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  • #31
    “Free Army” targets 3 churches in Damascus, Syrian Army makes advances in Barzah


    Syrian Arab Army regains control over Maheen in Homs and repels armed attack in Idlib “Free Army” fires mortar rounds killing 4 civilians on Bab Touma and al-QasaaTwo tunnels discovered in Barzah neighborhood, army advances in Dahr al-Mistah Baath Party official inspects situation in al-Sbeneh,
    Damascus Countryside “Free Army” reportedly reacts to the repeated defeats by shelling Damascus

    15 November ,2013 22:46 PM


    Free Army militia has fired today several mortar rounds on residential areas in Damascus.
    The shells hit a school and churches; the churches were al-Keldan, al-Latin and the Syrianic Catholic church as only material damage was reported due to the shelling.
    Army advances in Barzah and Yalda
    Units of Syrian Arab Army has conducted large-scale operations near The Oxygen Factory in al-Qaboun district as other units of army made notable advances in Barzah neighborhood in Damascus.
    Also, units targeted headquarters of militias in Zamalka city near the Southern Mutahaleq.
    More operations targeted militias in the groves of Deir-Salman town, al-Dilbeh town and the western part of al-Nashabiah area in Eastern Gouta. As a result of these operations, army managed to eliminate dozens of militants.
    Moreover, clashes erupted between the army and militias on the outskirts of Hajira town near the towns of Yalda and Babbila.
    Army controls Tal-Hasel in rural Aleppo
    Syrian Army seized full control over Tal-Hasel town located in Aleppo suburbs. This was done after a series of large-scale and intensive operations through which the army managed to destroy headquarters of the militias operating in the area.

    ?Free Army? targets 3 churches in Damascus, Syrian Army makes advances in Barzah



    1. Syrian army will win because they have defeated the Turks to their north. From a time when the Turkish media (including the US-backed Gulenist media) were openly talking of invading Syria completely ignoring the fact that it was a sovereign state, AKP Turkey has now washed its hands off the Wahabi-rebels, and a while ago found out that an attack on Syria would mean a war with Iran and the PKK.

    2. Syria enjoys air supremacy.

    Air superiority = a superior air force against a weaker one.

    Air supremacy = complete control of the skies.

    Syria has the second one and can pound the Wahabis and "rebels".

    3. Syria has Russian support.

    Russia considers the war in Syria as a war on Russia and will go to nuclear war to defend it if required, it is that serious.

    Moscow also provides the Syrians with satellite images for the Syrian military to eliminate "rebel" targets.



    4. The Syrians control the coast and ports thus access and supplies to and from the outside world.

    5. The Nasserite military in Egypt has regained control and re-established ties with Baathist Syria and Egypt will not want Syria to fall to rebels. The loss of Egypt to the military is the biggest blow to "Islamist" forces in the region.


    6. The Syrians have lost everything so nothing to lose but the more the war drags on the worse it is for:

    - Turkey, hosting 0.6 million Syrian refugees.
    - Small Jordan hosting 0.5 million Syrian refugees i.e less than 10% of the entire Jordanian population of 6 million.

    Jordan in particular may not be able to take the strain, though it is being forced to due to Saudi pressure.

    Jordan is in fact already majority Palestinian and minority Jordanian and now 0.5 million Syrians are in the country.

    Jordan is poor and jobs are scarce, the people are hungry. Even before the war in Syria there were demonstrations in Jordan against the regime due to economic problems, the half a million Syrian refugees in the country have just made things worse.


    The Saudis - having ousted the Qataris out of involvement in Syria - are now the only people left that are actively waging war on Syria as both the US and Turkey have stopped.

    However there is a limit to how long the Saudi regime can continue to support terrorists by using Jordanian territory.

    Saudi Arabia is preparing to expel 400,000 Yemeni workers from Saudi which will damage Yemen's economy heavily and the 400,000 Yemenis there will have little to do in poverty-stricken Yemen. This will also create regional instability and the Saudis mass expulsion of workers is ill-planned and being poorly managed. The Saudis are scared of a restive population rioting and turning on the regime so are trying to create jobs for locals, but local Saudis will not want to do menial jobs so the Saudi economy will just suffer meaning less Saudi money to sponsor terrorism in Syria and elsewhere in the Muslim world.

    In the midst of all these problems and the recent Riyadh intifada by Ethiopians in Saudi, the Saudi regime is playing with fire by messing around with a Syrian military which enjoys air supremacy and the complete support of nuclear superpowers, Russia and China.
    Last edited by Bengal_Tiger; 11-15-2013, 07:57 PM.
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    • #32
      Jordan sees Syria refugee costs soar, vows subsidy reform

      Jordan sees Syria refugee costs soar, vows subsidy reform



      The United Nations has estimated the cost of hosting the refugees at $2.1 billion for 2013 and $3.2 billion for 2014, he said. Jordan's own estimate just for 2013 was $1.5 billion.




      World Bulletin/News Desk

      Jordan said on Friday the total cost of hosting Syrian refugees in 2013 and 2014 would exceed $5 billion, more than previously estimated, but vowed to stick with painful economic reforms including the removal of power subsidies.
      Finance Minister Umayya Toukan attributed the escalating costs mainly to the need for more infrastructure to alleviate overcrowding in Jordan, now home to more than 600,000 refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria according to U.N. data.
      Toukan said Jordan's own estimates put the number of Syrian refugees somewhat higher, at between 700,000 and 1 million.
      "The numbers are continuing to increase... Our schools and hospitals and all our infrastructure are overcrowded," he said on the sidelines of a Union of Arab Banks' conference in Beirut.
      "This is not just to accommodate refugees in the same classroom any more, you have to build new schools, new hospitals," Toukan told Reuters in an interview, adding Jordan would need more international support to host the Syrians.
      The United Nations has estimated the cost of hosting the refugees at $2.1 billion for 2013 and $3.2 billion for 2014, he said. Jordan's own estimate just for 2013 was $1.5 billion.
      The growing burden comes as the kingdom recovers from an acute financial crisis last year when foreign aid fell and welfare payments and its energy import bill both leapt, forcing it to take a $2 billion International Monetary Fund loan.

      "POLITICAL WILL"

      Under reforms agreed with the IMF, electricity prices for households will rise next year as part of a gradual four-year removal of subsidies.
      "On January 1 (prices) will go up 15 percent each year, so that by 2017 the electricity selling price should be equal to the cost of production," said Toukan, adding the government was committed to the plan despite concerns about protests.

      Arab governments have long used subsidised fuel and electricity to try to prevent unrest among their populations. After the wave of Arab Spring revolts that toppled four leaders across the region, removing them has been seen as very risky.

      "Of course we are concerned, but if you have the political will you should proceed with the reforms because the economy will be much healthier," said Toukan.

      He said Arab countries spend a total of around $200 billion in fuel and electricity subsidies, which mainly benefited big consumers and the wealthy.
      The only way Jordan's subsidy removal plan could be derailed, he said, was a parliamentary vote of no-confidence that brought down the government.
      If the reform plans go ahead, Toukan said Jordan's fiscal position would improve greatly in the next two or three years.
      "Looking ahead, I think we have a very good outlook if we are patient and work hard now," he said. "This is like medicine, nobody wants to take it. But we'll be much healthier if we do."

      Jordan sees Syria refugee costs soar, vows subsidy reform | Middle East | World Bulletin



      *Saudis may chose to fund the Jordanians to host the Syrian refugees. Providing money is easy but the strain it places on Jordanian society and on over-stretched schools and hospitals is not something the Saudis have to live with but poverty-stricken Jordanians do.

      Jordanians even have some Iraqi refugees they host from the Iraq war.

      The Saudis do not host either Syrian or Iraqi refugees.

      Saudis "care" so much about Syria and Syrians that they will do anything for them due to their "love" for Syrians - except give them refuge in their country.
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      • #33
        Rebels have Konkurs missiles:



        Apparently they claim to have destroyed 2 helicopters (which may have been abandoned and unoperational anyway) at Aleppo airport.

        Konkurs are Russian in origin.

        Apparently that airport is not operational now due to nearby rebel forces and the Syrian forces use other airports.

        Syrian media on the other hand show SAA (Syrian Arab Army) advances:

        Syria News 3.11.2013, Army's strategic victory against al-Qaeda, People celebrate return of security - YouTube

        According to this video above, SAA soldiers pretended to be militants and infiltrated their ranks and then helped the SAA to expel them.

        I don't fully trust Assadist propaganda (Assad himself is a nasty dictator but not as bad as the Wahabis) and there are pictures of people cheering with Assad pictures.

        Syria News 13.11.2013, Army fully controls Hijjeira in Damascus suburbs, Massive rally in Jibreen - YouTube

        Syrian media 3 days ago.


        Update on Syrian Army's Cleansing Operations in Northern Damascus from Barzeh - YouTube

        3 days ago.

        November 2013, Tanks in Action Syria In HD - YouTube

        1 week ago, from 7.09-9 mins it shows soldiers pressing forward.
        Last edited by Bengal_Tiger; 11-16-2013, 01:41 PM.
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        • #34
          The SAA have taken Aleppo airport and removed the terrorists. However the video showing Wahabis using Konkurs missiles to attack Syrian helicopters is flawed because the SAA have indeed taken Aleppo airport so will obviously not just use it for air operations a few days after having take it. So the gloating of those Konkurs missiles are empty celebrations.

          Aleppo International Airport Liberated by the Syrian Arab Army - YouTube


          SAA took over Brigade 80 and Tel Aran 5 days ago.

          Syria News 11.11.2013. Army takes full control over Brigade 80 & Tal Eren in Aleppo countryside - YouTube
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          • #35
            The situation around Damascus as of the past few days:



            The Syrian army has surrounded militant forces and now after encircling them is going to pound them and take them out as they did in Aleppo recently.

            The Syrian army has apparently surrounded Hims and recently got rid of 4 senior FSA commanders.

            Russia has announced it is sending supplies to help the Syrians medically.

            Russian, Greek and other foreign fighters are in Syria helping government forces.



            Russian volunteer forces in Syria.





            Greek fighters from Greek nationalist group, "Black Lily".




            Apparently there is food shortage through out Syria and the militants who lack supplies except from Turkey are facing malnourishment in some places. The Syrian government however controls the capital, coast, ports and main urban centres.

            Over 500 militants are said to have surrendered today.
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            • #36
              Meanwhile in Riyadh, riots have broken out in the past few days or the "Riyadh intifada" mainly by brave Ethiopians.

              The following video shows Ethiopians stopping a car during the intifada and after detaining the car and merely putting a cone on it they let the driver of the car go unharmed, thus no violence.

              However the brave Ethiopians who temporarily controlled sectors of the Saudi capital have sent a message of defiance and stood up for their dignity.

              The Riyadh intifada will go down in history as a major event as was the Rosa Parks incident when African American heroine Rosa Parks refused to go and sit at the back of a bus as blacks had to do when whites came in to a bus. This had a major influence on the civil rights movement in the USA.

              Video from the Riyadh intifada, Ethiopians let driver go unharmed.

              ‫مشاهد من فوضى وشغب الاثيوبيين.......
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              • #37
                *** RIYADH INTIFADA ***



                3 ETHIOPIANS KILLED.

                (Riyadh Ka Fanda) Saudis beating Ethiopian immigrants - YouTube



                - SAUDI IS EXPERIENCING A MINI-CRISIS.

                * BUSES WITH OUT DRIVERS
                * SCHOOLS WITHOUT JANITORS
                * GARBAGE BAGS PILING UP
                * PEOPLE SEEING THE SAUDI REGIME LOSING CONTROL OVER AREAS OF THE CAPITAL OF THE KINGDOM
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                • #38
                  By the way for those who have more Islamic knowledge, or even anybody, Christian, non-Muslim with a bit more knowledge of certain things, to understand who the Saudi regime are and who they are connected to, take a look at these Saudi police signs and buildings in Riyadh.









                  This regime is the main backer of the militants and Wahabis that some on here support. These Wahabis are actually furthering a certain agenda even if they do not know it.
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                  • #39
                    Syrian air defenses ‘harass’ Turkish aircraft by putting them under radar lock: General Staff

                    ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency



                    Three F-16 jets were placed under radar lock by Syrian air defense systems, the Turkish General Staff said on Nov. 16. DHA photo

                    Syrian air defense systems harassed three Turkish jets flying over the southern province of Hatay by placing them under a radar lock, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on its website today.

                    The three F-16 jets, which took off in succession from İncirlik Airbase in Adana and the Merizfon Airbase in the northern Anatolian province of Amasya, were each put under a radar lock for 10 seconds by Syrian missile systems while flying in Turkish airspace over Hatay’s Dörtyol district, the statement said.

                    A radar lock means that the missiles of the launch batteries were targeting the Turkish planes, ready to be fired.

                    Syria downed a Turkish F-4 jet that was flying over the Mediterranean Sea on June 22, 2012.
                    More recently, Turkey shot down a Syrian helicopter on Sept. 16 after arguing that it had violated Turkish airspace by two kilometers.

                    INTERNATIONAL - Syrian air defenses




                    *Syria shot down a Turkish F-4 five months ago.

                    * Russian planes have been harassing and intimidating the Turks as Russian spy planes have been flying from one end of the north coast of Turkey to the other. In military terms this is considered eyeballing someone, i.e. Russia is sending a message to the Turks.

                    Analysts: Russian planes near Turkey's Black Sea coast more a message to West - Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news

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                    • #40


                      SAA troops in the past few days after securing militant held territory.



                      SAA troops raise the Syrian flag in Tel-Hassel, Aleppo countryside.



                      Russian Plane Loaded with Medical Supplies Arrives in Syria




                      Unloading of the plane carrying humanitarian aid for Syrians in Latakia airport, Syria




                      Plane laden with medical supplies at Lattakia airport.

                      Putin Orders Ministry to Send Medical Aid to Syria

                      Russia Dismisses US Doubts Over Syrian Chemical Arms Data

                      LATAKIA, November 17 (RIA Novosti) – A plane laden with medical aid supplies from Russia landed early Sunday morning in Syria’s port city Latakia.
                      The head of the city’s health department came out to meet the plane, bringing several dozen soldiers to unload the aid from Russia’s Health Ministry.
                      Russian media portal Vesti.ru reported that the plane was carrying 40 tons of medical supplies.

                      Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to send pharmaceuticals, first-aid kits and other medical aid to Syria after a phone conversation with the Middle Eastern country’s president Bashar Assad last week.
                      Assad had described a “difficult health situation” in Syria and asked Russia for assistance, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

                      Over 100,000 people, mostly civilians, have died since the start of a bloody civil war in Syria in March 2011, which began amid massive protests against Assad’s regime. Millions of Syrians have fled the country, and many are now living as refugees in neighboring countries.
                      Russia has largely been a staunch ally of the Syrian government throughout the war, sending weapons and other aid to Assad’s regime and blocking several United Nations resolutions to sanction Syria for its behavior in the conflict.

                      Putin played a key role in brokering a UN deal in September to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile, a nonviolent agreement that staved off a possible military intervention strike by the United States.

                      A plane laden with medical aid supplies from Russia landed early Sunday morning in Syria’s port city Latakia.


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                      • #41
                        This was the map of Syria 9 months ago.



                        The biggest cities of Syria are:

                        - Damascus
                        - Aleppo
                        - Hims
                        - Hama
                        - Daraa


                        Aleppo has now been taken back in the past few days with the airport which was out of use for 1 year now back in government hands.

                        Hims has been restored to government forces as well recently.

                        Dar'aa is now under government control, though some militants are still in the region.

                        Farsnews

                        The Damascus authorities are now organizing an offensive to restore Qalamoon under government control as it is connects the capital Damascus to the third city, Hims.

                        Some sources are claiming that there are 15,000 Hezbollah fighters in the area to capture Qalamoon.

                        The battle for Qalamoun may be the final blow that dislodges rebels from the Damascus periphery, where food is running short and opposition fighters have lost a series of strongholds in recent weeks to forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
                        Fierce Syria clashes spark exodus to Lebanon - Middle East - Al Jazeera English


                        Unfortunately however this government offensive has caused another refugee exodus with thousands now fleeing the Qalamoun region. Damascus itself saw 31 government forces killed today in a bomb.

                        However since February 2013 when that map above was drawn government forces have made major advances. With Aleppo captured all important cities are now under government control.

                        Already, 26 minutes ago (at the time of writing) this has come in:

                        QALAMOUN - SPECIAL FORCES SURROUND AL-NUSRA HQ !!

                        Special Forces have completely surrounded the Farms of "Rima" near "Yabrud", noting that this is the region which harbours the Headquarters for Al-Nusra Front Terrorists ...




                        The Saudis are losing the war.
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                        • #42
                          Analyst: Defeat of Saudi Plans in Syria, Lebanon Led to Isolation of Riyadh


                          November 17, 2013 - 17:36

                          TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A Lebanese political analyst said Sunday that Saudi Arabia’s plans in Syria and Lebanon have resulted in failure, attributing this to realities on the ground in Syria and a shift in US policies toward the Middle East that have led to the isolation of Riyadh.


                          “The developments in northern parts of Lebanon are closely related to the Syrian crisis in both of which Saudi Arabia has a hand. It is leading the terrorist and Takfiri groups and trying to hold Lebanon’s city of Tripoli city hostage to use it as a lever to achieve its objectives,” Hakam Amhaz told the Tasnim News Agency on Sunday.

                          He went on to say that Saudis want to create tension in Tripoli in northern Lebanon to exert pressure on Syria, as its army is preparing to retake the Alqalamoon region and clear it from the rebel groups. Some sources estimate that between 5 and 7 thousand rebels are stationed in this region near the Syria-Lebanon border, which is used to smuggle arms and munitions into Syria.
                          "In case the Syrian army goes through with its attack, the rebel groups will be in a terrible situation. For this reason, the armed men which have surrounded Tripoli have threatened they will target Jabal Mohsen area, an Alawite-majority neighborhood, if Alqalamoon comes under attack," he added.

                          He said that Saudi Arabia is now left almost alone in its support for the armed terrorist groups of al-Nusra and the so-called Islamic Government of Iraq and Levant (ISIS, or Daesh - Arabic initial for ISIS).
                          Hakam Amhaz emphasized that obvious realities on the ground in Syria show that the Syrian army is progressing in many regions and the Saudi plans will end in failure.


                          “Qatar stopped its support for the armed groups in Syria in the framework of the new US strategy, which led to the Saudis sense of isolation. That was the reason why the Saudis tried to challenge the new US policies through other means in the region,” he said.
                          The Lebanese political analyst also said that Lebanon’s present day conditions do not permit the armed groups establish a state near its northern borders, arguing that the dream for establishment of the ISIS will never come to reality.
                          There are now reports that an estimated 600 Saudis have joined al-Qaeda-affiliated groups in Syria fighting against President Bashar’s al-Assad’s government. Many of them are said to be fighting on the ranks of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusra Front.
                          The ISIL is al-Qaeda’s main branch in Syria, although al-Qaeda Chief Ayman al-Zawahiri recently ordered its disbanding. He said al-Qaeda in Syria is to be represented only by the al-Nusra Front.
                          The al-Nusra Front, created in January 2012, joined al-Qaeda in December of that year and is on a US list of foreign terrorist’s organizations.
                          The al-Nusra Front has carried out major attacks against the Syrian armed forces, including several suicide bombings.

                          Analyst: Defeat of Saudi Plans in Syria, Lebanon Led to Isolation of Riyadh



                          1. Al-Qalamoon may be the final major battle of the Syrian war. There are claims that the government forces are closing in on the headquarters of Al-Nusra.

                          2. The USA, EU and Turkey have all withdrawn from actively supporting the militants due to the Russians.

                          Even now Russia is militarily intimidating the Turks and breathing down their necks.

                          3. Hezbollah fighters are reported to be mobilizing a total of 15,000 Hizbullah soldiers to help the Syrian government capture Qalamoon.


                          IT'S HEADING TOWARDS A SYRIAN VICTORY AND A SAUDI LOSS.

                          Over one million Syrians are trapped in areas where aid deliveries have stalled, the United Nations says
                          Syrian army besieges town in strategic Qalamoun mountains


                          However the Syrian government and Hezbollah, backed by Russia, seem to be going for what might be the final major battle of the war.

                          Syria News 14.11.2013, Army advances into new areas eliminates & destroys terrorists gatherings, - YouTube

                          150 rebel fighters surrended and handed themselves in two days ago.

                          ‫150 مسلØ*ا يسلمون انفسهم للجهات المختصة في بيت سØ*Ù… ويلدا وببيلا 15/11/2013‬‎ - YouTube

                          Syrian forces split Jobar and Zamalka in the outskirts of Damascus.

                          [Syria] Splitting Jobar and Zamalka. Part 8 | Отделение Джобара от Замальки. Часть 8 - YouTube

                          This is a 12 minute video in Russian, but English translation can be provided by the caption option. The video is long but the best part to watch is from 10.05 mins to 11.30 which shows SAA forces pressing forward.








                          SAUDI ARABIA IS LOSING THE WAR.
                          Last edited by Bengal_Tiger; 11-17-2013, 05:21 PM.
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                          • #43














                            POSSIBLE FINAL MAJOR BATTLE OF THE WAR SOON.

                            HOPEFULLY DEFEAT OF SAUDI ARABIA SOON!
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                            • #44
                              Just to make it clear to everyone this is my stance on Syria.

                              1. Assad is a dictator and the ruling Baath party are a party with a history of brutality and repression.

                              The Syrian government forces have been accused of committing atrocities.

                              However bad Assad is though, if the Damascus government falls then Syria will come under the control of US-proxies as happened in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya all of whom are still unstable and conflict-ridden.

                              2. The "rebels" are now dominated by Salafi extremists who have committed horrible and gruesome atrocities and who have no progressive vision for Syria but to turn it in to some middle east version of a Taliban-state.

                              Christians, Alawites and others have no place in this type of Syria and would either be massacred or ethnically cleansed as has been happening in Iraq.

                              The Damascus government though bad does not believe in a mono-ethnic or mono-religious Syria but in a pluralistic one.


                              3. A "rebel" (US/Gulf) victory would mean Syria remains an unstable country for decades as Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya show.

                              It also strengthens the US and allows them to cause further nuisance and destabilization across the world.


                              Most of my friends from Syria are anti-Assad (including a Kurdish friend), another Arab friend of mine whom I spoke to recently said all Syrians he knows hate Assad.

                              However he too agreed that these people are being emotional and not looking at the wider picture. If these rebels take over then a stable and independent Syria is gone. Syria will be a slave of foreign powers.

                              In Egypt the now ousted Morsi even wanted to sell off the Suez canal possibly to the Qataris and thus endanger Egyptian national security.

                              The Damascus government will win this war.



                              Russian aircraft aid arrives in Latakia, Syria.

















                              Government forces have made major gains in the past few weeks and days and are set to restore the strategic Qalamoun region back to government control.

                              Syria enjoys:

                              - full diplomatic support from Russia.

                              - Military support and supply of arms from Russia.

                              - Satellite imagery from Russia.

                              - Harassment of the Turkish air force on the black coast as a warning to Turkey from Russia.

                              - Provision of medical and humanitarian supplies from Russia.


                              The Chinese too will step in if required but do not feel it is necessary now.



                              Russian soldiers in Moscow.



                              China supports Syria and sent Chinese warships a month or two ago off the Syrian coast as a deterrent to an American attack.
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                              • #45


                                Syrian soldiers capturing territory.

                                There are reports the Syrian army has captured St Jacob's monastery in the Qalamoon region as well as several mountainous points in the area.

                                The head of Liwa at-Tawheed, Abdul Qader Saleh has been killed. Apparently Liwa at-Tawheed have now declared affiliation to Al-Nusra and its leadership.

                                Saleh was apparently bombed by the Syrians in a secret meeting of rebels which the Syrians knew about. It is claimed that the Syrians have infiltrated different rebel groups and have their spies/agents inside them reporting to the Syrian army.




                                Rebel forces are in retreat.

                                Qalamoun battles set off alarm bells in Lebanon


                                Syria air force launches air raids on Qara near border with Lebanon as loyalist forces try to storm rebel positions.



                                Heavy bombardment


                                BEIRUT - Syria's air force launched air raids on Qara near the border with Lebanon on Sunday as loyalist forces tried to storm rebel positions in the town, a monitoring group said.

                                "Since the morning, the town of Qara has been hit by air strikes," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman.

                                "Warplanes bombarded the town heavily yesterday (Saturday). Regime troops are trying to storm it and to drive the rebels out."

                                The Britain-based group said opposition fighters in the town were determined to resist despite the onslaught.

                                Pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan reported that "the army hit the Qalamoun mountains hard, closing in on the terrorists around Qara," using the government's term for rebels.

                                Violence in the Qalamoun area intensified on Friday.

                                Both the regime, backed by fighters from powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, and rebels including jihadists affiliated to Al-Qaeda have bolstered their forces in the area.

                                Qalamoun, which has a strong rebel presence, is strategic because it borders Lebanon and is used by rebels as a rear base for operations around the capital.

                                For President Bashar al-Assad's regime, it is important because it is on the road linking Damascus to the central province of Homs.

                                It also houses regime weapons depots.

                                For months, Qalamoun mostly avoided the violence tearing other areas of Syria apart, but in past weeks parts of the town have been battered by near-daily shelling.

                                Lebanese authorities said 500 families fleeing Syria arrived in the border town of Arsal, in eastern Lebanon, on Sunday.

                                The latest influx brought the number of families who arrived in Arsal this weekend alone to 1,700, said Lebanon's social affairs ministry. Most had fled from Qara.

                                Arsal's municipality chief Ali al-Hojairi said: "Many are sleeping in cars. They need shelter."

                                More than 800,000 Syrians fleeing their country's brutal civil war have taken refuge in Lebanon. Many suffer terrible shortages as local authorities and international agencies struggle to provide for them.

                                Elsewhere in Syria on Sunday afternoon, Damascus and several parts of the country's south were hit by a power outage for several hours, a minister and residents said.

                                "The power outage in the southern areas is the result of sabotage by armed terrorist groups against the high voltage cables that feed the southern areas," said Electricity Minister Imad Khamis.

                                Residents of the capital confirmed the news.

                                Power cuts have become a regular occurrence in Syria as the armed conflict that started in March 2011 as a rebellion against the Assad regime has intensified.

                                Also on Sunday mortar rounds slammed into neighbourhoods in central Damascus, killing at least two people, said the Observatory.

                                State media blame "terrorists" for the mortar attacks, which have increased in recent days.

                                .:Middle East Online:::.






                                Syrian opposition fighters demand ISIS leave Latakia

                                Al-Qaeda linked group ordered to leave province and surrender its regional leader following recent clashes
                                REUTERS/Khattab Abdulaa

                                Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Sources close to the Syrian opposition in the Latakia region told Asharq Al-Awsat that Free Syrian Army (FSA) and independent Islamist fighters have joined forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to force the group out of the area and ensure the surrender of its leader Abu Ayman Al-Iraqi, following recent clashes.

                                The sources said the refusal of ISIS to abide by agreements reached in efforts to mediate in recent clashes between armed opposition groups in the area “may lead to a wide war between the two sides.”
                                Syrian opposition fighters demand ISIS leave Latakia | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT



                                * Liwa at-Tawhid leader killed, Liwa at-Tawhid go under Nusra control.

                                * FSA and other rebel fighters clash with ISIS.
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