New Cluster Bomb Videos October 15th

[Videos for October 13-14th]

Here's the latest videos of cluster bombs and bomblets from the last 24 hours in Syria, starting with two videos from Al-Bab, Aleppo, showing PTAB 2.5m bomblets, as well as the canister in the second video

This photograph was also taken in the same area [source]

This video from Urem al-Kubra, Aleppo shows a small group of AO1-Sch bomblets

In Mesraba, Damascus we have this pair of tail fins

And from Rankus, Damascus, we have this video showing multiple cluster bomb canisters and bomblets, as well as a gallery of photographs from the same area

In Talbiseh, Homs, we have this video showing a cluster bomb canister, and multiple bomblets

And in Dayr Ful, Homs, we have this video of a partial canister

From Duweir, Deir Ez Zor, a cluster bomb canister

And finally from Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib, this very interesting video that appears to show a cluster bomb that didn't deploy correctly and appears to have detonated with all the bomblets still inside, worth a look

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

Collected ODAB Thermobaric Bomb Evidence

Back in August Bjørn H Jespersen examined evidence that pointed towards thermobaric bombs being used in Syria.  These bombs, also known as vacuum bombs, function by first dispersing a cloud of fuel shortly before a secondary detonation that ignites the fuel, creating a powerful shock wave.

Bjørn H Jespersen was first alerted to these after coming across this very unusual video from Talbiseh that clearly showed two large bombs moments before impact

Since that video 4 more videos have been found they appear to be the same style of bomb, if not the same model, 3 of which are from Talbiseh

By examining the damage to the three bombs in Talbiseh it appears they are different, not the same bomb filmed on 3 separate occasions.

In August activists claimed these bombs were being used, and the massive destruction caused by two bombs in Azaz has led some people to believe they were used in that attack.  It seems clear from the above videos and Bjørn H Jespersen's research that these bombs are in use, and I aim to collect more evidence of their use in this post.

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Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Being Deployed In Syria
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You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

First Video Evidence Of Tank On Tank Combat In Syria

As I've written previously the FSA appear to have captured a significant number of tanks, but as yet there's only been one filmed example of them actually using a tank, attacking a number of checkpoints and outposts in Rastan.  A series of videos have now been posted that claims to show the al-Farouq Battalion using a T-62 tank to destroy a Syrian Army tank in Talbiseh, Homs.

The first video shows the al-Farouq Battalion preparing to for the attack, with a T-62 tank, a truck mounted DShK, a truck mounted ZU-23-2, and a third truck mounted weapon that appears to be a large cannon of some sort

The second video in the sequence shows a T-62 tank firing, followed by the camera panning over to show a smoking tracked vehicle.  I believe it's the the tank used is same vehicle as the previous video as the partly obscured white square you can see in the second video is also on the first video, just very hard to see

There's also a third video that was posted an hour later on the same channel showing a destroyed tank, but it's unclear if the tank is the same one in the second video. As I posted at the start of July the al-Farouq Battalion has shown off at least 3 T-62 tanks under their control in the past, but to my knowledge this is the first time there's been any video evidence of any FSA battalion using the tank of any kind to attack another tank.  Unlike the previous example of a tank being using in Rastan this appears to be part of a carefully planned operation, and the presence of truck mounted guns may suggest the FSA are beginning to plan operations with tanks supported by anti-aircraft defences, which would mark a significant development.

Related Posts
Rastan's Al-Farouq Brigades Show Off Their Latest Loot - Tanks
First Video Evidence Of The Free Syrian Army Using Tanks To Attack The Syrian Army
Another Video Selection Of The Free Syrian Army's Weapons And Equipment 

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

Another Video Selection Of The Free Syrian Army's Weapons And Equipment

Here's the latest round up of weapons and equipment featured in FSA videos posted online.  Earlier posts can be found here, here ,and here.

AA guns and truck mounted heavy machine guns 
Not many new videos in this section, but it's interesting to note the ZU-23-2s being used to fire at ground level targets.

Aleppo - Truck mounted ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun

Unknown - Truck mounted ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun

Jarabulus, Aleppo - Truck mounted DShK

Mortars and rockets
A couple of interesting ones this time round, including a video showing a LAW rocket launcher, the supply of which was covered in a recent Reuters article, alongside what may be home made rockets. There's also an rare sighting of a more advanced anti-tank system.

Unknown - 9M14 Malyutka anti tank rockets

Talbisah, Homs - Mortar being fired at a shabiha base

Homs - Al-Farouq Brigade - Firing mortars at a shabiha base

Unknown location - Descendants of Khalid ibn al-Walid Battalion - What appears to be homemade missiles, and a LAW

Tanks and armoured cars
As before, the FSA appears to be capturing an ever increasing number of armoured vehicles, and as I reported earlier in the week we've seen the first example of a T-series tank being used in combat by the FSA.

Rastan - Al-Farouq Brigade - 3 T-62 tanks and one armoured car (more details here)

Rastan - Al-Farouq Brigade - One tank, possibly a T-62

Andan, Aleppo - Champions Andan - T-72 tank

Homs - Umar's Free Army Battalion - Battalion formation video with a T-72 tank

Midan, Damascus - Armoured car captured from security forces

Talbiseh, Homs - A mixture of six armoured cars and BMPs captured by the FSA

Ammo, guns and other equipment
Idlib - 4 DShK machines guns, 1 mortar, 60+ mortar shells, and a handful of RPG rockets

DIY
This week we see a return of an old favourite, and a use for all those destroyed and disabled BMPs

Aleppo - A large catapult being used to launch home made explosives

Unknown location - BMP cannon mounted on the back of a truck

You can contact the author on Twitter @Brown_Moses or email brownmoses@gmail.com

Syria - 5 Killed, 20 Injured After Bakery Shelled In Farhaneyeh, Homs

Reports have been coming in over the last few hours of an incident in the village of Farhaneyeh, in Talbiseh, Homs.  According to reports around 5 people were killed, and over 20 injured when at least one mortar round hit a bakery inside the village of Farhaneyeh.  Extremely graphic videos of the aftermath have been posted on the Talbiseh Youtube channel, some of which I've posted below.  All links should be considered extremely graphic:

The scene of the explosion, showing the location of the bakery in relation to the corpses, as well as corpses and body parts around the scene

Inside the bakery showing bread dough waiting to be processed on the machines inside

Three corpses of men killed in the blast outside the bakery, including one individual decapitated by the blast

Above video with English subtitles via Syrian Scenes

Body parts of victims being collected in bags, and two victims being shown close up

Middle aged victim, possibly the one decapitated by the blast, possibly Mohammed Taha

Young adult male victim, large chest wound and head wound

Male adult victim of indeterminate age, massive jaw injury

Young adult male victim, no visible major wounds

The above shrouded victims being cleaned

Mohammed Taha's friends and family around his remains

Mohammed Taha's funeral

Mohammed Taha before his burial

  

 The burial of another victim, Ahmed Mahmoud Soufan

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

Syria - Massive Missile Base Defection Reported

Today there's been a number of reports of what could turn out to be a very significant defection.  Around 2pm Syrian time a video started being posted claiming that air defence Battalion 743 near Talbiseh had defected.  You can see it on this map

View Larger Map

The below video was posted along with the reports, and appears to show SA-2 missiles, which you can see arranged in a circle in the above map:

More details of the defection started to come in, as well as more videos.  HamaEcho Tweeted:

Entire battalion defects in Talbiseh. 743 Air Defence battalion, contains 10 officers including a colonel. 

As well as Tweeting another video from the missile base:

This video appears to show ammo crates being looted from the base

As well as a unmanned Shilka in the background

Syria Omar then put out a statement, as well as attaching videos (translated with thanks by troublejee):

.

Homs Aghannto :: Details :: Defection of air defense missile battalion - By the dawn of Sunday 10/06/02 the battalion 743 of brigade 72 of division 26 defected.

According to Captain Abdallah: "After secret communications between the FSA in Homs and the chief of the battalion it has been decided that the dawn of Sunday 10/06/12 would be the day of defection.  Multiple FSA units from different village surrounding battalion 743 provided secure defection.  Meanwhile the chief officer of the 743 battalion assembled the battalion members and spoke to them about the situation in Syria, and gave them the freedom to choose to eitehr join the FSA of go back home.

The battalion consists of 130 soliders and 10 officers.  On the day of defection there were only 35 soldiers and 5 officers.  22 soliders and 3 officers chose to go home, while 8 soldiers and 2 officers agreed to join the FSA.

The battalion's importance came from its role in defending the oil refinery in the city of Homs.  It holds SAM-6, SAM-7 and cobra missiles, as well as anti-aircraft armoured vechicles and other ammunition.  This battalion is also the supply centre to the Assad army in the city of Talbisa and Rastan, and other surrounding villages.

The FSA captured much ammunition and equipment, but the Assad regime sent their helicopters to bomb the battalion site and destroyed the defence system.  The battalion site was destroyed completely

Captain Ahmed Yousef explains what happened (Arabic)

The Syrian Army shelling and attacking the headquarters of the defecting battalion

The base burning after being attacked by Assad's forces

So it seems that not only did Assad lose control of the base, but they attacked it, probably in an attempt to prevent the FSA from using the ammo and missiles stored there.

What could be significant about this defection is it appears they may have captured some anti-aircraft weapons that they can use against helicopters attacking nearby cities, which is one of the main barriers to the FSA deploying armour against Assad's military.  How much equipment they actually captured is unknown, but we might start seeing reports of helicopters being down in the area in the coming days.

Update June 12th - Reuters had a piece on the defection, providing a few more details based on a video posted on Youtube which I'll hopefully have English subtitles for at some point.  The Guardian also posted satellite images provided by Human Rights Watch showing the area around the base apparently on fire after the bombardment by Assad's forces following the defection:

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