Three weeks after the incident, Germany's Der Spiegel published their own investigative report based on evidence gleaned from multiple first-hand sources (participants and witnesses) in the area. American Fury: The Truth About the Russian Deaths in Syria: Hundreds of Russian soldiers are alleged to have died in U.S. airstrikes at the beginning of February. Der Spiegel reported no Russians were in either formation; yet there was a small contingent of Russian PMCs stationed in Al Tabiyeh, who were not participating in the fighting. WebBattle of khasham, a Hollywood-style battle On the night of Feb. 7, 2018, 40 U.S. Special Forces soldiers and 100 SDF soldiers manning the Conoco outpost were attacked by For fun", " 5 "", 2017 ", "Russian Paramilitaries Accused of Torture and Beheading in Landmark Legal Case Against Wagner Group", "Syria: NGOs file torture case against Russian Wagner fighters | DW | 15.03.2021", " : " ", "Former Russian mercenary lifts lid on secretive Wagner Group", " " " 400 ", "Russia touts essential role in Syria's advance against IS", "VIDEO: Russian Army intervenes in northern Hama, drives back Al-Qaeda militants", "Islamic State releases video it says shows two Russians captured in Syria", "The Russian captives who may link Syria, Ukraine and the Kremlin's fight against the opposition", "Kremlin distances itself from captured 'Russian soldiers' in Isis propaganda video", "Media: FSB tells family of Russian prisoner captured by ISIS in Syria not to cause stir", "Syria's 'ISIS Hunters' Offer $1 Million for Russian Hostages", 2 Russians Who Refused to Reject Jesus on Camera 'Almost Certainly' Killed by ISIS, , "Video Glorifying Russian Mercenaries in Syria Trends on YouTube", " ", "Syria declares victory over Islamic State in Deir al-Zor", "Isis dealt twin blows with loss of Deir ez-Zor and key Iraq border post", "Syrian Army resumes offensive to expel ISIS from large Deir Ezzor island", "Fears for the lives of about 150 citizens in besieged Hawija Katea of being shelled by the regime forces which started to advance towards it through water bridges", "ISIS mass surrenders large Deir Ezzor island, 250+ terrorists captured", "After an undisclosed agreement, the regime forces imposes their control over Hwyjet Katea' and tens of ISIS members surrender, the fate of about 150 civilians in it is unknown", "Russia negotiating the release of two nationals captured by IS", "+18: Russian-Trained Syrian Unit Eliminates Scores Of ISIS In Black Operation", " "" "" ", "Private military companies: Moscow's other army in Syria", "Russia's Putin stops at Russian military base in Syria", "Moscow-based think tank director: Russia's unexpected military victory in Syria", " ", " - ", "The clashes continue in the besieged circle within 3 provinces between the regime forces and their allies against ISIS The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights", "Syrian Army liberates 80 percent of ISIL's pocket in northeast Hama map", "Islamic State fighters move to Syria's Idlib, clash with factions, sources say", "Syria says rare US strike an effort 'to support terrorism', "U.S. dismisses fears of wider war after deadly Syria clashes", "Diplomats specify who was killed by an American strike ( , )", "Here's What We Know About The US Airstrikes That Killed Russian Fighters In Syria", "US-led coalition strikes kill pro-regime forces in Syria", "U.S. Airstrikes Kill 100 Russian and Syrian Fighters, Reports Say", , Wagner's failed attack on US forces in Syria led by former Russian Marine officer, "Pro-gov't ISIS Hunters release official statement after US airstrikes in Deir Ezzor". Basically some American operators and local Syrian allies were holding a position outside Khasham that guarded the route to some Gabidullin, whose hearing has suffered after years of fighting, also said he participated in the 2018 Battle of Khasham, where hundreds of Russian mercenaries were reportedly killed after US airstrikes against pro-regime forces, in what is believed to be the deadliest clash between Russia and the US since the cold war. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the private military company Wagner, has stated that the Wagnerites are running out, and The Operation Inherent Resolve coalition delivered air and artillery strikes on Syrian Armed Forces and pro-government militias after they reportedly engaged a U.S [129] Subsequently, the Russian military started patrols between rebel and government-held areas in the Manbij district. [2], Similarly, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 68 pro-government fighters were killed during the day in the area,[14] including 45 who died in the coalition airstrikes,[43] with most being Syrians. Americans responded with airstrikes in a four-hour battle, killing an estimated 200 combatants. We should never have been there; our leadership messed up. [70] The same day, a Wagner representative notified the parents of one of the two that both had died in captivity. Both this and other memoirs are largely in line with the accounts of the battle presented WebThe Wagner Group is trained at Russian Defense Ministry bases, and the groups leaders have received awards in the Kremlin, but Russia downplayed its involvement in the [24] During the first Palmyra offensive, according to one of the contractors, the PMCs were used as "cannon fodder" and most of the work was conducted by them, with the regular Syrian Army, who he described as "chickens", only finishing the job. More importantly, it does not suit the dead mercenaries parents and relatives, who cannot even talk openly about how their son or brother died. [12] According to sources in Wagner, cited by news media as well as the Department of Defense, U.S. forces were in constant contact with the official Russian liaison officer posted in Deir ez-Zor throughout the engagement, and only opened fire after they had received assurances that no regular Russian troops were in action or at risk. [48] Additionally, a Russian military doctor, a leader of a PMC-linked paramilitary Cossack organization, and a source with ties to Wagner claimed 80100 PMCs were killed and 200 wounded. [77] The following day, the Russian foreign ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova conceded that five Russian citizens might have been killed in the U.S. attack; she emphasized that they were not members of the Russian Armed Forces. [16] As of early August 2017, the number of Wagner employees in Syria was reported to have reached 5,000, after the arrival of an additional 2,000 PMCs, including Chechens and Ingush. At this point, pro-government units were hit by air-strikes. More than three years after it took place in With them have been 27 automobiles together with Russian T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers. WebAccording to reporting by The New York Times, the Battle of Khasham began as a convoy consisting of 27 vehicles and 500 Russian and Syrian troops advanced towards an [4][12][5] Nearby American artillery batteries, including an M142 HIMARS, shelled Syrian forces as well. [42] Further investigation by Russian media in December 2019 identified the remaining perpetrators as Vladimir B., Dzhakhongyr M. ("Pamir"), Ruslan ("Chichi") and Vladislav Apostol, who was killed in Syria in February 2018. US intelligence officials say that the Wagner Group, known by the nickname of the retired Russian officer who leads it, is in Syria to seize oil and gas fields and US carries out missile strike on Iranian building in Syria It was posted on July 7 on a Russian language website used by current and former members of the shadowy Russian Wagner Group. [98], On 10 February 2018, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone destroyed a T-72 tank of pro-government forces in an airstrike near the Al Tabiyeh gas field. [38] In the video of the killing, a second severed head of an unidentified person could be seen lying on the ground. [56], Subsequently, the Syrian ISIS Hunters unit pledged to pay one million dollars for the release of each of the captive Russians. [32] Still, in mid-September, the al-Shaer gas fields started getting back into production. At around 5 a.m. on 7 February 2018, around 250 of these fighters attempted to cross the Euphrates over a military pontoon bridge located to the southeast of both the Deir ez-Zor airport and the SDF base near Khasham. The SDF controlled almost all other territory east of the river, excluding the salient and the islands in the river. [114] By 23 March, the SOHR put the number of those who left rebel areas or remained in two towns seized by government forces at 120,000, while the UN stated 50,000 had left the besieged areas. [12] Later, a Defense Ministry source told RBK TV that the FSB was also directing the PMCs. [45][46] In December 2021, the Council of the European Union sanctioned Utkin for the killing, stating in a resolution that "According to a former member of the Wagner Group, Dimitriy Utkin personally ordered the torturing to death of the deserter as well as the filming of the act. , - , Putin cancels key appearances due to ill health for first time in years, , "Trump, Putin talk Palestinian peace efforts, North Korea's nukes", , Russia Acknowledges Possible Syria Deaths as Evidence of Mercenary Fatalities Mounts, : , , Russia seeks to regulate private military contractors, Russian MP demands government regulate private military companies, - 334 , Lavrov stresses that US intends to carve up parts of Syria: The Russian top diplomat comments on the situation in Syria, , , , , Russians injured in recent clash in Syria were not servicemen Foreign Ministry, , , Putin's 'chef' accused of trying to cover his tracks, -57 , , : , -57 - , Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets successfully tested in Syria, " ". Sitting in a cafe in an upmarket Moscow suburb, the former mercenary Marat Gabidullin looked a long way from the battlefields of Syria where he fought half a decade ago. [33] Subsequently, the PMCs were in charge of guarding the refineries, with ISIL occasionally making attempts to retake the fields, each time being beaten back. [50][64] Irek Murtazin of Novaya Gazeta and analyst Yury Barmin speculated that the Russian Ministry of Defence may have wittingly let the Wagner unit find itself in harm's way. On February 7, 2018, Wagner mercenaries and Syrian soldiers carried out an assault on a US special forces outpost near the town of Khasham, hammering the American position with artillery rounds as the Russians and Syrians advanced. strike. [125] Members of the Russian special forces were also present during the offensive. A Telegram channel associated with Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner Arrival and capture of Palmyra and al-Shaer, Push into Deir ez-Zor and clearing of Hama, "Undermining Democracy and Exploiting Clients: The Wagner Group's Nefarious Activities in Africa", "What is the Wagner Group, Russia's mercenary organisation? [36] During the two weeks following the incident, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and other U.S. military officials repeatedly stated that American military commanders were in contact with their official Russian counterparts prior to, during, and after the clash, and that the U.S military were told by their Russian counterparts that there were no Russians in the paramilitary formation. Concurrently, another group of Syrian tribal militia and Shia fighters began to advance north toward Khasham from Tabiyet Jazira, a Syrian government-controlled town east of the Euphrates that is significantly closer to Khasham (and the nearby the SDF base) than Marrot. This current situation does not suit many of my comrades. elections. Russia denies using military Instead, they were stationed at facilities and it was stated that during the past summer a company trained for three months at a base, 70 kilometers from Deir ez-Zor, for riot control. The Iranian-backed forces that had gathered consisted of members of the Syrian Army's elite 4th Armoured Division, members of the militias of the local Bekara and Albo Hamad Arab tribes, and members of the Iranian-controlled Fatemiyoun and Zainebiyoun brigades. Broadening its reach outside of the Middle East, Wagner has shown itself to be a threat to transnational security. [101][102] Three other Wagner commanders also stated the claim of 200 dead was an exaggeration and that 15 PMCs were killed at the most. [69] However, on 4 December, the ISIS Hunters reported they had killed the commander of the ISIL militants that had captured and executed the two PMCs. He pointed out that Russia managed to remove the need for deploying large numbers of ground forces by bringing in the Russian PMCs who, unlike American PMCs who were usually only in support roles, were used as highly capable assault troops and that they were often embedded with Syrian units to increase their fighting ability. I believe that war between Ukraine and Russia will be a complete disaster for Russia. [80][81], On 16 February, Viktor Alksnis said that the preliminary figure of Russian fatalities in the strike, based on information from the relatives and friends, stood at 334, mainly the personnel of the 5th storm squadron; he also said that, according to his information, personnel of Russia's Special Operations Forces were also involved in "the raid" on 7 February. When they returned for the second Palmyra offensive and to capture ISIL-held oil fields at the beginning of 2017, the PMCs reportedly faced a shortage of weapons and equipment as they were issued only older assault rifles, machine guns, T-62 tanks and M-30 howitzers. [ARCHIVED THREAD] - Battle of Khasham. Itar-Tass Russian News Agency v. Russian Kurier, Inc. [100] On 19 February, one of Wagner's leaders, Andrei Troshev, was quoted as saying 14 "volunteers" died in the battle. Throughout the conversation, Gabidullin looked somewhat agitated, his piercing blue eyes darting around the empty cafe. [35][36] The contractors also accused the man, named as Muhammad Abdullah al-Ismail (or Mohammed Taha Ismail Al-Abdullah a.k.a. It was determined to conduct operations that would bring the government forces of Bashar al-Asad to heel at the Battle of Khasham. In 2018, U.S. forces and U.S.-backed militias from the Kurish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), controlled the Conoco gas field near the town of al-Tabiyeh in eastern Syria. [20][65], On 12 February 2018, Grigory Yavlinsky called on President Vladimir Putin to present an account of whether any Russian military forces had been involved in the battle. Gabidullin said he had vaguely heard of mercenary deployments in Ukraine, quickly adding that a Russian invasion would be a fatal mistake. A pair of U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles flew over northern Iraq on Sept. 23, 2014, after conducting airstrikes in Syria. [23][24][25] In November 2017, the U.S. government made it known that they were expanding their goals in Syria beyond routing ISIL forces, to pressure the Syrian government to make concessions at the Geneva talks. [7] The Russian Defense Ministry dismissed the early reports by The Wall Street Journal about the Wagner Group's operations in Syria as an "information attack". According to Syrian military sources, some 55 pro-government fighters were killed, including around 10 Russian fighters.[13]. During the clashes, U.S. aircraft attacked Syrian troops, killing 45 to 100 government fighters. [18][19], The U.S. military stated that one hundred Syrian pro-government fighters were killed in the U.S. attack, prompting Syria to accuse the United States of carrying out a "brutal massacre" of its troops and Russia to accuse the U.S. of being economically motivated in its actions, citing nearby oil fields. [136] At the end of December 2020, ISIL attacks intensified in eastern Syria, after the PMCs reportedly withdrew from Deir ez-Zor province to Latakia. [54][55], In the wake of the incident, in the absence of any official comments in response to allegations about Russian fatalities, details about Russian citizens' involvement and casualties in the U.S. strike began to be made public through social and mass media, provoking resentment and outrage from sections of the Russian public. [95] A Russian military doctor, a leader of a PMC-linked paramilitary Cossack organization, a source with ties to Wagner and the Ukrainian SBU claimed 80100 PMCs were killed and 100200 wounded. 2 min read. [82] On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a Euronews channel interview said, "[The United States] seem to be seeking to isolate a vast part of the Syrian territory from the rest of the country in violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. [90], Several Russian online news outlets, citing Syria's media and ex-KGB officer Igor Panarin, published unconfirmed reports that the Su-57 fighters, deployed to Syria since February 2017, had taken part in strikes against rebel targets in Eastern Ghouta, killing about ten U.S. personnel (military instructors) as well as other Western countries' instructors stationed in the rebel stronghold, despite the lack of known U.S. military presence in the region; the strikes were presented as retaliation for the U.S. attack at Khasham. [84][85], On 19 February 2018, a publication by the Ukraine-based Inform Napalm alleged the battle was planned and cleared with the Russian military command by Sergey Kim, the chief of Wagner's operations department and a former Russian Marine officer. Because it is not just about me, said Gabidullin. [98] A Russian journalist believed between 20 and 25 PMCs died in the strikes,[93] while similarly CIT estimated a total of between 20 and 30 had died. [137], In late December 2021, Wagner PMCs took part in a large-scale military operation against ISIL cells in the Syrian desert. [89] Similarly, the SOHR activist organization reported that the Russian PMCs, who were accompanying government forces as they advanced towards the SDF-held oil and gas fields, were killed at Al Tabiyeh. [21] Since September 2014, the U.S. had conducted military operations in Syria, primarily against ISIL forces as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. Marat Gabidullin has written memoir about fighting for Wagner because Russians should know mercenaries exist. [13], By July 2017, according to The New York Times, the Kremlin established a policy in Syria where companies that seize oil and gas wells, as well as mines, from ISIL forces would get oil and mining rights for those same sites. Compared to its influence over the Syrian government, the Russian government had significantly less influence over Iran's government, military, and proxies in Syria, which constituted a large portion of pro-Syrian government ground forces in both Deir ez-Zor and throughout Syria.[40]. [60], In late October 2017, a video emerged on YouTube glorifying the PMCs actions in Syria. The memoir, based on events Gabidullin claims he witnessed, follows three years of Wagners Syrian campaign. It describes some of the mercenaries big battles, including two operations to liberate the ancient city of Palmyra. Scores of Wagner soldiers are believed to have fought and died in Syria since the conflict began in 2011. [103], On 29 April 2018, pro-government forces launched an assault against four SDF villages on the Euphrates, initially capturing them. "Russians dead in 'battle' in Syria's east", "How a 4-Hour Battle Between Russian Mercenaries and U.S. The Syrian government controlled all areas west of the river, including the great majority of Deir ez-Zor, and a salient on the river's east bank across from the city. ' '", "Russia says U.S. airstrike killed 5 of its citizens", "About 220 casualties and wounded of the Russian security companies, the regime forces and their allies in Coalition's bombing and the explosion of a warehouse of the Russian protection forces east of Euphrates", "Pro-Syrian regime forces building up near US troops in Syria", " . They have grouped into 50-man tank-equipped units supported by Russian air forces. The primary U.S.-backed force in the northeastern part of Syria is the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group composed predominantly of Kurdish and Arab militiamen. [69], The news media also named four more Russians killed during the strike, including Kirill Ananiev, a veteran member of the banned National Bolshevik Party. The Operation Inherent Resolve coalition delivered air and artillery strikes on Syrian Armed Forces and pro-government militias after they reportedly engaged a U.S. military and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) position in the region. The Battle of Khasham, also known as the Battle of Conoco Fields, was a military engagement of the Syrian civil war fought on 7 February 2018 near the towns of Khasham and Al Tabiyeh in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria. [67][68] However, the two PMCs were still prisoners. [27][28], Besides fighting ISIL militants, according to RBK TV, the PMCs trained a Syrian Army unit called the ISIS Hunters, which was also fully funded and trained by Russian special forces. " ", "Diplomats specify who was killed by an American strike ( , )", "Here's What We Know About The US Airstrikes That Killed Russian Fighters In Syria", "Russian lawmaker says U.S. strike in Syria an act of aggression: Inter", "U.S.-led coalition strike in Syria 'regrettable', " // .., , 8 2018 ", "Iran Says U.S. 'Even Worse' Than ISIS After Bombing Supreme Leader's Allies in Syria", Dozens of Russians Are Believed Killed in U.S.-Backed Syria Attack, U.S. Mercenary groups are nothing to be ashamed of, they exist everywhere, but we lie about them, he said. [65] As government forces advanced, the pro-opposition SOHR reported that Russia demanded the release of the two captive PMCs during negotiations with the trapped militants. [60][61] The issue gained additional sensitivity in Russia in view of the upcoming presidential election in March 2018. [2] Contrary to what was widely reported at the time, Der Spiegel later reported that according to witnesses, no Russian mercenaries were part of this formation. [53], Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing Russian military and contractor sources, reported pro-government forces were attempting to capture the Conoco (locally called Al Tabiyeh) gas field from the SDF. [15][11] Supported by T-72 and T-55 tanks, the pro-government troops first shelled the SDF base with artillery, mortars, and rockets in what U.S. military officials described as a "coordinated attack". [130] It was thought that Wagner PMCs were involved in the taking over of an abandoned US military base in the area, due to the confirmed presence of a Russian journalist who was known to regularly follow the contractors. PUTINS SECRET ARMIES WAGED WAR IN SYRIAWHERE WILL THEY FIGHT NEXT? [31] A publication by the Ukraine-based anti-Kremlin InformNapalm alleged the operation had been cleared with the Russian military command by Sergey Kim, the chief of Wagner's operations department and a former Russian Naval Infantry officer. [75] As part of the same campaign in the northwest of Syria, in early February 2018, the PMCs helped in the capture of several villages in the northeastern countryside of Hama from IS. WebThe mixed group of Syrian forces and Russian mercenaries from the notorious Kremlin-linked Wagner Group swelled to an estimated 500 troops by early night. [76] Between 3 and 7 February, pro-government forces seized at least 25 villages,[77] shrinking the IS pocket in that part of the country by a reported 80 percent. WebThe Wagner Group (Russian: Syrian civil war Battle of Khasham: 7 February 2018: 1464 killed (confirmed) 80100 killed (estimated) 100200 wounded: The Ukrainian SBU claimed 80 were killed and 100 wounded, naming 64 of the dead. Strikes Killed Scores of Russia Fighters in Syria, Sources Say, : " ", "" . They stand in stark contrast to recent UN reports accusing Wagner operatives of raping civilians in Central African Republic or allegations that Wagner soldiers tortured and killed a prisoner in Syria. While working with regular Syrian government forces, they were first to establish civilian evacuation corridors and then engage in the attack on the city. [11] As unconfirmed accounts of casualties among Russian Wagner Group mercenaries in the strike emerged, the incident was billed by media as "the first deadly clash between citizens of Russia and the United States since the Cold War". [119] In May, the SBU announced it identified Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Demyanenko of the Russian Armed Forces as the Carpathians' trainer. Gabidullin hopes his book will help lift the veil of secrecy around his former profession. [82][83] According to two U.S. defense officials, the U.S. military assessed that Russian PMCs also participated in the assault, with one saying some of the contractors had been killed in the air-strikes. [2], As with the deconfliction line, the Syrian government itself never officially agreed to this limit but due to its dependence on Russia, the Syrian Army had nevertheless been, by and large de facto adhering to both; the Iranian government also never joined either of these two bilateral U.S.Russian agreements. The Khasham debacle has not demonstrated the mercenary groups qualitative disadvantage nor their incompetence in battle. [71], At the end of November, Russia announced plans to withdraw some of its troops from Syria by the end of the year. [9] Others were transported to Syria by the Syrian Cham Wings airline from the Rostov-on-Don Airport, with 51 round trips being made between January 2017 and March 2018. Troops Staying In Syria To Counter Assad, Iran, "PMC Wagner chief: 14 were killed in Syria", Putin ally said to be in touch with Kremlin, Assad before his mercenaries attacked U.S. troops. During the clashes, U.S. aircraft attacked Syrian troops, killing 45 to 100 government fighters. The Russian armys achievements in Syria were largely because of the mercenaries sacrifices. [10] Their equipment was delivered to Syria via the so-called Syrian Express,[11] a fleet of Russian military and civilian merchant ships that had been delivering supplies to Syria since 2012. [87][88] Following the statement, the foreign ministries of Belarus and Kazakhstan were reported to be checking if there were casualties among their countries' citizens, but stated they had no information to confirm that Belarusians or Kazakhstanis had been killed or wounded. [12], According to two unnamed U.S. defense officials cited by CNN on 8 February, the U.S. military had assessed that Russian contractors had been involved, with one saying some of the contractors had been killed in the airstrikes. [26] This intent was, in mid-January 2018, clearly broadcast by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said the Trump administration would maintain an open-ended military presence in Syria to counter Iranian influence and ensure the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. [86][87] An official statement by the ISIS Hunters unit stated they had received intelligence that ISIL forces were moving towards Khasham and government forces decided to move from the Euphrates so as to cut off ISIL's line of attack. [103] The Carpathians consisted of about 100 fighters. [63][64] A besieged pocket of ISIL militants remained on an island in the city's outskirts, which soon came under attack. [2] According to Der Spiegel's report, no Russians were in either formation, though there was a small contingent of Russian PMCs stationed in Tabiyeh who were not participating in the fighting.
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