southfront--2020-10-31--US Seizes “Largest Ever” Haul Of Iranian Missiles & Oil: ‘Enough For A Large Military Force’

On Thursday the United States revealed it had previously seized a major shipment of Iranian missiles bound for Yemen , and separately that it seized and later sold 1.1 million barrels of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela .
Reports describe the seizer was accomplished by two US warships in regional waters that apprehended a total of 171 guided anti-tank missiles , eight surface-to-air missiles , and associated equipment , according to a statement by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers .
“ These actions represent the government ’ s largest-ever forfeitures actions for fuel and weapons shipments from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Also on Thursday the Treasury Department and State Department slapped sanctions on eleven different entities connected to the Iranian fuel shipments and sales , and sanctions-busting operations .
The DOJ identified that it as top Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) operatives behind the clandestine shipments of fuel and weapons .
The 1.1 barrels of fuel had been previously reported as seized by US authorities in August .
Initially diverted to Houston , some of it was offloaded in New York .
The US has now confirmed it sold the petroleum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over $ 40 million .
“ We estimate that in excess of $ 40 million will be recouped by the United States related to the sale of petroleum from those four vessels , ” acting US attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin the told reporters .
According to AFP , Sherwin indicated much of the proceeds from the sale would go to a US fund for victims of “ state-sponsored terrorism ” .
The report details : US courts have ordered Iran ’ s clerical regime to pay damages over attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge told Tehran to pay $ 879.1 million over a 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 US airmen .
Iran denies responsibility and states it has no intention of paying , saying the United States should instead compensate for past episodes including its support of Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq War .
As for the weaponry seized , US statements said it was enough “ for a large military force ” according to Fox : Days ahead of the US election , there ’ s little doubt that Tehran is actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , given Trump ’ s maximum pressure campaign is crippling the Iranian economy and fast putting the two sides on a war footing , especially after the January assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani .
Biden has promised he ’ ll attempted to bring the US back into the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal .
Meanwhile Iran and Venezuela have pledged deepening cooperation , while the US has vowed to “ destroy ” and missiles transferred to the Maduro regime .

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
On Thursday the United States revealed it had previously seized a major shipment of Iranian missiles bound for Yemen, and separately that it seized and later sold 1.1 million barrels of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela.
Reports describe the seizer was accomplished by two US warships in regional waters that apprehended a total of 171 guided anti-tank missiles, eight surface-to-air missiles, and associated equipment, according to a statement by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers.
“These actions represent the government’s largest-ever forfeitures actions for fuel and weapons shipments from Iran,” the Justice Department said.
Via Fox News
Also on Thursday the Treasury Department and State Department slapped sanctions on eleven different entities connected to the Iranian fuel shipments and sales, and sanctions-busting operations.
The DOJ identified that it as top Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives behind the clandestine shipments of fuel and weapons.
The 1.1 barrels of fuel had been previously reported as seized by US authorities in August. Initially diverted to Houston, some of it was offloaded in New York. The US has now confirmed it sold the petroleum from four tankers at a price of over $40 million.
“We estimate that in excess of $40 million will be recouped by the United States related to the sale of petroleum from those four vessels,” acting US attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin the told reporters.
According to AFP, Sherwin indicated much of the proceeds from the sale would go to a US fund for victims of “state-sponsored terrorism”. The report details:
US courts have ordered Iran’s clerical regime to pay damages over attacks, most recently in July when a judge told Tehran to pay $879.1 million over a 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 US airmen. Iran denies responsibility and states it has no intention of paying, saying the United States should instead compensate for past episodes including its support of Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq War.
Image of prior intercepted Iranian weapons shipment seized by US Navy, via Stripes.
As for the weaponry seized, US statements said it was enough “for a large military force” according to Fox:
Authorities also said the Navy had confiscated other weapons components and enough blasting caps to “approximately” supply the U.S. military forces for a year, “leading law enforcement to believe these blasting caps were intended for a large military force.”
Days ahead of the US election, there’s little doubt that Tehran is actively rooting for Joe Biden to take the White House, given Trump’s maximum pressure campaign is crippling the Iranian economy and fast putting the two sides on a war footing, especially after the January assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. Biden has promised he’ll attempted to bring the US back into the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal.
A very strange non-story ratcheting things up with Iran as we go into an election. FBI says nothing is going on here, but golly he has Facebook friends in the Middle East…https://t.co/8nFIjuB49c — Jack Murphy (@JackMurphyRGR) October 30, 2020
Meanwhile Iran and Venezuela have pledged deepening cooperation, while the US has vowed to “destroy” and missiles transferred to the Maduro regime.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Weapons Of Karabakh War: Turkey’s SOM High Precision Cruise Missile

Another of the weapons that Azerbaijan uses against Armenia in the war for Nagorno-Karabakh is the SOM cruise missile .
The SOM ( Turkish : Satha Atılan Orta Menzilli Mühimmat ) is a next-generation autonomous , low observable , high precision cruise missile developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE , Defence Research and Development Institute of Turkey .
The SOM stand-off cruise missile is a family of launch and leave precision strike weapons against both land or sea targets .
It uses GPS as its primary mode of guidance complemented by an advanced Inertial Navigation System and a radar-based Terrain Referenced Navigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the terrain during its flight in order to evade local defence systems According to the developer , it features advanced geometry and aerodynamics over similar missile systems , as well as lightweight composite components that minimize the radar cross-section of the missile .
A terminal stage infrared imager detects the individual target by matching its signature with a pre-loaded database of similar targets allowing for precision strike .
While initially the range of the missile was announced to be 100 nmi , debates arose in local press around the missile ’ s real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpectedly set objectives for the development of a missile with a range of 2,500 km ( 1,300 nmi ) at the plenary session of the High Science and Technology Council on December 28th , 2011 .
On October 26th , 2018 , Turkey ’ s defense industry authority announced that the missile entered serial production phase with Roketsan .
Azerbaijan reportedly only has ground-launched SOM missiles , but there are also sea-launched and air-launched variants .
The SOM missile was demonstrated in the 100th anniversary parade of Azerbaijan Army for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got SOM-B1 modified version making it the first foreign user of SOM missile , AzeriDefence reported .
SOM-B1 missile is used for land and sea targets and allows fighter jets of AAF to destroy the targets that is located behind the frontline with high precision without catching by Anti-aircraft warfare .
It is unclear what the air-based missile would be used with by Azerbaijan and if it had bought specifically that kind .
The SOM missile has been integrated for use on TAI produced Turkish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon ( CCIP and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operated F-4E 2020 .
Azerbaijan operates none of those .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Armenia Hopes For A Saviour As Azerbaijan Pushes Ever Further Into Nagorno-Karabakh

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Another of the weapons that Azerbaijan uses against Armenia in the war for Nagorno-Karabakh is the SOM cruise missile.
The SOM (Turkish: Satha Atılan Orta Menzilli Mühimmat) is a next-generation autonomous, low observable, high precision cruise missile developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, Defence Research and Development Institute of Turkey.
The SOM stand-off cruise missile is a family of launch and leave precision strike weapons against both land or sea targets.
It uses GPS as its primary mode of guidance complemented by an advanced Inertial Navigation System and a radar-based Terrain Referenced Navigation system, allowing the missile to skim the terrain during its flight in order to evade local defence systems
According to the developer, it features advanced geometry and aerodynamics over similar missile systems, as well as lightweight composite components that minimize the radar cross-section of the missile. A terminal stage infrared imager detects the individual target by matching its signature with a pre-loaded database of similar targets allowing for precision strike.
While initially the range of the missile was announced to be 100 nmi, debates arose in local press around the missile’s real range after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan unexpectedly set objectives for the development of a missile with a range of 2,500 km (1,300 nmi) at the plenary session of the High Science and Technology Council on December 28th, 2011.
On October 26th, 2018, Turkey’s defense industry authority announced that the missile entered serial production phase with Roketsan.
Azerbaijan reportedly only has ground-launched SOM missiles, but there are also sea-launched and air-launched variants.
The SOM missile was demonstrated in the 100th anniversary parade of Azerbaijan Army for the first time which makes it clear that Azerbaijan has got SOM-B1 modified version making it the first foreign user of SOM missile, AzeriDefence reported.
SOM-B1 missile is used for land and sea targets and allows fighter jets of AAF to destroy the targets that is located behind the frontline with high precision without catching by Anti-aircraft warfare.
It is unclear what the air-based missile would be used with by Azerbaijan and if it had bought specifically that kind.
The SOM missile has been integrated for use on TAI produced Turkish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon (CCIP and Block 50) and Turkish Air Force operated F-4E 2020. Azerbaijan operates none of those.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Update On Azerbaijani Strikes On Armenian Equipment, Including Radar & Air-Defense Systems (Videos)

Armenian forces continue to sustain heavy losses in equipment as a result of Azerbaijani drone and rocket strikes on the @ @ @ @ @ On October 30 , the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released two videos showing recent @ @ @ @ @ positions and the following equipment : Most of the strikes were carried out with Turkish-made @ @ @ @ @ which were armed with MAM-L and MAM-C small-diameter laser-guided munitions .
In the last two @ @ @ @ @ to destroy three BM-30 “ Smerch ” heavy multiple rocket launchers of the Armenian military @ @ @ @ @ .
The Azerbaijani military has inflicted heavy human and material losses on Armenian forces since @ @ @ @ @ in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 .
However , its advance on the ground remains limited @ @ @ @ @ the region .
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Armenian forces continue to sustain heavy losses in equipment as a result of Azerbaijani drone and rocket strikes on the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
On October 30, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released two videos showing recent strikes on Armenian troops, positions and the following equipment:
1 T-72 battle tank;
1 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle;
1 MT-LB armored vehicle;
1 BM-21 multiple rocket launcher;
1 Truck;
6 D-20 howitzers;
1 P-18 “Spoon Rest D” radar;
1 9K33 Osa short-range air-defense system;
Most of the strikes were carried out with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB combat drones, which were armed with MAM-L and MAM-C small-diameter laser-guided munitions.
In the last two days, Azerbaijani forces managed to destroy three BM-30 “Smerch” heavy multiple rocket launchers of the Armenian military with Bayraktar TB combat drones.
The Azerbaijani military has inflicted heavy human and material losses on Armenian forces since the outbreak of the battle in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27. However, its advance on the ground remains limited to the southeastern part of the region.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Two Men Killed While Attacking Turkish-Backed Militants In Occupied Afrin (Video)

On October 30 , two men were killed while attempting to bomb a headquarters of the Turkish-backed Sham Legion in @ @ @ @ @ in northern Syria .
According to several opposition sources , two men were parking a @ @ @ @ @ , which is located in the town of Bassuta , when it exploded as a @ @ @ @ @ The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least two militants of the Sham @ @ @ @ @ explosion .
No group has claimed responsibility for the failed attack , so far .
@ @ @ @ @ and the Wrath of Olives Operations Room are known for carrying out similar attacks against @ @ @ @ @ Both factions are Kurdish .
The Turkish military and its proxies occupied Afrin after a @ @ @ @ @ People ’ s Protection Units in 2018 .
A state of lawlessness is now prevailing @ @ @ @ @ areas in northern and northwestern Syria .
Crime is widespread there and attacks are taking @ @ @ @ @ .
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On October 30, two men were killed while attempting to bomb a headquarters of the Turkish-backed Sham Legion in the occupied area of Afrin in northern Syria.
According to several opposition sources, two men were parking a booby-trapped motorcycle near the headquarters, which is located in the town of Bassuta, when it exploded as a result of a malfunction.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least two militants of the Sham Legion were injured in the explosion.
No group has claimed responsibility for the failed attack, so far. However, Afrin Liberation Forces and the Wrath of Olives Operations Room are known for carrying out similar attacks against Turkish-backed militants in Afrin. Both factions are Kurdish.
The Turkish military and its proxies occupied Afrin after a brief battle with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in 2018.
A state of lawlessness is now prevailing over Afrin and other Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northwestern Syria. Crime is widespread there and attacks are taking place on a regular basis.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Key Steele Dossier Source Revealed As Alcoholic Disgruntled Russian PR Exec In Cyprus

Just days before the election , but certainly still dismissed from coverage by the very networks that for years peddled the hoax , the final nail has gone into the Steele dossier coffin .
Already widely debunked , including by no less than Special Counsel Robert Mueller who the Steele dossier advocates put all their hopes in only for their delusion to eventually be shattered , a key source for many of its claims has been revealed by to be a disgruntled Russian PR executive living in Cyprus .
40-year old Olga Galkina “ stood as the dossier ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after she was tapped by her old school friend and Steele ’ s employee , Igor Danchenko , to dig up dirt of Trump ’ s dealings in Russia using the “ vast network of people ” from her various jobs in and out of the public sector .
Described as a public-relations executive , she “ fed notes ” to Danchenko for the dossier , including many of its most central claims .
And of course behind all of this was British spy Christopher Steele , himself paid by Fusion GPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They knew each other since the 8th grade in Perm , as the WSJ details : It was Galkina who claimed Trump ’ s former lawyer Michael Cohen secretly contacted Russian intelligence in Prague to establish compensation for DNC hackers in the summer of 2016 .
Crucially she had fed Steele ’ s team the name of her own Cyprus-based employer Webzilla as being behind the hack under company owner Aleksej Gubarev .
At the very time Galkina was feeding Danchenko the information she was locked in an ugly dispute with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) which she was intent on taking down .
A mere eight months after starting at Webzilla in Cyprus , the company was forced to contact Cypriot police over her erratic and even dangerous behavior , which included frequently showing up to work late and drunk while making threats .
The WSJ notes that its reporters have reviewed the police statement , which revealed further : “ The manager told police that an acquaintance of Ms. Galkina had told him he would face deep trouble , including possible death , unless he paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the statement , which was confirmed by a Cypriot official and a person who attended its recording.
” It is here that the report emphasizes the crucial timeline : Thus the “ damning ” information on Trump and associates which triggered a special counsel investigation and what was literally multiple years of 24/7 media Russiagate hysteria originated with a deeply disgruntled executive that was let go after a lengthy and messy fight that even saw local police get involved at one point .
If you have five minutes for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this March , 2017 article on Steele ’ s sources and compare to what we now know .
By 2018 polls showed that a whopping over 80 % of Democrats bought into the key claims that collectively made up ‘ Russiagate ’ .
The Steele Dossier was of course the major driver that kicked it all off .
In light of the revelation , journalist Mark Ames put it best… “ So the Steele Dossier that kicked off 4 years of Russiagate hysteria among the US ruling class was cooked up by two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin to describe the grotesque credulity & stupidity of the American elites .
”

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Just days before the election, but certainly still dismissed from coverage by the very networks that for years peddled the hoax, the final nail has gone into the Steele dossier coffin.
Already widely debunked, including by no less than Special Counsel Robert Mueller who the Steele dossier advocates put all their hopes in only for their delusion to eventually be shattered, a key source for many of its claims has been revealed by The Wall Street Journal to be a disgruntled Russian PR executive living in Cyprus.
Olga Galkina, image via Facebook
40-year old Olga Galkina “stood as the dossier’s most important contributor,” WSJ reported, after she was tapped by her old school friend and Steele’s employee, Igor Danchenko, to dig up dirt of Trump’s dealings in Russia using the “vast network of people” from her various jobs in and out of the public sector.
Described as a public-relations executive, she “fed notes” to Danchenko for the dossier, including many of its most central claims. And of course behind all of this was British spy Christopher Steele, himself paid by Fusion GPS, and behind this the DNC itself.
They knew each other since the 8th grade in Perm, as the WSJ details:
Mr. Danchenko told the FBI that a school friend, referred to in heavily redacted FBI notes as “Source 3,” had provided him with information for Mr. Steele “across a wide range of topics,” and stood as the dossier’s most important contributor. The former high-ranking U.S. national-security official told The Wall Street Journal that the source in question was Ms. Galkina.
It was Galkina who claimed Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen secretly contacted Russian intelligence in Prague to establish compensation for DNC hackers in the summer of 2016. Crucially she had fed Steele’s team the name of her own Cyprus-based employer Webzilla as being behind the hack under company owner Aleksej Gubarev.
So the Steele Dossier that kicked off 4 years of Russiagate hysteria among the US ruling class was cooked up by two Russian alcoholics from Perm. “Gogolesque” does not begin to describe the grotesque credulity & stupidity of the American elites.https://t.co/LynUT8KLWx — Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) October 28, 2020
At the very time Galkina was feeding Danchenko the information she was locked in an ugly dispute with her employer (the parent company of Webzilla) which she was intent on taking down. A mere eight months after starting at Webzilla in Cyprus, the company was forced to contact Cypriot police over her erratic and even dangerous behavior, which included frequently showing up to work late and drunk while making threats.
The WSJ notes that its reporters have reviewed the police statement, which revealed further: “The manager told police that an acquaintance of Ms. Galkina had told him he would face deep trouble, including possible death, unless he paid €10,000 ($11,740) in compensation, according to the statement, which was confirmed by a Cypriot official and a person who attended its recording.”
It is here that the report emphasizes the crucial timeline:
In November 2016, Ms. Galkina was fired. Weeks later, she implicated Webzilla and Mr. Gubarev in the hacking, according to people familiar with the matter.
Thus the “damning” information on Trump and associates which triggered a special counsel investigation and what was literally multiple years of 24/7 media Russiagate hysteria originated with a deeply disgruntled executive that was let go after a lengthy and messy fight that even saw local police get involved at one point.
Oh shit, I KNOW the girl WSJ just named as the source of Steele dossier. (And yeah, she’s probably made the whole thing up) — Roman Volobuev (@romanvolobuev) October 29, 2020
If you have five minutes for an illustration on how disinformation actually works, read this March, 2017 Vanity Fair article on Steele’s sources and compare to what we now know.
Here’s the punchline:
By 2018 polls showed that a whopping over 80% of Democrats bought into the key claims that collectively made up ‘Russiagate’. The Steele Dossier was of course the major driver that kicked it all off.
In light of the revelation, journalist Mark Ames put it best…
“So the Steele Dossier that kicked off 4 years of Russiagate hysteria among the US ruling class was cooked up by two Russian alcoholics from Perm. Gogolesque does not begin to describe the grotesque credulity & stupidity of the American elites.”
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southfront--2020-10-31--Mighty Azerbaijani Table Stopped Heavy Armenian Rocket

On October 30 , Hikmet Hajiyev , a top aide for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , shared on Twitter a photo claiming to show a BM-30 “ Smerch ” rocket that was launched by Armenian forces at the village of Alasgarli in the region of Tartar .
The photo shows the heavy 300 mm rocket nailed into a small wooden table on the side of a road in a prefect manner .
A number of nearby chairs also appeared to be intact .
Hajiyev ’ s photo was criticized and regarded as “ propaganda ” and “ fake ” by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official said the rocket didn ’ t explode .
However , many argued that a BM-30 rocket , which can weight more than 800 kg , would have easily broken the table even if it did not explode .
Several Twitter users mocked Hajiyev ’ s claims by responding to his tweet with edited copies of his original photo .
One of the photos featured Arayik Harutyunyan , President of the de-facto state of Artsakh , having coffee at the table .
Azerbaijan claims that the Armenian military has used BM-30 rockets against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 .
At least four systems of this type were destroyed by Baku ’ s forces .
This was not the first time Hajiyev was accused of spreading propaganda .
In the past , he shared photos showing the remains of Azerbaijani rockets and drones , claiming that they were launched at civilian areas by Armenian forces .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Azerbaijani Troops Are At Gates Of Capital Of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

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On October 30, Hikmet Hajiyev, a top aide for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, shared on Twitter a photo claiming to show a BM-30 “Smerch” rocket that was launched by Armenian forces at the village of Alasgarli in the region of Tartar.
The photo shows the heavy 300 mm rocket nailed into a small wooden table on the side of a road in a prefect manner. A number of nearby chairs also appeared to be intact.
Photo of the Day. #Armenia fired Smerch missile. Alasgarli village of Tartar region. The missile will be decommissioned by ANAMA soon. Most likely and luckily it did not explode. pic.twitter.com/Ydb4jJI1Ct — Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 30, 2020
Hajiyev’s photo was criticized and regarded as “propaganda” and “fake” by hundreds of Twitter users. The Azerbaijani official said the rocket didn’t explode. However, many argued that a BM-30 rocket, which can weight more than 800 kg, would have easily broken the table even if it did not explode.
Several Twitter users mocked Hajiyev’s claims by responding to his tweet with edited copies of his original photo. One of the photos featured Arayik Harutyunyan, President of the de-facto state of Artsakh, having coffee at the table.
The coffee was good tho! pic.twitter.com/bZPl2Zxt94 — Loki (@Loki1349) October 30, 2020
This one looks more realistic, please use this version. pic.twitter.com/MfrCrrdbhV — Քուրինջու, 兄 (@CringeJutsu) October 30, 2020
Azerbaijan claims that the Armenian military has used BM-30 rockets against civilian areas on a number of occasions since the outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27. At least four systems of this type were destroyed by Baku’s forces.
This was not the first time Hajiyev was accused of spreading propaganda. In the past, he shared photos showing the remains of Azerbaijani rockets and drones, claiming that they were launched at civilian areas by Armenian forces.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Azerbaijani Troops Are At Gates Of Capital Of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

The Nagorno-Karabakh war has apparently been developing in the favor of the Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc .
On the evening of October 29 , the Armenian side confirmed that Azerbaijani troops have almost reached the second largest town in Nagorno-Karabakh – Shusha , which is located just a few km from the capital of the self-proclaimed republic – Stepanakert .
Arayik Harutyunyan , the president of the republic , called on Armenians to take arms to defend their homeland .
“ Shusha is not just a town , it is the symbol of the determination of the Armenian people to live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victories of the Armenian people .
Shusha is the beating heart of all Armenians .
As the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Artsakh , I once again call on each and every one of you to unite and defend our Shusha , our Artsakh , our national dignity , ” he said .
Azerbaijani infantry reportedly outflanked defense positions of the Armenians near Hadrut and deployed about 5km from Shusha .
The presence of forward units of Azerbaijani forces in such an area is another signal of the hard situation on the frontline for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely been able to repel the first Azerbaijani push towards the Lachin corridor , near the border with Armenia , the advancing Azerbaijani troops are still a major problem for the defenders of Karabakh on other parts of the frontline .
The Defense Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh confirmed clashes south of Shusha saying that Armenian units have been working to eliminate enemy sabotage groups .
This official version of events sounds at least concerning for the defenders of the city .
Independent Armenian sources report intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Armenians lose Shusha , this will mean that Azerbaijani forces are at the gates of the Nagorno-Karabakh capital .
Meanwhile , the Armenian Defense Ministry released its own map of the situation on the frontline .
According to it , the Azerbaijani military is still far away from Shusha .
Furthermore , it shows that Hadrut still mysteriously remains in the hands of Armenians forces .
At the same time , the Armenian conter-attack on Qubdali that forced the Azerbaijani military to withdraw from the town turning it into a gray zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shooting down of two of its Su-25 warplanes claimed by the Azerbaijani military .
According to Azerbaijan these warplanes “ attempted to inflict airstrikes on the positions of the Azerbaijani Army in the Qubadli direction of the front ” and were shot down .
No visual evidence to confirm the shooting down of the Su-25s has been provided so far .
On the other hand , the Azerbaijani side released a series of videos showing successful strikes on Armenian forces in the contested region .
The strikes seen in the videos targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian troops as well as the following equipment : 5 D-20 howitzers , a D-30 howitzer , 2 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers , a BM-21 multiple rocket launcher , 2 trucks , a SUV , a P-18 Radar and a Communication center .
Most of the strikes seen in the videos were carried out with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones .
The rest were apparently carried out with precision-guided rockets , like the Israeli-made ACCULAR and EXTRA , which are known to be in service with the Azerbaijani military .
By the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surely seized the strategic initiative in the conflict and overcome Armenian attempts to recapture it .
Now , Baku with help from its Turkish allies are planning to deliver the devastating blow to the Armenian defenders of Karabakh .
At the same time , the leadership of Armenia is still playing diplomatic games and not hurrying up to send its regular troops to assist the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh .

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The Nagorno-Karabakh war has apparently been developing in the favor of the Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc. On the evening of October 29, the Armenian side confirmed that Azerbaijani troops have almost reached the second largest town in Nagorno-Karabakh – Shusha, which is located just a few km from the capital of the self-proclaimed republic – Stepanakert. Arayik Harutyunyan, the president of the republic, called on Armenians to take arms to defend their homeland.
“Shusha is not just a town, it is the symbol of the determination of the Armenian people to live in their own cradle, a symbol of the victories of the Armenian people. Shusha is the beating heart of all Armenians. As the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Artsakh, I once again call on each and every one of you to unite and defend our Shusha, our Artsakh, our national dignity,” he said.
Azerbaijani infantry reportedly outflanked defense positions of the Armenians near Hadrut and deployed about 5km from Shusha. The presence of forward units of Azerbaijani forces in such an area is another signal of the hard situation on the frontline for Armenian forces. While the Armenians have likely been able to repel the first Azerbaijani push towards the Lachin corridor, near the border with Armenia, the advancing Azerbaijani troops are still a major problem for the defenders of Karabakh on other parts of the frontline.
The Defense Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh confirmed clashes south of Shusha saying that Armenian units have been working to eliminate enemy sabotage groups. This official version of events sounds at least concerning for the defenders of the city. Independent Armenian sources report intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces south of the town. If the Armenians lose Shusha, this will mean that Azerbaijani forces are at the gates of the Nagorno-Karabakh capital.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Defense Ministry released its own map of the situation on the frontline. According to it, the Azerbaijani military is still far away from Shusha. Furthermore, it shows that Hadrut still mysteriously remains in the hands of Armenians forces. At the same time, the Armenian conter-attack on Qubdali that forced the Azerbaijani military to withdraw from the town turning it into a gray zone was underreported. The Armenians also denied the shooting down of two of its Su-25 warplanes claimed by the Azerbaijani military. According to Azerbaijan these warplanes “attempted to inflict airstrikes on the positions of the Azerbaijani Army in the Qubadli direction of the front” and were shot down. No visual evidence to confirm the shooting down of the Su-25s has been provided so far.
On the other hand, the Azerbaijani side released a series of videos showing successful strikes on Armenian forces in the contested region. The strikes seen in the videos targeted more than 27 posts and gatherings of Armenian troops as well as the following equipment: 5 D-20 howitzers, a D-30 howitzer, 2 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, a BM-21 multiple rocket launcher, 2 trucks, a SUV, a P-18 Radar and a Communication center. Most of the strikes seen in the videos were carried out with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones. The rest were apparently carried out with precision-guided rockets, like the Israeli-made ACCULAR and EXTRA, which are known to be in service with the Azerbaijani military.
By the end of October, the Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc has surely seized the strategic initiative in the conflict and overcome Armenian attempts to recapture it. Now, Baku with help from its Turkish allies are planning to deliver the devastating blow to the Armenian defenders of Karabakh. At the same time, the leadership of Armenia is still playing diplomatic games and not hurrying up to send its regular troops to assist the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
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southfront--2020-10-31--ISIS ‘Children Recruiter’ Apprehended By Iraqi Security Forces In Fallujah Raid

On October 29 , Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service ( ICTS ) apprehended a terrorist for forming an ISIS recruitment ring that specifically targeted minors .
In an official statement , Maj. Gen. Yehia Rasool , a spokesman for the Iraqi Commander-in-Chief , said the terrorist was arrested during a raid in the city of Fallujah .
Detailed intelligence obtained by the ICTS led to the successful raid .
According to Maj. Gen. Rasool , legal measures were taken against the terrorist , who was identified only by his initials ( M. H. ) .
ISIS always showed special interest in child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist group recruited and trained hundreds , if not thousands , of children between the ages of 10 and 15 within a unit known as the “ Cubs of the Caliphate.
” The group forced children to fight on several frontlines in Iraq and Syria and even used them as executioners in some of its infamous propaganda videos .
ISIS is apparently still attempting to recruit children , at least in Iraq .
Nevertheless , this time , security forces are taking action to stop the terrorist group .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protests In Iraq

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On October 29, Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) apprehended a terrorist for forming an ISIS recruitment ring that specifically targeted minors.
In an official statement, Maj. Gen. Yehia Rasool, a spokesman for the Iraqi Commander-in-Chief, said the terrorist was arrested during a raid in the city of Fallujah. Detailed intelligence obtained by the ICTS led to the successful raid.
According to Maj. Gen. Rasool, legal measures were taken against the terrorist, who was identified only by his initials (M. H.).
بعد جهود متميزة وبعملية فريدة ووفقاً لمعلومات استخبارية دقيقة، الابطال في جهاز مُكافحة الإرهاب @iraqicts، يتمكنون من القاء القبض على الارهابي (م. ح) المسؤول عن “مفرزة تجنيد الأطفال” لصالح عصابات #داعش، اليوم الخميس، في قضاء الفلوجة، وقد اتخذت بحقه الاجراءات القانونية. pic.twitter.com/6Q7T5C8Fo1 — يحيى رسول | Yehia Rasool (@IraqiSpoxMOD) October 29, 2020
ISIS always showed special interest in child soldiers. At its prime, the terrorist group recruited and trained hundreds, if not thousands, of children between the ages of 10 and 15 within a unit known as the “Cubs of the Caliphate.”
The group forced children to fight on several frontlines in Iraq and Syria and even used them as executioners in some of its infamous propaganda videos.
ISIS is apparently still attempting to recruit children, at least in Iraq. Nevertheless, this time, security forces are taking action to stop the terrorist group.
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SouthFront has shown that anyone can create and disseminate accurate and timely world-changing analytical content and information, can dig out the truth on issues which are barely covered by governments and mainstream media.
Every month, SouthFront releases more than 900 exclusive pieces of videos, graphics, news and analyses.
Unlike propaganda structures funded by the Euro-Atlantic establishment, SouthFront operates thanks to the audience’s donations. We will not be able to survive without your help.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Azerbaijani Combat Drones Destroyed Two More Armenian Smerch Rocket Launchers (Video)

Azerbaijani combat drones have destroyed two more BM-30 “ Smerch ” heavy multiple rocket launchers ( MRLS ) of the Armenian military .
On October 30 , the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released a video showing pinpoint strikes on the two MRLS .
Both launchers were hidden between trees .
Yet , they were detected and destroyed by combat drones .
Both MRLS were targeted with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones , which entered service with the Azerbaijani military earlier this year .
These were the third and fourth Armenian BM-30 MRLS to be destroyed by Azerbaijan since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region of Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 .
An Armenian BM-30 MRLS was destroyed with a loitering munition , most likely an Israeli-made IAI Harpo , on October 17 .
Another MRLS was destroyed by a Bayraktar TB2 combat drone On October 29 .
The BM-30 can launch a variety of 300 mm rockets with ranges up to 90 km .
The system is intended to defeat personnel , armored , and soft targets in concentration areas , artillery batteries , command posts and ammunition depots .
Azerbaijan claims that the Armenian military used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The system was allegedly used on October 28 to shell civilian areas in Barda city .
More than 80 civilians were killed or injured .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC :

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Azerbaijani combat drones have destroyed two more BM-30 “Smerch” heavy multiple rocket launchers (MRLS) of the Armenian military.
On October 30, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released a video showing pinpoint strikes on the two MRLS. Both launchers were hidden between trees. Yet, they were detected and destroyed by combat drones.
Both MRLS were targeted with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones, which entered service with the Azerbaijani military earlier this year.
These were the third and fourth Armenian BM-30 MRLS to be destroyed by Azerbaijan since the outbreak of the battle in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27.
An Armenian BM-30 MRLS was destroyed with a loitering munition, most likely an Israeli-made IAI Harpo, on October 17. Another MRLS was destroyed by a Bayraktar TB2 combat drone On October 29.
The BM-30 can launch a variety of 300 mm rockets with ranges up to 90 km. The system is intended to defeat personnel, armored, and soft targets in concentration areas, artillery batteries, command posts and ammunition depots.
Azerbaijan claims that the Armenian military used the system on several occasions against civilians. The system was allegedly used on October 28 to shell civilian areas in Barda city. More than 80 civilians were killed or injured.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Abortion Of Future. The Largest Polish Protests In Post-Soviet Era

Since October 22 , large protests against abortion ban have been taking place all around Poland .
The capital faced the largest throngs of people .
Dozens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Warsaw on Friday evening .
The current protests are the largest since the fall of communist regime in Poland in 1989 .
Earlier in 2016 and 2018 , the ruling Law and Justice Party had already tried to introduce the restriction on abortion , but nationwide demonstrations erupted twice .
Today the law was accepted by the Polish Constitutional Court , who de facto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the provision of legislation that allowed a woman to terminate a pregnancy if the fetus was found to have a serious and irreversible defect or an incurable disease that threatens its life .
Poland is a Catholic country where one of the most restrictive abortion laws among the world ’ s wealthier countries was adopted in 1993 .
In recent years , the ruling party has strengthened this line .
The conservative measures were provoked by the high number of abortions in the country .
Inter alia , this is due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of young girls from Ukraine and Belarus who were engaged in prostitution in the hope of easy earnings .
This provoked cultural differences and an increase in illegal abortions , as Polish doctors retained the right to refuse surgery or not prescribe pills .
Despite the fact that the current demonstration was largely peaceful , there was an important police presence due to concerns that the clashes could break out with right-wing counter-protesters , who were also widely present on the streets of Warsaw after the call of the Deputy Prime Minister and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaczynski .
Poland is the center of gravity for students from Eastern Europe .
Plenty of young people from Ukraine and Belarus actively come there .
They represent a large ardent crowd that mostly supports the modern aggressive neoliberal agenda .
Crowds of women filled the streets of the capital , joined by thousands of men and a wide array of groups who were not satisfied with the conservative politics of Law and Justice Party .
Except the abortion ban , the protesters propelled a larger liberal agenda .
The separate target is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institution that allegedly restricts the rights of citizens .
Throughout the week , the protesters broke into the churches , vandalizing church facades and staging sit-ins .
These protests put into question the implementation of the strong Pilsudskiy-style national project .
The one that Polish elites have been striving for decades .
Today ’ s events in Poland have a lot in common with left-wing protests in Latin America .
In general , their logic is formed in the American neo-liberal think tanks , but are taken up by the masses of protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is taking place , when elite remote groups use the masses who profess very different views .
This is the way the future emerges , where society will be divided into two unequal groups .
The first is represented by a narrow circle of elites , families , who are adherent to neo-liberal ideas with a somewhat esoteric and mystical perception of the world .
The second group is much more numerous and represents the masses , a kind of new proletariat following left-wing , mostly neo-Marxist views .
MORE ON THE TOPIC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attack In French Lyon , Pogrom In Vienna

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Since October 22, large protests against abortion ban have been taking place all around Poland. The capital faced the largest throngs of people. Dozens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Warsaw on Friday evening.
The current protests are the largest since the fall of communist regime in Poland in 1989.
Earlier in 2016 and 2018, the ruling Law and Justice Party had already tried to introduce the restriction on abortion, but nationwide demonstrations erupted twice. Today the law was accepted by the Polish Constitutional Court, who de facto prohibited abortions. The judges found unconstitutional the provision of legislation that allowed a woman to terminate a pregnancy if the fetus was found to have a serious and irreversible defect or an incurable disease that threatens its life.
Poland is a Catholic country where one of the most restrictive abortion laws among the world’s wealthier countries was adopted in 1993. In recent years, the ruling party has strengthened this line. The conservative measures were provoked by the high number of abortions in the country. Inter alia, this is due to the fact that there was a large flow of young girls from Ukraine and Belarus who were engaged in prostitution in the hope of easy earnings. This provoked cultural differences and an increase in illegal abortions, as Polish doctors retained the right to refuse surgery or not prescribe pills.
Despite the fact that the current demonstration was largely peaceful, there was an important police presence due to concerns that the clashes could break out with right-wing counter-protesters, who were also widely present on the streets of Warsaw after the call of the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Poland is the center of gravity for students from Eastern Europe. Plenty of young people from Ukraine and Belarus actively come there. They represent a large ardent crowd that mostly supports the modern aggressive neoliberal agenda. Crowds of women filled the streets of the capital, joined by thousands of men and a wide array of groups who were not satisfied with the conservative politics of Law and Justice Party.
Except the abortion ban, the protesters propelled a larger liberal agenda. The separate target is the Polish Catholic Church, as an institution that allegedly restricts the rights of citizens. Throughout the week, the protesters broke into the churches,vandalizing church facades and staging sit-ins.
These protests put into question the implementation of the strong Pilsudskiy-style national project. The one that Polish elites have been striving for decades.
Today’s events in Poland have a lot in common with left-wing protests in Latin America. In general, their logic is formed in the American neo-liberal think tanks, but are taken up by the masses of protesters with left-wing views. An interesting paradox is taking place, when elite remote groups use the masses who profess very different views.
This is the way the future emerges, where society will be divided into two unequal groups. The first is represented by a narrow circle of elites, families, who are adherent to neo-liberal ideas with a somewhat esoteric and mystical perception of the world. The second group is much more numerous and represents the masses, a kind of new proletariat following left-wing, mostly neo-Marxist views.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-10-31--Elite SEAL Team Rescues American Hostage In Daring Overnight Nigeria Raid

The Pentagon announced Saturday that US special forces have been successful in a daring rescue operation of an American citizen who had been taken hostage earlier in the week by an armed group in Niger .
It was reportedly conducted by the Navy ’ s most elite SEAL Team in the early hours of Saturday , which in media reports is often referred to as SEAL Team 6 ( though goes by other names internally within JSCOC ) .
It remains unclear as to the precise identity of the group of kidnappers , however , current US official statements suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but instead likely “ bandits ” seeking ransom money .
The American had been subsequently taken by the group across the border into northern Nigeria where the special forces raid rescued him .
The dangerous border region is known for the presence of al Qaeda activity as well as the Islamic State ’ s Boko Haram .
The State Department had earlier in the week reported an American was taken captive Tuesday .
Follow-up reports identified the man as a missionary named Philip Walton .
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said the US citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further that no US personnel were injured during the rescue .
“ U.S .
forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men .
This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State .
No U.S military personnel were injured during the operation , ” Hoffman said in a statement .
“ We appreciate the support of our international partners in conducting this operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect our people and our interests anywhere in the world.
” Multiple members of the armed group were killed in the raid on their compound where the American was held , according to details given by CNN : The mission , which was several hours long , was conducted by the Navy ’ s elite SEAL Team 6 who were flown to the region by Air Force special operations , a US official with knowledge of the operation told CNN .
The US forces who conducted the mission killed six of the seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US believes the captors have no known affiliation with any terror groups operating in the region , and were more likely bandits seeking money .
President Trump congratulated those involved in the mission in a Saturday morning tweet , saying , “ Big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces today.
” And he added : “ Details to follow !
”

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
The Pentagon announced Saturday that US special forces have been successful in a daring rescue operation of an American citizen who had been taken hostage earlier in the week by an armed group in Niger.
It was reportedly conducted by the Navy’s most elite SEAL Team in the early hours of Saturday, which in media reports is often referred to as SEAL Team 6 (though goes by other names internally within JSCOC).
It remains unclear as to the precise identity of the group of kidnappers, however, current US official statements suggest it was not an organized terrorist group but instead likely “bandits” seeking ransom money. The American had been subsequently taken by the group across the border into northern Nigeria where the special forces raid rescued him.
Big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces today. Details to follow! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2020
The dangerous border region is known for the presence of al Qaeda activity as well as the Islamic State’s Boko Haram. The State Department had earlier in the week reported an American was taken captive Tuesday. Follow-up reports identified the man as a missionary named Philip Walton.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said the US citizen has been recovered and is safe, and further that no US personnel were injured during the rescue.
An American missionary was abducted in the middle of the night by six gunmen armed with assault rifles in southern Niger close to the border with Nigeria on Tuesday. https://t.co/QpddTcQdvY via @CBNNews — CBN News (@CBNNews) October 28, 2020
“U.S. forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men. This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State. No U.S military personnel were injured during the operation,” Hoffman said in a statement.
“We appreciate the support of our international partners in conducting this operation. The United States will continue to protect our people and our interests anywhere in the world.”
Navy Seals file image via Washington Times
Multiple members of the armed group were killed in the raid on their compound where the American was held, according to details given by CNN:
The mission, which was several hours long, was conducted by the Navy’s elite SEAL Team 6 who were flown to the region by Air Force special operations, a US official with knowledge of the operation told CNN. The US forces who conducted the mission killed six of the seven captors, the official said. The US believes the captors have no known affiliation with any terror groups operating in the region, and were more likely bandits seeking money.
Nigeria’s northern border region has long been a place of heightened Boko Haram activity, but there’s also “lawless” areas where bandits operate. Map via VOA
President Trump congratulated those involved in the mission in a Saturday morning tweet, saying, “Big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces today.” And he added: “Details to follow!”
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southfront--2020-10-31--Chicken Kiev Meets Cold Turkey: Black Sea Axis Emerges?

On the face of it , an alliance between Turkey and Ukraine seems like a rather odd creation , yet one that may surprisingly durable simply because neither country has anywhere else to turn .
What practically dooms them to a partnership if not an outright alliance is their unenviable geographic and geopolitical position of occupying the strange “ no man ’ s land ” between Russia , NATO , and the Middle East .
It is , of course , largely a predicament of their own making .
Ukraine , with considerable Western backing and encouragement but nevertheless mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own oligarchy , opted out of the Russia-centered network of loose alliances , trade partnerships , and other forms of cooperation that were mutually beneficial to the two in the previous two decades .
But that defection was not rewarded by the West in a way the likes of Poroshenko , Yatsenyuk , Avakov , Parubiy , and other architects of the Maidan coup expected .
Merely being stridently anti-Russian did not prove enough to warrant a shower of US and European cash , only onerous IMF loans which moreover come with conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abide by .
EU foreign policy chief Josef Borrel lecturing Kiev that the European Union is not an “ ATM machine ” delivered that point loud and clear : Kiev is supposed to privatize whatever crown jewels its economy still has ( at this point , mainly agricultural land ) , fight corruption of its own elites and facilitate the corruption of Western elites .
Joseph Robinette Biden Junior is hardly the only Western politician with a talentless son in need of a lucrative sinecure .
There are entire Western companies eager to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the privatization of Ukraine ’ s economy will inevitably turn into .
A Kiev court ’ s recent decision to declare the country ’ s anti-corruption institutions that were painstakingly stood up with considerable aid and tutelage from Western governments , down to screening appropriately-minded individuals for the job , looks as if it were calculated to send a middle-finger gesture to Borrel in terms even dense EU bureaucratic hacks will comprehend .
Pro-EU newspapers like Kiev Post were quick to label this a “ death of democracy ” , presumably with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sponsoring yet another Maidan since last one seems not to be delivering the goods .
The expected shower of Western weaponry has not materialized , probably because NATO is afraid to give Ukraine so much aid that it will risk a full-blown war with Russia .
Erdogan ’ s Turkey , by contrast , is in process of de-facto opting out of NATO , though neither Turkey nor the alliance itself want to take the final step of severing ties completely .
NATO membership is still beneficial to Turkey .
While the procurement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO and US in particular , resulting in the expulsion of Turkey from the F-35 program and the cancellation of F-35 sale to the country , evidently Ankara hopes that by nominally remaining in the alliance it limits NATO and EU sanctions that would no doubt be far harsher if it were totally out of the alliance .
The hope that Turkey , possibly post-Erdogan , will yet see the error of its ways and return to the fold , prevents NATO from adopting harsher stances that would definitely push Ankara away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the animosity between Turkey ’ s leaders and their Western European counterparts is so intense as to beggar belief .
While Germany ’ s Merkel is careful to tip-toe around the issue due to fear of another wave of refugees as well as unrest among the large Turkish diaspora in Germany , France ’ s Macron seems to have taken a personal affront to Erdogan ’ s suggestion he might need a mental evaluation and will press the issue of EU sanctions against Turkey at future Union summits .
But from Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulder from the EU is par for the course .
Its own migration to the geopolitical gray zone of Eurasia was motivated by EU ’ s failure to admit Turkey as a member after decades of leading it by the nose and promising neighborhood in some nebulously distant future right after Hell froze over .
Like Ukraine , Turkey was not seeking EU membership because of some mythical “ shared values ” .
It , too , saw EU as an ATM machine that would shower Turkey , one of the poorest countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and moreover allow Turks to freely travel and work throughout the Union .
Needless to say , neither of these prospects appealed to pretty much any European country , no matter how close or distant it was geographically .
So after decades of leading Turkey by the nose , EU politely put an end to the charade citing problems with Turkey ’ s democracy .
Thus snubbed , Erdogan opted to chart an independent course and appears to be finding a similarly snubbed oligarch clique in Kiev looking for ways the two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status .
There are plenty of those to be had , as limited as Ukraine ’ s and Turkey ’ s resources are , compared to such patrons as EU , NATO , US .
Faced with isolation and even a potential ban on arms exports , Turkey has a strong incentive to exploit the resources of the Ukrainian defense industry and engage in some export substitution in case vital supplies are no longer available from the West .
Canada ’ s and Austria ’ s ban on exports of optronics and engines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means Ukraine ’ s ability to provide substitutes would be most welcome .
Ukraine , for its part , would not be against deploying a huge attack drone fleet of its own in the hopes of replicating Azerbaijan ’ s successful offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh on the Donbass , though there Ukraine ’ s drones would probably run afoul of Novorossiya ’ s air defenses in the same way Turkish drones were brought to heel over Idlib .
Turkey ’ s Altay main battle tank is likewise little more than an assembly of components @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since Germany has already placed a ban on export of powerpacks and transmissions for the Altay , Turkey has been casting about for replacements , looking as far as China .
Whether Ukraine ’ s developments in this realm can be adopted to rescue the Altay project remain to be seen .
However , the Oplot powerpacks and transmissions can probably be adapted to Altay use , resulting in Turkey realizing its goal of a home-grown MBT .
Ultimately , the greater the contribution of Ukrainian defense industry to Turkey ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action it would bestow on Turkey and make it less dependent on other foreign sources of military hardware who can exert influence over Turkey simply by withholding future technical support .
If the United States were to follow up on the F-35 expulsion with a ban on servicing Turkish F-16s which form the mainstay of its airpower , the result would be crippling of the country ’ s air combat capabilities that drones can not compensate for and which would be sorely missed in any confrontation with another comparable power like Greece .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ indigenous fighter aircraft would benefit from Ukraine ’ s technological contributions and its own interest in indigenous aircraft designs .
For Ukraine , the relationship would be an opportunity to acquire NATO-compatible weaponry with the caveat that it would have to pay in full for every last drone , either with cash or in kind .
Turkey ’ s economic situation is not so strong as to allow largesse in the form of free military aid to anyone .
Mitigating against the long-term development of what Zelensky referred to as “ strategic partnership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Erdogan who seeks to dominate any and all partners and tries to see how far he can push before the partners push back .
This practice has led to the confrontations in Syria , Libya , and eastern Mediterranean .
Ukraine , in contrast to Russia , France , and even Greece , is hardly in a position to push back .
The most dangerous aspect of Turkish politics , from Ukraine ’ s perspective , is the ideology of Pan-Turkism that just might transform Ukraine ’ s Tatar community into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding yet another fissure to the already fractured political picture .
On the plus side , Erdogan does not appear interested in “ combating corruption ” in Ukraine , though that does not preclude the possibility Turkey ’ s military collaboration with Ukraine might not cost Ukraine dearly , though not to the same extent as EU-promoted privatization efforts .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Last Attempts To Restore Run-Down House Of Minsk Agreements • Ukraine – Land Of Opportunities : Selling Smuggled Soviet Air Defense Systems , Own Sovereignty And @

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Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront
Kiev’s Unrequited Love
On the face of it, an alliance between Turkey and Ukraine seems like a rather odd creation, yet one that may surprisingly durable simply because neither country has anywhere else to turn. What practically dooms them to a partnership if not an outright alliance is their unenviable geographic and geopolitical position of occupying the strange “no man’s land” between Russia, NATO, and the Middle East. It is, of course, largely a predicament of their own making. Ukraine, with considerable Western backing and encouragement but nevertheless mostly through efforts of a faction of its own oligarchy, opted out of the Russia-centered network of loose alliances, trade partnerships, and other forms of cooperation that were mutually beneficial to the two in the previous two decades. But that defection was not rewarded by the West in a way the likes of Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, Avakov, Parubiy, and other architects of the Maidan coup expected. Merely being stridently anti-Russian did not prove enough to warrant a shower of US and European cash, only onerous IMF loans which moreover come with conditions Kiev elites are in no hurry to abide by. EU foreign policy chief Josef Borrel lecturing Kiev that the European Union is not an “ATM machine” delivered that point loud and clear: Kiev is supposed to privatize whatever crown jewels its economy still has (at this point, mainly agricultural land), fight corruption of its own elites and facilitate the corruption of Western elites. Joseph Robinette Biden Junior is hardly the only Western politician with a talentless son in need of a lucrative sinecure. There are entire Western companies eager to participate in the thinly disguised plunder that the privatization of Ukraine’s economy will inevitably turn into. A Kiev court’s recent decision to declare the country’s anti-corruption institutions that were painstakingly stood up with considerable aid and tutelage from Western governments, down to screening appropriately-minded individuals for the job, looks as if it were calculated to send a middle-finger gesture to Borrel in terms even dense EU bureaucratic hacks will comprehend. Pro-EU newspapers like Kiev Post were quick to label this a “death of democracy”, presumably with the intent of interesting EU and NATO in sponsoring yet another Maidan since last one seems not to be delivering the goods. The expected shower of Western weaponry has not materialized, probably because NATO is afraid to give Ukraine so much aid that it will risk a full-blown war with Russia.
Ankara’s Burning Hate
Erdogan’s Turkey, by contrast, is in process of de-facto opting out of NATO, though neither Turkey nor the alliance itself want to take the final step of severing ties completely. NATO membership is still beneficial to Turkey. While the procurement of Russian S-400 air defense systems angered NATO and US in particular, resulting in the expulsion of Turkey from the F-35 program and the cancellation of F-35 sale to the country, evidently Ankara hopes that by nominally remaining in the alliance it limits NATO and EU sanctions that would no doubt be far harsher if it were totally out of the alliance. The hope that Turkey, possibly post-Erdogan, will yet see the error of its ways and return to the fold, prevents NATO from adopting harsher stances that would definitely push Ankara away. Yet the drifting apart is unmistakable, and the animosity between Turkey’s leaders and their Western European counterparts is so intense as to beggar belief. While Germany’s Merkel is careful to tip-toe around the issue due to fear of another wave of refugees as well as unrest among the large Turkish diaspora in Germany, France’s Macron seems to have taken a personal affront to Erdogan’s suggestion he might need a mental evaluation and will press the issue of EU sanctions against Turkey at future Union summits.
But from Turkey’s perspective, getting a cold shoulder from the EU is par for the course. Its own migration to the geopolitical gray zone of Eurasia was motivated by EU’s failure to admit Turkey as a member after decades of leading it by the nose and promising neighborhood in some nebulously distant future right after Hell froze over. Like Ukraine, Turkey was not seeking EU membership because of some mythical “shared values”. It, too, saw EU as an ATM machine that would shower Turkey, one of the poorest countries on the continent, with development assistance and moreover allow Turks to freely travel and work throughout the Union. Needless to say, neither of these prospects appealed to pretty much any European country, no matter how close or distant it was geographically. So after decades of leading Turkey by the nose, EU politely put an end to the charade citing problems with Turkey’s democracy. Thus snubbed, Erdogan opted to chart an independent course and appears to be finding a similarly snubbed oligarch clique in Kiev looking for ways the two countries could extract mutual benefit from their isolated status.
Quid pro Quos
There are plenty of those to be had, as limited as Ukraine’s and Turkey’s resources are, compared to such patrons as EU, NATO, US. Faced with isolation and even a potential ban on arms exports, Turkey has a strong incentive to exploit the resources of the Ukrainian defense industry and engage in some export substitution in case vital supplies are no longer available from the West. Canada’s and Austria’s ban on exports of optronics and engines needed for the Bayraktar TB2 combat drones means Ukraine’s ability to provide substitutes would be most welcome. Ukraine, for its part, would not be against deploying a huge attack drone fleet of its own in the hopes of replicating Azerbaijan’s successful offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh on the Donbass, though there Ukraine’s drones would probably run afoul of Novorossiya’s air defenses in the same way Turkish drones were brought to heel over Idlib. Turkey’s Altay main battle tank is likewise little more than an assembly of components imported from other countries, particularly Germany. Since Germany has already placed a ban on export of powerpacks and transmissions for the Altay, Turkey has been casting about for replacements, looking as far as China. Whether Ukraine’s developments in this realm can be adopted to rescue the Altay project remain to be seen. However, the Oplot powerpacks and transmissions can probably be adapted to Altay use, resulting in Turkey realizing its goal of a home-grown MBT. Ultimately, the greater the contribution of Ukrainian defense industry to Turkey’s military modernization, the more freedom of action it would bestow on Turkey and make it less dependent on other foreign sources of military hardware who can exert influence over Turkey simply by withholding future technical support. If the United States were to follow up on the F-35 expulsion with a ban on servicing Turkish F-16s which form the mainstay of its airpower, the result would be crippling of the country’s air combat capabilities that drones cannot compensate for and which would be sorely missed in any confrontation with another comparable power like Greece. Turkey’s efforts to develop an indigenous fighter aircraft would benefit from Ukraine’s technological contributions and its own interest in indigenous aircraft designs. For Ukraine, the relationship would be an opportunity to acquire NATO-compatible weaponry with the caveat that it would have to pay in full for every last drone, either with cash or in kind. Turkey’s economic situation is not so strong as to allow largesse in the form of free military aid to anyone.
Match Made in Hell
Mitigating against the long-term development of what Zelensky referred to as “strategic partnership” with Turkey is the erratic behavior of Erdogan who seeks to dominate any and all partners and tries to see how far he can push before the partners push back. This practice has led to the confrontations in Syria, Libya, and eastern Mediterranean. Ukraine, in contrast to Russia, France, and even Greece, is hardly in a position to push back. The most dangerous aspect of Turkish politics, from Ukraine’s perspective, is the ideology of Pan-Turkism that just might transform Ukraine’s Tatar community into a proxy force for Turkey right inside Ukraine, adding yet another fissure to the already fractured political picture. On the plus side, Erdogan does not appear interested in “combating corruption” in Ukraine, though that does not preclude the possibility Turkey’s military collaboration with Ukraine might not cost Ukraine dearly, though not to the same extent as EU-promoted privatization efforts.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Armenian Reconnaissance Unit, Military Equipment Were Naturalized In New Wave Of Azerbaijani Strikes

Armenian Reconnaissance Unit, Military Equipment Were Naturalized In New Wave Of Azerbaijani Strikes (Videos)

On October 30 , the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan shared videos of recent drone and rocket strikes on Armenian @ @ @ @ @ of Nagorno-Karabakh .
The first video shows a series of strikes which targeted three posts @ @ @ @ @ the following equipment : The second video shows drone and rocket strikes on a reconnaissance @ @ @ @ @ Nagorno-Karabakh .
The pinpoint strikes hit the unit ’ s personnel and two of their @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijani strikes on Armenian forces , the situation on Nagorno-Karabakh frontlines was calmer than usual @ @ @ @ @ , loitering munitions and precision-guided rockets have inflicted heavy losses on Armenian forces since the @ @ @ @ @ Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Map Update : Progress @ @ @ @ @ And Failed Ceasefires • 14 More Syrian Mercenaries Were Killed On Nagorno-Karabakh Frontlines : Monitoring @

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On October 30, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan shared videos of recent drone and rocket strikes on Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The first video shows a series of strikes which targeted three posts and gathering as well as the following equipment:
1 BM-21 multiple rocket launcher;
1 D-20 howitzer;
2 D-30 howitzers;
3 T-72 battle tanks;
3 Trucks.
The second video shows drone and rocket strikes on a reconnaissance unit of Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. The pinpoint strikes hit the unit’s personnel and two of their vehicles.
Despite the intense Azerbaijani strikes on Armenian forces, the situation on Nagorno-Karabakh frontlines was calmer than usual today.
Azerbaijani combat drones, loitering munitions and precision-guided rockets have inflicted heavy losses on Armenian forces since the outbreak of the battle in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Mysterious Loitering Munitions Struck Militants Equipment In Syria’s Greater Idlib (Videos)

On October 30 , mysterious loitering munitions struck several targets in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib , which is controlled by a number of terrorist groups .
The munitions struck targets near the towns of Kafar Takharim , Deir Sunbul , Arihah and al-Bara , which are located in the southern and northern countryside of Idlib .
Opposition sources claimed that one of the munitions struck a civilian truck .
However , it was later revealed that the strike actually targeted a U.S.-made M114 howitzer that was recently supplied by Turkey to Great Idlib militants .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed three militants of the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham Movement .
Many others were injured .
Opposition activists shared a photo of one of the loitering munitions which struck Greater Idlib .
The munition , which had an X-shaped wing design , is identical to a type used last July in a strike on a fuel trafficking company run by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham .
The activists claimed that the munitions were launched by Russian forces .
Nevertheless , several experts on Twitter argued that the munitions were deployed by the Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ munitions will enable pro-government forces to neutralize the militants ’ valuable assets , like the weapons recently supplied by Turkey , with high-precision while posing very low risk to civilians in Greater Idlib .
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On October 30, mysterious loitering munitions struck several targets in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, which is controlled by a number of terrorist groups.
The munitions struck targets near the towns of Kafar Takharim, Deir Sunbul, Arihah and al-Bara, which are located in the southern and northern countryside of Idlib.
Opposition sources claimed that one of the munitions struck a civilian truck. However, it was later revealed that the strike actually targeted a U.S.-made M114 howitzer that was recently supplied by Turkey to Great Idlib militants.
Syrian Opposition claiming that Syrian Military used kamikaze drone to struck targets in Idlib Province. Video of the aftermath. pic.twitter.com/hXSVxinoeb — A#### ?? (@aldin_ww) October 31, 2020
As @AndrewBritani noticed UAV didnt strike civilians but Ahrar M114 Howitzer .Crews are dressed as civilians.. pic.twitter.com/DRUmw66yIe — ZOKA (@200_zoka) October 31, 2020
According to local sources, one of the strikes killed three militants of the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham Movement. Many others were injured.
Opposition activists shared a photo of one of the loitering munitions which struck Greater Idlib. The munition, which had an X-shaped wing design, is identical to a type used last July in a strike on a fuel trafficking company run by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
The activists claimed that the munitions were launched by Russian forces. Nevertheless, several experts on Twitter argued that the munitions were deployed by the Syrian Arab Army or Iranian forces.
Loitering munitions will enable pro-government forces to neutralize the militants’ valuable assets, like the weapons recently supplied by Turkey, with high-precision while posing very low risk to civilians in Greater Idlib.
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southfront--2020-10-31--U.S. Military Helicopter Crashed In Northeastern Syria – Reports

On October 31 , a U.S. military helicopter crashed in the northeastern Syrian governorate of al-Hasakah , according to a number of opposition sources .
Citing a special source , the Jesr Press said the helicopter fell near the town of al- Shaddadi in the southern countryside of the governorate .
Other sources reported that the helicopter crashed inside a base of the U.S.-led coalition located in the vicinity of the town .
According to the news agency , the helicopter burned for three hours after crashing .
It was apparently destroyed in the accident .
Meanwhile , the Orient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of a “ technical error.
” No human losses have been reported , thus far .
The U.S.-led coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces , which control the area where the alleged accident took place , are yet to comment on the issue .
Several AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are known to be deployed in the U.S.-led coalition base in al-Shaddadi .
V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are also active in northeastern Syria .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • 14 More Syrian Mercenaries Were @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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On October 31, a U.S. military helicopter crashed in the northeastern Syrian governorate of al-Hasakah, according to a number of opposition sources.
Citing a special source, the Jesr Press said the helicopter fell near the town of al- Shaddadi in the southern countryside of the governorate. Other sources reported that the helicopter crashed inside a base of the U.S.-led coalition located in the vicinity of the town.
According to the news agency, the helicopter burned for three hours after crashing. It was apparently destroyed in the accident.
Meanwhile, the Orient News said the helicopter crashed and burned as a result of a “technical error.” No human losses have been reported, thus far.
The U.S.-led coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces, which control the area where the alleged accident took place, are yet to comment on the issue.
Several AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are known to be deployed in the U.S.-led coalition base in al-Shaddadi. V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are also active in northeastern Syria.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Map Update: Progress Of Azerbaijani Advance In Karabakh And Failed Ceasefires

Click to see the full-size image The Azerbaijani military has been developing its advance on Armenian forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh @ @ @ @ @ to broker the ceasefire between the sides .
The first ceasefire allegedly started on October @ @ @ @ @ same day .
The second ceasefire , scheduled for October 18 , ended in similar @ @ @ @ @ third attempt to reach a humanitarian ceasefire took place on October 30-31 , but the @ @ @ @ @ pause .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Azerbaijani Troops Are At Gates Of Capital @ @ @ @ @ Man ’ s Hopes : Armenian Leadership Asks Russia For Help Amid Nearing Military Defeat @ @

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The Azerbaijani military has been developing its advance on Armenian forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region despite repeated international attempts to broker the ceasefire between the sides. The first ceasefire allegedly started on October 10 and failed on the same day. The second ceasefire, scheduled for October 18, ended in similar way. Then, the third attempt to reach a humanitarian ceasefire took place on October 30-31, but the war continues without a real pause.
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southfront--2020-10-31--Manbij Security Forces Foiled Attack With Camouflaged IEDs (Photos)

On October 31 , local security forces in the northern Syrian city of Manbij uncovered three camouflaged improvised explosive devices @ @ @ @ @ a statement , security forces said the IEDs , which were planted near the Martyrs @ @ @ @ @ center , were uncovered by the locals .
The IEDs , which appeared to be @ @ @ @ @ camouflaged as rocks .
All three were equipped with remotely controlled fuses .
Manbij is @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Forces .
However , the Syrian Arab Army maintains a large presence around the @ @ @ @ @ service members move inside the city on a regular basis .
Last September , Manbij @ @ @ @ @ , which were planted in the al-Asadiyah neighborhood south of the city .
The IEDs @ @ @ @ @ Turkish-backed militants or ISIS cells .
Both sides are actively working to destabilize Manbij and @ @ @ @ @ and northeastern Syria .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Two Men Killed While Attacking @ @ @ @ @ ( Video )

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On October 31, local security forces in the northern Syrian city of Manbij uncovered three camouflaged improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In a statement, security forces said the IEDs, which were planted near the Martyrs Roundabout in Mani’s center, were uncovered by the locals.
The IEDs, which appeared to be made by professionals, were camouflaged as rocks. All three were equipped with remotely controlled fuses.
Manbij is held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. However, the Syrian Arab Army maintains a large presence around the city. Syrian and Russian service members move inside the city on a regular basis.
Last September, Manbij security forces uncovered four IEDs, which were planted in the al-Asadiyah neighborhood south of the city.
The IEDs may have been planted by Turkish-backed militants or ISIS cells. Both sides are actively working to destabilize Manbij and other Kurdish-held areas in northern and northeastern Syria.
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southfront--2020-10-31--14 More Syrian Mercenaries Were Killed On Nagorno-Karabakh Frontlines: Monitoring Group

At least 14 Syrian mercenaries were killed in the last few days while fighting along Azerbaijani forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh , the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) reported on October 31 .
Hundreds of Syrian militants were recruited by Turkey earlier this year to support Azerbaijan ’ s attack on Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh .
According to the SOHR , 281 Syrian mercenaries have been killed by Armenian forces on Nagorno-Karabakh ’ s frontlines since the outbreak of the battle on September 27 .
“ a new batch of 20 bodies of fighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arrived in Syria , specifically to the areas held by Turks and factions in northern Aleppo , ” the monitoring group said in its report .
The recent SOHR report revealed that a total of 2,350 Syrian mercenaries were supporting the Azerbaijani attack in Nagorno-Karabakh .
At least one Syrian mercenary has been captured by Armenian forces , so far .
Video of his confessions was released on October 30 .
Turkey is using its Syrian proxies to inflame the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and further its interests there , similar to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Azerbaijan Shelled Shushi , Stepanakert Despite Agreement To Halt Attacks On Civilian Settlements ( Video )

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At least 14 Syrian mercenaries were killed in the last few days while fighting along Azerbaijani forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on October 31.
Hundreds of Syrian militants were recruited by Turkey earlier this year to support Azerbaijan’s attack on Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the SOHR, 281 Syrian mercenaries have been killed by Armenian forces on Nagorno-Karabakh’s frontlines since the outbreak of the battle on September 27.
“a new batch of 20 bodies of fighter who have been killed in Nagorno-Karabakh battles, arrived in Syria, specifically to the areas held by Turks and factions in northern Aleppo,” the monitoring group said in its report.
The recent SOHR report revealed that a total of 2,350 Syrian mercenaries were supporting the Azerbaijani attack in Nagorno-Karabakh.
At least one Syrian mercenary has been captured by Armenian forces, so far. Video of his confessions was released on October 30.
Turkey is using its Syrian proxies to inflame the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and further its interests there, similar to what it did in Libya earlier this year.
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