Daily Newsletter – 27/12/2013

Bahra: Russia is helping kill Syrians slowly in a Piecemeal Fashion

Hadi Bahra, member of the Syrian Coalition’s Political Committee, slammed the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement which claims that “the static Russian position on Syria helped ward off military intervention which would lead to deterioration of the situation in the Middle East.” Bahra stresses that these claims are “unrealistic, as Russia is responsible for the direct military intervention of the militias of terrorist Hezbollah and Abu al Fadl al Abbas Brigade and Iran.” Furthermore, Bahra regrets the Russian Foreign Ministry’s claims that destroying Syria’s chemical weapons is a major achievement made by…Read more

Syrian Coalition: Assad’s Terrorism Must Top Discussions at Geneva II
Abdul Rahman Al-Hajj, foreign relations official at the Syrian National Council, said the that the remarks made by the Assad regime’s Minister of Foreign Affairs…Read more

71 Cases of Polio in Syria
A report released by Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU) confirmed the existence of 71 cases of polio in Syria, including 55 cases in Deir Ezzor, nine in Idlib, four in Aleppo, and one case in each of Hama, Raqqa and Hasaka. According to Reuters, the Assad regime excluded the province of Deir Ezzor of the vaccination campaign against polio, which was carried out in 2012. 2.5 million doses of vaccine were delivered to the Joint Syrian Working Group by the Turkish government in order to begin the anti-polio campaign in northern Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

To Um Qasem, Freedom Is More Precious Than Gold
“I sacrifice everything I have to win my freedom,” Um Qasem uses these words to summarize why she offered gold for her sons to buy arms and join the FSA in the city of Deir Ezzor, after Assad’s forces destroyed the city facilities and left hundreds of thousands civilian homeless. Um Qasem has three sons who were the top in their classes, but they found themselves forced to take up arms and defend their city. Um Qasem says gold bracelets used to cover her arms, but she sold them to buy arms after regime forces stormed the city several times and massacred its civilians. “I realized that the only way to get rid of this corrupt regime is to take up arms and liberate the homeland, so I dedicated everything I have to arm my sons and urge them to fight Assad’s forces and protect the city,” Um Qasem says. Um Qasem wishes the revolution remained peaceful, after the large number of victims which rose to more than 5,000 people. The city of Deir Ezzor came under several attacks by Assad’s forces since the summer of 2011, and now most of the city is lying in ruins, including many ancient sites and landmarks. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Regime’s Landmines Kill 60 in Nabek
Sixty people were killed when they came into a minefield near Nabek while they were trying to flee the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.  Five civilians, including children, were killed and dozens injured by air raids on the town of Khan al Sheih. Meanwhile, the towns of Madaya, Baqin, Kafr al Zeit and Yabrood in Rural Damascus came under shelling by regime forces, with reports of civilian casualties and material damage. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Assad’s And PYD Forces Storm A Village Near Hasakah
Regime forces backed by PYD’s militias made several attempts to storm the village of Tal Hamis in Hasaka province, after capturing the town of Qurtuba where five civilians were killed. Activists reported that regime forces arrested a tribal leader in the town and detained dozens of children and women to use them as human shields. Yasser Al-Farhan, member of the Syrian Coalition said that the Assad regime seeks to restore key oil pipelines that pass by Tal Hamis coming from Rmelan oil fields and secure the passage to Baniyas refinery. Farhan said also that the townsmen are putting up stubborn resistance, supported by Ahrar al Sham of the Islamic Front and the Free Syrian Army. Farhan pointed out that the residents of the area are predominantly ​​Arabs and has a strategic location as supply routes to the city of Deir Ezzor. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

FSA Makes Significant Gains In Deir Ezzor
The Free Syrian Army made significant progress in its attempt to capture Deir Ezzor air base and overran key regime defenses. The FSA also destroyed two hangers inside the air base and captured some military vehicles. Activists reported that clashes are still raging around the air base. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

FSA Repels Regime Forces In Sheikh Misqin
The Free Syrian Army clashed with the regime forces north of Sheikh Misqin in rural Dara’a, alongside heavy artillery shelling on the town. Regime’s warplanes also launched air raids on the towns of Jassem and Nasib, with reports of civilian casualties. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Intense Shelling On Hula And Besieged Homs
A child was killed and dozens of civilians injured as a result of regime shelling on Hula in rural Homs. Regime forces also pounded the besieged neighborhoods of Homs, alongside violent clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime forces in their surroundings. Violent clashes were reported between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces near Nasiriyah in rural Hama. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Gunmen Storm The Office Of The Shahba News Agency In Aleppo
Gunmen stormed the office of Shahba News Agency in Hanano in Aleppo and kidnapped a reporter the director of the agency. Journalists Union of Aleppo condemned the assault on the office and called on the release of the reporter, Milad al Shihabi, who is one of the early revolutionary activists and journalists in Aleppo (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

Many Protests across Syria
Syria people demonstrated all across Syria in a Friday that activists dubbed “Barrel Bombs and the International License.” Protesters called for the overthrow the regime of the Assad regime. Protests were reported in Maliha, Douma, Sakba and Maliha. People of Idlib held demonstrations denouncing the State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) in Sraqeb, Sarmin and Kafranbel in Idlib province. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Local Coordination Committees)

• Largest-ever UN appeal shows scope of Syrian refugee crisis
• Family of the British doctor hold Assad regime responsible for his murder
• A tweet by Shatah against Hezbollah may be reason behind his assassination
• A French organization warns against destroying Syria’s chemical weapons onboard a cargo ship
• Arab campaigns raise millions of U.S. dollars for Syrian refugees