" ", "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. Established in 2014 to support pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, Wagner is allegedly funded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a powerful businessman closely [14] Later, it was revealed that the company would receive 25 percent of the proceeds from oil and gas production at fields its PMCs captured and secured from ISIL. [32][33][34], According to the U.S. military's official statement, around 10 p.m. local time on the night of 7 February 2018, a force of 500 pro-government fighters consisting of local militiamen, Syrian Army regulars, Shia militants from Liwa Fatemiyoun and Liwa Zainebiyoun, and reportedly Russian private military contractors, launched an assault on a SDF headquarters near Khasham. [31] However, as of the beginning of July, the PMCs were still fighting to secure the al-Shaer gas fields and the areas of the phosphate mines. 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. Russian Embassy School in Washington, D.C. United States and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Khasham&oldid=1151998320, American airstrikes during the Syrian civil war, Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2018, Deir ez-Zor Governorate in the Syrian civil war, Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian Democratic Forces, Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Russia, Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the United States, Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using military navigation subgroups without wide style, Articles with failed verification from March 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Russian interference in United States elections, This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 14:51. [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. At this point, armed groups were spotted east of Khasham, in SDF-held territory, which then attacked the government's troops. [80][81], A Russian newspaper, 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. [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. [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. [74], In December 2017, the PMCs took part in the Syrian Army's offensive into Idlib province against mostly HTS rebel forces. [66][67][68] Meanwhile, Russia's government-run news agency TASS acknowledged, with reference to a Cossack organisation, the death in a battle near Deir ez-Zor of a Russian "volunteer", sotnik Vladimir Loginov, a resident of the Kaliningrad Region. Battle of Khasham Syria Liwa Fatemiyoun (Afghan Shia militia)[1][2] Liwa Zainebiyoun (Shia Pakistanis)[2], Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian Rebels. Battle of khasham moment : r/NonCredibleDefense - Reddit military officials tell NBC News the Russian mercenaries were from the Wagner group, a shadowy security firm linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, a [58][59] This claim was questioned by the CIT, who pointed out that there had been no reports of this effect from the militants' sources. From the companys inception, it has been shrouded in mystery. They can only whisper it.. [134], As of early February, PMCs were posted at the frontline in the Al-Ghab Plain of Hama province. [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. Two Russian companies received contracts under this policy by this time, with one employing the Wagner Group to secure those sites from the militants. 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. No casualties were reported on either side of the engagement. He also pointed out that the Russian public proved completely indifferent to the losses suffered by the PMCs, believing that "these people are highly paid, and knew what they were getting into". Ismail had fled Syria earlier in the war for Lebanon, before returning in 2017, after which he was arrested and forcibly conscripted into the Syrian military. This time, however, he decided to not hold back and found a brave publisher in the city of Ekaterinburg. No U.S. troops were reported killed or wounded. [78][79], State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Vladimir Shamanov, citing reported casualties of Russian PMCs, said the Russian parliament was working on a bill that would regulate activities of private military contractors, which he said was necessary. WebThe battle of Khasham was February 7, 2018. This was well in advance of the enemy forces' attack. [44], Shortly after the strikes, various Russian unofficial sources began to publicize information that a number of Russian "volunteers" (PMCs) had been killed in the strikes,[3][45] with some posts on Russian social media making claims of over 200 Russian PMCs being killed, although the veracity of this information was questioned[46] and could not be confirmed. The 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 engagement thats come to be known as the Battle of Khasham. Russia claimed the clash was a result of American aggression. I am walking on a tightrope here, he said. According to this report, pro-Syrian government forces spent a week prior to the event gathering in the Deir ez-Zor Airport, which is located to the west of the Euphrates[2] and south of Deir ez-Zor, the capital city of Deir ez-Zor Governorate. [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. Western governments and academics argue that Wagner is an unofficial foreign policy tool of the Kremlin, deployed where Russia wants to extend its influence or create upheaval. Wagner [40] A second one was identified as a former soldier named Ruslan from Bryansk, currently employed as a "patriotic educator" in local schools. [12] A Kurdish militia commander and an ex-Russian officer also claimed Russian contractors were present and suffered casualties during the strikes. [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". [137], In late December 2021, Wagner PMCs took part in a large-scale military operation against ISIL cells in the Syrian desert. The groups were quickly pushed back. [20][30], A few days before, Prigozhin had been indicted by the grand jury for the District of Columbia on charges related to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. A Telegram channel associated with Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner 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. [2] According to Der Spiegel, witnesses said that no Russian mercenaries were part of this group. "[5] Harrigian presented the U.S. strike as demonstration of the coalition's readiness "to prevent a resurgence of ISIS". Battle of Khasham Although Wagner may serve as a deniable instrument of Kremlin policy, the PMC might have been inclined to take on side-jobs for its own profit. Warning shots fired by U.S. military forces in the area stopped this morning advance, and the fighters withdrew back to the west of the Euphrates; these warning shots did not result in any injuries. [39], A Russian independent media report identified one of the perpetrators as Stanislav Yevgenyevich Dychko,[40] a confirmed operative of the Wagner Group[35][36] who previously worked for the Russian Interior Ministry. The clash on February 7, 2018, was sparked by a pro-Assad regime force, including mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group, advancing on an outpost manned [52] At the end of that month, during an ISIL counter-offensive in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, two Wagner PMCs were captured by the militants. [129] Subsequently, the Russian military started patrols between rebel and government-held areas in the Manbij district. [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. According to the US, the incidents took place deep inside territory patrolled by their military and the Kurdish-led SDF. It was reported that to avoid potential security losses, Russia would fill the void with private military companies, including Wagner. [4][12][5], According to the U.S. military, the presence of U.S. special operations personnel in the targeted base elicited a response by coalition aircraft, including AC-130 gunships, F-22 Raptor and F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper unmanned combat aerial vehicles, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and B-52s bombers. [60][61] The issue gained additional sensitivity in Russia in view of the upcoming presidential election in March 2018. I suspect that there will be attempts by [Prigozhin] to discredit me. [4][5][6] It was reported that the Wagner Group was employed by the Russian Defense Ministry, even though private military companies are illegal in Russia. As of late, many have been trying to make sense of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group mercenaries that have featured heavily in the battle for 2 min read. Five Years After a Disastrous Syria Battle, Wagner Group Is More elections. We, in Russia, prefer not to discuss our mercenaries, he added. WebOn 7 February 2018, the U.S.-led coalition, established in 2014 to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), delivered massive air and artillery strikes on the Syrian I believe that war between Ukraine and Russia will be a complete disaster for Russia. All rights reserved. The ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria after intense battles in 2016 in which Wagner is said to have taken part. 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. According to the center, 79,702 people had left rebel-held parts of Eastern Ghouta as of 19 March. The military claimed that, according to intercepted radio traffic, the groups were partly ISIL and partly Kurds, and retreated towards the Conoco factory. [135] In April, the Wagner-linked Russian security contractor "Evro Polis" delivered 50 ventilators, 10,000 coronavirus test kits, and 2,000 items of protective clothing to Syria amid the coronavirus pandemic. [51] A Russian journalist also believed between 20 and 25 PMCs died in the strikes. Feb 7, 2023 #1 "A Telegram channel linked to the Wagner Group has published an insider account of the only known clash between the mercenary group and the US military the 7 February 2018 battle near Khasham in Syria, in which many Wagner fighters reportedly died. On paper, the firm does not exist, with no company registration, tax returns or organisational chart to be found. [104] The coalition discussed the development with Russian counterparts via the established deconfliction line.[105]. He first wanted to publish the memoir in 2020 but quickly withdrew his book after pressure from certain people. [114], Another mission they were charged with during the offensive was to secure the humanitarian corridor established by the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria that allowed civilians to leave rebel-held areas for government territory. He was soon deployed to fight in Syria alongside the Russian army supporting President Bashar al-Assad, quickly rising to command one of Wagners five units there. That Time US Forces Tore Hundreds of Russian Wagner Group [2] At the time, Russia and the United States had an agreement that no more than 400 pro-Syrian government fighters could be in the Syrian-government controlled salient on the river's east bank. However, the ISIS Hunters also said they would execute 100 captive militants for each of the Russians if they were killed by the jihadists. [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. In what became known as the Battle of Khasham, US Special Forces embedded with Exclusive: Russian mercenaries The organization that recruited the fighters, known as Wagner group, uses defense ministry transport infrastructure and hospitals. [20] One week later, the PMCs, along with regular Russian troops, supported Syrian government forces in repelling a HTS-led rebel offensive north of Hama. [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". He said he worried about the consequences of publishing his book and was eager to avoid mentioning his alleged former boss, Prigozhin. [123] The ground offensive was launched on 6 May, after a week-long aerial campaign against rebel territory,[124] with pro-government troops managing to capture two major towns within three days. [132][133] In early February, vehicles carrying Russian contractors were also blocked by US troops on the highways. 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. Confronted with these accusations, Gabidullin said he never saw his comrades engaged in such acts but added that such crimes were to be expected given the groups current shadowy status. At this point, pro-government units were hit by airstrikes. [110][111], As of 17 March, 82 percent of Eastern Ghouta was captured by the Syrian Army. [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. Both this and other memoirs are largely in line with the accounts of the battle presented [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. We have specialised skills that a normal army lacks.. [131], In mid-January 2020, tense standoffs started with US troops blocking Russian military vehicles from using the M4 highway in northeastern Syria. [32], More than two years later, full footage was uploaded to a closed VKontakte group for members of Wagner with new information asserting that the killed person was a Syrian Army soldier who had deserted. [2], U.S. military forces once again opened fire, but this time with the intention of inflicting casualties. [57] At the same time, a Russian parliamentary official stated that the two had almost certainly been executed, presumably for refusing to reject their Christian Orthodox religion, reject Russia, become Muslims and join the militant group. Wagner Group At the end of November, it was reported that the Russian military was negotiating for the release of the two PMCs who were reportedly being held on the border of Syria and Iraq. 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. The tank itself was not firing on the SDF and the coalition, but other elements in the formation were. [91][92] Some posts on Russian social media made claims of over 200 Russian PMCs being killed, although the veracity of this information was questioned[93] and could not be confirmed. It doesnt fit the official narrative.. He pointed to how the ban on private military companies in Russia pressures family members of deceased mercenaries to remain quiet about their loved ones. Wagner Group [37] After he was killed, his body was mutilated and burned. Representatives for Prigozhin have not responded to requests for comment. [35], The clashes lasted four hours and saw more than 100 Syrian pro-government fighters killed, with one SDF fighter injured, according to the coalition. At this point, pro-government units were hit by air-strikes. [2], Later that same day, under the cover of darkness, about twice as many pro-Syrian government fighters successfully crossed a different bridge located northeast of Deir ez-Zor Airport. 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. [47] Yevgeny Shabayev, a known critic of the company that hired the contractors, also claimed 218 PMCs were killed and that the families were still waiting for their remains. [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. " " ", "In pictures: Russian snipers deployed near Idlib front as offensive approaches", "Syrian government troops launch an offensive against rebels in the country's northwest", "Syrian pro-regime forces renew advance on rebel-held Idlib", "Russian special forces take part in northwestern Hama offensive (photos)", Putin's Chef Preps Soldiers for Final Assault on Syrian Rebels, " ", "U.S. coalition: 'We are out' of Syria's Manbij", "Russian troops patrol between Turkish and Syrian forces on border", "Video shows the inside of an abandoned US camp in Syria taken over by Russian mercenaries", "Fresh Russian-U.S. 'Skirmish' Reported in Syria", "U.S. troops block Russian vehicles from reaching Simalka border crossing with northern Iraq", "U.S. Gabidullin said he had vaguely heard of mercenary deployments in Ukraine, quickly adding that a Russian invasion would be a fatal mistake. [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. Wagner publishes details on US air strikes during Battle of Khasham. This current situation does not suit many of my comrades. 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. 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? [50][51] Several PMCs were killed during the fighting for the town and their bodies were seized by the militants. [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. [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". We should never have been there; our leadership messed up. The Battle of Khasham saw US troops rout Russian [70] The same day, a Wagner representative notified the parents of one of the two that both had died in captivity. [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. The memoir, based on events Gabidullin claims he witnessed, follows three years of Wagners Syrian campaign. Ukraine Update: Wagner mercenary chief Prigozhin: 'Russia is on [126], In early September, the PMC's were preparing for an offensive to assault the rebel-held city of Idlib. Furthermore, the SOHR stated they were not killed in the air-strikes, but instead in a booby-trapped explosion at an arms depot.

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