SYRIA UPDATE

Lavrov: Return of all Syrian areas to state authority way to stop increase of terrorism

“It was necessary to preserve the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian territories,” he said, calling on the international community to constructively cooperate for reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria as soon as possible.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155942

Bassil: Syria should be embraced by the Arab League, not thrown into the jaws of terrorism

“Syria should be embraced by the Arab League, not thrown into the jaws of terrorism,” he said, adding “we shouldn’t wait for permission for its return, because it would be a historic shame on us to suspend its membership based on external commands and wait for external permission to return it.”

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155989

Macron: France To Keep Its Forces In Syria This Year

France’s President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to keep his country’s troops in northeastern Syria this year in order to counter the threat of ISIS.

“The announced withdrawal of our American ally should not deflect us from our strategic objective to eradicate Daesh [ISIS],” Macron said in a speech in Toulouse to the armed forces on January 17, according to the Reuters news agency. “We will remain militarily engaged in the Levant in the international coalition … over the coming year,” he added

https://southfront.org/macron-france-will-keep-its-forces-in-syria-this-year/

Army inflicts losses upon terrorists in Hama and Idleb Countryside

The army unit dealt with the terrorists using machinegun fire, killing or injuring scores of them.

The reporter said that the army units positioned in al-Zallaqiyat town, in the northern countryside of Mharda destroyed terrorist’s launch pads of the so-called ” al-Ezzah Brigades” in Latamina, about 35 km northwest of Hama .

Later, the reporter indicated that the army units carried out artillery strikes against the positions of terrorists from the so-called “Turkistan Party” in the surroundings of Bdama and al-Najiya villages in the southwestern countryside of Idleb, in retaliation to their violations of the demilitarized zone agreement.

Later still, army units targeted with artillery fire terrorists in response to breaches at the southern outskirts of Morek town in Hama’s northern countryside, in addition to eliminating a terrorist group that was sneaking from the direction of Atash town, including a foreign terrorist known as “Abu Mojahed al-Indonesi.”

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155927

1/3 Syria is very fluid atm

>>4812325

Thousands Flee Last Assault on ISIS

Efforts to seize back control of the last parcel of land held by the Islamic State have intensified reports Alsouria Net.

https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/48057/thousands-to-flee-last-assault-on-isis.html

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Accuses Kurdish Security Force Asayish Of Plotting Assasinations Of Arab Commanders In SDF

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) has accused Asayish, a security force of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and their political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) , of plotting assasinations of Arab commanders in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The YPG and the PYD are the main political and military force within the SDF. There is an opposition to the Kurdish dominance in the group among the SDF’s Arab commanders. The main reason of this opposition is the hostile behaviour of the YPG, the PYD and Asayish towards the local Arab population and the opposition towards the project of “Kurdish independent state” in the SDF-held area.

The recent Hayat Tahrir al-Sham accusations are likely designed to fuel these tensions further. They also contribute to a similar media campaign, which is being carried by the Turkish media.

https://southfront.org/hayat-tahrir-al-sham-accuses-kurdish-security-force-asayish-of-plotting-assasinations-of-arab-commanders-in-sdf/

Saudi Minister For Gulf Affairs Was Killed In Recent ISIS Attack In Mabij: Arab Media

Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan was killed in an ISIS suicide bombing, which took in the town of Manbij on January 16, the Arab media outlet Eldyar reported.

https://southfront.org/saudi-minister-for-gulf-affairs-was-killed-in-recent-isis-attack-in-mabij-arab-media/

ISIS Releases Footage Of Clashes With US-backed Forces In Euphrates Valley

Amaq released footage from clashes today in Susah and Hawi al Susah. Also seen is a SVBIED attack.

https://southfront.org/isis-releases-footage-of-clashes-with-us-backed-forces-in-euphrates-valley/

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units’ Artillery Pounds ISIS Positions In Eastern Syria

The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) announced on January 18 that its artillery force has stricken several positions of ISIS around the town of al-Susah in the middle Euphrates River Valley in eastern Syria.

“According to initial information, more than 15 fighters of ISIS organization were killed in the shelling,” the PMU media center said in a short press release.

https://southfront.org/iraqi-popular-mobilization-units-artillery-pounds-isis-positions-in-eastern-syria/

Syrian War Report – Jan. 18, 2019: Syrian Military Reinforces Positions In Northwestern Hama

Image 1

https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-jan-18-2019-syrian-military-reinforces-positions-in-northwestern-hama/

20 civilians, kids included, martyred in US-led coalition airstrikes

Twenty civilians, including women and children, have been killed in new airstrikes carried out by the US-led international coalition in al-Baghouz Foqani village, in Deir Ezzor south-eastern countryside.

Local sources said that 20 civilians were martyred, including women and children, and several more were injured on Friday as a result of airstrikes by the US-led international coalition on al-Baghuz Foqani village and its surrounding in Soseh township, al-Boukamal area in Deir Ezzor south-eastern countryside. the death toll is likely to rise as most of the wounded sustained serious injuries.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155960

Two Daesh Militants of American Nationality Captured – Syrian Democratic Forces

"With the help of the (US-led) coalition, we will escalate our military operations to eliminate Deash remnants and chase down their sleeper cells," the SDF alliance said in a statement.

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201901191071621911-daesh-militants-american-captured/

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>>4812331

Booby-Trapped Car Struck Checkpoint Of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham In Idlib City

At the noon of January 18, a booby-trapped car exploded near a checkpoint of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the al-Mutalq roundabout in the southern part of the city of Idlib.

Citing a medical source, the Syrian news outlet Enab Baladi said that 15 civilians and militants were killed and 9 others were injured in the bombing. The number of casualties is expected to raise in the upcoming hours.

“The civil defense [White Helmets] teams are working to extinguish fires, remove bodies and aid the wounded,” Enab Baladi’s reporter in Idlib said.

https://southfront.org/booby-trapped-car-struck-checkpoint-of-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-in-idlib-city/

YPG Should Not Be Allowed To Let Syrian Army Enter Manbij: Turkey

Kurdish forces should be prevented from handing over the northern city of Manbij to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), a spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on January 18.

“The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) should not be allowed to let forces of the regime [of Syrian President Bashar Assad] enter Manbij,” Hami Aksoy said during a press briefing, according to the Russian news agency, Sputnik.

The Turkish diplomat also warned that the upcoming withdrawal of U.S. forces from northeastern Syria shouldn’t be in favor of the YPG and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

https://southfront.org/ypg-should-not-be-allowed-to-let-syrian-army-enter-manbij-turkey/

Syrian Army Kills Indonesian Terrorist During Clashes In Northern Hama

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has killed an Indonesian terrorist during clashes with radical militants in the northern Hama countryside, Syrian pro-government activists revealed on January 18.

According to the activists, the terrorist, who is known by his nom de guerre “Abu Mujahid al-Andunisi,” was a member Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) special forces. This unit is responsible for several recent violations of the Russian-Turkish demilitarized zone agreement.

https://southfront.org/syrian-army-kills-indonesian-terrorist-during-clashes-in-northern-hama/

Video: Russian Military Police Continue Patrols West Of Syria’s Manbij

Units of the Russian Military Police and the Syrian Arab Army deployed in the western countryside of Manbij in late December 2018 after the US announcement of troops withdrawal from Syria. The US decision forced the Kurdish-dominated SDF to re-evaulate its policy towards the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance thus pushing for a new round of talks, which may result in a raproachment between the sides.

https://southfront.org/video-russian-military-police-continue-patrols-west-of-syrias-manbij/

Kurdish Rebels Continue Attacks On Turkey-led Forces In Afrin Area

On Jannuary 18, the Afrin Liberation Forces (ALF) released a statement claiming that they had carried out a fresh attack on Turkey-led forces in the Syrian region of Afrin.

According to the statement, ALF fighters attacked a “base” near the village of Jinderes on January 17 injuring 5 Ahrar al-Sham members and 2 Turkish service members.

A previous ALF attack reportedly took place on January 16 when the group allegedly killed a member of Jabhat al-Shamiya near the village of Shera.

https://southfront.org/kurdish-rebels-continue-attacks-on-turkey-led-forces-in-afrin-area/

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>>4812409

SHILLBAKER

>>4812260 Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday rescinded 46 appointments made by his predecessor Rick Scott

Notable

Mexican Cartel Tries to Move 700 Pounds of Cocaine Across Texas Border

In an apparent shift in tactics, Mexican cartel operatives tried to smuggle more than 700 pounds of cocaine through the waters of the Rio Grande. The failed effort is unique since most hard drugs are routinely moved directly through ports of entry.

Information released by U.S. Border Patrol reveals that agents working near the town of Garciasville, Texas, spotted several men loading large bundles into a utility vehicle. Upon approach, one of the men drove toward the river to avoid capture. The man drove through a locked gate and ran the vehicle into the waters of the Rio Grande, where he and other smugglers managed to take several bundles back into Mexico before authorities arrived.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2019/01/18/mexican-cartel-tries-to-move-700-pounds-of-cocaine-across-texas-border/

>>4812591

Yeah looks like the usual trafficking routes are closed

Cultural Marxists Advance their Cultural Revolution with Fanaticism and Fear-mongering

The West's Descent into 'Cultural Revolution'

The goal of the Cultural Revolution isn’t to persuade, it’s to enforce compliance.

A Cultural Revolution is a movement designed to preserve the political and financial power of a ruling elite by social rather than political or financial means. Thus the primary tools of a Cultural Revolution are not redistributing power via elections (politics) or financial reforms; the primary tools are public shaming and denouncements, purges of those in positions of authority, show trials, guilt-by-association, wholesale denouncements of entire classes and widespread accusations of anti-progressive (“counter-revolutionary”) tendencies in which guilt is defined by all-or-nothing litmus tests of one’s loyalties to the Cultural Revolution’s strict ideology.

You haven’t memorized Mao’s Little Red Book? Off to re-education camp you go. Or house arrest, banishment, beatings, imprisonment or if the mob’s blood lust demands it, execution.

The key dynamic of a Cultural Revolution is the oppressors appropriate the language of liberation as their favored tool of suppressing dissent, denouncing opponents and fueling widespread purges of anyone who might harbor the slightest potential to question the social suppression of dissent.

Now, more than a half-century after the Cultural Revolution began, there is little public discussion of that period in China. What some have called the nation’s collective amnesia has only gotten worse in recent years as leaders have walked back efforts to reckon with the country’s modern history.

To those launching a Cultural Revolution, the solution to a diversity of opinion is to crush dissent and narratives that threaten the ruling elites’ power. This is of course the exact opposite of democracy and Enlightenment-era liberalism. But the point of a Cultural Revolution isn’t to broaden political enfranchisement or representation–the point of the anti-Deplorables / anti-Brexit / anti-yellow vest campaigns is to strip dissenters (those who disagree with the ruling neoliberal elites) of political and social representation.

The goal of the Cultural Revolution is to render all those who resist the ruling elites politically and socially invisible. The goal isn’t to play nice and share power and wealth with the losers of financialization-globalization; the goal is to liquidate their influence in politics and society via relentless negative stereotyping by the elite-controlled mass media and an Orwellian reversal of identity that makes the dissenters into threats to democracy while elevating the elitist oppressors into selfless guardians of democracy–the exact opposite of reality.

http://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-wests-descent-into-cultural.html