Syrian Rebels Break the Seige of Aleppo

[Porpoise101]

"Syrian rebels broke through to besieged opposition-held areas in eastern Aleppo on Saturday in an assault on a major government military complex meant to end a month-long siege, insurgents and a monitoring group said.

Pro-government media outlets denied the siege had been broken. The heavy fighting and air strikes reported from the area seemed to indicate any passage that may have been opened would be far from secure enough for civilians to travel through.

Rebels have been trying to break through a thin strip of government-controlled territory to reconnect insurgent areas in western Syria with their encircled sector of eastern Aleppo, in effect breaking a government siege begun last month.

The offensive against the government's Ramousah military complex, which contains a number of military colleges, began on Friday. Taking control of Ramousah and linking up with eastern Aleppo would isolate government-held western Aleppo by cutting the southern route out toward the capital Damascus.

It would also give rebels access to armaments stored in the base the Syrian army has used in the five-year conflict as a strategic platform from which to shell opposition targets.

Two rebel groups and a monitor said on Saturday they had broken the siege, but pro-government media outlets denied the claim and said the Syrian army was in fact regaining recently taken territory from rebels.

Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, said in an online statement: "Fighters from outside the city met their brother fighters from inside the city, and work is under way to establish control over remaining positions to break the siege."

A commander from more moderate rebel group also told Reuters the siege had been broken but said it was early days and matters were "not easy".

The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war, said intense fighting and heavy air strikes meant no secure corridor had yet been established between the two rebel-held territories."
Story Here (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-aleppo-idUSKCN10H0CQ)

This is a big setback for the government if the reports are actually true. I do not know if this will help the rebel cause very much in the long term though. I do believe that this is a good thing for the inhabitants of that city though, because supplies and medicine can actually reach the city.

[Flapjack]

I suppose this is a good thing but that war has dragged on for way to long, I gave up being updated on what side is winning because it changes so often.

[PlasmaHam]

I basically quit caring about Syria. The place is a death trap, and whoever wins, we lose.

[Porpoise101]

Well the government is making gains against IS because of NATO and Russian help. So IS is losing at least. The rebels have been on the receiving end of IS and Russian attacks. And the government is stretched between fighting the two. My biggest fear is that the rebel groups topple the government without having a central authority itself. Then it will be like Libya or South Sudan where various factions control different regions.

[Jinglebottom]

I don't want those "moderate" rebel groups anywhere near us.

[Flapjack]

Well the government is making gains against IS because of NATO and Russian help. So IS is losing at least. The rebels have been on the receiving end of IS and Russian attacks. And the government is stretched between fighting the two. My biggest fear is that the rebel groups topple the government without having a central authority itself. Then it will be like Libya or South Sudan where various factions control different regions.
I don't like the government either though xD

[Exocet]

No wonder terrorism will still exist if,in a way or another we fund them,arm them and train them and call them 'moderates' or 'rebels'. Are people blind ?

[PlasmaHam]

No wonder terrorism will still exist if,in a way or another we fund them,arm them and train them and call them 'moderates' or 'rebels'. Are people blind ?

Yea, just let them kill themselves and leave the Middle East in a pile of ashes. The world will be better off that way.

[Flapjack]

Yea, just let them kill themselves and leave the Middle East in a pile of ashes. The world will be better off that way.
You don't have a lot of empathy, do you? There are civilians in that war and rebels fighting for democracy.

[PlasmaHam]

You don't have a lot of empathy, do you? There are civilians in that war and rebels fighting for democracy.

Whoever takes power will just start a different reign of terror. We've seen it in Iraq, Afghanistan, there are inner power struggles between the Muslim groups.

AQPlREDW-Ro

[Flapjack]

Whoever takes power will just start a different reign of terror. We've seen it in Iraq, Afghanistan, there are inner power struggles between the Muslim groups.

AQPlREDW-Ro
There are many rebel groups fighting, any that want democracy should be supported. If they vote ISIS in then that is their right.

[Jinglebottom]

You don't have a lot of empathy, do you? There are civilians in that war and rebels fighting for democracy.
Some of those rebels are nearly as bad as ISIS. Just a bunch of terror groups fighting each other.

[Flapjack]

Some of those rebels are nearly as bad as ISIS. Just a bunch of terror groups fighting each other.
I know:( I just want the best for the people living there!

[Jinglebottom]

I know:( I just want the best for the people living there!
I saw a video where rebels beheaded a small Palestinian boy a few weeks ago. The fact that there are countries who support those psychos is disgusting.

[Porpoise101]

This story reminds me of something I saw recently. I went to the local Arab/Chaldean grocer the other day. They had soap from Aleppo Syria. I wondered, these people are getting shelled, bombed, shot up, and worse and they still have the drive to make soap. It impressed me honestly.

[sqishy]

I basically quit caring about Syria. The place is a death trap, and whoever wins, we lose.

What do you mean by 'we'?

[PlasmaHam]

What do you mean by 'we'?

Check out the video I posted earlier, but basically with Syria, we are just replacing one evil with another. Whoever wins the civil war is not going to establish a free government and forgive those who disagree with them, but start oppressing the previous oppressors.

[sqishy]

Check out the video I posted earlier, but basically with Syria, we are just replacing one evil with another. Whoever wins the civil war is not going to establish a free government and forgive those who disagree with them, but start oppressing the previous oppressors.

I get what you mean. It's a particularly messy part of an overall messy region anyway.

[Porpoise101]

Check out the video I posted earlier, but basically with Syria, we are just replacing one evil with another. Whoever wins the civil war is not going to establish a free government and forgive those who disagree with them, but start oppressing the previous oppressors.
Agreed. But I do not think there will be a winner. I believe the rebels will win, but once their common enemies are gone they will fight against each other. Different countries will support different rebel groups and pit them against each other. The Saudis will pick some Wahhabi types, the Iranians will back Shi'ite militias if the government falls, and the Turks even are currently supporting their 'Syrian Turkmen Brigade' composed of Turkish minority soldiers. Then the Kurds will want some sort of concessions as well. In fact, the only people who could benefit from this are the Kurds because then they will have territory that they can attack Turkey from.

[Leprous]

Whoever takes power will just start a different reign of terror. We've seen it in Iraq, Afghanistan, there are inner power struggles between the Muslim groups.

AQPlREDW-Ro

Even though the US did cause the shit in Iraq but aight. You know the ME also has good people living there right? It's not the fact they are Muslims, it's their leaders.

However, that doesn't mean their is no problem. Just feel like you generally hate the ME.

[phuckphace]

always a grim reminder that the Middle East can only be governed effectively by brutal totalitarian dictators, and once this balance is upset it immediately descends into chaos (Saddam did absolutely nothing wrong)

lol just imagine how much of a drag and a half it must be to be a normal person trying to live a normal life in one of these """"countries"""" but you can't because your countrymen immediately begin slaughtering one another as soon as the Big Man loses his job

[Porpoise101]

loses his job
Don't you mean 'head in a ditch'? I hear that is how you say it in Arabic.

[PlasmaHam]

always a grim reminder that the Middle East can only be governed effectively by brutal totalitarian dictators, and once this balance is upset it immediately descends into chaos (Saddam did absolutely nothing wrong)

And people want to give the only truly democratic and free nation there, Israel, to these dictatorships and mad religious rulers. I really would like to see the reasoning behind giving our only ally in the region to these people.

[Porpoise101]

our only ally in the region
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Egypt. We are buddy-buddy with all of them.

[Jinglebottom]

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Egypt. We are buddy-buddy with all of them.
With "friends" like that, who needs enemies?

[dxcxdzv]

No matter how hard I think about it, I'm still amazed of the similarities between children conflicts and "adults" conflicts.

"Gun-na k(n)eel you coz you don't think like me"

[Stronk Serb]

I am rooting for Assad, without a central power, the place will fall deep into shit. Moderates are the same if not worse than the Government

[Porpoise101]

With "friends" like that, who needs enemies?
Well they used to be useful during the Cold War and the NWO era of the 90s. The only one that is really helpful now is Turkey, and seeing as we have come into conflict over Russia and the Kurdish Question, they may not be friends for long.

Egypt is pretty ok though. They are having issues, but at least they are putting down ISIS in Sinai.

[sqishy]

Egypt is pretty ok though. They are having issues, but at least they are putting down ISIS in Sinai.

Apart from torturing people detained without trial, of course.

[Porpoise101]

Apart from torturing people detained without trial, of course.
Hey they are a military dictatorship. What do you expect? At least they don't actively fund terrorist groups or believe they can restore some great empire.

[sqishy]

Hey they are a military dictatorship. What do you expect? At least they don't actively fund terrorist groups or believe they can restore some great empire.

I agree. It shows how bad the situation is though, that this is one of the best areas.

[Jinglebottom]

I agree. It shows how bad the situation is though, that this is one of the best areas.
Cyprus is the best. ^_^

[Porpoise101]

Cyprus is the best. ^_^
Which one?
Republic of Cyprus or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus?

[Jinglebottom]

Which one?
Republic of Cyprus or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus?
The non-kebab one.

[sqishy]

And people want to give the only truly democratic and free nation there, Israel, to these dictatorships and mad religious rulers. I really would like to see the reasoning behind giving our only ally in the region to these people.

That is very much debatable, some other viewpoints see Israel as being a bad part of the ME for its own particular reasons.

:\ ?