syrian capital Damascus.

In liberating al-Tanf the Syrians isolated the nearby military base designated; "Bobby Sands." This was being used by American and British Special Operations Forces (SOF's) to train fragments of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) known collectively as; "The Southern Front."

Following the Syrian liberation of al-Tanf the British SOF's - the Special Air Service (SAS) - pulled out of Bobby Sands.

However American SOF's have continued to operate the base in order to train the Revolutionary Commando Army/Maghawir al-Thawra group. With ISIL largely defeated and the group unaffiliated with the SDF it is unclear for what purpose Maghawir al-Thawra continue to be trained.

The presence of American SOF's at the Bobby Sands base prevent the Syrians and Russians conducting airstrikes in the area. Likewise the presence of Syrian and Russian forces prevent CJTFOIR from conducting airstrikes in the area. 

This has created an ungoverned corridor through which fleeing ISIL fighters seem able to move freely.

The Syrians and the Russians have made it quite clear that they think it's time for the US to abandon the Bobby Sands base so security can be restored to the area. The British have already left.

Despite the clashes a Busayrah and Khisham the Syrians seem to be happy to leave the SDF to their area of operations north of the Euphrates.

The Syrians most elite ground unit is the Tiger Forces. It was these forces that travelled from Mayadin on November 13th 2017 (13/11/17) to decisively win the second battle for Abu Kamal

Although they are very different in structure the Syrian Tiger Forces name seems to be inspired by the Tiger Force Battalion of the US 101st Airborne. During the Vietnam War the US Tiger Force were notorious for committing war crimes and human rights abuses. 

Something that people might need to be reminded off when the US pretends to be appalled by accusations of similar allegations being made against Syrian forces.

On or around December 13th 2017 (13/12/17) the Syrian Tiger Forces were redeployed away from the Euphrates River basin. They handed responsibility for security in the area to the Jerusalem Brigade/Liwa al-Quds and the Fatimiah (daughter of the Prophet) Brigade/Liwa al-Fatemiyoun militias.

These Sunni and Shia militias are clearly not as effective as the Tiger Forces. On December 18th (18/12/17) ISIL conducted a fresh offensive allowing them recapture the Buqan area including Ramadi and al-Hasrat.

Fortunately the militias in Syria received assistance from the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). They crossed into Syria and the Buqan area was once again liberated on December 22nd 2017 (22/12/17).

Since then there have been no clashes reported between either the Syrians and ISIL or the Syrians and the SDF in the Euphrates basin area. 

17:45 on 11/1/18 (UK date).