Daily Newsletter – 7/12/2013

Syrian Coalition: Assad Regime Talk about a Political Solution Is an Attempt to Cover Up His Brutal Massacres

Louay Safi, the official spokesman for the Syrian Coalition, said that the Iranian and Russian policies “seek to create a criminal and vengeful trend within Syrian society to keep the instability in Syrians.” Safi also stressed that those countries’ silence towards the massacres committed by the Assad regime against women and children in conjunction with the issuing of many statements on the rumored abduction of the nuns “shows that the interest of the Syrian people is not among their concerns and that their positions are merely “words designed for political consumption.” Safi went on: “Iran is still working on prolonging the conflict in Syria as a means to achieve their…Read more

Syrian Coalition Chief’s First Official Visit to Kuwait
President of the Syrian Coalition Ahmed Jarba is due in Kuwait early Saturday on his first official visit to the Gulf state. The visit comes at an important time, ahead of…Read more

Syrian Coalition Hails Elections of Local Councils in Aleppo
The Syrian Coalition congratulated the Syrian people on their “determination to establish freedom and democracy. The SC reiterates that soon after the…Read more

Syrian Coalition: Mandela Is a Loss for Peace and Humanity
The Syrian Coalition considered in a statement that the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela as a “loss for peace and humanity,” and described him…Read more

“With Knife!” A Report Exposes Assad’s Massacres against Civilians
“With Knife!” is a field report prepared by the Media Office of the Syrian Coalition that addresses the bloody massacres committed by the Assad regime to suppress the…Read more

Jaish al Islam in Eastern Ghouta ..From arms industry to pharmaceutical industry
The General Medical Committee of Jaish al Islam announced the production of certain medications (such as paracetamol, Augmentin) as a first step to bridge the large gap in the shortage of medical supplies in Eastern Ghouta as a result of the crippling blockade that has been imposed by the Assad regime and the terrorist militias of Hezbollah. Eastern Ghouta is considered one of the most important centers of the popular movement in the Syrian Revolution. It is important to note that Jaish al Islam is one of the fighting factions that joined the biggest revolutionary armed conglomerate called the Islamic Front. The merger of these battalions came as a tribute to the blood of the Abdul Qader Saleh, who was the core of this revolutionary bloc, according to military leaders of these battalions. The Islamic Front is the first conglomeration that include armed Kurdish factions that seek to overthrow the regime, indicating the unity of purpose among all spectrums of Syrian people and the inability of the regime to fracture freedom seeking factions. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Death Toll: 89 killed in Syria today
Local Coordination Committees in Syria documented 141 killed yesterday, while 89 people were documented as being killed as of press time today, including seven women and 13 children. Those killed were cited as: Four in Aleppo, 58 in Damascus, two in Daraa and one in Hama. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)

Nuns in Maloula Confirm They Are Safe
The Syrian nuns who disappeared in the town of Maloula near Damascus confirmed they are safe after the revolutionaries evacuated them to protect them from the fierce battles that erupted in the town a few days ago. In a video recording aired by Al Jazeera TV, the nuns expected they would be released in two days. The nuns said in the recording that they were forced to leave town with the help of the revolutionaries to escape heavy shelling, and added that they are currently staying in a comfortable home without specifying the place. They also confirmed that none of them was hurt. The video showed all of the 13 nuns along with three other civilian workers in the monastery sitting in a large luxurious hall that seems to be part as part of a luxury house. (Source: Al Jazeera + Syrian Coalition)

Regime Forces Renew Random Shelling On Damascus
Regime forces shelled the neighborhoods of Barzeh, Qaboun and Hajjar Aswad in Damascus with heavy artillery, alongside violent clashes between the FSA and regime forces in Jobar on the outskirts of Damascus and near the Abbasid garages. Regime forces also renewed artillery and tanks shelling on Nabekm Yabrood in Kalamoon, Moadamiyah and Zabadani near Damascus. Activists spoke of the fall down of the minaret of Al Iman mosque in Moadamiyah as a result of regime shelling. (Source: Sham News Network + Syrian Coalition)

FSA Downs a Helicopter East Of Aleppo 
The Free Syrian Army shot down a helicopter near the town of Al Safira near Aleppo. Meanwhile, activists reported aerial shelling on the neighborhood of Miassar and most of the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo. Artillery shelling was recorded on the perimeter of Al Kindi Hospital and on Awijja. In the meantime, the Islamic battalions destroyed a BMP loaded with regime troops north of Tal Arran near Al Safira.

Aerial Shelling Kills 15 in Raqqa
Assad’s warplanes launched six air raids on the neighborhoods of Firdous, Shuhadaa’ and Al Muror in the city of Raqqa, killing 15 people and wounding many others.  Meanwhile, clashes took place between the FSA and pro-Assad forces on the perimeter of Division No.17. Alos, a number of shells fell on the neighborhood of Sheikh Yassin in the city of Deir Ezzor, with reports of civilian casualties. (Sham News Network + Syrian Coalition)

FSA Repels Regime’s Attempts to Break Into Al Waer Districts, West Of Homs
Seven people were killed and dozens wounded by regime shelling on the village of Mahin southeast of Homs. Meanwhile, regime forces pounded the besieged neighborhoods of Homs, alongside violent clashes between the FSA and regime forces on the front of Bab Hood. In addition, clashes took place between the FSA and the regime’s forces to repel the latter’s attempts to storm Al Waer district west of Homs, backed by elements of the terrorist militias of Hezbollah, with reports of regime losses. The FSA fired Grad rockets on regime positions in Hama air base, Deir Muharda, and in Assilah, with reports of regime losses. Regime forces detonated an IED in Al Sabouniya in Hama while blocking all the roads leading to the neighborhood. In addition, heavy artillery shelling was reported on the towns of Lataminah and Kafr Zeita north of Hama. (Source: Local Coordination Committees)

US Confirms the Need to Bring About a Political Settlement in Syria
The US defense secretary Chuck Hagel said that “we will continue to work with partners throughout the region to help bring about a political settlement to end this conflict.” But he called for efforts to ensure that aid for the opposition “does not fall into the wrong hands.” Hagel laid out the US stance on Syria, saying that while the United States would continue to provide aide to Syrian refugees and the neighboring countries of Jordan and Turkey, the rise of violent extremism in Syria had to be addressed. Hagel added that The United States has a “proven and enduring commitment” to Middle East security, backed by diplomatic engagement and a fierce array of warplanes, ships, tanks, artillery and 35,000 troops. (Source: Syrian Coalition)

UK’s Hague Warns Syria Threatens To Tear Itself Apart
British Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Friday that the conflict in Syria threatens to tear the country apart completely unless a solution is found in 2014.” If the conflict continues, Syria itself could disintegrate and with extremism growing create ungoverned space in the heart of the Middle East,” he said. Hague added that “2014 must be the year to resolve the conflict, which has been gripped the country for nearly three years.” The British Minister referred to “the growing threat of terrorism,” stressing that “Syria’s neighbors will be in the front line in the event of a disastrous intensification of the conflict, and it will also pose a serious threat to other countries in the world, including Europe.” “We have to try to make this a decisive year. If we don’t we will face a humanitarian crisis of potentially unmanageable proportions,” he said. He also added that “on January 22 both the regime and the opposition have to go to Geneva ready to make the necessary compromises.” Hague went on: “Ending the Syrian conflict will be an extraordinarily difficult task; it requires the parties themselves to decide they have more to gain from negotiating than from fighting.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)

Powerful Explosion Heard in Occupied Golan Heights
The Israeli occupation army announced today that a bomb exploded yesterday when one of its units was patrolling the Israeli side of the fence on the Golan Heights, without causing casualties. Israeli occupation said that the blast took place in the Syrian side of the fence that separates the occupied part of the Golan Heights and Syrian territory. An investigation done by the Israeli occupation army showed that this explosion is the first deliberate and direct targeting of the occupation forces since the outbreak of the revolution in Syria . No-one or an organization has yet claimed responsibility for the blast. Israelis occupation’s military sources added that it is unclear who was responsible for planting the bomb or whether it was done by al-Qaeda or by the forces of the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition)