Air Strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 17 June 2017
As so often over the last two years, after each new ‘cease-fire’ and a period of few calm weeks, the Syrian Civil War is heating up again…
As so often over the last two years, after each new ‘cease-fire’ and a period of few calm weeks, the Syrian Civil War is heating up again. Meanwhile, there’s not only all-out fighting for Dera’a (the Banyan al-Marsus OR there is claiming to have failed a two-weeks long ‘regime’ offensive, and knocked out or damaged 11 armoured vehicles in the process), but the insurgents in the Ra’astan-Talbiseh pocket (RTP) attacked and liberated the regime garrison in Hosh Qubeibat village, including the local military base and the Ghor al-Assi checkpoint, in southern Hama. They claim to have captured a MBT and a BM-21 launcher, too. As usually, Assadists claim this assault was repelled.
Another interesting development is the area south of Raqqa, where Assadists claim a rapid advance of the ‘Quwwat Nimr’ (‘Tiger Force’) in eastern direction. Obviously unable to reach Raqqa on time to capture the city as such, they are now trying to occupy as much as they can further south.
It was thus little surprising that the VKS in Syria returned to the practice of launching nocturnal air strikes, on 17 June. Four take-offs from Hmemmem AB and two UAVs were registered over southern Idlib by 03.00hrs local time. Some of fighter-bombers in question apparently bombed Houla in the RTP.
A MiG-23 launched from as-Sien around 07.15, and then a Russian helicopter from Tiyas at 08.15. A Su-22 took-off from Shayrat at 08.19, another MiG-23 from as-Sien at 08.34, then a Su-22 from Kweres at 08.35, a Su-24 from Tiyas at 08.40, a Russian fighter-bomber from Hmemmem AB at 08.48, a Su-22 from Shayrat at 09.02, then another Russian helicopter from Tiyas at 09.26, a MiG-23BN from Nassiriyah at 09.27 (this went in southern direction), a MiG-23 from Dmeyr at 09.55, a helicopter from Almazza at 10.28, then an unknown fighter-bomber (perhaps a MiG-29?) was reported over southern Damascus at 10.30, another helicopter took-off from Almazza at 10.35 (went in direction of Dera’a, too), and a Su-22 launched from Tiyas at 11.04 (this went in NE direction).
Following a break for lunch, Kweres launched two Su-22s in NE direction at 12.31 and 12.51, Tiyas launched two Su-22s at 14.22 and 15.19, Almazza launched two helicopters in southern direction at 15.34, two Russian fighter-bombers overflew Houla at 15.35–15.36, Tiyas launched two additional Su-22s at 16.21 and 16.28, Shayrat one Su-22 at 16.34, Tiyas another Su-22 at 16.34, Kweres one Su-22 at 17.07, Tiyas one Su-24 at 18.08, and Nassiriyah scrambled one MiG-23 at 18.27. At least one of Su-22s in question
bombed Jobar, early during the afternoon (nearby Zamalka was bombed too), apparently in support of a new regime’s offensive in this area, which is targeting positions of Faylaq ar-Rahman.
Evening activity began with a Russian helicopter that took off from Tiyas at 20.05. This was followed by one Russian fighter-bomber that bombed Houla around 20.15, and continued with an L-39 that launched from Kweres at 20.12, another Russian fighter-bomber that bombed Houla around 20.18, two that passed above Houla at 21.07 and 21.08, a Su-24 that launched from Tiyas at 21.27, another VKS fighter-bomber over Houla at 21.50, L-39 that scrambled from Tiyas at 22.48, and one Russian fighter-bomber that overflew Houla at 23.54.
After all of their activity of the last few days, it’s clear the SyAAF managed to return additional MiG-23s and few Su-22s to service. The aircraft in question were probably those that stood in ‘open storage’ at Dmeyr, as-Sien and Nassiriyah since several years. Also, no matter what the regime and its fan claim on the internet, the FSyA’s BM-21-strike on Marj Ruhayyil has definitely diminished the Assadist helicopter activity over southern Dera’a.
Totals
VKS
fighter-bombers: 13
helicopters: 3
UAVs: 2
recce: 0
SyAAF
unknown: 3 (possibly including one MiG-29)
L-39s: 2
helicopters: 4
MiG-21s: 0
MiG-23s: 5
Su-22s: 13
Su-24s: 1