The ceasefire in Syria is triggered and the situation seems never to be as frantic now. The results on the battlefield give reason to the Damascus-Moscow axis and the general nervousness increases.
From the front the news still comes from Khanaser, a strategic city on the main link between Hama, inner Syria and Aleppo.
In the desert region close to the natural oasis of Jaboul, in a landscaped lunar (and beautiful ... nda), at this time a crucial clash between government officials and Caliphate terrorists is closing. Aided by incessant Russian air raids, the government units of the Tiger Forces, the Republican Guard and the National Defense Forces would have defeated ISIS militiamen and regained control of the only road that supplies supplies to the Governorate of Aleppo. There is talk of violent clashes.
The Russian air raids as well as along the Khanaser plain, would be incessant even in the northern suburbs of Aleppo, where Al Nusra would have serious losses.
Local military sources confirmed by official statements from Moscow reiterate the Russian intention to continue to hammer not only the terrorists of the Islamic State but also all the so-called rebel factions that oppose the Damascus government. Just in these last hours, the activity of the Russian Air Force would have increased considerably in intensity. 
Even the news coming from the northwest to the border with Turkey seem to give a univocal summary of the military situation. For the first time since 9 months, government troops would return to Idlib Governorate following the months-long offensive (article). Between Latakia and Idlib they would miss a few kilometers to "reclaim" before reaching the Turkish border again.
In essence, we are moving towards the division of the Islamist forces (both rebel factions and ISIS) into two sections: the terrorists in the Aleppo-Idlib area in the north would be taken in a large sack that divides them from the remaining Islamist forces concentrated between Raqqa and the south east, towards Iraq.
The political consequences are enormous. If the successes of the Syrian Armed Forces are confirmed in the coming days and their positions consolidated, the word would pass to the international community.
The possible scenarios are essentially two:
- accept the idea that Damascus with Russian help continues to catch up without making distinctions between terrorists and "moderate rebels"
- claiming that Syrians and Russians are skimming, simply attacking the militia based on the group they belong to
The first hypothesis would be a political defeat for the USA and for all the countries of the coalition officially anti-ISIS but substantially anti-Assad.
The second seems more like a fantasy: just think that in the suburbs of Aleppo the FSA fights together with the Al Nusra Brigades. The Syrian army and Russian planes should select targets before fighting ...
Aware of the difficulty of the situation, the President of the United States Obama would have admitted that since the summer 2015 the Islamic State is in serious difficulty, without mentioning however initiatives against fundamentalist groups active above all in the northern sector.
He also said that the responsibility for the eventual failure of the truce would fall, however, on Russia and the government of Damascus, intending to continue the war "Against all enemies without distinction".
While Washington puts its hands on preparing to point the finger and find alternative solutions for Syria, if anything is necessary Turkey puts fuel on the fire: in an official statement, Ankara claims that the land operations of the Syrians and the continuous Russian bombing are the only real potential cause of failure of the ceasefire. Turkey also reiterates its right to hit YPG Kurds if it feels threatened.
The ceasefire begins. Maybe the show starts now.
(Photo: SAA)
