I sometimes praise Australia’s ABC News for producing some fine reports, which they do. But there is the best of the ABC and there is the worst of the ABC, and what I have seen today is the very worst of the ABC. I will tell it how it is.
Just an hour ago as I write, the ABC online news site published a flagrant report of an incident – previously reported by Reuters (also becoming a hotspot for fake news) – which is total Western anti-Russian propaganda based on fake sources within the terrorist organisations in northern Syria as if it were real news. It is not real news. It is total lies (just look at the sources – they are terrorists) intended to reflect badly on Russian peacekeeping activities in Syria as well as on the legitimate and inoffensive Syrian government. Shame on the ABC. Shame on Reuters, except I am not sure they are shameable any more. The ABC should vet its sources better. Reuters is obviously no longer a valid source. See: “Russian jets hit Syrian cities near Turkish border as army artillery hits hospital, sources say” – ABC News
Here is the real story, or at least something closer to reality than the ABC report.“Russian Forces Unleash Hell On Greater Idlib After Deadly Rocket Attack On Aleppo City (Videos, Photos)” – Southfront
Many of Southfront’s sources are also dubious. Some are obviously created by terrorists (whenever you here ‘Allah hu akbar’ on video, you know without doubt it is terrorist recorded material and therefore unreliable and untrue). But Southfront is aware of this and places their own (usually reliable) interpretation on the event portrayed. Hooray for Southfront (most of the time).
Here are some of the things Southfront says about this, in between all the mostly irrelevant images:
“On March 21 afternoon, a series of Russian strikes hit the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, where several terrorist groups are active. Russian forces launched a ballistic missile, most likely a 9K720 Iskander, from Hmemim Air Base on the Syrian coast at an unspecified target near the village of Salwah which is located on the border with Turkey in northern Idlib.”
“Syrian pro-government sources alleged that the missile strike targeted a headquarters of the al-Sham Corps, one of the largest Turkish-backed factions in the region. However, this is yet to be confirmed. Soon after, Su-35 and Su-34 warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on the town of Saramada in northern Idlib that is located near the border with Turkey as well as on the town of Bsanqul in southern Idlib.”
“The airstrikes on Saramada destroyed a gas factory owned by Watad Petroleum, a front company owned by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de facto ruler of Greater Idlib.”
“A shipping office, which is also owned by the terrorist group, was also targeted by Russian airstrikes. Dozens of trucks were damaged or destroyed.”
“The Russian strikes were likely a response to a deadly rocket strike which targeted Aleppo city. Several rockets, which were launched from Greater Idlib, struck the districts of al-Fardous and al-Salhin. Two civilians were killed and several others were injured.”
“The rocket attack on Aleppo was a blatant violation of the ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was reached by Russia and Turkey on March 5 of last year.
The new Russian strikes on Greater Idlib were the harshest since the implementation of the ceasefire. Russian forces will likely react even harsher to any further escalation by Turkish-backed militants.”
From this report it is obvious that the Russian and Syrian activity is aimed at preventing the theft of Syrian oil and its shipment across the border to Turkey. Simply that, and also a little retaliation for recent terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo city (I think we can all guess where the terrorist rockets came from). So, any destruction (carefully and precisely targeted) arising from the Russian and Syrian actions (including all casualties – women and children too – since these are terrorist areas, as has often been explained, so everyone in those areas as far as I am concerned can be deemed a legitimate target) is entirely justified and in fact to be applauded, not condemned.
If I could offer some advice to Southfront (who are always struggling for funding) it would be ‘write more, show less dubious footage’.
Finally, I will always be ready to defend (not that there is anything to defend against other than the false reporting, which is undoubtedly aided and funded by Western interests – NATO/US) Russian peacekeeping activities in Syria. This is a truly noble and humane cause, carefully and bravely carried out by the Russians in support of the Bashar al-Assad led Syrian government. Which is also a legitimate, honest and humane organisation. These facts are about to be tested in new presidential elections later this year. When Assad is returned again as President of Syria, which I am sure he will be, that should be enough cause for the west to end its diabolical regime-change war of terrorism against this long suffering nation. But that remains to be seen. Russia is doing a fine job of peacekeeping in Syria, so fine that the Americans are now afraid to operate anywhere in the government controlled areas of the country. Getting them to leave voluntarily may be another question. They are obstinate bastards.
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