ORIENT: 2/1/14

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

IŞİD’den Nusra’ya cevap- YDH

YDH-El Alem televizyonunun haberine göre Irak-Şam İslam Devleti (IŞİD) adlı örgütün liderlerinden Ebu Abdullah Afgani, Colani’nin tehdit açıklamasına aynı sertlikte cevap verdi.

Ebu Abdullah Afgani, “Ölüm sizi bulmadan önce ölün. Müslümanların daima kurmayı arzuladığı İslam Devleti’ni sınamaya kalkmayın” dedi.

Nusra Cephesi Lideri Ebu Muhammed Colani, IŞİD’e aradaki sorunların çözümü için belirlenen şer’i kurulun hakemliğini kabul etmesi için 5 gün süre vermiş bu şartın kabul edilmemesi halinde IŞİD’i Irak’ta ve Suriye’de geniş çağlı saldırılarla tehdit etmişti.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD12673_isidden-nusraya-cevap.html

Suriyeli mülteciler ilk sırada- Al-Jazeera Turk

Birleşmiş Milletler (BM) Mülteciler Yüksek Komiserliği yetkilisi Antonio Guterres yaptığı açıklamada, Orta Doğu’daki komşu ülkelerde kayıt altına alınabilen 2,5 milyona yakın Suriyelinin mülteci konumunda olduğunu söyledi. Guterres, “başka ülkelerden gelen mültecilere kucak açan bir halkın, paramparça olmuş bir halde, başka ülkelerde yaşamak zorunda olması beni üzüyor” dedi.

Olayın vahametini anlatmak için bir örnek veren Guterres, “Lübnan gibi küçük bir ülkede bulunan mülteci sayısı diğer ülkelere oranlandığında, Fransa’ya 15 milyon, Rusya’ya 32 milyon, ABD’ye 71 milyon mültecinin giriş yapmış olması anlamına gelir” dedi.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/suriyeli-multeciler-ilk-sirada

Syria refugee children in Lebanon risk starvation, U.N. says- Al-Arabiya

Nearly 2,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are in danger of starving to death if they do not receive immediate treatment, UNICEF said Tuesday, warning of a looming malnutrition crisis.

"Malnutrition is a new, silent threat among refugees in Lebanon," said Annamaria Laurini, the UN children's agency UNICEF's representative in Beirut.

The problem is linked to "poor hygiene, unsafe drinking water, diseases, lack of immunization and improper feeding practices of young children," she said.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/02/25/Syria-refugee-children-in-Lebanon-risk-starvation-U-N-says.html

Lebanese Army detains suspected Nusra Front commander- The Daily Star

HERMEL: Lebanese soldiers ambushed Wednesday a suspected commander of the Nusra Front in the Lebanese border town of Masharih al-Qaa, security sources told The Daily Star.

Nidal Sweidan, a Syrian national who is suspected of being a leader in the Al-Qaeda-linked group, was detained in the afternoon, the sources said.

Hezbollah vows to respond to 'Israeli air strike'- BBC News

Hezbollah has said it will respond to an alleged air strike by Israel warplanes on one of its bases on the Lebanese border with Syria on Monday.

The militant Shia Islamist movement described the attack as a "blatant assault on Lebanon, and its sovereignty and territory", al-Manar TV reported.

It would "choose the time and place and the proper way to respond", it warned.

Israel has not officially confirmed that it carried out the air strike, near the Bekaa Valley village of Janta.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26352905

Syrian forces 'kill many rebels' in Eastern Ghouta- BBC News

Syrian government forces have ambushed and killed a large number of Islamist rebel fighters in the eastern outskirts of the capital Damascus, reports say.

Syrian state media says 175 died.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says it has received reports that at least 70 died in the fighting in the Eastern Ghouta region.

The area is a rebel stronghold where Syrian forces are believed to have carried out a chemical weapons attack last year.

"Acting on information and in a well-organised ambush, our courageous army killed dozens of al-Nusra Front terrorists, most of them non-Syrians, in the Eastern Ghouta area," said state television.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26356464

Syria: al-Nusra Front declares war on ISIS- Al-Akhbar

Al-Nusra Front has declared war on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Abu Mohammed al-Golani gave ISIS five days to provide proof of its innocence regarding the killing of Abu Khaled al-Souri along with an ultimatum: either stop the fighting, withdraw apostasy edicts and return to the community or face a war, even in Iraq. Now all eyes are on the two groups as a violent confrontation might breakout between them at any minute.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-al-nusra-front-declares-war-isis

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

İsrail Suriye-Lübnan sınırını vurdu- Al-Jazeera Turk

Savaş uçakları Hizbullah’ın güçlü olduğu Bekaa Vadisi’nin doğusunda örgüte ait bir üsse yönelik hava operasyonu düzenledi.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/israil-suriye-lubnan-sinirini-vurdu

Israel Bombs Hizballah Missile Convoy on Syria-Lebanon Border Read more: Israel Strikes Hizballah Target on Syria-Lebanon Border- TIME

An Israeli official confirms to TIME that an air strike on the Syria-Lebanon border was Israel's doing, aimed at stopping certain missiles entering the arsenal of militant group Hizballah

Ex-Guantanamo Inmate Held Over 'Syria Terror'- Sky News

Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg is one of four people who have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences linked to the Syria conflict.

Police confirmed the 45-year-old was among three men and a woman from the West Midlands held on Tuesday morning.

Mr Begg, a British citizen, is suspected of attending a terrorist training camp and facilitating terrorism overseas.

A 36-year-old man, a woman aged 44 and her 20-year-old son were also held on suspicion of facilitating terrorism overseas.

http://news.sky.com/story/1216890/ex-guantanamo-inmate-held-over-syria-terror

Syria al-Qaeda group gives rival jihadists ultimatum- BBC News

The leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated rebel group in Syria has given rival jihadists an ultimatum to accept arbitration by clerics or be expelled.

Abu Mohammed al-Julani of the al-Nusra Front warned the Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant (ISIS) that it would be driven from Syria and "even from Iraq" if it did not comply within five days.

The threat came after the killing of an al-Qaeda emissary, Abu Khaled al-Suri.

He had reportedly been sent to end the clashes between ISIS and other rebels.

More than 2,000 people are believed to have been killed since Western-backed and Islamist groups attacked ISIS strongholds in early January.

The group's predominantly foreign fighters have been condemned for attacking fellow rebels and abusing civilian supporters of the opposition.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26338341

Israeli Warplanes Strike Near the Border of Syria and Lebanon- The New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israeli warplanes launched two raids near the Syrian-Lebanese border late Monday, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency, raising speculation that Israel might have targeted a weapons convoy to prevent the Syrian government from delivering missiles to its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/world/middleeast/israeli-warplanes-strike-near-the-border-of-syria-and-lebanon.html

Russia warns Saudi against giving Syria rebels missiles- The Daily Star

KIEV: Russia on Tuesday warned Saudi Arabia against supplying Syrian rebels with shoulder-launched missile launchers, saying such a move would endanger security across the Middle East and beyond.

The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" by news reports that Saudi Arabia was planning to buy Pakistani-made shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank systems for armed Syrian rebels based in Jordan.

It said that the aim was to alter the balance of power in a planned spring offensive by rebels on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

"If this sensitive weapon falls into the hands of extremists and terrorists who have flooded Syria, there is a great probability that in the end it will be used far from the borders of this Middle Eastern country," the foreign ministry said.

Long-existing tensions between Russia and Saudi Arabia have intensified further as a result of the Syria conflict, with Moscow standing by Assad but Riyadh offering open support for the rebels.

Nusra’dan IŞİD’e tehdit- Al-Jazeera Turk

Suriye’de rejime karşı mücadele veren El Kaide bağlantılı Nusra Cephesi’nin Lideri Ebu Muhammed El Culani’nin olduğu iddia edilen bir ses kaydı yayınlandı. Culani, ses kaydında Irak Şam İslam Devleti’ne (IŞİD) teslim olması için beş gün süre veriyor.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/nusradan-iside-tehdit

Syria crisis: Thousands waiting for food in Yarmouk- BBC News

The BBC's Lyse Doucet has travelled to Yarmouk, the Palestinian refugee camp in southern Damascus, Syria, where people are desperate for food.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26330014

Nusra’dan IŞİD’e 5 gün süre- YDH

YDH-El Alem televizyonunun haberine göre Nusra Cephesi adlı el-Kaide bağlantılı örgütün lideri Ebu Muhammed Colani, örgüte yakın bir internet sitesinde yayımlanan sesli mesajıyla IŞİD’i tehdit etti.

Nusra Lideri Ebu Muhammed Colani, yayımladığı sesli mesajında Irak’ta IŞİD’in düşmanı olan yüzlerce kardeşleri olduğunu belirterek Suriye’de ve Irak’ta bu örgüte yönelik saldırılarını arttırma tehdidinde bulundu.

Nusra Lideri Ebu Muhammed Colani, Ahraru’ş- Şam komutanlarından Ebu Halid Suri’nin IŞİD tarafından öldürülmesinden iki gün sonra yaptığı açıklamada Ebu Halid Suri’nin el-Kaide liderlerinden Usame bin Ladin, Eymen Zevahiri ve Ebu Musab Zerkavi’nin dostu olduğunu vurguladı.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD12670_nusradan-iside-5-gun-sure.html

Canbolat: Direniş hakkı hükümet bildirisinde yer almalı- YDH

YDH-Haftalık el-Enba dergisine demeç veren Lübnan İlerici Sosyalist Partisi Lideri Velid Canbolat, ülkede yaşanan son gelişmelerin “ordu-millet ve direniş” dengesi ile ilgili tartışmaların sona ermesi gerektiğini gösterdiğini söyledi.

Batı ve Suudi Arabistan tarafından desteklenen 14 Mart ittifakı, daha önceki hükümet bildirisinde yer alan “ordu-millet ve direniş” ifadesine Hizbullah’ın Suriye’ye yönelik müdahalesini gerekçe göstererek karşı çıkıyor.

Canbolat, Lübnan için ulusal savunma stratejisi belirlenmesi için yapılan toplantıların da sürmesi gerektiğini söyledi.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD12669_canbolat--direnis-hakki-hukumet-bildirisinde-yer-almali.html

Rusya Suriye ve Orta Doğu bağlantılı terörle mücadele ediyor (Vitaly Naumkin- Al-Monitor)

İslamcı köktencilik ve terör sorunu Moskova açısından son dönemde büyüdü. Bunun birkaç nedeni var: Radikal İslamcı gruplarla uluslararası terörist ağların Rusya'da artan saldırıları, Rusya’daki geleneksel İslam'ı takip eden çoğunluk ile az sayıda ama aktif olan Selefiler arasındaki çatışmalar ve Rusya ile komşu BDT cumhuriyetlerinden Suriye iç savaşına katılanı cihatçılar. Rusya’nın bu iç meselesinin Yakın Doğu’yla bağlantılı birkaç boyutu var.

Birinci boyut, Arap ülkelerinden gelip eğitim sistemi üzerinden Rus Müslümanlara radikal fikirler aşılayan misyonerlerdir. Rusya’daki Müslümanlar, en kalabalık topluluk olan Tatarlar dâhil, etnik olarak Türki soydan gelir ve geleneksel olarak Sünni İslam’ın Hanefi koluna mensuptur. Kafkaslarda yaşayanlar ise Sünni İslam’ın Şafi koluna mensuptur. Nakşibendi, Kadiri gibi sufi tarikatları takip edenlerin sayısı da az değildir. Rusya’da 1990’ların başında İslami diriliş başladığında ülkeye Arap vaiz ve öğretmenler gelmeye başladı. Eski Tataristan müftüsü İldus Feyzov'un hatıratına göre yerel Müslümanlar, gelen Araplara “adeta Peygamber’e bakıyormuş gibi bakıyordu.” Yabancılar, yerel Müslümanlara “gerçek İslam'ı” öğretmeye koyuldu.

Suudi kuruluş Taybah, 1993'te Tataristan'ın ikinci büyük şehri Yarçallı'daki Yıldız Medresesi ile eğitim destek anlaşması yaptı. Kısa sürede radikal militan yetiştirme merkezine dönen medresenin kimi talebeleri, cihatçı grupların safında Çeçenistan savaşına katıldı ve Moskova'da terörist saldırılar düzenledi. Rus basınına göre Taybah'ın Tataristan şubesi, Ürdün vatandaşı İsa Şebahat tarafından yönetildi. Kuruluşun temsilcilerinden Cezayirli Bu Setta Abdul Rezzak da 1994-1997 yılları arasında Tataristan’ın Muhammediye Medresesi’nde öğretmenlik yaptı, gençleri Suudi Arabistan ve Kuveyt'teki dini okullara gönderdi. Kuruluş daha sonra Rusya'da yasaklandı.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Senior al-Qaeda commander killed in Syria- Al-Jazeera

A Syrian rebel commander, who fought alongside al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and was close to its current chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, was killed by a suicide attack in Aleppo, intensifying in-fighting between rival armed groups.

The killing of Abu Khaled al-Suri on Sunday in a suicide bombing in the al-Halq area of Aleppo was confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said he died along with six others when a fighter from the rival Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group blew himself up at an Ahrar al-Sham post in al-Halq.

Al-Suri's death occurred against the backdrop of bloody rebel infighting between an al-Qaeda-breakaway ISIL and an array of armed opposition groups.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/senior-al-qaeda-commander-killed-syria-2014223172557381478.html

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Suriye’deki silahlı muhalefet paramparça- YDH

Suriye ordusu ile muhalifler arasında özellikle Şam'ın güney ve kuzey kırsallarında, dünya kamuoyuna ‘Çözüm bizim elimizde’ mesajı veren ateşkesler sağlanırken, silahlı gruplar arasındaki parçalanma süreci devam ediyor.

Krizin başından beri, askeri veya siyasi olsun, muhalif gruplar arasında bir iktidar savaşı baş göstermişti. Bu iktidar savaşında tasfiye edilenleri, suikasta kurban gidenleri ve istifalarını verenleri gördük.

Büyük umutlarla öne çıkarılan ve buna paralel Türk medyası aracılığı ile gözümüze sokulan askeri/siyasi bir çok muhalif liderin ismini unutmak üzereyiz.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD12663_suriyedeki-silahli-muhalefet-paramparca.html

Friday, February 21, 2014

Consensus on Refugees in Policy Statement Panel as March 8 Insists on 'Army-People-Resistance'- Naharnet

The ministerial panel tasked with drafting the policy statement of the new cabinet agreed Thursday on the need to find a solution to the Syrian refugee crisis in the country, as the ministers of the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp insisted on the so-called "army-people-resistance equation."

"Consensus was reached over the issue of Syrian refugees," al-Jadeed television reported, following the committee's second meeting at the Grand Serail.

But LBCI TV and Future TV noted that “Hizbullah is insisting on the army-people-resistance equation.”

The members of the committee discussed the controversial equation without being able to reach a final stance on it.

“No to the army-people-resistance equation which is not justified anymore after the change of circumstances,” committee member Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi, the Phalange Party's representative, said after the meeting.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/119569-consensus-on-refugees-in-policy-statement-panel-as-march-8-insists-on-army-people-resistance

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Peace in Syria is still possible, if only we listen to others who have achieved it- The Guardian

With the latest round of Syrian negotiations in Geneva at a deadlock, hopes for moving forward are bleak. Is there anything other than pressure from the international community that could bring the parties back to the table?

As co-founder of the international organization Beyond Conflict, I've spent more than 20 years working alongside those labeled as rebels, guerrillas, dictators, terrorists, freedom fighters and dissidents. I've witnessed equally intractable negotiations move beyond stalemate to producing agreements that actually stop the violence and put the warring parties on a path towards peace. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that in order to get Syrian leaders to consider peace as a step forward and not as a concession borne out of weakness, it helps to hear from former enemies in other equally-intractable conflicts describe how they made peace.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/20/syria-peace-is-possible-lessons-civil-wars

Assad’s ally ADP issues ultimatum over Diab’s killing- Ya Libnan

The Arab Democratic Party which is closely allied with the Syrian regime of president Bashar al Assad issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Lebanese authorities Thursday following the assassination of of its official Abdul Rahman Diab in the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon .

Secretary-General Rifaat Eid said if Diab’s killers were not arrested by the deadline we will deal firmly with the issue and let Tripoli bear the consequences.”

“We can’t remain silent anymore. If the government doesn’t arrest the killers within 48 hours, Tripoli will be directly targeted,” Eid warned.

http://www.yalibnan.com/2014/02/20/assads-ally-adp-issues-ultimatum-over-diabs-killing/

Syrians launch pro-government rallies in different cities- Al-Alam

Thousands of Syrians have poured to the streets in different cities of the country to voice support for their government and national army.

People in Qudsayya, al-Dimas and al-Sabboura areas in Damascus countryside gathered in a massive popular rally in Qudsayya area on Thursday to support “Syrian army operations against the armed terrorist groups” the official SANA news agency reported.

Waving Syrian flags and holding posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the participants expressed hope for imminent victory of the national army against foreign-backed militants.

Chairman of Damascus Countryside Council, Saleh Bakro told SANA that the rally ''is a popular referendum on the basic choices and firm principles that hold the Syrians together, no matter (what are) their different affiliations.''

See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1567939

Arab Democratic Party Official Shot Dead in Tripoli amid Flare up- Naharnet

An Arab Democratic Party official, who is the father of one of the suspects in the mosque bombings in the northern city of Tripoli, was on Thursday killed in the area of al-Mina.

Abdul Rahman Diab, known as Aboudi Nwasi, was gunned down in his car by an unidentified motorcyclist.

Abdul Rahman, a Alawite residing in Jabal Mohsen, is the father of Youssef Diab.

Youssef, who is in detention, has been charged along with several others in connection with the August bombings of the two mosques in Tripoli.

The charges include the formation of an armed gang for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities and the bombing of al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques on August 23.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/119446-arab-democratic-party-official-shot-dead-in-tripoli-amid-flare-up

Lavrov: US Encourages Extremists to Fund Terrorism- Al-Manar

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed the US policy on Syria, saying such policy encourages the extremists to fund terrorism in the crisis-hit country.

US policy "encourages extremists who are financing terrorism and supplying terrorist organisations and groups with weapons," at a joint news conference with Iraqi Foreign Minster Hoshyar Zebari in Baghdad.

"In the end, this will not result in anything except the escalation of the Syrian conflict," he said in remarks translated from Russian into Arabic.

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=136541&cid=22&fromval=1&frid=22&seccatid=45&s1=1

ÖSO'dan Selim İdris'e eleştiri- Al-Jazeera Turk

Ahmed Carba'nın başkanlığında toplanan Özgür Suriye Ordusu’nun yeni komuta heyeti "Herkesi Suriye devrimini bölme çabalarına karşı uyarıyoruz" diye açıklama yaptı.

Toplantının ardından bir açıklama yayımlayan Yüksek Askeri Konsey, görevden alınan Özgür Suriye Ordusu'nun (ÖSO) görevden alınan komutanı Selim İdris’i üstü kapalı biçimde eleştirerek, "Herkesi Suriye devrimini bölme çabalarına karşı uyarıyoruz" çağrısında bulundu.

Açıklamada, Suriye’deki bütün devrimci silahlı grupların milli sorumlulukların farkında olması ve sorumlu davranması istendi.

Muhalifler açıklamada, ÖSO'nun yapısının Savunma Bakanlığı ve Yüksek Askeri Konsey tarafından yeniden düzenleneceğini söyledi.

Toplantı, SMDK lideri Ahmed Carba başkanlığında ve Savunma Bakanı Esad Mustafa ile Özgür Suriye Ordusu'nun (ÖSO) yeni komutanı Abdulilah Beşir'in katılımıyla gerçekleşti.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/osodan-selim-idrise-elestiri

Türkiye sınırında büyük patlama- Al-Jazeera Turk

Kilis'teki Öncüpınar Sınır Kapısı'nın karşısında bulunan Özgür Suriye Ordusu birliklerinin kontrolündeki Bab-u Selam Sınır Kapısı yakınlarında büyük bir patlama meydana geldi. Türkiye tarafında da duyulan patlamada altı kişi öldü.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/turkiye-sinirinda-buyuk-patlama

Syrian army launches operation to retake town- PRESS TV

The Syrian army has launched an offensive in the strategic Qalamoun region to retake the town of Yabrud from al-Qaeda-linked militants.

Security sources say the army is advancing around the town and is expected to take control of it soon.

Yabrud has been under the control of militants since 2011.

It is the last major town in the Qalamoun region, which the army is fighting to retake.

The town is located near the Lebanese border and explosives used in bombings in Lebanon are reportedly smuggled into the country from there.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/20/351560/syrian-army-launches-op-to-retake-town/

Explosion strikes border post between Syria and Turkey- Al-Akhbar

Updated at 5:40 pm: An explosion believed to have been caused by a car bomb tore through a Syrian border post near a refugee camp on the frontier with Turkey on Thursday, wounding scores of people, local officials said.

Ambulances ferried the injured to the southern Turkish city of Kilis, where a state hospital official said at least 40 people were being treated.

A Turkish border official said the blast near Turkey's Oncupinar border post, which sits opposite the Syrian Bab al-Salameh gate, could be felt several kilometers away, but that the border gate remained open.

Turkey is sheltering more than 600,000 refugees from Syria's civil war and has kept its border open throughout the conflict.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/explosion-strikes-border-post-between-syria-and-turkey

Syria Sentences Zuhair Siddiq, Murad Akram for 'False Hariri Trial Testimony'- Naharnet

A Syrian court has sentenced two men to prison for giving "false testimony" implicating Damascus in the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, a Syrian newspaper said Thursday.

The Al-Watan newspaper, which is close to the government, said a court on Wednesday sentenced Murad Akram to 10 years in prison, including five years with hard labor, and Zuhair Mohamed Saeed Siddiq to 20 years in prison with 10 years of hard labor.

Siddiq was sentenced in absentia, but Akram has been in custody in Syria since May 2011, when he was transferred from Lebanon after serving out a prison term for drug trafficking there.

The two men, both Syrians, were accused of providing false testimony to an international tribunal investigating Hariri's 2005 assassination.

Their testimony implicated the four highest-ranking officers in Lebanon in Hariri's death, accusing them of collaborating with Syria to kill him.

The four Generals, Jamil Sayyed, Ali al-Hajj, Raymond Azar and Mustafa Hamdan, spent years in prison in Lebanon before being released for lack of evidence.

Al-Hajj sued Siddiq and Akram in Syria for giving false testimony, leading to the sentences handed down on Thursday.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/119499-syria-sentences-zuhair-siddiq-murad-akram-for-false-hariri-trial-testimony

As Syria devours itself, UN dithers on aid- BBC News

In a conflict where 140,000 people have been killed, including more than 7,000 children, while 250,000 civilians are still trapped in besieged communities, it must beggar belief to those unused to the geopolitics of the United Nations that a proposed resolution boosting humanitarian relief should be a matter of angry contention.

The draft resolution put before the UN Security Council in New York has the potential to be a game-changer on the ground.

It demands a lifting of the sieges, condemns starvation as a strategy of war, singles out the barbarity of the barrel bombs dropped on civilian populations by the Assad regime and, most crucially of all perhaps, calls for aid convoys to be allowed to cross the Syrian border from neighbouring countries such as Turkey and Iraq.

It also criticises opposition forces that have besieged areas, though on a smaller scale, and expresses concern about the rise of al-Qaeda-affiliated terror groups in Syria.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26277562

Grand Mufti: Syria is mother for all citizens, the army is guarantee of victory- SANA

Homs, (SANA) - Grand Mufti of the Republic Dr. Ahmad Badr-Eddin Hassoun said that Syria is "the mother that forgives her sons and paves the way for them to be good citizens."

The Mufti, meeting citizens who were evacuated recently from the Old city of Homs, pointed out that the sides and bodies, which misled the Syrian youths to sow seeds of sedition in the name of freedom and Islam, are implementing foreign agendas to destroy Syria.

He called on the youths who were evacuated from Old City of Homs to be useful citizens and return to their schools and work for building Syria.

For his part, Governor of Homs Talal al-Barazi affirmed that all citizens who were evacuated form the Old City of Homs are safe, adding that they will work to protect and build their own country.

Head of the UNHCR mission in Damascus, Tarek al-Kurdi, said that the exerted efforts by Homs governorate to restore those men to the country's lap were so important.

http://sana.sy/eng/21/2014/02/20/529296.htm

March 14 Officials Seek to Appease Geagea as Maarab 'Reconsiders' Ties- Naharnet

A minister from the March 14 alliance will visit Maarab in an attempt to shore up strained ties between the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal movement, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.

The daily said that the envoy, who was not named, would discuss with LF chief Samir Geagea the issues that were a source of contention between him and the rest of his allies in March 14.

Al-Joumhouria quoted an LF official as saying that Geagea was currently silent and adopting a wait and see approach after his allies decided to participate in the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

Geagea had been adamant to stay out of the cabinet, saying he would not share power with Hizbullah.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/119443-march-14-officials-seek-to-appease-geagea-as-maarab-reconsiders-ties

Wide military operations continue in several areas around country- SANA

Provinces, (SANA) - A child died and another was injured when terrorists fired a mortar shell on the residential al-Nil street in Aleppo city, whereas wide military operations continued Thursday to eradicate terrorism in several areas around the country.

A source at Aleppo Police Command said that the mortar fired by terrorists on Wednesday fell down near al-Ghofran Mosque in al-Nil street, claiming the life of a girl and injuring a boy.

Military source: Numbers of terrorists killed in Aleppo city and countryside

Army units demolished hideouts for armed terrorist groups in several neighborhoods, villages and towns in Aleppo, killing and injuring scores of terrorists.

A military source told SANA that army units eliminated terrorists in the neighborhoods of al-Sukkari, al-Inzaraat, old city, al-Sakhour, al-Sheikh Said, Hanano and Bustan al-Qasr.

Members of an armed terrorist group were killed in an army ambush near Saif al-Dawla square, as another army unit killed six terrorists in al-Saliheen on al-Mseifra road.

The source added that army units destroyed cars for terrorists with the weapons and ammunition inside them in the villages and towns of al-Jadida, Kweires, al-Breij, Rasm al-Abboud, the industrial city, al-Atareb, Orum, al-Sheik Khodr, Azzan, Haddadin, Ein al-Jamajmeh and the area surrounding Aleppo central prison.

http://sana.sy/eng/337/2014/02/20/529164.htm

Prince Bandar gone; Riyadh, US get closer on Syria regime-change- Al-Alam

Recent changes in Saudi Arabian officials handling the war in Syria, may thaw the bitterness in Saudi-US bitter relations which impeded improvements in the initial joint plans in changing the government in Syria, a new report says.

Saudi Arabia has sidelined its veteran intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, as leader of the kingdom's efforts to arm and fund Syrian militants, replacing him with another prince well-regarded by US officials for his successes fighting al-Qaeda, Saudi royal advisers said this week.

The change holds promise for a return to smoother relations with the US, The Wall Street Journal wrote in a report.

- See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1567874

Rival Lebanese camps form unity government to fight terrorism- Al-Monitor

As if by magic, common national interests suddenly took priority over factional interests. The quarreling Lebanese parties made mutual concessions and joined the same government. They forgot, or pretended to forget, their past differences. They abandoned slogans that for a long time were considered sacred.

A car bomb's journey between Syria and Lebanon- Al-Akhbar

Two terrorist bombings, carbon copies from last November's twin bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, shook Lebanon on Wednesday, leaving behind ten martyrs and more than a hundred wounded. Interior Minister Nouhad al-Machnouk came to the fore and called for the closing of "the death crossings" between Lebanon and Syria.

Post-bombing news has become routine. Security agencies will begin looking for the car's make, its journey, the size of the explosive device, and the identity of the suicide bomber. These details were quickly revealed. Two car bombs, driven by two suicide bombers, exploded in Bir Hassan in Beirut's southern suburbs yesterday morning and killed 10 people.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/car-bombs-journey-between-syria-and-lebanon

The Scandal of Syria- Huffington Post

Olivia Pope wears the white hat. Or, as fans of the TV show Scandal know, she desperately wants to believe that she wears the white hat. Olivia Pope is a Washington fixer. She has assembled a team of "gladiators" who do whatever necessary -- bending the law, breaking the law, tearing the law into tiny little shreds -- to defend the "good guys." But Olivia Pope, despite her name, is not infallible. Her original sin was complicity in a vote-rigging scandal to get her presidential candidate (and secret lover) elected. The Garden of Eden of the Founding Fathers is long gone. Pope and her fiercely loyal disciples live in a fallen world where even the racial politics are not black and white.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-feffer/the-scandal-of-syria_b_4823899.html

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Protect Syria: Will Samantha Power's words fool us again?- RT

After several hours of closed-door Security Council Consultations at the United Nations on Thursday, February 13, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power came out in front of the press to do what she does best.

Power gave a speech bemoaning what she called “the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation.” She gave statistics of "6.8 million Syrians in need of assistance.... There were 4.25 million internally displaced persons..." She spoke of "images of emaciated and tortured Syrians, of dead and dying children, and of so much more."

http://rt.com/op-edge/un-protect-syria-us-ambassador-700/

Who is new chief of rebels in Free Syrian Army- Al-Alam

Salim Idriss, the former head of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), has been sacked due to the “paralysis within the military command over the past months.”

According to a statement from the militant command’s Supreme Military Council (SMC), Brig. Gen. Idriss is to be replaced by Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah Bashir Al-Noeimi, a rebel field commander in southern Syria.

Noeimi is the chief of staff of the SMC of the Free Syrian Army.

Noeimi comes from a large Arab tribe called the al-Noeim. The tribe is spread is prominent in the villages of the Golan Heights and the Quneitra countryside.

Prior to the Syrian war, Noeimi served as a career officer in the Syrian Army.

Noeimi defected from the Syrian Army on 13 July 2012 alongside several other officers from the Noeimi tribe, including Adnan al-Rafi, Saleh al-Hammada al-Noeimi, and Saleh Bashir al-Noeimi.

He was later appointed chief of the FSA military council in Quneitra.

See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1567242

Muhalefette yeni silahlı oluşum- Al-Jazeera Turk

Suriye’de başkent Şam’ın dış kesimlerinde rejime karşı savaşan selefi eğilimli dokuz silahlı grup “Şam ordusu” adı altında birleştiklerini duyurdu. Oluşumun lideri Hassan Abud amaçlarının Suriye’yi özgürleştirmek olduğunu söyledi.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/muhalefette-yeni-silahli-olusum

Muhalif komutanlardan İdris'e destek- Al-Jazeera Turk

Suriye Muhalif ve Devrimci Güçler (SMDK) Yüksel Askeri Konsey'inin Pazar günü Özgür Suriye Ordusu'nun (ÖSO) komutasını Tümgeneral Selim İdris'den alarak Tuğgeneral Abdullah Beşir'e vermesi silahlı muhaliflerin içindeki bazı gruplarda rahatsızlık yarattı.

ÖSO'nun başındaki beş komutan ortak bir bildiri yayınlayarak İdris'in görevden alınmasını "geçersiz ve meşru olmayan bir karar" olarak tanımladı, "demokratik seçimle" başa gelen General Selim İdris liderliğinde Esed rejimine karşı savaşmaya devam edeceklerini ifade etti.

Aralık 2012'den beri ÖSO'nun Genelkurmay Başkanlığı'nı yürüten İdris silahlı muhaliflerin oyuyla seçilmişti.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/muhalif-komutanlardan-idrise-destek

Deadly suicide car bombs hit southern Beirut suburb- Al-Akhbar

Updated at 5:50 pm: The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for a twin suicide car bomb attack which killed at least five people near an Iranian cultural center in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Wednesday morning.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the 9:20 am explosion appeared to have been caused by two car bombs, although previous reports had spoken of a car bomb and a motorcycle laden with explosives.

The Minister of Health Wael Abu Faour stated that six people were killed and 129 wounded by the blast, el-Nashra reported. The casualties were taken to the Rafik Hariri University, Zahra, Sahel and the Rasoul al-Aazam hospitals.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/explosion-hits-southern-beirut-suburb

UN condemns bomb which killed 18 near Syria school- BBC News

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has described its shock and outrage at a bomb attack which killed 18 people near a school it runs in Syria.

The attack came eight days after another explosion injured 40 children at another UN school in the same town.

In a separate report, the UN said that an estimated 240,000 people were trapped in areas under siege in Syria.

Over 100,000 people have been killed in Syria since the fighting began in 2011.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26263314

Syria conflict: Enemies cross the front lines in Damascus. But will the truce hold?- The Independent

Residents of the neighbourhood were said to be “overjoyed” by the truce. According to the AFP news agency, a group began chanting: “One, one, one! The Syrian people are one!”

The inside of the district, long under siege and bombarded by the army, will be policed by the FSA. Inhabitants who appear on the streets look overjoyed that for the moment the danger is over.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-conflict-enemies-cross-the-front-lines-in-damascus-but-will-the-truce-hold-9139315.html

Lebanon dances into the abyss as Syria conflict crosses border- BBC News

Lebanon is hosting around a million refugees from the conflict in Syria, which means that one in four people in the country are Syrian. But the impact on Syria's neighbour goes well beyond a humanitarian crisis, writes the BBC's Kim Ghattas.

The pictures of Hezbollah's martyrs hang from the lampposts and balcony railings. They are plastered on walls and car windshields.

The men died not fighting Israel - Hezbollah's arch enemy - but supporting the forces of its ally President Bashar al-Assad, across the border in Syria.

The southern suburbs of Beirut, a predominantly Shia area, are Hezbollah's support base.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26239778

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Saudi-Qatari rivalry deepens divisions in Syria opposition- Al-Alam

The so-called Free Syrian Army has sacked its leader after he fell out with the Saudi-supported head of the opposition to President Bashar Assad, opposition sources say.

General Salim Idriss, whose relations with Saudi Arabia deteriorated after he opened channels with Qatar, was replaced by Brig. Gen. Abdellah Bashir, the head of FSA operations in Qunaitra province bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the sources said on Monday.

Bashir assumes leadership of a force trying to regain the initiative from rival and better-organized terrorist groups that have overshadowed it in fighting against the Syrian government.

See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1566898

Muhalif bakan göreve döndü- Al-Jazeera Turk

Al Jazeera’nin ulaştığı bilgilere göre, istifanın geri çekilmesinin sebebi Özgür Suriye Ordusu’ndaki komutan değişikliğinin gerçekleşmesi. Mustafa, eski komutan Selim İdris’in görevden alınmasını ve yeni bir isimle devam edilmesi gerektiğini düşünüyordu.

Bir diğer sebep ise uluslararası toplumun muhaliflere daha fazla destek vermesi. Silahlı muhalefetin yeniden yapılandırılması olarak görülen bu gelişme Mustafa’nın yeniden görevinin başına dönüşünü sağladı.

Tümgeneral Selim İdris pazartesi günü Yüksek Askeri Konsey tarafından görevden alınmış, yerine Tuğgeneral Abdullah Beşir atanmıştı.

Selim İdris, Suriye’deki rejim karşıtı mücadeleyi yönetemediği ve vaktinin büyük bölümünü Suriye dışında geçirdiği için eleştiriliyordu.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/muhalif-bakan-goreve-dondu

Syria’s Kurds follow their brothers in bid for autonomy- Haaretz

Syrian Kurds are preparing a constitution and gearing up for an election - but that doesn't mean anyone recognizes them.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/.premium-1.574703

Syrian wounded flee to hospitals in Israel: Derek Stoffel- CBC News

When Yousef was knocked down by what he describes as a powerful explosion in the small Syrian town he calls home, the injury was bad. His back was torn open, he was bleeding.

But three years of brutal civil war meant Yousef’s options for medical treatment were dire, at best. There were no doctors or nurses in the village to help. He couldn’t be taken to a hospital in a larger centre, because he’s on the wrong side of the conflict.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syrian-wounded-flee-to-hospitals-in-israel-derek-stoffel-1.2541562

Lübnan Marunîleri / Yasin Atlıoğlu