Syrian Coalition: Iran’s Participation in Geneva II Can Be Reconsidered
Badr Jamous, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, said that “the Syrian Coalition is still thinking positively of Geneva II even though the conference’s course is still unclear. Jamous confirmed the Syrian Coalition’s support for a political solution “within the framework of the departure of the Assad regime, which is one of the major pillars of terrorism in Syria.” The Secretary General went on: “The Assad regime feeds terrorism to establish a war economy that suits it, so the Assad regime must be removed to get rid of terrorism and to restore stability and embark on reconstruction.” The spokesman…Read more
ACU Deliver Relief To Syrian Refugees in Jordan The Emergency Team of the Syrian Coalition’s Relief Office in Jordan responded to the needs of the refugee families to Umm Abd near Madaba governorate. The team arrived to a number of areas where they delivered aid to the affected families after the snowstorm that hit the region. The team delivered 90 blankets and 1200 coats and helped the people rebuild the damaged tents as a result of the snowstorm in addition to securing firewood and some necessary supplies. The refugee tents were badly affected by the snowstorm and many of them were uprooted. The Director of the Relief Office Rima Fleihan said that the Syrian refugees are living in difficult and harsh conditions amid shortage of life-saving supplies. Fleihan stressed that the Relief Office “would travel to Zaatari camp tomorrow for the distribution of other quantities of clothing and blankets to as many people as they could.” In addition, the ACU’s Relief Team in Lebanon took on several measures for the protection of Syrian refugees in Lebanon of the snowstorm that struck many parts of Lebanon. The team coordinated directly with the UNHCR to find out what they offer and what can be done to address the current crisis, and to discuss some of the issues on the state of the roads and to coordinate the transfer of aid to some remote areas such as Arsaal in Lebanon. The team also distributed good quality stoves and blankets to refugees prior to the snowstorm as well as over the past two days. The team contacted some charities; especially in Kuwait to view the most urgent needs in the refugee camps in Syria’s neighboring countries. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Syrian Coalition Announces Free Turkish Language Courses to High School Syrian Students The National Commission for Education and Higher Education of the Syrian Coalition announced that free Turkish language courses will be offered at the Institute of Tomer for Syrian who passed the high school this year. Mohammed Saleh Ahmadu, a member of the National Commission for Education said this “move should ease some of the burdens for Syrian students who want to complete their education, and will help absorb the Syrian students in Turkish universities over the next year.” He also said that “Syrian students were promised a large number of seats in Turkish universities over the next year.” The Commission requested that the Syrian students who wish to complete their university education in Turkish universities send a request to the Commission’s website, including the name, place of residence, type of certificate (Turkish or Syrian) (Source: Syrian Coalition) Syrian Interim Government: Urgent Action needed to Stop the Deterioration of Education A report prepared by the Syrian interim government called for the Organization of Islamic Operation (OIC) to support the Ministry of Education to stop the deterioration of the educational facilities in Syria. The report concluded that there are ten requirements which must be met for the Ministry to provide services to liberated and affected areas, including regime-held areas. In a special statement to the Media Office of the Syrian Coalition, Dr. Abdul Rahman Hajj, PM’s adviser for education, said that “the educational process in liberated areas, which constitute 65% of Syria, has collapsed completely due to the systematic attacks by regime forces against schools which has claimed the lives of dozens of schoolboys. Moreover, displaced people resorting to schools affected the education process; furthermore, many teachers were either killed or arrested by the Assad regime.” Hajj stressed that urgent actions must be taken to stop the deterioration of education.” According to statistics carried out by the Local Councils, more than 4,000 schools were damaged and need renovation or complete rebuilding. In addition, there are nearly three million children between six and 15 years who are not receiving any kind of education.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Death Toll: 27 People Killed Today, 56 Yesterday The Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 56 people killed yesterday, while 27 were killed as of 6:00 pm of today, including 6 children and a woman. Deaths were cited as: 20 in Damascus, 4 in Aleppo, 2 in Idlib, and one in Deir Ezzor. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)
Shelling on Damascus Outskirts, Another Child Dies of Cold in Damascus Regime forces shelled Qaboun and Tadamon neighborhood in Damascus with mortar shells and rocket launchers. Random mortar shell landed near Al Reijah Square in the Yarmouk Camp. Two civilians reportedly died under torture inside a security branch in Damascus. Meanwhile, a woman and her three children died fromsss regime shelling on Moadamiya and Yabroud in rural Damascus. Three Islamist fighters were killed during clashes with regime forces in Al Marj in rural Damascus. Violent clashes erupted between the FSA and regime forces in Adra al Ommaliya northeast of Damascus, alongside aerial shelling on parts of the town. Dozens of civilian casualties were reported in the town, in addition to the displacement of dozens of others. Activists spoke about the death of two children due to severe cold and lack of means of heating in the neighborhood of Al Jajar al Aswad in Damascus. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
FSA Advance on Regime Forces in rural Dara’a The Free Syrian Army destroyed a T-72 tank and a BMP and killed a number of pro-Assad forces while trying to break the siege imposed by the FSA on Al Kunsurwah factory and the checkpoint near the National Hospital in Al Jeidor in rural Dara’a. Local activists reported significant FSA gains in the town of Inkhil. Meanwhile, regime forces stationed at Brigade No. 52 in Hirak shelled the towns of Jasem and Ghariya Sharqiya. (Source: Smart News Agency + Syrian Coalition)
Barrel Bombs on Aleppo, Regime Losses in Idleb Civilians were injured when Assad’s warplanes dropped barrel bombs on the residential areas in the liberated parts of Aleppo. Two barrel bombs fell near Haideriya roundabout, and one on each of Masaqen Hanano and Al Bohouth. In addition, six civilians were killed and another person had his arm amputated when a barrel bomb fell on the Muyassar district in Aleppo. A microbus was destroyed and four more were damaged due to the explosion. Clashes took place between the FSA and regime forces in the perimeter of the Air Force Intelligence building in the neighborhood of New Aleppo. Two children were killed during clashes around Saffahiya garage in the Old City of Aleppo. A number of regime’s forces and a FSA fighter were killed during clashes near Al Sahaba checkpoint near Maart al Nouman in Idlib. The FSA destroyed a BMP vehicle and killed its crew members during the regime forces’ attempt to advance towards the city Maart al Nouman in Idlib. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)
Battles Rage On In Deir Ezzor, Hypothermia Kill a Child in Maiyadin Regime forces shelled Hamidiya and Mohassan in Deir Ezzor with artillery. Violent clashes were reported west of the city. The FSA fired mortar shells on the walls of Deir Ezzor airbase. A fighter of the FSA was killed during violent clashes between the FSA and regime forces in the neighborhood of Sina’a. Activists spoke about the death of a child in Maiyadin due to the extreme cold. (Source: Local Coordination Committees + Syrian Coalition)
United States Says it will continue to support the FSA U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry denied that the attack on the FSA’s non-lethal equipment depot might affect Washington’s support for the FSA. John Kerry said that the United States suspended aid to northern Syria to assess the situation on the ground, adding that Washington is in touch with Gen. Salim Idris, Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army. U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel had stressed his country’s support of the Free Syrian Army and the moderate battalions, Hagel’s statement came after Washington London announced suspension of delivery of non-lethal aid to northern of Syria. Idris said that the U.S. aid is not military at all, which was confirmed by the spokesman for the Syrian Coalition Louay Safi when he said that the FSA have not received U.S. weapons since the beginning of the revolution. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
London 11: The Aim of Geneva 2 Is Forming a Transitional Body with Full Powers The UK today hosted a meeting of Senior Officials from the ‘London 11’ – the Core Group of the Friends of Syria – and subsequently with the senior leadership of the Syrian Coalition. The meeting built on the ‘London 11’ Ministerial Meeting held on 22 October. The meeting also reaffirmed that the aim of Geneva II was to “implement a negotiated solution on the basis of the Geneva communiqué, by establishing a Transitional Governing Body with full executive powers agreed by mutual consent. This is the only way to end the conflict. Assad will have no role in Syria, as his regime is the main source of terror and extremism in Syria.” The meeting welcomed the announcement by the UN Secretary General to convene the Geneva II conference on 22 January. The statement issued after the meeting fully endorsed the decision by the National Coalition and Supreme Military Council to take part in the Geneva II process. The National Coalition’s commitment to a democratic and pluralistic future for Syria, preservation of its territorial integrity and rejection of extremism is the only way forward. The senior officials restated their strong support for the National Coalition leadership, adding that “they would form the heart of the opposition and lead the Geneva II delegation. They called on the National Coalition and Supreme Military Council to ensure the makeup of their delegation at Geneva II is representative of all. The London 11 Senior Officials endorsed the following Chair’s Statement which included an agreement on the need for urgent progress on humanitarian access before Geneva II and a tribute to those regional countries who are hosting a large number of refugees and are taking on an immense burden. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Ban Ki-moon: Those guilty of chemical weapons attacks in Syria must be held accountable The Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon called on to hold accountable those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in in Syria, stressing that these attacks represent a serious violation of international law. During a speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon said that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is “an offence against the universal values of humankind.” The Secretary General presented to the General Assembly the final report of the UN fact-finding mission which confirmed the use of such weapons in an attack near Damascus in August and which claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians. The report also referred to the possible use of chemical weapons in at least four other attacks. It is important to note that analysts stressed the importance of what Ban Ki-moon said about holding accountable those who used the chemical weapons, namely the criminal Assad regime, which is the only party who owns this weapon and has the intention and ability to use and deliver it. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
UNESCO Sounds Alarm about Illicit Syria Archeology Digs The head of UNESCO sounded an alarm about widespread illegal archeological excavations across war-ravaged Syria on Friday, saying the U.N. cultural, education and science arm has warned auction houses, museums and collections about the problem. In addition to the loss of life and destruction of property, UNESCO says Syria’s cultural heritage – and reporters trying to the cover the war – are increasingly under threat. “The biggest danger there, apart from the destruction we have seen of the world heritage sites… is the illicit archeological excavations,” Irina Bokova, head of Paris-based UNESCO, told reporters. “This is something that is not very high on the radar of the international community.” She said UNESCO has raised the issue of illegal excavations with U.N. Syria peace mediator Lakhdar Brahimi and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby. Bokova did not disclose details of the locations of the illicit excavations in Syria. In September UNESCO issued what it called a “red list” of types of artifacts to alert museums, collectors and auction houses what to be on the lookout for from Syria. Bokova said illicit Syrian artifacts have surfaced in neighboring Jordan. The UNESCO included six sites on the World Heritage List: the neighborhoods of Old Damascus, Old Aleppo, Krak des Chevaliers, Al Madiq Castle, the ancient city of Bosra, of Palmyra, and the ancient villages of northern Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
