Friday 5 October 2012
October 6, 2012 by sks
Filed under News, Syria, Syrian Revolution
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Final death toll for Friday 5/10/2012: More than 140 Syrians were killed today. The dead include: 73 unarmed civilians ( of them 7 children), 22 rebel fighters, 4 defected soldiers and no less than 39 regime forces. 73 Unarmed Civilians:
- In Aleppo province 15 were killed. 9 civilians, including 2 children, were killed by bombardment on the neighbourhoods of al-Midan, Qadi A’skar, Bustan al-Qasr, al-Kalasa and al-Sha’ar. 1 was shot by sniper fire in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. A civilian from the al-Jmeiliya neighbourhood was shot by a military checkpoint. A civilian was found dead inside his car in the al-Zahra’ neighbourhood of Aleppo city. 3 Syrian Kurds, including a woman, were killed when the bus they were in was bombarded by a military helicopter in the Deir Jamal town of Reef Aleppo.
- In Deir Izzor province 3 were killed. 2 were killed by bombardment on the Mouhasan town of Reef Deir Izzor. 1 was killed by bombardment on the city of Deir Izzor.
- In Idlib province 7 were killed. 3 civilians, including a woman and child, were killed by bombardment on the city of M’aret al-Nu’man. 3 civilians, including 2 women, were killed by bombardment on the Bansqoul village of Reef Idlib. 1 was killed by bombardment on the Taftanaz town.
- In Dera’a province 9 were killed. 2 civilians from the al-Karak al-Sharqi town were killed, 1 by bombardment, the other was shot by regime forces. 7 civilians, including 2 women and 2 children, were shot by regime forces after they stormed the al-Mseifra town of Reef Dera’a.
- In Hama province a civilian was shot by sniper fire in the al-Jrajma neighbourhood of Hama city.
- In Damascus province 2 were killed. 1 from the al-Mazza neighbourhood was tortured to death after detainment by regime forces. 1 was shot by pro regime militants in the Seedi Meqdad neighbourhood of Damascus city.
- In Latakia province 1 was killed by regime bombardment on the Kafraya village of Reef Latakia.
22 Rebel Fighters:
- In Aleppo province 11 rebel fighters were killed. A rebel commander was killed during clashes with regime forces in the al-Sakhour neighbourhood of Aleppo city. A rebel fighter was killed during clashes with regime forces in western Reef Aleppo. 9 rebel fighters were killed during clashes with regime forces in western Reef Aleppo and the Kafrnaha town and Aleppo city.
- In Reef Dimashq province a rebel fighter was killed during clashes with regime forces in the al-Qteifa town.
- In Homs province a rebel fighter was killed during clashes with regime forces in the al-Qusour neighbourhood.
- In Deir Izzor province 7 rebel fighters were killed. 2 were killed during clashes with regime forces in the al-Mwathfin neighbourhood of Deir Izzor city. 5 were killed during clashes with regime forces at the Dawar al-Halbiya checkpoints in the outskirts of Deir Izzor city by the political security branch.
- In Idlib province a rebel fighter from the Kafr’rouq village was shot by regime forces in the city of Aleppo.
- In Hama province a rebel fighter was tortured to death after detainment by regime forces in the city of Hama.
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- 4 defected soldiers were killed during clashes with regime forces in Dera’a, Reef Dimashq and Aleppo as well as bombardment on the Aleppo province.
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- The SOHR was able to document an additional 6 names. 3 were killed by bombardment on the neighbourhoods of Aleppo city in the past couple of days. 3 rebel fighters were killed during clashes with regime forces in the Zakya town of Reef Dimashq.
- Information received indicates that 5 civilians were killed. 2 were killed by bombardment on the neighbourhoods of al-Qseila and Bustan al-Qasr of Aleppo city. 3 were shot as regime forces stormed the al-Mseifra town of Reef Dera’a.
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- At least 39 regime forces, including 2 officers, were killed by attacks on military checkpoints and clashes in the provinces of al-Raqqa, Latakia, Reef Dimashq, Deir Izzor, Homs, Idlib, Aleppo and Hama.
On the Ground Activities in West Kurdistan: Western Kurdistan Revolution
Sare Kaniye: Injuring of a Young Kurd by a bullet of Turkish Border Guards
Local sources reported that Turkish Guards on the Syrian-Turkish border opened fire on the opposite side to them in Sare Kaniye. One of the bullets hit the young Kurdish Jalal Issam Taher while he was sitting with some of his comrades at the border point.
According to the same sources, after the opening of fire from the Turkish Guards, there was exchange of fire which result in injuring of Taher in his knee. After that one of the Turkish Soldiers went towards Sare Kaniye. He has hit Taher and tried to drag him outside towardsNorth Kurdistan. But he was forced to retreat and flee amid screams of the people who took Taher to a hospital, where he underwent surgery on his knee.
Killing of the Kurdish Citizen ‘’Joan Abdelrahman Tarmush’’ in the bombing of Regime Forces
Joan Abdelrahman Tarmush (31 years old from Jandres in Efrin) passed away yesterday as a result of the bombing of Syrian Remime Forces to Alhaydarya neighbourhood related toAleppoCityinSyria. According to sources, 21 people were injured as a result of the bombing.
The body of Joan Tarmush has been transferred to his hometown (Jandres).
The clashes between army and opposition forces has resulted in loss of tens Kurdish citizens for their lives in the past weeks and months.
Joining of Derbasye Teachers to Kurdish language Teaching Courses
Kurdish Language Foundation started running courses of teaching Kurdish language for Kurdish teachers in public schools. The goal of these courses is to qualify them and be ready to teach the language to students.
The work of Public Council in Western Kurdistan
Qamishlo: Road construction in Helelye neighbourhood
The public council in the city ofQamishloin cooperation with the Helelye Council started paving and repair some of the neighbourhood ways in Helelye which is one of the popular neighbourhood with high density in Qamishlo and suffers from the problems of dirt roads since its inception.
Some people of the neighbourhood expressed their gratitude to both of the councils and to everybody who supported performing this job. In addition they wish them to do more and beter work in the future.
Deyrek: Lecture about the History of Kurdish Language
Confederation of National Kurdish Students held a lecture titled ‘’ the history of Kurdish Language’’ in Degle Centre for Culture and Art, in the presence of dozen of students, Intellectuals and representatives of Cultural Organizations in the City.
Friday With Slogan of ‘’Kurdish Areas are red line’’
Thousands of Kurdish people are bracing to get out to the squares every Friday. Tomorrow they are preparing to get out in a demonstration organized by the Democratic Society Movement under the label of ‘’Kurdish Areas are red line’’.
Is worth mentioning that since the start of freedom revolution inSyriaand the Kurdish people are coming out every Friday to the street demanding their rights and to bring down the regime and its supporting infrastructure.
Democratic Party Union in Western Kurdistan
Gerke Lake: Opening of the Fourth Party Office
After party struggle and a lot of its sacrifices and martyrs this year, a lot of main centres in the heart of homeland have been opened.
Yesterday in Gerke Lake, the party opened its Fourth office in an historic step after years of prohibition and repression to be evident to the ability of people in saying a word separation in what they want.
A big crowd ofGerkeLake town has participated this opening.Activities of Star Union
A meeting of the Kurdish Women in Lebanon
Women Star Union held its meeting in (Bourj Hammoud) area inLebanon. The meeting was held in the presence of the joint head of People Council inWestern Kurdistanand Mrs. Sinam Muhammad who is member of the Supreme Kurdish Body.
During the meeting, Mrs. Muhammad pointed to the role of Kurdish woman inLebanonand the need of her awareness to reality in the aboard, to hung up the Kurdish culture and to avoid dissolution in culture of changes.
Confederation of National Kurdish Students
In a statement of National Kurdish Students, Kurdish students has been called to do not leave their areas and to not being drawn behind promises launched by some funders from aboard by giving them parts to complete their studies outside the country.
Living Problems: The Supreme Kurdish Body provides subsidies to in need People in Terbas Beye City
Since the outbreak of Syrian revolution, people live in problems which getting the brunt day after day. These problems overshadow daily living life inWestern Kurdistan. To mitigate these burdens, the service committee (related to the Supreme Kurdish Body) distributed food aid to the most affected families.
The Repercussions of Kurdish Language Teaching Refusal For The Directorate of Education Decision in Hassake
Gerke Lake refuses the decision and continues teaching.
Foundation of the Kurdish Language inGerkeLakepledged to continue the teaching of Kurdish Language in schools, despite the decision of Directorate of Education in Hassake. In addition the foundation warned the teaching staff of the further teaching of Kurdish children their mother tongue.
Relation Between Kurdish Parties and Their Impact on Syrian crisis.
Amed: A Delegation of The Supreme Kurdish Body Meets Officials in Democratic Society Movement
There was a meeting in Amed city inNorthern Kurdistanbetween the delegations of the Supreme Kurdish Body and Conference of Kurdish Democratic Society. The goal of this meeting was to strengthen the bilateral relations between the Kurdish political forces and constant consultation on issues of common concern.
Kurdish Language Foundation
Derbasye: Teaching of Kurdish Language in Primary and Secondary Schools
Kurdish Language Foundation reopened the school ‘’GamylaPrimary school’’ yesterday. The foundation started teaching the Kurdish Language in ‘’GirlsSecondary School’’ and hope to teach the Kurdish language in the rest of high schools in the near future.
05.10.2012
Syria: UN Security Council condemns terrorist attacks in Aleppo: The members of the United Nations Security Council today condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attacks which took place on Wednesday in the Syrian city of Aleppo, causing dozens of deaths and leaving more than a hundred civilians injured.
“They [Council members] expressed their deep sympathy and sincere condolences to the families of the victims of these heinous acts and to the people of Syria,” added Ambassador Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala, which holds the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of October, in a statement he read out to the media at UN Headquarters in New York.
In the press statement, the Council noted that Jebhat al-Nusra – an Islamist militant group affiliated with the Al-Qaida terrorist group – had claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to media reports, at least two car bombs exploded on Wednesday in Aleppo’s main Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and another bomb exploded a few hundred metres away, killing at least 48 people.
“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,” Ambassador Rosenthal said in the press statement.
In addition, the Council members reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the UN Charter.
They also reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.
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NOW! Lebanon
[local time] 22:13 Syria’s Friday death toll increased to 90 people, Al-Arabiya quoted activists as saying.
21:17 Turkey returned fire Friday after a new Syrian shell landed in on its territory close to their common border, NTV private news channel reported
21:07 Rebel fighters will execute dozens of Iranians they kidnapped in August unless Syria’s army withdraws from the embattled Eastern Ghuta area of Damascus province, a rebel commander said on Friday.
20:19 The head of Syria’s main opposition coalition on Friday accused the Damascus regime of trying to spread the unrest in the country to the region, branding the deadly shelling of a Turkish town “a regime plan.”
19:53 The Friday death toll in Syria rose to 60 people killed by regime forces, activists reported.
19:47 The Turkish army returned fire after a shell was shot from the Syrian side, Al-Jazeera reported.
19:25 A huge explosion rocked the town of Al-Kawkab in Hama on Friday, activists reported.
19:23 Syrian regime forces have been shelling the town of Maarat al-Naaman in Edleb, activists said.
19:15 The UN Security Council on Friday condemned the “terrorist” attacks in the Syrian city of Aleppo this week that killed dozens of people and were claimed by a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
18:38 Syrian rebels shot down another regime MiG airplane in the Deir az-Zour town of Mouhassan, activists reported.
18:28 Syrian refugees have become the largest group of asylum seekers in Sweden this year, according to data from the country’s Migration Board.
18:14 Syria’s Friday death toll increased to 47 people killed by regime forces’ gunfire, activists reported.
17:57 Syrian rebels shot down a regime warplane that was bombarding the town of Al-Ghouta al-Sharqiya in the Damascus district, activists reported.
17:23 A small group of Syrian Alawites, the same minority sect as President Bashar al-Assad, urged their community to join the anti-regime revolt in the country, in a statement sent to AFP on Friday.
16:56 The Free Syrian Army took over a police station in Homs along the border with Lebanon, Al-Jazeera reported.
16:45 Syrian regime forces raided the towns of Qudsaya and Al-Hama with more than 4,000 troops, activists reported.
16:27 Thousands of people demonstrated across Syria on Friday despite ongoing violence, calling for the arming of the rebel Free Syrian Army and condemning the international community’s inaction, monitors reported.
16:09 Heavy clashes erupted between Syrian regime forces and rebels in the town of Ain Terma in the Damascus district, activists reported.
15:47 Syrian aircraft targeted an anti-regime protest in the Aleppo neighborhood of Qadi Askar, Al-Jazeera reported.
15:25 A Syrian activist on Friday voiced fear that more fatalities might be incurred due to the lack of appropriate medical support in the town of Qusayr in Homs.
15:25 A Syrian activist on Friday voiced fear that more fatalities might be incurred due to the lack of appropriate medical support in the town of Qusayr in Homs.
15:21 Eleven soldiers defected on Friday in the area of Kufranjeh in the Latakia district, activists said.
15:18 Syrian regime forces and rebels have been clashing in the Deir az-Zour town of Abu Kamal, activists reported Friday.
15:17 A YouTube video purportedly filmed on Friday shows an area of the Al-Khalidiya neighborhood in Homs being shelled by Syrian regime forces’ fighter jets. A huge cloud of smoke could be seen towering over the area.
15:17 A YouTube video purportedly filmed on Friday shows anti-regime demonstrators in Halfaya near Hama shouting slogans calling for arming the rebel Free Syrian Army.
15:16 German federal prosecutors on Friday charged a 48-year-old man of dual German-Lebanese nationality alleged to have been spying for Damascus on opponents of the Syrian regime in Germany.
15:04 The town of Douma is being bombarded with MiG aircraft, activists reported on Friday.
14:57 Heavy shelling by Syrian regime forces targeted the town of Al-Khasra in Latakia, activists said on Friday.
14:51 A YouTube video purportedly filmed on Friday shows Syrian rebels after they had captured an air defense base belonging to regime forces in Eastern Al-Ghouta. The footage also shows a captured regime soldier surrounded by armed rebels.
14:45 Friday’s death toll in Syria has risen to 23 people, activists said.
14:24 A number of people were wounded in the Syrian regime shelling of the area of Saqba near Damascus, activists said.
14:21 A huge explosion rocked the neighborhood of Aleppo Road in the town of Hama, activists said.
13:14 Syrian regime forces heavily shelled the town of Horr Binafsihi in the Hama district, Al-Jazeera reported.
13:04 Anti-regime protests kicked off across Syria on Friday during which protesters called on the Baath regime to “leave” and for the rebels to be “armed,” Al-Jazeera television reported.
13:03 Al-Jazeera television is broadcasting live footage of an anti-regime protest in the area of Ain Arab near Aleppo.
13:02 Syrian warplanes bombed a rebel neighborhood of Homs on Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that it was the first time that fighter jets had been used against the central city.
12:07 Syrian security forces’ fighter jets shelled the towns of Kfar Ouayd and Al-Balyoun in Edleb’s Jabal al-Zawiya, Al-Jazeera reported.
12:06 Syrian regime forces killed eight people, most of whom are in the Damascus district and Homs, Al-Jazeera quoted activists as saying.
9:55 Syrian regime forces raided Al-Msayfra village in Daraa, Al-Arabiya television quoted activists as saying.
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BBC: Turkey ‘in new Syria retaliation‘
Turkey’s military returns fire after a Syrian mortar round again lands on Turkish soil, television channels say.
The incident happened in southern Hatay province on Friday afternoon, Turkish media said. No injuries were reported.
On Wednesday Syrian mortar fire killed five Turkish civilians in the town of Akcakale.
That prompted Turkey to return fire and its parliament to authorise military action inside Syria.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned Syria earlier on Friday at a large rally in Istanbul that the countries were “not far” from war.
Although he has insisted the parliamentary vote was only a deterrent and that Turkey would not start a war, he said at the rally: “Those who attempt to test Turkey’s deterrence, its decisiveness, its capacity, I say here they are making a fatal mistake.”
On Friday, Turkey moved tanks and anti-aircraft missiles into Akcakale and a Turkish foreign ministry official told Associated Press that Syria had pulled tanks and other material away from the border.
Turkish NTV channel said Syria had ordered warplanes and helicopters not to enter within 10km (six miles) of the Turkish border, but Damascus has made no comment on this.
‘We did not sleep’
Friday’s shelling incident reportedly took place near the Turkish town of Altinozu in Hatay province, much further west, at about 16:30 GMT.
The governor of Hatay province, Celalettin Lekesiz, was quoted by the Anadolu agency as saying that Turkish troops “responded with fire” after a mortar round landed in a rural area.
Although there were no reports of fresh cross-border clashes in Akcakale, the situation there remains tense.
One resident of Oncul, close to Akcakale, told AP: “Our store owners, our citizens and our children are all very concerned. We did not sleep until morning.”
On Thursday, the UN Security Council said the Akcakale shelling – which is believed to have been an accident – underscored the grave impact the Syrian crisis was having on “regional peace and stability”. Two women and three children were killed.
Turkey’s parliamentary vote authorised troops to launch cross-border operations against Syria and strike at Syrian targets for a period of one year.
Turkey’s retaliatory fire is its first since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s government began 18 months ago.
Protests inside Syria against President Assad – as here in the city of Houla – continued on Friday
Clashes between government forces and rebels continued across Syria on Friday.
The city of Homs was subjected to its most severe bombardment in five months, activists said.
They also reported fierce clashes in the second city Aleppo, and government shelling in the capital Damascus, Hama and Idlib.
Activists also posted videos online which they said showed a military aircraft being shot down by rebel fighters as it bombarded towns in the eastern Ghouta area.
It was unclear whether it was a helicopter or fighter jet.
According to activists, more than 30,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Assad began. The UN estimates that at least 20,000 have died.
BBC News - Syrian city of Homs sees ‘worst shelling in months‘: Turkish tank near Akcakale, 5 Oct 2012 Turkey has bolstered its military forces in Akcakale. Turkey responded by shelling Syrian army positions …
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Reuters: Russia urges restraint from Turkey after Syria border attacks
MOSCOW – Russia appealed to Turkey on Friday to stay calm and avoid any action that could increase tension with Syria after a series of cross-border attacks provoked stern warnings from Ankara.
The Russian statement was a response to the Turkish parliament’s decision on Thursday authorizing cross-border military action in the event of further aggression.
“We express the hope that the Turkish side will show restraint and will not take any steps that would lead to further aggravation of the situation in the region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Turkish artillery bombarded Syrian military targets on Wednesday and Thursday in response to the shelling by Syrian forces and Ankara has made clear it is ready to launch more retaliatory strikes if the war spills across the border.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday his country did not want war with Syria but was “not far” from it.
Russia opposes foreign intervention in Syria, an ally and arms customer since the Soviet era, and together with China has vetoed three U.N. Security Ciouncil resolutions condemning President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
On Thursday, Russia joined the other Security Council members in condemning the Syrian mortar attack on a Turkish border town after Western members revised a draft of the statement to accommodate some of Moscow’s concerns.
(Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
U.N. Security Council condemns “terrorist attacks” in Aleppo:
UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. Security Council on Friday unanimously condemned what it described as “terrorist attacks” in the Syrian city of Aleppo earlier this week, a series of coordinated suicide bombings which killed 48 people in the northern metropolis.
“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Aleppo, Syria on 3 October, causing dozens of deaths and over one hundred civilians injured, responsibility for which was claimed by the Jebhat al-Nusra group affiliated with al Qaeda,” the 15-nation council said in a non-binding statement.
Agreements among Security Council members on the Syrian conflict are rare. Friday’s statement came on the heels of a separate statement on Thursday that condemned a deadly Syrian mortar attack on a Turkish border town on the same day as the Aleppo bombings.
Council diplomats said Russia had insisted on Friday’s statement on the Aleppo attack in exchange for its support for the statement on the Syrian mortar attack on Turkey that killed five civilians.
Western diplomats said privately they were reluctant to issue statements on individual attacks in the Syria war, but insisted that the cross-border attack on Turkey was unique and deserved special attention.
Syria’s U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari said his government had urged the Security Council to include in any statement on the border attacks a reaction to “suicide terrorist attacks that struck the city of Aleppo.”
Consensus within the council on anything related to Syria is unusual, as it has been deadlocked on the issue of the country’s 18-month-long conflict for more than a year, with Russia and China rejecting calls to sanction the Damascus government.
Beijing and Moscow have vetoed three Western- and Arab-backed council resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government for its onslaught against the opposition in what has become a full-blown civil war.
About 30,000 people have been killed across Syria in the conflict between Assad’s forces and rebels seeking to oust him, opposition activists say. The war has seen growing sectarian overtones which threaten to draw in regional Sunni Muslim and Shi’ite powers.
(Editing by Vicki Allen)
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Guardian: Syria agrees to buffer zone along Turkish border, say reports
Such a move would amount to a buffer zone – fulfilling a longstanding request by Syrian opposition groups that would allow rebels to operate freely and civilians to seek refuge.
Syria has not confirmed the claim and Ankara has made no official announcement. However, several Turkish media outlets, citing well-placed sources, claimed a deal had been struck.
Opposition groups have implored Turkey and the international community to establish an area in which they can move without fear of jets and helicopters, claiming it would be a significant step in their 19-month battle to oust the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
However, the demands have been rejected by Ankara, as well as the US and Nato, who have all repeatedly baulked at suggestions that they directly intervene in the conflict. A buffer zone would not be effective unless it was enforced militarily, something that Turkey has so far been unwilling to do. However, the Syrian shelling of the Turkish border town of Akcacle has sparked Ankara to recalibrate its military options to deal with the gathering crisis across its southern border.
On Thursday, the Turkish parliament approved a bill that would allow its military to launch cross-border raids into Syria at any point in the next year. Prime minister Recap Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey was not pushing for an escalation with its once close ally. “We are not interested in war,” he said. “But we’re not far from it either.”
Syria said it was waiting for the results of an investigation before publicly acknowledging blame for the shelling, which killed five Turkish civilians and wounded nine more. But it has privately conceded it was at fault and did not respond to a barrage of retaliatory Turkish shellfire, which is thought to have killed several Syrian soldiers.
The Syrian air force continued to pound Aleppo on Friday and reportedly launched its heaviest raids over the city of Homs in the past five months.
Video footage uploaded to the internet on Thursday appeared to show a military helicopter being struck then crashing to the ground over Damascus, not far from where rebels claimed earlier on Friday to have seized control of a missile base.
