Daily Newsletter – 04/02/2014

Russia Announces Their Decision that Assad Will Participate in Second Round

Hadi Bahra, the Syrian Coalition’s chief negotiator, said that Russia’s announcement of the Assad regime’s intention to attend the second round of the Geneva negotiations indicates lack of independence in making its decisions. Russia pressed Assad to attend Geneva II as an implementation of the UN Security Council resolution No. 2118.” Bahra stresses that the Syrian Coalition announced it would attend the second round of negotiations at the end of the first…Read more

Jarba: We Came To Geneva II for the Implementation of Geneva I Communique
Ahmad Jarba, the head of the Syrian Coalition, said that the Syrian Coalition “will participate in the second round of negotiations at Geneva II” during a meeting with Russianr…Read more 

Interim Government Ministry Of Education Announces The Establishment Of The Syrian Education Council
The Ministry of Education in the Syrian interim government announced the establishment of the Syrian Education Council. The Council will represents the Ministry of Education in Turkey and neighboring countries, and will organize the educational process as a link between the ministries in neighboring countries and all Syrian schools. The Council was established based on the Act No. 3 which was adopted during the meeting of the school principals in Gaziantep on December 7, 2013. Abdul Rahman Haj, the interim government’s educational advisor, said  that the establishment of the Council was done in coordination with governments in neighboring countries, and that this Council will have a big role in the organization of the educational process in the neighboring countries, where there is large numbers of Syrian refugees. Hajj said also that the work of this Council will be limited to work outside the Syrian territory, and will be tasked with overseeing the educational process in schools operating outside Syria, meeting the needs of the education process, coordination with government officials in neighboring countries.” He also said that the Council will enable the interim government to absorb a larger number of students, standardize the educational documents issued by Syrian schools and facilitate recognition of them outside Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Death Toll: 21 People Killed Today, 134 Yesterday
The Local Coordination Committees documented 134 people killed in Syria yesterday, while 21 people were killed today, including one under torture. Deaths were cited as:  15 in Aleppo, 2 in Dara’a, 2 in Hama and one in each of Damascus and Idlib. (Source: LCC)

Barrel Bombs Kill 15 Schoolboys in Aleppo
Assad’s warplanes dropped explosive barrels on the Othman Ibn Affan Mosque which includes a school for children in Hanano district, killing 15 children, while there are still victims under the rubble. The neighborhoods of Sha’ar, Hilwaniya, Marja, Alhawoz, Sukkary, Alhaidariya and Alqtanah came under aerial shelling, which resulted in stopping the electricity station in Al Hawoz in Aleppo. The station supplies eastern Aleppo with electricity. High percentage of the people living in the libertarted areas were displaced because of the non-stop aerial camping. (Source: Syrian Coalition + LCC)

FSA Repels Regime Forces in Zummaniya near Damascus
The Free Syrian Army blocked the advance of regime forces who were trying to break into the town of Zummaniyah in Rural Damascus, with reports of regime losses. The Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces in Dariya. The Free Syrian Army targeted regime positions near the Administration of Air Defense, achieving direct hits. Regime forces shelled Jbaadin and Zabadani with heavy artillery. The regime’s warplanes launched air strikes on Zakiya in rural Damascus, which shelters more than 100,000 displaced people from the southern Damascus, Moadamyah and Dariya. A mortar shell landed near Sadat Square in Damascus, causing material damage. (Source: Syrian Coalition + LCC)

Regime Forces Attack Zara in Homs With Napalm Bombs
Regime forces shelled the village of Zara in rural Homs with napalm incendiary bombs, killing four civilians and wounding dozens. Assad’s warplanes launched air strikes on Krak des Chevaliers and Addar al Kabira, while 10 pro-Assad fighters were killed during clashes with the Free Syrian Army in Hama. (Source: Syrian Coalition + LCC)

ISIS Carries Out Car Bomb Attacks against Ahrar Al Sham In Al Mayadin
ISIS carried out a car bomb attack against the headquarters of Ahrar al Sham in Al Mayadin east of Deir Ezzor, with reports of human losses. Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces on the perimeter of Deir Ezzor air base, while the FSA targeted the regime positions in the area, with reportsw of regime losses. (Source: Syrian Coalition + LCC)

• Moscow: We hopes he next round of Geneva negotiations are not the last
• Assad to complete the transfer of chemical weapons by next March
• Kerry: Current US policy on Syria is unsuccessful