I was keeping this article since I wanted to publish it with its Turkish translation. It was worth to read. But I just wanted to put here after yesterday's heinous chemical attack which killed more than thousand people. I want you to think about the reason of massacre after reading the article again. The clash lines in these areas are the borders of chemically attacked districts with the regime. So the regime attacked a region which it was stuck against the opposition in conventional ways. I put here some part of the article. You can find remaining at below link.
Source:
http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/opposition-advances-damascus
The Opposition Advances in
Damascus
Aug 9,
2013 - Elizabeth O'Bagy
Despite significant gains in Homs province, Syrian
government forces are struggling against opposition forces on other fronts. In
Damascus, opposition forces have mounted a major offensive, entering many
government-held areas and gaining new ground. Although the government has gone
on the counter-offensive, opposition forces have been able to maintain their
advance and prevented government forces from storming a number of critical
areas in the city. These gains reveal the extent to which the opposition is
able to adapt to changes in the operating environment, and prove that the Syrian
government lacks the capacity to conclusively defeat the insurgency despite
increased assistance from external allies.
The media is focused on the battle for Homs, and
consequently the Syrian government appears strong with current momentum moving
in its favor. The government’s imminent victory at Homs is indeed significant
for efforts to consolidate its primary line of communication from the coastal
region through Homs to Damascus; however, reports of government strength are
misleading as indicators of the overall campaign for Syria. Such reports
overlook critical opposition victories across other fronts. The Syrian
government has had to consolidate resources and reinforcements in Homs
province, and have diverted attention from important opposition activities,
particularly in Damascus. At a time when the opposition is reeling from the
loss of Homs and struggling to counter the impacts of greater Hezbollah and
Iranian support, it has nonetheless made significant gains in Damascus, proving
that the Syrian government lacks the capacity to conclusively defeat its
insurgency.
Beginning on July 24, rebel forces launched a major
offensive in Damascus city. Despite the Syrian government’s continuous
bombardment of Jobar, Barzeh, and Qaboun, rebels managed to push into the Jobar
neighborhood, and from there began a concerted drive into government-held
districts in the city.[1] After major clashes between
government and rebel forces, the opposition took control of the Abbassiyeen
garages, an important government-controlled facility.[2] Continuing their push, rebel
forces then took control of a major electrical facility just south of Ruken
al-Din, and are now laying siege to a large tank park belong to Branch 211 in
southern Qaboun using homemade rockets. In Barzeh, the opposition has also
advanced on regime positions with major clashes occurring near the Military
School and main government managerial buildings.[3] Although clashes are still
ongoing in many of these neighborhoods, the opposition has moved into
government-held territory previously thought to be impenetrable. While the
overall operational value of such victories may be limited, the area has a
large military presence and is symbolically important as it nears the Defense
Ministry and the Officer’s Club.
Click to enlarge
By July 26, the Syrian government increased its
aerial bombardment of the Jobar, Qaboun, and Barzeh neighborhoods in an attempt
to push back the rebel offensive. The next day, government troops conducted a
counter-offensive into Barzeh in an attempt to push back the opposition.
However, rebel forces were able to hold their ground. The regime offensive has
stalled as the opposition has blocked all attempts to storm the neighborhood.[4] Since this time, government
and opposition forces have been engaged in major clashes with significantly
higher numbers of casualties on both sides than is typical for battles in
Damascus.[5] The scale and duration of
fighting in these neighborhoods point to the limited capacity of the
government, security forces especially as it has had to divert reinforcements
to Homs province. This marks the first time that opposition groups have been
able to push into three different government-held areas, achieving significant
gains in each, while simultaneously maintaining its current operations against
major regime targets in the city including Damascus International and Mezze
airports.
In order to better organize and coordinate
operations in Jobar, Qaboun, and Barzeh, a number of rebel groups have recently
banded together to create Jabhat Fatah al-‘Asima, or the Front to Open the
Capital.[6] The new front reportedly
comprises 23 different battalions, most notably of which includes the Farouq
al-Sham Battalion and the Habib Moustafa Brigade.[7] Previously, units in these
areas have tended to remain small, having to operate underground and in secrecy
to avoid regime detection. However, emboldened by recent successes, more and
more rebel groups have shown a willingness to coalesce into larger alliances
with the hopes of bringing greater forces to bear and coordinating more
effectively on operations. Commanders have also suggested a need to come
together in order to better allocate resources and distribute recently acquired
weapons to areas where they will have a greater impact.[8] Given that previous attempts
to unite opposition groups in Damascus have largely failed, it remains to be
seen whether this new coalition will have much of an impact. However, the fact
that many of the more powerful groups in Damascus have joined and others,
including Liwa al-Islam, have agreed to work with the front suggests that it
could be an important development in terms of cooperation and coordination
among opposition forces in the south.
At the same time as the opposition has made
significant gains in the Jobar, Qaboun, and Barzeh neighborhoods, rebel forces
led by the Ahrar al-Sham Brigade have continued their campaign against major
infrastructure in the city. On July 25, a major explosion near the Mezze
military prison was following by a rebel attack against the airbase.[9] Although the government was
able to quickly quell the attack, such incidences reveal the extent to which
the opposition is now pressing on key government positions. The Mezze airbase
has been a primary target for the opposition for over a year now, but only
recently have they been able to put significant pressure on regime forces in
the vicinity. In a statement released by Ahrar al-Sham in early August, the
group claims to be at the “doors of Damascus, advancing from eastern Ghouta and
southern Damascus.”[10] While such declarations
evidence more bravado than reality, there is some truth to the statement that
the opposition is advancing on Damascus in ways previously unseen.
Following rebel operations in the area, regime
forces conducted an arrest campaign in Mezze, detaining hundreds of civilians.
Activists working for local coordinating councils and humanitarian-aid based
groups were the primary target of the arrest campaign, and many humanitarian
aid channels have been shut down as a result.[11] In addition to targeting
activists and aid workers, the government has also attempted to shut down aid
distribution networks. On August 7, government forces ambushed an opposition
convoy in Adra, a main supply route between Damascus and the eastern Ghouta neighborhood,
killing over 60 rebel fighters. Although the government reported that the
Jabhat al-Nusra led opposition fighters were on their way to attack a key
checkpoint in Damascus, both activists and fighters have denied the claim,
arguing that the convoy was carrying humanitarian aid to besieged eastern
Ghouta.[12] The government’s targeting of
humanitarian aid channels has had near catastrophic consequences in areas that
rely heavily on aid as food and medical supplies are increasingly rare in
certain districts of the capital. Such actions represent similar government
strategies employed in northern Syria, where the government has targeted civilians
and activists in response to major rebel victories. Regime retaliation against
civilians has been an effective part of the government’s attempts to undermine
the opposition’s support base. However, in Damascus, such strategies seem to
have an inverse effect so far, and they have caused tension and infighting
between government troops forced to carry out such measures.[13]
Particularly in recent operations, opposition
forces have demonstrated an enhanced capacity through the use of better
weaponry. In early August, rebels from Liwa al-Islam, the Mughaweer Battalion,
and the Qalamoun Martyrs Battalion captured an ammunitions depot near the village
of Qaldun in the Qalamoun area.[14] Only days after, units from
these groups were seen effectively using the anti-tank weapons they had
captured. In a video posted online, opposition forces from Liwa Islam and the
First Brigades destroy a column of tanks along the road to the hospital in
Barzeh.[15] Such examples indicate a
growing capacity by the opposition, and reveal how rebel groups are using
government-captured weaponry more effectively. In another video, a unit
associated with Ansar al-Islam is seen effectively using an SA-16 in the Ghouta
region.[16] Advanced weapons also helped
rebel forces take control of the fifth bridge along the road to Damascus
International Airport, and were instrumental in rebel operations against the
Abu Zidan checkpoint along the International Damascus Road in Harasta.[17]
Most significantly, Liwa al-Islam, one of the
largest and most powerful brigades in Damascus and operating within the network
of the Supreme Military Command, has successfully used a 9K33 Osa, or SA-8
Gecko.[18] Liwa al-Islam first captured
two SA-8 units in October 2012 along with at least six missiles.[19] Commanders from the brigade
report working with engineers for over a year to make the system operational,
and report that they have since captured many more missiles from other
government caches.[20] On July 29, videos circulated
showing Liwa al-Islam successfully using the system to shoot down a Syrian Air
force helicopter. At the same time, activists in Damascus reported that two
aircraft had been shot down over Damascus and that since then, less flights had
been seen overhead.[21] Military analysts familiar
with the SA-8 system state that it would be very difficult for the opposition
to get the system operational without the support of outside expertise or the
guidance of a former operator of such a system. Successfully using the system
should be seen as a military achievement, and if replicated, could change the
dynamics of the conflict in the area.
Already, Liwa al-Islam has issued a warning to the
Syrian government, citing that all airplanes flying over eastern Ghouta will be
shot down.[22] The government has long
relied on its air superiority, which remains the key center of gravity for the
regime and has allowed the government to continue repressive operations in
areas that it no longer has reach. If the opposition can successfully begin to
counter the government’s air power, it would quickly change the nature of the
conflict and force the government to adapt its operations in ways that would
likely be much less successful than they have been until this point.
As the opposition advances into new districts in
the capital, tension among government forces have begun to surface. In some
cases, government troops have been deterred by the more abhorrent behavior of
pro-regime militia forces in the area. Reports by activists in Damascus say
that government troops have sometimes been forced to prevent massacres from
taking place by the hands of Iraqi and Lebanese Shia militia groups – begging
the question of how long the regime can retain command and control as it
increasingly relies on irregular forces.[23] In other cases, infighting
has occurred between different government units over operations, particularly
in cases where it has meant aerial bombardment of city centers. In the past,
government troops had negotiated with opposition forces in creating truces that
prevented the aerial bombardment, and thus destruction, of key districts in the
capital.[24] Yet as the opposition has
advanced, more and more of Damascus is being threatened by the government’s
bombardment, causing misgivings among those troops who are not keen to see the
city become a replica of destroyed Aleppo or Homs.[25] While this has not
significantly impacted operations in the city so far, if these trends are
exacerbated, it could spell trouble for the government in the future.
Capitalizing on the government’s victory in Homs,
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has given off the impression of strength. In
one of his rare public visits, Assad toured Darayya, a southwestern suburb of
Damascus and former rebel bastion now largely under control of government
forces. In a speech honoring Army Day, Bashar told the Syrian people that he is
“sure of victory.”[26] And while the western media
seems to have bought the narrative of the government’s continuing strength,
under the surface things are not what they appear in the capital. Through the
successful use of more sophisticated weaponry and enhanced coordination, the
opposition has made unprecedented advances in Damascus and has come closer to
the heart of the capital than ever before. Events in Damascus reveal two important
lessons: first, although the regime has current momentum in Homs , it is far
from being able to conclusively defeat the opposition; second, a limited
enhanced weapon capability has already improved the effectiveness of rebel
forces and helped them coalesce into a more hierarchal command........................http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/opposition-advances-damascus
Here also I add the key regime military facilites around the chemical attack site:
Click to enlarge
Jomrayah: Key military facility for assad, currently under threat by rebels. Chemical research and development centre with links to Hezbollah and Iranian militay experts. Hit three times by Israeli missile strikes in 2013.
Mazzeh: From the Mazzeh military airport an underground tunnel leads to a chemical storage facility, an underground bunker with thick walls. Nearby a facility which is home to Bashar al Assad's brother Maher, and residences for Iranian and North Korean military experts.
Click to enlarge
Al Tal: The mountainous area between al Tal and the north of Damascus is littered with underground tunnels, bunkers and secret chemical facilities.
Click to enlarge
Al Qutayfah: At the start of the mountainous ridge that overlooks Damascus, includes a base for stores Scud missiles loaded with chemical weapons.
Click to enlarge
Adra: To the north of Adra industrial city, one of Assad's few remaining strongholds in east Damascus, are the Adra chemical sites, including chemical weapons storage facilities and a missile base.
Click to enlarge
Al Dumayr: Located to the east of Al Dumayr military airport, the facility includes a chemical factory as well as weapons storage.
Despite
significant gains in Homs province, Syrian government forces are
struggling against opposition forces on other fronts. In Damascus,
opposition forces have mounted a major offensive, entering many
government-held areas and gaining new ground. Although the government
has gone on the counter-offensive, opposition forces have been able to
maintain their advance and prevented government forces from storming a
number of critical areas in the city. These gains reveal the extent to
which the opposition is able to adapt to changes in the operating
environment, and prove that the Syrian government lacks the capacity to
conclusively defeat the insurgency despite increased assistance from
external allies.
The media is focused on the battle for
Homs, and consequently the Syrian government appears strong with current
momentum moving in its favor. The government’s imminent victory at Homs
is indeed significant for efforts to consolidate its primary line of
communication from the coastal region through Homs to Damascus; however,
reports of government strength are misleading as indicators of the
overall campaign for Syria. Such reports overlook critical opposition
victories across other fronts. The Syrian government has had to
consolidate resources and reinforcements in Homs province, and have
diverted attention from important opposition activities, particularly in
Damascus. At a time when the opposition is reeling from the loss of
Homs and struggling to counter the impacts of greater Hezbollah and
Iranian support, it has nonetheless made significant gains in Damascus,
proving that the Syrian government lacks the capacity to conclusively
defeat its insurgency.
Beginning on July 24, rebel forces
launched a major offensive in Damascus city. Despite the Syrian
government’s continuous bombardment of Jobar, Barzeh, and Qaboun, rebels
managed to push into the Jobar neighborhood, and from there began a
concerted drive into government-held districts in the city.[1]
After major clashes between government and rebel forces, the opposition
took control of the Abbassiyeen garages, an important
government-controlled facility.[2]
Continuing their push, rebel forces then took control of a major
electrical facility just south of Ruken al-Din, and are now laying siege
to a large tank park belong to Branch 211 in southern Qaboun using
homemade rockets. In Barzeh, the opposition has also advanced on regime
positions with major clashes occurring near the Military School and main
government managerial buildings.[3]
Although clashes are still ongoing in many of these neighborhoods, the
opposition has moved into government-held territory previously thought
to be impenetrable. While the overall operational value of such
victories may be limited, the area has a large military presence and is
symbolically important as it nears the Defense Ministry and the
Officer’s Club.
- See more at: http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/opposition-advances-damascus#sthash.jvB1LVlk.dpuf
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