The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria, has released both video and pictures detailing a large military parade in Idlib province. The media were released through Nusrah’s Twitter feed for its Idlib operations. The pictures bear the caption of “Men of Tawhid [monotheism] and belief in the abodes of Islam,” while the video bears the title of “Jabhat al Nusrah, protectors of the mouths of Muslims in Idlib”.
The column includes light vehicles, such as SUVs, Jeeps, technicals (armed pickup trucks) and vans, mixed in with heavy vehicles. Several T-72 tanks are shown, as well as a pair of 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, BMPs (infantry fighting vehicles), and several large trucks.
Some unconfirmed reports allege that the parade showcased vehicles captured from recent fighting with the US-backed Syrian Revolutionaries Front (SRF). Earlier this month, Al Nusrah and its allies, including Jund al Aqsa, drove the SRF out of its stronghold in Deir Sonbol in the Jabal al Zawiya area of Idlib.
A Nusrah fighter claimed on Twitter that the vehicles were indeed captured from the SRF. However, Al Nusrah has not released an official statement confirming or denying this report nor were the pictures captioned to say that the vehicles were taken from the SRF. The Nusrah fighter is also not an official within the group.
Pictures released by Al Nusrah:
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5 Comments
Hopefully drones were recording the storage facilities of the big stuff. Al Nusrah Front needs to understand if it does not denounce radical Islam its toys will be removed.
How is this column not being strafed?
Why didn’t the US blow it all up?
While it is disturbing that they are basically operating as a conventional force at this point, doesn’t this also mean it’s easier to buzz them with an A-10 or other air assets? How did all of our drone surveillance miss this?
Goes to show that Air Power has minimal strategic effect on wars even today.
No matter how much Air Power advocates keep overclaiming kills, every post-action review shows most enemy soft assets were taken out by Indirect Fire from artillery, and hard assets by Direct Fire by Tanks.
Any event, Assad is slowly running out of manpower and the moderate rebels are done. JAN and IS are the only real games in town to take on Assad.
Turkey isn’t getting involved in this mess unless Obama agrees to stop supporting YPG Terrorists and Assad.