southfront--2020-05-20--Caliphate In Miniature: Rift Between Turkey And Al-Qaeda In Idlib

In the second half of April and early May , the Syrian province of Idlib became the epicenter of a military political drama developing between Turkish forces and their al-Qaeda-linked allies .
The escalated tensions even led to a military incident on the M4 highway , near the town of Nayrab , when the Turkish Army and militant groups directly controlled by Ankara clashed with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its supporters .
At least 11 members and supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group were killed by live fire from Turkish troops and strikes by Turkish unmanned combat aerial vehicles .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove the camp of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham supporters , which had been established to block the highway and prevent the movement of joint Russian-Turkish patrols in the area .
The creation of a security zone along the M4 highway , the withdrawal of radical militant groups from the zone and joint patrols in the area were among the key provisions of the Idlib ceasefire deal reached by the Turkish and Russian presidents in Moscow on March 5 .
Since the start of the implementation of the deal , Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been working to sabotage them .
Seven joint Russian-Turkish patrols took place in a small area between Saraqib and Nayrab , as the situation in southeastern Idlib was moving closer to conditions in which the resumption of full-scale open military hostilities there would become inevitable .
The number of ceasefire violations increased and both the Syrian Army and Idlib radicals were blaming each other for the apparent collapse of the de-escalation deal .
However , by May 5 , the situation had changed .
The protest camp near Nayrab disappeared .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held their first extended joint patrol along the M4 highway passing the location of the former camp .
On May 7 , the sides held their second extended patrol , which became the longest one since the signing of the ceasefire deal in March .
For the first time , the Russian Military Police reached the eastern entrance to the town of Ariha .
These extended patrols became an important breakthrough in Turkish-Russian cooperation over the situation in southeastern Idlib despite the fact that the security zone agreement was still far from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this step forward was not due to Ankara ’ s anti-terrorist efforts in Greater Idlib , but came as a result of a deal reached by Turkey and the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham .
The terrorist group de-blocked the M4 near Nayrab .
In turn , Turkey reportedly agreed not to oppose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ’ s decision to open a commercial crossing between the militant-held part of Idlib in western Aleppo near Maaret Elnaasan .
Earlier , Ankara and militant groups directly controlled by it had sabotaged this initiative .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ social life in northwestern Syria .
Meanwhile , Hayat Tahrir al-Sham sees the commercial activity between Greater Idlib and the rest of Syria as an important source of income through various fees and trafficking of goods .
Neither Turkey nor Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are interested in military operations by Syria , Russia and Iran in Idlib .
Therefore , in face of the threat of the new Syrian Army advance and the resumption of the Russian air bombing campaign , they reached a tactical agreement to prevent this scenario .
However , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradictions .
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham enjoys the direct protection of the Turkish Armed Forces and indirectly receives financial support from Ankara .
But the group is too large and too influential to be an ordinary Turkish puppet .
In fact , the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leadership and its close allies are working to turn Greater Idlib into their own ISIS-style emirate .
While publicly they make loud statements about the goals of the so-called Syrian revolution and the need to ‘ liberate ’ Damascus from the ‘ bloody Assad regime ’ , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since abandoned any plans of major expansion through direct attacks on the Syrian Army .
They have been tightening their military , security and political grip over the militant-held part of Greater Idlib .
If the situation develops in this direction , Idlib will have every chance of becoming a foothold for international terrorist groups operating all around the world , primarily in Africa , Central Asia and the Middle East .
A network of training camps , weapon trafficking and financial flows for terrorist organizations recruiting new members and planning terrorist operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wealth of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham .
Some global and regional players would be happy to use this opportunity to pursue their own geopolitical goals .
Turkey , which controls the border and is a key regional player keeping ties with Idlib militant groups , may become one of the main beneficiaries of this scenario and the Erdogan government could have agreed on this if the world were the same as it was back in 2011 .
However it is not .
The weakening of US influence in the Middle East , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global markets and the collapse of the remote chance of Turkey joining the European Union as well as Turkey ’ s own diplomatic and political pretensions towards regional leadership turned Moscow into its key economic , diplomatic and security partner .
Therefore , Ankara is forced to consult the interests of Moscow in its policy because without the military technological , diplomatic and economic cooperation with Russia Turkey has no chances to turn its own geopolitical ambitions into reality .
The current agreement between Turkey and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is rather a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a solid alliance .
Even if they are able to prevent the resumption of the Syrian Army advance on Idlib , the tensions between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey will increase because they have different strategic interests .
It is likely that within the next half year , Ankara will increase pressure on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , the Turkistan Islamic Party ( TIP ) and their allies in order to undermine their influence and bring most of the political , administrative and military influence in the Greater Idlib region to ethnic Turks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ankara .
All of this would be done under the pretext of restoring peace and stability as well as securing democratic elections to form the ‘ legitimate ’ local authorities .
In the event of success , Turkey will consolidate control over northwestern Syria and form a controlled group of persons that will represent the militant-held area in negotiations with the Damascus government .
This group must have no links to radicals .
The goals of these possible negotiations are to reach a peace agreement and guarantee a wide autonomy for the militant-held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the comprehensive agreement between Ankara and Damascus .
The characteristics of this autonomy will depend on the military political situation in the country at that moment .
However there is no doubt that control of the Syrian-Turkish border will be among the key points of contradictions .
On the other hand , Ankara and Damascus may reach no comprehensive agreement because of the complicated military political situation in Syria .
This could happen if the security situation deteriorates in the government-controlled part of Syria and Damascus starts losing control over particular regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing activity of ISIS .
In these conditions , Ankara will return to the idea of a direct annexation of the northwestern part of Syria .
It will justify this move by the need to protect civilians and claiming that Damascus is not able to effectively battle the international terrorism .

Support SouthFront
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
In the second half of April and early May, the Syrian province of Idlib became the epicenter of a military political drama developing between Turkish forces and their al-Qaeda-linked allies.
The escalated tensions even led to a military incident on the M4 highway, near the town of Nayrab, when the Turkish Army and militant groups directly controlled by Ankara clashed with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its supporters. At least 11 members and supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group were killed by live fire from Turkish troops and strikes by Turkish unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
This incident happened during a failed attempt to remove the camp of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham supporters, which had been established to block the highway and prevent the movement of joint Russian-Turkish patrols in the area. The creation of a security zone along the M4 highway, the withdrawal of radical militant groups from the zone and joint patrols in the area were among the key provisions of the Idlib ceasefire deal reached by the Turkish and Russian presidents in Moscow on March 5. Since the start of the implementation of the deal, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party and other radical groups have been working to sabotage them. Seven joint Russian-Turkish patrols took place in a small area between Saraqib and Nayrab, as the situation in southeastern Idlib was moving closer to conditions in which the resumption of full-scale open military hostilities there would become inevitable. The number of ceasefire violations increased and both the Syrian Army and Idlib radicals were blaming each other for the apparent collapse of the de-escalation deal.
However, by May 5, the situation had changed. The protest camp near Nayrab disappeared. The Russian Military Police and the Turkish Army held their first extended joint patrol along the M4 highway passing the location of the former camp. On May 7, the sides held their second extended patrol, which became the longest one since the signing of the ceasefire deal in March. For the first time, the Russian Military Police reached the eastern entrance to the town of Ariha. These extended patrols became an important breakthrough in Turkish-Russian cooperation over the situation in southeastern Idlib despite the fact that the security zone agreement was still far from its full implementation.
The interesting fact is that this step forward was not due to Ankara’s anti-terrorist efforts in Greater Idlib, but came as a result of a deal reached by Turkey and the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The terrorist group de-blocked the M4 near Nayrab. In turn, Turkey reportedly agreed not to oppose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s decision to open a commercial crossing between the militant-held part of Idlib in western Aleppo near Maaret Elnaasan. Earlier, Ankara and militant groups directly controlled by it had sabotaged this initiative. Turkey seeks to control all economic and social life in northwestern Syria. Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham sees the commercial activity between Greater Idlib and the rest of Syria as an important source of income through various fees and trafficking of goods.
Neither Turkey nor Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are interested in military operations by Syria, Russia and Iran in Idlib. Therefore, in face of the threat of the new Syrian Army advance and the resumption of the Russian air bombing campaign, they reached a tactical agreement to prevent this scenario. However, this did not annihilate their mid- and long-term contradictions.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham enjoys the direct protection of the Turkish Armed Forces and indirectly receives financial support from Ankara. But the group is too large and too influential to be an ordinary Turkish puppet. In fact, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leadership and its close allies are working to turn Greater Idlib into their own ISIS-style emirate. While publicly they make loud statements about the goals of the so-called Syrian revolution and the need to ‘liberate’ Damascus from the ‘bloody Assad regime’, in fact, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has long since abandoned any plans of major expansion through direct attacks on the Syrian Army. They have been tightening their military, security and political grip over the militant-held part of Greater Idlib. If the situation develops in this direction, Idlib will have every chance of becoming a foothold for international terrorist groups operating all around the world, primarily in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. A network of training camps, weapon trafficking and financial flows for terrorist organizations recruiting new members and planning terrorist operations will all contribute to the growing influence and wealth of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Some global and regional players would be happy to use this opportunity to pursue their own geopolitical goals.
Turkey, which controls the border and is a key regional player keeping ties with Idlib militant groups, may become one of the main beneficiaries of this scenario and the Erdogan government could have agreed on this if the world were the same as it was back in 2011. However it is not.
The weakening of US influence in the Middle East, the shrinking global economy, the fragmentation of global markets and the collapse of the remote chance of Turkey joining the European Union as well as Turkey’s own diplomatic and political pretensions towards regional leadership turned Moscow into its key economic, diplomatic and security partner. Therefore, Ankara is forced to consult the interests of Moscow in its policy because without the military technological, diplomatic and economic cooperation with Russia Turkey has no chances to turn its own geopolitical ambitions into reality.
The current agreement between Turkey and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is rather a result of the tactical convergence of interests rather than a solid alliance. Even if they are able to prevent the resumption of the Syrian Army advance on Idlib, the tensions between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey will increase because they have different strategic interests. It is likely that within the next half year, Ankara will increase pressure on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) and their allies in order to undermine their influence and bring most of the political, administrative and military influence in the Greater Idlib region to ethnic Turks and representatives of groups directly controlled by Ankara.
All of this would be done under the pretext of restoring peace and stability as well as securing democratic elections to form the ‘legitimate’ local authorities. In the event of success, Turkey will consolidate control over northwestern Syria and form a controlled group of persons that will represent the militant-held area in negotiations with the Damascus government. This group must have no links to radicals. The goals of these possible negotiations are to reach a peace agreement and guarantee a wide autonomy for the militant-held part of northwestern Syria in the framework of the comprehensive agreement between Ankara and Damascus. The characteristics of this autonomy will depend on the military political situation in the country at that moment. However there is no doubt that control of the Syrian-Turkish border will be among the key points of contradictions.
On the other hand, Ankara and Damascus may reach no comprehensive agreement because of the complicated military political situation in Syria. This could happen if the security situation deteriorates in the government-controlled part of Syria and Damascus starts losing control over particular regions; for example, due to the increasing activity of ISIS. In these conditions, Ankara will return to the idea of a direct annexation of the northwestern part of Syria. It will justify this move by the need to protect civilians and claiming that Damascus is not able to effectively battle the international terrorism.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Military Situation In Afghanistan On May 20, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • The Taliban attacked @ @ @ @ @ attempting to capture it , pro-government sources claimed .
According to them , 40 Taliban @ @ @ @ @ others were wounded in the failed attack ; • At least 9 government troops were @ @ @ @ @ wounded in clashes with the Taliban in Lala Guzar village of the Khwaja Bahauddin district @ @ @ @ @ Unidentified gunment stormed a mosque in the Taliban-held village of Khalal Zayee , Parwan province @ @ @ @ @ were kileld and 12 others were wounded ; • Taliban forces killed 2 government troops @ @ @ @ @ the Nahrin district of Baghlan province , the group says .
MORE ON THE TOPIC @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan On May 19 , 2020 ( Map Update )

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
The Taliban attacked Kunduz city from several directions attempting to capture it, pro-government sources claimed. According to them, 40 Taliban members were killed and 50 others were wounded in the failed attack;
At least 9 government troops were killed and 6 others were wounded in clashes with the Taliban in Lala Guzar village of the Khwaja Bahauddin district, Takhar province;
Unidentified gunment stormed a mosque in the Taliban-held village of Khalal Zayee, Parwan province. At least 7 people were kileld and 12 others were wounded;
Taliban forces killed 2 government troops and captured 5 others in the Nahrin district of Baghlan province, the group says.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Russian, Turkish Forces Achieve Breakthrough On 12th Joint Patrol In Greater Idlib (Photos)

On May 20 , the Russian Military Police and the Turkish military conducted the 12th joint patrol on the M4 highway in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib .
The patrol covered new parts of the highway that links the cities of Lattakia and Aleppo .
In a press release , the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said the patrol was conducted with the participation of land and air elements .
The ministry also shared photos of the patrols .
Enab Baladi , a pro-opposition news outlet , said the joint patrol bypassed the town of Arihah for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kafer Shalaya to the west .
Per usual , the patrol started from the government-held city of Saraqib in south Idlib .
Earlier this month , Turkish forces managed to remove a protest blocking the M4 highway .
Some sources reported that the removal of the protest was a part of a “ tit for tat agreement ” with al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) .
Previous joint patrols faced some threats , including attacks with stones and even explosives .
No such incidents were reported during the new patrol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlights Turkish efforts to implement the March 5 agreement with Russia .
Yet , more should be done , most importantly the neutralization of terrorist groups occupying Greater Idlib like HTS .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Turkish Troops Clashed With Turkish-backed Militants In Raqqa Killing At Least One Of Them

Support SouthFront
On May 20, the Russian Military Police and the Turkish military conducted a 12th joint patrol on the M4 highway in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib. The patrol covered new parts of the highway that links the cities of Lattakia and Aleppo.
In a press release, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said the patrol was conducted with the participation of land and air elements. The ministry also shared photos of the patrol.
TR-RF Mutabakatı çerçevesinde; İdlib’deki M4 Karayolunda, kara ve hava unsurlarının katılımıyla 12’nci Türk-Rus Birleşik Kara Devriyesi icra edildi. pic.twitter.com/yFdOaB0TsQ — T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) May 20, 2020
Enab Baladi, a pro-opposition news outlet, said the joint patrol bypassed the town of Arihah for the first time reaching the village of Kafer Shalaya west of it. As usual, the patrol started from the government-held city of Saraqib in south Idlib.
Earlier this month, Turkish forces managed to remove a protest blocking the M4 highway. Some sources reported that the removal of the protest was a part of a “tit for tat agreement” with al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Previous joint patrols faced some threats, including attacks with stones and even explosives. No such incidents were reported during the new patrol.
The success of the new patrol highlights Turkish efforts to implement the March 5 agreement with Russia. Yet, more should be done to secure the stability in the region. The most important taks is to neutalize terrorist groups occupying Greater Idlib.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--United States Works To Limit Freedom Of Navigation On Northern Sea Route

In recent months , the US has increased its military activity in the Arctic region , and namely near the Northern Sea Route .
Namely , in early March the Cold Response 2020 exercise took place , in Norway .
Approximately 1,500 American combat troops traveled to the country , and joined thousands of other NATO troops to exercise a fight against Russia in the North .
According to the Norwegian military , the main purpose of the Cold Response 2020 is to conduct “ multinational joint exercises with a high-intensity combat scenario in demanding winter conditions.
” The initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Norway , but 3,000 of them were sent to the Middle East .
However , the exercise didn ’ t run through to the end , it was canceled on March 11th with a bit remaining due to COVID-19 concerns .
In February , the Alaskan National Guard also carried out its Arctic Eagle 2020 exercise .
The goals of Arctic Eagle 2020 are to leverage federal training requirements to improve capability of National Guard units to execute civil support missions , to facilitate combat readiness training to improve federal lethality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multinational integration , and to incorporate innovation with operational test programs .
On May 1st , the US 6th fleet and British navy sailed above the Arctic circle in an anti-submarine exercise .
The United States Navy said in a statement it will work with European partners “ to ensure an open Arctic by continuing freedom of navigation and overflight through the region , as well conducting land , air , and sea operations required for deterrence , presence , and Arctic security.
“ The U.S. Navy is vague in geolocating the exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Norwegian Sea .
Norway refused to take part in the exercise .
Other , smaller exercises also take place .
All of them are accompanied by claims of the US that Russia is taking actions towards limiting the freedom of navigation in the Arctic , and specifically in the Northern Sea Route .
According to accusations , all Russian military drills in the region exercise specifically on area denial .
Despite the claims , these US exercises are effectively limiting freedom of navigation , and it is quite evident .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Moscow are openly cooperating on various projects , involving the other Arctic states , as well as others such as India .
Infrastructure is being introduced to facilitate freedom of navigation and there ’ s constant calls from Moscow to increase shipping through the region , because it would save time and money , as well as it is a safe passage .
Russia is actively working on the Northern Sea Route infrastructure and inviting all states such as Norway , Finland , Denmark and others to take part and allow navigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year , and not just a few months annually .
This is yet another very apparent example of the hypocrisy in US diplomacy and policy – similar to its claims regarding space militarization , it claims that it is protecting the sphere ( or in this case the Arctic ) for every nation on Earth from Russia and China ’ s “ malign influence ” but at the same time it also says that it should be leading the way and have premiere access to all the resources , after it gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow .
For space – the US wants to allow its private corporations to extract resources , and every US citizen needs to have equal access to space – and that policy needs to be promoted in front of other , allied states .
In Syria – it is allegedly fighting terrorism , but it ’ s actually the Syrian government , Iran and Russia doing the heavy lifting , the US simply occupied the oil wells and is primarily concerned with that .
Why would the Arctic be any different ?
MORE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK Carry Out “ Freedom Of Navigation ” Exercise In Arctic , Norway Refuses To Join • In Video : Russia Checks Combat Readiness Of Bastion Coastal Defense Systems In Arctic • India May Become First Non-Arctic Country to Extract Resources From Region By Cooperating with Russia

Support SouthFront
In recent months, the US has increased its military activity in the Arctic region, and namely near the Northern Sea Route.
Namely, in early March the Cold Response 2020 exercise took place, in Norway. Approximately 1,500 American combat troops traveled to the country, and joined thousands of other NATO troops to exercise a fight against Russia in the North.
According to the Norwegian military, the main purpose of the Cold Response 2020 is to conduct “multinational joint exercises with a high-intensity combat scenario in demanding winter conditions.”
The initial plan was to send 7,500 US troops to Norway, but 3,000 of them were sent to the Middle East.
However, the exercise didn’t run through to the end, it was canceled on March 11th with a bit remaining due to COVID-19 concerns.
In February, the Alaskan National Guard also carried out its Arctic Eagle 2020 exercise.
The goals of Arctic Eagle 2020 are to leverage federal training requirements to improve capability of National Guard units to execute civil support missions, to facilitate combat readiness training to improve federal lethality, to prompt partnerships to conduct multicomponent and multinational integration, and to incorporate innovation with operational test programs.
On May 1st, the US 6th fleet and British navy sailed above the Arctic circle in an anti-submarine exercise.
The United States Navy said in a statement it will work with European partners “to ensure an open Arctic by continuing freedom of navigation and overflight through the region, as well conducting land, air, and sea operations required for deterrence, presence, and Arctic security.“
The U.S. Navy is vague in geolocating the exercise more than saying it took place in the Norwegian Sea.
“Due to operational security, we do not discuss the specific locations of our operational units,” Lieutenant commander Matthew Comer with the U.S. 6th Fleet writes in an email to the Barents Observer.
Norway refused to take part in the exercise.
Other, smaller exercises also take place.
All of them are accompanied by claims of the US that Russia is taking actions towards limiting the freedom of navigation in the Arctic, and specifically in the Northern Sea Route. According to accusations, all Russian military drills in the region exercise specifically on area denial.
Despite the claims, these US exercises are effectively limiting freedom of navigation, and it is quite evident.
And, in spite of the claims, Beijing and Moscow are openly cooperating on various projects, involving the other Arctic states, as well as others such as India. Infrastructure is being introduced to facilitate freedom of navigation and there’s constant calls from Moscow to increase shipping through the region, because it would save time and money, as well as it is a safe passage.
Russia is actively working on the Northern Sea Route infrastructure and inviting all states such as Norway, Finland, Denmark and others to take part and allow navigation through the route for longer periods of the year, and not just a few months annually.
This is yet another very apparent example of the hypocrisy in US diplomacy and policy – similar to its claims regarding space militarization, it claims that it is protecting the sphere (or in this case the Arctic) for every nation on Earth from Russia and China’s “malign influence” but at the same time it also says that it should be leading the way and have premiere access to all the resources, after it gets its turn, then others may potentially follow.
For space – the US wants to allow its private corporations to extract resources, and every US citizen needs to have equal access to space – and that policy needs to be promoted in front of other, allied states.
In Syria – it is allegedly fighting terrorism, but it’s actually the Syrian government, Iran and Russia doing the heavy lifting, the US simply occupied the oil wells and is primarily concerned with that.
Why would the Arctic be any different?
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Military Situation In Yemen On May 20, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen : • Ansar Allah captured @ @ @ @ @ the al-Khanjar base .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military Situation In Yemen On @ @ @ @ @ Map Update )

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen:
Ceasefire violations were reported in al-Hudaydah;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck Khab and Shaaf areas 10 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Zahir area 2 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Majzar area 3 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Haradh area 2 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Sarwah area 3 times;
Ansar Allah captured the Haydh mountain east of the al-Khanjar base.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--F-35A Fighter Jet Crashes During Routine Flight In Florida

On May 19th , a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter crashed , while flying out of Egling AFB in Florida .
The pilot safely ejected , was taken to hospital and is in stable condition .
If the F-35 is destroyed , it would be the third crash of an F-35 that resulted in a total write-off of the airframe .
This is the second crash of an aircraft operating out of the base in less than a week , with an F-22 Raptor going down on May 15th .
Eglin AFB is home to a large number of aircraft .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ F-35 , and more recently , F-22 aircraft , the latter of which were displaced after Hurricane Michael ravaged nearby Tyndall AFB .
Eglin AFB is also the home of weapons development for the Air Force ’ s tactical aircraft communities and supporting other developmental missions .
In 2018 , a US Marine Corps F-35B crashed in South Carolina , after a “ manufacturing defect caused an engine fuel tube to rupture during flight , resulting in a loss of power to the engine , ” according to a government report .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year after the F-35B crash , a Japanese F-35A crashed into the Pacific Ocean after the pilot was determined to have experienced “ spatial disorientation ” or vertigo , Reuters reported at the time .
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilot was killed .
The F-35A , the most common version of three different variants , is designed to be operated on conventional runways .
Each aircraft is estimated to cost around $ 90 million .
However , back in October 2019 , the price of the fighter jet was reduced in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense and Lockheed Martin signed a deal for $ 34 billion for three lots of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters .
The price under the deal was set at an average price of $ 78 million for 478 of the jets .
The F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing model and the F-35C which can take off and land on aircraft carriers are more expensive .
In a statement , Lockheed ’ s F-35 program head hailed the progress on the aircraft ’ s price reduction .
The price reduction is understandable , since at the extreme price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jet it has crashed several times , and has been grounded several times , namely in Israel and Australia , due to various issues .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • In Photos : F-35 Jets Of US Air Force Over Northeastern Syria • In Photos : Israel , U.S .
Hold Joint Drills Involving F-35 Jets Despite ‘ COVID-19 Fears ’

Support SouthFront
On May 19th, a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter crashed, while flying out of Egling AFB in Florida.
The pilot safely ejected, was taken to hospital and is in stable condition.
If the F-35 is destroyed, it would be the third crash of an F-35 that resulted in a total write-off of the airframe.
This is the second crash of an aircraft operating out of the base in less than a week, with an F-22 Raptor going down on May 15th.
NEWS RELEASE: An F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 58th Fighter Sq crashed upon landing around 9:30 p.m. today @TeamEglin. The pilot successfully ejected and was transported to the 96th Medical Group for evaluation and monitoring. The pilot is in stable condition. Cont. — Eglin Air Force Base (@TeamEglin) May 20, 2020
NEWS RELEASE cont. At the time of the accident, the pilot was participating in a routine night training sortie. First responders from the 96th Test Wing are on the scene and the site is secured. The accident is under investigation. There was no loss of life or damage to civilian — Eglin Air Force Base (@TeamEglin) May 20, 2020
NEWS RELEASE cont. property. The name of the pilot is not being released at this time. Please contact the 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs office @ (850)226-3876 or 33fwpublicaffairs@gmail.com with questions. — Eglin Air Force Base (@TeamEglin) May 20, 2020
Eglin AFB is home to a large number of aircraft. It is a major training base for F-35, and more recently, F-22 aircraft, the latter of which were displaced after Hurricane Michael ravaged nearby Tyndall AFB.
Eglin AFB is also the home of weapons development for the Air Force’s tactical aircraft communities and supporting other developmental missions.
In 2018, a US Marine Corps F-35B crashed in South Carolina, after a “manufacturing defect caused an engine fuel tube to rupture during flight, resulting in a loss of power to the engine,” according to a government report. The pilot ejected safely and survived.
One year after the F-35B crash, a Japanese F-35A crashed into the Pacific Ocean after the pilot was determined to have experienced “spatial disorientation” or vertigo, Reuters reported at the time. The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilot was killed.
The F-35A, the most common version of three different variants, is designed to be operated on conventional runways. Each aircraft is estimated to cost around $90 million.
However, back in October 2019, the price of the fighter jet was reduced in a bulk contract.
The US Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin signed a deal for $34 billion for three lots of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. The price under the deal was set at an average price of $78 million for 478 of the jets.
“This is the first time the F-35 Joint Program Office will award a significant F-35 aircraft procurement in the same fiscal year as the congressional appropriation year,” Pentagon acquisition head Ellen Lord told reporters. “We will reach a unit-recurring flyaway-cost-per-aircraft target of $80 million for a U.S. Air Force F-35A price by Lot 13, which is one lot earlier than planned — a significant milestone for the department,” she added.
The F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing model and the F-35C which can take off and land on aircraft carriers are more expensive.
In a statement, Lockheed’s F-35 program head hailed the progress on the aircraft’s price reduction.
“With smart acquisition strategies, strong government-industry partnership and a relentless focus on quality and cost reduction, the F-35 enterprise has successfully reduced procurement costs of the 5th generation F-35 to equal or less than 4th generation legacy aircraft,” said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed’s F-35 program vice president and general manager.
The price reduction is understandable, since at the extreme price and the poor performance of the fighter jet it has crashed several times, and has been grounded several times, namely in Israel and Australia, due to various issues.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Military Situation In Syria On May 20, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • Turkish troops and @ @ @ @ @ groups Jaysh al-Sharqiya clashed at a checkpoint in Suluk ; • Syrian Democratic Forces ( @ @ @ @ @ Tabqa promised more anti-ISIS raids in respnose to the recent increase of ISIS attacks ; @ @ @ @ @ on the road between Al-Sahwa and Al-Musifra ; MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military @ @ @ @ @ 19 , 2020 ( Map Update )

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
Turkish troops and fighters of the Turkish-backed militant groups Jaysh al-Sharqiya clashed at a checkpoint in Suluk;
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) units deployed near Tabqa promised more anti-ISIS raids in respnose to the recent increase of ISIS attacks;
A soldier was assassinated on the road between Al-Sahwa and Al-Musifra;
Pro-militant sources claim that the Syrian Army shelled Kansfra.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Russia To Dry-Dock “Admiral Kuznetsov” Heavy Aircraft-Carrying Missile Cruiser For Extensive Repairs

The US and NATO wish that Russia remains with only one aircraft carrier in its fleet .
Which is quite understandable .
However , according to the National Interest this comes as some sort of surprising information .
This is because the Russian Navy plans to dry-dock the Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser “ Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov ” in 2020 .
The warship has long been plagued by various problems , ever since it commissioned back in 1990 .
Before late 2018 , Moscow planned on extending the service lives of Kuznetsov and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to complement the newer , smaller vessels .
But Kuznetsov in October 2018 suffered serious damage at the 82nd Repair Shipyard in Roslyakovo , a northern port city , when the PD-50 dry-dock sank while the carrier was aboard for repairs .
This was the only dry-dock capable of holding the warship .
According to the newspaper Izvestia , the Kremlin considered just decommissioning Kuznetsov rather than spending the money to acquire a new dry-dock , move an existing dock or the carrier or find some other way of repairing the aging , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an underlying reason – Russia needs an aircraft carrier , possibly two or , even three , more .
This is also included in Russia ’ s maritime doctrine : “ In order to defend its interests , the navy requires a minimum of two full-fledged aircraft carriers – one in the Arctic and the second in the Mediterranean .
This says nothing of the large number of surface vessels which could be needed for other sea zones .
The deployment of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific would only be possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it appears that surface groups deployed in distant sea zones are being folded back into existing groups closer to home.
” They , however , cost a lot of money , and the crude oil price war , the impending natural gas crisis , the COVID-19 hysteria , and other factors are leading the global system towards another economic recession , not Russia alone .
Considering the labor and expense involved , the work might not proceed according to the current schedule .
Despite the critics , however , repairing the warship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approached , because , regardless of the expenses , they surely do not compare to how time and investment building an entirely new aircraft carrier would cost .
And as such , it is obvious that NATO and the US would like to see Russia have only one aircraft carrier , and for it to be a money pit that does little else than break down and require repairs .
At the same time , repairing to make it an effective asset is potentially concerning , since when the economic crisis subdues work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Admiral Kuznetsov .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Russia ’ s New Maritime Doctrine And Issues With The Surface Fleet

Support SouthFront
The US and NATO wish that Russia remains with only one aircraft carrier in its fleet.
Which is quite understandable.
However, according to the National Interest this comes as some sort of surprising information.
“Russia will be doing NATO and the U.S. Navy a huge favor if it decides to spend the money, repair-yard time, and human capital needed to overhaul the ski-jump-ramp carrier that is clearly an albatross of the Cold War era.”
This is because the Russian Navy plans to dry-dock the Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser “Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov” in 2020.
It would undergo extensive repairs.
“As Russia’s only aircraft carrier and its flagship, the Kuznetsov’s main mission is projecting national prestige,” wrote Richard Moss and Ryan Vest, both instructors at the U.S. Naval War College. “From that perspective, Russia must overhaul her and get her back into service as quickly as possible.”
The warship has long been plagued by various problems, ever since it commissioned back in 1990.
“When it’s this cold, water freezes everywhere including pipes which may cause a rupture,” English Russia reported. “To prevent this, they just don’t supply almost 60 percent of the cabins with water (neither in winter nor in summer). The situation with latrines is just as bad. The ship has over 50 latrines [for 1,900 crew] but half of them are closed.”
Before late 2018, Moscow planned on extending the service lives of Kuznetsov and other warships from the 1980s in order to complement the newer, smaller vessels.
But Kuznetsov in October 2018 suffered serious damage at the 82nd Repair Shipyard in Roslyakovo, a northern port city, when the PD-50 dry-dock sank while the carrier was aboard for repairs.
This was the only dry-dock capable of holding the warship.
According to the newspaper Izvestia, the Kremlin considered just decommissioning Kuznetsov rather than spending the money to acquire a new dry-dock, move an existing dock or the carrier or find some other way of repairing the aging, unreliable and accident-prone flattop.
“Not everyone considers the continuation of repair to be appropriate,” a navy source reportedly told Izvestia. “There are different opinions, including those that boil down to the fact that with this money it is better to build a pair of frigates or a nuclear submarine.”
There’s an underlying reason – Russia needs an aircraft carrier, possibly two or, even three, more.
This is also included in Russia’s maritime doctrine:
“In order to defend its interests, the navy requires a minimum of two full-fledged aircraft carriers – one in the Arctic and the second in the Mediterranean. This says nothing of the large number of surface vessels which could be needed for other sea zones. The deployment of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific would only be possible in the distant future. So far, it appears that surface groups deployed in distant sea zones are being folded back into existing groups closer to home.”
They, however, cost a lot of money, and the crude oil price war, the impending natural gas crisis, the COVID-19 hysteria, and other factors are leading the global system towards another economic recession, not Russia alone.
Considering the labor and expense involved, the work might not proceed according to the current schedule.
“Considering the necessary dry-dock modifications, the current fiscal realities the Russian government is facing under sanctions and lower oil prices and endemic corruption, the Kuznetsov may be undergoing modernization for the foreseeable future,” Moss and Vest explained.
Despite the critics, however, repairing the warship remains as the most reasonable and balanced approached, because, regardless of the expenses, they surely do not compare to how time and investment building an entirely new aircraft carrier would cost.
And as such, it is obvious that NATO and the US would like to see Russia have only one aircraft carrier, and for it to be a money pit that does little else than break down and require repairs. At the same time, repairing to make it an effective asset is potentially concerning, since when the economic crisis subdues work can begin on new warships to assist the Admiral Kuznetsov.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Sworn For Second Term, Refuses “One Country, Two Systems”

On May 20th , Tsai Ing-wen was sworn as President of Taiwan for her second term , and formally commenced her four-year term .
Tsai , 63 , of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) , was sworn in a simple ceremony that was broadcast on television and live streamed on social media .
Former Premier Lai Ching-te then was sworn in as vice president , succeeding Chen Chien-jen , who stepped down after one term .
In her inauguration speech , Tsain Ing-wen said that Taiwan wanted dialogue with China , but refused its proposal for “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her Democratic Progressive Party won January ’ s presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide .
Their primary election promise was that they would stand up to China , which claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its objective .
Tsai said Taiwan is an independent state called the Republic of China , its official name , and does not want to be part of the People ’ s Republic of China .
In a stern response from China ’ s Taiwan Affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ma Xiaoguang issued a statement .
China ’ s Taiwan Affairs Office said China would stick to ‘ one country , two systems ’ and “ not leave any space for Taiwan independence separatist activities ” .
It added that reunification was an “ historical inevitability ” .
The Global Times outlet , meanwhile , quoted a Chinese spokesperson saying that Tsai ’ s party “ gangs up with foreign powers to hinder peace of Taiwan Straits and use ( the ) pandemic to attain separatist goals.
” Taiwan was “ severely damaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , it added .
On May 19th , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a congratulations to Tsai Ing-wen prior to her inauguration .
Tsai in response said in a tweet that she looks forward to “ furthering our friendship based on our many shared values and interests.
” Joe Biden , who is challenging Trump for the US presidency in November also posted a message on Twitter .
The tensions in the South China Sea have been ramping up in recent months , with United States warships passing through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims as its own .
At the same time , China is not falling behind , stepping up its military drills near Taiwan , flying fighter jets into the island ’ s air space and sailing warships around Taiwan .
Tsai said Taiwan has made the greatest effort to maintain peace and stability in the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the democratic island from China .
Tsai said that Taiwan will continue its fight to participate in international organisations , and “ bolster ties with the United States , Japan , Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ON THE TOPIC : • US Bombers Fly Near Taiwan After Chinese ‘ Aggression ’ ; Beijing Warned To “ Focus On Fighting Coronavirus ” • China Demands US Stop “ Flexing Muscles ” After Its New Carrier Sails Across Taiwan Strait

Support SouthFront
On May 20th, Tsai Ing-wen was sworn as President of Taiwan for her second term, and formally commenced her four-year term.
Tsai, 63, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was sworn in a simple ceremony that was broadcast on television and live streamed on social media.
Former Premier Lai Ching-te then was sworn in as vice president, succeeding Chen Chien-jen, who stepped down after one term.
In her inauguration speech, Tsain Ing-wen said that Taiwan wanted dialogue with China, but refused its proposal for “one country, two systems.”
“Both sides have a duty to find a way to coexist over the long term and prevent the intensification of antagonism and differences,” she said.
Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won January’s presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide.
Their primary election promise was that they would stand up to China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its objective.
“Here, I want to reiterate the words ‘peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue’. We will not accept the Beijing authorities’ use of ‘one country, two systems’ to downgrade Taiwan and undermine the cross-strait status quo. We stand fast by this principle,” Tsai said.
Tsai said Taiwan is an independent state called the Republic of China, its official name, and does not want to be part of the People’s Republic of China.
In a stern response from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang issued a statement.
“We will never allow any room for Taiwan independence in any kind of form. China has a strong will, and enough confidence as well as the capability to defend sovereignty and its territory.”
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said China would stick to ‘one country, two systems’ and “not leave any space for Taiwan independence separatist activities”. It added that reunification was an “historical inevitability”.
The Global Times outlet, meanwhile, quoted a Chinese spokesperson saying that Tsai’s party “gangs up with foreign powers to hinder peace of Taiwan Straits and use (the) pandemic to attain separatist goals.”
Taiwan was “severely damaging” the peace and stability of the region, it added.
On May 19th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a congratulations to Tsai Ing-wen prior to her inauguration.
Congratulations to Dr. Tsai Ing-wen on the commencement of your second-term as Taiwan’s President. Taiwan’s vibrant democracy is an inspiration to the region and the world. With President Tsai at the helm, our partnership with Taiwan will continue to flourish. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 19, 2020
Tsai in response said in a tweet that she looks forward to “furthering our friendship based on our many shared values and interests.”
Joe Biden, who is challenging Trump for the US presidency in November also posted a message on Twitter.
“Taiwan’s thriving democracy and response to COVID-19 are an example to the world,” he wrote. “America’s support for Taiwan must remain strong, principled and bipartisan.”
The tensions in the South China Sea have been ramping up in recent months, with United States warships passing through the region, the majority of which Beijing claims as its own.
At the same time, China is not falling behind, stepping up its military drills near Taiwan, flying fighter jets into the island’s air space and sailing warships around Taiwan.
Tsai said Taiwan has made the greatest effort to maintain peace and stability in the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the democratic island from China.
“We will continue these efforts, and we are willing to engage in dialogue with China and make more concrete contributions to regional security,” she added, speaking in the garden of the former Japanese governor’s house in Taipei, in front of a socially distanced audience of officials and diplomats.
Tsai said that Taiwan will continue its fight to participate in international organisations, and “bolster ties with the United States, Japan, Europe, and other like-minded countries”.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--China’s Military Seeks Bigger Budget Amid “Growing Threat Of US Conflict”

With Sino-US diplomatic relations plumbing the lowest levels in modern history , China ’ s military leaders are pushing for a substantial increase in their budget to be announced at the National People ’ s Congress that starts on Friday , arguing that the world ’ s largest standing army needs more resources to cope with volatile challenges at home and overseas .
And at the top of the list , according to the South China Morning Post , is the growing confrontation with the US .
With China-US relations sinking amid a trade war , spats over civil liberties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s territorial claims in the South China Sea , recent months have added accusations between Washington and Beijing about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic .
From Beijing ’ s viewpoint , the military threats are surfacing on its doorstep with US bombers running about 40 flights over contested areas of the South China and East China seas so far this year , or more than three times the number in the same period of 2019 .
US Navy warships have sailed four “ freedom of navigation operations ” in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight in all of last year .
“ Beijing feels security threats posed by the US and other foreign countries are increasing , so the People ’ s Liberation Army wants a budget increase to support its military modernization and combat-ready training , ” said Song Zhongping , a Hong Kong-based military commentator and former officer in the PLA , quoted by the SCMP .
Although the actual size of China ’ s defense budgets are a matter of dispute , military insiders say the PLA will want to match or exceed last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with one estimating a 9 % jump , as tensions escalate on several fronts , including the perennial Taiwan friction .
While those increases may not seem outlandish , and pale in comparison to the total US military budget , they would be against a backdrop of a domestic economy severely hammered by the Covid-19 outbreak and the threat of a global recession .
In late March , investment bank China International Capital Corporation slashed its real GDP growth forecast for China in 2020 to 2.6 % from 6.1 % in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March 2019 , China announced defense spending of 1.18 trillion yuan ( US $ 176 billion ) which is the world ’ s second largest .
But the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates China ’ s defense spending at US $ 261 billion , which is a little over a third that of the US $ 732 billion of the US .
Lu Li-shih , a former instructor at the naval academy in Taiwan , said the suspicion between Beijing and Washington was the worst since the resumption of diplomatic relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chance of a military conflict as low ( for now ) .
Collin Koh , a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore ’ s Nanyang Technological University , meanwhile , said the PLA and US military counterparts had communication channels .
“ Bilateral military ties … might not be always efficacious , but at least do serve as existing ‘ pressure valves ’ to forestall and potentially mitigate the risks that arise from growing tensions between Beijing and Washington , ” Koh said .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jinping , who chairs the all-powerful Central Military Commission , ordered the PLA on January 2 to boost its combat capacity as relations worsened with Washington .
That was a repeat of Xi ’ s “ be ready to win wars ” order when he laid out his military expansion plan to the Communist Party ’ s national congress in 2017 .
The message has not changed .
Neither has the focus of attention : Taiwan .
In last July ’ s defence white paper , the PLA said two of its most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taiwan and separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang , saying the army “ will defend national unification at all costs ” .
Ni Lexiong , a specialist in China ’ s naval strategy and former professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law , said under President Donald Trump , US arms sales to Taiwan – including 66 F-16 Viper fighter jets – gave the PLA additional bargaining chips in asking for more money .
Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China ’ s territory that must be returned to the mainland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The PLA has planned for such an event since 1949 , when the Nationalist Party was defeated in the Chinese Civil War by the Communist Party of China and fled to the island .
Tensions over Taiwan have ratcheted up since Tsai Ing-wen became president in 2016 .
She was re-elected in a landslide in January on a platform of standing up to Beijing and defending Taiwan as a liberal democracy .
She will be inaugurated for a second four-year term on Wednesday , just two days before the NPC opens .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fearful that Beijing will step up direct military pressure this year in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic , with increasingly frequent incursions into airspace traditionally respected as a safety buffer zone .
Such operations are below the threshold of war but would expand the area China dominates militarily , mirroring the approach Beijing has taken to establish virtual control over the disputed South China Sea .
“ Once the pandemic recedes , the Chinese communists will fly across the Taiwan Strait median line more and more often , until the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taiwanese senior military official .
“ They will create a new status quo under which they will regularly operate much closer to our airspace , and move around there at will.
” The median line was drawn by the US in 1954 .
While the line does not have international legal force , both Taiwan and China have long had a tacit understanding not to cross it to avoid unintended clashes .
But in March 2019 , Chinese military aircraft crossed the line for the first time in 20 years and have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Taiwan ’ s concerns follow veiled warnings from China and come as President Tsai Ing-wen starts her second term on Wednesday , with her country ’ s international reputation and her own popularity boosted by Taipei ’ s containment of the coronavirus pandemic .
Last week , Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) was planning an exercise for August that would simulate the seizure of Pratas , a Taiwan-held atoll at the northern entrance of the South China Sea .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month-long live-fire drills near the port of Tangshan , interpreted by some military experts as an exercise for an attack on Taiwan .
A senior Taiwanese government official said these signals and the PLA ’ s probing of the median line had heightened concerns that anger over Taipei ’ s handling of Covid-19 was driving Beijing to take a more provocative course .
Taiwan prevented a local outbreak and has seen only 440 confirmed cases and seven deaths , after cutting travel from China early .
This success attracted global attention and support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts to participate in the World Health Organization .
“ Because of this , cross-Strait relations have become very tense right now , ” the senior official said .
Alexander Huang Chieh-cheng , a professor of international affairs and strategic studies at Tamkang University in Taipei , said that while a military conflict between the mainland and Taiwan would be unlikely in the coming two years , as Beijing needed to concentrate its efforts on economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic , the risk of conflict had increased .
“ Beijing is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staging more war games to try to intimidate the Tsai government in her next four years in office as long as she rejects the 1992 consensus , ” Huang said , referring to a decade-old agreement between Beijing and Taipei to define cross-strait relations .
Huang was a former vice-chairman of Taiwan ’ s Mainland Affairs Council which oversees the island ’ s policies towards the mainland .
China has been running increasing numbers of military flights into Taiwan ’ s airspace , and in recent media articles some retired Chinese military officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a position to defend Taiwan because all four of its aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific had been hit by Covid-19 outbreaks .
Later comments in an influential party journal , the Study Times , suggested a military venture was not part of Beijing ’ s immediate plans .
“ The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated suspicions and mistrust between Beijing and Washington , and likewise between Beijing and Taipei , ” Ni said .
“ China is facing a new round of containment posed by the US-led Western countries similar to the Cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national “ rejuvenation ” strategy for China includes reshaping the PLA into a top-ranked fighting force by 2050 , which includes launching at least four aircraft carrier strike groups by 2035 , cutting-edge weapons research and development , and revamping the whole military command structure .
China now has two aircraft carriers ; the Liaoning is a refitted vessel bought from Ukraine , while the Shandong is the first domestically built .
The Shandong is still undergoing sea trials to meet what is known as initial operating capability , or IOC , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials for two newly launched Type 075 helicopter docks , a type of amphibious vessel , with 40,000 tonnes of displacement .
It also has plans for eight Type 055 guided-missile destroyers , its most powerful warship and among the most advanced in Asia .
The first was commissioned in January and three others are being fitted out .
The PLA modernisation of both traditional and non-traditional military operations would not slow , said Song in Hong Kong .
The PLA is also arguing for more funds , citing other complicated and non-traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to terrorism and religious extremism .
China ’ s military also found itself at the forefront of a different battle this year as tens of thousands of personnel were drafted into the fight against the Covid-19 disease outbreak in the initial epicentre , Wuhan , in January .
The PLA provided doctors to treat patients , as well as soldiers and logistics for quarantine lockdowns , all additional expenditures that affect short- and long-term planning .
Beside fighting pandemics , the military is also expected to do its part in providing jobs for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle to recover from the economic damage done by the disease .
More than 8.7 million students will graduate this summer and the PLA has been asked to absorb more of them , another reason to request more funding .
So… the Chinese army is about to grow by millions ?
Whatever you do , don ’ t call it a draft or you will be banned by Twitter .
A military insider said the Covid-19 pandemic added a large , unexpected financial burden on the PLA ( not to mention a source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Military leadership is still fighting with the decision makers of the NPC for a budget increase up to 9 per cent for the coming year , even though the global and domestic economic situations are worrying , ” said the person , who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks .
The PLA deployed more than 4,500 military medical personnel to worst-hit Hubei province and its capital Wuhan , as well as other logistic support elsewhere in the province from February .
“ President Xi also ordered scientists from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join the global race to find a vaccine for Covid-19 , which is a long-term and costly investment , ” the person said .
“ It ’ s very difficult to predict the military cost from the Covid-19 pandemic , because we don ’ t know how long it will last.
” And speaking of the army ’ s involvement in the coronavirus pandemic , recall that a Chinese military virologist and bioweapons expert Major General Chen Wei went to the Wuhan Institute of Virology with military scientists in January to “ study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that , there is absolutely no connection between the Chinese army and the coronavirus outbreak .
None at all .

Support SouthFront
Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
With Sino-US diplomatic relations plumbing the lowest levels in modern history, China’s military leaders are pushing for a substantial increase in their budget to be announced at the National People’s Congress that starts on Friday, arguing that the world’s largest standing army needs more resources to cope with volatile challenges at home and overseas. And at the top of the list, according to the South China Morning Post, is the growing confrontation with the US.
With China-US relations sinking amid a trade war, spats over civil liberties and Taiwan, and conflicts over Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, recent months have added accusations between Washington and Beijing about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. From Beijing’s viewpoint, the military threats are surfacing on its doorstep with US bombers running about 40 flights over contested areas of the South China and East China seas so far this year, or more than three times the number in the same period of 2019. US Navy warships have sailed four “freedom of navigation operations” in the area in the same period, compared with eight in all of last year.
“Beijing feels security threats posed by the US and other foreign countries are increasing, so the People’s Liberation Army wants a budget increase to support its military modernization and combat-ready training,” said Song Zhongping, a Hong Kong-based military commentator and former officer in the PLA, quoted by the SCMP.
Although the actual size of China’s defense budgets are a matter of dispute, military insiders say the PLA will want to match or exceed last year’s 7.5% growth rate, with one estimating a 9% jump, as tensions escalate on several fronts, including the perennial Taiwan friction.
While those increases may not seem outlandish, and pale in comparison to the total US military budget, they would be against a backdrop of a domestic economy severely hammered by the Covid-19 outbreak and the threat of a global recession. In late March, investment bank China International Capital Corporation slashed its real GDP growth forecast for China in 2020 to 2.6% from 6.1% in January.
One year ago at the NPC in March 2019, China announced defense spending of 1.18 trillion yuan (US$176 billion) which is the world’s second largest. But the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates China’s defense spending at US$261 billion, which is a little over a third that of the US$732 billion of the US.
Lu Li-shih, a former instructor at the naval academy in Taiwan, said the suspicion between Beijing and Washington was the worst since the resumption of diplomatic relations in the 1970s, but he rated the chance of a military conflict as low (for now). Collin Koh, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, meanwhile, said the PLA and US military counterparts had communication channels.
“Bilateral military ties … might not be always efficacious, but at least do serve as existing ‘pressure valves’ to forestall and potentially mitigate the risks that arise from growing tensions between Beijing and Washington,” Koh said.
Still, as the SCMP reports, President Xi Jinping, who chairs the all-powerful Central Military Commission, ordered the PLA on January 2 to boost its combat capacity as relations worsened with Washington. That was a repeat of Xi’s “be ready to win wars” order when he laid out his military expansion plan to the Communist Party’s national congress in 2017. The message has not changed.
Neither has the focus of attention: Taiwan. In last July’s defence white paper, the PLA said two of its most challenging threats were from pro-independence forces in Taiwan and separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang, saying the army “will defend national unification at all costs”.
Ni Lexiong, a specialist in China’s naval strategy and former professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said under President Donald Trump, US arms sales to Taiwan – including 66 F-16 Viper fighter jets – gave the PLA additional bargaining chips in asking for more money.
Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China’s territory that must be returned to the mainland fold, by force if necessary. The PLA has planned for such an event since 1949, when the Nationalist Party was defeated in the Chinese Civil War by the Communist Party of China and fled to the island.
Tensions over Taiwan have ratcheted up since Tsai Ing-wen became president in 2016. She was re-elected in a landslide in January on a platform of standing up to Beijing and defending Taiwan as a liberal democracy. She will be inaugurated for a second four-year term on Wednesday, just two days before the NPC opens.
In response, the FT reports that Taiwan is fearful that Beijing will step up direct military pressure this year in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, with increasingly frequent incursions into airspace traditionally respected as a safety buffer zone. Such operations are below the threshold of war but would expand the area China dominates militarily, mirroring the approach Beijing has taken to establish virtual control over the disputed South China Sea.
“Once the pandemic recedes, the Chinese communists will fly across the Taiwan Strait median line more and more often, until the line disappears,” said a recently retired Taiwanese senior military official. “They will create a new status quo under which they will regularly operate much closer to our airspace, and move around there at will.”
The median line was drawn by the US in 1954. While the line does not have international legal force, both Taiwan and China have long had a tacit understanding not to cross it to avoid unintended clashes. But in March 2019, Chinese military aircraft crossed the line for the first time in 20 years and have done so on at least two more occasions.
Taiwan’s concerns follow veiled warnings from China and come as President Tsai Ing-wen starts her second term on Wednesday, with her country’s international reputation and her own popularity boosted by Taipei’s containment of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was planning an exercise for August that would simulate the seizure of Pratas, a Taiwan-held atoll at the northern entrance of the South China Sea. At the same time, the Chinese government announced two month-long live-fire drills near the port of Tangshan, interpreted by some military experts as an exercise for an attack on Taiwan.
A senior Taiwanese government official said these signals and the PLA’s probing of the median line had heightened concerns that anger over Taipei’s handling of Covid-19 was driving Beijing to take a more provocative course. Taiwan prevented a local outbreak and has seen only 440 confirmed cases and seven deaths, after cutting travel from China early. This success attracted global attention and support for the diplomatically isolated country’s attempts to participate in the World Health Organization.
“Because of this, cross-Strait relations have become very tense right now,” the senior official said.
* * *
Alexander Huang Chieh-cheng, a professor of international affairs and strategic studies at Tamkang University in Taipei, said that while a military conflict between the mainland and Taiwan would be unlikely in the coming two years, as Beijing needed to concentrate its efforts on economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, the risk of conflict had increased.
“Beijing is expected to continue its sabre-rattling against Taipei, staging more war games to try to intimidate the Tsai government in her next four years in office as long as she rejects the 1992 consensus,” Huang said, referring to a decade-old agreement between Beijing and Taipei to define cross-strait relations. Huang was a former vice-chairman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council which oversees the island’s policies towards the mainland.
China has been running increasing numbers of military flights into Taiwan’s airspace, and in recent media articles some retired Chinese military officials have suggested that the US was not in a position to defend Taiwan because all four of its aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific had been hit by Covid-19 outbreaks. Later comments in an influential party journal, the Study Times , suggested a military venture was not part of Beijing’s immediate plans.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated suspicions and mistrust between Beijing and Washington, and likewise between Beijing and Taipei,” Ni said. “China is facing a new round of containment posed by the US-led Western countries similar to the Cold War.”
Meanwhile, Xi’s national “rejuvenation” strategy for China includes reshaping the PLA into a top-ranked fighting force by 2050, which includes launching at least four aircraft carrier strike groups by 2035, cutting-edge weapons research and development, and revamping the whole military command structure.
China now has two aircraft carriers; the Liaoning is a refitted vessel bought from Ukraine, while the Shandong is the first domestically built. The Shandong is still undergoing sea trials to meet what is known as initial operating capability, or IOC, for warships.
The navy has scheduled sea trials for two newly launched Type 075 helicopter docks, a type of amphibious vessel, with 40,000 tonnes of displacement. It also has plans for eight Type 055 guided-missile destroyers, its most powerful warship and among the most advanced in Asia. The first was commissioned in January and three others are being fitted out.
The PLA modernisation of both traditional and non-traditional military operations would not slow, said Song in Hong Kong. The PLA is also arguing for more funds, citing other complicated and non-traditional security challenges at home, from separatism to terrorism and religious extremism.
China’s military also found itself at the forefront of a different battle this year as tens of thousands of personnel were drafted into the fight against the Covid-19 disease outbreak in the initial epicentre, Wuhan, in January. The PLA provided doctors to treat patients, as well as soldiers and logistics for quarantine lockdowns, all additional expenditures that affect short- and long-term planning.
Beside fighting pandemics, the military is also expected to do its part in providing jobs for the rising ranks of unemployed as businesses struggle to recover from the economic damage done by the disease. More than 8.7 million students will graduate this summer and the PLA has been asked to absorb more of them, another reason to request more funding.
So… the Chinese army is about to grow by millions? Whatever you do, don’t call it a draft or you will be banned by Twitter.
A military insider said the Covid-19 pandemic added a large, unexpected financial burden on the PLA (not to mention a source of new “volunteer” recruits). “Military leadership is still fighting with the decision makers of the NPC for a budget increase up to 9 per cent for the coming year, even though the global and domestic economic situations are worrying,” said the person, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
The PLA deployed more than 4,500 military medical personnel to worst-hit Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, as well as other logistic support elsewhere in the province from February.
“President Xi also ordered scientists from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences to join the global race to find a vaccine for Covid-19, which is a long-term and costly investment,” the person said. “It’s very difficult to predict the military cost from the Covid-19 pandemic, because we don’t know how long it will last.”
And speaking of the army’s involvement in the coronavirus pandemic, recall that a Chinese military virologist and bioweapons expert Major General Chen Wei went to the Wuhan Institute of Virology with military scientists in January to “study” the new virus. But aside from that, there is absolutely no connection between the Chinese army and the coronavirus outbreak. None at all.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-05-20--LPR Head Warns Active Military Operations Would Begin If Ukraine Doesn’t Stop Violating Ceasefire

On May 19th , the head of the Luhansk People ’ s Republic Leonid Pasenchik issued an emergency statement .
In the statement , Pasenchik urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop his troops from violating the ceasefire , otherwise the troops of the LPR would begin active operations against the Ukrainian Armed Forces .
“ As a result of the shelling carried out by the armed forces of Ukraine on May 16th , the Mikhaylovka-Kommunarskaya power transmission line was damaged , which fed infrastructure facilities critical to the LPR , a number of social facilities , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on May 17th , in spite of the security guarantees provided , Ukraine fired on the repair team twice , they were working to eliminate the consequences of the shelling , and the OSCE SMM patrol , which monitored the work .
This shelling suspended any security guarantees .
Similar attacks on civilians of the LPR and civilian infrastructure by the Ukrainian military have recently become regular .
This is a deliberate provocation and action with a clear goal – to destroy the critical infrastructure of our Republic that is necessary for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this action Ukraine has already achieved certain results , causing serious interruptions in the electricity and water supply of Lugansk , which threaten us with a humanitarian catastrophe .
And this happens against the background when representatives of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group invariably declare their commitment to a comprehensive ceasefire .
In this regard , I want to appeal to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with an urgent request to take measures to stop the unprovoked shelling of our territory , while providing appropriate security guarantees for repair work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions continue on the part of the EFU , you , Vladimir Alexandrovich , will leave us no choice but to take effective and decisive measures to move the line of contact from the specified power line .
In a similar way , we will be forced to act while continuing shelling of civilians and other critical life-support facilities .
For this purpose , I have already given relevant instructions on putting the units of the People ’ s Police on alert .
In order to avoid escalation of the conflict , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Russian Federation , Germany and France with a request to “ help ” Ukraine to take the necessary decisions to ensure a real cease-fire for the period until a full political settlement of the conflict.
” As such , it would appear that this escalation is taking place when information is being released showing that the United States is , essentially , pulling the strings on Ukraine , and former Vice President Joe Biden and Co. were pillaging the country .
A further escalation could be likely , potentially attempting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Ukraine ’ s issues and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine : “ Russian Aggression.
” It should be reminded that just days earlier the Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled civilians , injuring several children , both in the LPR and DPR .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Leaked Phone Calls Between Biden And Poroshenko Reveal How Washington Was Pillaging Ukraine • Joe Biden , Petro Poroshenko And Co. Stole $ 100 Billion From Ukraine : Rudy Giuliani

Support SouthFront
On May 19th, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic Leonid Pasenchik issued an emergency statement.
In the statement, Pasenchik urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop his troops from violating the ceasefire, otherwise the troops of the LPR would begin active operations against the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“As a result of the shelling carried out by the armed forces of Ukraine on May 16th, the Mikhaylovka-Kommunarskaya power transmission line was damaged, which fed infrastructure facilities critical to the LPR, a number of social facilities, as well as a residential sector. A day later, on May 17th, in spite of the security guarantees provided, Ukraine fired on the repair team twice, they were working to eliminate the consequences of the shelling, and the OSCE SMM patrol, which monitored the work. This shelling suspended any security guarantees. Similar attacks on civilians of the LPR and civilian infrastructure by the Ukrainian military have recently become regular. This is a deliberate provocation and action with a clear goal – to destroy the critical infrastructure of our Republic that is necessary for the livelihoods of our population. And in this action Ukraine has already achieved certain results, causing serious interruptions in the electricity and water supply of Lugansk, which threaten us with a humanitarian catastrophe. And this happens against the background when representatives of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group invariably declare their commitment to a comprehensive ceasefire. In this regard, I want to appeal to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with an urgent request to take measures to stop the unprovoked shelling of our territory, while providing appropriate security guarantees for repair work on critical civilian infrastructure. If such actions continue on the part of the EFU, you, Vladimir Alexandrovich, will leave us no choice but to take effective and decisive measures to move the line of contact from the specified power line. In a similar way, we will be forced to act while continuing shelling of civilians and other critical life-support facilities. For this purpose, I have already given relevant instructions on putting the units of the People’s Police on alert. In order to avoid escalation of the conflict, I also want to appeal to the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Germany and France with a request to “help” Ukraine to take the necessary decisions to ensure a real cease-fire for the period until a full political settlement of the conflict.”
As such, it would appear that this escalation is taking place when information is being released showing that the United States is, essentially, pulling the strings on Ukraine, and former Vice President Joe Biden and Co. were pillaging the country.
A further escalation could be likely, potentially attempting to point towards the “real culprit” for Ukraine’s issues and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine: “Russian Aggression.”
It should be reminded that just days earlier the Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled civilians, injuring several children, both in the LPR and DPR.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront