The Middle East Crisis

[akheR]

Friends of Syria pledge to arm rebels

Western and Arab countries have agreed to give urgent military support to Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, and to channel that aid through a Western-backed rebel military command.

In a statement following talks in Qatar on Saturday, ministers from 11 nations in the Friends of Syria group agreed "to provide urgently all the necessary materiel and equipment to the opposition on the ground".

Their final statement also condemned "the intervention of Hezbollah militias and fighters from Iran and Iraq", demanding that they withdraw immediately from Syria.

The ministers said the growing sectarian nature of the conflict and the foreign interventions "threaten the unity of Syria [and] broaden the conflict" across the region. They also expressed strong concern at the increasing presence of "terrorist elements" and growing radicalisation in Syria.

James Bays, Al Jazeera's diplomatic editor, said the statement allowed members to do “as they wish” to aid the rebels, but also showed that there was no agreement on what that should be.

US Secretary of State John Kerry had earlier said that the group was committed to increasing aid to the rebels through the Supreme Military Council (SMC) of the Free Syrian Army, to address the imbalance of the conflict.

"The US and other countries, in their various ways - each choosing its own approach - will increase the scope and the scale of assistance to the political and military opposition. That is why we are working with our allies to coordinate our support to the Syria [National] Coalition and the Supreme Military Council."

However, he added : "We do so not to seek a military solution. Both sides should be able to compromise. Both sides should come to the table", to find a political settlement.

Al Jazeera's Basma Al Atassi, reporting from the conference, said Kerry also said that Assad had "internationalised the militarisation" of the conflict by allowing Iran and its proxy Hezbollah's involvement.

The Friends of Syria group comprises Britain, France, the US, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt.

Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani said "force may be the only way to enforce righteousness and supplying weapons to the opposition may be the only way to reach peace in Syria".

"As we know there are international and regional interventions, especially by Hezbollah, that led to bloodshed, especially in Qusayr and the same thing is being arranged in Aleppo."

Sheikh Hamad spoke later of "secret decisions about practical measures to change the situation on the ground in Syria".

He said "most countries, except for two, are agreed on how to provide assistance to the rebels through the military council," but did not name the two dissenting states.

Supreme Military Council commander General Salim Idriss, speaking to Al Jazeera, gave his word that weapons would go to the right people.

"I can give them any kind of guarantee they need and that the weapons and ammunition will go to the right hands, to the hands of the defected officers in the army," he said, referring to soldiers who had left regime forces to fight for the rebels.

"I am going to build technical groups to discuss in details with every country what kind of guarantees they need."

Russia, an ally of Syria, has warned that weapons provided to rebels could fall into the hands of groups like Jahabat al-Nusra, which the US has branded a terrorist organisation.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/06/2013622144844127498.html

 

[Safar55]

Even some of the opposition expressed their annoyance at the execution of a 15 year old boy in Aleppo for alleged blasphemy...

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights even admitted:

"This kind of criminality is exactly what makes people in Syria fear the fall of the regime," Abdel Rahman said.

And here is what the boy said:

It is thought Kattaa's customer was trying to get a free coffee and the boy responded "Even if Muhammad comes down, I will not give it as debt."

Theres a vid 'The storming and cleansing of Hatla' which was covered in the Independent...60 Shia's were massacred there...

This is Al Nusrah...

Thats why its pretty shameful that these guys are on here having a big moan about Assad whilst giving the opposition in particular Al Nusrah a pass...

If you condemned some of the stuff the rebels were doing then it would actually appear a little sincere the concern you seem to have about Syrians but evidently none of you do...

And none of you will reply to this message and will later cuss everyone here for being Assad supporters...

I guess the two year old they slaughtered was asking for it...

This is why neither side deserves anyones support...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...cred-in-rebel-cleansing-of-hatla-8656301.html

The analysis on hatla from what ive seen was that the majority of those killed were Assad militia who lived in the shia village and attacked from there.

just today they were 50 sunnis killed - civilians by shia militia in a town outside alleppo

Regarding the 15 year old boy murdered for "blasphemy" - nusra and ISIS have both denied they have any involvement in that

 

[shaykh]

The analysis on hatla from what ive seen was that the majority of those killed were Assad militia who lived in the shia village and attacked from there.

just today they were 50 sunnis killed - civilians by shia militia in a town outside alleppo

Regarding the 15 year old boy murdered for "blasphemy" - nusra and ISIS have both denied they have any involvement in that

Lol what analysis?...

Theres a nice structure to these arguments...

Allegation - Assads forces kill people...Assad denies it...rebels say he did...therefore it must be true...

Allegation - Rebels kill people...rebels deny it...rebels say they didnt do it...therefore it must be true...

Now if you put this together then essentially whatever the rebels say is true and whatever Assad and non opposition say isn't true...

So of course when Al Nusra deny something then we must of course take their word for it...

 

[USaqaf]

Strangely the only country that got it right in the Levant was France.

French interests in the Levant always demanded the breakup of the region along ethno-religious lines , foreseeing the tragedy we see unfolding now.
They wanted to create a Lebanon which was Christian in character under French sphere of influence. They already granted the Alawites their own land which is actually the region that provides sea access to Syria currently.
Turkey swooped in and took the northern portion for themselves and the Alawites are now in power only because of the coup that brought Assad Sr to power.
Assad will not be defeated, if Damascus is to fall, he along with the rest of the Alawites will reestablish the Alawite nation along the coast which is 95% Alawite anyways, with Russian and Iranian political help they will not be impeded.
Syria will revert to a fundamentalist entity and another rogue state in the making with Al Quaeda types taking over.

 

[LongHorn]

Lol what analysis?...

Theres a nice structure to these arguments...

Allegation - Assads forces kill people...Assad denies it...rebels say he did...therefore it must be true...

Allegation - Rebels kill people...rebels deny it...rebels say they didnt do it...therefore it must be true...

Now if you put this together then essentially whatever the rebels say is true and whatever Assad and non opposition say isn't true...

So of course when Al Nusra deny something then we must of course take their word for it...

Its all secterianism

Nusra are lovely folks who are from "our side", so they are the gospel of truth, while Assad is on "their side" so he is a liar.

Both sides have blood on their hands; the govt more so, then again not many govts have to face "protesters" with military grade weapons.

The govt did not make it a secterian issue; the rebels did.


If you deal and interact with actual people from that country you would know that the breakup in support mirrors Musharraf's to a large extent.

Minorities and Sunni upper-middle class city types mainly support the govt, while the rural, more conservative types are anti-govt

 

[Safar55]

Strangely the only country that got it right in the Levant was France.

French interests in the Levant always demanded the breakup of the region along ethno-religious lines , foreseeing the tragedy we see unfolding now.
They wanted to create a Lebanon which was Christian in character under French sphere of influence. They already granted the Alawites their own land which is actually the region that provides sea access to Syria currently.
Turkey swooped in and took the northern portion for themselves and the Alawites are now in power only because of the coup that brought Assad Sr to power.
Assad will not be defeated, if Damascus is to fall, he along with the rest of the Alawites will reestablish the Alawite nation along the coast which is 95% Alawite anyways, with Russian and Iranian political help they will not be impeded.
Syria will revert to a fundamentalist entity and another rogue state in the making with Al Quaeda types taking over.

Seriously where are you getting you figures from - 95% alawi in the coastal region? Is that what you're saying? Please go and do some research before writing rubbish.

The only way they get their own state is by ethnicly cleansing areas with the assistance of iran, hezb and russia.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Strangely the only country that got it right in the Levant was France.

French interests in the Levant always demanded the breakup of the region along ethno-religious lines , foreseeing the tragedy we see unfolding now.
They wanted to create a Lebanon which was Christian in character under French sphere of influence. They already granted the Alawites their own land which is actually the region that provides sea access to Syria currently.
Turkey swooped in and took the northern portion for themselves and the Alawites are now in power only because of the coup that brought Assad Sr to power.
Assad will not be defeated, if Damascus is to fall, he along with the rest of the Alawites will reestablish the Alawite nation along the coast which is 95% Alawite anyways, with Russian and Iranian political help they will not be impeded.
Syria will revert to a fundamentalist entity and another rogue state in the making with Al Quaeda types taking over.

france got it right in algeria too


and why should democracy not be exported to syria like it has to the rest of the middle east unless you're fan of tyranny and tagoot


The stalemate suits everyone to a tee but once the rafidah dogs get what they deserve, syria will be free of iranian backhanded influence.

 

[saeedhk]

^What about exporting democracy to Bahrain?The gov there has also killed quite a few people.That uprising has not received much coverage.The west or the gulf nations do not care about the killings,they just want t get rid of their enemies.The gulf nations say they are helping their sunni brothers but what have they done for the sunnis in Kashmir,Gaza,Burma and elsewhere?The same with the west,they say there is a humanitarian crisis in Syria but what about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?The world is full of double standards.I am not defending anyone but exposing the double standards.

 

[Sjaloha]

There is no doubt this alliance, of rebels and their supporters, is an attempt to stop Iranian influence. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have simply nothing to do with the plight of the people in that part of the world. If they were so concern about the people of Syria then they should have also voice concern for the people of Palestine, which they have not done. Neither they have done anything for the people of Bahrain who are asking for similar rights.

 

[LongHorn]

france got it right in algeria too


and why should democracy not be exported to syria like it has to the rest of the middle east unless you're fan of tyranny and tagoot


The stalemate suits everyone to a tee but once the rafidah dogs get what they deserve, syria will be free of iranian backhanded influence.

So its all about that then :0

Why dont you say anythine about the others who have backhanded, and fronthanded influence from other powers?
And tyrany and taghoot? Give me a break, people like you see tyrany in 1 country but refuse to see it in 10 others, purely because of sectarian attitude

 

[Sjaloha]

france got it right in algeria too


and why should democracy not be exported to syria like it has to the rest of the middle east unless you're fan of tyranny and tagoot


The stalemate suits everyone to a tee but once the rafidah dogs get what they deserve, syria will be free of iranian backhanded influence.

Can you explain what do you mean by Iranian influence? Please give some examples to elaborate your point. Thanks

 

[Safar55]

There is no doubt this alliance, of rebels and their supporters, is an attempt to stop Iranian influence. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have simply nothing to do with the plight of the people in that part of the world. If they were so concern about the people of Syria then they should have also voice concern for the people of Palestine, which they have not done. Neither they have done anything for the people of Bahrain who are asking for similar rights.

Reality is very few people who intercede in political spectrum do it solely for the godness of other people and their ethical standing.

Their are several geopolitical and economic factors.... The moral argument is usually the first to be spouted as the reason for intervention but in reality is the last reason for intervention.

You think Iran are interveneing solely because Assads family comes from a similar shia background although even the shias a few decades ago considered alawis non-muslim. Do you think russia are doing it because they love Assad personally? Or because of the reasons they state!

 

[Sjaloha]

Reality is very few people who intercede in political spectrum do it solely for the godness of other people and their ethical standing.

Their are several geopolitical and economic factors.... The moral argument is usually the first to be spouted as the reason for intervention but in reality is the last reason for intervention.

You think Iran are interveneing solely because Assads family comes from a similar shia background although even the shias a few decades ago considered alawis non-muslim. Do you think russia are doing it because they love Assad personally? Or because of the reasons they state!

Your first sentence is beyond my understanding.

I agree there are geo-political and possibly economic factors which have caused this mess. You know tribes and countries kill each other on daily basis in Africa and no one cares about them.

I do not think Iran has any love affair with the family of Assad and neither they are obligated to support him in difficult times. Iran's biggest concern is that Hezbollah's support would be cut-off once the regime changes in Syria. Second is the presence of holy shrines which are very close to Shia Islam and Iranians believe that certain groups within Sunni Islam would try to attack them. Also keep this in mind, Iran and Syria have these terms for decades not since last year or so. Majority of the Syrians are Sunni Muslims and it is a fact. Hezbollah was in neighboring Lebanon and they were doing whatever they usually do, keeping Israel in check. You want to ask yourself how on the earth US, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt involved in this mess. You will get all the answers.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

^What about exporting democracy to Bahrain?The gov there has also killed quite a few people.That uprising has not received much coverage.The west or the gulf nations do not care about the killings,they just want t get rid of their enemies.The gulf nations say they are helping their sunni brothers but what have they done for the sunnis in Kashmir,Gaza,Burma and elsewhere?The same with the west,they say there is a humanitarian crisis in Syria but what about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?The world is full of double standards.I am not defending anyone but exposing the double standards.

because 100,000 people have died in bahrain in the last year havent they

the stupid posts you get on here, unbelievable

 

[saeedhk]

^I know that around 100 people have been killed but still how come no coverage and condemnations.You have been talking about democracy,how will you explain the recent power transfer in Qatar.How democratic was that.The father passed the leadership to his son.

 

[LongHorn]

because 100,000 people have died in bahrain in the last year havent they

the stupid posts you get on here, unbelievable

Protests there were crushed very quickly and another argument is that the protesters there used stones and tyre-burning, not military grade weapons as in Syria

 

[shaykh]

because 100,000 people have died in bahrain in the last year havent they

the stupid posts you get on here, unbelievable

Its your post that is stupid actually...

If the Syrian rebels weren't provided weapons then would there be a civil war?...

Would 100,000 people be dead if both sides weren't fighting?...

The conflict would have been quashed and it would be business as usual...

In Bahrain the opposition had no weapons and didnt descend into an armed conflict...the Saudis did intervene though...do you think if the Bahrainis weren't armed by external countries then 100s of thousands wouldnt be dead by now?...

 

[shaykh]

^I know that around 100 people have been killed but still how come no coverage and condemnations.You have been talking about democracy,how will you explain the recent power transfer in Qatar.How democratic was that.The father passed the leadership to his son.

Lol democracy is only for countries outside the Gulf ...to think the Arab League were condemning Syria for being undemocratic...never has the word ironic been more applicable...

 

[shaykh]

Reality is very few people who intercede in political spectrum do it solely for the godness of other people and their ethical standing.

Their are several geopolitical and economic factors.... The moral argument is usually the first to be spouted as the reason for intervention but in reality is the last reason for intervention.

You think Iran are interveneing solely because Assads family comes from a similar shia background although even the shias a few decades ago considered alawis non-muslim. Do you think russia are doing it because they love Assad personally? Or because of the reasons they state!

Iran are not intervening cos they are from a Shia background...Alawii have no religious link with them...it is purely political...a Gulf favoured rule would undermine Iran so like Russia they are securing their interests...

The difference however is the Gulf started this...it is them that have helped create a civil conflict...Iran hasn't armed the Bahrainis for instance...all nations are taking care of their own national interests...but Iran are defending theirs against a Gulf attack...

If the Gulf didnt arm the rebels then we wouldnt be seeing the mess we are now...

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

Re: Syrian Civil War

Politics politics politics. ...

And religion being used as an excuse to justify atrocities.

Stop being pawns. And start thinking for urselves.

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

Re: Syrian Civil War

It's been happening for hundreds of years. ... And people still keep making the same mistakes.

This is the information age.

U can do ur own research and think 4 urself.

 

[UmarAkmals-fan]

Hizbullah and Syrian army destroyed KHALID bin walid mosque today .the mosque was build by the companion of the prophet PBUH Khalid bin walid ..2 months ago they destroyed umar bin khattab mosque build by the caliph umar bn khattab ....when the "CIA funded salafi wahabi mossad terriorists " destroyed one of a shia holy place everybody was quick to condemn it but amazingly not many condemn this sectarian attack

 

[pakistanalltheway]

Syrian Civil War

Hizbullah and Syrian army destroyed KHALID bin walid mosque today .the mosque was build by the companion of the prophet PBUH Khalid bin walid ..2 months ago they destroyed umar bin khattab mosque build by the caliph umar bn khattab ....when the "CIA funded salafi wahabi mossad terriorists " destroyed one of a shia holy place everybody was quick to condemn it but amazingly not many condemn this sectarian attack

That's disgraceful from both moronic sides .But did you condemn the rebels or whatever when they destroyed the Shia holy place ?

 

[Somali Pirate]

^^^^

that's why i say never take assad, iran and hezboshaytan supporters on this site seriously.

i mean look at this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdh_HKyudEQ&feature=youtu.be

Not even the french who colonised syria dared touch the mosque of umar bin al khattab.

And yet assad and his band of mercenaries not only attacked the mosque of one of the al shaykhan but also khalid bin al walid RA today.

At the end of the day though is anyone suprised considering how much shias hate umar bin al khattab and the rest of the sahaba?

The next time some clown talks about muslim unity kindly refer him to the above video.

 

[UmarAkmals-fan]

That's disgraceful from both moronic sides .But did you condemn the rebels or whatever when they destroyed the Shia holy place ?

yes I did ...and there were many outraged ppl on PP on that day..lets see if they condemn this or not

 

[pakistanalltheway]

Syrian Civil War

yes I did ...and there were many outraged ppl on PP on that day..lets see if they condemn this or not

Fair enough . Your not as blinded as some posters make you out to be .

 

[UmarAkmals-fan]

^^^^

that's why i say never take assad, iran and hezboshaytan supporters on this site seriously.

i mean look at this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdh_HKyudEQ&feature=youtu.be

Not even the french who colonised syria dared touch the mosque of umar bin al khattab.

And yet assad and his band of mercenaries not only attacked the mosque of one of the al shaykhan but also khalid bin al walid RA today.

At the end of the day though is anyone suprised considering how much shias hate umar bin al khattab and the rest of the sahaba?

The next time some clown talks about muslim unity kindly refer him to the above video.

even after seeing this video there r people who say " this is Saudi wahabi propaganda " ..ive seen many on FB

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

Re: Syrian Civil War

Open ur eyes....

Its all politics.

 

[shaykh]

Hizbullah and Syrian army destroyed KHALID bin walid mosque today .the mosque was build by the companion of the prophet PBUH Khalid bin walid ..2 months ago they destroyed umar bin khattab mosque build by the caliph umar bn khattab ....when the "CIA funded salafi wahabi mossad terriorists " destroyed one of a shia holy place everybody was quick to condemn it but amazingly not many condemn this sectarian attack

Your like a broken record...

Again for the umpteenth time...EVERYONE has condemned Assad...and many of us have also condemned the rebels...its people like you who excuse everything the rebels do...

You can dislike both sides you know...

 

[UmarAkmals-fan]

Fair enough . Your not as blinded as some posters make you out to be .

I don't care what ppl say about me ...I used to support assad blindly like most ppl here but after watching the massacres committed by him ..kids heads blown up in his bombing old ppl tortured to death and young men buried alive and many more atrocities committed by him and his Iranian and Russian masters I decided to look at the other side of the story ..I rade the history of assad and his family and saw why majority of his country men hate him ..assad should have resigned when peaceful protests went out of his control in 2011 like Mubarak .99% of rebels at that time were pro democracy but he kept fighting and that is when the "islamists " got in the fight ...now Syria is going to suffer worst then what Afghanistan suffered

 

[UmarAkmals-fan]

Your like a broken record...

Again for the umpteenth time...EVERYONE has condemned Assad...and many of us have also condemned the rebels...its people like you who excuse everything the rebels do...

You can dislike both sides you know...

check out my old posts I never said rebels r like angels ..yes there r bad ppl amongst them but Russian Iranian funded assad is 10% worst then them ...

 

[pakistanalltheway]

Syrian Civil War

I don't care what ppl say about me ...I used to support assad blindly like most ppl here but after watching the massacres committed by him ..kids heads blown up in his bombing old ppl tortured to death and young men buried alive and many more atrocities committed by him and his Iranian and Russian masters I decided to look at the other side of the story ..I rade the history of assad and his family and saw why majority of his country men hate him ..assad should have resigned when peaceful protests went out of his control in 2011 like Mubarak .99% of rebels at that time were pro democracy but he kept fighting and that is when the "islamists " got in the fight ...now Syria is going to suffer worst then what Afghanistan suffered

FYI no one on here is supporting Assad but most are neutral in that they accept the rebels aren't no angels .

 

[observer1]

FYI no one on here is supporting Assad but most are neutral in that they accept the rebels aren't no angels .

No armed group will be full of angels. That is war. It is deceit.

The rebels consist of many groups. Majority wanting a change of government in turn of Islamic leadership. Within these groups are Syrians who are really cheesed off (For a lack of a more descriptive word) and will look to quench their thirsty for revenge for what the Army has done to their loved ones and the entire land in general.

 

[pakistanalltheway]

Syrian Civil War

No armed group will be full of angels. That is war. It is deceit.

The rebels consist of many groups. Majority wanting a change of government in turn of Islamic leadership. Within these groups are Syrians who are really cheesed off (For a lack of a more descriptive word) and will look to quench their thirsty for revenge for what the Army has done to their loved ones and the entire land in general.

In my eyes they are as bad as each other . What is the difference between Assad and the rebels if they go around doing the same thing ? all I know is the common Syrian doesn't deserve any of this and they have my sympathies .

 

[chacha kashmiri]

^I know that around 100 people have been killed but still how come no coverage and condemnations.You have been talking about democracy,how will you explain the recent power transfer in Qatar.How democratic was that.The father passed the leadership to his son.

what has qatar got to do with syria

if the people of qatar are unhappy with the rulers and want to protest against him and the leader goes and takes out 100,000 of them you'l have a point
As for bahrain, if there's repression there, it's not like shiite are underrepresented in the media, press tv or the other shiite media hacks should do some coverage
'hezbollah' should get involved like they have done in iraq, lebanon and syria

If there's repression in bahrain to the same extent as there is in syria, let's see the mulitated bodies of young kids, huge tents full of young syrians and schools and mosques blown up by the president

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Iran are not intervening cos they are from a Shia background...Alawii have no religious link with them...it is purely political...a Gulf favoured rule would undermine Iran so like Russia they are securing their interests...

The difference however is the Gulf started this...it is them that have helped create a civil conflict...Iran hasn't armed the Bahrainis for instance...all nations are taking care of their own national interests...but Iran are defending theirs against a Gulf attack...

If the Gulf didnt arm the rebels then we wouldnt be seeing the mess we are now...

this all started with iraq, mr short term memory loss

Do you forget iranians funding and arming shiite death squads so they could have a shiite axis in persia

You conviently forget about lebanon as well and the repression of sunnis there

Not to mind the 'hezbollah' and iranian army regiments present in syria who are butchering the opposition daily

what is the difference between Assad and the rebels if they go around doing the same thing ? all I know is the common Syrian doesn't deserve any of this and they have my sympathies .

There's a difference in war between the protagonist and the antagonist

if assad cared about the syrians and wanted to stop bloodshed he'd step down tomorrow

 

[saeedhk]

what has qatar got to do with syria

if the people of qatar are unhappy with the rulers and want to protest against him and the leader goes and takes out 100,000 of them you'l have a point
As for bahrain, if there's repression there, it's not like shiite are underrepresented in the media, press tv or the other shiite media hacks should do some coverage
'hezbollah' should get involved like they have done in iraq, lebanon and syria

If there's repression in bahrain to the same extent as there is in syria, let's see the mulitated bodies of young kids, huge tents full of young syrians and schools and mosques blown up by the president

You have a misunderstanding.You mentioned that there should be democracy in Middle East and I questioned what about Qatar.You should not be selective which Middle Eastern country should be democratic and which not.

As for Bahrain,do you know why there are less casualties?Its because it was not an armed uprising unlike Syria.You give the protesters guns,grenade,MANPADS,anti tank missile etc and see how the casualties
swell up.The uprising was quelled since the protesters had no weapons.

If the rebels did not have any weapons,the uprising would have been quelled just like Bahrain.

 

[Black Zero]

(Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a major offensive on Saturday against rebels in Homs, a centre of the two-year-old uprising, in their latest drive to secure an axis connecting Damascus to the Mediterranean.

Activists said jets and mortars had pounded rebel-held areas of the city that have been under siege by Assad's troops for a year, and soldiers fought battles with rebel fighters in several districts.

"Government forces are trying to storm (Homs) from all fronts," said an activist using the name Abu Mohammad.

There were no immediate details of casualties but video footage uploaded by activists showed heavy explosions and white clouds of smoke rising from what they said were rebel districts. Loud, concentrated rounds of gunfire could also be heard.

One clip showed thick black smoke rising from a mosque identified as the 13th-century Khalid ibn al-Walid mosque, on the edge of the Khalidiyah neighborhood.

Syrian state media said the army was "achieving great progress" in Khalidiyah but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad monitoring group, said there were reports that rebels had destroyed an army tank as troops tried to penetrate the Old City in the centre of Homs.

The attack on Homs follows steady military gains by Assad's forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants, in villages in Homs province and towns close to the Lebanese border.

Three weeks ago Hezbollah spearheaded Assad's recapture of the border town of Qusair, a former rebel bridgehead for smuggling in guns and fighters. Last week the rebels lost another border town, Tel Kalakh.

Those gains have consolidated Assad's control over a corridor of territory that runs from the capital Damascus through Homs to the traditional heartland of his minority Alawite sect in the mountains overlooking the Mediterranean.

They have also alarmed international supporters of the rebels, leading the United States to announce that it will step up military support. Saudi Arabia has accelerated deliveries of sophisticated weaponry, Gulf sources say.

DERAA VICTORY

The interventions by Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia, a staunch backer of the mainly Sunni rebels, and Shi'ite Hezbollah highlight how the 27-month-old uprising has divided the Middle East along sectarian lines.

Gulf Arab States, Turkey and Egypt all support the rebels while Shi'ite Iran and Hezbollah are actively helping Assad whose Alawite community - an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam - has dominated Syria for more than four decades.

Sunni Islamist fighters from countries across the Middle East have also flocked to Syria, fighting for the rebels in a war that has killed more than 100,000 people, driven 1.7 million refugees abroad and displaced another 4 million within Syria's borders.

Hopes of holding a U.S. and Russian-backed peace conference have faded, with rebels reluctant to negotiate while they are on the defensive militarily and tensions between Moscow and Washington exacerbating their deep differences over Syria.

The violence has spilled over frontiers and stirred sectarian violence in neighboring Iraq and Lebanon. Two people were killed in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on Saturday, one in an explosion and another in sniper fire between the Alawite district of Jebel Mohsen and adjacent Sunni areas.

Despite losing ground around Damascus and Homs, rebels registered a symbolic victory on Friday when they overran a major military checkpoint in Deraa, the southern city where the uprising first erupted.

Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory, said the fall of the army post was strategically significant and could change the balance of power in Deraa, where rebels control most of the old city.

The province of Deraa, on the border with Jordan, has been a conduit for arms supplies to the rebels.

(Editing by Janet Lawrence and Kevin Liffey)

source: reuters

 

[Black Zero]

pictures by reuters


Syrian army troops loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad are seen in the areas of Sayf Al-dawla and al-Zibdeh in what they said was the occupation of high strategic areas overlooking Al-kasir

A Free Syrian Army fighter stands on a ladder as he holds his weapon in the Al-Khalidiya neighbourhood of Homs June 28, 2013.
Credit: REUTERS/Yazan Homsy

A member of the Free Syrian Army runs to take cover from snipers loyal to the Syrian regime in the Bab al-Nasr neighborhood of Aleppo June 28, 2013.
Credit: REUTERS/Hamid Khatib

 

[Black Zero]

Rebels/Terrorists are under immense pressure at Homs and Aleppo...

they need urgent help by GCE and West otherwise they are screwed...

 

[Somali Pirate]

Tonight Shites have traveled to another country to kill Sunnis. Let the world know who the aggressors r & who the defenders r #Homs #Syria

https://twitter.com/LuisaZangh

From a person in homs.

blackk zero the next time you talk about karbala and ashoura remember homs are we clear about that?

 

[Black Zero]

Tonight Shites have traveled to another country to kill Sunnis. Let the world know who the aggressors r & who the defenders r #Homs #Syria

https://twitter.com/LuisaZangh

From a person in homs.

blackk zero the next time you talk about karbala and ashoura remember homs are we clear about that?

first, who is this "LuisaZangh" ?

second, what should I remember about homs?

only thing I am clear at this moment, that unless KSA/GCE/and Uncle Sam does not provide life support to rebels (aka terrorist), their days are numbers...

I can't wait to watch a KSA vs IRAN war on CNN/RT.

 

[Black Zero]

Luisa Zangh ‏@LuisaZangh 1h
The world declared war on Sunni #Islam today in #Homs. Balance of power so skewed,rebels believe angels are helping them repel regime #Syria

@SP, you should not be worried as now we have "confirmed" reports that angels are helping rebels (aka terrorists)

 

[Somali Pirate]

first, who is this "LuisaZangh" ?

second, what should I remember about homs?

only thing I am clear at this moment, that unless KSA/GCE/and Uncle Sam does not provide life support to rebels (aka terrorist), their days are numbers...

I can't wait to watch a KSA vs IRAN war on CNN/RT.

Luisazangh is a courageous woman who has been embedded in homs since the revolution. She has more guts more honour and more empathy than nasrallah khomenei and the rest of blood thirsty ayatodollars who send their sons like sheep to kill muslims in foreign lands

You should remember that your cries about the injustice of karbala is worth nothing. Just as imam hussein RA was beseiged back then homs is being besieged by the very people who flay themselves every muharram right now.

As for support oh the irony.

Russia china and iran send 500 million dollars every month to prop assad. who said that? Syria's own finance minister. hezbollah send thousands of its fighters to syria. Iraqi shiites are running to syria as if imam mehdi is going to hold a kutbah there.

Assad needs mercenaries to put his neck above water. Simply because he's out numbered.

@SP, you should not be worried as now we have "confirmed" reports that angels are helping rebels (aka terrorists)

You definition of terrorist is an odd one. The one who is defending his family his children and his home is a terrorist while those who are bombing houses mosques and schools are great men?

Typical rafidhi thinking.

As for saudi arabia vs iran war. Please dont dream too much

 

[USaqaf]

Seriously where are you getting you figures from - 95% alawi in the coastal region? Is that what you're saying? Please go and do some research before writing rubbish.

The only way they get their own state is by ethnicly cleansing areas with the assistance of iran, hezb and russia.

Looks pretty dominant to me.

Assad is no angel but the West must understand that Democracy isnt always a good fit for certain regions of the world. If hes a dictator so are the rest of the leaders in that region starting with that stooge King Abdullah.

 

[USaqaf]

They are 75% the population of the areas Lataka and Tartus which together consitute the coastal regions.

 

[Markhor]

UN confirm the death toll is over the 100,000 mark.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23455760

And the sad thing is that it looks like there's no end in sight.

 

[wasim-fan]

UN confirm the death toll is over the 100,000 mark.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23455760

And the sad thing is that it looks like there's no end in sight.

Imperialist figures. Actual figure might not be more than 100

 

[saeedhk]

Saudi Arabia Couldn't Bribe Russia to Give Up on Assad

Saudi Arabia is so desperate to rid their region of Syria's dictatorial regime that they offered Bashar al-Assad's biggest benefactor $15 billion and protection for their vital oil business. The Russians said "no."


According to a report from Reuters, Prince Bandar bin Sultan (pictured above in 2008) met personally with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to persuade him to stop blocking the U.N. Security Council and withdraw his financial and military support from the Assad regime. In exchange, the Prince offered assurances that the next leader in Damascus would be under Saudi control, and much friendlier to Russian interests than the Islamic militants threatening to take over the country. They'd also start buying Russian tanks again, re-starting roughly $15 billion in weapons contracts between Riyadh and Moscow that have been halted for several years.


Putin however, remains firm in his support for Assad, in part because he doesn't trust that the Saudis can guarantee a friendly regime in Damascus. And also because Russia has never had more influence in the region that it does right now. Nearly every one of Assad's neighbors wants him gone, but most have not been as friendly to Russia in the past. The loose alliance forged between Syria, Russia, and Iran is good for Putin politically and economically, even though (or because?) it enrages the West so greatly.


Even with promises of a friendlier Saudi Arabia pulling the strings in Syria — which some people believe includes the United States pulling the strings in Riyadh — it seems Moscow prefers to stick with the devil they know.



Source:http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2013/08/saudi-arabia-couldnt-bribe-russia-give-assad/68164/

 

[Jadz]

Press or media reports are not always accurate.

But no doubt proxy wars are being fought in Syria, on behalf of the masters of the universe.

 

[MenInG]

Have deleted some idiotic posts here.

No need to get abusive etc

Bandar in persian means port and in Arabic its a name.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

My respect just went up for them.

They're not as antipathetic as would appear & no doubt the Russian investments in Syria amount to billions.

 

[MenInG]

Its really sad when big players like Saudis & Iranis are playing regional politics , using the innocents as pawns.

 

[Animal]

LOL. Putin trolling KSA. Money can only get you so far....

 

[SpiritOf1903]

LOL. Putin trolling KSA. Money can only get you so far....

 

[Saeed]

I wish that saudis start thinking like this.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Hundreds reported killed in Syria gas attack
Opposition groups say hundreds killed when government forces fired rockets with chemical warheads into Damascus suburbs.

Syrian activists claim that government forces have carried out a "poisonous gas" attack in suburbs of the capital, Damascus, leaving hundreds of people dead.

Activists said regime forces fired "rockets with poisonous gas heads" in the alleged attack early on Wednesday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shelling was intense and hit the eastern suburbs of Zamalka, Arbeen and Ein Tarma.

It said at least 100 were killed, while the Local Coordination Committees said hundreds of people were killed or injured in the shelling.

The attack coincided with the visit by a 20-member UN chemical weapons team to Syria to investigate three sites where chemical weapons attacks allegedly occurred over the past year.

Syrian authorities dismissed reports of a chemical attack on Wednesday as "baseless", and said the reports were intended to hinder the mission of UN inspectors.

The main opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, accused the regime of killing more than 650 people on Wednesday.

"Over 650 confirmed dead result of deadly chemical weapon attack in Syria," the National Coalition said on Twitter.

The reports could not be independently confirmed.
Al Jazeera’s Nisreen El-Shamayleh, reporting from neighbouring Jordan, said there were videos allegedly showing both children and adults in field hospitals, some of them suffocating, coughing and sweating.

"We have been receiving reports that the doctors in the field hospitals do not have the right medication to treat these cases and that they were treating people with vinegar and water," she said.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/201382163812810810.html

 

[saeedhk]

^The rebels in the past have used chemical weapons and blamed it on the government.Not sure this is true or not.

 

[KingKhanWC]

As the UN numpties arrive in Syria the terrorists will make up more stories about chemical weapons being used, they are desperate for intervention.

 

[saeedhk]

^Exactly.

 

[saeedhk]

Al -Jazeera is doing so much propaganda against the Syrian governement as they did during the Libyan war.It is the mouth piece of the Qatar government.

 

[MR__KHAN__JI]

As the UN numpties arrive in Syria the terrorists will make up more stories about chemical weapons being used, they are desperate for intervention.

Yes - Wouldnt really make sense for Assad to use chemicals....

 

[90MPH]

Those dead children looked like they were killed in a Chemical attack to me.

I am not certain obviously but if Assad and his goons have nothing to hide then they should allow UN inspectors to investigate the attack.

 

[dzor]

Abosolutely disgusting, against Innocent lives these atrocities for something as stupid as leadership.

 

[MRSN]

don't see any reason why Asad would do this..It could be rebels or some external forces who knows.

 

[Black Zero]

Asad is not going anywhere...

Syria is not too far from..KSA (~142 KM shortest distance) so where would these terrorists go when they are done with Syria...most likely Jordan and then KSA ...

 

[Bashira_taeli]

So Asad attacks outskirts of Damascus with chemical weapons on the day when UN inspectors are in the Syrian capital.

 

[Somali Pirate]

One syrian put it best.

If bashar shot a baby live on TV there would be people saying the baby was CGI.

Some people here on this thread and else where have no concept of humanity or shame. 700 people wiped out in a single day by a blood thirsty man clinging to power and yet somepeople are still wearing tin foil hats.

To suggest the rebels are going to gas east ghouta a sunni strong hold which has pushed back bashar's forces earlier in the year is frankly the story of a clown.

The thing is what bashar and his disgusting alawis have done in syria dwarfs anything even qurash have done to the muslims in the early islamic years.

You dont even need to speak arabic to feel the pain


The only consolation is that the babies and children murdered in their sleep as the gas desended on them have jannah as their final abode.

May Allah accept our martyrs and destroy anyone today who had a twinge of happiness over what happened

As for you bashar, well al haqqah in the quran will describe your fate


29. "My power has perished from me!"...

30. (The stern command will say): "Seize ye him, and bind ye him,

31. "And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire.

 

[saeedhk]

The rebels have used chemical weapons in the past.

 

[majiz]

'They call it a revolution, but in fact it has nothing to do with revolutions. A revolution needs thinkers. A revolution is built on thought. Where are their thinkers? A revolution needs leaders. Who is its leader? Revolutions are built on science and thought not on ignorance, on pushing the country ahead not taking it centuries back, on spreading light not cutting power lines. A revolution is usually done by the people not by importing foreigners to rebel against the people. A revolution is in the interest of people not against the interests of people. Is this a revolution? Are those revolutionaries? They are a bunch of criminals.'-Bashar al-Assad

 

[Markhor]

The Daily Mirror have a ran a rather disturbing front page - a row of dead children killed by a gas attack. Won't post it on here but it really rams home the horrors of this brutal war.

 

[saeedhk]

'They call it a revolution, but in fact it has nothing to do with revolutions. A revolution needs thinkers. A revolution is built on thought. Where are their thinkers? A revolution needs leaders. Who is its leader? Revolutions are built on science and thought not on ignorance, on pushing the country ahead not taking it centuries back, on spreading light not cutting power lines. A revolution is usually done by the people not by importing foreigners to rebel against the people. A revolution is in the interest of people not against the interests of people. Is this a revolution? Are those revolutionaries? They are a bunch of criminals.'-Bashar al-Assad

Well said!

 

[majiz]

i think i actually agree with most of what kkwc has said on this issue. i know not to believe everything the media or government tells me, although i'm not quite as big a proponent of the anti-Israel conspiracy theories.

 

[Bashira_taeli]

The Daily Mirror have a ran a rather disturbing front page - a row of dead children killed by a gas attack. Won't post it on here but it really rams home the horrors of this brutal war.

Gruesome sight. But I have to ask did they show bodies of the 911 or 77 victims?

 

[oyei]

One syrian put it best.

If bashar shot a baby live on TV there would be people saying the baby was CGI.

Some people here on this thread and else where have no concept of humanity or shame. 700 people wiped out in a single day by a blood thirsty man clinging to power and yet somepeople are still wearing tin foil hats.

To suggest the rebels are going to gas east ghouta a sunni strong hold which has pushed back bashar's forces earlier in the year is frankly the story of a clown.

The thing is what bashar and his disgusting alawis have done in syria dwarfs anything even qurash have done to the muslims in the early islamic years.

You dont even need to speak arabic to feel the pain


The only consolation is that the babies and children murdered in their sleep as the gas desended on them have jannah as their final abode.

May Allah accept our martyrs and destroy anyone today who had a twinge of happiness over what happened

As for you bashar, well al haqqah in the quran will describe your fate


29. "My power has perished from me!"...

30. (The stern command will say): "Seize ye him, and bind ye him,

31. "And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire.

seem like your tin foil hat has better reception.

 

[Somali Pirate]

You know you are talking to heartless munafiqs when they suggest rebels used these chemical weapons. Yes the rebels you see in the videos with their ak 47s have access to nerve and sarin agents and to top it all they used it on their own families, friends and neighbours.

Why not go the whole way and say the rebels are genocidal maniacs on par with stalin and hitler while you are it?

Majiz,

i love your quote. The irony is so delicious

Why you ask, because assad is the greatest importer of foreign mercenaries the world has ever known. every hezbollat rat on the face of the earth is in syria right now fighting syrians in their own lands.

You're right reveolutions always needs thinkers. Thats why all the thinkers are in assad jails right now. Beaten tortured and broken to pieces.

10 years from now the syrian revolution will be known as the day hamza al khattib defied a dog who thought he was a lion.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

^The rebels in the past have used chemical weapons and blamed it on the government.Not sure this is true or not.

Yes - Wouldnt really make sense for Assad to use chemicals....

The rebels have used chemical weapons in the past.

It would not be the first time a Baathist has used chemical weapons on his own people.

The rebels are far from innocent in this conflict but would they really have the means to deliver such an attack? - I don't know.

 

[Black Zero]

rebels are from other countries...
civilians killed are not their own people...


rebels/terrorists can go to any length to get western aid...

you do not cheat when you have winning hand : asad

 

[Sjaloha]

You know you are talking to heartless munafiqs when they suggest rebels used these chemical weapons. Yes the rebels you see in the videos with their ak 47s have access to nerve and sarin agents and to top it all they used it on their own families, friends and neighbours.

Why not go the whole way and say the rebels are genocidal maniacs on par with stalin and hitler while you are it?

Majiz,

i love your quote. The irony is so delicious

Why you ask, because assad is the greatest importer of foreign mercenaries the world has ever known. every hezbollat rat on the face of the earth is in syria right now fighting syrians in their own lands.

You're right reveolutions always needs thinkers. Thats why all the thinkers are in assad jails right now. Beaten tortured and broken to pieces.

10 years from now the syrian revolution will be known as the day hamza al khattib defied a dog who thought he was a lion.

Can you suggest what would be a good or a viable solution to end this mess in Syria?

 

[saeedhk]

It would not be the first time a Baathist has used chemical weapons on his own people.

The rebels are far from innocent in this conflict but would they really have the means to deliver such an attack? - I don't know.

Even the UN puppets condemned the rebels for using chemical weapons.