Bahra: Statements of the Assad Regime Become More Provocative With the Nearing Of Geneva 2
Hadi Al Bahra, a member of the Political Committee of the Syrian Coalition, said that “the closer the date of Geneva is, and more certain, the more Assad regime’s comments and its allies become more provocative.” Bahra added that through these statements, the Assad regime “tries to provoke its opponents and dissuade them against going to Geneva 2, due to the fact that the Assad regime felt compelled to attend the conference based on its commitment to the Security Council Resolution no. 2118, which stipulates in its articles 16 and 17 that Assad regime attend the peace conference on the basis of the Geneva 1 Communique. The Security Council resolution also calls for starting negotiations on the formation of a transitional ruling body with…Read more
Syrian Coalition Launches Campaign Volunteer Activities in the Countries That Host Syrians On International Volunteer Day, the Media Office of the Syrian Coalition is conducting a weeklong campaign of voluntary activities under the title “Syrians Give, Connect.” The campaign activities will include visiting child-care centers and…Read more
Syrian Coalition: Assad Regime Abort Every Conference That Might Produce a Political Solution The Syrian Coalition stress that the Assad regime and its allies are seeking, through the horrific massacres they are committing, “to abort the convening of any conference on Syria and to empty it of any meaning…Read more
“Free Doctors” Hold a Conference to Establish a Union The Medical Office of the Syrian National Council is going to hold, in collaboration with many doctors, the founding conference of the Free Syrian Medical Association under…Read more
Death of 9 Journalists in November, 150 Flee Syria The Free Press Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association said that nine activists and journalists were killed by Assad regime forces during the month of November 2013, including five journalists in Damascus Media Office who died in Eastern Ghouta. The Committee reported that 220 journalists and media activists were killed since March 2011, and highlighted the continued targeting of journalists in the city of Aleppo through killings and abductions, which forced many to disguise and more than 150 media activists to flee out of the country. The Committee documented another set of violations, including restricting the journalists’ work, preventing entry of newspapers and bombing media headquarters by warplanes. The Free Press Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association works on monitoring and documenting violations against journalists and media activists in Syria. (Source: Association of Journalists + Syrian Coalition)
13 Civilians Killed In a New Massacre near Damascus 13 civilians were killed in a new massacre committed by regime forces during the military campaign carried out on Yalda in Rural Damascus. In addition, regime forces, backed by the support of Iraqi militia of Abu al Fadl al Abbas Brigade, burned down civilian homes in the town of Thiyabiya in rural Damascus. Regime forces also pounded the neighborhoods of Kaboun, Yarmouk Camp and Beit Sahem, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. Meanwhile, regime forces launched house-to-house raids and arrested a number of civilians in Barzeh, Zahera and Mazra’a in Damascus. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
FSA In Kalamoon Hold Lebanon Responsible For Attacks By Hezbollah’s Militia On The Region The Free Syrian Army destroyed three tanks of regime forces and killed dozens of Hezbollah’s terrorist militia and regime forces during violent clashes in the city of Nabek in Kalamoon. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Military Council of Kalamoon issued a statement in which he called for the Lebanese government to take responsibility in front of Hezbollah’s attacks that on the area of Kalamoon. In the meantime, the Free Syrian Army blew up the building of Kalkosh gas station, which was turned into a major bastion for regime forces. Regime forces pounded the towns of Jbaadin, Bertha and Noman with heavy artillery, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
FSA Make Gains in Dara’a Province The FSA captured the hills of Abu al Yabes and and Abu Lihiya east of the town of Nawa in Dara’a province. According to activists, 16 bodies of regimes forces were taken to the National Hospital after the battle of Armament Battalion in Dara’a. In addition, the FSA took full control of Dara’a Border Crossing after clashes with regime forces. Meanwhile, regime forces pounded the towns of Karak and Basr al Harir with heavy artillery, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. The villages of Jibatta al Khashab and Trinjah in Quneitra came under heavy shelling by regime forces alongside intense clashes in the area. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Air Raids on Rural Aleppo, FSA Liberate Towns A woman and a child were killed and 15 others were wounded by aerial shelling on the districts of Ard Al Hamra and Deir Hafer near Aleppo. In the meantime, the FSA liberated the villages of Jadida and Khanat after heavy clashes with regime forces. Violent clashes also took place in the neighborhoods of Khalidiya, Ashrafieh and Qustul Hajjarin in an attempt by the regime forces to storm the area. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Top UN Rights Official Links Assad to Crimes in Syria Navi Pillay, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced for the first time there are evidence “pointing to the responsibility of Bashar al-Assad in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.” Pillay said during a press conference that the Commission of Inquiry on Syria “prepared massive amounts of evidence about war crimes and crimes against humanity. She went on: “They point to the fact that the evidence indicates responsibility at the highest level of government, including the head of state.” (Source: AFP + Syrian Coalition)
Jumblatt: Assad is the 21st Century’s Hulagu and Will Not Stay in His Home Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese MP and the head of the National Struggle Front stated that “the 21st century’s Hulagu will not stay at home to send invitations to some and deny them to others,” alluding to of Bashar al-Assad’s acceptance of dialogue with “certain sides of the Syrian opposition” while rejecting other sides. Jumblatt added that “in talking about what is going on around us from war against humans and stone in Syria in the face of the revolution, we say that the people always prevail while the ruling regimes will be defeated, and houses cannot be confiscated.” This statement came during a speech by Walid Jumblatt delivered on his behalf by MP Akram Chehayeb during a conference organized by the Association of Progressive Graduates at the Palace of Onixo, where he called for reading the historical transformations and changes that are taking place around Lebanon. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Israeli Occupation Retaliate To Fire at Assad Regime Forces The Israeli occupation army directed smalls arms fire toward across Syrian borders after Israeli soldiers came under fire in the the occupied Golan Heights. “Gunfire was opened from Syria towards IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers in the central Golan Heights. The force retaliated towards the threat and a hit was confirmed,” a military statement said. No casualties were reported among the Israelis. A military source of the Israeli occupation said that short exchange of fire occurred near Quneitra crossing border and that Syrian soldiers opened fire on them. The source added that the Israeli army is still verifying whether their troops were directly targeted. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
