Russia sets up air base in Qamishli, challenges US/Israeli air force control of northeast Syria

The arrival this week in Qamishli of 50 Russian military trucks, 300 troops and hardware confirmed the revised US intelligence regarding Moscow’s military intentions in Syria, as DEBKA Weekly 869 first revealed on Nov. 8.

Until recently, US strategic experts estimated that Moscow’s interests focused on expanding its Mediterranean coastal footholds up to Libya, for which the Khmeimim air base was designed. This US assessment changed abruptly two weeks ago, when the first Russian military delegation arrived in Qamishli, capital of the Kurdish cantons in northern Syria.  
The delegation was first thought to be looking for accommodation for the Russian troops taking part in joint patrols with Turkey along a 10-km deep strip on the Syrian-Turkish border.  But when Russian officials were photographed closely examining Qamishli airport and asking Syrian and Kurdish officials technical questions, warning signals flashed. Moscow was now seen to be eying Qamishli airport for conversion into a major military airfield to compete with expanding US military involvement in the region.

The Russians were then discovered negotiating a 49-year lease for Qamishli airfield with local Kurdish authorities. That contract was to keep part of the area in civil aviation use, while a large section was to be closed off as a Russian military facility.

The deal is evidently now in the bag. DEBKAfile’s military sources report. Substantial Russian military forces have since arrived at Qamishli: 50 trucks with 300 soldiers, consisting of a combat contingent for securing the new Russian air base and an engineering unit to build it; Mi-35 and Mi-8 assault helicopters have also landed, as well as Pantsir-S air defense systems for stationing around the facility.

Loud explosions emanating from the site in the last few days indicate that construction work has begun for expanding the small Qamishli airport into a large air base able to accommodate the landings of Russian fighter jets and large air freights. Moscow has clearly decided against allowing the US military to play unchallenged on the strategic playing field of northeastern Syrian and negotiated a counter-bid with America’s own Kurdish allies.   

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76 thoughts on “Russia sets up air base in Qamishli, challenges US/Israeli air force control of northeast Syria

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 10:17 at 10:17
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    Qamishli is touching the border with Turkey.
    Now, if this is not proof and diploma certificate for Erdogan’s craziness, what it is then?
    These days is very suspect for one to say he’s truly Turkish.

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 12:14 at 12:14
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    The horror, imagine a world where Israel is no longer able to attack its neighbors will for dearing to attempting to free its people from jihadists and restoring its national sovereignty. The horror that they have dared to seek aid from other nations that were not aligned with the Israeli aim of perpetual weakness and Balkanization for its neighbors. O the horror of the Greater Israel Project now been put at risk, imagine a world where Syrian is one day able to be treated the same as Israel, horrors on horrors this would mean that they could take back the Golan Heights which is been occupied. For Gods special people to be special they needes to be above all law, if others demand that they be treated equally then they are no longer special…

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 12:23 at 12:23
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      Tommy………………..your post (as usual) shows a total disconnect from reality.

      • Nov 17, 2019 @ 15:24 at 15:24
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        You so right David, what does Tommy know, after all the hangers 400 F35 that America is building in Israel is not similar at all. There is also nothing wrong with Israel attacking its neighbors and its antisemitic for Syria to fight back against these attacks or to try and rebuild its nation, this is not hypocrisy its just a coincidence

        • Nov 18, 2019 @ 11:39 at 11:39
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          “You so right David, what does Tommy know, after all the hangers 400 F35 that America is building in Israel is not similar at all. There is also nothing wrong with Israel attacking its neighbors and its antisemitic for Syria to fight back against these attacks or to try and rebuild its nation, this is not hypocrisy its just a coincidence”

          @ “War is peace” (your handlers couldn’t think of a better name for you?),

          Anyone with any sense of reality knows full well the purpose of the Iranian military, Hezbollah and the Shiite militia forces from Iraq continuing their presence in Syria now that ISSIS has been defeated, and it’s not to “rebuild Syria”.

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 10:48 at 10:48
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        He doesn’t have a memory. In fact, there is no thinking process either. You see, his brain is overloaded with a constant diet of conspiracy theories, eagerly suckled from the sewer of the internet. I have no doubt he is a Holocaust denier and thinks the Rothschilds control the world’s central banking system et al.

        • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:09 at 12:09
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          @Ayin Sof – Your Ayin isn’t very Sof…go back to school and learn about it again.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 14:49 at 14:49
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      Syria lost Golan because it used the high ground as a staging area to attack Israel.

      You have a VERY selective memory, but others will help expand your anti-semitic-based myopia.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 15:08 at 15:08
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      Are you saying that all of the problems in the region are the fault of Israel? You are a sick suck hateful anti Semitic lunatic then.

      • Nov 17, 2019 @ 16:23 at 16:23
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        The arrival of the Jewish colonists and their creation of Israel has contributed greatly to the violence and strife in the region, to deny this foolish as its beyond dispute. But if the Jewish colonists had not arrived I’m fairly sure that their would have been violence and strife, after all where there is Oil the Banksters and their Globalist allies will undermine as required to control and steal the nation’s wealth. Equally Islam is fractured and could very well have behaved the same without any Western manipulation.

        • Nov 17, 2019 @ 18:37 at 18:37
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          LOL you’re so funny!! Muslims have fought and hated everyone including each other before Israel became a nation.

        • Nov 17, 2019 @ 20:26 at 20:26
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          @Ian… Disagree a tad, 1st off there are “No Jewish Colonists” just “Asian & European Colonists that have left Today”! Judaism 5780 Years Proves that a long time ago with Judea & Israel Restored in 1948 much like Histories of Poland, Jordan-(Created Palestinians Land 1922) & Palestine has Refuses Peace for their Nation.

        • Nov 18, 2019 @ 11:49 at 11:49
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          “The arrival of the Jewish colonists and their creation of Israel——————————-”

          @Ian,

          What “Jewish colonists” ?????? The archaeology and surviving documentation clearly show that the Land of Israel has belonged to the Jewish people for well over 3000 years………………….long before there was ever such a thing as Islam!
          The rest of your post is just a convolution of clashing contradictions which make no sense at all!

        • Nov 19, 2019 @ 5:26 at 5:26
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          As soon as muslim nations start mulling to destroy Israel, the start fighting each other and blaming Israel.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 18:01 at 18:01
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      Except for one small detail you left out:

      Russia will not challenge the IAF

      Russia was invited in by the Kurds in a nod to Trump

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 20:43 at 20:43
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      Imagine the horror of a world that refuses to bow down to drunken lazy-eyed neanderthals like you and I, where our planes might get shot down by Americans before they can hit all the schools! May this day never come to us, comrade.

      • Nov 17, 2019 @ 21:22 at 21:22
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        These Muslims quote God all the time, what a joke , as they enslave their populations and treat woman as indentured servants, Time for them to re enter their caves

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 23:44 at 23:44
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      tommy:you are such a great admirer of the adepts of the religion of peace

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 12:36 at 12:36
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    Tommy
    Russian oil and gas are no longer the commodity underwriting Russian economy. Chechnia and the Muslim world, once Iran is out of the way, will not rest easy having got rid of the Imperial West to entertain the Csars of Russia . Try to put that in your hashish pipe and smoke it,

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 2:31 at 2:31
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      TOMMYSKI…ITS ALL ABOUT THE RUBLES IN YOUR LOSER CASE.

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:00 at 12:00
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      “——————- its all about the
      Golan Heights Oil————————-”

      @Tommy,

      Are you referring to the same Golan Heights where Syrian terrorists were attacking bordering Israeli communities from prior to 1967?

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:02 at 12:02
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        “——————- its all about the
        Golan Heights Oil————————-”

        @Tommy,

        Are you referring to the same Golan Heights where Syrian terrorists were attacking bordering Israeli communities from prior to 1967?

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 13:56 at 13:56
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    it’s a new world, ju bo_ll_ocks

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 14:11 at 14:11
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    How does it hamper Israeli missions from a military point? just because Russia is present you think Israel is constrained!!!…IAF just bombed Damuscas on Tuesday without warning with all talk of Russians Russians Russians.
    IAF IS SUPERIOR AND WILL NEVER BE MATCHED BY ANY MILITARY IN THE WHOLE WORLD
    American flip flop, all was well until the confused and DAMP Trump
    interfered,as much as I hate liberals, I believe Trump is hypnotized by Russians.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 14:52 at 14:52
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      Perhaps you’d prefer Hillary as president? She SURELY would be Israel’s BEST friend, huh??

      President Trump is the BEST friend Israel has had since its inception. That’s a FACT!

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 15:38 at 15:38
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      Only your ego, hypocrisy and sins are greater than eveyone else. G-d cast you out because of your sin and G-d will drive you out again as you have not observed his will. Israel was meant to be founded when the Messiah arrives.

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 3:32 at 3:32
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        Surely if your country had no minerals and natural resources, like the primitive Israel, and exported oranges and cut diamonds, and immigrating millions of people from the pits of Europe, Africa and The Middle.East, then you and your kind would be living under a rock. Since the primitive Talmudic Jews were able to become a world power in military, medical, high technology, science and physics, your ignorance will never advance you above the rock you live under.

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:10 at 12:10
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        @ “Boston Prophet”,

        Alright, you managed to spew out your rhetoric………………………..now go finish that ham sandwich you started earlier.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 18:43 at 18:43
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      You do not need Russian reaction to Israeli bombings of Syria ; You get those reaction from Gaza ; If you think everything done these days one sided way , you are wrong , Russian came to ME and so did Chinese . While everyone wants peace , Israel sooner or later need to find a way to protect its cities or talk peace as ME country , not USA crony.

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:21 at 12:21
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        ” Israel sooner or later need to find a way to protect its cities or talk peace as ME country , not USA crony.”

        @solomeo,

        As a ME country, Israel first offered peace to its neighbors in 1948 but all that got them was war that very same year followed by more wars again in 1956, 1967 and 1973 plus conflicts started by Lebanon and Gaza.
        Time for a reality check, solomeo!

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 17:42 at 17:42
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        Agreed, comrade! Only Russian cronies is allowed to talk peace, because all we Russians do is get drunk and drop bombs on kids, is not interference in peace process!

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 15:35 at 15:35
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    Me thinks Jews are in for a proper good slaughter from the Almighty.

    According to Ezekiel 36. Israel gets proper desolate. Wipe out.

    The almighty has a written plan.

    And the Jews are soon part of the plan. To be slaughtered in full public view.

    Seriously. Think the last holocaust was bad? Only child’s play compared this next one coming up.

    Jews are especially chosen to be slaughtered in front of the world. God chose them to pour out his wrath upon them.

    Now why would God plan such an event?

    He doesn’t like Jews.

    • Nov 17, 2019 @ 21:20 at 21:20
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      @Goy-Gog… Well, The Lord Talked To Abraham & Moses First & That Means He Exists Too Just Like Israel!

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 2:34 at 2:34
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      SUPER GAY, WE ALL LOVE REAR-ENDING YOUR SUPER SHARMOUTA MOTHER!

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:14 at 12:14
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        @Jim Carrol- well i don’t agree with him but i don’t agree with yours either. You have a “sharmouta” fixation for some reason..

        • Nov 18, 2019 @ 13:29 at 13:29
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          DAVID , AND YOU HAVE A JIM CARROL FIXATION…NOW GO TROLL AWAY INTO THE SEA.

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:26 at 12:26
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      “He doesn’t like Jews.”

      @ “Super Goy to you…”,

      Sounds like you’re way over due to take your MEDS……………………..your inferiority complex will then vanish and you’ll feel a lot better about yourself!

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:30 at 12:30
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        ““He doesn’t like Jews.”

        Surviving documentation says other wise.

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 16:23 at 16:23
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    “THANK YOU” WH corrupt idiot !

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 17:07 at 17:07
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    300 Russian soldiers plopped down in an isolated base, hundreds of miles from their base of supplies, are useless sitting ducks. They are hostages to the Kurds who will have to provide the real local security for the force. They will not threaten the US, or Israel. In my opinion, their second purpose of this move is to convince the Kurds that the Russians will be reliable allies against the Turks and thus cement their alliance. Their first and most important, purpose, I believe, is to put Russian AirPower in better position to control the flow of Iranian forces from Iraq into Syria in combination with US AirPower at our base in Eastern Syria along the Jordanian border. From these two bases, air forces will control the Iranian supply lines along their entire length; but be protected from Iranian attack by strong local forces.

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 18:39 at 18:39
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    long live russia
    only russia and iran can bring peace back to syria

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 20:04 at 20:04
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    I hope that Netanyahu is reelected as Prime Minister, as Russia has a special relationship with HIM and not with Gantz.

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 20:06 at 20:06
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    I meant Putin has a good relationship with Netanyahu, NOT Gantz.

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 21:23 at 21:23
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    These Muslims quote God all the time, what a joke , as they enslave their populations and treat woman as indentured servants, Time for them to re enter their caves

  • Nov 17, 2019 @ 21:48 at 21:48
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    THE RUSSIANS AND MINIONS LIKE TOMMY THE FAKE POSTER ON DEBKA HAVE DECIDED THEY WANT CHEAP VODKA AND WELL-HUNG HUMPBACKED ANIMAL PRIVATES AND ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR IT EVERYWHERE!

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 2:08 at 2:08
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      I’m not Russian dude, and my posts are real, i know since i write them myself and fluffy creatures are obviously your thing, me i like lady not Israel ewwww beast loving?. But i try not ro judge your kind, you are after all a primitive people that has been thrust into the modern age and you are still impacted from the degeneracy that the Talmud brings on. For that i recommend some clean air, wholesome spirituality and no fluffy creatures ?

      • Nov 18, 2019 @ 2:39 at 2:39
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        SURE YOU’RE NOT TOMMYSKI. BUT YOU ARE DEFINITELY A RACIST ANTI-SEMITIC LOSER.

        • Nov 18, 2019 @ 3:06 at 3:06
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          I hate to bring this up again but 95% of you Jews have zero semitic blood. You are not of the bloodline but convents from Khazaria, the Palestinians are semetic so technically i’m prosemetic. Copied from a post that someone put up a few days ago, it was really interesting and educational.
          Of the sons of Noah, Genesis 10:2-4 lists Japheth’s line.
          The sons of Japheth: Gomer, ?Magog?, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah. The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim. From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language. Now look at the map (link below) of Flavius Josephus, original name Joseph Ben Matthias (Jewish, Historian to the Roman Empire), and you will see that present day CRIMEA is shown as ?MAGOG?, THIS IS ALSO THE THE LOCATION OF THE KHAZARIAN EMPIRE, THAT EXISTED AND CONVERTED TO JUDAISM A FEW CENTURIES LATER, AND WHERE THE ASHKENAZI JEWS ORIGINATED FROM BEFORE THEY FLED INTO EASTERN EUROPE. So if we now look at the bloodline you are not of the bloodline of Abraham. Everyone is offered Salvation through the Christ, so repent and wake up but as Kristina correctly says with all the intermarriage who really knows what this means today. Also this does not mean that Ashkenazi are bad, but just that their homeland is the subject of a nasty prophecy which is why the map of Flavius Josephus is so important as it clearly shows where and who ?Magog? really is.
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generations_of_Noah

          • Nov 18, 2019 @ 3:50 at 3:50
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            BUT TOMMY YOU DEFINITELY HAVE HALF-PIG AND HALF TOOTHLESS SHARMOUTA BLOOD FOR SURE!

          • Nov 18, 2019 @ 8:14 at 8:14
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            @Tommy… Does not change the Origins of Judaism Whatsoever1 The History, Scriptures & Songs in Torah, Talmud, Bibles & Quran all accept Noah, Abraham, Ishmael’s 12 Tribes, Issac, Jacob 12 Trtibes, Joseph, Moses, Prophets Elijah, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Apostles, First Popes, Mohammed as Messengers from same G-D. One Can Try to Genocide Any Race, but Judaism is a “Culture” Not Just a Religion, Christianity founded on Jewish Roots, & Islamic Civilization as well.

          • Nov 18, 2019 @ 12:20 at 12:20
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            @Tommy – Not sure about all that but there are many Russian non jews who have gone over to Israel to live. As for “Jim” – he just replies with “sharmouta” all the time and people just ignore that after a while as he has no valid arguments either – “Jim” has a very limited vocabulary and thinks lots of capital letters make a difference – probably makes him feel better about his life – Mind you, you’re doing some of that too.

  • Nov 18, 2019 @ 0:09 at 0:09
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    And those “US Kurdish allies” were presumably not all that averse to letting the Russians in after having been hung out to dry by the US recently…

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 8:01 at 8:01
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      @Saksin… Which Kurds are you talking about the PKK Kurds Terror (Designated By EU, UK, America, China & Russia)Group Attacking Turkey, Iraqi Sunni Kurds that Declared Independence from Iraq, Syrian Kurds Allied with Syria, Iran Shiia Kurds in Persia, or on Jordan, Egypt & Syrian Kurds Given Oil Proceeds By America?

    • Nov 18, 2019 @ 18:25 at 18:25
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      @Saksin… Fair Comment, & We Shall See What Develops. Until Kurds Unite in Iraq, Turkey, Iran & Syria to Form Kurdistan it not to remain just an American Burden & Problems. Having Americans Die for Mideast “Turm-OIL” for Global Powers that are Dependent on Oil is a Betrayal as well, in others that Views?
      Foreign Policy is in a State of flux all the Time!

  • Nov 18, 2019 @ 9:22 at 9:22
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    US & Israel should not cry for Russian set-up in Qamishlo, or simply they supposed to not to run away when turks throw couple mortar beside American army base in Kobane. Kurds have to defence themselves against Turks-Arabs and Persians.

  • Nov 18, 2019 @ 16:15 at 16:15
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    Shut up with your Biblical drivel. Furthermore, quit anthromorphizing God.

  • Nov 18, 2019 @ 19:53 at 19:53
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    Trump is doing a great job terminating Obama Muslim brotherhood operatives and tracking down $1.8 billion in cash in northeastern Syria.

  • Nov 19, 2019 @ 0:21 at 0:21
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    Will the orange carrot help the Russians to build their bases?

  • Nov 19, 2019 @ 5:21 at 5:21
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    Russia is doing what I has to do, support the integrity of Syria as a country, hope it will stop Turkey from invading Syria.

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