Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Center Cannot Hold!

Buoyed by Iranian and Russian support, not to mention the confusion of Arab and international leaders, the Assads seem to have put their crackdown on cruise control in hope that they can outlast their opponents. But if the situation on the ground is any indication, their decision is a design of surrendering control of the situation to fate, if not the protesters who remain undaunted in Homs despite all the violence and are growing more visible and defiant in Damascus.  

Monday 23, 2012

Today’s death toll: 28. The Breakdown: 9 in Idlib, 8 in Homs, 3 in Deraa/Hauran, 2 in Hama, 1 in Damascus City, 1 in Hassakeh, 1 in Deir Ezzor, 1 in Aleppo City…

5 Loyalist troops were also killed in clashes with defectors near the town of Qseir in Homs Province. More clashes were reported in Idlib province near the town of Ma’arrat Al-Nouman. Several injuries were reported in the town of Albou Kamal when loyalists opened fire on protesters.

In the Damascene suburb of Douma, over 150,000 locals took part in a funeral for 12 activists killed by loyalists over the last 2 days.

Links
Comment: First Steven Cook, now Anne-Marie Slaughter... finally a serious debate on intervention in Syria is taking place. Thank you. I think that the intervention I call for in my CNN op-ed with Ken Ballen falls within the parameters suggested by Anne-Marie.

For Wallstreeters, the inhabitants of Kafrenbel in Idlib Province recommend the following trade: http://youtu.be/8CtriF2SHqs
  
New defections in Rastan (Homs Province) and a new fighting unit affiliated with the Free Syrian Army is created http://youtu.be/fviGr4Joudc Same in Deir Ezzor http://youtu.be/7izasTQX4tE Same in Idlib http://youtu.be/4fo0nfkV0qs

Homs City

Bab Dreib: neighborhood comes under fire http://youtu.be/Cj-Y8o1Hr1g , http://youtu.be/-YJL87RR96g When the pounding stopped for long enough period, local women held a rally in a narrow allow http://youtu.be/RV_6_nHRkiM The rider of this car was killed http://youtu.be/hn5njsSGPc8

Jib Al-Jandali: The neighborhood receives its daily pounding http://youtu.be/KfRb-fsb3Us a car catches fire after being shelled http://youtu.be/kjGKpi9aX7w Martyrs http://youtu.be/SMGBpXUcfxA , http://youtu.be/E5SdzHqtA8c , http://youtu.be/ilPSnaLhyrM

Al-Rifai neighborhood is pounded http://youtu.be/94DZOvYyd_I


Asheerah: a house catches fire on account of shelling http://youtu.be/7n99v0CJyOA impact of shelling http://youtu.be/iQ17dJ3njjE , http://youtu.be/xIIJPjXGdSY , http://youtu.be/PB8Ov9DIKrY Tanks move from neighborhood to another to carry out their daily routine http://youtu.be/7cO5QUW99bo

Bab Al-Sibaa: Snipers in action http://youtu.be/0xRfU0o3i4U Local activist Omar Tillawi and colleague who made this video were trapped by other snipers, but they finally managed to get away http://youtu.be/epIbewVPMc0 Other weren’t so lucky: a martyr http://youtu.be/WDyJWu-ZXjQ wounded http://youtu.be/kCXAjU6oWJA


Bab Tadmor: Impact of shelling http://youtu.be/ztSst_47TLY , http://youtu.be/p4YKCncdFDo Home catches fire http://youtu.be/jsLrH01__3Y A 2-story warehouse catches fire http://youtu.be/FGqHMbsDFw8 , http://youtu.be/uLSctCTigpM locals try to extinguish the fire http://youtu.be/jFaQKbX05X8 but the warehouse collapses http://youtu.be/tZERsny3qZE




Homs Province

Qseir: loyalist troops and local FSA members clash, loyalists ended up taking shelter in the local hospital, and defectors withdrew to save lives http://youtu.be/e_fuRrChz3Y


Damascus – East

Douma: Mass funeral for 12 activists http://youtu.be/EgF9UM_izkc , http://youtu.be/Ki4k6OkDEIg Local members of the FSA take part in the funeral to provide protection http://youtu.be/VzDPEa2UAV0 People chant “the Free Army, may God protect it”  http://youtu.be/sKi_4Vwzmk8 The imam of the local mosque describes how one of the martyrs was tortured during his detention http://youtu.be/s1fD8U4oBs8 Brining the martyrs to the town square http://youtu.be/czOXV_sm-Kc Introducing the martyrs http://youtu.be/D1xuocuSYQU Scenes from the funeral http://youtu.be/2VB1abFo-QE , http://youtu.be/c1wuBZMxbkU , http://youtu.be/xuk3yboGOPo the view from the mosque top http://youtu.be/SHgOkdSQeNo The nighttime mourning ceremony http://youtu.be/V1ZHLK1vUJs , http://youtu.be/liv6gFZISGs , http://youtu.be/vovSR0G6cOE

Hamouriyeh: Impact of shelling http://youtu.be/xT4lhj9xg2I , http://youtu.be/m_r7cL6hih4 But locals still took to the streets at night http://youtu.be/6-cfYz8_-oI

Kafar Batna: Daytime rally http://youtu.be/f5IDNCPbk5M Nighttime rally in the presence of FSA members http://youtu.be/JzedqjXJN_Y


Damascus City

Naher Eisheh: loyalist troops open fire on protesters http://youtu.be/6dXO75cf5q4 , http://youtu.be/mrXYvFmKV9g but remain defiant http://youtu.be/ECW-1fZnyC0 throwing stones and fireworks http://youtu.be/JOo8HjZOzPU Still, one of them was killed http://youtu.be/CNrZYKi8cLU , http://youtu.be/EKIIDiZRB0M many wounded http://youtu.be/bRbN9vm56_0


Damascus – North

Assal Al-Ward: Local members of the FSA chase out loyalist security officers and confiscate their vehicles http://youtu.be/ZUKMPU19h9I One of the tanks that left the city heads towards nearby Rankous http://youtu.be/mxMLZ3ntUow


Damascus – South

The town of Qatana is pounded at night http://youtu.be/frUsnI5Cl2o


Damascus – West

Zabadani: reports from yesterday that loyalists tried to retake the town turned up to be inaccurate, and locals rallied today at night http://youtu.be/snKcNe_xnaw , http://youtu.be/0Je1V8yOLYM

Idlib

Ariha: the town comes under sporadic fire at night http://youtu.be/kz-sk8Qj7xg

Jabal Al-Zawiyeh: despite all the hardships, locals still find time for fun http://youtu.be/14VMOoZSCgk In Kafrenbel, they express themselves as usual in their signs http://youtu.be/8CtriF2SHqs

Ma’arrat Al-Nouman: loyalists attempt at entering the city at night is met with stiff resistance from local defectors http://youtu.be/S7gAAIegsT0 , http://youtu.be/qtx9Bx_0kU4


Kafar Ouaid: nighttime funeral http://youtu.be/854UaLcfYzU Barah: A martyr http://youtu.be/79ClOleCwbU


Deraa City:

Al-Balad: locals come under fire from loyalist troops http://youtu.be/DYnexJH712M , http://youtu.be/zsXlC2frewo Snipers occupy a local minaret http://youtu.be/0-s-Ye3t4Rc Still locals rally at night http://youtu.be/gJQ_1jAX45o , http://youtu.be/KIo3IXVRkcU


Deraa/Hauran Province:

Saida: The bodies of sniper victims of snipers in the car in which they were shot http://youtu.be/RQeyJ9WwOGI Later, loyalist troops storm into town in search of defectors who, in retaliation to these murders, are said to have targeted a vehicle carrying loyalist officers killing them all http://youtu.be/DMw9C8usFqU The victims in the car could only be taken out at night http://youtu.be/pr1rdoXLdSo


Hama City:

A young woman activist who is also a Christian speaks to AL Monitors visiting the city to tell them how the regime is playing the sectarian card in order to turn Christians against the revolution and sew fear in the ranks of each family and not just between Muslims and Christians. She says the regime wants Christians an end to Alawite rule, and want them to forget that for hundreds of years Syrians lived in relative communal harmony. As a result of the regime actions, she said, we now have to fight against two monsters: the regime and sectarianism. The Egyptian monitor agrees with her and says that in Egypt some are trying to play Christians and Muslims against each other. She says: the more afraid we are is, the less we use our reason. http://youtu.be/3xQUQk-GL50


Hama Province:


Nighttime rallies Taybat Al-Imam http://youtu.be/SJ9Y0JAwS3g


Aleppo City

Salaheddine: A martyr http://youtu.be/ks6qsA0nXng

University: scenes from yesterday demonstrations http://youtu.be/AMj1kAcZJt8 More student rallies took place today http://youtu.be/HVry-ZkODH4

Aleppo Province


Deir Ezzor

Albou Kamal: Loyalist troops open fire on protesters http://youtu.be/YhBBBDLqyjc , http://youtu.be/UDIwSbtn5mE some of the wounded http://youtu.be/7NWVgDUMMps a martyr http://youtu.be/gqx471HwAL4 A building catches fire http://youtu.be/aDsn1YC_X5s , http://youtu.be/nwNB4EO4KBQ

Deir Ezzor City: the neighborhood of Jourah comes under fire at night http://youtu.be/5239bM0U7JM Rallies took place in Takaya Street http://youtu.be/WOFSFW-2NtQ and Jbeileh Neighborhood http://youtu.be/oa3nUjWjGNY

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