ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Illustrative image: SERGEI BOBYLEV/ALAMY Turkey will consider buying and will likely buy Russian fifth generation Su-57 stealth fighter jets if the US suspends F-35 stealth fighters deliveries in response to the Russian-Turkish S-400 anti-missile systems deal, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported on May 27 citing sources. The newspaper said that the Russian-Turkish military technology cooperation, including a possible delivery of Su-57 jets, was discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey on April 3. Russia and Turkey signed the S-400 anti-missile systems deal in December 2017. Since then, US-Turkish tensions over the issue have grown significantly. On May 24, US Senate Armed Services Committee released draft of annual defense policy bill. The document implies that the delivery of US F-35 jets to Turkey should be suspended in response to the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-missile systems by Ankara. On May 25, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu sai

Illustrative image On May 27, more than 700 policemen and officers of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police (FSP) were deployed in the northern city of Afrin, according to the pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi. The source said that most of these policemen and officers will soon be redployed from the city to several towns and villages around it. Syrian opposition sources said that the the Turkish Army had trained and equipped the policemen and officers of the FSP inside Turkey over the last few months. Reportedly, the FSP in Afrin area will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rami Tlass who defected from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in 2012. The city of Afrin witnessed a large wave of looting of crimes which was mainly committed by the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) after it had been captured from the Kurdish People’s Units (YPG) on March 24. The city has even witnessed clashes between Turkish-backed groups on several occasions. Supposedly, the FSP is a part of Turk

Illustrative image On May 27, more than 700 policemen and officers of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police (FSP) were deployed in the northern city of Afrin, according to the pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi. The source said that most of these policemen and officers will soon be redployed from the city to several towns and villages around it. Syrian opposition sources said that the the Turkish Army had trained and equipped the policemen and officers of the FSP inside Turkey over the last few months. Reportedly, the FSP in Afrin area will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rami Tlass who defected from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in 2012. The city of Afrin witnessed a large wave of looting of crimes which was mainly committed by the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) after it had been captured from the Kurdish People’s Units (YPG) on March 24. The city has even witnessed clashes between Turkish-backed groups on several occasions. Supposedly, the FSP is a part of Turk

Click to see the full-size map On May 27, the Libyan National Army (LNA) backed by warplanes of the UAE Air Force resumed its advance south of the northeastern city of Derna and captured the Tamiskit area from the Shura Council of Mujahedeen in Derna (SCMD), according to the Libyan outlet Africa Gate News. Sources close to the LNA acknowledged that an IED planted by SCMD fighters had killed four soldiers of the LNA south of Derna, while two other soldiers had been injured during the clashes in Tamiskit area. From its side, the pro-SCMD news outlet Derna Red Line (DRL) reported that SCMD fighters repelled an attack by the LNA on their positions in al-Fataih and al-Dahr areas east of Derna. Reportedly, SCMD fighters killed two soldiers of the LNA during the clashes. The DRL also revealed that two fighters of the SCMD were killed in an airstrike on Derna, which was carried out by an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) of the UAE Air Force on May 26. The LNA, backed by the

FILE IMAGE: AP Photo At least 124 IEDs have been removed in the liberated area of Yarmouk in southern Damascus over the past 24 hours, Chief of the Russian center for the reconciliation of conflicting parties, Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, said on May 25. “Sapper units continue efforts to demine liberated regions of the former Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees. In the past day, 22 buildings were demined, with seven anti-tank mines, 22 mortar rounds and 124 improvised explosive devices defused,” Maj. Gen. Yevtushenko said. On May 26, Maj. Gen. Yevtushenko revealed that over 300 Syrians had returned to their homes in the province of Homs and the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus. “Restoration of damaged social infrastructure facilities and normalization of everyday life encourage people to return to the places of their former residence. Over the past day, as many as 216 people returned to their homes in the province of Homs, and 134 people returned to Eastern Ghouta,” he

Click to see the full-size image On May 26, the Russian Military Police arrested several thieves who were looting civilian houses in the district of Babbila south of the city of Damascus and returned electronics and fortune, which had been stolen, to their owner, according to Syrian pro-government sources. Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image According to reports, the thieves were wearing uniforms of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). However, a military source told South Front that SAA soldiers are not allowed to enter Babbila. This means that these thieves were likely members of some pro-government militia. The Russian Military Police started patrolling the districts of Beit Sahm, Babbila, Sidi Miqdad and Yelda in southern Damascus  on May 13  under the reconciliation agreement,  which was reached on April 13 . Meanwhile, the Syrian pro-government news outlet Syrian Reports said that Syrian security forces had stormed several illegal markets

Sputnik / Mikhail Klimentyev Written by  The Saker ; Originally appeared at  The Unz Review This has been an interesting week for Russia.  First, and  contrary to my own expectations , Iulia Skripal has been allowed to make a  recorded statement on video  where she is seen writing a statement in English and Russian.  This falls far short of even the basic British obligations to allow consular access to both Skripals, but it is a sign that the Brits are finally starting to feel the pressure.  This is just a small first step, but thank God for small things. Now let’s just hope that the pressure to free both Skripals will not abate. Second, the St Petersburg Economic Forum has started to what promises to be a big success: 14’000 participants, including many top western business and even representatives of the British oligarchy (to the great despair of  The Times ).  Now that the “economic block” of the Russian government is firmly in the hands of the Atlantic Integrationists and

By Africa Gate News, Click to see the full-size image On May 25, a booby-trapped car exploded on Gamal Abdel Nasser street in the northeastern Libyan city of Benghazi, according to the Libyan outlet Africa Gate News. Libyan sources said that the explosion targeted a nearby Syrian commercial expo, which was organized by the Damascus government. Africa Gate News said that eight civilians and soldiers of the Libyan National Army (LNA) had been killed and more than twelve others had been injured in the attack in Benghazi. Reportedly, no Syrian citizens were killed or injured. By Africa Gate News, Click to see the full-size image By Africa Gate News, Click to see the full-size image By Africa Gate News, Click to see the full-size image The Libyan Counter-Terrorism Unit revealed that it had known in advance that sleeper cells were planning to target Benghazi and had informed the Ministry of Interior of Libya. However, the ministry didn’t take any protective measures, ac