Who Let the Dogs Out!

So, Jihadi groups are now operating in Syria. But the question remains: who let the dogs out? And whose party are they crashing? We see Assad and his militias pounding towns clamoring for freedom and arresting pro-democracy activists, but we are yet to see any serious effort meant to target these groups. Assad and his militias are clearly uninterested in weeding out Jihadi groups at this stage, because they ultimately serve Assad’s cause. Al-Qaeda and the Shabbiha, who are nothing more than the Alawite equivalent of Al-Qaeda, are two instruments of strike and control in Assad’s arsenal.

Wednesday July 04, 2012

Today’s Death toll: 67. The Breakdown: the dead include 10 children and three women. 17 were killed in Idlib, 15 in Damascus (13 in Suburbs and 2 in City), 12 in Daraa, 7 in Aleppo, 6 in Homs, 6 in Deir Ezzor, 2 in Hama, 1 in Lattakia and 1 in Raqqah.

News

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Fires in Turkey: Syrian forces blamed

Op-Eds & Special Reports

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Shocking Footage: Two Syrian boys killed (CNN – Video)

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Video Highlights

People from Homs City, including a local imam and local fighters give their opinion of the Cairo Conference and the vision regarding the nature of the future state of Syria that was agreed by opposition groups. The Imam believes that excluding those who are sacrificing their lives for the sake of the future state in Syria from the talks and making decisions without consulting them is a “redline” and is “wholly unacceptable.” As the Imam speaks, we can actually hear the pounding in the background. Fighter 1 says that “only the Syrian people, the revolutionaries and the martyrs” have the right to decide the nature of the future state in Syria. Fighter 2 says “only we on the inside have the legitimacy to determine the future state.” Fighter 3: “who are they to determine the shape of the future state” who allowed them to?... Let them do what they want, we will decide matters here.” A Local activist says that regime’s violent crackdown and opposition activities are all meant to impose a solution on all that will meet with popular approval http://youtu.be/UDi7VpfqM3Q All interviewed want an Islamic State. Fighter 3 points to the black flag overhead with the inscription “There is no god but god, Muhammad is the Messenger of God” and says: this is our future flag. Local activist says he wants an Islamic State, but he wants people to decide on this, he believes that most people would vote for an Islamic State, and says that this is exactly what the opposition is afraid of. The views expressed here are those of the few fighters that remain in the city. Naturally the pounding of Homs City continues http://youtu.be/5IjTe1ywr2A , http://youtu.be/LOuhlowHXXM , http://youtu.be/fcuuk4uWuEw

Ma’arrat Al-Nouman, Idlib Province, the victims of continuous shelling of the town by pro-Assad militias included this little girl http://youtu.be/PXRVp3CynRA More martyrs http://youtu.be/JgJIDJ5zCNU , http://youtu.be/_lIAoENHhx4 , http://youtu.be/xxgO9PBytLc Killed at home: a family of four http://youtu.be/XlhXrmmLu1c

After intense battles, local fighter took control of the town of Salkeen, Idlib Province, arresting dozens of pro-Assad militias http://youtu.be/4XNsvTDfHYI The plan is to use them to negotiate for the release of local activists. A local mother identified her son’s murders among the arrested. This is her reaction http://youtu.be/aSK68KaQi7I Local activists say that the two killers have not been harmed. It’s interesting to note that the pro-Assad militias in Salkeen are not Alawites, but members of a Sunni clan, Al-Jalkhi, with old ties to the regime’s security apparatus.

Meanwhile, tensions in the Kurdish-majority towns of Efrin and Kobani in Aleppo Province continue to rise as result of ongoing attempts by members of the PYD, the Syrian branch of the PKK, to intimidate their rival Kurdish groups, especially those who are pro-revolution, and establish their control over the towns. The last few weeks witnessed increasing acts of intimidation, including beatings and kidnappings, culminating in the murder of few activists belonging to the revolutionary movements. The situation finally attracted the attention of the local FSA group, the Salaheddine Brigade, whose membership is made up of Arab and Kurdish fighters. The leaders of the Brigade issues a statement calling for reconciliation, calling on PYD members to curb their activities, but saying that they don’t want to be involved in internecine Kurdish disputes http://youtu.be/lMAgtwv6xHA

In Daraa Province, local fighters carry out an attack on a security checkpoint near the town of Saida: The attack http://youtu.be/qkQoS_-dlcI The get-away http://youtu.be/ghvslseTsNY The loot http://youtu.be/c1ZuvT5p3Ps In Nearby Mseifrah, local bury two dead brothers below the age of 10 http://youtu.be/taPrIUxeReA  , http://youtu.be/ythzHyALitw

In Damascus City, activists carry out a series of roadblock attacks http://youtu.be/DT65fM1KfI0 , http://youtu.be/I6uv73aEk2g , http://youtu.be/_2Z2NMFawTc , http://youtu.be/lmp2bE5MsJY , http://youtu.be/wN6L-Yh2nrY , http://youtu.be/EMJCawyIrVo , http://youtu.be/Sb_ZqmCuW2w , http://youtu.be/g7CzjQIXmv0 , http://youtu.be/HRE665Zy2k4 , http://youtu.be/G1esYPrfr38 , http://youtu.be/Da8sSWKvPQI

In Damascus Suburbs, Arbeen was pounded by a helicopter gunship http://youtu.be/4to5dMlENa8 , http://youtu.be/H50vd4NVREo So does nearby Hamouriyeh http://youtu.be/TsWnQwi380E The nearby Douma has been transformed into a ghost town http://youtu.be/CLx5Bx7ELxQ , http://youtu.be/Ejc8yOSHhh0 , http://youtu.be/E4YbndiY8h8

Syrian Refugees in Jordan – No Comment!