(Zaman Al Wasl)- Zaman al-Wasl reviewed surveys and data revealed noticeable experts in using anti-tank missiles from all types by Syrian resistance factions active on the ground starting from the fall of 2016.
The data collected by interested researchers in war affairs in Syria used documented footage and vidoes which revealed that Syrian resistance factions launched in 2016 684 anti-tank missiles whereas they launched 619 in 2015.
American TOW missiles were on top of the anti-tank missiles used in targeting operations during 2016 and by 58%. On the other hand, they used 22% of Russian Fagot missiles.
The data showed that factions fighting in Aleppo province launched 61% of the total number of anti-tank missiles during 2016 whereas factions launched 17% in Hama fronts and 12% in Latakia fronts.
In months
Regarding the launch distribution of months of the year, it is mentioned in the following.
-January: 46 missiles, 22 TOW and 12 Fagots
-February 79 missiles, 64 TOW and 10 Fagots
-March: 5 missiles only, 4 TOW and 1 Fagot
-April: 32 missiles, 20 TOW and 11 Fagots
-May: 61 missiles, 40 TOW and 10 Fagots
-June: 89 missiles, 37 TOW and 17 Kornetç
-July: 89 missiles, 51 TOW and 13 Fagots
-August: 118 missiles, 47 Fagots and 42 TOWS
-September: 42 missiles, 26 TOW and 12 Fagots
-October: 39 missiles, 34 TOW and 3 Fagot
-November: 41 missiles, 29 TOW and 9 Fagot
-December: 16 missiles, 15 TOW and 1 Fagot
It is noticed from statistics that months in summer were the top in using anti-tank
missiles launched by Syrian resistance factions during 2016. The number of missiles launched in June, July and August came up to 296 missiles which is 43% of the total number of missiles launched during all of 2016.
The statistics show also a sharp regression in the number of missiles launched during March (5 missiles only) compared to other months in the year. The number of missiles launched increased to reach the highest in August to regress again in the last four month stabilizing on 16 missiles in December 2016.
The numbers show that TOW missile remained dominant during all the months in the year whereas Russian Fagot missile came second except for 2 months in the year; in August Fagot came ahead of TOW and in June where Kornet missile came second to TOW.
The first storehouse
Since it showed up in the field in the spring of 2014 until February 2015, Syrian resistance factions launched around 250 TOW missiles. They dependence on these missiles increased in battles to reach using the missiles for around 700 times during 2016 despite that the recent months of that year witnessed noticeable regression.
It is not known exactly why the use of anti-tank missiles regressed by the Syrian resistance since the start of this fall and whether there was a decision to limit the support and missile supplies. Based on that, it is unknown how much this regression affected the battles especially in Aleppo city where the resistance exited the city following a very short battle compared to nearly 4 years where the Syrian resistance remained entrenched in eastern Aleppo and were foiling all regime attempts and its militia to storm that part.
Although there is no concrete evidence to show us who started this regression, but certainly the regressed use of these missiles caused a regression for factions or is it the opposite. There is a tight relationship between the two between the regressed use during the last four months of 2016 and the regression of Syrian resistance during exactly these four months especially in fronts in the Syrian north which was and still is the first storehouse for anti-tanks missiles and one which is used first for all factions all over Syria.
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