Daily Newsletter – 24/11/2013

Syrian Coalition: Assad’s Killing of Syrians Denies Political Solution

The Syrian Coalition considers Assad’s escalation of hostilities and targeting of residential neighborhoods as a “desperate act of retaliation in response to gains made by the FSA.” The Syrian Coalition also said that Assad’s policy seeks to “hinder the effectiveness of the social incubator of the Syrian Revolution and to cover up its defeats with the blood of innocent people in order to distract the attention of the FSA away from the battle fronts.” Furthermore, the Coalition stressed in a statement that the regime is seeking, through its policy of random killing of civilians, to “abort any political solution, including Geneva II.” The statement referred to the horrific massacre that Assad’s forces, aided by the terrorist militia of Hezbollah…Read more

Jarba: Military Agenda Will Dominate General Assembly Meetings
The Head of the Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, stressed that “a large percentage of the Syrian Coalition General Assembly meetings scheduled for the middle…Read more

Democratic Union: Strategic Battle Raging in Kalamoon
The Syrian Democratic Union stated that “the Assad regime seeks to change the demographics of the region and to expel the local people who are opposing its rule through the battle of Kalamoon in order to repress the social base of revolutionary forces.” A battle has been raging in Kalamoon in Rural Damascus between Assad forces, backed by terrorist militia of Hezbollah, and the Free Syrian Army. “Although the FSA are outnumbered and outgunned, they are defending Kalamoon as it is their right to defend themselves, their community, their role, and their presence in the revolution. The Assad regime is trying desperately to take control of this area to secure the strategic Damascus-Homs road, and to cut the line of communication between Syria and Lebanon through the Kalamoon mountains as well as the lines of communication with Eastern Ghouta, paving the way to storm it later. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Quds Al-Arabi )

Death Toll: 31 killed today, 155 Yesterday.
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 31 people killed by mid-afternoon, including three children, a woman, and one killed under torture. Deaths were cited as: 14 in Damascus, 5 in Aleppo, 4 in Homs, 3 in each of Raqqa and Daraa, and 2 in Idlib. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)

Death of six media activists in Eastern Ghouta
Six media activists were killed at dawn today while they were covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces in Eastern Ghouta. The activists are Imran Tabajou, who goes by the name “Mohammed Saied,” a member of the Revolutionary Command Council in rural Damascus, Hassan Haroun “Muhammad Taib,” who works with Jaish al Islam, Mohammed Shaher al-Najjar, one of the most prominent media activists of Shuhada’ Douma Brigade, Ammar Khitti, “Abu Qatada,” Akram Silaik “Saleh Abdul Rahman” from the city of Douma, and Yasser Haron “Abu Bashir.” The media activists died after a struggle that lasted nearly three years of continuous and hard work to convey the truth and deliver it to the Syrians and the international community. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Escalation of Clashes in rural Damascus
Regime forces shelled the neighborhood of Kaboun and Yarmouk refugee camp with Grad Missiles and heavy artillery shelling, which caused civilian casualties and material damage. Several random mortar shells landed near the Dar al Shifaa hospital in the Adawi and Sina’a neighborhoods, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. Meanwhile, regime artillery targeted civilian vehicles in the Barada valley, killing two people and wounding many others. In the meantime, the Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces on the front of Andalusia in the Sidi Miqdad in rural Damascus, killing a number of regime forces and wounding others. In addition, clashes took place in the district of Moadamyeh alongside shelling on the area by regime forces. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

FSA target Republican Guard headquarters in Mount Qasion
Free Syrian army attacked the headquarters of the Republican Guard on Mount Qasion and inflicted losses on the regime forces. Mount Qasion is home to some of the most important military sites that the Assad regime use to keep its grip on Damascus. In addition, the Free Syrian Army clashed with pro-Assad forces near the international Highway, besides repelling regime forces while they were trying to break into the city of Al Nabiq. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

FSA make gains in Aleppo, Regime troops retaliate by targeting Civilians
In battle dubbed “Al Fateh”, the FSA captured seven villages in southern rural Aleppo, which include Rasm al Shih, Rasm Akirch, Deman and Alborzaniya. The battle resulted in cutting off the supply lines used by regime forces from Khanasser to Al Safeera to the east, as well as seizing a number of vehicles and inflicting losses on regime forces. In addition, the FSA shelled Sheikh Yusuf hill with mortar rounds, with reports of regime losses. In the meantime, Assad warplanes bombarded the town of Maskaneh in eastern rural of Aleppo, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage.  The city of Aleppo saw yesterday one of the bloodiest days, where regime shelling killed 64 civilians, including 13 children and seven women. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

FSA’s rockets fall on Deir Ezzor Airbase
The Free Syrian Army targeted regime troops stationed in Deir Ezzor airbase with homemade missiles. There were reports of regime losses. Meanwhile, the FSA clashed with regime forces on the walls of the airbase. Regime warplanes launched air strikes on the neighborhoods of  Hwaiqah and Al Siyasiya bridge, while the FSA tried to ward off regime  warplanes using anti-aircraft guns. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Oxford: More Than 11,000 Children Killed by Assad Regime
The Oxford Research Group in London reported that more than 11,000 children were killed during military operations launched by regime forces on Syrian cities, including hundreds of children who were killed by sniper fire. According to the report published by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), “Syrian children of an early age were victims of summary executions and torture.” The report added that “most of the children were killed by shelling on the neighborhoods they live in.” The report pointed out that 11,420 children under the age of 17 were killed since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution; including 389 children who were killed by snipers, 764 children who were summarily executed, and 100 who died under torture.” The report also pointed out that the number of male child victims outnumbered females at a rate of 2 to 1, and that boys ranging between 13 and 17 years of age are most often the targets of deliberate killings. Regarding the distribution of the number of child victims in Syrian cities, the report noted that “the highest rate of child deaths occurred in the province of Aleppo, where it was reported that 2223 children were killed, followed by the province of Homs with 1817 deaths, rural Damascus with 1772 deaths, Idlib with 1584 deaths, Daraa with 1134  deaths, Hama province ranked sixth on the list of the highest child mortality rate in Syria with 821 deaths, Damascus, with 749 deaths, and finally the province of Deir Ezzor where 648 children were killed.” (Source: Al Haiyat)

Jordan Denies Refugee Status to Syrians Entering From Other Countries
A senior source in the Jordanian government said that they would deport Syrians, who arrive in the Kingdom from neighboring countries, back to the countries from which they came with the exception of Syria. The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told United Press International: “Syrians coming through Jordanian airports, the port of Aqaba, and through border crossings with neighboring countries, with the exception of Syria, will be returned to the countries from which they came because they do not qualify as refugees.” He added that the deportation will be at the expense of the airlines that brought them to Jordan, charging those countries with being “responsible for abandoning the Syrian refugees and sending them to the Jordanian Kingdom.” (Source: AL Quds al Arabi)

Agreement Concerning Iran’s Nuclear Program Will Reflect Positively on Geneva II
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear program that was reached between the P5+1 and Iran might positively serve preparations for holding Geneva II. “In addition to the multiple pros of this agreement, I hope it will serve efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis through Iran’s joining with us in a constructive work in order to facilitate the holding of Geneva II.”(Source: Al Arabiya)