Syrian Coalition Reiterates Calls for Safe Havens on Border Areas

Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, calls on the international anti-ISIS alliance to speed up the imposition of safe protected havens in northern and southern Syria in line with the complete study presented by the Syrian Coalition. He also reiterates calls for arming the FSA to enable it protect civilians and ward off Assad’s air force. “The safe protected havens we have been demanding are a tactical move towards achieving our main objective, namely to overthrow the Assad regime,” he said. Hariri’s remarks followed the horrific massacres committed by Assad’s air force in Al Raqqa and Jassim in rural Daraa, where hundreds of civilians were killed in brutal air raids that targeted residential areas. He stresses that these massacres come as a natural and expected result of the shameful silence of the international community towards Assad’s ongoing atrocities, stressing that the failure to put an end to these barbaric attacks on civilians risks leaving all of Syria a helpless prey to the barbarism of Assad’s forces and would also drag more Syrians to the trap of terrorism.”  Activists described the situation in the town as catastrophic in view of the severe shortage of medical staffs, equipment and medicines. The attack on the town followed a series of massacres committed by Assad’s air force in rural Dara’a, especially in the towns of Nawa, Dael and Inkhil. Activists said that seven civilians were killed and dozens in multiple air raids carried out by regime forces on the town of Nawa west of Dara’a, while six more were killed in similar attacks on the town of Inkhil and a child in the town of Dael. Mohammed Qaddah, vice president of the Syrian Coalition, said that the latest spectacular gains made by the Free Syrian Army in Dara’a province represent a turning point in the course the Syrian Revolution in this province. “Having been receiving only scarce support, the FSA have realized that only through dogged determination they can achieve victory and regain their freedom. These victories send a message to the world that has so far been silent that we will not wait for your help in our battle against the terrorist Assad regime. Even if we remain alone in the battlefield, we will continue to fight for freedom till the last drop of blood we have,” Qaddah said. His remarks followed a series of significant gains made by the FSA in western rural Dara’a. The Free Syrian Army took complete control of the town of Nawa and its surroundings in western Rural Dara’a after it cut off the supply routes used by regime forces. Regime forces were forced to withdraw out of the town after rebels captured important regime positions and three strategic hills overlooking the town, thus cutting off the supply routes used by regime forces stationed inside the town. The liberation of Nawa, the biggest town in rural Dara’a, followed a series of notable gains made by the FSA in western rural Dara’a, most importantly the Hara and Al Ahmar strategic hilltops and also the town of Sheikh Misqin. Regime forces retaliated by carrying out barrel bomb attacks on Nawa and its surroundings. Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, said that these cowardly attacks by Assad air force that rain death and destruction on Dara’a province will not weaken the resolve of the rebellious population to topple the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition)