Syrian government declares capital fully under its control, Daesh ousted
Arab News, May 22, 2018
Syria’s
army is in complete control of the capital and its outskirts for the first time
since 2012, after ousting Daesh from a last pocket of resistance. A small
Daesh holdout remains in the south of the capital Damascus
army is in complete control of the capital and its outskirts for the first time
since 2012, after ousting Daesh from a last pocket of resistance. A small
Daesh holdout remains in the south of the capital Damascus
 |
| Syrian government forces walk down a destroyed street in the Palestinian camp of Yarmuk on the southern outskirts of Damascus, after the Syrian army announced it was in complete control of the capital and its outskirts for the first time since 2012, following the ousting of the Daesh group from a last pocket of resistance. (AFP) |
BEIRUT:
Syria’s military on Monday captured an enclave in southern Damascus from Daesh
militants following a ruinous monthlong battle, bringing the entire capital and
its far-flung suburbs under full government control for the first time since
the civil war began in 2011.
The gains
freed President Bashar Assad’s forces to move with allied militiamen on
remaining rebel-held territory in the south near the border with Israel, as
Syria’s chief ally Iran comes under growing pressure from the Trump
administration to withdraw its troops from the country.
freed President Bashar Assad’s forces to move with allied militiamen on
remaining rebel-held territory in the south near the border with Israel, as
Syria’s chief ally Iran comes under growing pressure from the Trump
administration to withdraw its troops from the country.
Iranian-backed
militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have been instrumental in
helping Assad’s over-stretched forces recapture huge areas around Damascus and
in the country’s center and north, building a military presence that has
alarmed Israel and its US ally, which is now looking to constrain Iran’s
activities.
militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have been instrumental in
helping Assad’s over-stretched forces recapture huge areas around Damascus and
in the country’s center and north, building a military presence that has
alarmed Israel and its US ally, which is now looking to constrain Iran’s
activities.
Iranian
officials have vowed to stay on in Syria for as long as needed, setting the
stage for a potential confrontation as Washington seeks to tighten the screws
on Tehran following the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal brokered
with Iran under President Barack Obama and world powers.
officials have vowed to stay on in Syria for as long as needed, setting the
stage for a potential confrontation as Washington seeks to tighten the screws
on Tehran following the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal brokered
with Iran under President Barack Obama and world powers.
US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with the “strongest sanctions in
history” if Tehran doesn’t change course. In his first major foreign policy
speech since taking the post as the top US diplomat, he issued a list of
demands that he said should be included in any new nuclear treaty with Iran,
including that it “withdraw all forces” from Syria, halt support for Hezbollah
and stop threatening Israel.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with the “strongest sanctions in
history” if Tehran doesn’t change course. In his first major foreign policy
speech since taking the post as the top US diplomat, he issued a list of
demands that he said should be included in any new nuclear treaty with Iran,
including that it “withdraw all forces” from Syria, halt support for Hezbollah
and stop threatening Israel.
Iran and
Russia have joined forces in Syria, providing crucial military support to
Assad’s forces and giving them the upper hand in the civil war.
Russia have joined forces in Syria, providing crucial military support to
Assad’s forces and giving them the upper hand in the civil war.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin told Assad at a meeting last week that a political
settlement in Syria should encourage foreign countries to withdraw their troops
from Syria. Putin’s envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Putin was referring
to Iranian forces, among others.
President Vladimir Putin told Assad at a meeting last week that a political
settlement in Syria should encourage foreign countries to withdraw their troops
from Syria. Putin’s envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said Putin was referring
to Iranian forces, among others.
Iran says
it is in Syria at the behest of the Assad government and says it is fighting
“terrorism” in the form of extremists, including Daesh and Al-Qaeda.
it is in Syria at the behest of the Assad government and says it is fighting
“terrorism” in the form of extremists, including Daesh and Al-Qaeda.
Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told reporters that no one can force
Tehran to do anything it doesn’t want to do.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told reporters that no one can force
Tehran to do anything it doesn’t want to do.
“Our
presence in Syria has been based on a request by the Syrian government and Iran
will continue its support as long as the Syrian government wants,” he said,
speaking shortly before Pompeo made his remarks.
presence in Syria has been based on a request by the Syrian government and Iran
will continue its support as long as the Syrian government wants,” he said,
speaking shortly before Pompeo made his remarks.
The
recapture of Daesh-held pockets in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk and
the nearby Hajjar Al-Aswad district in southern Damascus came after a massive
bombing campaign that has all but decimated what was left of the residential
area on the edge of the capital, once home to about 200,000 Palestinian
refugees.
recapture of Daesh-held pockets in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk and
the nearby Hajjar Al-Aswad district in southern Damascus came after a massive
bombing campaign that has all but decimated what was left of the residential
area on the edge of the capital, once home to about 200,000 Palestinian
refugees.
The camp
has been deserted by most of its inhabitants following years of siege, and the
few remaining residents fled to nearby areas in the last days of the bombardment.
has been deserted by most of its inhabitants following years of siege, and the
few remaining residents fled to nearby areas in the last days of the bombardment.
The last
push on the Yarmouk camp came after a group of civilians was evacuated
overnight. State TV showed images of troops moving in, waving the Syrian flag
and flashing victory signs atop wrecked buildings in the destroyed
neighborhood. Some fired in the air in celebration.
push on the Yarmouk camp came after a group of civilians was evacuated
overnight. State TV showed images of troops moving in, waving the Syrian flag
and flashing victory signs atop wrecked buildings in the destroyed
neighborhood. Some fired in the air in celebration.
The move
boosts morale and security in Assad’s seat of power, putting it out of range of
insurgents’ mortar fire and shells for the first time in nearly seven years.
boosts morale and security in Assad’s seat of power, putting it out of range of
insurgents’ mortar fire and shells for the first time in nearly seven years.
With
Iran’s help, Assad’s forces have been making steady gains since 2015, when
Russian launched an air campaign on behalf of his forces. In December 2016,
government forces captured rebel-held eastern neighborhoods of the northern
city of Aleppo, in Assad’s biggest victory since the conflict began.
Iran’s help, Assad’s forces have been making steady gains since 2015, when
Russian launched an air campaign on behalf of his forces. In December 2016,
government forces captured rebel-held eastern neighborhoods of the northern
city of Aleppo, in Assad’s biggest victory since the conflict began.
With a
mix of military pressure and surrender deals brokered by Russia, thousands of
opposition fighters capitulated and were evacuated in March and April from
Damascus suburbs known as eastern Ghouta after a crushing government offensive.
mix of military pressure and surrender deals brokered by Russia, thousands of
opposition fighters capitulated and were evacuated in March and April from
Damascus suburbs known as eastern Ghouta after a crushing government offensive.
Syrian
troops and their allies are expected to turn their attention to opposition-held
parts of southern Syria, including Daraa province, in a push that could bring
allied Iranian forces even closer to the increasingly tense frontier with
Israel. Idlib, in the north, remains a major rebel bastion, but government
forces are expected to leave that confrontation to a later stage.
troops and their allies are expected to turn their attention to opposition-held
parts of southern Syria, including Daraa province, in a push that could bring
allied Iranian forces even closer to the increasingly tense frontier with
Israel. Idlib, in the north, remains a major rebel bastion, but government
forces are expected to leave that confrontation to a later stage.
Israel
has warned Iran and its proxies to stay away from the border and has carried
out a series of airstrikes on Syrian air bases where it believes Iranian troops
maintain a presence. Earlier this month, it launched a blistering bombardment
of Iranian positions in Syria after an alleged Iranian rocket barrage toward
its positions on the annexed Golan Heights.
Gen. Ali Mayhoub, a Syrian army spokesman, declared Damascus and its
surroundings “completely secure” on Monday.
has warned Iran and its proxies to stay away from the border and has carried
out a series of airstrikes on Syrian air bases where it believes Iranian troops
maintain a presence. Earlier this month, it launched a blistering bombardment
of Iranian positions in Syria after an alleged Iranian rocket barrage toward
its positions on the annexed Golan Heights.
Gen. Ali Mayhoub, a Syrian army spokesman, declared Damascus and its
surroundings “completely secure” on Monday.
A war
monitoring group said about 1,600 people, including hundreds of Daesh gunmen,
left the area Saturday and Sunday, heading toward the desert in the east of the
country following a deal with the government. The Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said the month of fighting left scores of dead on
both sides.
monitoring group said about 1,600 people, including hundreds of Daesh gunmen,
left the area Saturday and Sunday, heading toward the desert in the east of the
country following a deal with the government. The Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said the month of fighting left scores of dead on
both sides.
Syrian TV
earlier quoted an unidentified Syrian military official as saying the two-day
truce had been in place to evacuate women, children and the elderly Sunday
night from Hajjar Al-Aswad. Syrian state media denied a deal was reached to
evacuate the militants.
earlier quoted an unidentified Syrian military official as saying the two-day
truce had been in place to evacuate women, children and the elderly Sunday
night from Hajjar Al-Aswad. Syrian state media denied a deal was reached to
evacuate the militants.
“The
Daesh terrorist organization was wiped out in Hajjar Al-Aswad,” an unidentified
Syrian soldier told state TV. “We will keep marching until we liberate all
parts of Syria.”
Daesh terrorist organization was wiped out in Hajjar Al-Aswad,” an unidentified
Syrian soldier told state TV. “We will keep marching until we liberate all
parts of Syria.”
