Air strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 10 June 2017

10 June began with sporadic Assadist air strikes on the Daesh in the Maskanah area, SE Aleppo. Tiyas launched one L-39 at 00.53, and Hama…

10 June began with sporadic Assadist air strikes on the Daesh in the Maskanah area, SE Aleppo. Tiyas launched one L-39 at 00.53, and Hama followed with another at 01.16. One Su-24 took off from Dmeyr AB at 01.54, and then — surprise, surprise — a MiG-21 launched from there too, at 02.04: this is as surprising because it’s the first time any MiG-21 took off by night since this war began, and it’s been really long (something like two years) since any MiG-21s based at Dmeyr AB were active.

According to unconfirmed reports some of these air strikes have hit positions of the PKK/PYD/YPG/SDF-conglomerate west of Tabqa. Apparently ‘in retaliation’ the CJTF-OIR should have destroyed two vehicles from a convoy of Assadist forces underway south of Rumthan — which in turn prompted Russian requests for the USA to stop targeting Assadist forces. The CJTF-OIR quickly denied any such air strikes, although Assadists confirmed them…

Well, perhaps Assadist forces could stop targeting everybody else, first (guess, they need not asking the IRGC and Hezbollah for anything, since they are not in a position to ask them for even more favours). And, well, perhaps Washington could stop pretending it’s military is not involved in Syria, too…

(The more I follow ‘relations’ in this Assadists-IRGC/Hezbollah-USA triangle, the more I recall various chats with dozens of Syrians over the time. Nothing beats their sarcasm, and I love sarcasm. ;-))

The Russians became active at 02.45, when at least one of their aircraft launched from Hmemmem AB. Sounds like the VKS decided to check what exactly is going on west of Tabqa — or launched its Su-30SM (these act as interceptors in Syria), to provide cover for the next SyAAF wave. Namely, four Su-24s then launched from Dmeyr AB: at 04.46, at 04.58, 05.01, and 05.11. Apparently, all of these bombed Daesh-controlled area, but this wave also signalled the end of operations for this morning.

BTW, Hama launched its ‘early morning helicopter’ at 03.22 yesterday.

The next take off was registered only at 12.24 in the afternoon, when a MiG-21 took-off from Hama in eastern direction. At 01.15 a single Su-22 got airborne from Tiyas AB. Immediately afterwards, two UAVs appeared in the skies over Dera’a, and then this area came under attack of two helicopters from Marj Ruhayyil or Khelkhleh AB. The reason for this — and quite a few additional air strikes that his this area yesterday, was the fighting in the Dera’a Camp area (a Palestinian refugee camp, south-eastern side of the city), where both sides claimed to have caused heavy casualties to the other. Furthermore, Banyan al-Marsus OR should’ve knocked out an Assadist MBT with an ATGM, and killed Col Ahmed Tajo. In turn, Damascus claimed the killing of Farhan al-Hammadi, CO of the Firqat 18 Adhar (The March 18 Division), and several of his insurgents. (Except to air strikes, the area is subjected to bombardment by IRAM rockets, already since days).

At 02.13, one Su-24 took-off from Tiyas AB and few minutes later a Russian reconnaissance aircraft overflew Lataminah, in northern Hama. At 02.29, Hmemmem AB also launched one fighter-bomber in south-east direction. That said, this remained one of rather rare Russian sorties launched yesterday. A day or two earlier, this video came into being, showing Su-25s in action against Daesh east of Homs. As usually, while serving the purpose of illustrating the Russian war vs. Daesh, it’s actually showing the few exceptions from the rule…

The afternoon was quiet again, until 18.03, when something described as ‘reconnaissance aircraft’ was reported as airborne above Kirbet Ghazala, in the Dera’a area. I’m not sure the VKS would send any of its reconnaissance aircraft that close to Israel and Jordan, but one can never know. Nearly one hour later, at 18.50, one Su-22 launched from Shayrat AB.

At 19.52 and 20.02 Marj Ruhayyil and Khelkhleh AB launched at least two additional helicopters into air strikes on Dera’a, Five additional helicopters were airborne within the next 30 minutes, and all went in direction of Dera’a.

The rest of the evening was characterised by additional air strikes on Daesh in SE Aleppo: Dmeyr launched one Su-24 at 20.02, Tiyas another at 20.09, Dmeyr then another at 20.21, Tiyas another at 20.24. An exception were four helicopters launched from Marj Ruhayyil and Khelkhleh at 21.36hrs, and then another two at 21.52. Up to five others got airborne within the next 10 minutes.

The day ended with take-offs of two Su-24s from Tiyas AB, at 23.13 and 23.26: both went in north-eastern direction.

Totals

VKS

fighter-bombers: 2

helicopters: 2

UAVs: 12

recce: 2

SyAAF

L-39s: 2

helicopters: 22

MiG-21s: 2

MiG-23s: 0

Su-22s: 1

Su-24s: 8