Hama

(latest addition October 10, 2012. Some editing December 11, except for the plead)

Please notice: this is a layman's post. If you read it please don't skip the notes during and at the bottom of the post. Also before you decide what to think of my writings: please read through my latest post (plead added 03/06/2014).

Intro:
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During the spring of 2012 the participation in protests and demonstrations in Hama reached a level claimed (by a Hama activist) to be among the highest in the country. It's a claim, that I am not able to verify, but this video tells that the protests were of conciderable size.

As the protests and the government's counter actions turned into armed conflict, reports gave the impression, that the government army was about to lose control of the city, but starting in the late May 2012, the government army started a large scale crack-down on the city.
Following the crack-down, the government forces kept a firm military grip on the city, which (to my knowledge) have been maintained until early December, where some reports appeared, telling of fightings in Northern suburbs. At this date (December 11, 2012) it is not clear if this is a serious attempt by the opposition forces to contest the government military's hold on the city.
 
This post was earlier titled 'attack on Hama' and the focus is on the use of military. The post is not a result of a continued monitoring of the development in Hama, rather, it's only where I have compiled the few Hama related video-reports from Hama and it's surrounding region, that I looked into from late May to early July 2012. This is with exception of the post 'Hama Military Airport', which to some degree supplement this post.

The posts 'Weapons used on Homs' and 'Rastan' are compiled posts similar to this, and together they cover a large part of the heavier weapons used by the government army in this conflict(intro was added 29/09/2012 and edited December 11).

May 24: 2S1, 122 mm self-propelled artillery

(updated on June 1. and 2.)

Stitched together frames from a video on Mohamadfreedom92's YouTube channel. Uploaded May 24. 2012. *note: there are five artillery pieces, but one is hardly visible behind the tent from this angle. Video and help identifying the weapon via @markito0171.

On May 24. a video came out. It is said to show an artillery position firing at Hama and it is my best guess that what the video is showing is five of the 2S1 Gvozdika. These are self-propelled 122 mm howitzers and during the 1:55 min video the position fires six times. 

In Wikipedia Syria is said to have about 400 of these, and according to images released on February 10. 2012 by U.S. Department of State such weapons are known to have been deployed by the Syrian regime, though at that time in a different location.

Frame from video on Mohamadfreedom92's YouTube channel. The ID on the 2S1s in this video is a very strong match(see note). Uploaded May 26. 2012.

From another video uploaded on May 26. there is more evidence of this weapon being used by the regime. The Image above is a frame from that video and in it a number of 2S1s are being moved on trailers. The date of this recording is unknown and according to the title of the video (and Google translate) this movement has to do with Homs refinery. But still - to me - this video both substantiates the identification of the weapons and gives an idea of what kind of military force is being deployed against the opposition.

In the image below to the left is a 2S1, and to the right - for comparison - I have placed a photo of the larger calibre 2S3 Akatsiya. The 2S3 is mounted with a 152.4 mm howitzer and is considerably heavier than the 2S1 (28 vs. 16 ton). My main basis for the identification is that the light makes it possible to see that the hull-sides of some of the pieces have an unbroken vertical wall above the tracks. This matches the 2S1 better. Also, only the 2S1 have two hatches on top of the turret.
The best id-view will be to freeze a frame at about 1:26 min. in the video from the firing position.

Left a Polish 2S1 seen from an angle that resembles that of the vehicles in the video. Image from Wikipedia. Right: for comparison, a 2S3 Akatciya. Source: Dishmodels.ru.

Video uploaded 24/06/2012 showing self propelled howitzers (firing at 1:41) said to be positioned in a Hama suburb. In this case too I believe they match the online images I find of the 2S1. (link added June 24.).
video: title: Syrian Army's self propelled howitzers firing on residents of Hama (via @Johnyrocket69).

* note: I originally used the term "certain" about this ID, but that was stretching my knowledge too fare. What I can say is that all the visual details correspond, which makes it hard to imagine this not a 2S1 or one of its variants(note added 14/12/2012).
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Update, May 28: BMP-1, ZPU-4 and troops

(corrected may 29. (no BMP-2))

On May 27. the Syrian regime closed in on the city (Hama), especially the North Eastern neighbourhood, Al-Arbaeen, which was surrounded from about 5 am and all through to the evening. Several other neighbourhoods were targeted to and according to activists snipers were positioned on roof-tops preventing the population from moving - and from helping those wounded by shelling.

According to those same sources on May 28. the assault was still ongoing, and a number of videos are coming out showing some of the deployments of regime forces.

The videos together show the high level of deployment of military in the city (in discord with the Annan six point plan), and below I have looked at four of these:

Left: a frame from a video showing what I believe to be a BMP-1. Right: a frame from video showing more BMP-1s. Both videos uploaded to UgaritNews's Youtube channel on May 28. 2012. videos via @markito0171.
*note: these videos have since been taken down, but another version of the one to the left can be seen here.

The BMP-1s, that can be seen in the frame above to the left, have been used extensively by the regime through out this conflict, and before 2011 the Syrian Army was believed to have around 2000 of these. It's armed with a 73 mm 2A28 Grom low pressure smooth-bore gun that fires rocket assisted grenades. In images I have seen fragments of two different models of these grenades. The most common model together with a BMP-1 can be seen here, and the other here.

The frame above to the right, has two more BMP-1s passing through. They both seems to have an unusual arrangement above the rear hatches. It might be meant give the rear-end the same ski-tip profile as the front. It would make some sense, but it's just a thought on my part. In the last part of the video one of the BMPs also gives a fine demonstration of the turrets capabilities.

In the image below to the left is a truck mounted ZPU-4. It's a four barrel 14.5 mm heavy machine gun originally intended for anti aircraft use, and this video corroborate reports from @HamaEcho that these weapons had been seen by this source for the first time only a few days ago. However back on April 11. David Cenciotti had a video posted on his blog allegedly showing opposition forces firing at a regime helicopter. The weapon used is not visible but an expert makes a very convincing case identifying it as the ZPU-4.

The frame to the right gives an impression of what kind of deployment of troops this also involves.

Left: a frame from a video showing a ZPU-4 mounted on a truck. Right: a frame from video showing troops. Videos uploaded on May  27. & 28. 2012. to UgaritNews's Youtube channel. videos via @markito0171.
*note: these videos have since been taken down, but other versions can be seen here and here.

A group of UN observers is actually stationed in Hama, but I have no reports of what they might have done during these attacks.

* note (June 26. 2012): In order to make it possible for you to judge for youselves I should present my reasons for stating that the weapon in the left frame "is" a ZPU-4: the image is rather unsharp but the profile of the weapon is still reasonablely clear and everything about the weapon matches the photo in the linked-to Wikipedia description: the disc-shaped body, the large ammunition boxes at a 45 degree angle on the side and the gunner seat.
All four barrels can not be seen, but twin barrel heavy machine guns usually don't have them on top of each other, which makes it hard to imagine why this should be the case here. Finally I can't decide if the dark blur above the disc is part of the background or something mounted on the weapon. But if it is something mounted examples of that can be seen in the Wikipedia description as well.

Update, June 3: Damages

The YouTube channel of mhmad1mhmad was brought to my attention by the twitter account @Brown_Moses. This video channel has collected documentation from Hama of damages to homes and people in the city during this recent attack. I have looked into a few of them:

Frames from video uploaded to mhmad1mhmad's channel on May 23. 2012.

In this video (frames above) a grenade from an RPG-7 has been fired at this building. In the left frame the reporter is holding a sustainer motor of such a grenade with the stabilizer still attached. In the background the entry hole is visible. In the frame to the right the damages to the top of the cupboard illustrate what happens when a grenade like this enters a room and explodes: shrapnel is blown through the room and will cause wounding or death.

The video leaves no doubt that this is - or was - the home of a family, and the mattresses on the floor tell their own story.

Frames from video uploaded to mhmad1mhmad's channel on May 23. 2012.

The damages in this video (frames above) appears to have been caused by a 73 mm tank gun grenade. Fragments of the kind placed on the floor have been very common during this conflict, and there is no mistaking what kind weapon they are from. These grenades are ammunition for the BMP-1 (the vehicle shown in two of the videos from the previous section).

Again the room is clearly one of a family home, and in both this and the case above the damages are not the result of a long range bombardment. The weapons, that - according to the ordnance fragments - have caused these damages, give direct fire and have maximum ranges of about 900 m for the RPG-7, and about 1300 m for the 73 mm grenade. Therefore the assumption must be that these homes were hit deliberately.

* note (June 19. 2012): the 73 mm tank gun grenade can also be fired by the SPG-9 recoilless rifle.

Frames from video uploaded to mhmad1mhmad's channel on May 28. 2012.

The frames above are from documentation of damages that seems to have been caused by something of heavier calibre. There are no fragments shown in the video, but the damages are to the top level of the building and in a place that can only have been hit by something coming at a descending angle. From the damages in the right frame I get the impression that the descending angle was around 20 degrees. I believe this makes it either an artillery shell, a tank shell or rocket artillery.

A possible answer might be found if the elevation-angle of the artillery in the top most section of this post can be established.

The last two frames point to a mortar - one more of the very commonly used weapons in this conflict.

When I look at the video with the damaged satellite dish (left frame below) the impression I get is that of a grenade detonating and fragmenting a little above floor-level somewhere inside the walls of a terrace/balcony. This time too; the shell will have to have come at a descending angle, but in this case - as fare as I can see - without penetrating the surface. Some cleaning might have been done, but the holes in a couple of metal barrels seems to give an indication of where the round hit. And the dish - even if it might have been moved -  in a very easily understood way tells what you'll be hit by if such a mortar round explodes near you.

The fragment in the frame to the right is shown in another video. It is a tail (or stem) from a mortar shell, most likely a fragmentation round too. This particular tail is from a 120 mm round, but what calibre exploded on the balcony is not certain. From the amount of damages I would guess that it was either a 82 mm or a 120 mm but I'm unable to substantiate this in any solid way.

Sources: Left: frame from this video. Right: frame from this video. Both uploaded to mhmad1mhmad's channel on May 28. 2012.

* note (June 26. 2012): about my summaries of what these videos of damages are showing: I can see that I have been leaving out a "seems to" some places. But to clarify: even if I'm convinced these videos aren't staged; from an objective point of view that possibility can not be excluded. 

the Al-Qubair Massacre (June 6, 2012):

(note of June 7, 2012, with material added July 27)

Reports have started to come out of a massacre on June 6th in Hama country side. At present the extend of what has happened is still being documented. I will not try to cover it, but a short statement was released by Syrian Revolution General Commission on the morning of June 7. I'm afraid it - as a preliminary account - is accurate.

This article by Der Spiegel from July 23. is written on basis of eyewitnesses and is the most thorough examination I have seen of what happened on June 6. It also is able to gather information relevant to some of the speculations that have circulated since.

Update, June 28: Aerial bombardment:

(material added July 5.)

Left: a frame from this video. Centre and right: frames from this video. Both videos from imadomar2's YouTube channel. *note: the thought-to-be bomb in the centre and right frames could look like it's made of concrete.
* note: these videos have since been taken down.

On June 27 a video was brought to my attention by @markito0171. The video is said to show a bomb that have been dropped by an aerial vehicle, and on the same channel another video is showing a similar object (see frames above).

The area where the video is said to be recorded is in the Hama country side and is called Jabal Shahshabo (Shahshabo mountains). It's an area just north of the Madiq Castle and to the West of Hama. According to Syrian activist @HamaEcho the stated locations is not contradicted by the dialect of the reporter. The date remains without corroboration.

The videos claims that the objects have diameters of (about) 50 cm, but it's hard to get a handle on the size by watching the video. However when comparing to the shadow of the camera man it becomes clear that the objects are quite large.

Video uploaded June 29: showing a large crater: Title: "FNN Hama Residents describe the shelling of al Hwaija by military aircrafts 28 6 2012"

Video uploaded July 1: one more crater: Title "Syria, al-Hwaija Village A large crater created by one of Assad's missiles that hit the village 28 6 (GT)"

Video uploaded July 1: fragments: Title: "1 7 Hwaiyjeh Al Hawija Hama, Hama Ugarit missile that fell on the city projectile weighs about a ton (GT)"
* note: this video has since been taken down.

Video uploaded July 1: fragments: Title: "FNN Hama Qal'aat al Madeeq The remnants of a rocket that fell near the demonstration in the city"

Video uploaded July 4: one more man deep crater: Title "4 7 Izz Al Deen Homs Homs Ugarit Izz al-Din, a huge hole by one of the shells that fell (GT)"
* note: this video has since been taken down.

In this post the blogger Brown Moses has made a closer study of the finds and what they might be.

* note: I can not entirely exclude that the two videos of July 1. are of the same fragment. To be sure I'd have to make a closer study of the material.

* note 2: the "(GT)"  tells that the text has been translated from Arabic by Google Translate.
* note 3 (added 26/09/2012): in the image caption I suggest one of the bombs are of concrete. After having seen more of these OFAB 250-270 bombs, I am almost sure that's not the case (other of these, that were clearly not of concrete, had similar rough surfaces).

Update, July 11: Cluster bombs(?):

The images below is from two videos uploaded on July 10. According to the title these were dropped from an aerial vehicle, and according to Syrian activist @HamaEcho who tweeted the video it is recorded in the Jabal Shahshabo area west of Hama.
In the first video what appears to be cluster bomb submunitions can be seen. And in the second video what appears to be a cluster bomb dispenser (or container) is shown.

Left: submunitions on the ground can be compared to the hand reaching for one of them. Centre: markings on one of the submunitions. Right: more markings.
Image source: this video uploaded on July 10. to AFAMIA1985 YouTube channel.

Left: the nose of what must be a dispenser/container-bomb that have carried the submunitions. Centre: markings. Right: the tail.
Image source: this video uploaded on July 10. to AFAMIA1985 YouTube channel.

As can be seen the darkness makes it hard to get a clear view of the over all shape of the dispenser, but in order to better judge what on-line images that might be a match I made the sketch below. The sketch is probably too compact, but it is only meant to give an idea of the principal shape. 

A quick sketch of the principal shape of the dispenser by me.
The "20.65" marking seen in the video is placed in the position where the video makes me believe it should be found.
From the video it seems that a there is a number below the horizontal line. It is possibly a two digit number and could look like a "1" followed by either an "8" a "3" or a "2", but I could easily be wrong here. (by the video reports from around October 10. it is clear the the two digit number below the line is "12".

British blogger Brown Moses has driven a further investigation of this case, and it seems an identification is very close to have been made. The findings can be studied in this post.

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video of the same case, recorded in daylight. Uploaded 13/07/2012 with the title: 'hero speaks about cluster bombs at Mount Shahshabo'(added 15/07/2012).

Around October 10, 2012 a number of new cases of cluster munitions have been video reported: from Idlib, Aleppo and the surroundings of Damascus. One case was also reported from Abu Kamal in late July.

The reports have been collected by Brown Moses in these posts(added 15/10/2012).

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Caution: In relation to the videos in this post, please notice: even if bombs or other munitions didn't explode as intended, they are not safe to handle.

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) should not be picked up, and should only be handled by professionals. Anyone else should observe the ARMS guidelines:

- Avoid the area
- Record all relevant information from a safe distance
- Mark the area to warn others
- Seek assistance from the relevant authorities

- link to print-out poster and warning flags in Arabic and English from R.R.M.A. 
(notice updated December 19, 2012)
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* general note: all locations and dates of recordings, given of videos, are those stated by the up-loaders. Also this is all to the best of my knowledge, and since I'm no authority in this field, I try to present my observations in a way, that will allow you to apply your own judgement. Please do so.

related posts on this blog:
- Hama Military Airport
- Rastan

- weapons used on Homs
- mortar position, Homs
- M5 highway, Aleppo - Damascus - (Hama on the map)

- any corrections and additions are welcome. You can leave information as a comment or you can contact me via twitter.