Earlier Flying Activity: 15 March 2017

Here the first of few of my earlier reports (all available in relevant threads of the on the ACIG.info forum), which I’ll post here as…

Here the first of few of my earlier reports (all available in relevant threads of the on the ACIG.info forum), which I’ll post here as examples for aerial activity of the SyAAF and the VKS before the insurgent and HTS-offensive into northern Hama, launched on 21 March 2017.

15 March 2017

Aerial activity of the VKS began already during the evening of 14 March, when they were launching pairs of fighter-bombers from Hmemmem every 10–15 minutes. These continued deep in the night and ended with take-offs at 23.55 (of 14 March) and 00.13hrs.

Contrary to what all possible ‘intellgence services’ say, the SyAAF does fly by night (as explained already in my article Assad’s Nighttime Killers, published back in December). Thus, and because Assadist and VKS aerial activity is meanwhile tightly coordinated, it was little surprise when two SyAAF fighter-bombers (type not identified but either L-39s or Su-24) launched from Tiyas AB around 03.24 and 03.25.

If there was a surprise, then that these two flights remained the only launched by Assadists during that night. The VKS continued with an additional fighter-bomber sortie launched at 03.38.

Every single of VKS air strikes in question has once again reaffirmed the existence of the much-lauded, Russian-negotiated ‘cease-fire’ in Syria. They did so by bombing almost exclusively places and areas around towns like Jishr ash-Shughour and Kfar Nabl, held by the FSyA and the AAS, and without any presence of the HTS since at least three months.

‘Only’ the two SyAAF Su-24s made an exception: as reported yesterday, they bombed out a home in a residential district of Idlib City (this served as an IDP-camp according, to the SHNR), massacring 24 or 25 civilians. Between them was a family of 8 ‘terrorists’ (father and 7 kids under 14), that was killed to the last. Hope, the crew is going to get decorated by at least the Lenin Order for this achievement…

There was no flyin for the rest of the night, with Assadists taking off again only at their usual ‘business hour’, at 08.38 in the morning, when a single Su-24 took off from Tiyas. Strangely enough all the flying then stopped for another two hours, during which only Russian UAVs were active along the frontlines in NE Lattakia and western Idlib.

At 10.16, helicopters from as-Safira helidrome became active, and began launching air strikes on Daesh in eastern rural Aleppo. A minute later, these were joined by a single Su-24 from Shayrat AB, followed by another at 10.33.

At 10.58 and 10.59, Russians launched a single fighter-bomber each into additional air strikes on Idlib City. Why being concerned about getting sighted while bombing civilians in a defenceless city? Nobody gives a damn. Additional VKS fighter-bombers launched at 11.01, 11.02, 11.04, and 11.07.

At 11.07, also a Su-24 launched from Shayrat, followed by another at 11.26. Surprise, surprise…indeed, really ‘hard to believe’ after all we’ve seen them doing over the last six years: these two bombed the Daesh in Dayr Hafer area.

At 11.29, the Russians launched one fighter-bomber. This bombed Sarkib (held by the AAS), and was followed by additional take-offs at 11.33, 11.35, 11.36, 11.41 (x2), 11.42, and 11.45. Contrary to what might be expected considering supposed ferocity of fighting for Dayr Hafer — Nearly all of these bombed western Aleppo, foremost Atarib area. Assadists added to the carnage by launching a single Su-24 from Tiyas at 11.46, and another at 12.26. Meanwhile, additional VKS fighter-bombers took-off from Hmemmem AB at 11.55, 12.13, 12.26, 12.33, 12.49, 12.52, 12.57, 13.00, 13.01, 13.07, 13.13, 13.20, 13.39, and 14.42. All of these bombed Jishr ash-Shughour area again.

As usually, L-39s from Kweres ab became active late in the afternoon. But, just one launched from Kweres AB at 17.33.

With this, the flying day was over — for Assadists and for the Russians. Guess, bad weather hampered further operations, then not a single air strike was recorded before the next morning.

Totals: 
As mentioned above, not a single sortie by any other SyAAF types was recorded but those by L-39s (x1), helicopters (x3), and Su-24s (x6).

Russians flew a total of 32 recorded sorties.

Overall, almost a ‘quiet’ day. The inactivity of most of the SyAAF was probably related to requirement to maintain aircraft.