The Final Front in Syria - Damascus Poised to be Liberated by SAA Forces in Push to End War
Our military correspondent Evgeny Poddubny has the latest news from Syria.
You need an aerial view to see the scale of the fighting. Even this very long shot of a drone shows only a small part of the battlefield. The battle for Yarmouk is for short. In fact, it's a battle for 3 districts in the south of Damascus. It's only 8 km from the center, and this is not just another operation against ISIS. After this territory is liberated, Damascus will become a peaceful city for the first time ever since the war began.
This is a political and a psychological breakthrough, like the liberation of Aleppo, Palmyra, lifting of the blockade of Deir ez-Zor and the destruction of the main body of the pseudo Caliphate in Syria. But Damascus is always in the spotlight as it's the capital.
But while the fighting goes on, running here is vital. All open space is exposed to fire. That's the way soldiers move here. The aerial view shows several simultaneous battles on a small ground. The Republican Guard, militia, and the elite 4th Armored Division are fighting there. The commander is the Syrian president's brother. The command expected to quickly liberate Yarmouk and its nearby territories. But the ISIS were well prepared for the defense and decided to fight to the death. They really have no chances. Such fire damage means that the enemy will be destroyed in any case.
The 4th Division use Golan multiple launch rocket systems to hit close buildings used by ISIS as firing points. Then, the assault units advance under armored protection. Only the 4th Division can apply this tactic. Air strikes and artillery raids are followed by armored vehicles: tanks and Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon systems. The vehicles are modernized. These are non-standard counter-HEAT screens, which protect the vehicle and its crew from hand-held grenade launchers. That's how the fighters act. A T-72 tank is ahead, followed by a Shilka, keeping distance and covering the first vehicle. The command watches the crews with the help of a drone. They inform the tank commanders of the changes in the situation and give targets. The tank strikes at point-blank range, smashing the terrorists' positions. At the same time, Shilka begins to hit the buildings so that the militants could not raise their heads until the vehicles run out of ammo. Another tank and another Shilka are waiting to replace them.
At this point, assault units are coming closer to the militants. It's easier and inflicts fewer losses. They use buildings that were marked on the map as the enemy's firing points a few hours ago. The militants are in the neighboring building, but they fire at random like the Syrian soldiers. They use holes in walls as the area is too narrow.
Government forces took control of these buildings only today. It's Yarmouk. The enemy is just 100 m away. Now, positional battles take place. T-72 tanks and anti-aircraft systems are suppressing the militants' firing points. While some are shooting, others are reloading to keep the high density of fire. The militants will either withdraw or armored vehicles will drive them away.
“We must contain the militants while the tanks are firing at their positions on the other side. We're blocking the bandits, preventing them from maneuvering, and it's clear that they do not have much ammunition left. They respond to our bursts with just one shot. It means they're saving cartridges, we'll soon advance.”
Let's make it clear why they can't quickly liberate Yarmouk even with such fire superiority. A good example: the building is destroyed, while the tunnel entrance and the tunnel itself are intact. Such tunnels pierce all the Yarmouk area. Militants just go underground during artillery or air strikes. However, it is clear that soon the operation will end with a victory. First, the territory that was controlled by the so-called IS was cut into two so-called traps. The first one in Al-Hajar Al-Aswad has been mopped up except for Yarmouk.
Amid the success here and in Eastern Ghouta terrorists in the Rastan trap decided to cooperate and left for the north of Syria. The Syrian war seemed to be endless. But now its end seems to be looming on the horizon. Although, the adversaries of Damascus, external players, will try to postpone it. As usual.
Evgeny Poddubny, Alexander Pushin, and Stanislav Yelovsky from the Yarmouk camp, the south of Damascus, Syria.