Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Tzars & Bazars!

At the UN, the Russians are haggling over the milk they themselves have spilt, while U.S. pushes for a resolution with no teeth. The Syrian Revolution continues to mystify all. Meanwhile the killing continues, and the defiance.

Tuesday 31, 2012 – A day for National Mourning

Today’s death toll: 45, mostly in Idlib and Homs provinces.

Loyalist troops have stored communities in Eastern Ghoutah and Qalamoun regions in Rural Damascus, including the town of Rankous where they are reportedly engaged in large-scale looting and whole sale demolition of houses.

Meanwhile, the pounding of Rastan and Homs City continues. So does the pounding of Ma’arrat Al-Nouman, Ariha and Kafrenbel in Idlib Province.

Clashes between loyalists and defectors were also reported on the outskirts of Mseifrah in Deraa/Hauran province.

Links

Russia’s Dilemma

Russia has created its own problem in Syria. Its interests in Syria were never at stake, the Syrian Revolution did not jeopardize anything in this regard. Syrian protesters never had any reason to review or call for reviewing the nature and state of Syrian-Russian relations. There was absolutely no reason to suspect that Syrian-Russian would have been anything but normal, if not cordial, under a new political leadership, that is, not until Russian high level officials began opening their mouths uttering all different sorts of nonsense, and not until Russian ships began delivering new shipments of weapons and ammunitions to the Assads actively facilitating the current violent crackdown taking place.

With their uncompromising stand by the Assads even as they methodically slaughtered their own people, Russia became complicit in this situation and as equally guilty of crimes against humanity as the Assads and their loyalists. No Syrian political figure is currently in a position to give Russia any assurances regarding their interests in Syria. This decision can only be made by the Syrian people, and judging by popular sentiments, things do not augur well in this regard.

As things stand right now, regime change in Syria will usher in an extremely cold period in Syrian-Russian relations. The only way to prevent it, or at least shorten it, is for Russia to reverse course now, allow the current UN resolution to pass unhindered, and to find the courage to apologize to the Syrian people for initially adopting the wrong course. A policy of delaying the inevitable will continue to backfire for Russia.

 This missile was used today, Tuesday January 31, 2012, by Assad loyalist troops to demolish a house in the town of Rastan in Homs Province, killing an entire family in the process. What next? Chemical weapons? http://youtu.be/xQQsLqDjTEI

Homs

Homs City

The pounding of the neighborhood of Old Homs continues. Signs of devastation are visible everywhere: Boustan Al-Diwan http://youtu.be/F24JItoYJGs Al-Magharah http://youtu.be/UHHo0CeR2bg , http://youtu.be/SFi7mbk8e-4 Fakhourah http://youtu.be/hGsOLxT9oiE  Sifsafeh http://youtu.be/xuQ0OmJyNE4 , http://youtu.be/SOOiLackeqA

Boustan Al-Diwan: not even mosques can offer safe refuge for people: a worshipper killed inside Al-Kamil Mosque and other worshippers were trapped http://youtu.be/PKGso9jTjwE Members of the FSA manage to take over a tank and use it to hold off the loyalist attack http://youtu.be/jTEfyhmcRx8 A martyr http://youtu.be/I917qwt0OxY

Baba Amr: The pounding continues under the rain http://youtu.be/qU1d1QOy-Ks , http://youtu.be/iSGqfCwR93A , http://youtu.be/O1wj4UXG-DM The pipeline passing through the neighborhood is blown up again, regime blames “terrorists,”  locals say loyalists http://youtu.be/DZaMLB231UE , http://youtu.be/9vPuEx53Rbs Of course they have been pounding the area for three consecutive days http://youtu.be/F5L01nq6-pY Demolished homes http://youtu.be/wZveMYan7aQ Burn injuries are becoming frequent among the locals http://youtu.be/8vlJ4-BGhkg But snipers remain the ones responsible for most injuries and deaths http://youtu.be/KqkFOOmMB3Q An injured child http://youtu.be/moBFOdm0Fy0 More injured http://youtu.be/N-Xi1zeXz-8 A martyr http://youtu.be/RUhiy4Uvo_g Another http://youtu.be/Mv7e1fC2t68

Karm Al-Zeitun: the pounding continues http://youtu.be/SPshLwopmF4 , http://youtu.be/JWsjHvb0mLE A house catches fire http://youtu.be/WrDguFO974I Targeting a local mosque http://youtu.be/h5JbzLqZhJU , http://youtu.be/IfwHe10rOP4 Activists say that the house next door was completely demolished but that they are unable to get there and can’t tell how many were killed http://youtu.be/IfwHe10rOP4 A local activist report on the pounding even as it occurs http://youtu.be/t2imlT0HkLg


Bab Al-Sibaa: The neighborhood is pounded with mortar rounds http://youtu.be/O7kcsp4J6Z4 An injured man http://youtu.be/hLR0lXJ18ZA A martyr http://youtu.be/n7ZMl9CI7WY A funeral http://youtu.be/YF1phOZOILM

Bab Houd: A martyr http://youtu.be/XVET1beXhjA His funeral http://youtu.be/cNvvXDMaFoQ  

Jub Al-Jandali: a martyr http://youtu.be/5y8oinSjv0A His funeral http://youtu.be/UtFn63FfJBA

Wadi Al-Arab: victim of sniper attack http://youtu.be/VW2M4YuRKPg

Fakhourah: a local activist uses a loudspeaker to address army troops laying siege to the neighborhood encouraging them to defect http://youtu.be/33PfhgvDYG4

Bab Dreib: locals show off the local clinic that was used as headquarters by loyalists and that was “liberated” on Monday by FSA members http://youtu.be/VOuOsS_mL_E  Impact of pounding on the neighborhood http://youtu.be/frbY_ApSRBM , http://youtu.be/CF_4vlEDwvA A martyr http://youtu.be/AFk9o8j-sDQ

Al-Rabei Al-Arabi: the neighborhood comes under fire http://youtu.be/lzeTGcSO2DU

Daytime Rallies

Nighttime Rallies

Homs Province

Rastan: continuous pounding drives locals into the open fields http://youtu.be/ObtDkmX-fRs FSA members are helping rescue the wounded http://youtu.be/qw6n5Mj9Xkk Treating the wounded http://youtu.be/iAs2Ye8WXds The family that lived in this house was wiped out http://youtu.be/0pL7zIC861s This is the missile responsible for the massacre http://youtu.be/xQQsLqDjTEI Another demolished house http://youtu.be/4ti1fwlGN3E

Talbisseh: A local taking his last breaths http://youtu.be/nyk89cUzJus despite his friends efforts to save him http://youtu.be/hEUxwI3-fus , http://youtu.be/BJwb1rrLbYA a martyred little girl http://youtu.be/X9Hp1JHAjMI A mother’s grief http://youtu.be/0lFKy2tT4cE A funeral http://youtu.be/2MfpX1haXYI for this martyr http://youtu.be/K67AICpOa10   

Daytime Rallies
Dar Al-Kabirah http://youtu.be/cGy2gXfoUxs Ghanto (funeral) http://youtu.be/XNT-h3EO1lM Farhaniyeh (funeral) http://youtu.be/90Z_T4OEA0Y

Nighttime Rallies


Damascus

Damascus City

A major rally take place at night in Kafar Sousseh – the suburb that hosts the headquarters of the infamous Military Security apparatus among any other security branches http://youtu.be/yDM2QoRjgI0

Daytime Rallies

Nighttime Rallies

Eastern Ghoutah

Saqba: Loyalist troops storm into town http://youtu.be/U5LSd1A5vHM , http://youtu.be/_PyGTT7kjb4 Tanks in the suburb http://youtu.be/uNYo0H_HbOs A sample of the shells used in pounding the neighborhood http://youtu.be/i18dWEfrRZw

Zamalka: The neighborhood gets pounded http://youtu.be/Q2NqCkkupbM Loyalist troops pour into town http://youtu.be/JPpok7OFpa8 , http://youtu.be/tE3ltA6lTt8 Random arrests are made http://youtu.be/NAla03ORMfU Impact of shelling http://youtu.be/uRSAkxCdbek , http://youtu.be/bPBurvnEG74

Hamouriyeh: The neighborhood gets pounded http://youtu.be/KbfDhhgUquo The dead body of a local lies in the streets http://youtu.be/ZjHU9S22Im8 Another martyr http://youtu.be/ynq9jmvGnqQ Martyrs get buried in the courtyards of their homes because people are unable to take them to the local cemetery http://youtu.be/Yjk6hh0WqKM

Nighttime Rallies

Damascus South

Nighttime Rallies

West (Zabadani and Wadi Barada)

Nighttime Rallies

North (The Qalamoun Region )

Nabk: locals tear down posters of Assad in protest over the massacres taking place in Rankous, Yabroud and other Qalamoun communities http://youtu.be/hDkegtvcsTQ Assad troops might have been able to storm and control Rankous, but they drove out of their homes and the massacres they have perpetrated are providing fuels for neighboring communities to join the revolution. That’s how it begins http://youtu.be/HX2Ok4evzZo , http://youtu.be/iHM-rfS5myQ , http://youtu.be/L6Y_X0UzpKo , http://youtu.be/aXmZpajpnlo

Nighttime Rallies


Hama

Hama City

Nighttime Rallies
Aleppo Road http://youtu.be/QC7eqFAhdxY  

Hama Province

Khneizeer: the loyalist militias that became more active after Assad’s latest speech, due to his endorsement, are quickly getting out of control committing sectarian massacres in Homs, and here, getting involved in acts of intimidation and thuggery of local population. Thy is one of a small group of laborers who were assaulted by loyalists while on their back home after a long day of work http://youtu.be/5upy6F_Ic0U

Daytime Rallies

Nighttime Rallies


Idlib


Summary executions of troops who refuse to obey orders to shoot at protesters are still taking place on a daily basis http://youtu.be/uMOruKgmTo4 But some, as this defector, manage to escape to joint the local rebel group http://youtu.be/-boSTvPJaiY

Ma’arraat Al-Nouman is pounded at night http://youtu.be/JujgFR6O7Ec Martyr http://youtu.be/oUZ_yxkyTj4 But locals rally in defiance http://youtu.be/0Fi16TBtwIM , http://youtu.be/VZQu1ne1ALo

Ariha is pounded again http://youtu.be/DKqtSobozOk , http://youtu.be/1uB2f7KpLNw BMP taking part http://youtu.be/7UzG8kVmJ4s A martyr http://youtu.be/q4M9p-p9ZnU Members of the FSA manage to destroy this tank carrier http://youtu.be/ZaKU2sLIStc Nighttime funeral http://youtu.be/mvPfs__fJXM


Kafrenbel: A martyr http://youtu.be/bUnEd7RT4tk he was one of the passengers killed when a sniper opened fire at their microbus http://youtu.be/ubK8PdnJ8oM His funeral http://youtu.be/WIiJAC_EmIY the town come under fire at night http://youtu.be/rKlcBKxyeZs

Daytime Rallies

Nighttime Rallies


Deraa/Hauran

Deraa City

Nighttime Rallies

Deraa/Hauran Province


Mseifrah: A martyr http://youtu.be/7g5j4afOePw The neighborhood comes under fire on January 30 http://youtu.be/4VOhaoTD84c Impact of shelling http://youtu.be/FBpdog87ccE , http://youtu.be/8S9ZAbEgBbM

Bosra Al-Sham: at night, the sounds of gunfire echoes in the distance betraying clashes between loyalists and rebels http://youtu.be/qptcYqYDE2Q

Daytime Rallies


Aleppo

Aleppo City

Firdoss Street: protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/_aU5N_NhUuE

Nighttime Rallies

Aleppo Province

Nighttime Rallies


Deir Ezzor


Nighttime Rallies


Hassakeh


Hassakeh City: protesters in Mufti Street come under fire http://youtu.be/KkM2Qc0hUYs

Daytime Rallies



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