Syrian Ambassador to Iraq
Defects
kl:09,53 12|07|2012 Sawtalkurd
Top Stories
- Syria's ambassador to Iraq has defected to the opposition.
- The Syrian National Council condemned the massacre which claimed the lives of 16 Palestinian soldiers.
- More than 75 people killed today as regime forces continue pounding the rebel-held towns and cities across the country.
Top
Videos
- Leaked Videos document crimes against humanity committed by Assad’s forces, P2, P3, P4
- Rastan, Homs: Innocent children die as a result of the heavy shelling, P2, P3, P4
- Damascus Suburb: Assad’s forces shell the town of Harasta and Zabadani causing several casualties, P2, P3, P4
Summary of Events
Syria's ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf Fares, announced his defection urging all Syrians to come together and join the revolution. This was the first senior Syrian diplomat to abandon the regime of Bashar Assad and one of its most loyal political appointees with over 20 years of service.
The Syrian regime perpetrated a massacre that claimed the lives of 16 Palestinian soldiers while on their way home from Latakia to Aleppo. This was an attempt by the regime to instigate mistrust and conflict between Syrians and Palestinians. The Syrian National Council was quick to condemn this attack as a desperate attempt by the regime to create divisions and further its legitimacy.
Regime forces executed nine defected soldiers at Taftanaz military airport in the province of Aleppo. Meanwhile, many others were killed and wounded when pro-Assad militias from the village of Kafraya opened fire on a bus in the village of Najiya in province of Idlib.
Regime forces killed more than 75 people across the country today; 18 fell in the province of Idlib, 14 in the province of Damascus as the military offensive continued against the towns of Douma, Daraya, Aqraba, Rankous, al-Tal, Kafarbatna and the neighbourhoods of Qadam and Kafarsouseh, 13 in the province of Homs as the military campaign continued against the towns of Rastan, Houleh, Qasir, Kafar Aaya, Teir Maala and the neighbourhoods of Jouret Sheyah, Khaldiya and Bab Sebaa, eight in the province of Daraa as regime forces raided the neighbourhoods of Central Daraa, Mahatta and the towns of Saida, Tal Shehab and Sheikh Meskin, six in the province of Deir Azzour, six in the province of Hama as a result of the military offensive against the towns of Souran, Qalaat Madiq and the neighbourhood of Sharqiya, six in the Aleppo suburbs of Atareb, Ezaz and Abzemo, and two in the province of Latakia.
The regime’s violations of human rights continued across the country as its forces shelled thevillages of Salma Resort, Turcoman Mountain and Rabea district in the province of Latakia, the neighbourhoods of Jobar, Sultaniya, Baba Amr, Qosur, Qarabis, Makramiya, Ghanout, Old City and Dara Kabira in the city of Homs and the towns of Rastan, Qasir, Talbiseh and Qalaat Hoson in the province of Homs, the villages of Rasha, Moneir, Maidan Ghazan and Shahshabo Mountain in the province of Hama, the central city of Daraa and the towns Saida, Tal Shehab, Boser Harir, Mosefra, Bostra, Alma, Lajat, Zezoun, Qasir, Heitt, Ghabagheb and Nemer in the province of Daraa, the city of Deir Azzour and the towns of Mayadin, Khasham and Mohasen in the province of Deir Azzour, and the town of Ma’arrat Noman in the province of Idlib.
Furthermore, Assad’s forces carried out massive arrest and sweep campaigns against several towns and neighbourhoods in the provinces of Daraa, Hama and Hasaka arresting dozens of civilians.
A blast shocked the capital when a car exploded in the neighbourhood of Adawi near the premises of the Ministry of Oil. According to local coordination committees, only the driver was killed.
Damascus has witnessed a new escalation of its kind when pro-Assad Alawite militias in the neighbourhood of Ush al-Warwar, located near the revolting neighbourhoods of Qabun and Barzeh and along the main road to the suburbs of Damascus, kidnapped more than 10 micro-busses carrying dozens of passengers and then released them after they were beaten up and humiliated.
Heavy skirmishes where reported between armed resistance groups and the regime’s forces in Damascus suburb of Saidnaya. Armed resistance groups have also attacked the missile base in the 590th Battalion in the Damascus suburb of Zabdin prompting the defection of more than 27 soldiers.
Syria's ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf Fares, announced his defection urging all Syrians to come together and join the revolution. This was the first senior Syrian diplomat to abandon the regime of Bashar Assad and one of its most loyal political appointees with over 20 years of service.
The Syrian regime perpetrated a massacre that claimed the lives of 16 Palestinian soldiers while on their way home from Latakia to Aleppo. This was an attempt by the regime to instigate mistrust and conflict between Syrians and Palestinians. The Syrian National Council was quick to condemn this attack as a desperate attempt by the regime to create divisions and further its legitimacy.
Regime forces executed nine defected soldiers at Taftanaz military airport in the province of Aleppo. Meanwhile, many others were killed and wounded when pro-Assad militias from the village of Kafraya opened fire on a bus in the village of Najiya in province of Idlib.
Regime forces killed more than 75 people across the country today; 18 fell in the province of Idlib, 14 in the province of Damascus as the military offensive continued against the towns of Douma, Daraya, Aqraba, Rankous, al-Tal, Kafarbatna and the neighbourhoods of Qadam and Kafarsouseh, 13 in the province of Homs as the military campaign continued against the towns of Rastan, Houleh, Qasir, Kafar Aaya, Teir Maala and the neighbourhoods of Jouret Sheyah, Khaldiya and Bab Sebaa, eight in the province of Daraa as regime forces raided the neighbourhoods of Central Daraa, Mahatta and the towns of Saida, Tal Shehab and Sheikh Meskin, six in the province of Deir Azzour, six in the province of Hama as a result of the military offensive against the towns of Souran, Qalaat Madiq and the neighbourhood of Sharqiya, six in the Aleppo suburbs of Atareb, Ezaz and Abzemo, and two in the province of Latakia.
The regime’s violations of human rights continued across the country as its forces shelled thevillages of Salma Resort, Turcoman Mountain and Rabea district in the province of Latakia, the neighbourhoods of Jobar, Sultaniya, Baba Amr, Qosur, Qarabis, Makramiya, Ghanout, Old City and Dara Kabira in the city of Homs and the towns of Rastan, Qasir, Talbiseh and Qalaat Hoson in the province of Homs, the villages of Rasha, Moneir, Maidan Ghazan and Shahshabo Mountain in the province of Hama, the central city of Daraa and the towns Saida, Tal Shehab, Boser Harir, Mosefra, Bostra, Alma, Lajat, Zezoun, Qasir, Heitt, Ghabagheb and Nemer in the province of Daraa, the city of Deir Azzour and the towns of Mayadin, Khasham and Mohasen in the province of Deir Azzour, and the town of Ma’arrat Noman in the province of Idlib.
Furthermore, Assad’s forces carried out massive arrest and sweep campaigns against several towns and neighbourhoods in the provinces of Daraa, Hama and Hasaka arresting dozens of civilians.
A blast shocked the capital when a car exploded in the neighbourhood of Adawi near the premises of the Ministry of Oil. According to local coordination committees, only the driver was killed.
Damascus has witnessed a new escalation of its kind when pro-Assad Alawite militias in the neighbourhood of Ush al-Warwar, located near the revolting neighbourhoods of Qabun and Barzeh and along the main road to the suburbs of Damascus, kidnapped more than 10 micro-busses carrying dozens of passengers and then released them after they were beaten up and humiliated.
Heavy skirmishes where reported between armed resistance groups and the regime’s forces in Damascus suburb of Saidnaya. Armed resistance groups have also attacked the missile base in the 590th Battalion in the Damascus suburb of Zabdin prompting the defection of more than 27 soldiers.