Saleh: Russia Must Pressure Assad to Halt His War on the Syrian People
Khalid Saleh, head of the Syrian Coalition’s Media Office, stressed that Bogdanov’s remarks, which criticized Assad’s statements suggesting he might seek re-election, “do not represent a change in the Russian position.” Saleh said that “it is not only related to Assad’s refraining from releasing provocative statements.” Saleh pointed out that “the real demands that Russia must officially present to Assad are to stop his war on the Syrian people, allow access of relief aid, release detainees, and to recognize clearly that the goal of the Geneva 2 is the handover of power to a transitional ruling body with full…Read more
Barzani and Jarba: Creation of the Appropriate Atmosphere for a Political Solution is a Priority Ahmad Jarba, the Syrian Coalition chief, met with the President of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani in Erbil. The meeting discussed the political and field situation…Read more
Syrian Coalition Calls On UN Security Council To Take Meaningful Action On Syria The Syrian Coalition condemned in a statement issued today Assad’s “policy of brutality against the Syrian people, dropping barrel-bombs stuffed with crude…Read more
Syrian Coalition Calls for Concerted Efforts to Relieve the Suffering of Syrians The Syrian Coalition called on the international community to work to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people by all means, especially the internally displaced…Read more Tomah: Syrian Coalition Desires to Build Bridges with the Islamic Front Ahmad Tomah, prime minister of the Syrian interim government, expressed the government’s desire to build a good relationship with the Islamic Front, and to reach…Read more
Local Council of Aleppo Makes Repairs to Electricity Networks After Air Strikes Maintenance team of Local Council of Aleppo began necessary maintenance work to electrical networks damaged by aerial shelling by Assad’s air force on several neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo over the past few days. A member of the local council said that the team had completed the maintenance of networks in the neighborhoods of Shaa’r, Karm al Beiq and Dahret Awad, and that it would complete the maintenance work in all neighborhoods that were targeted by the air strikes. Assad’s air force intensified the bombing on 14 neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo, causing massive damage to the infrastructure besides killing 300 civilians and injuring more than 100. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Assad’s Government Withdraws One-Pound Coins Currency and Issues New 50-Pound Coins Assad’s government has announced the permanent withdrawal of coin currency valued at one Syrian pound from circulation as of 11.27.2013. The decision means that all one pound currency still being held have become worthless and cannot be traded or circulated in any way, nor can they be changed to paper currency or metal coins currently in circulation. This decision comes in light of leaks that suggest that the central bank will begin circulating metal coins worth 50 pounds upon completion of the legal procedures of legitimizing the tender. An economist said that the issuance of coins instead of banknotes or paper currency “is a ploy that seek to reduce inflation by keeping the metal coin supply out of the estimation or assessment of inflation,” adding that the “paper currency cost of production is less than the cost of production of the coin.” While other experts said that the issuance of coins instead of paper is related to imbalances taking place in the Syrian economy with the collapse of the currency and the decline in fiscal revenue. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
FSA Downs a MiG Warplane; Regime Forces Kill 50 Civilians in Beit Sahm The Free Syrian Army shot down a MiG warplane near Damascus International Airport. A number of security forces were killed and injured by a roadside bomb that targeted a bus in Thawra St. in central Damascus. Death toll in Beit Sahm rose to 50, including women and children civilians, who were killed when regime forces opened fire on them while trying to get out of the town. Meanwhile, regime forces pounded Harasta with heavy killing an entire family, including three children. In addition, regime forces shelled Kaboun and Yarmouk refugee camp, injuring a number of civilians. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Barrel Bombs kill Seven people in Jassem Seven people were killed and 35 injured by barrel bombs dropped by Assad’s air force on the town of Jassem in rural Dara’a. The Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces near the Rubaa’i checkpoint in the town of Zmaren in rural Dara’a. Dozens of civilians were injured by regime’s shelling by heavy artillery on Tariq al Sad and Nawa. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
FSA Downs a Warpalne in Homs, Abu al Fadl al Abbas militias Pound Al Ghannto in Rural Homs Militias of Iraqi Abu al Fadl al Abbas Briagde stationed in the village of Al Qum shelled the town of Al Ghanto in rural Homs, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. In the meantime, the FSA dropped a fighter jet in the town. Assad’s warplanes dropped explosive barrels on the town of Kafr Zeta north of Hama with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Assad Regime Steps Up Aerial Shelling On Aleppo 14 civilians were killed and dozens wounded, including women and children, as a result of barrel bombs dropped by Assad’s air force on Mareh, Haritan, Manbej, Dar Azza, in rural Aleppo and on the neighborhoods of Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Najjar in the city of Aleppo. The Free Syrian Army attacked regime’s positions in Saadallah al-Jabri Square, the Public Park and the Baath Party Building in the city of Aleppo with mortar shells and homemade rockets, with reports of regime losses. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Doctors in Raqqa Send a Distress Call Doctors in the National Hospital in Raqqa sent an appeal after the cessation of water filters that feed the department of dialysis since 3 months ago, which caused the death of many civilians. Doctors in the hospital called on organizations and specialized authorities to speed up efforts aimed at dealing with the situation. Meanwhile, three people were killed and others wounded by aerial shelling on Addana hospital in rural Idlib. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Amnesty Accuses ISIS Group in Syria of Torture and Extrajudicial Killings Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) are perpetrating “a shocking catalogue of abuses” in secret jails across northern Syria, including torture, flogging and killings after summary trials, Amnesty International said on Thursday. It said in a report that the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) is operating seven clandestine prisons in areas under their control. Detainees are held for reasons ranging from suspected theft to offences against Islam such as smoking or sex outside marriage. Others are seized simply for challenging ISIS authority or belonging to rival armed groups, it said. “Those abducted and detained by ISIS include children as young as eight who are held together with adults in the same cruel and inhuman conditions,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa. At one ISIS prison on the Euphrates river in Aleppo province the local Sharia court judge appears wearing an explosives belt and issues verdicts after hearings lasting no more than a few minutes, Amnesty quoted former detainees as saying. On at least one occasion, he was reported to have joined in the flogging of a prisoner after sentencing him. Amnesty said several children had received severe floggings and on one occasion a father had to listen to his son’s screams in a nearby room. Two detainees said they witnessed a child of about 14 receive 90 lashes at a Raqqa prison. Another child of about the same age, who ISIS accused of stealing a motorcycle, was repeatedly flogged over several days. “Flogging anyone, let alone children, is cruel and inhuman, and a gross abuse of human rights,” said Luther. “After years in which they were prey to the brutality of the Assad regime, the people of Raqqa and Aleppo are now suffering under a new form of tyranny imposed on them by ISIS, in which arbitrary detention, torture and executions have become the order of the day.” (Source: Amnesty International + Syrian Coalition)
US Urges Security Council To Express Outrage At Recent Syrian Air Strikes The United States is urging the U.N. Security Council to condemn violence by all parties in Syria and express outrage at Syrian government airstrikes, especially this week’s indiscriminate use of heavy weapons in Aleppo that killed more than 100 people. A proposed council statement would express deep concern at the escalating level of violence in the Syrian conflict, including the use of SCUD missiles and “barrel bombs” in Aleppo. The draft would reiterate the council’s call for greater access for humanitarian workers, and welcome the Jan. 22 peace conference in Geneva to try to end the Syrian conflict. Council members have been deeply divided over Syria. The U.S. Mission said the statement will be adopted if there are no objections by Thursday morning. (Source: Russia Today + Syrian Coalition)
UNESCO Expresses Concern Over Syria’s Children Deprivation Of Education Irina Bokova, the Director General of UNESCO, expressed concern about the subject of education of Syria’s children refugees, adding that “there are about two million Syrian children who are currently deprived of educational opportunities.” Bokova stressed “the importance of the continuation of the educational process in times of crisis, as it is unacceptable to neglect education during the conflicts and wars.” Bokova also said that “we are facing a lost generation.” She pointed to the need for directing support to Syria’s neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, and to convince leaders to provide resources to the education process. She pointed out that the organization is working with UNICEF to build schools for refugee children, but said that funding is the biggest obstacle, describing it as similar to “climbing a high mountain.” Bokova added that funding was not on the top of the list of the supporting parties’ priorities. Bokova went on: “It is true that we do not build schools, but we are working to point out the challenges and difficulties faced by these children in order to draw the attention of international supporters.” (Source: Al Sharq al Awsat + Syrian Coalition)
UN finds systematic disappearances in Syria A panel of U.N. investigators said Thursday it believes the Syrian government is committing a crime against humanity by making people systematically vanish. In a report based on interviews with survivors and family members of victims, the panel said the war tactic being used by President Bashar Assad’s government amounts to a crime against humanity because it is part of a policy of spreading terror and mental anguish among those left wondering about their loved ones. The panel said it found “a consistent country-wide pattern” of Syrian security, armed forces and pro-government militia seizing people in mass arrests or house searches and at checkpoints and hospitals, then making them disappear — and denying that they even exist. Most of the victims have been young men, and panel member Karen Koning AbuZayd said that based on “consistent reports” of how and where people are disappearing, the panel assumes “most of them” have been tortured in prison. “It appears to be a policy because it’s so widespread. It’s around the country,” she told The Associated Press. “We know there are thousands, but we have no idea how many are in detention.”(Source: Al Hayat + Syrian Coalition)
