Chapter 560 Two Hours
Raka was defended, and Bai Gou was dead.
The moment Chen Chen received this news, he was completely numb.
He did expect that the battle in Raka would be extremely fierce, and he was even prepared to lose all ground armored forces, the Tiger Corps would be completely wiped out, and the Dongfeng Corps would lose more than 50% of its personnel.
However, he never thought that as a commander, Bai Gou, who was definitely at the back of the battlefield and heavily protected, would be beheaded by the enemy within two hours after the battle started!
Such "confirmed death" could not be an accident, and the intelligence could not be biased.
Because, even if Bai Gou had a glimmer of hope to survive, or he was just missing, the report Chen Chen received would definitely not be so cold and short.
If he had not temporarily changed his plan to leave Raka with Li Bang for reconnaissance, it is very likely that the "result" of this beheading operation would be himself!
Chen Chen's heart was filled with extreme anger, but the angrier he was, the calmer his tone became.
After taking a deep breath, he asked:
"What is the specific situation? What is the configuration of the other party? Are you sure it is DEVGRU?"
"We can't accurately verify the identity of the other party, but judging from the equipment on the bodies of the people who were killed, they should be DEVGRU."
"Two teams of more than 24 people, mixed in the enemy's large forces, accurately located the building where our temporary headquarters was located when the fighting between the two sides was the most intense. After interspersed with the combat position, they directly rushed into the headquarters to decapitate."
"Their combat intention is very clear, that is, to destroy our headquarters, and it must be completely wiped out."
"Fighting CQB with us, their losses are not small. When I arrived, they had not had time to evacuate, and nearly half of them died."
"However, everyone in our headquarters died, and all the equipment was destroyed. Now the radio in my hand is our last radio."
"Understood."
After Yang Shu finished speaking, the idea of "ordering to abandon Raqqa and evacuate" in Chen Chen's mind instantly became stronger.
The reason is very simple, there is no fighting.
Air-ground coordination, electronic interference, equipment suppression, number suppression, and now there are highly targeted and cost-effective special forces decapitation operations. This series of factors combined together can almost be said to have formed a dead end.
Not to mention the Syrian government forces that are so weak that they can fight back and forth with the Free Army, even if the Russians come in person, they have to consider whether they can break the other party's electromagnetic dominance.
If the electromagnetic dominance cannot be opened, all subsequent confrontations are castles in the air. No matter how strong your fighting will and sacrifice determination are, you can only become the nourishment of the invisible ghost in the end.
Judging from the current situation, the failure of the Raqqa Campaign is almost doomed.
——
However, if Chen Chen gives up, it is completely inconsistent with the most basic and logical value judgment.
Because, after paying huge casualties, the Tiger Corps did defend the city of Raqqa, creating the first local victory for the entire campaign, and also tore the only hole in this tight and suffocating network.
It's time to choose.
If they withdraw, the war situation in Syria will inevitably collapse. Even if Russia intervenes later, the situation will only be worse than what Chen Chen saw in his previous life. All the investments of the Dongfeng Corps will be wasted.
If they don't withdraw, the losses they will suffer will inevitably increase.
Should they continue to gamble, or admit defeat and leave?
Chen Chen did not hesitate too much, but decisively gave the order:
"Continue to hold on to Raqqa and wait for support."
"We must fight to the end."
"Understood."
Yang Shu's tone was extremely heavy, but he did not show any doubt about Chen Chen's order, but continued to report calmly:
"The enemy has withdrawn back to the city. The biggest threat we face now is the 155mm self-propelled artillery deployed 5 kilometers away and the remaining DEVGRU decapitation team."
"Next, we will fight with the enemy around several key points in the city."
"We don't have many troops left. According to the current rhythm, we can only hold on for two hours at most."
"After two hours, the city of Raqqa will inevitably fall."
"At that time, no matter how many people we have left, we will retreat directly."
"No problem, I will let Tabuka organize evacuation and rescue at all costs."
"Received."
With a snap, the phone was hung up.
Chen Chen held the radio in his hand and was stunned for several seconds before he came to his senses.
He knew very well that the evacuation and rescue he had mentioned was absolutely meaningless. Yang Shu could not wait until that time, and NATO could not let its helicopters fly to Raqqa without any hindrance.
The only chance for the Raqqa defenders was here.
Only if he successfully delayed the actions of the follow-up large forces, the enemy forces in Raqqa would be able to slow down the pace of attack due to the changes in the war situation, leaving time for Yang Shu to evacuate and time for the Syrian government to provide support.
Thinking of this, Chen Chen gave an order:
"Follow the opponent's reconnaissance troops closely, take off the drone, keep a distance of more than 3 kilometers, and see where they are going."
"The opponent's helicopters should evacuate after being escorted to the place. As soon as they leave, we will immediately destroy the opponent's reconnaissance troops!"
"Understood."
Li Bang nodded in reply, and then asked:
"Do we still have a chance to win?"
“It’s gone long ago, and it’s even less likely now.”
"What we have to do is not to win, but to find ways to lose as little as possible."
"The city of Raqqa was not lost. This is the only chance in the entire campaign. The losses that have been paid are sunk costs. There is no need to think about it again."
"But if we can use this opportunity to swallow up the opponent's vanguard, at least we won't be completely defeated."
Having said this, Chen Chen paused for a few seconds, and then continued to order:
"Inform Suhail that there is a change of plan."
"No need to go to Tal Abyad, we can't stop them."
"Go directly to Raqqa, swallow up the opponent's vanguard, and then evacuate with our people."
"Understood. What about us?"
Li Bang asked subconsciously.
"We'll stay here. After defeating the reconnaissance force, we'll join the border guard battalion coming over."
"Didn't Camel say that it's a good thing to be able to give it away?"
"We need to send all 600 people away, hold off the enemy's large forces for half an hour, and create a support window for Suhail."
"clear."
As soon as the words fell, Li Bang immediately picked up the radio and started to contact Suhail.
At this moment, everyone in the reconnaissance team of the Dongfeng Corps realized how big the crisis was.
Raqqa is about to be lost, and the brothers in the city are struggling to survive;
When Suhail rushes to reinforce Raqqa, he has to use the hundreds of newly recruited militiamen in his hands to go head-to-head with the opponent's elite troops.
As for my reconnaissance team, after confronting the opponent head-on, they will also do the work of filling the line with infantry.
Three directions, three forces, each facing a severe test of life and death.
Many people will die on this moonless night. Even if they survive in the end, it is definitely not a victory.
This can only be a tragic rout.
But only such a defeat can retain the last hope
At the same time, in Raqqa city.
Yang Shu has re-established a temporary headquarters in a new location. Now, except for several members of the sniper and observation teams, there is only one survivor who was rescued from the previous headquarters.
Laplani.
At this time, he was shaking all over, as if he had not been freed from the previous fear, and when Yang Shu hung up the phone and walked to him again, he just raised his head with blank eyes, without any intention of taking the initiative. Plan to speak.
".I ask you again, are you sure there is no mole among your people?"
"Their positioning is very accurate and their actions are very resolute. This cannot be the effect that electronic countermeasures can achieve. It can only be caused by someone leaking the secret."
"Tell me who that person is."
"It would be good for all of us to speak out."
Hearing Yang Shu's words, Laplani's pupils trembled slightly for a moment, but then he shook his head and replied:
"There's no point anymore."
"Even if I knew who he was, he would be dead now."
"Believe me, I definitely don't want this to happen - as you can see, my survival is entirely due to luck."
"Those Americans had no intention of leaving anyone alive. If the guards had not discovered their location in advance, the battle might not have happened at all."
"There's no way we couldn't find it."
Yang Shu interrupted Laplani and then asked:
"Who is it? I just want an answer."
".our translator."
Laplani let out a long sigh, and then continued:
"He was the only one there besides me."
"He is the only one who has not been isolated from the chain of command by you."
"I know you are actually doubting me, and I can't refute it. After all, he is dead."
"However, things have reached this point. To be rational, even if I am the traitor, there is no point in killing me."
"That's all I can say."
"From now on until the end, I will be with you."
"If I have to die, I will die in front of you."
After Laplani finished speaking, Yang Shu's expression finally relaxed a bit.
In fact, he also knew that Laplani was unlikely to be the mole. The disastrous defeat of his own headquarters' beheading was most likely to be blamed on the disgusting internal management of the Syrian government.
Maybe their senior commanders want to win, but even if it's just one level lower, you can't tell what the thoughts of more middle- and lower-level officers are.
This is a terrible disconnect.
Both the upper and lower levels want to win, only the middle level doesn't.
This means that the entire country's management system has completely collapsed, and the rebellion of the Free Army is only the smallest problem.
Thinking of this, Yang Shu breathed a long sigh of relief and then said:
"You should be lucky that Xia Xing returned to Tabuka early."
"If she dies here, not to mention you, there are many senior government officials in your country who will be buried with her."
".I know."
Laplani nodded sadly. At this moment, a strange thought inexplicably flashed through his mind.
That is, if the woman named Xia Xing is really here, will she die?
Most likely not.
After all, even in such a battle, the mercenaries in the headquarters responded in a very methodical way.
The large-caliber bullets fired from the wall seemed to have no end to the grenades, thick smoke, violent flashes, and collapsed masonry.
Even now, recalling it, Laplani still couldn't understand how the battle happened and how it ended.
All he saw was chaos.
But all this chaos did not disturb the commander's judgment.
Under his command, his team members did not fire even a single shot at random.
——
Even when the enemy finally broke into the hall where the headquarters was located, they fired the first shot.
That round of counterattack almost destroyed the enemy's offensive, and played an amazing 0-6 exchange.
If it weren't for the overall disadvantage in numbers, and the opponent's external firepower blocking the exit, Laplani even felt that the commander could really lead the team to fight a beautiful counter-ambush.
Unfortunately, there is no if on the battlefield.
The last image in his mind was the commander's arm being torn apart by a large-caliber bullet flying from the wall, and then being shot dead by the second assault team that rushed into the room at the same time.
At that time, he had already fallen to the ground.
He thought he would not survive because most of the people around him died.
But he survived.
The support from the Dongfeng Corps forced the enemy's special forces to retreat, forcing them to give up the pursuit of "greater results".
Should I be thankful?
Maybe I should feel guilty.
After all, after I fell, I never stood up again.
If I had been more resolute at that time, even if I had only had the firepower of my gun, the ending might have been different, right?
Thinking of this, Laplani felt a nauseous annoyance in his chest.
He looked at Yang Shu and said in English:
"Give me a gun."
"We are short of manpower, and everyone needs a gun."
Hearing his words, Yang Shu was stunned.
Then, he nodded and said to the team member beside him:
"Give him a dagger."
The team member pulled out the dagger from his waist and threw it in front of Laplanni.
The latter paused for a moment, but then he reached out and grabbed the dagger.
"How long do we have to hold on?"
Laplanni asked:
"Two hours."
Yang Shu replied briefly.
"Okay."
Laplanni held the dagger in his hand, waved it gently a few times, and then continued:
"From now on, I will stand at the door."
"I don't wear a bulletproof vest, and I don't carry a gun."
"If they carry out a second round of beheadings, I will block the first gap they blow out."
"You can shoot behind me, or shoot through my body."
"Don't say such nonsense."
Yang Shu interrupted Laplanni coldly, and then said:
"I don't care whether you live or die, I just know that if we can't hold on for two hours, we will all die."
"Remember, two hours."