Press Statement
Syrian Coalition
Istanbul, Turkey
November 14, 2013
To cover up the Assad regime’s atrocities carried out against the revolution’s social base, the Russian Federation wrongly accuses rebels of committing violations in Damascus.
The Assad regime is responsible for firing mortar rounds into peaceful densely- populated neighborhoods in Damascus. It targets schools, markets, and places of worship, and blames rebels for these actions in order to buy more time in power.
Furthermore, Assad’s forces use civilians as human shields by setting up security checkpoints near populated areas. They target those areas from distant military locations in order to discredit rebels and tarnish the image of the Syrian revolution.
The Syrian Coalition highlights repeated statements by FSA (Free Syrian Army) Brigades in Damascus denying responsibility for the Damascus mortar attacks. The guiding principles of the revolution and the values of rebels on the ground do not allow them to ignore or jeopardize the lives of civilians to achieve military gains.