I am absolutely mortified by what’s taking place in Syria
today and would like to keep documenting it for the world to see, but I have to
take some time to attend a workshop on the transitional challenges ahead. It’s
a project that I have been working on for a while with a few Syrian colleagues
from different political backgrounds in cooperation with a number of international
experts. I will resume updating this blog as soon as I can, meanwhile I recommend
following the developments as they happen on NOW Lebanon: http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=253828
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Delaying the Inevitable!
Until they are brought down, the Assads still labor under the belief
that they can finish off the resistance in Homs and throughout the country through
a combination of bombardment, ground assault, arrest, torture, assassination,
terror attacks and lies, i.e. – the famed security solution. The Assads can’t change
their spots. It’s the international community that has to change its tactics when
dealing with them, by admitting that its diplomacy has failed and that intervention,
for all its complications and potential pitfalls, is needed. The more this decision
is delayed, the worse and more complex the situation on the grounds will get.
Sunday February 19, 2012
Today’s death toll: 27,
including the district attorney of Idlib City and a district judge, whose
assassination is subject to controversy with the regime claiming that armed
gangs were responsible for the act, while local activists point the finger at
pro-Assad militias.
Meanwhile, the pounding of
Bab Amr and other restive neighborhoods in Homs continues with Assad loyalist
militias seeming to gear up for a ground attack. Many suburbs in Damascus City
today including those in Mazzeh, Midan, Naher Eisheh, Barzeh, Qaboun and Kafar
Sousseh observed a call for general strike.
The family of the local
activist Samer Al-Khateeb who was killed in Mazzeh yesterday was forced to bury
him at dawn to avoid having another mass rally in the increasingly restive
neighborhood.
3 protesters were killed in
the neighborhood of Bab Qibli in Hama City when loyalists opened fire on an
anti-Assad rally. 4 more were killed at the outskirts of the City when loyalist
militias opened fire on a passenger bus.
News
U.S.
military chief dubious about arming Syrian rebels (My Comment: Well,
then establish some contact with the FSA and the rebels in order to evaluate
their readiness, know who they are and understand what they stand for. Maintaining
a policy of aloofness, standoffishness and leading from behind is not going to
help with that.”
Op-Eds & Special Reports
According
to the Russian newspaper, Pravda,
I seem to be part of the American conspiracy against Syria:
“The FUKUS
axis has used as its agents the ex-Syrian Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam,
AIPAC member Farid al-Ghadry, Brookings Institution Fellow Ammar Abdul Hamid,
Jeffrey Feltman from the US State Dept and multiple Syrian Muslim Brotherhood
leaders to fund, incite, train, guide, organize and direct their agents within
Syria to bring down the Assad government.”
If there
were a conspiracy, the activists and the rebels would have enough
communications equipment, enough medical supplies and enough weapons to help
them in their fight against the Assads, instead of being so outmatched and embattled.
Moreover, after 11 months, I trust there would have been an intervention by
now. Unfortunately, the only provable conspiracy is the one woven by Assad and
their allies, including the Russians of course, against our freedom.
Homs
|
||||||
Homs City
|
||||||
Baba
Amr:
A message from local activist Khalid Abou Salah to the SNC: you haven’t done
anything of substance since the beginning of the bombardment. You should
immediately contact the Red Cross to encourage delivery of humanitarian aid
to the neighborhood, and you should do more press conferences to inform the
world of what’s happening in Baba Amr. We gave you legitimacy, and we can
take it away http://youtu.be/iKeKx4bOAyo
a young activist who was involved in smuggling humanitarian supplies to the
neighborhood is killed http://youtu.be/8PnU6aum-G8
The
pounding continues http://youtu.be/Is9k3DSxmqk
, http://youtu.be/V6TJPMhaVR8 , http://youtu.be/X4xqiAWNvAo Impact of
pounding http://youtu.be/ENg8b4jf1Q4
, http://youtu.be/ZAdrLznV_Ko , http://youtu.be/qnuGyi-7Pt4
Injuries
to the heads by sniper bullets and shrapnel remain very common: Old man http://youtu.be/4KZfyvja99I a child http://youtu.be/7u2ZNVg6vK4
Khaldiyeh: Martyr http://youtu.be/Z-pqcZXVDJU A funeral
for three http://youtu.be/mjo9KHOiw5U
Karm
Al-Zeitun:
Martyrs http://youtu.be/Qjir_VKI6Ko
, http://youtu.be/64QS9-16DOQ , http://youtu.be/QaiWhzHcCJU Omar
Tellawi takes us on a tour of the neighborhood under bombardment http://youtu.be/7LjtR7JoPMw
Insha’aat: tanks take up
position near the local headquarters of the Baath Party http://youtu.be/rRqE1Hgnig0
Bab
Al-Sibaa:
the pounding continues http://youtu.be/MVi8MBN6dHk
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Qoussour (all-girls) http://youtu.be/8hwb6aTqUrY
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/QkEPYnspNA8 Wa’er
http://youtu.be/X8NLW7NGeTw Khaldiyeh
http://youtu.be/_dmPT8V873E Bab
Houd http://youtu.be/5k1uQQbjGsM
|
||||||
Homs Province
|
||||||
Rastan: new fighting unit
formed under FSA umbrella http://youtu.be/kER9OI9cKX0
New defectors http://youtu.be/QlqB84oiXjM
, http://youtu.be/VEgCHkHN6WY Impact
of shelling http://youtu.be/DqCrc-LK4Hs
Houleh: funeral http://youtu.be/ZmHvuJYgpx4 Mourners
come under fire and take cover while chanting defiantly http://youtu.be/Zc7UdO1l09o One of the
injured http://youtu.be/K1_2IOC5bsc
|
||||||
Damascus
|
||||||
Damascus City
|
||||||
Strike: Jobar http://youtu.be/NNfk24kjknA , http://youtu.be/WKsXS7Pk2eM Assaly http://youtu.be/L6XHKROQTOI Barzeh http://youtu.be/pHXEa5kYdXg , http://youtu.be/84G8UoYGL-Y
Blocking
roads by using burning tires and garbage dumpsters has become common practice
in many suburbs and neighborhoods close to main roads: Assaly http://youtu.be/i7sO15fnrx0 Barzeh http://youtu.be/kyMdKanes84
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Barzeh http://youtu.be/uYrO93hpCsA Jobar
http://youtu.be/qJH1kNBID9Q
|
||||||
Damascus East (Eastern & Western Ghoutah)
|
||||||
Kafar
Batan:
tanks still in position throughout the neighborhood http://youtu.be/bxjpJl5rjH0
Dmeir: tanks and armored
vehicles continue to be stationed in the city http://youtu.be/6hQFckJdUKc , http://youtu.be/cVPmfI77FdY
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Arbeen http://youtu.be/bNOqDJUw6xY Douma
http://youtu.be/zsl857yKYh0
|
||||||
Damascus South (Southern Ghoutah)
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Daraya http://youtu.be/2GXhZ5p9N5g Qatana
http://youtu.be/QjR3THY4sJQ
|
||||||
North (The Qalamoun Region )
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Yabroud http://youtu.be/e9JfVOZi7NY
|
||||||
Hama
|
||||||
Hama City
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Bab
Qibli
http://youtu.be/-cMbXs3Fdw4
|
||||||
Hama Province
|
||||||
Kafrenboudeh: new clips from
the pounding that took place on Feb 16 showing the victims of the random
shelling still lying in the streets amidst the ruins http://youtu.be/eQvPQCyU3uA
Shaizar: child hit in the
head by a shrapnel during the bombardment of the town http://youtu.be/eHj-BxdDbvw
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Taybat
Al-Imam http://youtu.be/AaZ4R0G8vuM
|
||||||
Idlib
|
||||||
Ma’arrat
Masreen:
Martyr http://youtu.be/Rz3QqXJOM04
Ma’arrat
Al-Nouman:
Funeral http://youtu.be/fnLJNsC-hWI
Taftanaz: Funeral http://youtu.be/cT7n2__b6Wg , http://youtu.be/_eleECAGrD0
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Ma’arrat
Al-Nouman
http://youtu.be/dLjVjS7xgvo
|
||||||
Deraa/Hauran
|
||||||
Deraa/Hauran Province
|
||||||
Ankhel: Martyr http://youtu.be/ZtkQkxd0Sf0 His
funeral http://youtu.be/hFsgZh-Z458
Basr
Al-Harir:
impact of pounding http://youtu.be/RxFXQcDF6lE
, http://youtu.be/SEhduoY78Sg
Harrfah: funeral http://youtu.be/x0NnB-IJLEA
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Aleppo
|
||||||
Aleppo City
|
||||||
Sukkari: protesters come
under fire http://youtu.be/mkCSHYKDmhk
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Sheikh
Maqsoud
http://youtu.be/hUIxojS5yBc Salaheddine
http://youtu.be/s3rk-sWwSDY
|
||||||
Aleppo Province
|
||||||
Al-Atareb: snipers take up
positions around town http://youtu.be/Ex56lnxTXGc
and tanks roam the streets http://youtu.be/3FNijmC8pGw
Funeral http://youtu.be/we7PiR9tdBg
The pounding of the city begins http://youtu.be/qVGclmzHEQw
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Tal
Rif’aat
http://youtu.be/v6T8JfJTDoY Marei
http://youtu.be/ucO5SRjdv38 Dar
Azzah http://youtu.be/buNtbjKd7DY
|
||||||
Deir Ezzor
|
||||||
Asharah: martyr http://youtu.be/X_nBHZ7dMsY
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Deir
Ezzor City
http://youtu.be/EbaRiB-owxQ Qourieyh
http://youtu.be/ug7iYZgGgGc Shaikh
Yassin http://youtu.be/L2MhH8jJiQE
|
||||||
Hassakeh
|
||||||
Ghuweiran: nighttime
protesters http://youtu.be/99wnAW8Cr5c
come under fire http://youtu.be/vPT1rqleIRA
, http://youtu.be/sU4VRp2V_uQ
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Amoudeh http://youtu.be/uAJBr-mFagE
|
||||||
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Martyrs are Marching In!
It seems that the only way we have to reclaim Syria is to do it
one mass funeral at a time. The protesters seem ready and willing, and the
battle for Damascus is bound to heat up.
Saturday February 18, 2012
Today’s death toll: 35,
including 18 soldiers who tried to defect and were shot by loyalists in the
town of Al-Atarib in Aleppo Province. The dead also include 2 mourners who took
part in a major funeral/rally in Damascus City, walking distance from the
presidential palace. The rest were killed in various communities in Homs City
(10, including 3 women and 3 soldiers killed as they were trying to defect),
Deraa (3), Hama (including 2 children), Idleb (2) and Raqqah (1) provinces.
In Damascus, mass funerals
took place not only in Damascus City near the presidential palace, but also in
the suburbs of Douma (Eastern Ghoutah) and Elhameh (West of Damascus).
News
Op-Eds & Special Reports
Leaked
video
shows victims of loyalist snipers being filmed and ridiculed. The cameraman
refers to them as “Arours” after a known Salafi scholar who, according to official
propaganda, is one of the masterminds of the revolution, despite the fact that
he had issued a fatwa against conducting a revolution in Syria before he was
forced by popular pressure to change his views after the beginning of the
revolution http://youtu.be/eQ_imD6o07I
A
defector’s testimony: a new defector from Aleppo says that he used to be part of a
group sent by Air Force intelligence and the 80th Brigade in civies
to crackdown on protesters in Sakhour and Hanano neighborhoods in Aleppo city,
and their activities were blamed on armed gangs in pro-regime media. Their
leaders included Taal Ghareeb, Emad Al-Shayib, Muhammad Hasasn and Wa’ed
Hamdan. Regarding the explosions that took place in Aleppo, he says there were
two explosions, one at 9 am and one at 9:10, followed by gunfire, although
there were no real clashes with anyone. At 12:30, he says, a truck loaded with
makeshift explosives were loaded up by officers from Air force intelligence,
and ADdounia TV and other pro-regime media were asked to film it saying that it
belonged to the armed groups responsible for the explosions http://youtu.be/eWSRjRlN-Zo
Homs
|
||||||
Homs City
|
||||||
Baba
Amr:
snow and gunfire at night http://youtu.be/1NaEsSrUydE
By mourning, the streets were covered with snow http://youtu.be/9JNKF3kTLvY Then the
pounding resumes http://youtu.be/fApD3Vpepx0
, http://youtu.be/lbr17_QV_Xg But
no matter how bad things get, people find ways to go one and “enjoy” the day,
if such is still possible, like this fellow here who devised a hookah from
tanks and artillery shells http://youtu.be/E3o1Am8wxNg
A
mother grieves for her martyred son http://youtu.be/4aiEUydf5uI
Martyr http://youtu.be/qDN_qErU-7E Three
soldiers who tried to defect are killed http://youtu.be/l9E6dZh0Of0
Karm
Al-Zeitun:
Local activists gather in the morning to inspect the neighborhood and have a
snow fight http://youtu.be/NMZVhZ_UifU
A woman martyr http://youtu.be/3om3ApL3rMk
Insha’aat: the pounding
continues http://youtu.be/BNsmmQGXDw8
Elsewhere
in the city, more soldiers and officers defect and join the Free Syrian Army http://youtu.be/_t9dPdlcbsA
Bab
Tadmor:
locals never miss a chance to express their feelings, here by stomping on a
banner with the pictures of Putin and Assad http://youtu.be/Cw8DX8DIAP0
Bab
Al-Sibaa:
protesters come under fire from snipers http://youtu.be/HCMrAygzZ90
Bab
Dreib:
recent defector and locals form a new fighting unit http://youtu.be/PfJsZasItVA
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Wa’er http://youtu.be/B4IA6LEEghQ Qoussour
http://youtu.be/xEZedYuELGQ Khaldiyeh
http://youtu.be/m9qCmkW-vfA Ghoutah
http://youtu.be/KP4UdwwzcU0
|
||||||
Homs Province
|
||||||
Tal
Kalakh:
more defections http://youtu.be/VaNJEB_McPE
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Damascus
|
||||||
Damascus City
|
||||||
Mazzeh: 30,000 locals took
part in a mass funeral for yesterday’s martyrs, despite the ongoing snow
storm. The event began in the Bassateen Neighborhood of Mazzeh then, mourner
crossed the major highway (Mazzeh Autostrad) passing by the Iranian Embassy
on their way to the Great Mosque and the nearby cemetery in the Sheikh Saad
Neighborhood, just 15 minutes walking distance from the Presidential Palace,
where they merged with thousands of other mourners already waiting for them
there http://youtu.be/Brz11MBjifA ,
http://youtu.be/TZQqYOx9qeg
The
snow did not damper the enthusiasm of the mourners/protesters http://youtu.be/t0bXY7psGng , http://youtu.be/nr6zUO11_0M Immediately
after mourners were done with the burial ceremony and as they headed out of
the cemetery http://youtu.be/GhVNoCE84Ig
Loyalist security forces opened fire http://youtu.be/0OD1Yv-0otg
wounding 4 and killing 2 protesters http://youtu.be/ml2ZY5Y9HPs
, http://youtu.be/1y4A-zExplQ , http://youtu.be/Tqq2swvqioU , http://youtu.be/beu7azKrnk4 People
disperse into the side streets after the shooting http://youtu.be/5SFdbVtPNjw , http://youtu.be/FA8PnP3E2JI Men and
women of all ages took part http://youtu.be/cR786Th_1ps
The event was broadcasted live on ustream http://youtu.be/dJnVZiLNawo
The
women in the rally hoisted the independence flag and chanted in support of
the Free Syrian Army, second later, security fire straight into the crowd http://youtu.be/GvVy9cONoxo The
injured are treated harshly as they lies in the streets http://youtu.be/zScPr6c-FzE Some
protesters remain defiant shouting “Freedom forever, in spite of you Assad” http://youtu.be/xcfRZt4TWLs
Barzeh: the people of the
neighborhood observes a strike in protest over the continued crackdown and
their inability to bury their own dead http://youtu.be/A6GeUB8fw_g
, http://youtu.be/lOHdv0wzwQM
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Kafar
Sousseh
http://youtu.be/NLwtryp6ydw , http://youtu.be/pldBxfjwRxk Assaly
http://youtu.be/mPrvUF64A1I Wadi
Al-Masharei (Zor Afa – A Kurdish neighborhood) http://youtu.be/g7v8QDnB8kI
|
||||||
Damascus East (Eastern & Western Ghoutah)
|
||||||
Douma: Another mass funeral
under the snow for 2 activists http://youtu.be/Tk4xD0ZSCY4
, http://youtu.be/SRX6cxi7wrI The
two martyrs http://youtu.be/YwpPU7bnZhs
, http://youtu.be/teLzOA_t6e8 At
night, another mass rally is held http://youtu.be/4BZpoMgrEk0
, http://youtu.be/BDVghNVvUjw , http://youtu.be/kIqC-zaZjEU
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Babbila http://youtu.be/OA50lHdtmrA
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Damascus South (Southern Ghoutah)
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Al-Hajar
Al-Aswad
http://youtu.be/-m7mhs7NPtA , http://youtu.be/f9Mduv9tFAE Sitti
Zeinab http://youtu.be/OfFZG3Js25g
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
West (Zabadani and Wadi Barada)
|
||||||
Elhameh: Another major
funeral took place in this Damascene suburb to the northwest of Damascus http://youtu.be/meeQBwGQp6E , http://youtu.be/sUz_mM_facw Snow does
not dampen the morale of the mourners http://youtu.be/EV4cbfrA6ZI
, http://youtu.be/Sr5ScK4oqnA Post-funeral
rally http://youtu.be/uMEuQ-qit5Q ,
http://youtu.be/HwXV9dwu29Q , http://youtu.be/tBCJars5e_4 , http://youtu.be/SEQhGBfNFxo , http://youtu.be/myXBXcHztTc
|
||||||
North (The Qalamoun Region )
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Hama
|
||||||
Hama City
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Bab
Qibli
http://youtu.be/QPTWDE9YSuE
|
||||||
Hama Province
|
||||||
Taybat
Al-Imam:
Funeral http://youtu.be/XE9IykGymlA
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Kafrenboudeh http://youtu.be/Sidq562YhNY Salamiyeh
http://youtu.be/fau2lAdVsKQ
|
||||||
Idlib
|
||||||
Kafrenbel: tanks roam the
streets http://youtu.be/SU4ju4icmAc
Ma’arrat
Al-Nouman: Martyr
http://youtu.be/lumXDG-cKWQ
Ihsem: The body of a man
found in the street showing signs of torture http://youtu.be/5zCoRI9LwEY
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Habeet http://youtu.be/xn30MV507Lc Jarjanaz
http://youtu.be/mHBaiFM2WQU Taoum
http://youtu.be/eGTGeGnxykI
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Ma’arrat
Masreen
http://youtu.be/3ZIS5uabKB4
|
||||||
Deraa/Hauran
|
||||||
Deraa City
|
||||||
Deraa
City:
martyr http://youtu.be/U4VxQRhMh_A
|
||||||
Deraa/Hauran Province
|
||||||
Kafar
Shams:
Funeral http://youtu.be/DSQAwMQzB6c
Basr
Al-Harir:
tanks roam the streets http://youtu.be/rvDVPf4g41w
, http://youtu.be/dNnVWF7HvCI
Harrah: Trying to save a
protester who was shot http://youtu.be/xj-b9GGMNx0
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Sourah http://youtu.be/P-0uvJqpS3M Ataman
http://youtu.be/jVfm82KPgsU
|
||||||
Aleppo
|
||||||
Aleppo City
|
||||||
An
officer affiliated with the Military Court declares his defection http://youtu.be/4OyhVND_5-o
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Sukkari http://youtu.be/HCqhGFhabNI , http://youtu.be/dCXQbt9ny5o Al-Ansari
http://youtu.be/rWN_IIPabWw
|
||||||
Deir Ezzor
|
||||||
Qouriyeh: tanks roam the
streets http://youtu.be/MIhcJcPdzgY
Deir
Ezzor City:
funeral http://youtu.be/gDgF0vKa2Dc
|
||||||
Nighttime Rallies
|
||||||
Deir
Ezzor City
(Jbeileh) http://youtu.be/Fhp740Oemy8
|
||||||
Hassakeh
|
||||||
Hassakeh
City:
Protesters in Ghueiran neighborhood http://youtu.be/3uqp48ckg4Q
come under heavy gunfire at night http://youtu.be/7b2BOG4eSZ0
, http://youtu.be/JZQHUoSVcMY
|
||||||
Daytime Rallies
|
||||||
Deirik http://youtu.be/slK8rUfVKDM
|
||||||
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