Daily Newsletter – 23/10/2013

Jarba Lays Out Conditions to Attend Geneva 2

President of the Syrian Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, said that the decision to go to Geneva 2 is directly in the hands of the Syrian people and considers the “Coalition as nothing more than an outlet for the people’s will.” Jarba also stated “If we say yes to Geneva 2, you will hear the Syrian street echo loudly with screams of: “Down with the Coalition and Geneva together,” at the Friends of Syria meeting.

Jarba criticized the international community’s lack of balance in its political rhetoric towards the massacres committed by Bashar Assad against Syrians.” He explained, “We requested you to establish No Fly Zones and to deliver a significant blow to the blood soaked regime, but you could not. Today you want us to sell the blood that we needed you help stop shedding.” The head of the Syrian Coalition said that the Geneva 2 parameters are not consistent with the parameters put forward by the Coalition, describing it as a “humiliating settlement” and does not meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

Jarba considers the deal as faux humanitarianism to propagate a message of peace in front of their citizens from the shameful position “toward Bashar al Assad’s massacres and atrocities.” Jarba pointed out that in the event the international community continues to insist on not holding Assad responsible for his crimes, and standing against the will of the Syrian people, participating in Geneva will be impossible.

Jarba promised that international politics “will face five no’s instead of three no’s: No negotiations, No solution, No recognition, No retreat, and no to an incapable international community.” Jarba presented the Syrian Council’s conditions for participating in Geneva 2, the first of which was: “securing humanitarian corridors to areas under siege, and the release of detainees, first and foremost the women and children.”  He pointed out the Syrian Coalition “cannot sit at the negotiating table while children and women in Assad prisons are dying from systematic starvation practiced by the regime.” The President of the Syrian Coalition refused to negotiate with Bashar al Assad, “except, under that condition that there is a complete transition of power with all its components and institutions, then the departure of the murderer.” The head of the Syrian Coalition demanded that there should be a specific timetable for all stages of negotiation,” saying at that a specific timetable is an integral part of the negotiation terms for the Coalition. Jarba called for “the inclusion of binding clauses forcing the parties to implement the agreement under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.” He stressed that “no group speaks for the revolution except the Syrian Coalition and all its components.” The head of the Syrian Coalition ruled out that he would accept “Iran as a mediator on the negotiating table, including Hezbollah militia mercenaries, Abu al-Fadl Abbas Brigades and the Revolutionary Guards.” They are considered some of the most important military and political forces who support Bashar al Assad during the perpetration of the massacres in Syrian. Jarba pointed out that “the military support, especially anti-aircraft missiles, will create a real balance on the ground, and revolutionary forces will be able to force the regime into negotiations and to stop daring to kill unarmed civilians.” At the end of his speech, the head of the Syrian Coalition called for the immediate withdrawal of all heavy weapons deployed by the regime in Syrian villages and cities. Also, for the terrorist Hezbollah militia mercenaries and Abu al Fadl al Abbas Brigade to leave Syria.” He said, “The penetration of terrorism in some areas of Syria as a result of support from the regime and others is due to the failure of the international community to help “a people being annihilated by a sick dictator who is saturated with desire for power.”

(Source: Syrian Coalition)

The Syrian Coalition: We Need Humanitarian Corridors

The Syrian National Coalition calls on “international organizations like Red Cross and Crescent and Doctors Without Borders, to act quickly” on what it described as “a growing humanitarian and health crisis in the besieged areas.” The Syrian Coalition request that the UN Security Council pass an emergency resolution in which: “the  Assad regime would be forced to open humanitarian corridors to the besieged area in Syria.” The Coalition’s statement adds, “Reports have returned from field hospitals and first aid stations with serious warnings of the possibility of the return of serious diseases which Syria finished from many years ago.” This is a result of “the continued siege that has led to the absence of medical immunizations” from the besieged areas which the regime has been putting pressure on because they are the popular base for the Syrian revolution. The initial medical reports predict that polio in children and whooping cough,  are the diseases which have begun to sicken the people in the areas where the regime has prevented the delivery of medical aid. Medical organizations found 22 cases of polio in Deir Ezzor after the disease had been eradicated in the area for more than 14 years. The United Nations World Health Organization state that, “results from initial tests of several cases in Deir Ezzor Province returned positive for children’s polio.” The WHO added that “Syria is in great danger from children’s polio and other diseases which people can be protected from with immunizations.” The WHO requested further tests in the area to discover any more such cases. The WHO also recommends that any person traveling to areas where these diseases have showed up to get new immunization shots. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

The Assad regime freed 14 women after reaching an internationally brokered deal, where the regime traded female prisoners for nine spies from the terrorist Hezbollah militia.  Hisham Marwa described the trade “”as a shameful act. He added that “the spies of Assad’s allies are more important Syrians who Assad claims to protect.” He pointed out that “this prisoner swap is clear evidence foreign powers are controlling the Assad Regime.”

(Source: Syrian Coalition)

Death Toll: 33 Dead in Syria today 77 Dead Yesterday

Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 77 people who died yesterday, among them five children. Also, 15 people died in Homs, seven people died in Damascus, four in Deir Ezzor, three in each of Idlib and Aleppo, and one in Dara’a.

(Source: Local Coordination Committees)

Air Strikes on Dayr al Asafeer and Clashes Around Barzah

Regime fighter jets renewed shelling on the town of Dayr al Asafeer in rural Damascus killing two people and injuring others, mostly women and children, many buildings were also destroyed. Regime forces shelled with rocket launchers the cities of Daraya and al Mleiha injuring many residents of the area. Fierce clashes occurred between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces around Tishreen Military Hospital in Barzah in Damascus. Also, the Free Syrian Army repelled a regime advance on the city of al Sbeina after clashes, forcing the regime to retreat. 

(Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Clashes in Dara’a

The FSA clashed with regime forces around al Tibleen Chekpoint and al Aghrar Barracks at the entrance of Tafas in rural Dara’a. The FSA targeted the eastern munitions brigade in Busra al Harir with tank shells, making a significant advance against regime forces. Regime forces shelled Dara’a Camp injuring many civilians and destroying many civilian homes. Naseeb and Abu Ghara witnessed shelling from rocket launchers and missiles that injuring many people and caused some material damage to buildings and the infrastructure in the area.

(Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Two Tanks Destroyed and Two Military Vehicles Destroyed in Homs

The Free Syrian Army destroyed two regime tanks and damaged two military vehicles in Sadad village in rural Homs after clashes with regime forces who were attempting to raid the village. Regime forces shelled the outskirts of the town of Muheen, Hawareen, and Tel Bisseh injuring many civilians. Security forces backed by terrorist Hezbollah militants conducted an arrest campaign around the Military Security Branch in Palmyra , as well as in Halfaya in Hama. Many civilians charged with organizing protests against the regime and weakening national sentiment were arrested. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Regime Fighter Jets Target al Amiriyah and Blaas

Regime fighter jets targeted the village of al Amiriyah and Blaas in southern rural Aleppo killing a child and injuring many civilians and destroying many buildings. Regime heavy artillery also targeted al Qatirji District and Maysar District in Aleppo injuring many people who were taken to field hospitals in near by areas. Regime forces also shelled Salah al Din District with mortar shells with no victims reported in the area.

(Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Commitees) 

Preparatory Meeting in New York for Geneva 2

The United Nations announced that there will be a preparatory meeting next month for Geneva 2 in New York. Participants will consist of the permanent members of the Security Council and the Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi. The announcement came hours after the Friends of Syria meeting. The closing statement of that meeting confirmed the importance of Bashar al Assad’s departure from any authority in future Syria. It is notable that Bashar al Assad’s regime and the Arab League announce in two separate announcements that the Geneva 2 Conference would be held on November 24th, 2013.

(Source: al Arabiya)

Al-Attiyah Denies Communications with Assad

Qatari Foreign Minister, Khalid al-Attiyah, denied that his country had contacted Bashar al Assad to complete the prisoners deal, explaining that: “There are many parties involved in the process, the equation is very simple and people do not need to accuse us of having channels of communication with the Assad regime. Major General Abbas Ibrahim negotiated for the Lebanese side with Assad, and we sent the demands of the rebels inside Syria to Major General Ibrahim and he delivered them to Assad. So how can we be accused of communicating with the Assad regime on an issue involving prisoners from all parties and negotiators from all parties?” Al-Attiyah narrated Qatar’s role in the release of the kidnapped Lebanese in Izaz, saying: “When the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman visited Qatar he asked the Emir to intervene in the matter. We actually sent the Emir to go and see what the issue was surrounding the nine kidnapped people from Lebanon. We looked into it and found out with whom they are, and we began to contact the kidnappers and negotiate with them. We spoke of humanitarian aspects and they also spoke with us in terms of humanitarian aspects and that they had detainees of the Assad regime.”  About whether the hostages were with the “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant” or the Jabhat al Nursa, al-Attiyah said: “No, they have nothing to do with them at all, not with ISIS, nor with Jabhat al Nusra. The abductors are a group of rebels in Izaz. They mourned the fact that there are two Turkish pilots abducted and held hostage.” He said, “These rebels have a problem with the Assad regime and not with the Lebanese side.” About the reason for the regime’s agreement to the deal, he said “This question should be directed to the Lebanese mediators. We got a guarantee  from the mediator that they would persuade the Syrian regime to release female prisoners.” He added that “the process of identifying the locations of female prisoners takes time.” He expected that “to be within a few days.” About Qatar’s guarantee to the rebels to release the prisoners he said:  “based on the guarantee from the Lebanese side, we presented our guarantee because we were in a position that we were not able to abandon the delivery of the nine Lebanese detainees. After the Lebanese President contacted the Prince, who confirmed the presence of the nine detainees, we feared for their lives due to the circumstances, and we had to hand them over to meet the promises made by the Prince to the Lebanese President Suleiman and the Lebanese mediator.”

(Source: al Hayat)

Brahimi: Majority Agree that there is no Military Solution for what is Happening in Syria

The UN Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, confirmed in Amman today that “there is something like an international consensus that there is no military solution for what is happening in Syria.” He added, “It is impossible to end the nightmare haunting the Syrian people except with a political solution.” In statements released after conducting meetings about preparations for the Geneva 2 conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Naser Joudeh, Brahimi said “We had important discussions with Joudeh about the dangerous Syrian issue which does not present a danger to Syria and its future alone, but threatens the entire region, at present it presents the most danger to peace and stability.” Brahimi added, “The tour I am  conducting comes by request from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, and Foreign Ministers of the five permanent member of the Security Council, who recognize as other countries in the region recognize, first of all the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the danger of the situation.”

(Source: al Hayat + AFP)

NATO Supports Geneva 2 If it Leads to a Political Solution

Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, announced that the NATO Council supported holding the Geneva 2 conference if it makes a way for a political solution in Syria. He explained that he fully supports the plan for the meeting to take place next month. Rasmussen said in the Russia – NATO meeting in Brussels: “We discussed issues of international security and especially the Syrian file.” Rasmussen expressed support for the United Nations mission to destroy the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal, and efforts to implement this international resolution. He said: “It’s an important step forward. It is necessary to fully implement the agreement with the greatest degree of transparency.”

(Source: UBI + al Hayat)