"Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield against Syrian" Topic

…forces

"Ankara said March 1 that it had launched Operation Spring Shield against the Syrian Arab Army on a day that saw Turkey down two Russian-made Syrian air force jets and Russian President Vladimir Putin agree to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 5 over the unfolding Idlib crisis.

Turkey said it had destroyed several air defense systems, more than 100 tanks and killed 2,212 members of the Syrian forces, including three top generals in drone strikes since Feb 27…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Any one has proper info, non propaganda or omerta?

The SOHR provides a more nuanced view of what has happen with the casualty figures for February:

Syria Democratic Forces: 21

Regime forces: 422 (106 soldiers killed by Turkish forces and aircraft)
Members of the Popular Committees, and the National Defense Forces, and loyalists to regime forces of Syrian citizens: 231
Lebanese Hezbollah: 14
Non-Syrian volunteers (mostly Iran backed Shiite): 34

Syrian fighters of Islamic factions, opposition factions and other movements and organizations: 255
Fighters of Islamic factions, ISIS, Al-Nusra Front (Qaeda organization of the Levant), and Muhjereen and al-Ansar Army and Islamic Turkestan Party of non-Syrian citizens: 455
Turkish soldiers: 63
Unknown: 3

These numbers are about 50% up on January's figures, so the effect is not trivial but the suggestion this was a major blow to the SAA and its allies is Turkish propaganda.

Not all the Turkish drone footage is genuine. Some seems to have been recycled from their Libyan operation. Some seems to have been faked wholesale using the ARMA 3 military sandbox computer game.

As in January more terrorists (773) died than government forces (681). Bearing in mind SOHR's political bias for the terrorists and past problems with its methodology, it's likely that the terrorist figures under-report the real number of casualties.

SAA Retook Saraqib After Mighty Turkish Army Fled From Town: Reports
South Front, Mar 2 2020

Early on Mar 2, units of the 25th Special Mission Forces Division, formerly the Tiger Forces, returned control of the town of Saraqib in eastern Idlib after the Turkish Army and its AQ allies had fled from the area, according to pro-government sources. Saraqib was the biggest and the most important gain of the Turkish-led advance in Greater Idlib. If Turkish forces are not able to keep control over it, the declaration of the Turkish leadership about a devastating blow to the ‘Assad regime' and a swift advance towards southwestern Aleppo and northern Hama are just empty words.

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Situation for 3rd of March

A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
Turkey shot down a Syrian L-39 warplane over Idlib. It reportedly crashed near Maarat al-Numan;
Turkey claims 327 Syrian soldiers have been ‘neutralized' during the past 24 hours of Operation Peace Spring;
A Turkish soldier was killed in Greater Idlib on March 2, the Turkish military reported;
The Syrian Army shot down a Bayraktar TB2 combat drone near Saraqib;
The Russian Military police reportedly entered Saraqib;
Units of the Syrian Army recaptured Amqiyah and Fulayfil from Turkish-led forces;
The Syrian Army retook Jawbas, Tarnaba, Dadikh and Kafr Battikh from Turkish-led forces;
A fighting reportedly erupted between the Syrian Army and Turkish proxies near al-Bab.

Situation 4th of March

A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
3 Turkish soldiers were killed and 15 others were injured in the Idlib zone during the past 24 hours;
The Turkish military released a video showing the destruction of a supposed Pantsir air defense system near Saraqib;
Turkey deployed a new batch of Leopard 2A4 battle tanks and ATILGAN air defense systems at Batbu;
The SAA launched an attack to recapture Afis from Turkish-led forces;
AQ terrorists supported by the Turkish Army attack Saraqib;
Units of the Russian Military Police are conducting patrols in Saraqib.

Two Turkish Soldiers Killed, 6 Injured
South Front, Mar 4 2020
On Mar 4, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that 2 Turkish soldiers had been killed and 6 others had been injured in SAA strikes on the area of Operation Spring Shield in Syria's Idlib. In other words, the SAA once again pounded invaders that support AQ in the region. On Mar 3, a Turkish soldier was killed and 9 others were injured in Syrian-Iranian strikes on their positions near Nayrab. Therefore, the confirmed casualties of the Turkish Army during the past 24 hours are 3 dead, 15 injured. The Mar 4 statement by the Turkish Defense Ministry also included some other numbers regarding the supposed casualties of the SAA in the operation. Ankara demonstrates an incredible level of propaganda. So, according to the defense ministry, Turkish-led forces had destroyed 3 warplanes, 8 helicopters, 3 UAVs, 151 battle tanks, 47 artillery pieces, 52 rocket launchers, 8 air defense systems, 12 anti-tank weapons, 4 mortars, 51 armoured vehicles, 34 pickups armed with weapons, 60 other vehicles and 10 weapon depots. 3,138 Syrian soldiers were allegedly neutralized. Apparently, soon the Turkish Defense Ministry will claim that its forces had destroyed the aircraft carrier strike group near Tartus.

One Turkish soldier killed and nine wounded in Idlib
Reuters, Mar 3 2020
ISTANBUL – One Turkish soldier has been killed and nine wounded in an attack by Syrian government forces in Idlib, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. With the latest death, 57 Turkish soldiers have been killed since Turkey sent thousands of troops and military hardware there last month to support rebels fighting Syrian government forces. The defence ministry said that 82 Syrian army targets were struck after the attack on Turkish forces and continued to be under fire. It did not specify exactly where or when the attack occurred.

Turkish Sends New Batch Of Leopard Tanks And ATILGAN Air Defense Systems To Idlib
South Front, Mar 3 2020

On Mar 3, a new Turkish military column including Leopard 2A4 battle tanks and ATILGAN air defense systems was spotted in Idlib. The column was filmed in the town of Batbu in the northern part of Idlib province, where Turkish forces had recently established military positions.

So Operation Spring Shield is what they are calling their invasion. Gee it sounds so defensive in nature. LOL

A big mess. And getting rid of the most open minded officers in one's army is no help.
I was surprised of the Russian near silence on things. Maybe their proxies overstepped their wishes. Or the Turks will soon show themselves for fools.

I seriously doubt the number of Syrian tanks "destroyed" claims, especially in light of the few casualties the Turks claim they've suffered.

Hmmm, what could possibly go wrong.

Answer is 3, 2, 1……….

You really wouldn't want to go on Holiday to Turkey this year …

Erdogan needs to divert attention from his domestic troubles, and the professional Turkish military could use some operational field experience. It's a win-win as long as he picks his fights carefully, doesn't take too much risk or bite off more than he can chew.

Agree!

Amicalement
Armand