Shaza Sliman, Teacher in the Research Center killed by FSA- Syria News

Yesterday FSA opened fire on a bus killing a teacher in the Research center, engineer Shaza Mu’ayn Sliman.

http://www.syrianews.cc/shaza-sliman/

US ex-soldier 'fought in Syria with terror group'- BBC News

A former US soldier has been charged with using a weapon outside the US as he fought against Syrian government forces, prosecutors say.

Eric Harroun, 30, served in the US Army from 2000-2003, and allegedly fought in Syria with the al-Nusra Front.

Al-Nusra is deemed a terror group by the US as an alias of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

As the US calls for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, it has also expressed concern about militant groups fighting in Syria.

If convicted, Mr Harroun would face a maximum sentence of life in prison. He was arrested as he returned to the US on Wednesday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21971790

Cami İmamı Suikasta Kurban Gitti- SANA Türkçe

HALEP – Teröristler Halep Şeyh Maksut’da el-Hasan Cami imamına yönelik düzenlediği suikast eylemi sonucunda Cami İmamı şehit düştü.

 

Silahlı bir terörist grubu dün gece Şeyh Maksut bölgesindeki el-Hasan Camii imamı şeyh Hasan Seyfuddin’e yönelik düzenlediği suikast sonucunda şehit düştü.

 

SANA muhabiri, teröristlerin suikast sonrasında şeyh Suyfuddin’in cesedine saldırıda bulunduklarına işaret etti.

http://sana.sy/tur/339/2013/03/30/475083.htm

Patriarch al-Rahi Calls for Sitting at Dialogue Table in Syria- SANA

BEIRUT, (SANA)- Cardinal Mar Bechara al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of Maronite Church, called upon the Lebanese authorities to ensure the Lebanese territories be not used as a crossing for smuggling weapons into Syria or as posts for launching attacks against it.

 

In a message addressed on the occasion of Easter, Cardinal al-Rahi urged those who "go on with destroying citizens, institutions, killing of innocents and displacing people in Syria to lay down arms and money they are supplied with by external sides who seek Syria's destruction."

 

He reiterated his call for those to "courageously sit at the dialogue table to solve the crisis."

 

http://sana.sy/eng/22/2013/03/30/475102.htm

Dera’a is Falling- Syria Comment

According to an article published yesterday by al-Quds, Syrian MP Waleed Zoubi has asserted during a session of parliament that large areas within the muhafiza (governorate) of Dera’a have fallen under the control of rebels, and that the presence of regime forces is dwindling. His remarks indicate that Dera’a is in the process of falling, and served as a wake-up call to the Syrian parliament about the shift of control in that region. Zoubi countered reports that the highway (which runs from Damascus to the Jordanian border, through Dera’a) is still secured by the Syrian military, declaring that much of it is under the control of armed militants, who also control much of the Syrian-Jordanian border, including near the Golan. He also said that a number of military positions in the muhafiza have been emptied of regime forces for “unknown strategic reasons.”

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18348

Şam notları 1/ Çalınan devrim: Suriye’de ne oldu? (Mehmet Serim- YDH)

YDH-Yıllardır Şam’da yaşayan Gazeteci Mehmet Serim, isyan sürecindeki tanıklıklarını Yakındoğu haber için yazdı.

Giriş

Bu yazı dizisi “Arap Baharı” olarak anılan, Ortadoğu’daki gelişmelerin bir parçası olan Suriye’deki süreci anlatmayı hedefliyor.

Anlatacaklarımız politikayı / dünya siyasetini / haber okumasını bilenler; bunları “doğru kanallardan” takip edenler için yeni şeyler değil.

Yapmaya çalışacağımız şey kolaylıkla ulaşılabilecek bilgileri okuyucu için toparlamak olacak.

Bilinen şeyleri anlatırken okuyucu ile aramızdaki tek fark Suriye’de bulunuyor olmamız itibari ile okuyucunun okuyarak / izleyerek gördüklerini burada bizzat yaşıyor olmamız.

Her anlatacağımız olayı / gelişmeyi yerinde görmedik elbette. Ancak iddiaları birinci kaynaklardan teyit etmeye çalıştık, kimisini yaşadık.

Yerel sosyal dili bildiğimiz ve kişiler, akımlar, olaylara yol açan nesnel ve öznel koşullar, Suriye’de politik hayat gibi konuları da yerinde yaşadığımız için “gerçeği” daha yakından gördüğümüzü sanıyoruz.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11659_sam-notlari-1--calinan-devrim--suriyede-ne-oldu-.html

Iran slams Qatar for allowing Syria opposition to open embassy- PRESS TV

An Iranian deputy foreign minister has criticized the Qatari government for allowing the Syrian opposition to open an embassy in Doha.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/03/29/295684/iran-slams-qatar-over-syria-embassy/

The Syrianization of Syria rolls on (Victor Kotsev- Asia Times)

Perhaps years from now, a new term along the lines of "Syrianization" will take over the significance of the sweeping (and some say inaccurate) concept of Balkanization. The northern Levant is quickly overtaking every other part of the world as the paradigm of complete fragmentation of a geographic and political entity.

It is hard to tell who or what is falling apart more quickly: the regime, the opposition, or the possibility of reaching international consensus over the civil war which has killed at least 70,000 people so far, a figure that former United Nations secretary general and envoy to Syria Kofi Annan called in a recent Reuters interview "a gross under-estimation".

Shortly after a symbolic Arab League summit in which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's place was taken by a rebel leader (who had himself resigned from his position several days prior to the meeting), Annan said that it was "too late" for either a military intervention or arming the opposition. "My own view is that as late as it is we have to find a way of pouring water on the fire rather than the other way around," he added.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-03-280313.html

Terörle Mücadele Kararlılıkla Sürüyor- SANA Türkçe

İLLER – Terörle mücadeleyi kararlılıkla sürdüren kahraman silahlı kuvvetlerimiz muhtelif illerde sürdürdüğü nitelikli operasyonlarda çok sayıda teröristi etkisiz hale getirdi.

 

Şam Kırsalında Ağır Kayıplar Veriyorlar

Silahlı kuvvetlerimiz Şam kırsalının Adra, Kara ve Yebrud bölgelerinde terör gruplarını kovalama operasyonlarını sürdürüyor.

 

Yetkili bir kaynak SANA’ya açıklamasında silahlı kuvvetlerimizin operasyonlarda hain ve kiralıkları sayı ve teçhizatlarıyla ağır kayıplara uğrattığını belirtti.

 

Şam kırsalının Cobar, el-Ub tarım arazileri ve Uteyba bölgelerinde terör grupları ve yuvalarına karşı düzenlediği bir dizi nitelikli operasyonda; yuva ve cephaneliklerini tahrip ederek elebaşlarından ikisini öldürdü.

 

Operasyonlarda çok sayıda teröristin ölü ve yaralı düşürüldüklerini belirten yetkili bir kaynak SANA’ya açıklamasında; terör yuvaları ve cephaneliklerinin tüm muhtevalarıyla etkisiz hale getirildiklerini söyledi. Kaynak; operasyonlarda teröristlerin toprak siperler oluşturmada kullandıkları bir dozer dahil bir çok araçlarının da tahrip edildiğini ekledi.

 

Silahlı kuvvetlerimiz Adra Kenti civarında teröristlerin bomba düzenekleri ve bubi tuzakları imalatında kullandıkları bir atölyeyi tüm muhtevaları ve içindeki teröristlerle birlikte etkisiz hale getirerek, kullanıma hazır bir çok bomba düzeneğini de havaya uçurdu.

 

Askeri bir kaynak; teröristlerin kentte giden yollarda yerleştirdikleri bir çok bomba düzeneğinin etkisiz hale getirildiğini aktarırken, bir çok teröristin de ölü ve yaralı düşürüldüğünü söyledi.

Aynı kaynak silahlı kuvvetlerimizin Nebik Kentinde bir çok terör elebaşını etkisiz hale getirdiğini, kullandıkları bir çok araç ve makinenin tahrip edildiğini ekledi.

 

Şam kırsalının Erbin, Hucceyra, Ziyyabiye ve Becdeliye bölgelerinde bir çok terör yuvası ve cephaneliği hedef alan silahlı kuvvetlerimiz çok sayıda teröristi silah, mühimmat, araç ve teçhizatlarıyla birlikte etkisiz hale getirdi.

http://sana.sy/tur/339/2013/03/29/474984.htm

Syria’s War Invades a Campus That Acted as a Sanctuary- The New York Times

DAMASCUS, Syria — More and more students at Damascus University were skipping classes. The whack and thump of shelling in the distance punctuated the hum of the downtown campus. Some students walked miles to avoid the security checkpoints that choke traffic.

 

But classes continued at the Syrian capital’s flagship university, and many students kept coming. The university, where President Bashar al-Assad and many other Syrian elites completed their studies, became a sanctuary for young people still preparing for a future, however uncertain, when their country would not be in the midst of a ferocious civil war.

      

Then, on Thursday afternoon, a mortar shell crashed into the engineering campus, through the orange canvas awning of a cafe where students were smoking Gauloise cigarettes, chatting and studying on a shiny spring day, in what could have been a university scene playing out anywhere. The blast killed at least 10 students and injured 29, soaking the concrete floor with blood.

      

With it, the war invaded a campus that, like much of Damascus, the Syrian capital, had done its best to go about its business.

      

“I was laughing,” recalled Abdelhamid Rifai, a third-year civil engineering student who was taking a break from an exam as a cool wind tossed the eucalyptus trees overhead. “I straightened my chair, and then it happened.”

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/world/middleeast/damascus-students-killed-in-mortar-strike.html?hp&_r=0

American Terrorist in Syria Was Working For CIA, Says Father- Infowars.com

The father of U.S. Army veteran Eric Harroun, arrested on Tuesday night by the FBI for fighting alongside an Al-Qaeda group in Syria, says his son was working for the CIA.

http://www.infowars.com/american-terrorist-in-syria-was-working-for-cia-says-father/

Savaşta kadın olmak (Bora Bayraktar- Euronews)

Suriye’de iç savaş üçüncü yılına girdi. Kimilerine göre bu kanlı savaşta 70 bin kişi ölse de gerçek rakam belki hiçbir zaman bilinmeyecek. Üstelik ölenlerin sayısı felaketin sadece bir yönü. Bu çatışmanın, ölümlerin ve yaralanmaların yol açtığından çok daha büyük bir travma var. Savaşın bu ağır yükünü en çok kadınlar çekiyor. Kadını genellikle geri plana atan, toplumun ve siyasetin dışında eğiliminde olan Ortadoğu coğrafyasında bu ağır tabloyu yaşamak kadar anlatmak da bir mesele. Özellikle de yine bir kadın için. Gazeteci Hediye Levent tam beş yıldır Şam’da yaşıyor. Türkiye ile Suriye’nin ilişkilerinde altın çağın yaşandığı günleri de görmüş, iki yılı aşkın süredir ülkede yaşanan savaşı da. Kısa bir süre hava değiştirmek için Türkiye’ye gelen Hediye Levent ile İstanbul’da savaşı, savaşta kadın olmayı, bölgenin geleceğini konuştuk.

 

Euronews / Bora Bayraktar: Siz bir gazeteci olarak uzun süredir Şam’da iç savaşı yakından izliyorsunuz. Bir kadın olarak kuşkusuz zorlukları var bu işin. Ama sizden önce Suriyeli kadınların durumuna değinmek istiyorum. Nasıl etkilendiler bu savaştan?

 

Hediye Levent: Elbette çatışmadan en zararlı çıkanlar kadınlar oldu. Geçtiğimiz günlerde bir Suriyeli arkadaşın evindeydim. İki kadın sohbet ediyorlardı. Birinin evliliğinde sorunlar vardı ve onu anlatıyordu. Boşanmaktan söz ederken diğeri onu teselli ediyordu. “Bozma yuvanı, iki çocuğun var boşanıp da ne yapacaksın” falan derken birden durdu ve dedi ki “Ya ülkede erkek mi kaldı. Boşandıktan sonra bir daha kocayı nereden bulacaksın?” Böyle bir durum var.

http://tr.euronews.com/2013/03/27/savasta-kadin-olmak/

Israeli Hospitals Treat Syria Militants- Al-Manar

It has been clear that the Zionist entity is offering support for armed groups fighting the Syrian government, with reports revealed on Wednesday inform that the enemy’s hospitals have been treating Syria militants.

 

Agence France Presse reported on Wednesday that 11 Syrian militants have been treated in the Zionist entity’s hospitals in the past month.

Israeli public radio quoted medics as saying that one of these militant died of his wounds on Wednesday. It added that he was taken to hospital in the town of Nahariya after shot in the head.

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=87789&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=18&s1=1

15 University Students Martyred by Terrorists' Mortar Shell in Damascus- SANA

PROVINCES, (SANA)- Nine students were martyred and others were injured by a mortar shell fired by terrorists which fell inside the Faculty of Architectural Engineering in Damascus on Thursday.

SANA reporter said the mortar shell, which fell inside the Faculty's cafeteria, caused the martyrdom of nine students and the injury of 6 others, in addition to material damage in the site.

Later, Rector of the University of Damascus said the number of martyrs due to the mortar shell rose to 15 students.

Two Martyred, Another Injured by Terrorists' Gunfire in Jdaidat Artouz

Meanwhile, two citizens were martyred and another was injured when terrorists opened fire with machineguns at a passenger minibus near Jdaidat Artouz suburb in Damascus Countryside.

An official source told SANA reporter that terrorists opened fire at the passenger minibus on al-Arbaeen Highway opposite to the Police Housing Compounds in Jdaidat Artouz.

A medical source at al-Muwasat Hospital said bodies of a baby girl and a young man arrived in the hospital, noting that an injured person is being hospitalized.

http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/03/28/474887.htm

12 killed in Damascus University shelling - Syrian state TV- RT

Twelve people have been killed when mortar shells struck the campus of Damascus University, says Syrian state TV. The blast also injured at least 20 others, AP reports, quoting anonymous officials.

Official SANA news agency however says 11 people have been killed in the attack, nine of them students, while only six others have been injured.

"Terrorists fired mortar rounds on the Faculty of Architecture in Damascus," Syrian state TV said, blaming opposition forces for the attack.

The mortar shells appear to have struck the cafeteria as the government-run Al-Ikhbariya TV station showed footage of tables and chairs turned upside down, shattered glass and blood on the floor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed the attack took place: "Several mortar rounds hit the Baramkeh area and the architecture faculty compound, causing several casualties," the London-based monitoring group said, without elaborating.

http://rt.com/news/syria-university-shell-students-987/

Focus on Syria and Iran Instead (James Phillips- The Newyork Times)

Much of the news media coverage of President Obama’s Middle East trip focused on the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace, the “Holy Grail” of recent American presidents. But that issue, though important, is simply not ripe for resolution. Peace is impossible as long as Hamas, with its commitment to Israel’s destruction, retains its stranglehold over Gaza. Even if Israel were to negotiate a perfect peace settlement with the Palestinian Authority, Hamas is well-positioned to explode any agreement with another round of rocket terrorism. The best that can be expected in the president’s second term is an interim agreement that would set the framework for a future deal.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/03/27/what-can-obama-accomplish-in-the-middle-east/obama-should-focus-on-syria-and-iran-instead-of-israeli-palestinian-peace

Mortar shells hit Damascus University causing casualties- PRESS TV

Mortar shells fired by the foreign-sponsored Syrian militants have hit the Damascus University campus, causing casualties among the students.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/03/28/295533/mortar-shells-hit-damascus-university/

Arab League Summit: Doha Calls the Shots- Al-Akhbar

Despite the failure of Arab League member-states to reach an agreement on giving Syria’s seat to the opposition National Coalition, Qatar nevertheless managed to impose its will on the League.

In its drive to bring about the downfall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Qatar succeeded in granting the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) Damacus’ seat at the March 26 Arab League Summit in Doha.

It didn’t matter that SNC president Moaz al-Khatib had resigned or the president of the opposition transitional government, Ghassan Hitto was hurriedly elected, prompting nearly a dozen members of the SNC to resign as a result.

Doha’s sheikhs are intent on forging ahead with their plan to chip away at the regime’s legitimacy – transferring it over to the SNC as quickly as possible – and to mobilize the necessary financial and military support the armed opposition needs to expand its territorial holdings.

Qatar’s attempts to speed up the transitional process by calling for what is in effect a parallel opposition government in Syria was tempered by reservations by several Arab countries, including Iraq, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/arab-league-summit-doha-calls-shots

Terör Kaynaklarının Kurutulması İçin Uluslararası İrade Gerekiyor- SANA Türkçe

ŞAM – Cumhurbaşkanı Beşşar el-Esad dün, Güney Afrika’da düzenlenen BRICS grubu ülkeleri liderlerine mektup gönderdi.

El-Esad Güney Afrika Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı ve zirve başkanı Jacob Zuma’ya gönderdiği mektubunda BRICS Grubu liderlerinden, muasır dünyamızda istikrarın sağlanmasına yardımcı olmaya çağırdı.

El-Esad BRICS Grubunun; çıkarları hedef alınan, içişlerine yönelik dış müdahaleden şikayetçi olan ve ezilen halklar için umut teşkil etmeye başladığını belirtti.

El-Esad mektubunda, Suriye'nin iki yıldan bu yana, sivilleri öldüren, alt yapıyı ve Suriye’nin uygarlık ve kültür mirası ile halkının bütün bileşenleri arasındaki eşitlik ve ortak yaşamda kimliğini yıkan, Arap, batı ve bölgesel ülkelerden destek gören terörden çok çektiğini söyledi.

Zirve liderlerinden; siyasi çözümün başarısını garantilemek için Suriye'de şiddetin derhal durdurulması yönünde ortak çalışmalarda bulunma çağrısı yapan el-Esad; terör kaynaklarını kurutma, terör gruplarının finanse edilmesi ve silahlandırılmalarının durdurulmasının uluslararası iradeyi gerektirdiğini belirtti.

Cumhurbaşkanı el-Esad, “Bugünkü gergin dünyada barış ve güvenin sağlanmasını isteyen ekonomik, uygarlık ve siyasi ağırlığınızla, vatandaşlarımızın günlük yaşam gereksinimlerini doğrudan etkileyen ve uluslararası kanunları ihlal eden ekonomik yaptırımların sebep olduğu Suriye halkının çektiği acıları hafifletmesi için gerekli bütün çabaları harcamaya davetlisiniz” dedi.

Cumhurbaşkanı el-Esad, halklarımızın ve ümmetimizin üzerinde on yıllarca süren zulümleri, dayatmaları ve hegemonyalarından uzak bir şekilde ülkeler arasında barış, güven ve işbirliğinin yayılmasına çalışan adil bir güç olarak, Suriye halkının BRICS ülkeleriyle çalışma arzusunu dile getirdi.

http://sana.sy/tur/236/2013/03/28/474662.htm

BRICS Group Voices Opposition to Militarization of Crisis in Syria- SANA

DURBAN, (SANA) – The leaders of the BRICS member countries affirmed their rejection of the militarization of the crisis in Syria, stressing the need for the Geneva Statement to form the basis for settling this crisis.

In a statement issued on Wednesday at the conclusion of the BRICS summit which was held in Durban in South Africa, BRICS leaders voiced deep concern over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Syria, denouncing the repeated and increasing violations of human rights and international law due to ongoing violence.

The statement stressed that the decisions made during the international meeting on Syria in Geneva in 2012 must be the basis for settling the crisis, affirming their rejection of the militarization of conflict in Syria as a transitional political process led by Syria can only be carried out via national dialogue that meets the aspirations of all Syrians and respects the country's independence, unity and sovereignty as per the Geneva Statement and relevant Security Council resolutions.

http://sana.sy/eng/22/2013/03/28/474758.htm

'Türkiye-İsrail ilişkilerinin normalleşmesi zaman alacak' (Serkan Demirtaş- BBC Türkçe)

İsrail’den geçen hafta gelen Mavi Marmara özrü, iki ülke arasındaki ilişkilerin normalleşmesi adına önemli bir gelişme olarak görünse de tarafların kısa sürede yeniden “stratejik ortak” düzeyine dönmeleri mümkün görünmüyor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2013/03/130328_turkiye_israil.shtml

Syria opposition coalition take Arab League summit seat- BBC News

Syria's opposition National Coalition has taken the country's official seat at the Arab League summit in Doha.

Speaking at the meeting, coalition leader Moaz al-Khatib urged the international community to do more to help Syrians defend themselves against the regime.

In Syria, government troops are reported to have seized back control of Baba Amr in Homs, after two weeks of intense fighting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21949600

“Jihad in Syria (Part II): The Assad Regime Perspective,” By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi- Syria Comment

In my previous article I examined the question of how jihadists in Syria conceive of their jihad against the Assad regime. But how does the regime portray jihad?

 

Earlier this month, many observers were surprised by a statement issued by the Supreme Iftaa Council, whose leader is Mufti Ahmad Hassoun, the most senior Sunni cleric in Syria as Grand Mufti, with strong ties to the regime. The council’s fatwa was a call for jihad to defend Assad’s government.

 

I provide my translation of the statement below, as quoted by the Syrian Arab News Agency and reproduced on a pro-regime site called Zanobia (named after the empress of the Palmyrene Empire that had seceded from Rome in the Crisis of the Third Century: an apt symbol for the regime’s professed stance of ‘resistance’ to supposed Western imperialism). I highlight parts in bold for my own emphasis:

 

“God Almighty has said: Those who have obeyed God and the messenger after injury has struck them. To those among them [i.e. the believers] who have done good and feared God is a great reward. Those to whom the people have said, ‘The people had indeed gathered against you [i.e. the believers].’ But it increased them in faith and they said, ‘Our reliance is God and He is the best dispenser’ [Qur’an 3:172-3].

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18307

El-Hatib: NATO'nun insani müdahalesini bekliyoruz- YDH

YDH- Arap Birliği Zirvesi'nde Suriye muhalefeti adına konuşan Muaz el-Hatib, Suriye'deki insani krizin sona ermesi için NATO'dan Suriye'ye müdahale etmesini beklediklerini söyledi.

Suriye Ulusal Koalisyonu'nun Eski Başkanı Muaz el-Hatib, bugün Arap Birliği Zirvesi'nde Suriyeli muhalifleri temsilen yaptığı konuşmasında, NATO'nun Suriye'ye insani müdahalede bulunma kararı almasını beklediklerini söyledi.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11646_el-hatib--nato-nun-insani-mudahalesini-bekliyoruz.html

Esenboğa Havalimanında neler oluyor? (Amberin Zaman- Habertürk)

http://www.haberturk.com/yazarlar/amberin-zaman/830653-esenboga-havalimaninda-neler-oluyor

Outsiders are killing Syrian People, destroying Churches and mosques - Christian Bishop- RT

"A person who has no homeland is nothing", says Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop Luke, an Arab Born in Syria.

 

His forefathers were Orthodox Christians long before Islam came to this land. We are talking in the Maronite Cathedral in the Old City of Damascus.On October 21, 2012, a car bomb exploded here in the Christian neighbourhood near Bab Tuma gate, killing 13 people. The explosion happened during the UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's visit to Syria. Just like during Obama's visit to the Middle East a suicide bomber killed a prominent Sunni preacher Mohammad al-Buti and his students at the Eman Mosque on March 21.The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch was created two thousand years ago, and is the largest and the most ancient Christian church in the East. All its adherents are Syrian Arabs. The Cathedral was built in the first century AD. Parishes of the Patriarchate can be found all over the world - in the US, South America, Australia, and Europe.

Metropolitan Luke is Speaking Arabic, using the usual Muslim expressions, such as "insha'Allah", Which Means "God willing";"ziyarat", Which stands for "a pilgrimage to Holy Site", " Alhamdulillah ", Meaning " to praise God". He Greets People with "as-Salam alaykum" and calls the Muslims HIS Brothers. Metropolitan Luke is the Patriarch's right hand. His area of Responsibility is the Cathedrals of Saidnaya and Maaloula, which have one of the oldest icons in the world. Removing your shoes before entering these cathedrals is a must, just like in a mosque. But it's impossible to get to them now.

http://rt.com/op-edge/syria-church-luke-attack-868/

Child Martyrs, Several Students Injured by terrorists' Shells on Schools in Baramkeh- SANA

DAMASCUS, (SANA) - A child was martyred and several other students were injured after terrorists fired mortar shells on schools in Baramkeh area in Damascus.

SANA reporter said that a shell fell on a female school in Baramkeh, causing the martyrdom of a child and the injury of several students.

Terrorists' shells also hit two schools in the area, injuring four citizens and causing material damage.

Terrorists Target SANA with Shells. Three Martyred, Five Injured

In a new aggression on the national media, terrorists fired Mortar shells on Baramkeh area in Damascus, one shell fell near the Building of the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The terrorist attack claimed the lives of three persons and wounded five others.

The martyrs and injured persons are workers in the agency and passing citizens.

Citizens Martyred by Terrorists' Shells on Mosque, University and Hospital

Terrorists targeted with Mortar shells Dirar Mosque, Faculty of Law and Damascus Hospital in Damascus, several citizens were martyred or wounded in the attack.

http://www.sana-syria.com/eng/337/2013/03/26/474546.htm

Havan Saldırılarında Bazı Vatandaşlar Yaralandı- SANA Türkçe

ŞAM – Ulusal medyaya yeni bir saldırıda teröristlerin Şam’ın Beramke Semtine attıkları havan mermilerinden biri Suriye Arap Haber Ajansı SANA’nın çevresinde düştü.

SANA civarında düşen havan mermisi sonucunda ajans çalışanları ve sivil vatandaşlardan 3 kişi şehit olurken, bir kısmı ağır olmak üzere 5 kişi de yaralandı. Havan mermisi ayrıca maddi hasarlara da yol açtı.

Havan Mermileri Okulları da Hedef Aldı

Gaddar teröristlerin yine Beramke Semtine attıkları havan mermileri semtteki Beramke İlköğretim okuluna düşmesiyle bir kız öğrenci şehit oldu bir kaç öğrenci de yaralandı.

SANA muhabiri Beramke’deki Mutefavvikin ve Huluf okullarına da havan mermilerinin düştüğünü aktarırken, aralarında bir öğretmenin bulunduğu 4 kişinin yaralandığını, iki okulda da büyük maddi hasarların meydana geldiğini söyledi.

http://www.sana-syria.com/tur/339/2013/03/26/474544.htm

“Apo’loji’den “Apology”ye değişen dengeler ve Suriye’de savaş (Mehmet Serim- YDH)

YDH-Gazeteci Mehmet Serim, Suriye’de yaşanan son siyasi ve askeri gelişmeleri Suriye’deki gözlemleriyle değerlendirdi.

Kendilerine “Suriye halkının dostları” adını veren gurubun önde gelen isimlerinin Roma’da yaptıkları toplantı sonrası gelişmeler daha da hızlandı. Esad’ı devirme çalışmaları şimdi daha “derli toplu” bir yapıya kavuştu.

1- ABD (Roma toplantısı sonrası) muhaliflere (öldürücü olmayan) silah ve maddi yardımda bulunacağını açıkladı.

2- Katar, Suriye’nin büyükelçilik binasını Ulusal Koalisyon'a devretti (1 Mart).

3- Muhalifler Rakka’ya girdi (5 Mart)

4- Katar, Suriye’nin Arap Birliği koltuğunun Ulusal Koalisyon'a verilmesini önerdi (6 Mart).

5- İngiltere ve Fransa, AB onaylamasa bile muhaliflere silah yardımı yapacaklarını açıkladı (14 Mart).

6- Ulusal Koalisyon “başbakan” seçti (19 Mart)

7- Halep’te kimyasal silah saldırısı oldu (20 Mart)

8- Obama, İsrail’i (ve ardından) Filistin’i, Ürdün’ü ziyaret etti (20 Mart)

9- Türkiye’de “mazruf” açıklandı ve “yeni süreç” başladı (21 Mart)

10- Suriye’nin en büyük dini otoritesine suikast düzenlend (21 Mart)

11- Obama, İsrail’den İran’a nükleer mesaj yolladı ve İsrail’i İran konusunda serbest bıraktığını açıkladı (21 Mart)

12- İran buna karşılık "Tel Aviv ve Hayfa’yı yerle bir ederiz" dedi (21 Mart)

13- İsrail, Türkiye’den özür diledi, Erdoğan da özrü kabul etti (22 Mart)

14- Lübnan başbakanı Necip Mikati istifa etti (22 Mart)

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11639_apolojiden-apologyye-degisen-dengeler-ve-suriyede-savas.html

Riyad Esad suikastının ayrıntıları- YDH

YDH- Özgür Suriye Ordusu adlı silahlı grubun kurucusu ve komutanı Riyad Esad'ı hedef alan suikast girişiminin ayrıntıları ortaya çıkmaya başladı.

Suriye Ordusu'ndan ayrılarak yönetim karşıtı silahlı mücadeleye katılan Suriyeli subayların öncülerinden olan Riyad Esad'a dün akşam Deyr ez-Zor'da suikast girişiminde bulunuldu.

Türkiye'de yaşayan Riyad Esad'ın yardımcısı Malik el-Kurdi, Katar'dan yayın yapan el-Cezire televizyonuna yaptığı açıklamasında "Riyad Esad, Deyr Ez-Zor'a bağlı el-Meyadin'de bir toplantıya katılmıştı. Toplantı bitiminden sonra bölgeden uzaklaşmak için aracına bindi. 1 kilometre gittikten sonra, Esad'ın koltuğunun altına yerleştirilen bombanın patlaması üzerine ağır bir şekilde yaralandı" dedi.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11642_riyad-esad-suikastinin-ayrintilari.html

Daughter of Syria's slain cleric speaks out- Al-Jazeera

It has become common for Syria's opposition to blame the government of President Bashar al-Assad for explosions that hit residential areas in Damascus. The latest blast - in a mosque that killed the country's top cleric, Sheikh Mohammad al-Bouti, his grandson, and 40 others - was no different.

 

Dissidents, including the head of the Syrian National Coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib, have alleged al-Bouti, a vocal supporter of Assad, was assassinated this week by regime insiders. Many believe he had been on the verge of announcing his defection.

 

Al-Bouti's daughter, Sumayya, however, said that her father could not have changed his position. She said those who killed him were "unjust" and "criminal" - but refused to say who she thought might have been responsible for his death.

 

"My father's position is clear. It was based on conviction and religious texts. He believed one should not disobey [the ruler]. Disobeying may lead to strife and strife would lead to a cycle of more disorder," she said, speaking from Saudi Arabia.

 

Since the early days of the uprising, which started in March 2011, al-Bouti had dismissed anti-government protesters as a bunch of mercenaries and saluted the Syrian Army in its fight against Assad's enemies.

 

Sumayya said her father believed that changing reality required patience.

 

"He preached for patience and advocacy, rather than violence and bloodshed," said the 52-year-old.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/2013/03/201332414592444794.html

Moaz al-Khatib, Moderate Syrian Leader, Resigns, as Islamic Front and Nusra Move on Damascus. Will the US build a Counter-force?- Syria Comment)

In this interview with Al-Arabiya, Syrian opposition leader Michel Kilo accuses the Muslim Brotherhood and Mustafa Sabbagh’s Qatari-backed faction in the Syrian opposition of catapulting Ghassan Hitto to the Prime Ministership of the interim government in a non-consensual manner: “Qatar wanted Hitto…and the Qatari-backed group in the National Coalition agreed on Hitto and imposed Hitto without any political or consensual considerations that considers Syrian interests in terms of a national cause…” Kilo argues that the Hitto election sidelined Muaz al-Khatib and led to his resignation.

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18297

Lübnan başbakanı neden istifa etti (Alptekin Dursunoğlu- YDH)

YDH-Necib Mikati’yi “Refik Hariri’nin akıbetinden ibret al” mesajı almışçasına başbakanlıktan istifaya mecbur eden bir bölgesel sebep bir de bunu doğrudan etkileyen yerel sebep bulunuyor.

Lübnan Başbakanı Necib Mikati, dün istifa ettiğini açıkladı. Mikati’nin televizyondan yaptığı edebi ve duygusal tonu oldukça güçlü konuşma, istifanın somut gerekçesi konusunda fikir vermiyordu.

Ancak hem bölgede hem de Lübnan yerelinde yaşanan gelişmeler geçtiğimiz yılın ekim ayında istifanın eşiğinden dönen Necib Mikati’nin dün neden istifa ettiğini açıklar nitelikte gözüküyor.

Necib Mikati’yi “Refik Hariri’nin akıbetinden ibret al” mesajı almışçasına başbakanlıktan istifaya mecbur eden bir bölgesel sebep bir de bunu doğrudan etkileyen yerel sebep bulunuyor.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11634_lubnan-basbakani-neden-istifa-etti.html

Top pro-Assad Sunni cleric killed as suicide bombing hits Damascus mosque- RT

A blast ripped through a mosque in the Syrian capital, killing a prominent pro-government Sunni cleric Sheikh Mohammed Said Ramadan al-Bouti. At least 15 people have reportedly died and 40 more were wounded in the attack.

 

“Senior cleric Dr Mohammed Saeed Ramadan al-Bouti was martyred in a terrorist suicide attack at the Iman Mosque in Mazraa in Damascus," Syrian State TV said.

 

Sirens could be heard echoing through the capital as the scene of the blast was cordoned off by the military. TV footage revealed a chaotic scene of eviscerated bodies with severed limbs strewn across the blood-stained floor of the mosque.

Local residents contacted by Reuters said they initially believed the explosion was caused when a mortar shell hit a nearby political office.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that at least 15 people died in the assault, while Beirut-based Al-Manar reports that at least 20 were killed.

http://rt.com/news/damascus-mosque-suicide-attack-615/

Ramazan el-Buti intihar saldırısıyla öldürüldü- YDH

 

YDH- Suriye'nin önde gelen alimlerinden Ramazan el-Buti, Perşembe günleri ders verdiği el-İman camiini hedef alan intihar saldırısında yaşamını yitirdi.

Yayınladığı çok sayıda kitabı Türkçeye çevrilen Suriye'nin önde gelen alimlerinden Muhammed Ramazan el-Buti, bugün akşam saatlerinde başkent Şam'daki el-İman camiini hedef alan saldırıda yaşamını yitirdi.
 

Suriye yönetimini destekleyen fetvalarıyla bilinen el-Buti, Perşembe günleri el-İman camiinde dersler vermekteydi. Saldırıda el-Buti'nin yanı sıra 20 sivilin daha yaşamını yitirdiği bildirildi.

 

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11627_ramazan-el-buti-intihar-saldirisiyla-olduruldu.html

Obama: Israel Has ‘No Greater Friend’ Than U.S.- Time

(JERUSALEM) — President Barack Obama has told the president of Israel that his country will have “no greater friend than the United States.”

Obama also told Shimon Peres that the work their countries do together will make it more likely that children growing up in the region will have the future opportunity for security, peace and prosperity.

Obama spoke Wednesday after meeting privately with Peres. It was Obama’s first visit to Israel as president of the United States, and the first foreign trip of his second term in office.

Read more: http://world.time.com/2013/03/20/obama-in-israel-for-first-trip-as-president/#ixzz2O7keZM4u

Shooting Erupts in Tripoli Killing Two- Al-Manar

A shootout erupted on Wednesday at the Qobbeh government hospital in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.

 

The incident was soon followed by the emergence of gunmen in the area between the Tripoli neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.

Taher Mohsen Jadeed and his brothers Youssef and Mehdi were wounded in the hospital shootout.

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=86749&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=14&s1=1

President al-Assad to Families of Martyred Pupils.. Battle in Syria is Battle of Will and Steadfastness- SANA

DAMASCUS, (SANA)-On the occasion of the Teacher's Day, President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday surprised the families of pupils who were martyred of terrorist acts during an honoring celebration by the Education Ministry held at the Education Center for Plastic Arts at al-Tijara neighborhood in Damascus.

 

President al-Assad affirmed to the families that though today is for the teacher, not the students, but the teacher and student are part of science, so the occasion is one and it is for learning, adding "I wished to contact with you in order to get power from you in spite of the feeling of pain as a result of losing your children."

 

http://sana.sy/eng/21/2013/03/20/473689.htm

Hasan Hitto: Teksas’tan bir ‘Suriye Başbakanı’- BBC Türkçe

Hasan Hitto, yıllar önce ABD’ye giderken bir gün Suriyeli muhaliflerin ‘Başbakanı’ seçileceğini muhtemelen tahmin etmemişti.

1963 yılında Şam’da doğup 1980’lerin sonlarında ABD’ye giden Hitto’nun, Indiana’daki Pursue Üniversitesi’nde ve Wesleyan Üniversitesi’nde gördüğü eğitimin, siyaset bilimiyle hiç bir yakınlığı olmayacaktı.

 

O, matematik ve bilgisayar teknolojisi alanında eğitim görecekti.

ABD’deki yaşamının önemli bir bölümünü, Bush ailesinin de memleketi olmasıyla ünlü Teksas Eyaleti’nde geçiren Hitto, aktif siyaset içinde olmaktansa kariyerinde ilerlemeyi tercih etti.

25 yıl boyunca, 16 farklı yüksek teknoloji ve iletişim şirketinde yönteci olarak görev yaptı.

Fransız haber ajansı AFP’ye göre ABD vatandaşı olan Hitto, geçen yıla kadar Teksas’taki bir iletişim teknolojisi firmasında üst düzey yöneticiydi.

Geçen Kasım ayındaysa ‘Suriye devriminin saflarına katılmak’ iddiasıyla işinden ayrıldı.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2013/03/130319_hasan_hitto.shtml

Suriye: Silahların gölgesinde yaşamak (Hediye Levent- BBC Türkçe)

Kızılhaç Suriye Koordinatörü Rima Kemal, "Suriye'deki insani durumu kelimelerle anlatabilmenin mümkün olmadığını" söylüyor.

 

"Ülkedeki çatışmalardan etkilenenlerin sayısının her geçen gün arttığını" ve "evlerini terketmek zorunda kalanların gecelikleri, pijamaları ile kaçtığını" anlatıyor Kemal.

 

Savaştan etkilenenlerin giyecekten içme suyuna, sağlık yardımından psikolojik desteğe akla gelebilecek herşeye ihtiyacı olduğunu Kemal de birçok örnekle aktarmaya çalışıyor.

Kemal'in de dediği gibi, ülkedeki insani durumu kelimelerle aktarabilmek mümkün olmadığı için her cümlesini örnek hikâyelerle somutlaştırmaya çalışıyor.

Suriye'deki insani durumun ulaştığı boyutlar mülteci sayısı, ihtiyaçlar listesi, yardım çağrıları, siyasi açıklamalar gibi kalıp ifadelerin gölgesinde kalıyor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2013/03/130315_hediye_suriye_insani_durum.shtml

İran’dan ABD’ye Suriye’deki kimyasal saldırıyla ilgili nota- YDH

YDH- İran Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Amerika’nın İran’daki çıkarlarını koruyan İsviçre konsolosuna Suriye’deki silahlı grupların düzenlediği kimyasal silah saldırısıyla ilgili nota verdi.

Mehr haber ajansının bildirdiğine göre İran Dışişleri Bakanlığı yetkililerinden Muhsin Neziri, Amerika’nın İran’daki çıkarlarını koruyan Tahran’daki İsviçre konsolosunu bakanlığa çağırarak Suriye’deki silahlı grupların Halep’te düzenlediği kimyasal silah saldırısıyla ilgili nota verdi.

İran Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Suriye’deki silahlı grupların düzenlediği kimyasal silah saldırısını kınayarak bundan Suriye’deki isyancıları destekleyen ülkelerin sorumlu olduğunu belirtti.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11624_irandan-abdye-suriyedeki-kimyasal-saldiriyla-ilgili-nota.html

Chemical Warfare Suffocates Civilians in Syria- Al-Manar

Armed opposition groups in Syria fired on Tuesday a chemical rocket at Khan Al-Assal town, North of Syria, killing 25 civilians and wounding 86 others, most are in a critical condition.

 

Syrian Information Minister Omran Al-Zoabi held the opposition forces the accountability of the crime, dubbing the attack a “serious escalation”.

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=86659&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=20&s1=1

Halep’teki Saldırıya Tepkiler Yağıyor- SANA Türkçe

BAŞKENTLER – Bir çok devletin yanı sıra siyasi partiler, Arap hukukçu ve medya mensupları, din adamları ve analistler, silahlı terör gruplarının dün Halep’in Han el-Asel bölgesine düzenledikleri kimyasal başlıklı füze saldırısını şiddetle kınayarak Suriye krizine siyasi çözüm bulma çabalarını baltalamayı hedeflediğini belirtti.

 

Sorumluluk Teröristlere ve Destekleyici Devletlere Düşüyor

TAHRAN – İran, Suriye'deki silahlı terör gruplarının Halep kırsalının Han el-Asel Bölgesine kimyasal maddeler içeren bir füze atmalarını keskin bir dille kınadığını belirterek, insanlığa karşı büyük bir tehlike teşkil ettiğini ifade etti.

 

İran Dışişleri Bakanlığı Resmi Sözcüsü Ramen Mehmanperest bugün yaptığı açıklamada; bu gibi suçların ve tekrarlanmasının sorumluluğunun terör grupları ve onları destekleyen devletlerin üstüne düştüğünü vurguladı.

 

İran İslam Cumhuriyetinin Suriye'deki krize diyalog yoluyla siyasi çözümü destekleyen tutumunu yineleyen Mehmanperest; ülkesinin, bölge istikrarının bu siyasi çözüme ciddi bir şekilde bağlı kalma ve destekleme koşullarına dayalı olduğu vizyonunu ifade etti.

 

Mehmanperest; İran’ın tüm uluslararası toplum, kurum ve örgütleriyle birlikte insan hakları örgütlerinin de bu çirkef cinayeti kınamalarına çağırdığını söyledi.

http://sana.sy/tur/237/2013/03/20/473501.htm

Irak işgalinin üzerinden 10 yıl geçti- Sol Haber

Irak yönetiminin elinde kitle imha silahları var yalanlarıyla ABD öncülüğündeki Koalisyon Güçleri tarafından başlatılan işgalin üzerinden 10 yıl geçti.

 

Irak’ta Saddam Hüseyin yönetiminin elinde kitle imha silahlarının olduğu yalanıyla ABD ve İngiltere öncülüğünde 20 Mart 2003’te “Irak’ı Özgürleştirme Operasyonu” adı altında başlatılan işgalin 10’uncu yılı bugün geride kalıyor.

 

Ancak yüzbinlerce Iraklının hayatını kaybettiği, milyonlarca insanın da yerlerini terk etmek zorunda kaldığı bu kanlı savaş sonrasında ne Irak’a “özgürlük” geldi ne de ülkede kitle imha silahları bulundu.

http://haber.sol.org.tr/dunyadan/irak-isgalinin-uzerinden-10-yil-gecti-haberi-70116

Who is Ghassn Hitto? Why Was He backed to be Prime Minister of an Interim Gov by Mustafa Sabbagh?- Syria Comment

Ghassan Hitto was elected to be Prime Minister of an interim opposition government by a vote of 35 Syrian Opposition Coalition executives out of 45 who voted in Istanbul. There are 63 active members of which 48 voted and of which 4 cast blank ballots. Hitto received 35 of the remaining votes.

 

Hitto is a Texas based Syrian, married to an American school teacher, Suzanne. They have four children, all born in the United States, where Mr. Hitto advocated for Muslim Americans after 9/11 as a representative of the Council on American-Islamic Relations or CAIR. Born into a Kurdish family in Damascus, Mr. Hitto left Syria in the early 1980s and received an M.B.A. at Indiana Wesleyan University.

 

He was pushed forward for the position of interim Prime Minister of the opposition by Mustafa Sabbagh, who is Secretary General of the Opposition Coalition. Sabbagh is an Erdogan style Islamist, known to be close to the Qataris. He lives in Jeddah and was originally from Latakia, Syria. He was an important voice in the original construction of the Opposition Coalition back in December of 2012.

 

According to Amr al-`Azm, Sabbagh made a deal with the Muslim brotherhood delegates in the SOC to back Hitto. The MB had been advocating Osama Kadi as interim PM, but they agreed to drop him and back Hitto in a move to sideline Moaz al-Khatib. Other than the question of who would run day to day affairs in the interim government, one of the larger disputes between the Moaz al-Khatib and Sabbagh factions was the question over talking to the Assad regime. Khatib had pleased the Americans by agreeing to the Geneva parameters, which call for forming a joint government with Assad remnants. Mustafa Sabbagh, Yasser Tabbara, Wael Mirza, and George Sabra wanted an end to this initiative, which some in the opposition view a tantamount to treason, as well as to outflank Khatib. To this end, Hitto’s first words were that he would not negotiate with the Assad regime.

 

The Saudis are evidently upset that Hitto was elected. Al-Arabia hardly reported on the news and only after some delay. The Turks, according to Azm, did not want an interim “government” to be formed at all, but only some sort of leadership. In short, the maneuvering has been intense. The process will leave some with a queasy feeling. Sabbagh and Qatar outmaneuvered their competitors for influence in the interim government.

 

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18160

“The Free Syrian Army Does Exist” by Koert Debeuf & Response by Aron Lund- Syria Comment

When I read the piece of Aron Lund, ‘the FSA doesn’t exist'. I was utterly surprised. Of course the FSA does exist. And it is changing rapidly.Over the last few months, the FSA has transformed itself from a loose structure into a functioning organization. In fact, what Lund describes is an era of the FSA that no longer exists. It ignores the developments of the last several months and the present reality on the ground.

 

Last month, I visited Northern Syria three times with the Free Syrian 
Army (FSA). I spoke to many generals who had defected from the Syrian Army, to commanders on
 the ground,to people in the headquarters of the FSA and
 to military-civilian organizers of humanitarian aid of all parts of
 Syria. I also spent many hours with Dr. Brigadier General Salim 
Idriss, Chief of Staff of the FSA; I was in the middle of a battle 
at Quweris airport, then one of the main front lines.

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18157

Koalisyon sözcüsü Bunni: Gassan Hito bize dayatıldı- YDH

YDH- Ulusal Koalisyon'un resmi sözcüsü ve muhalefetin önde gelen isimlerinden Velid Bunni, dış güçlerin Gassan Hito'yu kendilerine dayattığını söyledi.

 Reuters haber ajansının bildirdiğine göre Ulusal Koalisyon'un başbakan seçimi sırasında Koaliyon'un üç üyesi, Gassan Hito'nın Koalisyon'a dayatılmasını protesto ederek, salonu terk etti.

 Suriye Ulusal Koalisyon'un resmi sözcüsü Velid Bunni, Koalisyon üyesi Kemal Lebvani ve aşiret liderlerinden Ahmet Cabra, Gassan Hito'nun sürpriz bir şekilde seçildiğini, kendilerinin bile tanımadığı Hito'nun dışarıdan Koalisyon'a dayatıldığını açıkladı.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11621_koalisyon-sozcusu-bunni--gassan-hito-bize-dayatildi.html

ABD’nin siyasi çözümü ve Suriye ölçekli armageddon (Alptekin Dursunoğlu-YDH)

Washington’un siyasi çözümden, Suriye’deki savaşı bitirmeyi değil, kontrol altına alarak sürece yaymayı kastettiği anlaşılıyor.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/YD355_abdnin-siyasi-cozumu-ve-suriye-olcekli-armageddon.html

Conflict in Syria creates wave of British jihadists- The Independent

 

The bloody uprising against Bashar al-Assad is creating a new wave of jihadists in Britain, with Syria now the main destination for militant Muslims wishing to fight abroad, The Independent has learnt.

Syria has replaced Pakistan and Somalia as the preferred front line where Islamist volunteers can experience immediate combat with relatively little official scrutiny, security agencies said.

 

The worrying development has been taking place as extremist groups, some with links to al-Qa’ida, have become the dominant force in the uprising against the Damascus regime.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/conflict-in-syria-creates-wave-of-british-jihadists-8533386.html

Краткая сводка о ситуации в Сирии за 13-е марта

13_03_2013 ~ Syria News (ENG) News- Youtube

Video Shows Syrian Suicide Bomber’s Last Day- The New York Times Blog

Jabhat al-Nusra, a Syrian rebel group accused of ties to Al Qaeda, posted a video online this week that documents the last day in the life of a suicide bomber who killed himself in an attack on a government checkpoint in January.

 

The video appears to be an effort to publicize an attack that the group describes as “the largest martyrdom operation in Syria,” but also to humanize the group, which was blacklisted by the United States in December. The brief documentary offers a rare glimpse into the last day in the life of a suicide bomber as he jokes with friends, says tearful goodbyes to his fellow fighters and picks his target with the help of Google Maps.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/13/video-shows-syrian-suicide-bombers-last-day/

Drawing a New Map of North Lebanon, Syrian Fighters Included- Al-Akhbar

Networks of Syrian fighters in North Lebanon are reshaping the lay of the land. From Syrian logistics cells to clandestine arms routes, new political realities are changing how Lebanese navigate their country.

 

In Lebanon, saying you were stopped by an armed Palestinian would imply that you entered a camp under the control of a Palestinian faction. But to say that you were stopped by an armed Syrian fighter – in Tripoli, this month, years after the withdrawal of the Syrian army – is a whole other matter.

 

It gets even more problematic when this armed fighter asked you to change your destination, which was entirely in Lebanon, after noticing your camera.

 

These new arrangements suggest that the area is headed toward a new phase that security officials like to compare to the days when Palestinian resistance operations in Lebanon earned the country the moniker, Fatah Land.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/drawing-new-map-north-lebanon-syrian-fighters-included

How the Muslim Brotherhood Hijacked Syria’s Revolution- Ya Libnan

No one in Syria expected the anti-regime uprising to last this long or be this deadly, but after around 70,000 dead, 1 million refugees, and two years of unrest, there is still no end in sight. While President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal response is mostly to blame, the opposition’s chronic failure to form a viable front against the regime has also allowed the conflict to drag on. And there’s one anti-Assad group that is largely responsible for this dismal state of affairs: Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood.

 

Throughout the Syrian uprising, I have had discussions with opposition figures, activists, and foreign diplomats about how the Brotherhood has built influence within the emerging opposition forces. It has been a dizzying rise for the Islamist movement. It was massacred out of existence in the 1980s after the Baathist regime put down a Brotherhood-led uprising in Hama. Since then, membership in the Brotherhood has been an offense punishable by death in Syria, and the group saw its presence on the ground wither to almost nothing. But since the uprising erupted on March 15, 2011, the Brotherhood has moved adroitly to seize the reins of power of the opposition’s political and military factions.

http://www.yalibnan.com/2013/03/13/how-the-muslim-brotherhood-hijacked-syrias-revolution/

‘One million Syrians’ claim jolts Lebanon- NOW News

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman reiterated his calls for international assistance in dealing with the increasing flow of Syrian refugees into Lebanon this week. According to Suleiman, Lebanon’s infrastructure is at a breaking point, with the country already harboring over one million Syrians, including refugees, guest workers, and their families. While Suleiman’s comments are cause for new concern, they are not vastly divergent from previous statements made by the President. NOW spoke to activists and political analysts about their thoughts on Suleiman’s claim that Lebanon’s infrastructure is on its last legs, and what they believe are possible solutions to the refugee influx.

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/reportsfeatures/one-million-syrians-claim-jolts-lebanon

Arming Syria militants breaches international law: Russian FM- PRESS TV

Russia says arming foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government is in violation of international law.

“Arming the opposition is in breach of international law,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his British counterpart William Hague in London on Wednesday.

The conference was also attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his British counterpart Philip Hammond.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/03/13/293438/arming-syria-militants-breaks-intl-law/

Zionist Enemy Boosts Forces near Golan, South Lebanon Regions- Al-Manar

The Zionist enemy on Wednesday boosted its forces near the occupied Golan Heights and the eastern sector of South Lebanon, Al-Manar correspondent reported, indicating that the reinforcement included dozens of tanks and troop carriers.

In parallel, three Israeli bulldozers returned to Wazzani region and proceeded in building a road outside the technical fence, under the protection of a Merkava tank.

Another three Israeli merkava tanks and military hummers also deployed near Shebaa farms during the afternoon, according to Al-Manar correspondent.

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=85699&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=18&s1=1

‘If you were a man, we’d kill you’: Captive journalist tells RT how she escaped Syrian rebels- RT

‘I couldn’t bear it any longer’, recalls Anhar Kochneva. The Ukrainian journalist who escaped Syrian rebels five months after she was kidnapped told RT about what she had to go through while in captivity and how she managed to run away.

 

Kochneva, a journalist and blogger who reported as a freelancer for Russian and Ukrainian news outlets, was captured at the beginning of October 2012 near the Syrian city of Homs.

 

The kidnappers - members of the Free Syrian Army – repeatedly threatened to kill her if the US $50 million ransom was not paid. The sum was later reduced to reportedly US$ 300,000. The rebels said they had planned to put Kochneva to death on December 16, but decided to "give her a second chance."

 

Several world powers – including Russia, the US and France - as well as international human right organizations, urged the Syrian opposition to release the woman.

http://rt.com/news/kochneva-syria-escape-interview-224/

Rizeli minare ustasını kahreden telefon- Hürriyet

Rize’de minare ustası Hasan Yazıcı’yı telefonla arayan bir kişi, 22 yaşındaki oğlu Burak Yazıcı’nın Suriye Devlet Başkanı Beşar Esad’a karşı savaşırken şehit düştüğünü söyleyip, telefonu kapattı. Haberin ardından büyük üzüntü yaşanan Yazıcı ailesinin evine taziye ziyaretleri başladı.

 

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/22790163.asp

Member of EU Syria delegation killed in Damascus suburb- BBC News

A member of the European Union's delegation in Syria has been killed in a rocket attack in a Damascus suburb.

Ahmad Shihadeh, an EU policy officer, was killed in Darayya, to the south-west of the capital, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21768299

ABD'nin ikiyüzlülüğü: Suriye askerlerine yapılan saldırıyı ‘kınadılar’- Sol Haber

ABD, Irak’ta Suriye askerlerine düzenlenen kanlı saldırıyı El Kaide’nin üstlendiğini açıklamasının ardından, “terörist bir eylem” olarak nitelendirdi.

 

El Kaide’nin Irak’ta Suriye askerlerini taşıyan ve 48 kişinin ölümüyle sonuçlanan saldırıyı üstlenmesinin ardından ABD’den saldırıyı kınayan bir açıklama geldi.

 

ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü Victoria Nuland pazartesi günü basın mensuplarına yaptığı açıklamada, Suriye askerlerinin saldırı sırasında “aktif bir çatışma” halinde olmamasından dolayı saldırının bir “terör eylemi” olduğunu söyledi.

 

Nuland, 4 Mart’ta düzenlenen saldırı ile ilgili “Öncelikle konvoya düzenlenen saldırıyı kınıyorum. Buna benzer her çeşit saldırıyı, her çeşit terör eylemini kınıyoruz” ifadesini kullandı.

abdnin-ikiyuzlulugu-suriye-askerlerine-yapilan-saldiriyi-kinadilar-haberi-69736

Kerry: Esed ve muhalefetin masaya oturmasını istiyoruz- YDH

YDH- Amerika Dışişleri Bakanı John Kerry, Amerika'nın Suriye Cumhurbaşkanı Beşşar Esed ve muhalefetin bir masada oturarak geçiş hükümeti kurmalarını istedi.

UPI haber ajansının bildirdiğine göre ABD Dışişleri Bakanı John Kerry, Norveçli meslektaşı Espen Barth Eide'yle Washington'da düzenlediği ortak basın açıklamasında "Amerika ve dünya, Suriye'de akan kanın durdurulmasını, Cenevre bildirisi çerçevesinde Suriye Cumhurbaşkanı Beşşar Esed ve muhalefetin bir masa etrafında toplanarak geçiş hükümeti kurmalarını istiyor" dedi.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11600_kerry--esed-ve-muhalefetin-masaya-oturmasini-istiyoruz.html

Genel Seferberlik İlan Edildiği Haberleri Asılsız- SANA Türkçe

ŞAM – Enformasyona Bakanlığından yetkili bir kaynak dün, askerlik hizmetinin kutsal vatani bir görev olduğunu belirterek bir kısım medya organlarının Suriye’nin genel seferberlik ilan ettiğine ilişkin haberlerinin asılsız olduğunu açıkladı.

 

Kaynak, bazı uydu kanallarının gençlerin askeri bariyerlerde durdurulup askeri hizmete alındığı yönündeki haberlerinin hiçbir doğruluk yanı bulunmadığını ve iftira olduğunu söyledi.

http://sana.sy/tur/236/2013/03/13/472180.htm

Захваченная "крепость" бандитов

Sheikh Assir’s Antics Rattle Lebanon’s Security- Al-Akhbar

Salafi Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir tested his supporters on the night of 13 March by sending out messages that the army was about to breach his mosque, prompting hundreds of Salafis to block roads in Tripoli, Beirut, and Saida.

 

It all started when soldiers at an army checkpoint in east Saida stopped one Ahmad al-Assir’s supporters, Sheikh Assem al-Arifi, after discovering that his car papers were forged.

 

Arifi’s driver refused to abide by the army’s orders and fled to Assir’s mosque nearby. In what may have been an attempt to test the readiness of his supporters, Assir fired off text messages and posts on his Facebook page claiming that the army was preparing to assault the mosque.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/sheikh-assir%E2%80%99s-antics-rattle-lebanon%E2%80%99s-security

Arming opposition in Syria is violation of international law - Lavrov- RT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that plans to arm the Syrian rebels would violate international law, citing Libya, where anti-Gadhafi forces received arms despite an embargo on the country.

 

Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Hague, the Russian and British Foreign Ministers, met in London with the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the British Defense Secretary William Hammond, after lunch in Lancaster House.

 

“As for the possibility of arming the opposition, as far as i understand, it is not allowed by international law, that's why arming of the opposition directly or indirectly will be the violation of the international law,” Lavrov told journalists at the Press Conference.

 

Lavrov continued that in Libya, when the UN Security Council imposed an embargo on supplying arms to either side of the conflict, it was broken with arms deliveries continuing openly, from both European and Arab countries and that this was a violation of international law.

http://rt.com/news/syria-opposition-illegal-law-216/

İsrail’den Katar’ın Suriye planına destek- YDH

YDH-İsrail Cumhurbaşkanı Şimon Perez’den, Katar’ın Suriye’ye Arap gücü gönderilmesini öngören planına destek açıklaması geldi.

El Alem televizyonunun haberine göre İsrail Cumhurbaşkanı Şimon Perez, Strazburg’da Avrupa Parlamentosunda yaptığı konuşmada Arap Birliği’nin Suriye’ye müdahale etmesi çağrısında bulundu.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD11596_israilden-katarin-suriye-planina-destek.html

“The Uprising and the New Syria: Islamists Rise in Raqqa while Damascene Christians Dodge Fire” By Matthew Barber- Syria Comment

http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=18004

Краткая сводка о ситуации в Сирии за 8-е марта

Suriye’deki silahlı gruplar ve yeni kombinasyonlar (Alptekin Dursunoğlu- YDH)

Antalya'da kurulan Ortak Askeri Komuta Konseyi adlı yeni askeri örgüte kendilerini tasfiye rolü verildiğini fark eden cihatçılar, kendi aralarında birleşerek güçlenmeye çalışıyor.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/YD354_suriyedeki-silahli-gruplar-ve-yeni-kombinasyonlar-.html

Syrian Rebels in Golan Region Hold U.N. Peacekeeping Team- The New York Times

Insurgent fighters from Syria seized a group of United Nations troops on patrol in the disputed Golan Heights region between Syria and Israel on Wednesday and threatened to treat them as prisoners of war, an abrupt escalation in the Syrian conflict that entangled international peacekeepers for the first time.

 

As the war has worsened, the Golan region has been periodically disrupted by armed clashes and occasional artillery or mortar bombardments that have become a source of concern to Israel. But United Nations officials said that members of the Golan peacekeeping mission, officially known as the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, had never before been taken by any of the combatants in the conflict.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/world/europe/syria-developments.html?_r=0

Syria rebels capture northern Raqqa city- Al-Jazeera

Syrian rebels battling troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad overran al-Raqqa after days of fierce fighting, and were now in "near-total control" of the northern city, activists said.

 

The fall of Raqqa, located on the Euphrates River, on Monday is a significant development in the two-year-old revolt against Assad. The rebels do not claim to hold any other provincial capitals.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/03/201334151942410812.html