Putin-Erdogan deal deadlocks Aleppo, Manjib frays
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
Hizballah committed its elite Radwan Force to save the Syrian-Iranian Aleppo front from folding against rebel assault after Moscow decided to withhold air cover in line with the new Putin-Erdogan deal in St. Petersburg. Putin also bowed to Erdogan's demand on the Manjib front. The Radwan Force was called in as the only military capable of saving the day for Syrian President Assad and his allies. This step had been carefully avoided by Nasrallah in view of the heavy losses his organization had already suffered for backing the Syrian army - some 1,500 dead in three years - and intense fallout at home. He has now been forced to sacrifice his last remaining military asset to fight in one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in recent times in the Middle East, even though it promises a swelling procession of HIzballah coffins returning to Lebanon. There is no hope of an early resolution in Aleppo because stalemate between the combatants is exceptionally complicated and thankless. This hopeless standoff is the result of Moscow's refusal to provide the Syrian army and its allies with enough air support to pull ahead.
--DEBKA REPORT
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
Hizballah committed its elite Radwan Force to save the Syrian-Iranian Aleppo front from folding against rebel assault after Moscow decided to withhold air cover in line with the new Putin-Erdogan deal in St. Petersburg. Putin also bowed to Erdogan's demand on the Manjib front. The Radwan Force was called in as the only military capable of saving the day for Syrian President Assad and his allies. This step had been carefully avoided by Nasrallah in view of the heavy losses his organization had already suffered for backing the Syrian army - some 1,500 dead in three years - and intense fallout at home. He has now been forced to sacrifice his last remaining military asset to fight in one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in recent times in the Middle East, even though it promises a swelling procession of HIzballah coffins returning to Lebanon. There is no hope of an early resolution in Aleppo because stalemate between the combatants is exceptionally complicated and thankless. This hopeless standoff is the result of Moscow's refusal to provide the Syrian army and its allies with enough air support to pull ahead.
--DEBKA REPORT