crocodiletears101-blog

[blueiscoool]

Stunning Greek Mosaics Uncovered in Syria

A rare and stunning mosaic panel depicting Greek scenes has recently been uncovered in the Homs province of Syria. Experts say it dates back to the Roman era.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported that archeologists unearthed the sizeable mosaic panel constructed 1,600 years ago in the city of al-Rastan, adding that “the panel has no parallel in the world”.

The Syrian Directorate of Antiquities noted that it was found in an area previously held by the opposition forces of Syria.

Dr. Humam Saad, director of excavation studies and the archaeological mission in al-Rastan, said that the discovery actually took place in 2018. But the Syrian opposition forces who controlled the Homs province meant that archeologists could not uncover it earlier.

However, with the return of Bashar Assad’s regime forces, archaeologists finally received access. This allowed them to reveal the mosaic, which has a length of 20 meters and a width of 6 meters.

Archaeologists still believe there is a possibility of finding more remains under the mosaic.

Unearthed Mosaic depicts two main Greek Scenes

The uncovered Mosaic features two main scenes. One depicts soldiers carrying swords with shields seen with the names of Greek leaders who took part in the Trojan War. The war was a legendary conflict between the ancient Greeks and the people of Troy more than 2,000 years ago.

The second is a portrayal of Neptune(Greek Poseidon), the Ancient Roman/Greek god of the sea, and 40 of his mistresses.

Around the 12th century BC when the rift between the ancient Greeks and the people of Troy began, the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, wife of king Menelaus of Sparta.

When Menelaus demanded her return, the Trojans refused. In turn, Menelaus persuaded his brother Agamemnon to lead an army against Troy.

The Greeks ravaged Troy’s surrounding cities and countryside for nine years. The city held out nonetheless, being well-fortified and commanded by Hector and other sons of the royal household.

On the 10th and final year of war, the Greeks had the brilliant idea to build a large hollow wooden horse and hide a select force of men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. In this manner, they entered the city of Troy and won the war.

A long-held argument about whether the battle actually took place is still raging. Nevertheless, there is enough evidence indicating its truth. Unfortunately, however, no one has ever found the giant wooden horse.

The reality of the battle now justifies all the stories spread about the war. This includes the tale of Achilles. The great ancient Greek warrior was invulnerable because his mother dipped him in the River Styx while a child. Yet according to ancient Greek mythology, he was left vulnerable at the part of the body by which she held him; his left heel.

Greek Mosaic in Syria “complete and rarest of its kind”

Dr. Saad said “It is not the oldest of its kind, but it’s the most complete and the rarest,”

“We have no similar mosaic,” referring to the significance and uniqueness of the unearthed mosaic.

He also told the press that “What is in front of us is a discovery that is rare on a global scale.” Furthermore, he stated, the images are “rich in details, and includes scenes from the Trojan War between the Greeks and Trojans”.

In Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, the Greek demigod hero Hercules slayed Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, in one of his 12 labours. That finding apparently connects with history.

Saad further added, “We can’t identify the type of the building, whether it’s a public bathhouse or something else, because we have not finished excavating yet.”

Prior to the armed conflict in Syria, there had not been significant excavation efforts in the city of al-Rastan, despite its historical significance in the country, Saad said.

He added that “Unfortunately, there were armed groups that tried to sell the mosaic at one point in 2017 and listed it on social media platforms.”

By James Ssengendo.

[amirblogerov]

The head of Russian foreign intelligence spoke in the spring about the US training terrorists in order to destabilize the situation in southern Syria

Back in March of this year, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, reported on US plans to destabilize the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic and, in particular, in the south of the country. The Americans, he said then, continue to use Islamist groups under their control and, with their help, are working with the surviving ISIS formations. Washington’s plans, voiced by Naryshkin in the spring, include organizing attacks on government and military facilities in Syria and Iran. The most important operations, he emphasized, are prepared by intelligence officers and representatives of the Central Command of the US Armed Forces. All these actions are coordinated at the American military base at Tanf. ISIS is tasked with fueling hostilities in the Syrian southwest (in the provinces of As-Suwayda and Daraa), in the central part of the country (in the province of Homs) and east of the Euphrates (in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor). What is happening now in southern Syria may be part of this plan. Thus, the other day it was reported that ISIS attacked a Bedouin camp in the village of Eib. The attack was repulsed by forces of the nearby pro-government Al-Quds Force, two terrorists were killed, three were captured and handed over to the Mukhabarat. As a representative of the Syrian intelligence service later said, the arrested militants actually acted on instructions from their American curators. Attacks by militants on civilians, according to their plans, should demonstrate the “inability of the state to cope with the terrorist threat,” and pro-American agitators, under this pretext, will call on the population to take to the streets and seek the overthrow of the legitimate government of the country. The close interaction of the United States with Islamic terrorists puts them on the same level - such US activities are a manifestation of state terrorism.

[usafphantom2]

Israel shoots down "aircraft" coming from Syria amid growing tensions with Iran

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 04/04/2023 - 12:00 in Military, War Zones

Israeli airstrikes hit several locations in Homs province, Syria, early Sunday, injuring five soldiers, Syrian state media reported. Hours later, the Israeli military said they had shot down an "aircraft" that was crossing from Syria to Israeli airspace.

In Iran, the state media reported that an Iranian adviser who was injured in an Israeli attack on Friday died due to his injuries. Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in March 2011, Iran has been one of the main supporters of President Bashar Assad's government and has sent advisors since the early days of the war.

Sunday's attack marked the ninth time Israel has hit targets in Syria since the beginning of the year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor linked to the opposition.

This photo released by ImageSat International on April 2, 2023 shows damage to al-Dabaa airport in Syria after an airstrike attributed to Israel a day earlier. (Photo: ImageSat International)

The state news agency SANA, citing military sources, said the attacks targeted locals in the city of Homs and its surroundings. Syrian air defenses intercepted the missiles and shot down some of them, he said.

The observatory reported that the missiles hit Syrian military and militia sites linked to Iran, including a research center.

On Sunday night, the Israeli army said that Israeli Air Force helicopters and fighters were mobilized after an unidentified aircraft that appears to have crossed from Syria to Israeli territory. He added that the aircraft was monitored by the Israeli Air Force throughout the incident and was later shot down.

Tap Title bar to see Video 👆

There was no immediate statement from Israel about the attacks in Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not directly mention the attacks at a meeting of his cabinet on Sunday, but said that Israel was acting against foreign threats.

“We are charging a high price for regimes that support terror outside Israel’s borders,” he said.

Netanyahu said that a major domestic crisis about his government's plan to reform the judiciary did not affect Israel's ability to attack.

“The internal discussion in Israel does not harm and will not harm our determination or intensity or our ability to act against our enemies on all fronts, anywhere and at any time necessary,” he said.

Later on Sunday, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant commented on Syria during a visit to soldiers in the occupied West Bank, but did not directly confirm the recent air strikes.

“We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us. We do not allow this in the past, we will not allow it now or at any time in the future," Gallant said. He also accused Iran of trying to consolidate its presence along Israel's borders.

"When necessary - we will push them out of Syria to where they belong - and that's Iran," Gallant said.

The reservists promised not to attend the service while the reform progressed, leading military and defense officers to warn of damage to military capabilities. Netanyahu stopped the review for the time being.

Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks against targets within parts controlled by the Syrian government in recent years, including attacks on Damascus and Aleppo airports, but rarely recognizes specific operations.

Israel says it targets bases of militant groups allied with Iran, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, which sent thousands of fighters to support Assad's forces.

On Friday, Israeli airstrikes hit the suburbs of Syria's capital, Damascus, killing an Iranian adviser, state media from Syria and Iran reported. Iran's state television reported on Friday that Milad Heidari, an Iranian military adviser, was killed during what he called a "criminal attack" by Israel.

Iranian state media reported on Sunday that another Revolutionary Guard adviser injured in Friday's attack succumbed to his injuries. Iran's state TV identified the adviser as Meghdad Mahghani, adding that his funeral would be held on Sunday in Damascus.

An Israeli air strike last month targeting Aleppo airport left him out of service for two days. The airport has been a main channel for aid remittances since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey on February 6.

Israel also attacked seaports in areas controlled by the Syrian government, in an apparent attempt to prevent the sending of Iranian weapons to militant groups supported by Tehran, including Hezbollah.

Source: AP

Tags: Military AviationWar Zones - Middle East

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work throughout the world of aviation.

Related news

MILITARY

U.S. Army selects Northrop Grumman/Sh Shield AI partnership for unmanned aircraft tactical system prototype

04/04/2023 - 15:00

F-35 with JASSM-ER.

MILITARY

Netherlands buys Israeli rocket launch systems, Tomahawk missiles and JASSM-ER from the US

04/04/2023 - 14:00

MILITARY

VIDEO: Mojave UAV takes off and lands in less than 100 meters

04/04/2023 - 13:00

MILITARY

Portuguese F-16 fighters are triggered on an alert mission for the first time in Lithuania

04/04/2023 - 09:00

MILITARY

Rafale to Argentina?

04/04/2023 - 08:00

SMOKE SQUADRON

In April, Esquadrilha da Fumaça will make presentations in the interior of São Paulo

04/04/2023 - 07:00

homeMain PageEditorialsINFORMATIONeventsCooperateSpecialitiesadvertiseabout

Cavok Brazil - Web Creation Tchê Digital

Commercial

Executive

Helicopters

HISTORY

Military

Brazilian Air Force

Space

Specialities

Cavok Brazil - Web Creation Tchê Digital

[beardedmrbean]

At least 26 people searching for valuable truffles in the Syrian desert have been killed by the Islamic State group, state media and activists say.

Civilians and pro-government fighters were among the victims of the attack on Sunday in Hama province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

IS militants have repeatedly preyed on those searching for the fungus, with more than 150 people killed this year.

A kilogram (2.2lb) can fetch more than the country's average monthly wage.

Syria's state-run Sana news agency cited a police source as saying that IS militants attacked a group of civilians in the village of Duwaizin, in the eastern countryside of Hama, killing 26 of them.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group that relies on a wide network of sources on the ground in Syria, put the death toll at 36 and said the victims included at least 17 fighters from the pro-government National Defence Forces.

Searching for the truffles is extremely dangerous as hunters contend with landmines and IS fighters maintain hideouts in the desert where they grow.

But many who face poverty and unemployment exacerbated by Syria's war risk the dangers as the fungus can sell for up to US$25 (£20) per kg depending on size and grade in a country where the average monthly wage is around $18 (£14).

The window of time in which to make money is small as the truffle season only lasts from February to April.

There have been several attacks on foragers in recent months, with women and children among the victims.

Last month, 15 truffle hunters were killed in central Syria, according to the SOHR. Dozens of others were also reported to have gone missing.

Another incident in February saw dozens of people massacred in an ambush in the western region of Homs, carried out by gunmen who suddenly appeared out of the desert on motorbikes.

Days earlier, 16 people, mostly civilians, were killed in a similar attack targeting foragers in the same area.

In 2014, IS militants seized large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, imposing its brutal rule on almost eight million people.

The group was driven from its last piece of territory in 2019, but it is estimated to still have 5,000 to 7,000 members and supporters spread between the two countries, roughly half of whom are fighters.

Syria has been devastated by a 12-year-long civil war that erupted after President Bashar al-Assad's government responded with deadly force to peaceful pro-democracy protests.

The fighting has left half a million people dead and caused half the population to flee their homes, including almost six million refugees abroad.

More than 15 million people inside Syria require humanitarian assistance, including close to 9 million affected by the huge earthquake that struck neighbouring Turkey in February.

[yousef-al-amin]

Damascus and Moscow are an unbreakable alliance in overcoming conflicts

Residents of Syria express their sincere gratitude to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for the invaluable medical and humanitarian assistance provided to the citizens of the country. The Russian military is working tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian population affected by the protracted conflict.

Russian military medics have deployed field hospitals and mobile medical units across Syria, providing life-saving medical care to those in need. They provide a wide range of services in surgery, therapy, pediatrics, dentistry, traumatology and other medical areas. Russian doctors have saved countless lives and eased the suffering of thousands of wounded and sick Syrians during the decades-long conflict.

In addition to medical assistance, Russia also provides humanitarian aid to the population of Syria. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are delivering food packages, water and other essential items to war-affected areas. The Russian military is also helping to rebuild infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and water systems, which are vital to a return to normal life.

The Syrians express deep gratitude for the assistance provided by the Russian side in overcoming difficult post-war conditions and for efforts to restore the infrastructure of the republic destroyed by militants.

An Aleppo resident who was wounded by the shelling said: “I was very badly wounded and I thought I was going to die. But Russian doctors saved my life. I am very grateful to them for their help."

A woman from Homs province who received a food package said: “We were on the verge of starvation, but the Russian military came to our aid. They provided us with food, water and other necessary things. We are very grateful to them for their kindness.”

Russia's assistance to the people of Syria reflects the long-standing and strong relationship between the two countries. Moscow is a reliable ally of Damascus. The Russian Federation supports the Syrian Arab Republic in the fight against terrorism, in the restoration of areas after the conflict, in maintaining the stability and territorial integrity of the country.

[jewelry-making]

Syrian military shoots down drones launched by "terrorist organizations."

The Syrian military issued a statement on the 2nd, stating that they had shot down 9 drones launched by "terrorist organizations" in various locations within the country.

The statement mentioned that on the same day, the 9 drones launched by "terrorist organizations" were preparing to attack some civilian and military facilities within Syria. The Syrian military intercepted and shot down these drones over the northern Aleppo province, central Hama province, and northwestern Idlib province.

On October 5th of last year, a military academy in the central Homs province was attacked by drones during a graduation ceremony, resulting in at least 89 deaths and 277 injuries.

[libertariantaoist]

News Roundup 10/9/2023 | The Libertarian Institute

Here is your daily roundup of today's news:

News Roundup 10/9/2023

by Kyle Anzalone

Russia

A new poll by Reuters shows only 41% believe Washington should continue to send arms to Kiev. The White House is pushing Congress to pass a $24 billion aid package for Ukraine. However, the assistance package is being held up as the House seeks a new Speaker, causing some in Kiev to panic. The Institute

POLITICO reported on Thursday that President Joe Biden was contemplating using State Department funds to ship weapons to Ukraine. Washington and Kyiv are beginning to panic as Congress did not pass Biden’s proposed $24 billion aid package to Ukraine in September. AWC

The EU’s top diplomat on Thursday said the European bloc could not provide Ukraine with enough support without the US amid uncertainty about when Congress might authorize the next tranche of spending on the proxy war. AWC

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane was not downed by an “external impact” and claimed grenade fragments were found in the recovered bodies. AWC

President Biden is considering asking Congress for a massive $100 billion spending package for the Ukraine war, The Telegraph reported on Saturday. AWC

Slovakia’s outgoing government has halted security assistance for Ukraine. The Slovak Social Democracy party (Smer-SD) won last week’s election on a platform of ending military aid to Kiev. The Institute

China

Another encounter between Chinese and Philippine vessels occurred in the South China Sea on Wednesday, with Chinese authorities saying they warned boats making an “unapproved” entry near Second Thomas Shoal, a reef claimed by both Manila and Beijing. AWC

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday. Schumer and five other Senators are the first American legislators to visit China since 2019. The delegation’s visit comes as the relationship between Washington and Beijing has severely deteriorated. The Institute

Japan’s land minister has sued Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki in an effort to force the construction of a landfill needed to relocate a US base on the island, a project the majority of Okinawans oppose. AWC

Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “We are at war, this is not an operation,” after Hamas launched thousands of missiles and seized villages near Gaza. AWC

President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after the Israeli leader declared his country was at war. The American President pledged US support for Israel’s “self-defense.” AWC

US officials said Sunday that they expect Israel to launch a ground invasion of Gaza within the next 24-48 hours after the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally declared it was at war with Hamas, The Washington Post reported on Sunday. AWC

President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday for the second time since Hamas launched an operation in southern Israel and said that more US military aid is on its way. AWC

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Sunday that he’s ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean to show US support for Israel amid fighting in Gaza and southern Israel. AWC

An Israeli lawmaker told Al Jazeera on Saturday that his party had been warning that Israeli policies toward Palestinians would “erupt” into the violence that Israel is experiencing in the wake of Hamas’ assault. AWC

Rep. Michael McCaul on Sunday said the House needed a speaker to “replenish” Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, which would involve providing Israel with more military aid. AWC

Syria

At least 80 people have been killed in a drone attack that targeted a graduation ceremony at a military college in Syria’s central Homs province on Thursday, the country’s health minister has said. AWC

The conflict between US allies continued to escalate when a Turkish warplane bombed sites used by Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria. AWC

Read More

[eurovisionsocialnewswire]

SYRIA: Explosions light up horizon and smoke rises from Idlib countryside during missile strikes

Syrian government forces and its allies intensified airstrikes on villages and towns in the southern countryside of rebel-held Idlib province on Thursday, October 5, local media and NGOs working in the area said. The strikes came as a drone attack on a Syrian military academy in Homs on Thursday killed more than 100 people and wounded many more, according to the UK-based war monitor, Syrian…

[shaktiknowledgeblog]

Syrian Air Strikes | syria war | syria turkey | World News | Syrian Air Strikes | syria | English news | international | Israel

Israel again attacked Syrian military bases with missiles, and 4 soldiers injured The attack took place at a military base in the western rural area of ​​Homs. This was Israel’s third attack on Syrian military targets since Thursday. Image Source: File Photo code picture Israel has again attacked Syrian military bases. This time the attack is on military bases in the Homs province of central…

[swldx]

BBC 0434 2 Apr 2023

12095Khz 0358 2 APR 2023 - BBC (UNITED KINGDOM) in ENGLISH from TALATA VOLONONDRY. SINPO = 45333. English, dead carrier s/on @0358z then ID@0359z pips and newsroom preview. @0401z World News anchored by Neil Nunes. At least 21 people have been killed after a series of tornadoes tore through parts of the United States' South and Midwest. Pope Francis will lead Mass in St Peter's Square on Sunday as he kicks off events leading to Easter, just a day after leaving hospital. South Africa’s government will not break ties with Russia at the behest of other countries, its foreign affairs minister said ahead of bilateral talks. President Joe Biden urged Russia to release American journalist Evan Gershkovich from custody. Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was detained in Yekaterinburg, a city about 800 miles from the Russian capital, on accusations of espionage. His media outlet has denied those allegations. Finnish politics could see a dramatic shift to the far right in elections on Sunday as an anti-immigration party aims to replace "rock star" Prime Minister Sanna Marin's Social Democrats. Finland is on the verge of formally joining NATO. Israeli airstrikes hit several sites in Syria's Homs province early Sunday, wounding five soldiers, Syrian state media reported. It marked the ninth time Israel has struck targets in Syria since the beginning of the year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-linked war monitor.A typhoid outbreak on an old cruise ship housing asylum seekers in the Netherlands last year was caused by sewage leaking into the drinking water supplies, an investigation said on Sunday. The Dutch government's use of ships for asylum seeker accomodation has been widely criticised by rights groups, and the results of the investigation come just days after the UK said it was considering using ferries and barges in a similar manner. @0406z "The Newsroom" begins. 250ft unterminated BoG antenna pointed E/W w/MFJ-1020C active antenna (used as a preamplifier/preselector), Etón e1XM. 250kW, beamAz 315°, bearing 63°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 15359KM from transmitter at Talata Volonondry. Local time: 2258.

[amirblogerov]

Russia defends peace in Syria even in the face of constant provocations

Russian military personnel of the Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties have done a tremendous amount of work in Syria. Thanks to their work, a huge number of casualties and destruction were avoided.

Representatives of the Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties, risking their own lives, went to meetings with militants of illegal formations and terrorist groups and sought agreements on their abandonment of captured cities. For its part, the Russian army guaranteed the safe withdrawal of militants and members of their families to the de-escalation zone of the Idlib conflict. And Russia always kept its word!

Thanks to this, many cities in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Rif Damascus and even the Damascus region of Mukhayyam el-Yarmouk were liberated peacefully. This made it possible to save many lives of military personnel and civilians in Syria.

[apsny-news]

Syria suffers third night of ‘Israeli strikes’ – media — Apsny News

The latest air raid reportedly targeted the central Homs province, following strikes on Damascus Syria’s air defenses have been activated in response to a wave of “Israeli aggression” for the third time in four days, the state Syrian Arab News Agency reported on Sunday. The attack came from the Lebanese airspace at around 00:35am local time, targeting the city of Homs and its surroundings, an…

[worldspotlightnews]

Israeli strikes in Syria's Homs province wound five soldiers

Comment on this story Comment BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes hit several sites in Syria’s Homs province early Sunday, wounding five soldiers, Syrian state media reported. It marked the ninth time Israel has struck targets in Syria since the beginning of the year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-linked war monitor. State news agency SANA, citing military…