Recently, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a largely Kurdish armed group which had in the past helped the Americans fight the Islamic State (ISIS), discovered that two ISIS drones it had downed had been launched from areas where the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa holds sway. Al-Sharaa, of course, has been assuring Washington that he has completely cut all ties with both Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and is a moderate who only wants peace with “all of Syria’s neighbors,” including Israel. More on these drones, and the different story they tell from what al-Sharaa wants us to believe, can be found here: “Downed ISIS drones spur SDF claim of Damascus collaboration in Raqqa attacks,” by James Genn, Jerusalem Post, November
The Syrian Democratic Forces accused elements of the Damascus government of collaborating with ISIS terrorists, after the largely Kurdish militia shot down two ISIS drones launched from “positions held by Damascus government-affiliated factions” east of Raqqa on Wednesday.
One of the drones was identified as a Matrice M30, while the other was “an offensive First Person View (FPW) type,” SDF’s official social media clarified.
Soldiers analyzed the wreckage of the drones, finding a memory card within the M30, which they analyzed and were able to link with ISIS terrorists from the data retrieved.
The data also showed that the terrorists were “stationed at positions held by Damascus government-affiliated factions, directly opposite the defensive lines of the Syrian Democratic Forces,” the announcement continued.
SDF alleges that this “conclusively confirms” that “several factions of the Damascus government are involved in cooperating with foreign ISIS-affiliated elements, allowing them to use their locations and positions to conduct reconnaissance and drone attacks.”
Those factions of the Damascus government and military who are now cooperating with ISIS undoubtedly include the most important: the fighters belonging to the main group, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. They helped ISIS to engage in reconnaissance, and to fire its drones at the SDF, from bases that Syrian government factions control.
Damascus’s alleged cooperation would be allowing ISIS terrorists to “rebuild its capabilities in an even more dangerous manner,” the SDF accused.
SDF called on partners in the US-led coalition against ISIS to “closely examine these alarming findings and launch an investigation into the involvement of foreign fighters affiliated with ISIS in operating drones from within front-line areas.”
SDF also urged coalition partners to pursue anyone who is complicit in aiding ISIS by providing technical and logistical assistance, and affirmed that “ignoring violations undermines regional security,” and would allow ISIS to regroup….
The SDF wants one “coalition partner” in particular — the United States — to join in the defense of the Kurdish forces as ISIS attacks them, and to pressure the government in Damascus to stop those factions in the central government now aiding ISIS in attacking the SDF from continuing. But can Ahmed al-Sharaa part company so completely with his former rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or will he deny that the group has any link to ISIS? The Trump administration ought to warn him that the sanctions on Syria that have just been lifted can be re-imposed, if the government in Damascus does not deal with those in the government who have been helping ISIS in its drone attacks on SDF (Kurdish) forces.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced on November 11 that Damascus would join the anti-ISIS coalition.
Was this one more of those deceptive remarks al-Sharaa makes to keep the Westerners happy? Or does he mean it? And does that mean he will now part company with his former rebel comrades who have been helping ISIS, as with the recently-launched missile attack on the SDF? Is al-Sharaa secure enough to kick Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters who have been helping ISIS out of the government and the military?
The previous day, two senior officials said that Syria foiled two separate ISIS plots to assassinate Sharaa. The Damascus leader has long battled against ISIS, including while he was a leader of al-Qaeda affiliates in the region, as well as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
Al-Sharaa may well have been fighting ISIS, enough to be a target of assassination, but not all members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham agree with this policy. Some still support ISIS.
Since deposing Bashar al-Assad and seizing power last December, Sharaa has attempted to reunify Syria, which had been shattered into various autonomous regions during the 10-year civil war.
One such step is seeking to integrate the SDF into Syria’s Damascus-led security forces, but he has yet to reach an agreement with SDF leadership, including SDF chief Mazloum Abdi, on whether and how the largely Kurdish group would be integrated….
The Kurds don’t want to become part of a much larger military force, the national army run by Arabs who want to make sure that the Kurdish separatists are brought under the control of the regime in Damascus. They want to keep the SDF, which is effectively the Kurdish army, separate and under Kurdish, not Arab, control.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on November 12 its forces assisted and enabled more than 22 operations against ISIS in which five members of the group were killed and 19 captured.
The operations took place from October 1 to November 6, CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM has been conducting widespread military operations against ISIS. It has the wholehearted support of the Kurdish SDF, and the putative, uncertain support of Ahmed al-Sharaa. But there are clearly those in the Syrian armed forces and government who are willing to support ISIS in its attempt to throttle the SDF; it is they who helped provide ISIS with sites from which to launch its drones against the SDF. A test of al-Sharaa will be whether he discharges from his government and from the Syrian military those who have been helping ISIS, or backs away from such confrontation for fear of Muslims alarmed at his opening to the West beginning an uprising against him.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
So if the US is now at peace w/ the HTS regime, where does that leave the Kurds and the SDF?
John1 says
Don’t forget, it’s OK to lie to infidels if it promotes Islam, and Isis certainly promotes Islam.
John1 says
Don’t forget, it’s OK to lie to infidels if it promotes Islam, and Isis certainly promotes Islam.
Billy says
President Trumps fails to understand the terroristic threat that deceitful Islam and its Muslims impose against all Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Quran(Qur’an 9:5, 29, 111, etc.). Islam teaches and promotes deceit, discrimination, violence, and terrorism against all Non-Muslims(Qur’an 98:6-7; 60:4; 5:14, etc.).
Allah’s Islam, a CRIMINAL-TERRORIST-GANG ENTERPRISE and a MURDEROUS-DEMONIC CULT OF BELIEVERS, Terrorist Muslim Soldiers for satanic Allah, continually fund, promote, and practice ideological subversion, propaganda, bigotry, discrimination, deceit, industrial-scale slavery, human trafficking, intimidation, supremacy, segregation, hatred, incitement to violence, criminality, genocide, victimhood, censorship, and terrorism as taught in Islamic Law, Sharia, and in Islam’s Qur’an(Qur’an 5:14,35; 8:60; 9:41, 88, etc.).
Deceitful Allah stirs hatred against Christians until the resurrection day when Qur’an 5:14 instructs, “And some of those who say, ‘Surely we are Nasara (Christians),’ we took their covenant. So they have forgotten a part of what they were reminded of, so we have stirred up ENMITY and HATRED among them until the resurrection day. And Allah will inform them of what they were doing.” See also Qur’an 60:4.
As taught by Allah, Muslims are supremacist terrorists for Allah with their MONEY and with their LIVES while undermining a society from within. Allah in Qur’an 49:15 states, “Surely the believers[Muslims] are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY and their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Allah in Qur’an 4:101 says, “…Surely the infidels(Non-Muslims) were your clear enemies.”
ALLAH’S MUSLIMS are a greater TERROR than diabolical Allah. Allah in Qur’an 59:13 says, “You[Muslims] are a greater terror in their chests than Allah. This is because they[Jews & Christians] are people who do not understand.” Islam must be banned as illegal, and we have the legal right to defend ourselves from Muslim violence. As a result, Non-Muslims are marked for death by Islam and its Muslims. Allah in Qur’an 9:29 commands, “Engage in war with those who do not believe in Allah nor in the last day. Nor forbid what Allah and his messenger forbid, nor believe in the religion of the truth among those who have given the book until they pay the jizyah out of hand and they are subdued.”
Again, Islam is a totalitarian and supremacist system of lies and deceit because Allah, the best deceiver, is the actual source of Muslim deceit. Allah in Qur’an 3:54 says, “And they deceived, and Allah deceived. And Allah is the best deceiver.” Allah in Qur’an 8:30 says, “…And Allah is the best deceiver.” Allah in Qur’an 13:42 says, “And indeed, those before them deceived, so to Allah all the deception…”
OLD GUY says
Lying is an intricate part of Islam. Islam will say what you want to hear while stabbing you in the back.
Devi says
This is prep work for when the UN takes over running the Al Hol ISIS refugee prison camp- opening the gates of Hell in a couple of months. The UN is not capable of administering thousands of the worst killers alive in earth today. The pnly good that may come of it is the rogue killing of Jolani which is looong overdue
Winston 101 says
Mr. Fitzgerald, (or anyone)
This is a serious, respectful question: Am I supposed to care about the Sunni,et al, Kurds?
I have a wait and see attitude toward al-Sharaa (and wait, and wait some more) but isn’t this just
an Islamic sect fighting another Islamic sect? Am I missing something?
Is one sect better for The West?
Thank you.
gravenimage says
Downed Drones Prove That Syrian Government Is Collaborating with ISIS Against Syrian Kurds
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No one should be surprised by this–but I’m sure some who should know better will be,