Air Strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 29 June 2017
This day began with two UAVs and two L-39s buzzing around Moarek and Lataminah, at 00.01–00.19. Another UAV appeared around 00.38, and then…
This day began with two UAVs and two L-39s buzzing around Moarek and Lataminah, at 00.01–00.19. Another UAV appeared around 00.38, and then four VKS fighter-bombers were launched at 01.15–01.34. These passed above Houla moving in southern direction, around 01.39. However, that was that for the night.
Next registered movement occurred only at 09.16, when Tiyas launched one Su-22 towards north. Shayrat followed with another at 09.54. That said, the morning was not particularly intensive, and thus it was only at 10.54 that the Russians launched one aircraft from Hmemmem AB. Apparently this was one of their recce platforms (either A-50 or Il-20), then it was ‘escorted’ by two fighter-bombers that launched at 11.06.
Another Su-22 lifted off Tiyas at 11.13, and at 11.18, the VKS launched yet another aircraft from Hmemmem AB. As-Sien then launched one Su-24 in northern direction, at 12.01. Almazza became active by launching one helicopter towards south, at 12.14, and another at 12.16, while a MiG-29 was observed while passing southern Damascus around the same time, too. One of these air strikes hit the positions of the US-supported Usoud ash-Sharkiya, near Tel Safa in SE Syria, killing at least one combatant.
Curiously, this time there was no reaction from the USA to such provocations…
At 12.20, Shayrat launched its second Su-22 of the day, while one minute later a MiG-23 from Dmeyr or Nassiriyah approached the Dera’a area, followed by a helicopter from Khekhlekh, and another MiG-29.
At 13.01, Tiyas launched a Su-22 towards east, and this take-off was followed by a helicopter from Almazza (towards south) at 13.16, a Su-24 from Tiyas at 13.33 (towards south), two helicopters from Almazza (both towards south) at 13.41 and 13.43, another helicopter from Almazza at 13.49, Su-24 from Dmeyr or as-Sien at 13.54, a pair of Russian fighter-bombers that passed Houla at 13.57, two helicopters from Khelkhleh at 14.00 and 14.08, a MiG-29 that passed southern Damascus at 14.08, and a Su-24 (apparently from as-Sien) at 14.19. The Su-22 that launched from Shayrat at 14.35 went in northern direction.
Additional air strikes on the area between Quneitra and Dera’a were launched in form of one helicopter from Almazza at 14.54, a Su-22 from Tiyas at 14.58, and Su-24-take-offs from as-Sien at 15.11, 15.17, 15.22, and 15.29 (it’s quite surprising to see such Su-24-activity from this air base). On the contrary, Su-22s that launched from Shayrat at 15.39, and from Kweres, at 15.36, went in northern direction.
As-Sien launched another Su-24 at 16.56, while a UAV was sighted while taking-off from the IRGC’s base near Palmyra, at 17.33. However, the emphasis of SyAAF’s operations remained in southern Syria and thus Almazza continued launching helicopters towards south, at 15.34 and 15.48. Tiyas then launched one Su-22 towards NE, at 18.03, and another at 18.10.
Evening activity began with a take-off of a single Russian aircraft from Hmemmem AB, at 19.24. This was active over western Idlib for the next few minutes.
Almazza continued launching additional helicopters towards south, at 19.39, 19.40, 19.42, 19.43 (x2), while Tiyas launched several Su-24s, at 19.44, 19.47 and a Russian helicopter at 19.55. These, however, went in NE and E directions, just like the Su-22 from Kweres at 20.04. At 20.04, Nassiriyah launched one MiG-23 in northern direction too, but Almazza continued launching air strikes towards south, including two helicopters at 21.42, another at 21.52, and one at 21.53.
The day ended with Hmemmem AB launching one Russian aircraft in southern direction at 22.38, and then another shortly before midnight. Overall, it was quite an intensive day (the most intensive this week, at least).
Totals
VKS
fighter-bombers: 15
helicopters: 1
UAVs: 3 (including the IRGC UAV from Palmyra)
recce: 2
SyAAF
L-39s: 2
helicopters: 20
MiG-21s: 0
MiG-23s: 1
MiG-29s: 2
Su-22s: 11
Su-24s: 11