The Syrian National Defence Force's Most Devastating Urban Combat Weapon

In late 2012, those of us tracking the munitions used in the Syrian conflict began to see the remains of an unusual munition that opposition activists claimed had been launched from Syrian government positions

The munition appeared to be a 107mm artillery rocket (as used by the widely deployed Type-63 multiple rocket launcher), with the warhead removed and replaced with a much larger DIY warhead with a simple impact fuze.  These munitions, known as Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions (IRAMs), sacrifice range and accuracy for a massively increased payload.  As John Ismay, a former United States Navy explosives ordnance disposal officer, told the New York Times' At War blog, these IRAMs appeared to be "conceptually identical to the IRAMs used by a particular group of insurgents fighting American forces in Iraq — Kataib Hezbollah".  He goes onto the describe the use of the Iraqi IRAMs

The Iraqi IRAM was purpose-built for one thing: popping over T-walls and Hesco barriers at short ranges that prevented interception by C-RAM and creating mass casualties on-target.

Obviously, in Syria, there was no need for either side to use the munition for this purpose, and there were some who doubted the Syrian government would used improvised weapons, especially inaccurate and powerful weapons in urban areas.

In the following months I continued to collect videos of IRAMs (see here), with the unexploded remains of the munitions showing up in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, and elsewhere.  While it was claimed by opposition members that these munitions were fired by government forces, it wasn't until recently that an increasing body of evidence began to appear showing definite proof that the IRAMs were being used by Syrian government forces.

In late August 2013 a number of images appeared online that confirmed the munitions were being used by Syrian government forces.  First, the capture of a ammo depot in Khanasser featured this pile of IRAMs stored alongside other weapons, including IRAMs in storage crates

Around the same time Jabhat al-Nusra published images of a four-barrel IRAM launcher they claim to have captured from government forces, along with crates full of IRAMs

The final piece of proof was provided by the pro-Government Abkhazian Network News Agency (ANNA), who has rare access to the Syrian military, and regularly posts footage of the Syrian military in action on their YouTube channel.  This video showing "A brief summary of the situation in Syria for 30 August 2013" provided the final proof that the Syrian military were using IRAMs, at 1m11s

The video shows an IRAM being loaded and fired from a single barrel launcher, and was the first video showing the Syrian military using IRAMs.

One thing I was very keen to find out was how these munitions were actually being used in combat.  One report that piqued my interest was from the fighting in Qusayr in June 2013.  Colonel Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Aqidi, at that time a senior member of the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, had travelled to Qusayr with reinforcements, and gave a very lengthy interview about his experiences.  One part of the interview caught my eye

The enemy was applying a scorched earth policy by firing Iranian vacuum bombs, which caused whole building to fall down. This was forcing the fighters to retreat to another building.

In my experience, "vacuum" is a prefix frequently used by members of the Syrian opposition to describe all kinds of powerful explosive weapons, and that description reminded me of something else that had emerged in Qusayr.  Josh Wood, a journalist who met opposition fighters who had fought in Qusayr, sent me a gallery of photographs provided to him by the fighters he spoke to, showing a munition they claimed was being used by Hezbollah

He told me that according to the opposition fighters

This weapon was used by Hezbollah forces in Qusayr.  He described them as 107mm rockets fitted to something with a higher payload, with the 107mm propelling everything. He said the max range on these was about 1 km, but most of the time they were simply fired across the street horizontally at extremely close range.  By his description, one of these could do significant damage to a small house.  He said that these rockets really helped Hezbollah shift the tide in parts of that front-line.

At the time there was no more evidence of these munitions being used in Qusayr, and no way to confirm the story of the opposition fighters about how they were used.

This week, a video by the Syrian National Defence Force was posted online, showing fighting in Barzeh, north Damascus, with footage of a single barrel IRAM launcher being used at 1m17s

What's interesting about this is the launch tube is horizontal to the ground, suggesting it's being used for direct fire, not indirect fire, as in Iraq

The launch footage is then followed by footage showing the IRAMs hitting multiple targets.  It appears, as described by the opposition fighters in Qusayr, that these munitions are being used for devastating effect against occupied buildings only hundreds of feet away from the launch site.  It's not hard to imagine how devastating these munitions are, and difficult how (if not impossible) these munitions would be to defend against in an urban combat situation.

Reviewing the National Defence Force's Facebook page, it appears they don't only have access to the single barrel launchers, but also the type of truck mounted launchers Jabhat al-Nusra claimed to have captured

Source

Source

Source

These aren't the only powerful explosive weapons the NDF has been provided with, with videos showing them using the launchers linked to the August 21st attack being posted online recently (albeit using the explosive type of munition), and the use of IRAMs in urban combat would seem to give them a significant advantage over opposition forces.  This goes some way to explain some of the more unusual reports from the opposition of the weapons used against them, and it seems these weapons will continue to be a popular choice for government forces.

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com.

Interview With Colonel Aqidi Of The FSA On Qusayr, Jihadists, And The Supreme Military Council

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a group of opposition fighters who had just reached the center of Qusayr, which was at that time under siege by Syrian government forces, including Hezbollah, and the National Defence Force.  Shortly after their arrival, opposition forces retreated from the area, allowing government forces to take control of the town.

One of the people with the reinforcements was Colonel Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Aqidi, a senior member of the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, who has now given an interview giving his version of events, which I've had translated into English.  In it he talks about attempts to reach Qusayr, the situation he found in Qusayr, the retreat, Islamist and Jihadist groups, and the status of the Supreme Military Council.

0:01 Interviewer: we would like to know what happened in Qusayr.

0:04 Aqidi: We arrived at Qarah Mountains (جبال قارة) in Qalamoun (القلمون) area and we set up a camp.

The initial plan was to enter Qusayr through Josiyah (جوسية) or al-Abboudiyah (العبودية) or through Shamseen (شمسين) in order to lift the siege of the town and relieve our comrades there. I am going to tell what really happened at that point. Unfortunately, the military council of Qalamoun did not cooperate with us and we found that many fighters there are smugglers and not true revolutionaries.

We stayed there a period of three or four days during which we reconnoitered the area and set up plans. Unfortunately, the fighters in Josiyah and Sheikh Ahmad Ammon denied us support. We decided to enter Qusayr at all costs and though we do not know the area very well.

Our first attempt to enter the town failed due to lack of scouts, and I told my men that we are going on a suicidal mission, and that I welcome all those who want to go with us. In the second time, we crossed the highway and then we lost the scouts.

On our way to the town, land mines destroyed three vehicles and killed thirteen men. After two days, we arrived in Qusayr, and we found that some commanders had already decided to retreat, but they changed their minds under pressure from the civilians, who rejoiced at the news of our arrival. The commanders’ reaction to our arrival was unlike those of the civilians and the fighters.

Anyway, on the following day we held a meeting with the commanders of the seventeen formations that were fighting in Qusayr. During the meeting, al-Saleh and I told the local commanders that we were there to fight under their command as soldiers not commanders. However, fourteen local commanders voted for retreat from the town. I then told them that we were going to die in the town and would not retreat. This made them feel that they should not give up the town and decided to stay and fight. We set up headquarters the following day and started preparing ourselves for the battle.

We noticed that the senior officers who defected from the Assad army were marginalized and did not have a say in the decision-making process. After the meeting, every senior officer was tasked with holding a sector in the town. We also set up a legal court in order to penalize wrongdoers and defeatists who we expected may flee the battlefield. In spite of all our well-organized preparation, some local commanders were still thinking of retreat.

Honestly, we started to understand their primary concern, which was the high number of wounded civilians and fighters. The problem of the wounded was the most worrying for the local commanders who sometimes insisted on evacuating them.

The next day I took a tour to the front lines, and sometimes I was just few meters from the enemy. The fighters’ morale was greatly boosted by my tour.

On the third day, we launched an attack on al- Daba’a (مطار الضبعة) air base, killed thirty-five enemy fighters besides destroying two tanks, and captured a tank and a 106 mm gun. However, enemy forces attacked the southern side of the town on the fifth day and we suffered many casualties, which led to deterioration in the morale of our fighters.

At this point, the commanders held a meeting and discussed the next steps. The discussions were intense and the commanders were extremely nervous that they showed disrespect of each other, so al-Saleh and I left the meeting, though Doctor Mazen Matar and others tried to calm the situation down and persuaded the commanders to hold their ground.

Two or three hours later came the head of the military council and urged me to leave the town because, according to his words, al-Saleh and I were two symbols of the revolution and that he was concerned about our safety . At first, we refused to leave but three hours later we knew that almost all the local fighters had retreated. Then we were forced to retreat to the village of al-Dabha (الضبعة) where civilians and fighters gathered. The village was under artillery and aerial shelling. The fighters planned to evacuate the civilians on foot and leave weapons and vehicles behind.

After sunset on that day, we began retreating but the severe shelling from all sides forced us to seek protection in the orchards. There were more than ten thousand people hiding there including fighters. The enemy was encircling us from all directions and those who fought back were fighters from Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and al-Nusrah Front and few local fighters. It was like doomsday but we managed to escape.

Honestly, holding Qusayr was very much like a suicidal attempt and local commanders were excused to leave the town due to high casualties besides the huge psychological pressure they were put under. The situation of the wounded was beyond description and their wounds were terribly infected. The enemy was applying a scorched earth policy by firing Iranian vacuum bombs, which caused whole building to fall down. This was forcing the fighters to retreat to another building. Other problems were the lack of proper communication between the commanders and their men as well as the absence of joint headquarters and the worst of all the distrust among the local commanders. We lost a battle but we did not lose the war, and what’s more important is that we should not make of Qusayr the symbol of the revolution. Though we have been fighting in Aleppo for over a year and a half, we have not seen much devastation and destruction like that we saw in Qusayr.

12:23 Interviewer:  What about your relations with Islamist battalions?

Aqidi: I have good relations with all of them and I am communicating with them as long as they fight against the Assad regime.

13:55 Interviewer: What about the execution of the fourteen-year-old boy in Aleppo?

Aqidi: Once I arrive in Aleppo, I am going to investigate it. I am sure Islamist groups are not behind this act.  Some groups claim to be Islamist or FSA but in fact, they are regime-made and consist of secret police and shabeeha. Last week a brigade commander was trialed and executed because his acts were doing harm to the reputation of the FSA. His name was Mahmoud [.........], he headed the Unified Army of Muhammad, and his deputy’s name was Abu Taleb.

(When asked about the latest call for Jihad in Syria)

Syria does not need foreign fighters because this will make it another Afghanistan, what we need is arms and money. We prefer arms to money because the latter is spoiling the revolution. Syrians alone can liberate their country and even Lebanon from its thuggish Hezbollah.

(When asked about the Supreme Military Council and General Idriss, commander-in-chief of the FSA)

Aqidi: First of all let me clarify that General Salim Idriss is not the head of SMC. General Salim is the chief of staff. SMC is composed of 30 persons, 6 from each front. 10 are officers, 19 are civilians. They’re detached from reality. They have no connections with inside at all. General Idriss is the chief of staff and we, like all other provincial military councils, are under his command. We communicate with him on a daily basis. (or sometimes every 2-3 days according to availability of communications) . As for the SMC they are located in Bab Al Hawa, and some of them are inside, some in Saudi, some in Lebanon… But majority are in Turkey. They’re disconnected from reality. In fact I’m a member of this SMC but I don’t attend their meeting and they don’t matter to me.  They lately held a meeting and cancelled my membership after I threatened to fight Hezbollah on their land in Lebanon. I regularly communicate with General Idriss.

I've also been told he also says that they tried to get him sacked because he said the FSA would attack Hezbollah inside Lebanon and that this came from Okab Saqr (who's a Shite from Lebanon) and Louay Miqdad whose mother is a Shite, and he ponders why they would want to have him sacked.

Thanks to Kristyan Benedict of Amnesty International whose donation to the Brown Moses Blog fundraiser guaranteed the continued existence of this blog.

Related posts
An Israeli Truck Reportedly Captured From The Syrian Opposition Reappears in Qusayr
Video Shows Opposition Forces And Wounded Retreating From Qusayr
Reinforcements And A Senior Free Syrian Army Member Arrive In Qusayr
Abu Sakkar Joins Mounting Casualties From The Fighting in Qusayr
Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

An Israeli Truck Reportedly Captured From The Syrian Opposition Reappears in Qusayr

Late last month there were a number of reports from Lebanese and Syria television of a truck reportedly captured from opposition forces around Qusayr that was claimed to be Israeli in origin, shown in the below video

The trucks were marked with the initials of the Israeli prison service, as seen below

An Israel Defense Forces spokesman told the Times of Israel that "based on the identification number seen in footage of the vehicle, the jeep had belonged to the now-defunct South Lebanon Army, and had been out of commission for more than a decade," adding the report was "crude propaganda."

Looking through images from the recently captured Qusayr one stood out, captioned "Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad ride on a truck in Qusair, after the Syrian army took control of the city from rebel fighters, June 5, 2013. Syrian government forces and their Lebanese Hezbollah allies seized control of the border town of Qusair on Wednesday, a severe setback to rebel fighters battling to overthrow Assad."

To me this appeared to be the same type of truck reportedly captured by the Syrian Army back in May, but I then discovered something else.  Here's the number plate on the above photo

Here's the number plate of the truck captured in May

It seems pretty clear both number plates read 669491, so it's seems it's the same vehicle, and again begs the question of whether this truck was actually seized by Hezbollah from the South Lebanon Army and used for propaganda purposes.  This is also important when footage shown on Syrian and Lebanon TV claims to show Israeli weapons supposedly captured in Qusayr.

Related posts
Video Shows Opposition Forces And Wounded Retreating From Qusayr
Reinforcements And A Senior Free Syrian Army Member Arrive In Qusayr
Abu Sakkar Joins Mounting Casualties From The Fighting in Qusayr
Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr

Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force

Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

Video Shows Opposition Forces And Wounded Retreating From Qusayr

Today it's been confirmed by both the Syrian government and opposition that opposition forces have withdrawn from the town of Qusayr, Homs, site of a key battle in the region.  The Qusayr Media Center, which had been posting regular videos from the town has posted one video, apparently filmed during the retreat, showing the wounded being evacuated

I've had the video translated

Hadi al-Abulluh (local activist): Those are some of the wounded who are besieged in Qysayr. There are about 970. Every day we try getting them out of the town but we can’t do so because of the siege imposed on us. There is no safe exit. International organizations didn’t reach us, neither Red Cross not Read Crescent.
1:20 Old man: We must help the wounded, there are more than 1200. Neither the European nor the Arabs are answering our calls for help.
3:15 un-named man: Why don’t the Muslims help us?
4:35 un-named man: I am one out of 1200 wounded. There were many attempts to get us out of here. Every time 50 try to get out only 25 return back because they usually get killed on their way out. Some of them died because of the shelling or as a result of the fatal wounds. Most of us here are civilians, nobody is doing anything to help us.
5:36 un-named man: The Arabs have left us alone dying slowly. We need men not money.
6:08 off-camera: We are improvising burial cloth out of blankets and clothes because they ran out. Many were buried wearing their clothes because we have no more burial cloth. 

From the other side this report from al-Manar TV showing government forces inside Qusayr was posted, clearly showing them in control of the center of the town

It's interesting to note that at this point in the video air-to-air missiles can been seen, which despite some claims of them being US/Israeli missiles, actually appear to be the missile taken from Dabaa airbase, and turned into surface-to-surface missiles by opposition fighters, something I detail here and here.

Related posts
Reinforcements And A Senior Free Syrian Army Member Arrive In Qusayr
Abu Sakkar Joins Mounting Casualties From The Fighting in Qusayr
Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr

Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force

Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

Reinforcements And A Senior Free Syrian Army Member Arrive In Qusayr

Since the fighting began between opposition forces and Syrian government forces including Hezbollah and National Defense Force fighters in Qusayr, Homs, a number of videos and statements have been posted by opposition groups from across the country claiming that reinforcements were on the way.  For example, this video shows Colonel Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Aqidi, a senior member of the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, claiming to be on the way to Qusayr

In the video he says

Today I am with my brother Abdulkader Al-Saleh and a pretty big group of fighters on our way to relieve our brothers in Qusayr. We expect to reach Qusayr tomorrow. We are coming to you Bashar and Nasr Allah, and will target your strongholds in Al-Dahiyah (Southern Beirut) as long as you continue your aggression against the Syrian people and our brothers in Homs. We assure all the Syrian people and especially those in Homs that many fighters are coming to relieve our brothers in Homs and in Qusayr. By God’s assistance we will be victorious.

The above video is from May 22nd, and while it took more than one more day to reach Qusayr, this following video posted on June 2nd from Qusayr shows Colonel Aqidi with Hadi Al-Abdallah, an activist from Homs who has been working in Qusayr over the past few weeks

Here's a transcript of the video

Hadi - From here, from beloved Qusayr, Col Aqidi and the head of the Military Council in Qusayr Abu Arab are making field visits to the fighters at the frontlines. We are now in central Qusayr. We have been relieved by the Military Council in Aleppo and Tawheed Brigade, and also by our brothers in Deir Al-Zoor headed by Al-Ausra Army. We are waiting for other fighters to arrive.
At first we would like to thank you for coming to relieve us. You are amongst the very few who came to assist us and preferred to come here personally to defend beloved Qusayr.
Aqidi -  First of all, we see this as our duty, and the duty of all Muslims and all free Syrians to answer this call for support and to come to rescue our besieged brothers and to try to lift this siege. All the Syrian lands and all the Syrian people are one. I call on fighters everywhere in Syria to relieve our brothers here.
Hadi - Did you have any difficulties while on your way to here?
Aqidi - You know, it wasn't very much easy to get to here, but when there’s determination man can achieve whatever he wants. Similarly, it was not very difficult to get to here because more than 70% of Syria is now liberated. We traveled wide parts of Syria while on our way to Qusayr.
Hadi - What’s your message to the battalions and brigades around Qusayr and in other parts of Syria?
Aqidi - I call on them not to leave Qusayr, and I also ask them not to hang around with things that are inessential to the revolution. Our aim is to topple this criminal regime who ruined most of the country. We saw that Qusayr is completely in ruins, mosques, schools and houses are all destroyed. The battlefield is here, so nobody should give up the town. If some are afraid of death, I would say death is everywhere. The regime’s troops and Hezbollah’s militia won’t enter the town unless that was on our bodies.
Hadi - How is the battle going? How far can you check the onslaught of Assad’s and Hezbollah’s troops who are attacking form all sides?
Aqidi - Apart from driving them back, we will attack them and seize the surrounding town and villages that fell to them. We set up a joint command headquarters that includes all the units here. As you have seen, everything is well arranged and we moved from the defence to the attack. We will direct fatal blows to Hezbollah. This flag is the only one that was filmed with the martyrs of Qusayr, you deserve it.
Aqidi - We ask God to grant us martyrdom.

It's worth taking note of the location they are in at the start of the video, where you can see both the damaged minaret of a mosque on the left, and a clock tower to the right

This video filmed on May 23rd shows the same location, starting with a shot of the minaret, and then the clock tower

The mosque and clock tower featured in both videos are at Aisha Square, in the center of Qusayr, and this would seem to suggest that in more than a week of fighting the opposition still holds control of that central part of Qusayr.

In another video from June 2nd Colonel Aqidi takes a tour of the battlefield with Hadi Al-Abdallah

Here's the a partial transcript, with additional translation and comments via my translator

0:10 The fighter speaking is from Deir Alzoor city, judging by his accent. The writing on his vehicle reads: “ Ahfad Aisha Battalions”.
1:05 Hadi - We are now on a field trip to some of the battle front-lines, Col Aqidi is checking with us. Fighters from Aleppo and Deir Al-Zoor have already arrived.
2:20 Un-named man - I am the head of the Military Council in Qusayr, I welcome those who arrived here from Aleppo to relieve and assist us, I also give many thanks to the people of Aleppo.
2:52 fighter from Deir Al-Zoor Qusayr is ours. I call on the fighters in Der Al-Zoor to join us.
3:48 Hadi - We are getting closer to the first front-line in the eastern side of the town where our fighters are clashing with Hezbollah fighters. Col Aqidi and Abu Arab are having a look at the front-line.
4:40 Un-named man - I have always hoped to meet you, now with you being here our morale rose from 100% to 200%.
5:27 Un-named man - We will fight to the last man.
6:23 Hadi - Fighters from Al-Ausra Army of Deir Al-Zoor and from Aleppo are in one trench with our fighters and are fighting side by side. We are waiting for fighters from other cities to arrive her and join us.
10:40 Aqidi - We don’t know a thing called ‘tactical retreat’, all our moves must be forward, not a step back even if the tanks rolled on our bodies, they haven’t known the people of Syria yet, we seek martyrdom as much as they seek survival. They (Hezbollah) think that their so-called war against Israel in 2006 will fool us.
12:50 Aqidi - I assure you more and more fighters are coming with ammo and arms.
13:05 Un-named man - Morale is very high.
16:00 Aqidi - We will retaliate against Hezbollah’s aggression in his territory, in southern Dahiyah.

So while it's unclear exactly how many men and what equipment has arrived in Qusayr, it does seem that at least some reinforcements have reached the town, and the question is now, is there more to come?

Related posts
Abu Sakkar Joins Mounting Casualties From The Fighting in Qusayr
Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr

Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force

Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

More Translated Radio Communications From Qusayr

Last week I posted a transcript of radio communications between government fighters, reportedly intercepted in Qusayr, Homs, that gave some insight into the fighting taking place.  Since then a couple more videos of recorded radio communications have been uploaded, and I've had them transcribed into English

Hadi al-Abdullah (local activist) All those who oversee and direct the military operations in Qusayr and all the military forces that are attacking Qusayr belong to Hezbollah. There is no presence whatsoever of Assad’s forces, and they don’t have any role in the bombardment or in the attempts to storm the town. Now we are intercepting Hezbollah’s radio communications in the battlefield.
0:22 636
0:39 Abu Zainab
0:42 Abu Yaser, come to 636
1:04 There is something like a bomb under us. Hamza, who’s talking? Thank you, 636. Where are you now? I want to join you.
1:30 Send the ambulance to Abu Yaser to recover them. Why is doing that?
1:36 Where are you? At what number?
1:48 Abu Yasser, can you hear me?
1:56 Hamza, please reply, at what number?
2:00 I am still in my place. Can you hear me well?
2:04 Define your location by the number. What number?
2:06 I am at 578
2:17 I am coming over to you.
Hadi al-Abdullah As you have seen, al the fighters in the battle are Lebanese. Their Lebanese accent is clear.

My translator says he also believe this is a Lebanese dialect.

0:06 Are the tank and the BMP ok? (Or has it worked with the tank and the BMP?)
0:08 ……. Bombs ….. there is a wall between us, we can’t manage it (Or things aren’t going well) . Abu Ali Mahdi.
0:20 Abu Ali Mahdi is talking. What should I do?
0:23 I can’t do it, I am encircled from all sides. They are throwing grenades at me and I can’t move or do anything. My men are falling in front my eyes and I can’t do anything. We need to retreat, then we will shell the area and after that we will retry breaking through.
0:41 Where should I send the Shilka? I want to relieve you. In what direction should I send it?
0:50 It won’t work. They came very close and threw grenades at me. They can see me while I can’t. They are fixing me and are encircling me from all sides. All my men will fall down.
1:40 Qusayr will be your grave. Allah Akbar

Again, my translator says he believes these are Lebanese accents and dialects.

As always it should be kept in mind there's no way to check if these are authentic communications.

Related posts
Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr
Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force
Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

Abu Sakkar Joins Mounting Casualties From The Fighting in Qusayr

As I noted earlier this week the infamous "cannibal", Abu Sakkar, has been sighted inside Qusayr, Homs, scene of heavy fighting between opposition forces and government forces, including members of Hezbollah and the Syrian National Defense Force.  This photograph published yesterday shows Abu Sakkar recovering after being injured in the fighting

What's been notable about some of the footage coming from Qusayr (mainly via the Qusayr Media Centre and Tariq al-Homsi Youtube channels) is that despite reports of civilians being allowed to leave by the Syrian Army via a safe passage in the north of the city before the fighting began it seems many civilian remain in Qusayr, either through choice or circumstances, for example this elderly couple, and this group of women and children

This has resulted in inevitable civilian casualties, including injured and killed children (graphic), with a video showing their burial posted yesterday

It's also worth noting that currently it appears the northwest quarter of the town seems to be the main source of resistance against the Syrian government forces, which has long been the main stronghold for the opposition in the town going back months.  It's possible that rather than holding territory they were unfamiliar with the Syrian opposition forces decided to stick to the area they were familiar with, and this could be why we're now seeing what appears to be very slow movement on the front-lines compared to rapid movement early on in the battle.

Related posts
Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr

Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force

Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

Syrian Opposition Fighters (Including Abu Sakkar) Appear In A Video From Central Qusayr

During the fighting in Qusayr between the Syrian opposition and government forces supported by Hezbollah the Qusayr Media Centre have been posting regular videos from inside the town.  This video posted today shows opposition fighters in the center of the town

You'll note the speaker is a woman, unusual for videos like this from Syria, and the man stood second from the left is the notorious Abu Sakkar.  This isn't the first video Abu Sakkar has appeared in from Qusayr in recent days, with this one showing him wearing a red shirt.  Here's what's said (thanks to @rtoufic)

Woman - We will purify Qusayr from the Lebansee HezboLLATE (Devil's party) and we won't let Qusayre be easily swallowed by Hassan NarsouLLATE (Supporter of the Devil). Those of them who want to be grieved by their mothers, and see their sons buried, and their wives widowed, or their parents grieved, those will be ... (unclear) by the land of Syria and those who want to accelerate the process will be ... (unclear) by the land of Qusayr. Indeed, men and women we took up arms only to tear apart your bodies.
Abu Sakkar - We will prevail or die.
Off camera - Takbir.
All - Allah Akbar.

It's interesting to note in Abu Sakkar's statement to the media he made a similar statement "Victory or Death".

It's not possible to verify the date this video was filmed, but it is possible verify the location as Aisha Square.  You'll note the lay out of the streets and buildings in the video match what's on the satellite map, in particular the location the the mosque's minaret on the northwest corner of the mosque.  The camera position is directly west of the clock-tower, pointing east.

Today an image has been circulating showing what's supposedly the position of videos published in the last couple of days from state media and opposition sources.

If this image is accurate it would point to the southern half of Qusayr being under government control, or at least contested.

Related posts

Intercepted Radio Conversations Gives An Insight Into The Fighting In Qusayr

Syrian Activists Claim Al Mayadeen News Tweets FSA Positions To The Syrian Air Force

Brigadier General Salim Idris And Lebanese Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Aseer Take A Trip To Syria

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com