Developments in Syria

There is a paucity of information about what is happening so I am bringing it to you. Some of it will be true; some of it will be unsubstantiated rumour.  I am not in a position to be able to distinguish the veracity

Russian reinforcements head for Syria as THOUSANDS of US Troops and Marines Arrive in Jordan

HalTurner,

14 April, 2018

Two Russian warships laden with military vehicles have been spotted en route to Syria after Friday's US-led airstrikes obliterated three suspected chemical weapons sites.

An Alligator-landing ship was pictured cruising down The Bosphorus on Sunday as the world awaits Vladimir Putin's response to this week's coordinated military action against Syria. 

The vessel was spotted on its way to the Russian naval base at Tartus on the north Syrian coast.

On its fourth deployment of Russian military equipment to the war-torn country the ship was seen laden with tanks, trucks, ambulances and an IED radar. 

A yellow freighter, Alexandr Tkachenko, was also pictured heading for Tartus carrying high-speed patrol boats, a temporary bridge structure and several trucks. The images were posted on social media by Bosphorus-based naval observer Yörük Işık. 

They come in wake of Friday's US-led campaign against Bashar al-Assad's regime and a chemical weapons attack that brutally murdered 75 civillians. 

The blue Project 117 LST Orsk 148 ship was carrying Soviet BTR-80 tanks, Ramaz trucks and a Pelena-1 bomb radar, used to detect IEDs. 

A second yellow cargo vessel was equipped with a BMK-T boat used for building temporary bridges and an array of other military hardware.     

The Russian warships approaching Syria come after the United States outlined new economic sanctions in response to Moscow's continued support of Assad's regime in Syria. 

Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said measures to be imposed on Monday will send a message to Russia after it blocked six UN attempts to investigate its use of chemical weapons.  

Thousands of US troops and Marines arrive in Jordan

Nearly 3,600 U.S. troops, including Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MEU, will be in place Sunday for the start of a nearly two-week training exercise known as Eager Lion, military officials confirmed to Marine Corps Times.

It will be a rare display of allied firepower, which couldn’t come at a more tense time as U.S. Navy warships are steadily building a presence in the Mediterranean in preparation for what analysts presume will be a tomahawk cruise missile strike on Syria.

President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages about his plans for an attack on Syria, which the Pentagon is considering after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad allegedly used chemical weapons to attack the city of Douma.

Those troops and Marines have begun a "Drill" on Jordan's border with Syria . . .