Saturday 4 February 2011
February 4, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Guardian: Syria: over 200 dead after ‘massacre’ in Homs
Observers claim deaths came after shelling by security forces on eve of UN vote on removal of Bashar al-Assad
More than 200 people were reported to have been killed yesterday in the Syrian city of Homs as security forces continued their efforts to take back opposition-held areas on the eve of a vote by the UN security council on a much-disputed resolution on the country. Read more
Friday 3 February 2012
February 4, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Wissam Sleem Tarif: In the last 2 hours Al Assad troops killed at least 238 and injured 600+ in #Homs alone #Syria
“There are so many injured – They keep pouring in. We can’t do anything to most of them” A Doctor in #Homs by phone from #Syria
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The death toll of martyrs who were fallen tonight in the neighbourhood of Al-Khaledia in Homs has risen to 105 martyrs including women and children. Also, there are hundreds of wounded people and the bombardment is continuing in several neighbourhoods in Homs while the Arab community is silent towards the crimes committed by the Syrian regime.
Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Centre: BREAKING – Homs (03/02/2012): There are dozens of martyrs and more than 150 injured when the regime has responded to recent Free Syrian Army advances in Homs with VERY HEAVY shelling of Khaldiyeh district. The number of casualties is increasing all the time, among them women and kids, as residential areas are targeted and many houses have collapsed. This is one of the first images coming out. (Warning Graphic)
Summary (03/02/2012): At least 62 martyrs have fallen most of them in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama. The regime is using the Russian license to kill very well by launching attacks in the Damascus countryside, Rastan and Anadan while in Inkhel men under 50 years old were not allowed to leave their houses today. Homs remains a war zone, especially Khaldiyah. The number of defections to the Free Syrian Army has also been increasing in recent days. Syria – Friday 03/02/2012 – Google Maps
Call on Russia to support a strong UNSC resolution on Syria
February 3, 2012 by sks
Filed under Reports, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Russia has threatened to use its veto power to block a resolution at the UN Security Council designed to help stop the Syrian government from continuing its bloody crackdown on peaceful dissent in the country. Take action
The UK, France, Portugal, and other members of the United Nations Security Council have put forward a resolution on Syria which has been under intensive discussion by the Security Council. Read more
TURKISH GENERAL STAFF KNEW ULUDERE VICTIMS WERE NOT PKK REBELS
A military source has told Today’s Zaman the purpose behind the deadly airstrike in Uludere district of Sirnak was done purposely to put the Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozel in a “difficult position”. The airstrike which resulted in the killing of 34 civilian food-smugglers was done with knowledge that they were not rebels or even associated with them. Read more
Syria: Stop Torture of Children
February 3, 2012 by sks
Filed under Reports, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Security Forces Detain Juveniles, Occupy Schools
(New York, February 3, 2012) – Syrian army and security officers have detained and tortured children with impunity during the past year, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch has documented at least 12 cases of children detained under inhumane conditions and tortured, as well as children shot while in their homes or on the street. Human Rights Watch has also documented government use of schools as detention centers, military bases or barracks, and sniper posts, as well as the arrest of children from schools. Read more
Thursday 2 February 2012
February 2, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Centre: SUMMARY (02/02/2012): 17 martyrs are reported to have fallen today as there were raids in Daraa and several suburbs of Damascus, and many towns in Idlib are still under fire. While the Free Syrian Army continues to make gains in Homs, the regime is deploying forces to prepare for new attacks against Zabadani and Rastan. Meanwhile, Hama was under heavy security presence today – the regime was taking no chances on the 30th anniversary of the Assad family’s most notorious crime. Never again? Syria – Thursday 02/02/2012 – Google Maps Read more
Kurdish refugees from Syria languish in Iraq
February 2, 2012 by sks
Filed under Reports, Syria, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
While focus is on the uprising in Syria which started almost a year ago, Syrian Kurds revolted years before.
Riots in the mainly Kurdish city of Qamishli in 2004 were crushed by security forces. Rights groups say at least 30 people were killed in that crackdown.
Thousands of Kurds crossed the border into Iraq and have been living as refugees since.
Al Jazeera’s Jane Arraf reports from a refugee camp in Moqableh in northern Iraq.
Uploaded by AlJazeeraEnglish on Feb 1, 2012
Wednesday 1 February 2012
February 2, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Centre: Summary (01/02/2012): At least 75 martyrs have fallen today, 36 of them in Wadi Barada, NW of Damascus. Rankous, north of Damascus, is still besieged while Homs, Hama and Idlib are all war zones. Meanwhile, Tehran announced the kidnapping of another 11 Iranians in Syria who were “visiting holy monuments.” Hundreds of thousands of Iranian tourists and pilgrims do travel to Syria each year, we would advise them now is not the time. The video of the day is Damascus (Hijaz), it might not be a big protest, but each one of them is a real hero to protest less than 100 m from the general police headquarters in the heart of the capital. Syria – Wednesday 01/02/2012 – Google Maps Read more
Tuesday 31 January 2012
January 31, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
Alliance for Kurdish Rights: Hilary Clinton at Security Council Meeting: It will take all Syrians working together – Alawis & Christians hand-in-hand with Sunnis and Druze, side-by-side with Arabs & Kurds.
Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Centre: SUMMARY (31/01/2012): While the UN Security Council starts to discuss Syria, once again, at least 32 civilian martyrs have fallen (including 2 children and 2 women) mostly in Idlib, Homs, Damascus and Daraa. The food shortage is now affecting parts of both Aleppo and Damascus, where the assault on the eastern suburbs has been continuing – with reports of mass arrests, destruction of property and looting by security forces. More than 1,150 martyrs were reported this month, making January the bloodiest month of the uprising so far. Syria – Tuesday 31/01/2012 – Google Maps Read more
Monday 30 January 2012
January 30, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syrian Revolution
Comments Off
‘We haven’t got enough equipment, we haven’t got enough doctors‘: Homs (30/01/2012): Homs may come in and out of reporting by the media and even by activists like us but the basic fact remains that since April/May last year Homs has been under attack by the Assad regime. This video shows Syrian-British activist Danny Abdul Dayem back in Homs and showing us Baba Amru today:
30/01/2012: Homs (Bab Amru)
Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Centre: HOMS (30/01/2012): This is video shows the family slaughtered by the regime’s thugs in Homs today – Mohammed al-Turki, his wife Ibtisam and their 4 children (Ahmed, Amjad, Tahiyat, Tasneem). This is the second massacre like this that has taken place in the Karam al-Zeitoun neighbourhood in the last 4 days. This area does not have a strong Free Syrian Army presence, leaving many people there at the mercy of the shabeeha and loyalist military units:
Homs, Karam al-Zeitoun 30/01/2012 (WARNING: GRAPHIC)
and British Syrians & Friends in Solidarity with the Syrian Revolution: We are not ashamed to say we cried when watching this video. A family of 6 were not only killed in cold blood. Much much worse. They were tortured, stabbed & shot to death. The children were not exempt. One of the children still has the hair of his mother that was ripped of her head when they took the child off her by force. In addition, no-one could rescue them for 5 days. Why is this still going on?!?!
UPDATE (30/01/2012): At least 39 martyrs have been reported today so far, mostly in Damascus and Homs. In Damascus, fighting continues in the eastern suburbs, while in Homs there are reports of a new slaughter of an entire family by the regime’s gangs in Karam al-Zeitoun. Meanwhile, in Rastan north of Homs heavy fighting continues for a 3rd day:
30/01/2012 Damascus (Kafar Batna)
Statement By Secretary Clinton On The Sharp Escalation Of Regime Violence In Syria:
The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the escalation of the Syrian regime’s violent and brutal attacks on its own people. In the past few days we have seen intensified Syrian security operations all around the country which have killed hundreds of civilians. The government has shelled civilian areas with mortars and tank fire and brought down whole buildings on top of their occupants. The violence has escalated to the point that the Arab League has had to suspend its monitoring mission. The regime has failed to meet its commitments to the Arab League to halt its acts of violence, withdraw its military forces from residential areas, allow journalists and monitors to operate freely and release prisoners arrested because of the current unrest.
The Security Council must act and make clear to the Syrian regime that the world community views its actions as a threat to peace and security. The violence must end, so that a new period of democratic transition can begin.
Tomorrow, I will attend a United Nations Security Council meeting on Syria where the international community should send a clear message of support to the Syrian people: we stand with you. The Arab League is backing a resolution that calls on the international community to support its ongoing efforts, because the status quo is unsustainable. The longer the Assad regime continues its attacks on the Syrian people and stands in the way of a peaceful transition, the greater the concern that instability will escalate and spill over throughout the region.
…
NOW! Lebanon
[local time]
10:01 Monday’s Syrian death toll has risen to 85, Al-Arabiya television quoted activists as saying.
21:48 Representatives of Syria’s Kurdish community are divided on the issue of seeking a foreign military intervention to help topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
21:20 Syrian army forces clashed with Free Syrian Army members in Edleb’s Saraqeb, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
20:59 Syrian troops are shelling the Edleb town of Saraqeb, Al-Arabiya television cited activists as saying.
20:12 Monday’s death toll in Syria has risen to 60 people, Al-Arabiya television quoted activists as saying.
20:09 Two Lebanese nationals and their Syrian friend went missing in Syria after heading to the strife-stricken country a week ago, AFP reported Monday.
19:45 The Syrian army shelled and stormed Edleb’s Khan Shaykhun on Monday, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
19:36 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that the UN Security Council “must act” on Syria to end President Bashar al-Assad’s “violent and brutal attacks” against demonstrators.
19:08 Russia will not back a new draft resolution on Syria, its deputy foreign minister said Monday ahead of the UN Security Council’s debate over the latest Western-backed proposal.
19:07 Russia will not back the new Arab-EU draft resolution on Syria, AFP reported.
19:03 The opposition Syrian National Council warned on Monday of a possible “massacre” of hundreds of young men rounded up by security forces in the town of Rankus near Damascus.
18:50 The Syrian army shelled Homs’ Bab al-Sibaa neighborhood, killing a number of residents, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
17:47 Monday’s death toll in Syria has risen to 45 people, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
17:24 British Foreign Minister William Hague will travel to the United Nations to push for a resolution on Syria, the Foreign Office said on Monday.
17:19 The UN Security Council’s view on Syria is “evolving,” France said Monday.
17:14 The Syrian army’s shelling of the Homs neighborhoods of Karm al-Zeytoun and Jouret al-Chiyah has injured a number of residents, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
16:37 The opposition Syrian National Council said that the opposition rejected all talks with the Damascus regime until President Bashar al-Assad steps down.
16:12 The Syrian army surrounded the town of Yabroud near Damascus and deployed snipers, Al-Jazeera television quoted activists as saying.
14:49 Russia on Monday said the Syrian authorities have agreed to a Russian offer to hold informal talks in Moscow with opposition representatives to resolve the crisis in the country.
13:47 French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is to head to New York on Tuesday to press the UN Security Council into taking action over the Syrian regime’s “crimes against humanity“, his ministry said.
13:45 Security forces have executed Free Syrian Army colonel Hussein Harmush, a founder of the rebel group made up of soldiers who defected, the Syrian League for Human Rights said on Monday.
13:02 Syrian security forces killed 24 people on Monday, Al-Arabiya reported.
12:40 Syrian security forces are shelling Hama, and the smoke can be seen billowing from the castle of Hama, Al-Jazeera reported.
12:26 The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the world’s largest Muslim body, urged the international community on Monday to take up its responsibilities in protecting Syrian civilians and ending bloodshed there.
12:14 Syria’s Monday death toll has risen to 18 people, Al-Arabiya television reported.
11:42 Clashes in Syria’s Daraa killed six troops and three civilians, AFP reported on Monday.
11:13 A blast targeted a gas pipeline between Homs and Banias in Syria, Al-Arabiya television reported on Monday.
10:28 The leader of Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood in remarks published Monday that his party is “ready to cooperate with all sects, which serves the interest of Syria on the basis of common benefits and mutual respect.”
9:18 Security forces killed 9 people on Monday, mostly in the Damascus district, Al-Arabiya reported.
7:20 Fierce clashes broke out near the Syrian capital on Sunday as President Bashar al-Assad’s opponents sought to crank up the pressure for United Nations action after the Arab League withdrew its observers.
…
Syria says ‘terrorists’ blew up gas pipeline – World – CBC News
In the past several months, I have heard dozens of suggested scenarios. Some are plausible, others are fantastic, but all are suggested seriously by usually knowledgeable observers and analysts, writes Rami G. Khouri:
Middle East Online::Syrian Scenarios: www.middle-east-online.com
BBC: Syria’s Assad will go, says US, as UN vote nears
The US has called on countries to decide where they stand on what it calls the Syrian regime’s brutality.
Activists say 95 people were killed across Syria on Monday in cities including Damascus and Homs.
The White House said President Bashar al-Assad had lost control of Syria, adding “he will go”.
Russia has said it will block a UN resolution calling for Mr Assad to hand power to a deputy who would then form a government of national unity.
Moscow said the text – proposed by the Arab League and backed by the US, the UK and France – was “not balanced” and would “leave open the possibility of intervention” in Syria’s affairs.
The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of anti-government groups, said on its Facebook page Monday’s death toll was 95, including 72 in the central city of Homs. In Deraa, in the south, 15 people were killed, while six deaths were reported in the Damascus suburbs.Their claims cannot be independently verified, as the the BBC and other international media are severely restricted inside Syria.
However, heavy machine-gun fire was reported in the restive Bab Amr district of Homs, while activists said at least 225 tank shells were fired at the eastern suburbs of Damascus.
Earlier, reports said the Syrian army had regained control of some Damascus suburbs recently held by rebel forces.
Qatari backing
The White House said countries weighing their options at the Security Council should take into account that Mr Assad would be ousted.
“The regime has lost control of the country and will eventually fall,” said spokesman Jay Carney.Moscow, which has maintained its ties with Damascus, has so far resisted moves for a UN resolution condemning the violence in Syria. Russia has a naval base in the country and supplies arms to Syria.
“The current Western draft… certainly cannot be supported by us,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency.
Mr Gatilov said the draft was “not balanced” and “leaves open the possibility of intervention in Syrian affairs”.
France says 10 of the 15 countries on the Security Council now support the Arab League text. A minimum of nine council members must lend their backing in order for a resolution to be put to a vote.
However, Russia – as one of the five permanent council members – can veto any proposed resolution.
The BBC’s Barbara Plett, at the UN, says Russia views the resolution as a first step towards regime change.
The UK has urged Moscow to reconsider its opposition.
“Russia can no longer explain blocking the UN and providing cover for the regime’s brutal repression,” said a spokeswoman for Prime Minister David Cameron.
On Monday, Russia also offered to mediate talks between the Syrian government and the opposition – a suggestion the opposition rejected out of hand.
The Syrian government has rejected the Arab League plan, which would see Mr Assad’s deputy forming a national unity government within two months.
The prime minister of Qatar and the secretary-general of the Arab League are also going to New York to seek support for the draft text.
Qatar heads the League’s committee dealing with the Syrian crisis and has previously called for Arab countries to send troops into Syria.
On Saturday, the Arab League announced it was suspending its month-old monitoring mission in Syria because of an upsurge of violence.
The Syrian army held funerals on Monday for 22 of its members killed in the previous 24 hours. The BBC’s Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, says on average 20 members of the security forces are being killed each day.
Reports have emerged suggesting security forces may have killed senior army defector Lt-Col Hussein Harmoush, one of the first military officers to publicly declare his opposition to Mr Assad last year.
However, the Free Syrian Army, many of whose members are based in Turkey, said they could not confirm reports of his death.
Analysis: Barbara Plett BBC UN correspondent
Western states hope Tuesday’s Arab League briefing to the Security Council can break the impasse over Syria. US and European foreign ministers will be present to demonstrate their support for the Arab plan, which they want the council to endorse.
But the Russians have met this combined offensive with rejection. Keen to protect a thriving arms trade with Syria, they have complained about the resolution’s call to stop the flow of weapons to the country (although it doesn’t impose an arms embargo).
But the critical issue is the fate of Bashar al-Assad, Russia’s closest Arab ally. The Arab peace plan calls on him to delegate power to a deputy. For the Russians this is regime change by another name.
So the bottom line is: can there be a compromise between Arab and Western states on the one hand, which says there there is no solution with Assad, and Russia on the other, which insists there is no solution without him.
…
Reuters: Syrian authorities agree to Moscow talks – Russia
Syria has agreed to take part in Moscow-mediated talks on solving the country’s crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday, calling on the Syrian opposition to join the planned negotiations.
However, a senior member of the Syrian opposition council said that no invitation had been received from Moscow and that it would be refused anyway.
Moscow, a permanent U.N. Security Council member with veto powers, has offered to host the talks in an effort to end the bloodshed since protests began 10 months ago against President Bashar al-Assad.
“We have received a positive response from the Syrian authorities to our call (to hold talks in Moscow),” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.
“We hope … that the Syrian opposition will agree to that in the next few days, putting the interests of the Syrian people above all other concerns.”
Moscow’s offer of talks may be an attempt to strengthen its arguments against a Western draft resolution at the Security Council supporting an Arab League call for Assad to cede power.
Russia has said that Assad’s resignation must not be a precondition for the Syrian peace process. It has remained one of Assad’s few allies and has supplied him with arms and ammunition during the protests.
Moscow has repeatedly said Assad’s opponents share the blame for the bloodshed. It fears a Western resolution could be interpreted broadly enough to lead to a Libyan-style military intervention, which Russia says it will not allow.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov reiterated Moscow would not support the Western resolution, which he said appeared quite similar to the French-inspired Security Council peace initiative condemning Damascus and hinting that Syrian authorities could face U.N. sanctions, which Moscow and Beijing vetoed last year.
“The current Western draft (resolution) is only a step away from the October version, and can by no means be supported by us,” he told Interfax news agency. “This document is not balanced … and above all leaves the door open for intervention in Syrian (internal) affairs.”
Russia submitted its own draft resolution in December, but Western diplomats said they could not accept Russian wording assigning blame to the government and the opposition for the violence, which the United Nations says has killed more than 5,000 people.
