When asked why Agrabah would want a base in Syria, the country's Defense Minister, Hussein Al-Booyah, replied, "To distribute humanitarian aid there, of course. Besides, everyone has set up a military base in Syria -- the British, the French, the Germans, the Russians, the Iranians, the Turks, the Lebanese, the Americans and if you count the Golan Heights as Syrian territory, the Israelis. We wouldn't want to feel left out at the next UN General Assembly meeting."
Asked if Syria's government had given permission to Agrabah to set up a base in the country, the minister responded that the Americans had at least six military bases in Syria and they hadn't asked for permission.
"Nobody has permission except Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia. It's the way things are, these days. Everyone tries to see how many bases they can set up in another country to liberate it from despotism, nepotism, terrorism and inadequate foreign direct investment."
As to how many troops and how much air power Agrabah is able to dedicate, the minister replied, "Fourteen of our crack special forces if they're not busy with the harvest, a helicopter and three mule trains. In fact, we're the first country to recognize the value of mules in the fight against international terrorism."
When asked if the base could adequately secure itself from attacks by terrorist groups in the country, Al-Booyah replied somewhat cryptically, "We owe the Saudis and Americans too much money to worry about that."
***
I might be able to throw a little light on the minister's remark as soon as I finish reading Voltaire Network's February 13 report The illusion of the eradication of Daesh for the third time so I am sure I understand it.
The fall of the Caliphate and the scattering of the jihadists of Daesh open a new phase for recycling these troops. Perceived, according to each case, either as fanatical combatants or common psychopaths hiding behind an ideology, they are being courted by the States and multinationals who once employed them indirectly.
[...]
For three years, the global anti-Daesh Coalition alternated ineffective bombing raids with the delivery of weapons to the jihadists, as the Iraqi Parliament revealed at length. It only played a decisive role during the battle for Mosul, when it attempted to exterminate the surviving jihadists by completely destroying the city.As near as I've been able to gather, one way for a foreign military to stay in a country forever is to arm and train insurgent terrorists with one hand and fight them with the other. Sort of a perpetual motion military budget bonanza.
But to return to less abstract matters it looks as if the U.S. has added yet another base to its collection in Syria, although the flag in the FARS picture of the based could be photoshopped. From FARS, February 19:
US Turns Prison in Northeastern Syria into Military Base
TEHRAN (FNA)- The US forces have turned Hasaka city's Central prison into a military base, media activists reported on Monday, adding that a US military helicopter has recently landed in prison area.
The prison is located in a high region between al-Layliyeh and Qariwan neighborhoods in the Central part of Hasaka city, they added.
In the meantime, the militant-affiliated Orient website reported that several US army officers were transferred to the Hasaka prison in a heliborne operation to pave the ground for changing the prison into a military base.
Other sources reported that the newly-made base has been reinvigorated and equipped in the last two months as its has been a main site for dispatching arms and ammunition to the Kurdish fighters in Deir Ezzur in Eastern Syria and Manbij in the Northern part of the country.
Local sources in Hasaka said on Saturday that the US helicopters conducted heliborne operations in the village of Tuwaimin, 50km Northeast of al-Shadadi, in Southern Hasaka.
The sources said that 4 militants, including an ISIL security commander, were evacuated from the region in the operations.
The area where the operation took place is still occupied by the terrorist group.
[END REPORT]
The prison is located in a high region between al-Layliyeh and Qariwan neighborhoods in the Central part of Hasaka city, they added.
In the meantime, the militant-affiliated Orient website reported that several US army officers were transferred to the Hasaka prison in a heliborne operation to pave the ground for changing the prison into a military base.
Other sources reported that the newly-made base has been reinvigorated and equipped in the last two months as its has been a main site for dispatching arms and ammunition to the Kurdish fighters in Deir Ezzur in Eastern Syria and Manbij in the Northern part of the country.
Local sources in Hasaka said on Saturday that the US helicopters conducted heliborne operations in the village of Tuwaimin, 50km Northeast of al-Shadadi, in Southern Hasaka.
The sources said that 4 militants, including an ISIL security commander, were evacuated from the region in the operations.
The area where the operation took place is still occupied by the terrorist group.
[END REPORT]
As long as Pundita is serving as an outlet for Syrian war news from Iran, which everyone knows is a pack of lies anyhow:
Northern Syria: Terrorists to Form New Militant Group in Coordination with Turkey
FARS
February 19, 2018
TEHRAN (FNA)- Ahrar al-Sham and Nouralddeen al-Zinki are set to merge into a new militant group in Northern Syria with Ankara's green light, field source reported on Monday.
The sources said that Ahrar al-Sham and Nouralddeen al-Zinki have agreed on merging their members and establishing a new group to be called Syria's Tahrir Front.
The sources added that Former Commander of Ahrar al-Sham Jaber Ali Pasha is to command Syria's Tahrir Front.
Also, the Arabic-language al-Watan daily quoted well-informed sources as saying that Ankara organized a meeting between the commanders of Ahrar al-Sham and Nouralddeen al-Zinki last month to persuade the two groups to merge their gunmen and form a Joint Operation Room and boost unity between the terrorists.
Al-Watan further added that Ankara's intention to create friendly relations among terrorists in Idlib is aimed at occupying the province.
Meantime, Hawar news quoted well-informed sources as disclosing on Friday that the Turkish government agreed to transfer the ISIL groups, deployed in Idlib, to the Turkish territory and later forward them to Jandaris region in Northwestern Aleppo.
Local sources in Jandaris have reported movement of black-wearing militants with ISIL flag.
The militant-affiliated sources had previously reported that hundreds of ISIL gunmen have joined other terrorist groups in Idlib.
[END REPORT]
See also this FARS report, filed today, which is related to the above one from yesterday. Doesn't look as if the new terrorist group is going to last:
Tahrir Al-Sham Gains Control over Rival Terrorists' Base in Northern Syria
TEHRAN (FNA)- Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) seized control of a positions of a newly-formed terrorist group named "Syria's Tahrir Front" in Western Aleppo amid intensified infighting among militants.
Field sources reported on Tuesday that just a few hours after the merger of Ahrar al-Sham and Nouralddeen al-Zinki terrorist groups in the form of Syria's Tahrir Front, Tahrir al-Sham militants attacked the newly-founded terrorist group's positions in Western Aleppo.
According to the sources, during the clashes, Tahrir al-Sham terrorists won control of the rival group's military base in al-Mohandesin 2 region along with a cache of weapons and ammunition.
Meantime, other members of Syria's Tahrir Front warned Tahrir al-Sham terrorists to withdraw from the base before they resort to any military action.
Also, reports said that members of Abu Omar Saraqib battalion terrorist group have defected Tahrir al-Sham and joined Syria's Tahrir Front.
Militant sources said on Sunday that Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) has put its gunmen on alert for an imminent attack on a rival terrorist group after one of its senior commanders was assassinated in Western Aleppo.
The Al-Nusra has accused Nouralddeen al-Zinki terrorists of assassinating its field commander Abu Ayman al-Mesri in Western Aleppo, and issued a call to place all its forces on alert for an imminent attack on al-Zinki positions in the region, militant sources said.
In the meantime, the chief commander of Ahrar al-Sham warned the newly-appointed chief commander of Al-Nusra, Abu Mohammad al-Joulani, to avoid any "stupid move or wait for a fall".
Field sources reported on Tuesday that just a few hours after the merger of Ahrar al-Sham and Nouralddeen al-Zinki terrorist groups in the form of Syria's Tahrir Front, Tahrir al-Sham militants attacked the newly-founded terrorist group's positions in Western Aleppo.
According to the sources, during the clashes, Tahrir al-Sham terrorists won control of the rival group's military base in al-Mohandesin 2 region along with a cache of weapons and ammunition.
Meantime, other members of Syria's Tahrir Front warned Tahrir al-Sham terrorists to withdraw from the base before they resort to any military action.
Also, reports said that members of Abu Omar Saraqib battalion terrorist group have defected Tahrir al-Sham and joined Syria's Tahrir Front.
Militant sources said on Sunday that Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) has put its gunmen on alert for an imminent attack on a rival terrorist group after one of its senior commanders was assassinated in Western Aleppo.
The Al-Nusra has accused Nouralddeen al-Zinki terrorists of assassinating its field commander Abu Ayman al-Mesri in Western Aleppo, and issued a call to place all its forces on alert for an imminent attack on al-Zinki positions in the region, militant sources said.
In the meantime, the chief commander of Ahrar al-Sham warned the newly-appointed chief commander of Al-Nusra, Abu Mohammad al-Joulani, to avoid any "stupid move or wait for a fall".
[END REPORT]
Have a nice day, CENTCOM!
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