ISIS- SYRIA-THREAD

[Anthea]

Mail Online
By Elaine O'flynn

Al-Qaeda group launches heavy assault on Syrian government stronghold with massive suicide car bomb

Human rights group says rebels stormed the hospital in Jisr al-Shughur
Car bombing carried out by a 'member of Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda'
Heavy fighting continues after rebels successfully break into the complex

Suicide bombers attacked a hospital in northwestern Syria on Sunday morning where around 250 soldiers and civilians have been trapped for two weeks, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels, including members of a branch of Al-Qaeda, stormed the complex in the town of Jisr al-Shughur, having already captured the surrounding area a fortnight ago.

Harrowing pictures show the scale of the assault, with the suicide bomber's car bomb sending fireballs and plumes of thick black smoke into the air. it is not yet known how many people were killed in the attack.





'The fighters this morning stormed the hospital complex on the southwestern edge of Jisr al-Shughur,' Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told news agency AFP.

'They entered one of the buildings and are engaged in heavy fighting with soldiers inside the complex.'

He said the assault began with a car bombing carried out by a member of Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front.

It is the first time the rebels have managed to penetrate the complex.

Among the 250 people holed up inside are around 150 regime troops, including 'high-ranking officers', as well as family members and some civil servants, according to Abdel Rahman.

Rebels seized Jisr al-Shughur on April 25, extending their gains in Idlib province where they have also captured the provincial capital and a military base in recent weeks.

Syrian government troops and militia have been battling to reach the hospital to relieve the siege and help the people inside.

They began their counteroffensive on Wednesday, as President Bashar al-Assad pledged those in the hospital would be rescued soon.

On Saturday Syrian troops were around two kilometres (little more than a mile) away, according to the Observatory.

They have been backed by air strikes against the rebels laying siege to the hospital, which state media said had killed 'dozens of terrorists'.

Late Sunday afternoon, Syrian state television said two local reporters covering the fighting in the area had been wounded by 'terrorists targeting' the media reporting on the battle.

It remains unclear how much food and ammunition those holed up inside the hospital complex have left.

More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 that spiralled into civil war after a crackdown by security forces.

Link to Article - Photos - Video:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... nitor.html

[Anthea]

ARA News

Is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra about to be destroyed by the Islamic State

Islamists approach Syrian ancient city of Palmyra, monuments at risk



On Wednesday, militant fighters of the Islamic State (IS/ISIS) launched a major offensive on the outskirts of the Sikhna city, northeast of the historic city of Palmyra, central Syria.

Speaking to ARA News, civil rights activist Bassam al-Dairi said that fierce battles broke out Wednesday between the IS group and the pro-regime forces, during which the group controlled al-Thinayya checkpoint at the northern entrance of the Sikhna city.

The source pointed out that the IS group was able to advance into major parts of the city and clashed with Assad army near Sikhna’s police station, headquarters of the Baath Party and the National Hospital.

“Dozens of the regime’s army and the allied militia forces (mainly the National Defense) were reportedly killed and dozens others wounded,” he added, pointing out that a state of panic spread among civilians in the historic city of Palmyra.

“The IS hardline group announced Wednesday evening taking a full control of Sikhna city and advanced in the suburbs of Palmyra,” al-Dairi told ARA News, quoting military sources.

Pro-IS sources confirmed that the battles reached the outskirts of Palmyra city, saying that fierce clashes broke out in the vicinity of Amiriya area, north of Palmyra, and ended with the militants control. This coincided with a mass displacement among civilians for fear of shelling by the pro-Assad forces and possible atrocities by the IS group.

In the meantime, further clashes broke out in the vicinity of the pro-Assad security center of Hajjana and the officers’ housing in eastern Palmyra, during which the group was able to control several checkpoints, after targeting them with missiles.

The Sikhna city in the Syrian Desert is about 70 km from the ancient city of Palmyra. The group’s advance in the area raised concerns about possible attacks by the group on archeological monuments in the area.

Reporting by: Sarbaz Yousef

http://aranews.net/2015/05/islamists-ap ... s-at-risk/

[Anthea]

Sky News

9GMT 15 May 2015

Islamic State Closes On Ancient City Of Palmyra

The jihadist advance raises fears for towering colonnades and temples dating to the 1st century AD.

Islamic State fighters have advanced to the gates of Palmyra, raising fears that one of the world's most important ancient sites might be looted or destroyed.

The group was within a mile of the ancient remains and the nearby city of Tadmur, officials said.

Irina Bokova, head of the UN's cultural body UNESCO, called on Syrian troops and extremists to spare Palmyra, saying it "represents an irreplaceable treasure for the Syrian people, and the world".

"Palmyra must be saved," Ms Bokova said at a two-day conference in Cairo on protecting the region's archaeological sites.

Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to millennia-old tombs, colonnades and Roman temples. Its art and architecture blends Greco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influence.

Link to Full Article and Photos:

http://news.sky.com/story/1484432/islam ... of-palmyra

[Anthea]

ARA News

ISIS militants renew attack against Kobane

Kobane, Syria – Militant fighters of the Islamic State (IS/ISIS) pounded the rebels-held villages of Tel al-Abir and Tel Ahmar in the western countryside of Kobane city in the province of Aleppo in northern Syria, military sources told ARA News on Thursday.

The radical group launched the attack by their artillery stationed in the countryside of Jarabulus city on the western bank of the Euphrates River, west of Kobane.

Speaking to ARA News on the phone, Abu Ali Osman, a leading member in the ranks of the Burkan al-Furat’s rebels, said the group started Wednesday midnight bombarding locations of the joint forces (the People’s Protection Units “YPG” and Burkan al-Furat) in Tel Abir and its surroundings, without reports of direct hits so far.

“Also several shells hit residential buildings in the area,” he said.

ARA News could verify the number of casualties among civilians.

“The Western Front (of Kobane) was calm since the last attempt of penetration by IS two weeks ago. This recent attack is most likely a prelude to a new military operation by the extremist Islamists on our areas,” Osman added. “But we are highly prepared for any confrontation.”

In the meantime, the battles between the joint forces and IS militants reached Thursday the eastern countryside of Kobane, including the villages of Sarzouri, al-Idaniya, and Khatouniya ـــadministratively linked to the city of Tel Abyad (Gire Spi) in Raqqa province, northeastern Syria.

This come’s after the progress made by the joint forces in the eastern countryside of Kobane, where field sources confirmed to ARA News that the joint forces seized control of major parts of Sarzouri village amid continued clashes in the past few days.

The joint forces announced their control over the hills of Qartal which enabled them control large areas of the western countryside of Tel Abyad during the past two days.

Although the joint forces (YPG, FSA, and Peshmerga) were able to expel the IS hardline group from the war-torn city of Kobane in northern Syria, the IS danger to Kobane hasn’t been entirely eliminated.

The departure of the Peshmerga forces, sent by the Iraqi Kurdistan, may increase the potential danger by IS radicals on the area, according to Kurdish activists.

http://aranews.net/2015/05/isis-militan ... ce=twitter

[Anthea]

Perhaps the Islamic State only left Kobane because they thought there was nothing left to fight over

Let us be realistic most of Kobane is nothing but rubble

The Americans and there friends who were happy to spend billions of dollars destroying Kobane are far less forthcoming wjhen it comes to rebuilding the City

[Anthea]

BBC News

IS 'in control' of Syria's Palmyra

Islamic State militants in Syria have taken near complete control of the city of Palmyra, activists say.

Government troops have almost entirely withdrawn from the city, an eyewitness told the BBC.

There are fears that the militants will destroy ancient ruins - one of the most important sites in the Middle East and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

IS militants have demolished several ancient sites that pre-date Islam in Iraq, including Hatra and Nimrud.

Hundreds of Palmyra's statues have been moved to safety but large monuments from the ancient parts of the city could not be moved.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32820857

[Anthea]

ARA News

Jihadists seek bigger role in Aleppo
Reporting by: Jiwan Saman and Taim Khalil

Aleppo, Syria – Subsequent to fierce battles with the pro-regime army, militant fighters of the Islamic State (IS/ISIS/ISIL) gained control of a strategic hill in Aleppo suburb in northern Syria, military sources reported on Wednesday.

The strategic hill overlooks the industrial city in Sheikh Najjar in Aleppo.

Speaking to ARA News, Muslim Abu al-Walid, a fighter in the ranks of the ash-Shamiya Front rebels, said that their fighters spotted several ISIL’s militants on al-Maqbala hill, having engaged in deadly battles with the pro-regime forces stationed in the industrial city.

“The clashes resulted in the death of more than 25 members of the pro-regime forces as the group gained control of the strategic hill of al-Maqbala,” the source added.

He pointed out that ISIL has been closer than ever to control the industrial city, which is considered a vital supply-line for the pro-Assad forces in Aleppo.

The industrial city also connects the regime-held central prison with Sefat and Bashkoy in the northern countryside of Aleppo.

On Tuesday, the pro-regime forces targeted several areas in the city of Aleppo and its countryside with stereochemistry missiles and rockets (type Phil), field sources told ARA News.

In the meantime, the pro-regime air force hit the areas of Handarat and Bashkoy with stereochemistry missiles, targeting headquarters of the armed Islamist opposition in the vicinity of the Air Force Intelligence branch in the neighborhood of al-Zahra Association.

Additionally, the pro-regime forces targeted the area of Qabr al-Inkilizi and al-Kastillo road, which is the only supply line for the armed opposition fighters; it connects the eastern districts of Aleppo with the northern countryside of the province.

In the meantime, rebels of ash-Shamiya Front were able to blow up two tunnels under headquarters of pro-Assad forces in Aouja Kayali area in the old districts central Aleppo, without knowing the size of the casualties, Mustafa al-Halabi, a fighter of ash-Shamiya Front told ARA News.

http://aranews.net/2015/05/jihadists-se ... in-aleppo/

[Anthea]

Telegraph

Islamic State fighters 'in full control of Palmyra and have entered the ruins'

Islamic state fighters seize the world heritage site of Palmyra, say monitors, as Syrian archaeologists fear destruction of one of the most dramatic ruins left from the ancient world

Fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) have entered the ruins of Palmyra after taking complete control of the historic city on Wednesday, a group monitoring the Syrian civil war has said.

The al-Qaeda offshoot now controlled the central city's military air base, prison and intelligence headquarters, said Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday.

The jihadists stormed the world heritage site of Palmyra on Wednesday night as Assad regime forces fled a major offensive in eastern Syria.

Air raids pounded positions inside the town of Tadmur around the ruins after a day-long battle which saw fierce fighting for major government buildings.

Mr Abdulrahman added that clashes had killed at least 100 pro-government fighters though Syrian state media said pro-government forces had withdrawn.

The head said he had not heard any news that the site had been destroyed.

But earlier in the day checkpoints guarding the ruins, some of the most striking and romantic of the ancient world, were withdrawn as commanders redeployed their forces to the front lines.

In a dramatic account from the town, a resident who gave his name as Abu Laith al-Shaer described how the battle had forced the army into retreat and left the Greco-Roman ruins and the main tourist hotel facing them unguarded.

"The regime repositioned its troops between the military security branch headquarters, the castle and the communications tower,” said Mr al-Shaer.

"The ancient site checkpoint and the Khatab hotel were left without troops after the regime withdrew.

• Unesco site of Bosra 'used as battlefield'

"Regime snipers are on top of most buildings."

Soon those snipers too were in retreat, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) declared victory at 7.30pm local time.

Following the destruction wreaked by Isil at major sites in Iraq such as the Assyrian cities of Nimrud and Nineveh, the fate of the ruins of Palmyra with its colonnades towering over the desert oasis has roused international concern.

Unesco called for a halt to the fighting around the site, which is a listed World Heritage site. "It is imperative that all parties respect international obligations to protect cultural heritage during conflict, by avoiding direct targeting, as well as use for military purposes," its director, Irina Bokova, said.

She said the fighting was “putting at risk one of the most significant sites in the Middle East”.

The Syrian antiquities authorities withdrew all statues and other movable objects from the site to Damascus as the extent of the attack became clear on Wednesday morning.

Mamoun Abdulkarim, the head of antiquities, said: "The situation is very bad.

"If only five members of Isil go into the ancient buildings, they'll destroy everything.”

The authorities have also called for international assistance, but the Western air coalition attacking Isil positions elsewhere in Iraq and Syria has held back from actions where the jihadists are directly fighting the Assad regime.

Instead, the Assad air force swooped over the town, bombing the hospital shortly after regime troops withdrew from it. It also sent in reinforcements stationed at the airport and the prison, but to no avail.

By mid-afternoon Isil fighters were close to the entrance of the classical site, with its magnificent temple to the pagan god Baal likely to be a prime target of the jihadists.

"Isil now has control over the state security headquarters building and the district government office,” saod Mr al-Shaer. His phone later went dead, as communications services went down.

The regime also evacuated civilians. As the day advanced, state television stations began cutting in with the news that the town had fallen.

Apart from the ruins, Tadmur is a key desert outpost on the route to the major cities of western Syria such as Homs and the capital Damascus itself - as Palmyra was in its Third Century heyday.

The capture of the city is a second major victory for Isil in four days. On Sunday, they routed Iraqi government forces in the city of Ramadi, capital of Anbar province which borders Syria.

The loss of Ramadi has caused a major rethink in Washington about its strategy against Isil. Previously, officials had assumed that the coalition’s air strikes combined with support for the Iraqi army and various Kurdish forces had been successful in weakening the organisation.

Link to Article - Photos - Videos:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -town.html

[Anthea]

BBC News

Islamic State 'seizes last Syria-Iraq border crossing'

Islamic State militants have seized the last Syrian government-controlled border crossing between Syria and Iraq, a Syrian activist group says.

Government forces withdrew from al-Tanf - known as al-Waleed in Iraq - crossing as IS advanced, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

The loss of al-Tanf to IS follows the group's takeover of the ancient city of Palmyra on Thursday.

The US says that fighting the militants will be a "difficult challenge".

Islamic State now controls "more than 95,000 sq km (36,679 sq miles)" of Syria, which is 50% of the country's entire territory, the SOHR said.

The militants dominate the provinces of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa and have a strong presence in Hasakeh, Aleppo, Homs and Hama.

However, correspondents say there are large areas under IS control in the east that are not very significant strategically.

IS has also been made significant gains in neighbouring Iraq, capturing the strategically-important city of Ramadi in Anbar province after weeks of fighting.

Link to Full Article & Photos:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32840508

[Anthea]

ARA News

Islamic State extremists execute 65 civilians north Syria, mostly Kurds
Reporting by: Sarbaz Yousef

Erbil, Kurdistan Region – Militants of the Islamic State (IS/ISIS) executed more than 65 civilians in northern Syria on Wednesday, local sources reported.

At least 56 Kurdish civilians were summarily executed by the radical group in the city of Manbij in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and nine other civilians were shot dead in Deir ez-Zor.

In Manbij, a local source told ARA News (on the condition of anonymity) that IS jihadists executed a group of Kurdish civilians who were held in an IS detention center in the city.

“The Kurdish victims descended from Kobane, Jarabulus and Manbij in Aleppo countryside. The terrorists executed them on charges of cooperating with the anti-IS forces,” the source reported.

In Deir ez-Zor, the radical group has executed nine people on charges of having suspicious links with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and al-Nusra Front (Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda).

Human rights activists in Syria confirmed that IS militants have brutally murdered hundreds of citizens on baseless charges. Most of the victims have been accused of either apostasy or cooperation with opponents.

http://aranews.net/2015/05/islamic-stat ... tly-kurds/

[Anthea]

BBC News

Palmyra: Islamic State locks down ancient city's museum


The IS flag has been hoisted on top of the castle, but there is no destruction at the site

Islamic State militants have locked Palmyra's museum and placed guards outside its doors, days after seizing the ancient city, Iraqi officials say.

Antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim said they had destroyed some modern plaster statues and also raised their flag on the ancient castle overlooking the Roman ruins.

Most of the museum's antiquities had been transferred to Damascus, he said.

IS has previously demolished ancient sites that pre-date Islam.

It sees this as a war against "false idols".

Link to Full Article - Photos - Video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32859347

[RomaMater]

Palmyra has been taken by the fanatics of the koran?

[Anthea]

Palmyra has been taken by the fanatics of the koran?

Sadly it will probably be destroyed by them

[Anthea]

Mail Online

ISIS offers fighters up to £1,000 starter home bonus and honeymoon in their stronghold Syrian city of Raqqa
By Keiligh Baker

To encourage fighters to Raqqa Islamic State has set up 'welfare system'
Incentives for would-be jihadis include a marriage bonus of up to $1,500
ISIS also pays up to $400 bonus for each child as well as monthly stipend
U.N revealed today that ISIS is committing horrific sex crimes against girls

Islamic State is offering its fighters a $1,500 bonus to go towards a starter home along with a free honeymoon in their stronghold city of Raqqa.

The incentive emerged after a recently married Syrian ISIS fighter, Abu Bilal al-Homsi, spoke to journalists via Skype from the capital of the extremist group's self-proclaimed 'caliphate'.

He and his Tunisian bride met for the first time in the city after months of chatting online.

They married and embarked upon their honeymoon by eating grilled meats in Raqqa's restaurants, strolling along the Euphrates River and enjoying ice cream.

It was all made possible by the marriage bonus he received from ISIS: $1,500 for him and his wife to get started on a new home, a family — and a honeymoon.

'It has everything one would want for a wedding,' al-Homsi said of Raqqa — a riverside provincial capital that in the 18 months since ISIS took control has seen militants beheading opponents and stoning alleged adulteresses in public.

Gunmen at checkpoints scrutinise passers-by for signs of anything they see as a violation of Shariah, or Islamic law and people can be punished for something as slight as a hint of hair gel.

Link to Full Article - Photos - Videos:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ymoon.html

[Anthea]

ISIS reportedly gears up for Suweida attack

“ISIS reinforcements have arrived via the desert road from Palmyra to eastern Suweida."

Druze residents along the northeastern edge of Syria’s Suweida province have mobilized to defend their region against ISIS amid reports the militants are preparing a major assault.

“ISIS reinforcements have arrived via the desert road from Palmyra to eastern Suweida,” an activist said a little over a week after the group briefly seized the Druze village of Al-Huqf in a surprise raid.

The administrator of the Al-Swedaa Syria Facebook page told ARA News that “there are large gatherings of the group’s [fighters] with weapons and […] military vehicles that were seized in Iraq.”

The media activist, who chose not to reveal his name, said that the ISIS members were “stationed in the Al-Qasr area to the east of the village of Al-Huqf.”

The group has “13 tanks, 10 Hummers, and hundreds of fighters,” he added.

The report comes after Saudi daily Asharq Alawsat said on Sunday that ISIS fighters had positioned in numbers along the Suweida province’s eastern border in a swathe of territory stretching approximately 150 kilometers.

A source from the Druze region told the paper that ISIS is “now deployed in small groups… starting in the village of Malah [al-Sarrar] to the southwest near the Jordanian border and ending in Tel Asfar, Bir al-Qasab and al-Sarikhi to the northeast.”

The source estimated that ISIS had around 500 fighters stationed in the area.

Amid mounting concern of a large scale ISIS attack, residents in north-eastern Suweida have taken up arms to defend their villages.

“Regime forces and volunteers from Suweida [province] in the villages [of Al-Huqf, Al-Jnenih, Barek and Al-Buthaina] have fully mobilized in case of an attack that could happen at any moment,” ARA News quoted its source as saying.

“There have been threats by the group that it will attack Jabal al-Arab in next few days,” he said in reference to the Druze-populated region of south-eastern Syria.

“Feeling the pulse”

The feared ISIS onslaught comes after the extremists conducted a brief raid on Al-Huqf on May 19, killing five members of the pro-regime National Defense Force as well as a woman from the village.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman said that ISIS had briefly taken control of the town before being forced out by the NDF.

A Syrian opposition source from Suweida told Asharq Alawsat that the purpose of the first ISIS attack on the town was to “feel the pulse.”

The extremist group wanted to “discover what military capabilities the locals had at their disposal after the regime’s inability to defend areas […] in eastern and southern Syria.”

While the Druze-populated areas of southern Syria are under regime control, residents of the region have generally maintained an autonomous attitude against not only Islamist rebels but also regime efforts to enlist Druze locals to fight in far-off areas of the country.

In light of advances by Syrian rebels in the neighboring Daraa province to the west of Suweida and a brief raid on a town northeast of the city by ISIS, Druze in the area have moved increasingly toward self-armament.

In late March, Syria’s Druze clerical leadership called on the regime to provide their community with arms.

“We will pursue a request to secure weaponry and appropriate logistical support immediately from the concerned bodies in the Syrian government,” the clerics said in a statement obtained March 27 by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The statement warned that Syria’s Druze were facing a grave and existential threat and called on “all our young men in the Suweida governorate to shoulder their responsibilities to protect their areas.”

ISIS strategy

Following ISIS’ victory in Palmyra in the middle of the Syrian Desert on May 20, eyes have turned to where the group would strike next.

The regime’s withdrawal from the town has opened the road for ISIS to mobilize its fighters and quickly move across barren stretches of desert in a number of directions, including toward Suweida which lies some 250 kilometers to the southwest.

A source from Free Syrian Army-affiliated Southern Front coalition told Asharq Alawsat that “the group might have taken the decision to expand across Suweida as part of its strategy to pounce on Daraa, and then Quneitra.”

He explained that ISIS could prefer to expand through Suweida because “the battles that would take place in the area would not be costly for [the group].”

“For the most part, it [would] rely on people from the area who have pledged their allegiance.”

“They would not constitute losses as they would [only] be fighting on behalf of ISIS—at least in the initial battles.”

According to Asharq Alawsat, “observers say the group believes its chances of expanding through Suweida are very good […], especially as the regime has withdrawn over two=thirds of its military hardware.”

“Additionally, armament of locals has been minimal and there are no FSA groups anywhere in the province.”

Meanwhile, ARA News cited its source as saying that ISIS was boosting its presence in Suweida because “the group needs to open a road with eastern Jordan.”

His comment was echoed by the SOHR’s director, who told AFP on May 19 that ISIS “is advancing on villages in Suweida because they are at a crossroads between Damascus and the roads east to the Syrian Desert.”

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports ... um=twitter