A source in the Syrian Coalition stressed that remarks made by Russia’s Deputy FM, Mikhail Bogdanov, about inviting what he called the “opposition” and representatives of the Assad regime to hold talks at the level of an informal preparation …Read more
Coalition: The Assad Regime Exacerbates Health Crisis The Syrian Coalition asserted in a statement released yesterday that the Assad Regime has ” deliberately exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Syria over months of Syrian Revolution and then politicized it and adopted the rumors…Read more
Regime soldiers killed in clashes in Barzeh, Maliha ,and Moadamiya Violent clashes took place in the Barzeh neighborhood of Damascus between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces which resulted in the deaths of a number of Assad soldiers and injuring others during their attempt to take control of the neighborhood. The Free Syrian Army also clashed with Assad forces near Tameco factory in Maliha in rural Damascus amid mortar fire from regime forces on the region. In addition, seven regime soldiers were killed during clashes in Al Moadamiya district while trying to storm it. Meanwhile, Assadi forces shelled the Alasali neighborhood of Damascus, as well as the town of Hezrima in its countryside, with heavy artillery killing two people and wounding a number of civilians. Several mortar shells landed near the municipal district of Jaramana, with no reports of casualties. Regime forces also shelled the city of Yabrood in al Qalamun, which resulted in the death of a civilian and dozens of wounded and the destruction of a number of civilian homes. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News Agency)
Regime forces bomb most of Dara’a cities and towns One person was killed and a number of civilians were injured, some in serious condition, after Assad forces shelled Tareeq al Saad and the towns of Kaheel and Nahteh in rural Dara’a with heavy artillery. Assad forces also bombed the towns of al Gharriyya al Sharqiya, Sayda and Atman with various types of weapons, injuring a number of people and destroying some civilian homes. Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army managed to repel Assad’s forces who tried to storm the city of Ankhel in rural Dara’a. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News Agency)
FSA captures ammunition depots in Homs The FSA captured the ammunition depot southeast of the village of Mahin yesterday, which is one of the largest ammunition depots of the Assad regime forces, after violent clashes that continued for several days in the region. More than 100 regime soldiers were killed during the clashes, many more were injured. Meanwhile, Assad forces stationed at Qurms checkpoint shelled the village of Hula with heavy artillery causing civilian casualties and destroying a number of houses. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News Agency)
A roadside bomb explodes in rural Hama A regime soldier was killed when a roadside bomb exploded in the village of Tal Siqqin in western rural Hama. In the meantime, regime forces shelled the villages of Tulul al Hamar and Eidon in eastern Hama with heavy artillery, causing civilian casualties and destroying a number of houses. Regime forces also arrested a number of civilians in Bab al Qubly and Nazlet Aljuzdan of Hama . (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News Agency)
Death of FSA military commander in Aleppo A military commander of the Nur al-Din al Zanki Brigade was killed during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime’s forces in the Al Rashideen neighborhood of Aleppo. Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army targeted the Military Engineering Academy in Aleppo using Grad rockets. Clashes were also reported in Tal Arn amid heavy shelling from warplanes and surface-to-surface missiles. Elsewhere in Aleppo a number of civilians were injured and houses were destroyed after Assad’s warplanes dropped barrels bombs on Al Safeera. In addition, a boy was killed and another injured when a cluster bomb exploded in the town of Minnagh in rural Aleppo. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News Agency)
Kerry: Bashar is “brutal”, Vows to set a Geneva II date within days U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, described Bashar al-Assad as “brutal,” adding that “the war in Syria is not just about Bashar al-Assad, it’s about the tens of thousands of families who lost their loved ones and their homes and do not want to lose their great country in an endless struggle.” Kerry noted that he is “confident of the possibility of setting a date for international peace talks on Syria within days.” Kerry made these remarks two days after the failure of the United States and Russia to agree on a date for the talks. Kerry, in a joint press conference in the capital Amman with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh, said that the United States is “working with Russia to resolve the conflict in Syria,” pointing out that “what is happening in Syria has negative repercussions on the region as a whole.” For his part, Nasser Judeh considered that resolving the Syrian crisis is a “Jordanian interest,” stressing the need for “a political solution,” and pointed out that Jordan “often warned of the danger of the presence of chemical weapons in Syria.” Moreover, the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, stressed his country’s support for Jordan in the context of dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis, Jordan hosts approximately half a million of them. (Source: Al Haiyat + Syrian Coalition)
Lebanese Al Tawheed eulogizes Hezbollah involvement in Syria The Lebanese Arab Unification Party delivered, in a statement, a eulogy for some of its elements who were killed in the fighting in the town of Arna in Mount Hermon during clashes with the Free Syrian Army. This statement represents the party’s explicit admission of its military involvement in Syria, thus joining the other parties that support the Assad regime in its war against the Free Syrian Army, most notably Hezbollah’s militia and the Abu al Fadl Abbas Brigade. The Lebanese Party’s statement declared that they will avenge the deaths of its members, signaling a clear reference to its continued military intervention in Syria. The area of Mount Hermon (which includes the villages inhabited by Druze) and the Golan Heights have seen new field developments in which the Free Syrian Army managed to temporarily storm Tal Herbun, near Mount Hermon and seize warehouses of ammunition and types of heavy weapons and medium machine guns. However, the Free Syrian Army was forced to withdraw because of heavy shelling and bombing from warplanes and heavy artillery on the regionA Source in the Syrian Coalition denounced “the involvement of sectarian militias from Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran who assist Assad in killing the Syrian people.” The source blamed “the governments of these countries and assign them full responsibility for sending these militias to fight in Syria, and for the violation of Syrian sovereignty.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Truck full of weapons seized near Syrian border Police in Adana, Turkey, said they seized a truck near the Syrian border that was loaded with 1,200 rocket warheads and other weapons and arrested nine people. Turkish police raided a factory after receiving intelligence information that indicated that large quantities of drugs will be transferred to the facility. Police stopped the truck shortly before the raid, after it had arrived at an industrial site. After pursuing the truck initially on suspicions that it was carrying drugs, it turned out to be loaded with weapons and explosives, including rocket heads, missiles, grenades and other kinds of munitions. Police forces cordoned off the area and moved the truck to the Shakir Basha police station in Adana where it was unloaded in order to determine the kinds of weapons on board. The driver of the truck has been detained and an investigation has been launched.