Contents tagged with Syria

  • Journalist: Russian Wagner Private Military Company continues to recruit mercenaries for operations in Sudan and Syria

    The Russian journalist Igor Pushkaryov, who visited the Wagner Private Military Company’s (PMC) secret base in Krasnodar Krai, learned from the mercenaries that the PMC has a new assignment. In an Echo of Moscow radio broadcast, Pushkaryov said that at the end of last week, two new parties of Wagner troops had set out for Syria and Sudan.

    “From quite short discussions with the population of this base and the inhabitants of the surrounding Molkino settlement, it became clear that even after the …

  • Russia opens criminal case after crash of An-26 in Syria

    A criminal case was opened after the crash of an An-26 transport plane, as reported by the official representative of the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation, Svetlana Petrenko.

    The aircraft was on a routine flight in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. According to preliminary data, the An-26 transport plane crashed 500 meters from the Khmeimim Air Base.

    The case was opened on the grounds of the crime described in Art. 351 of the Criminal Code (violation of flight rules …

  • Russian general and 26 officers killed in plane crash in Syria

    A major-general, 26 officers, ensigns, and contract soldiers were killed in the crash of a Russian An-26 transport plane in Syria, reported TASS, citing a source in the Russian Defense Ministry.

    “As a result of the tragedy, 27 officers were killed, including one major-general, as well as ensigns and contract servicemen. There were no civilians on the An-26,” the Defense Ministry reported.

    The commander of the aircraft was a first-class pilot with a little more than 3,000 flying hours. He had …

  • Syrian army blocks humanitarian medical assistance to Ghouta

    On Monday March 5 a humanitarian aid convoy arrived in the besieged region of Eastern Ghouta, two weeks after the offensive operation was resumed by the Assad government forces, Radio Liberty reports.

    The convoy included 46 trucks sent by the international Red Cross, the Syrian Red Crescent, and the UN.

    The Syrian army allowed the humanitarian convoy to offload food for 27,000 needy Syrians out of Ghouta’s total population of roughly 400,000. However, according to the people in charge of the …

  • Russian transport plane crashes during landing at Khmeimim airbase in Syria

    An An-26 transport plane crashed during landing at the Khmeimim airbase, killing 32 people onboard, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

    According to the Ministry of Defense, there were 26 passengers onboard the plane and 6 crew members.

    "The plane hit the ground about 500 meters short of the runway,"-the ministry said.

    The Defense Ministry said that they would study all possible causes of the crash. But, according to preliminary data, the cause of the crash could be a technical …

  • Kremlin accuses U.S. of trying to break up Syria

    The Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, believes that the United States wants to implement plan “B” for Syria, which will change the regime of power in the country. He stated this at a joint press conference with the Foreign Minister of Namibia, Interfax reported.

    Sergey Lavrov said that he became aware, from various sources, of the existence of a group of Americans who are developing plans for the collapse of Syria.

    In particular, Western partners led by the United States are trying …

  • Macron: Putin must convince Syrian government to respect ceasefire

    During a telephone conversation with Putin ,French President Emmanuel Macron called on his Russian counterpart to encourage Syria to adopt a UN resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire “without any ambiguity”, reported Radio Liberty, citing a source in Macron’s office.

    The Elysee Palace reported that during the conversation, Macron “stressed that humanitarian workers should be able to reach all people who need help, without hindrance and without delay.”

    On March 5, the UN Office for …

  • Erdogan: No disagreements between Turkey and Russia on Afrin

    Turkey and Russia have no disagreements concerning the military operation “Olive Branch” that Turkey is carrying out in the Syrian region of Afrin, as stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference while flying back from a tour of Africa, the TRT Haber TV channel reported.

    “We do not have disagreements with Russia concerning Afrin. We will continue to establish observation points in Idlib. Eight such points have already been established. In the future we are planning to …

  • Assad’s troops capture 25 percent of Eastern Ghouta

    Bashar Assad’s troops have penetrated deeply into the suburbs of the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta. As reported on March 4, the army retains control over a quarter of the region’s territory.

    A representative of the government army said that the troops managed to oust “terrorist groups” from settlements in the east and southeast of the region. If Assad's army advances just a few more kilometers, they will be able to divide Eastern Ghouta into two parts.

    According to Rami Abdel Rahman, head …

  • US-led coalition strikes Assad’s allies again near Deir ez-Zor

    According to the agency Euphrates Post, units of Fatemiyoun and Zainebiyoun (Afghan and Pakistani Shia military formations fighting on the side of government troops in Syria and supported by Iran) have attempted to cross to the eastern bank the Euphrates River in the area of Al-Muhasan, but were attacked by the US-led coalition air force. The militants retreated to the airfield near Deir ez-Zor and from there tried to cross again to the other bank of the river through a pontoon bridge erected …