Non-stop Gains by the FSA in Eastern and Western Ghouta
George Sabra, the former president of the Syrian National Coalition, said that the latest military gains made by the Free Syrian Army in the town of Otaiba and Eastern and Western Ghouta near Damascus represent a “significant step on the ground by the forces of the Syrian revolution.” Sabra called on the political blocs “to focus on the material and tangible gains and military operations to ensure tightening the noose on the regime’s forces.” Sabra also said that “breaking the siege on the people of Ghouta, who were once gassed by the Assad regime and who were starved to show submission to Assad, is one of the most important achievements made by the FSA fighters today.” Furthermore, Sabra considered that “progress in Otaiba will open…Read more
Tomah meets with the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ahmad Tomah, the head of the interim government, criticized the acts of reprisal by the Assad regime against civilians in all Syrian cities during a meeting with the…Read more
ACU launches training course for fighting polio in Syria Assistance Coordination Unit of the Syrian Coalition launched a special training course to train and qualify human groups inside the besieged cities who in turn will train bigger cadres in those cities. The course will offer training to around 110 specialists who will go through lectures to raise awareness and mini-exercises that cover the medical aspects related to polio and methods of fighting the disease. The course will also cover the administrative and executive aspects, such as the adaptation of those groups, procedures for the safe transfer and cooling of vaccine as well as archiving and documenting the process of vaccinating children. It is expected that this training course will secure a wide network of volunteers that consists of 7,000 and unite their professional awareness in implementing the vaccination plan in a period that does not exceed five days. The importance of this training program lies in its timing as well as as an advanced step to confirm the readiness of ACU and the work group that was established by local and Arabic medical organizations and local councils. The course also aims to confirm the ACU’s technical capacity to receive the vaccine from the World Health Organization. For its part, the National Coordination Commission condemned the regime’s inaction and claims of “comprehensive” vaccination plans. It also criticized the regime’s favoritism by “favoring cities and areas over others as a way of differentiating and driving rebellious cities into submission.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Death Toll: 35 people killed today, 93 yesterday. The Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 93 people killed yesterday, while documented 35 people killed as of 6:00 pm today, including a woman and a child. Deaths were cited as: 20 people in Damascus, 8 in Aleppo, 3 in Homs, 2 in Idlib and one in each of Dara’a and Deir Ezzor. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)
Regime forces pound neighborhoods of Barzeh and Kaboun Regime forces shelled the neighborhoods of Kaboun, Barzeh and Jouret al Shribati in Damascus using rocket launchers and heavy artillery, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. In addition, the cities and towns of Nabek, Yabrood, Moadamiya, Dariya, Yalda and most of Eastern Ghouta came under intense shelling by Assad Forces. Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces in Al Marj and Harasta in Eastern Ghouta and on the Damascus-Homs highway near al Qalamoun. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
FSA capture regime sites in Quneitra The FSA took full control of al Khawaled Platoon near Beer Ajam in Quneitra in the battle “Fajr al Tawheed”. The Free Syrian Army clashed with pro-Assad forces in the city of Khan Arnaba, with reports of regime losses. In addition, 20 regime troops were killed during clashes with the FSA near Zbeida and Rasm Al Halabi Platoons in the middle sector of Quneitra province. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Clashes in rural Dara’a The Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces on the outskirts of the city of Nawa in rural Dara’a, alongside artillery shelling by regime forces on the south-eastern part of the city, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. Other clashes took place near the Brigade “15” in the town of Inkhil, alongside regime shelling on the town. Meanwhile, civilian casualties, including children, were reported in the town of Hirak in rural Dara’a as a result of the shelling by heavy artillery. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
Aerial strikes on most of Aleppo’s neighborhoods. Four children were killed and dozens wounded by aerial shelling on the displaced people’s camp near the city of Maskaneh in rural Aleppo, though the camp is considered a safe area that provide shelter for the displaced civilians from the city of Al Safeera. In addition, regime forces pounded the neighborhoods of Sakhour, Kafr Naha and Al Inzarat with heavy machine guns, with reports of civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army clashed with regime forces in the neighborhood of al Iza’a and Salah al-Din in Aleppo. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)
International relief aid does not reach 250,000 trapped civilians The United Nations reported that its relief convoys could not reach about 250,000 people in areas besieged by Assad forces, despite “growing needs and the intensification of the conflict.” The UN statement came in a document submitted by Valerie Amos, the UN Relief Coordinator of the United Nations at a special meeting in Geneva. The document titled “The Humanitarian Situation and Response in Syria,” reported that the picture is bleak and the situation is dangerous and difficult for humanitarian workers.” The document added that 12 UN staff and 32 volunteers or employees of the Syrian Red Crescent had been killed since the start of the revolution in March of 2011, and that 21 other UN staff are still being detained. (Source: Reuters + Syrian Coalition)
Foreign Ministers of 30 Countries to Meet in Geneva II Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister, said yesterday that Geneva II would be held with the selection of foreign ministers from 30 countries, stressing that representatives from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey will participate in the preparations for the conference. Bogdanov added that “the Assad regime’s foreign minister Walid al-Moallem will head the regime’s delegation in Geneva.” Bogdanov spoke about the existence of controversy with the Americans about the participation of Saudi Arabia and Iran at the conference, stressing the need to represent everyone in Geneva and that it come up with binding resolutions. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
UNGA Calls for Israeli Withdrawal From the Golan Heights The United Nations’ General Assembly adopted a resolution yesterday calling for Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 1967, for the implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council. The General Assembly condemned, in the resolution entitled “The Syrian Golan” which came in the framework of a research titled “The Situation in the Middle East,” the Israeli occupation’s non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 497 of 1981. In addition, the General Assembly confirmed that the Israeli occupation’s Golan Heights Law, issued on December 14, 1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan, is void and has no validity whatsoever as was confirmed by the Security Council in resolution No. 497 of 1981. At that time the Security Council had also called on the Israeli occupation to retract its Golan Heights Law. This comes in conjunction with the international community’s fervent efforts to convene Geneva II that seeks to achieve peace in Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
Iranian-Turkish cooperation to reach cease-fire in Syria before Geneva II Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, said his country and Turkey would make every effort aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a cease-fire in Syria before Geneva II. The Iranian Official’s statement was made during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmed Davutoglu, about Geneva II. Zarif said that “we follow the situation in Syria with great concern,” adding that “Iran and Turkey have common positions regarding the Syrian issue, namely that no military solution is possible. All of those who have influence over the two sides of the conflict must cooperate to promote a political solution. The Republic of Iran and Turkey intend to cooperate in this field. ” (Source: Syrian Coalition)