Daily Newsletter – 20/12/2013

Syrian Coalition: Russia has to demonstrate impartiality ahead of Geneva II

Hadi Al Bahra, a member of the Syrian Coalition’s Political Committee, said that “Russia, which claims it is eager to provide the right atmosphere for the success of Geneva 2 and presents itself as the sponsor of the conference, has to prove its neutrality and commitment to human and moral values ​​that were spelled out by human rights law and the internationally accepted laws of war.” Bahra expressed “regret about Russia’s blocking of a press statement, submitted by a big number of countries, although it does not rise to the level of a resolution condemning the crimes of the Assad regime.” Bahra went…Read more

Jarba Vows To Meet The Demands Of The Syrian Refugees In Camps In Iraqi Kurdistan
Ahmad Jarba, chief of the National Coalition, visited the Syrian refugees’ camp of Kourkosk near Erbil, which hosts about 15,000 Syrian refugees, and met with…Read more

Syrian Coalition Condemns Abductions And Forced Disappearances Practiced By The Assad Regime.
The Syrian National Coalition expressed its deep concern at the size of the violations uncovered by a UN human rights mission charged with the verification of cases of…Read more

Syrian Coalition Condemns Assad Regime’s Murder of Doctor Abbas Khan
The Syrian Coalition condemned in a statemnet “the Assad regime’s brutal and shocking murder of the British doctor, Abbas Khan. The death of Dr.Khan is the latest…Read more

Jamous: We Want To See Real Pressure On The Assad Regime
Badr Aldin Jamous, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, said that the Syrian Coalition’s delegation “requested yesterday from the state sponsors of Geneva 2…Read more

Idris: We Are Working To Unite The Ranks Of Fighters Fighting Assad
General Salim Idris, Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army, said they are working on “uniting the ranks of fighters opposed to the Assad regime.” Idris also said that “the…Read more

ACU distributes diesel fuel and thousands of mattresses to Syrian refugee
Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU) in Lebanon delivered diesel fuel for heating to more than 300 Syrian refugee families in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, in a campaign titled “Warmth” carried out in collaboration with the “Ummah” organization. This comes in the framework of cooperation between ACU’s office in Lebanon with all relief organizations. ACU’s team stressed on the equitable distribution of relief aid according to the exact needs of the refugees. ACU has identified the needs of internally displaced people as a preventive measure ahead of the snowstorm that swept the region. ACU’s relief teams distributed 5220 mattress and blankets to six camps in northern Idlib. ACU’s teams also delivered 3735 mattresses and blankets to four refugee camps located near Jarablos near the Turkish borders and to refugee camps Manbej in Aleppo province. Moreover, 2000 mattresses and blankets were delivered to Al Yamdiya camp, in addition to 1180 blankets and 565 mattresses as an emergency response to the newly displaced people within the camps in northern Idlib. ACU also created a charity kitchen in Tal Shihab in Daraa province and delivered food aid to displaced families. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Education Commission Announces The Results Of The Make-Up exams For High School Students
The Syrian Education Commission announced the results of the make-up exams for the high school students who studied the Libyan curriculum for the academic year 2012-2013. The Commission allowed the students who failed the exams to take make-up exams in the subjects they failed during the first round of exams for the academic year 2013 – 2014 if the number of subjects they failed does not exceed three; otherwise, the student has to take full re-exam. (Source: Coalition)

Implementation Of Six Projects For The Rehabilitation Of Water Networks In Sheikh Misqin
The Local Council in Sheikh Misqin in Daraa province supervised the maintenance and rehabilitation of some of the wells and water systems through financial support provided by Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU.) The Council carried out six maintenance projects for all wells and water systems, at a cost of $18,600 USD, and included the maintenance of pumps, motors and control panels and submersibles. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Death Toll: 20 People Killed Today, 134 Yesterday
Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 134 people killed yesterday, while 20 people were killed as of 6:00 pm of today, including four children, two women, and one killed under torture. Deaths were cited as: 12 in Aleppo, 3 in Damascus, 2 in each of Homs and Dara’a, and 1 in Deir Ezzor. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)

Regime Shelling on Qaboun and Rural Damascus
Violent clashes took place between regime forces and the FSA in Qaboun, alongside artillery shelling. Regime forces shelled the towns of Affra, Khan Al Shih, and Meliha, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage.  Meanwhile, violent clashes erupted between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces in the village of Beit Sahm, alongside violent artillery shelling on the village by regime forces. Violent clashes also took place between the two sides in Yabrood in Kalamoon. Four civilians were killed yesterday in the town of Dumeir as a result of shelling by regime forces. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)

Intense Shelling On The Besieged Neighborhoods In Homs
Regime forces renewed artillery and mortar shelling on the besieged neighborhoods in Homs, including the neighborhood of Al Qarabis. Omari mosque in the Waer neighborhood in Homs was also shelled by regime forces, which led to the death of the Imam of the masjid. Violent shelling also was reported on town of Hula. The Free Syrian Army blew up a military vehicle belonging to regime forces using a roadside bomb near Kirnaz north of Hama. Meanwhile, Assad’s warplanes dropped barrel bombs on the village of Hamdaniya in rural Hama. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)

Aerial Shelling On Aleppo, FSA Capture Kindi Hospital
Assad’s air force continued shelling on Aleppo for the fifth day using explosive barrels, with reports of death of five civilians in Sukarri neighborhood. The FSA shot down a fighter plane near the town of Daret Izza. Three people were killed and a child injured the village of Al Eis in rural Aleppo by aerial shelling. The towns of Tadef, Al Bab and Hayan came under violent aerial shelling, killing and injuring dozens of people. Activists said that the Free Syrian Army took full control of Al Kindi hospital after violent clashes with regime forces. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)

Air Raids on Rural Dara’a Kills Two Children
Two children were killed in Naima in rural Dara’a as a result of air raids on the town. Regime forces pounded the towns of Kahil and Tal Shehab near Daraa. Meanwhile, violent clashes took place between the FSA and regime forces inside Brigade No. 52 near Al Hiraq. Activists reported that at least ten people were killed yesterday in the town of Jassem due to aerial shelling. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)

Syrians Demonstrate Solidarity with Aleppo
Many demonstrations were held in rural Damascus, rural Aleppo, Raqqa and Idlib in a show of solidarity with the city of Aleppo which has come under brutal air raids that killed hundreds of civilians. Demonstrators carried placards denouncing the silence of the international community toward the regime’s massacres against the people of Aleppo. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Artillery Shelling On a Mosque in Rural Idlib
Aerial shelling was reported on the village of Taladh in rural Idlib, while violent clashes took place between the FSA and regime forces on the outskirts of Wadi al Daif. Many civilians were injured in the village Abdia when regime forces targeted a masjid during Friday prayers. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition) 

A UN Report Could Further Implicate Assad In The CW Attacks
Buried in the annex of a United Nations inquiry into chemical weapons use in Syria is information that some outside analysts say could further implicate the Assad regime in the deadliest of the five confirmed attacks. The investigators, who released their final report last week, said they had found a chemical called hexamethylenetetramine from environmental samples in Ghouta, the Damascus suburb that was the site of the deadliest attack, on Aug. 21. Hexamine, as the chemical is also known, can be used as an additive in the production of chemical weapons using sarin, the nerve agent, according to analysts, along with other commercial uses. The Assad regime happens to have a stockpile of hexamine; it is part of a list of chemicals scheduled to be destroyed as part of the deal to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons program. United Nations investigators who conducted the inquiry pointedly steered clear of assigning blame for any of the attacks. While considered circumstantial evidence, it added to information in the panel’s interim report on Ghouta released in September, on the type of projectiles used that appeared to implicate the Assad regime, which has declared possession of 80 tons of hexamine. It is listed among substances that need to be treated and disposed, according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or O.P.C.W., a group based in The Hague working with the United Nations to oversee the dismantling of Syria’s arsenal. (Source: Al Arabiya + Syrian Coalition)

Ban Ki-moon To Chair 2nd Syria Donor Conference
The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Nigel Fisher unveiled Wednesday the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will chair the second Syria donor conference, to be hosted by Kuwait next month. Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has agreed to open the second international pledging conference for Syria and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will chair the day and the UN Undersecretary General for Emergency Relief Operation Valerie Amos will be presenting the needs of this year,” Fisher said. The UN official, who started a short visit to Kuwait late Tuesday to discuss the arrangements for the second Syrian conference, met earlier today with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. “Over 60 – 65 governments have been invited to make their pledges and also the governments around Syria which are hosting Syrian refugees will be there to talk about their plans for the present and for the future,” he said. The UN official spoke highly about the great success of the first Syria donor conference which Kuwait hosted in January 2013. “This year, Kuwait hosted a very successful high level conference for Syria where over USD 1.5 billion was raised for Syria appeal. It was a truly amazing event and the resources, (it raised) went to the United Nations to Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and also to international non-governmental organizations and made a huge difference. (Source: Al Sharq al Awsat + Syrian Coalition)

Brahimi Alludes To The Possibility Of Postponing Geneva 2
Lakhdar Brahimi, joint UN-Arab envoy to Syria, began meetings with Syrian sides before a meeting scheduled today with Russian and American officials to prepare for the international conference on Syria. Brahimi called for the release of four Syrian activists, including prominent activists Razan Zeitouneh, who were kidnapped near Damascus. Brahimi also criticized the arrest of Rajaa’ Nasser, a member of the National Coordination Commission, one of the components of the internal “opposition.”  Brahimi also met with head of the Democratic Platform Samir Aita. Sources pointed out that the Brahimi hinted at a meeting with the Syrian sides to the possibility of delaying Geneva 2 to early February of the next year. (Source: Al Hayat + Syrian Coalition)