The more developments in Syria become less about what Syrians
want and more about what different regional and international actors want, the
more likely the breakup scenario gets and the more dangerous the Jihadi threat becomes.
It’s time we went back to the basics in order to avert disaster: the people
want to topple the regime.
Friday
February 1, 2013
Today’s
Death Toll: 94 martyrs,
including 3 children and 3 women. 34 martyrs in Damascus and Damascus Suburbs,
29 in Aleppo, 7 in Daraa, 7 in Idlib, 6 in Hama, 6 in Homs, and 5 in Deir Ezzor
(LCCs).
Points
of Random Shelling: 403 points, including 16
points that were shelled by warplanes; 5 points by Explosive barrels; 2 point
using cluster bombs and 1 point with vacuum bombs, 177 points were shelled with
mortar, 144 points with heavy caliber artillery, and 59 points with rockets (LCCs).
Clashes: 122 locations. Successful rebel operations included an attack on the
Tal-el-Sheikh-Hadid checkpoint in Aleppo City, an attack on the Shamdeen Square
checkpoint in Damascus City, and attack on a Shabiha gathering point in the
town of Bosr Al-Harir in Daraa resulting in the confiscation of 3 tanks (LCCs).
News
U.S.
Embassy Blast in Turkey ‘Act of Terror,’ Possibly Linked to Syria Turkish
officials say the bomber who killed two Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara
belongs to an outlawed leftist group. The attack could be linked to Syria.
Deadly Firefight on Lebanon’s Border With Syria There were conflicting reports about the nature of the clash, in which security forces were ambushed as they pursued a wanted man, but the episode played into fears that the accelerating influx of Syrians could spread the conflict into Lebanon.
Deadly Firefight on Lebanon’s Border With Syria There were conflicting reports about the nature of the clash, in which security forces were ambushed as they pursued a wanted man, but the episode played into fears that the accelerating influx of Syrians could spread the conflict into Lebanon.
Opposition
slams Syria’s Assad, says it would take tougher line against Israel for
airstrike Syrian opposition leaders and rebels on Friday slammed
President Bashar Assad for not responding to a rare Israeli airstrike near
Damascus, calling it proof of his weakness and acquiescence to the Jewish
State. The opposition’s sharp reaction underlines how those seeking to topple
the Syrian leader might be more prepared to tangle with Israel if they came to
power.
Envoy
makes "last appeal" for Syria as officials meet (Reuters) -
Senior U.S., Russian and U.N. officials, along with the leader of the Syrian
opposition, were all expected at a security conference in Munich on Saturday,
providing a rare opportunity for talks to revive efforts to end the civil war
in Syria. Moscow and the United Nations, however, played down Syrian opposition
assertions that its leader would hold a joint meeting with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.N. envoy Lakhdar
Brahimi in Munich.
UNHCR
reaches rebel-held area of North Syria for first time The U.N. refugee
agency said on Friday that it had reached an opposition-held area of north
Syria for the first time and found about 45,000 displaced people living in
appalling conditions. A senior U.N. official voiced fears that other parts of
the country could contain similar untold stories of suffering and he said Syria
faced systematic destruction. 420,000
people in Homs desperate for aid: UN “These people need life-saving
assistance,” UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado told AFP, pointing out that
many of the 420,000 people most in need of help were living in “shelters with
blasted-in windows.” “It’s extremely cold, and you have 20 to 25 families in a
room… These are harsh conditions for kids,” she lamented, stressing that an
acute lack of access to safe water and hygiene facilities coupled with children
missing vaccinations was a recipe for disaster.
Vacation
on Syria’s Front Lines Goes Wrong for Russian Judge Although most
Russian media reports on the incident framed it as an example of the perils of
“extreme tourism,” the agency’s casual reference to Mr. Berezhnoy’s past
service in military intelligence got the attention of several reporters in
Moscow, who were trying to puzzle out what he was doing in Syria… The fact that
several of the ANNA video reports are subtitled in English has led to some
speculation that the producers of the clips could be working, officially or
unofficially, in support of a Russian foreign policy aim: to cast the Syrian
government’s battle with “terrorism” in a more positive light for viewers
outside Russia.
Jordan
staggers under fallout of Syria conflict A flood of Syrian refugees and
disrupted trade due to the 22-month-old revolt against Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad burden a frail economy that has already had to turn to the IMF. Any
emergence of Islamist rule in a post-Assad Syria could embolden Islamists who
are the main opposition group in Jordan. And rising Islamist militancy among
Syrian insurgents threatens the security of the Western-backed kingdom next
door. Jordan also frets that protracted sectarian turmoil might shatter Syria's
territorial integrity, with incalculable results for its neighbors in an
already volatile Middle East.
Special
Reports
Hizballah is not Israel’s only concern
– or perhaps even the most worrying. Details of the Israeli strikes make clear
the risk posed by fundamentalist militants sprinkled among the variegated rebel
forces fighting to depose Assad. The
jihadists are overwhelmingly home-grown Sunni militants but also include
foreigners drawn to the fight from across the Muslim world. Loosely organized
into several fighting groups, some fighters embrace the almost nihilist
ideology associated with al-Qaeda. But jihadist groups are less vulnerable to
the same levers that have proved effective against Syria and other states
– such as threats to its territory — or
even the frank interests of an organization like Hizballah, which as a
political party plays a major role in Lebanon’s government.
What is most important now is to avert
a failed state, akin to Somalia, that would provide militant extremists with a
haven and possible access to chemical weapons in a key strategic location. This
could also result in a wider sectarian conflict throughout the region.
Video Highlights
As people held their usual Friday anti-regime rallies in towns and
neighborhoods all over the country, clashes and bombardment continues in all
the usual hotspots. Here are some highlights:
Clashes between loyalists and rebels in Khan Al-Assal, Aleppo http://youtu.be/k9bbYYpgI9Q , http://youtu.be/pvggYYNQoC4 , http://youtu.be/KZ0oRSrafYY , http://youtu.be/tRO0x4dcI6c
Elsewhere in Aleppo, a MIG carries out a raid against the neighborhood
of Bani Zeid http://youtu.be/gChk88i79pc
Intense clashes in Sheikh Saad, Aleppo City http://youtu.be/h_Sg9CrXOG4 , http://youtu.be/VQDR3JtGhj4 , http://youtu.be/wTV8L12ragQ
Clashes in Ashrafieh, Aleppo City http://youtu.be/nRL8_vv-0Qk , http://youtu.be/NIPVKJXBXvM , http://youtu.be/mCVGk4gSWjw Rebels used
tanks in their attack http://youtu.be/C0d8gZQRdCo
Regime forces intensify their attack on the town of Salma in
northern Lattakia http://youtu.be/S38ZeCCNIiE
, http://youtu.be/S38ZeCCNIiE , http://youtu.be/BcdsmJP69yg
Clashes in the suburb of Harasta, Damascus, continue http://youtu.be/Nbjwc5Ieco4 , http://youtu.be/lOBt6Jnb0i8 The pounding
of Al-Qadam neighborhood in Damascus City continues http://youtu.be/hd_im3c8g_Q Meanwhile,
the clashes in the old train station continue http://youtu.be/aGLCIlf2kVw , http://youtu.be/Pfuqqi-xkGY , http://youtu.be/oLwSaZvDaOI The
devastation http://youtu.be/pZbYD2Z9CqU
In Basr Al-Harir, Daraa, local rebels destroy an attacking tank http://youtu.be/nG8cgWMFATU
The pounding of Deir Ezzor City intensifies http://youtu.be/Y0fNHy6bVOw , http://youtu.be/UOpLkbBQf2c
The pounding of the town of Rastan, Homs Province, continues http://youtu.be/ScuNwwoHeNc So dos the
pounding of nearby Al-Houleh http://youtu.be/AKjqDD1n7Y8
Leaked video shows regime militias pounding Homs City with heavy
artillery and missile launchers http://youtu.be/6i6JvOP_QVY
Highlight of rallies: Boustan Al-Qasr, Aleppo City http://youtu.be/eM-UKN7KRfw Bza’ah,
Aleppo http://youtu.be/-gDGJcSHYWI Elbab,
Aleppo http://youtu.be/OaLon2JrwNM Menbij,
Aleppo http://youtu.be/Zvf-A05PVo4 Kobani,
Aleppo http://youtu.be/zPGdRTZ0AC0 Amudeh,
Al-Hassakeh http://youtu.be/gQif7E4DJio
Kafrenbel, Idlib http://youtu.be/4eNW5N1vqT8
Binnish, Idlib http://youtu.be/6Ur5GSiUneY
, http://youtu.be/nkzVY6gRLXs Kafroumah
http://youtu.be/FQ0NmYNfcyk Jobar,
Damascus City http://youtu.be/4vfcNXoKW58
Al-Wa’er, Homs City http://youtu.be/VuJUUjW0lo8
Nasseeb, Daraa http://youtu.be/HxfUhNgW24I
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