Daily Newsletter – 19/11/2013

President of Syrian Coalition Meets with Prime Minister of Qatar

President of the Syrian Coalition, Ahmed Al-Jarba,  and the Qatari Prime Minister, Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, met in a special meeting today. The meeting addressed the views shared by the two countries and the importance of Qatar’s role with their appreciated support of the Syrian Revolution since its inception. The meeting also addressed additional ways to continue to support the Syrian Revolution and meet the aspirations of the Syrian people. President Jarba also met with Yusuf al-Qaradawi, head of the International Union for Muslim Scholars who is viewed as one of the most important influential figures who advocating for change and who have supported the Syrian Revolution since its beginning. Qaradawi urged the Syrian people to…Read more

Funeral Held in Absentia in Istanbul for Abdul Kader Al Saleh
Syrians held funeral prayers in absentia for the fallen hero Abdelkader Saleh today at the noon prayers in Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. The Syrian community in Istanbul participated with Turkish brothers and other Arabs in praying for the soul of Saleh alongside a number of national figures and religious scholars who delivered speeches praising Saleh and all the heroes of the Syrian Revolution who have fallen since its start in March of 2011. The funeral was followed by chants for freedom of the people and to overthrow the killers and criminals.(Source: Syrian Coalition)

Air raids on Zamalka, Regime forces attack civilians in a bus
Assad warplanes launched airstrikes on the district of Zamalka in Damascus, with reports of civilian casualties and destruction of civilian homes. Meanwhile, several random mortar shells near the neighborhood Kassa’a and Bab Touma, wounding three people and causing material damage. In addition, violent clashes were reported between the Free Syrian Army and Assad Forces in town of Beit Sahem, alongside heavy shelling by artillery and rocket launchers in an attempt by Assad Forces to break into the town. Assad Forces targeted a bus carrying displaced people from the city of Qara in Damascus to town of Assaal al Ward which, killing two people and injuring others. More than five thousand civilians fled the city over the past two days as a result of an offensive waged by regime forces and because of daily shelling with heavy weapons and warplanes.(Source: Syrian Coalition +Local Coordination Committees)

Artillery shelling on Dara’a
A woman was killed and dozens injured in the Dara’a al Balad and Dara’a Camp neighborhoods when regime forces shelled the city with heavy artillery. In addition, regime forces shelled the town of Sheikh Misqin with heavy artillery, with reports of civilan casualties and destruction of a number of houses. On his part, the Free Syrian Army attacked the Armament Battalion in the town of Basr al Harir with heavy artillery and inflicted losses on the regime forces. (Source: Syrian Coalition +Local Coordination Committees)

Dozens killed and injured in Hospital Bombing in Homs
Ten people were killed, including children and women and dozens injured when regime forces fired a surface-to-surface missile on Al Walid Hospital in al Waher neighborhood near Homs. There is only one hospital in this densely populated district, which is home to hundreds of displaced families who came from various parts of the province of Homs. In addition, shelling was renewed on the town of Addar al Kbira in rural Homs, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. (Source: Syrian Coalition +Local Coordination Committees)

Regime artillery kill six in Aleppo
Regime forces shelled with heavy artillery the neighborhood al Miasser in Aleppo which, killing six people, including two children, and injuring many others. In addition, a woman was killed and dozens of civilians were injured by regime shelling on the neighborhoods of Bustan al Qaser and al Mwasalat in Aleppo. Furthermore, the Free Syrian Army advanced on Anakarin in Aleppo, despite heavy shelling by regime forces on the area. (Source: Syrian Coalition +Local Coordination Committees)

Suqur al Sham Brigades launch an offensive dubbed ‘Revenge for Abdulkader Saleh’
‘Suqur al Sham Brigades’ announced launching an offensive against regime forces in Idlib dubbed ‘Revenge for Abdulkader Saleh.’ The FSA fighters targeted regime forces gathered at Arbiin Mountain in rural Idlib. They also inflicted losses on regime forces when they blew up a truck loaded with troops. (Source: Syrian Coalition +Local Coordination Committees)

EU Calls for Assad to Stop Siege, Expect Geneva II to Be Postponed
European Ministers and officials called on the Assad Regime to lift the siege imposed on the areas under attack to allow the evacuation of civilians. The Ministers expressed their “concern in regards to the humanitarian situation in Syria, winter is coming and relief teams should have  access to all areas of Syria and allow vaccination campaigns against polio to be executed.” European officials also urged the Security Council to adopt the presidential statement issued last October 2nd calling for the removal of obstacles and direct access for relief operations, in the form of a binding resolution. European officials, following the EU meetings yesterday, expect that Geneva II will be postponed until January because of the difficulties that have been encountered for holding the peace conference next month, which was the dateline initially proposed. The officials considered this date to be “unrealistic.” The Austrian FA Minister, Michael Spindjer, said that only the United States and Russia can set a date for Geneva II. He said that the primary objective that needs to be achieved beforehand is to convince the Assad Regime and all the ‘opposition’ factions to consider the blueprint that the two countries will present for a final solution to the Syrian crisis based on the results of Geneva I. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Kuwait’s Emir Warns of Ongoing Killing of Innocent Syrians
Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, warned of the “continuing efforts of Assad’s killing machine in the slaughtering of the Syrian people, pointing out that the number of dead increases daily and that the size of the devastation is multiplying in all aspects of life.” The Emir of Kuwait added that “statistics coming from Syria and reports are horrific; they confirm that the disaster has claimed more than one hundred thousand dead of our brothers and sisters there, as well as the displacement of millions of people who have become refugees at home and abroad. These refugees further constitute a significant burden on countries harboring these refugees as well as on the agencies concerned with the affairs of displaced persons.” Sabah stressed that this “leaves us with a historic, ethical and humane responsibility,” pointing out that Kuwait responded to the appeal of the UN to hold a second conference of donors by early next year. The first conference, which was also hosted by Kuwait last January, was deemed a resounding success and was able to get support pledges of one billion and 600 thousand dollars. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Kerry Denies Abandoning the Destruction of Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Japan Pledges Funding and Inspectors
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry denied reports of US abandonment of a plan to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons yesterday, saying that the “the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has time until the end of the year to destroy these weapons.” Kerry added that “the United States and its allies are considering two other options for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons after Albania’s rejection of a request to carry out the destruction process on its territory.” Likewise, the Japanese government announced today its willingness to send three representatives as inspectors to monitor the chemical weapons for the international organization in response to calls for cooperation in the task of getting rid of the Assad regime’s stockpile of chemical weapons. In addition to those experts, Japan intends to help fund the efforts of the destruction of these toxic weapons, while Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Keshida, pledged that his country is doing everything in its power to support the ongoing international efforts to dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons. (Source: Reuters +  Syrian Coalition)