visionary Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/freedom4libya AJA: 70 murdered including children in Syria today. 53 in Homs alone. Caller: Bashar got the green light from Russia & China.43 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: The Syria'n regime forces are currently shooting at ambulances trying to rescue the injured from shelling ongoing in Homs34 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/ksnavarra US announces it has notified Syria regime that it has suspended all diplomatic and consular representation in the country16 minutes ago BREAKING: US urges its citizens to leave Damascus Syria 'immediately' 19 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/rcolebourn BBC's Paul Wood in Homs reports much gunfire heard in the area of city shelled. Local residents say this is FSA fighters attacking the Army20 minutes ago http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/gcc-to-meet-on-syria-resolution The Gulf Cooperation Council will meet in Riyadh this week to discuss Syria, Oman's foreign minister said yesterday."The foreign ministers of the GCC will meet ... to debate and exchange views on the situation in Syria," Yussef bin Alawi said. Meanwhile in Washington, Barack Obama, the US president, said the violence in Syria could be ended without outside military intervention. Vowing stronger sanctions on the Syrian regime and defending his administration’s handling of the crisis, Mr Obama told NBC’s Today show that Syria does not have to be like Libya. “I think it is very important for us to try to resolve this without recourse to outside military intervention. And I think that’s possible.” Hague: UK ambassador withdrawn from embassy in Damascus for consultation, Syrian ambassador in UK summoned to Foreign Office15 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/WilliamsJon Interesting: Hague tells Commons may seek resolution of UN General Assembly on Syria bypassing Security Council17 minutes ago ---------- Post added February-6th-2012 at 11:16 AM ---------- BBC article on the shelling of Homs. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16912756#TWEET73409 Mortars began to fall, steadily, a few minutes after 06:00. Each blast echoed around the narrow streets. At first, that caused defiant cries of "God is great". But then heavy artillery was used; then airburst bombs. Now this part of Homs appears deserted. There are no voices outside, only the din of shells coming in and exploding. Occasionally a frightened resident peers quickly out of a window before disappearing. "There is rubble in everywhere," said a local cameraman, running back inside, breathless, a moment ago. "Power lines are down. There is not a single person on the street." People in this part of Homs say these are the worst days they have known since the beginning of the uprising, almost a year ago. The bombing has been going on for several days now. Most of the casualties we have seen were civilians. We were at a field clinic on Sunday during a mortar attack lasting several hours. A teenaged boy was brought in with horrific injuries, most of his face gone. In the corridor, a woman was screaming. Her only son had just been brought in on a stretcher, his left foot severed by the blast. She was hysterical, but not incoherent. "Give us guns, we cannot defend ourselves," she shouted, before someone led her away. Civilians are certainly paying the price. In the field clinic, a man was carefully wrapping the body of a seven-year-old girl in a white sheet. She had been killed when a mortar fell on her home. They wrote her name on the shroud, Nuha al Manal.Like all the dead in this part of Homs, she was buried in darkness. They have been doing that here for many months; daytime is too dangerous. In the pitch black, a volunteer ran across the graveyard carrying her body. There was no family; no prayers, and little dignity, just a hurried burial. Even as they covered her body with earth, there were shots fired in their direction. "The UN abandoned us," one Homs resident told me. "Who's going to help us now, who's going to help us now?" People said that to me over and over; that they felt abandoned, alone. After the failure of the vote in the UN Security Council at the weekend, they have lost hope that the outside world will help. They expect the worst from a regime they fear can now act without restraint. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/opinion/hamid-syria/index.html World must aid Syria's rebels video of people fleeing the shelling and rubble in Bab Amr. short clip of the shelling in Bab Amr YqjA3WDRO3U DLe8A6OmAiI There's protesting going on outside the Syrian and Russian embassies in Amman Jordan right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/AlexanderPageSY BREAKING: 10's of tanks have just been deployed into Zabadani, residents of the area are expressing their fear of a massacre8 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace Tanks surrounding baba amr. Very close. Very close. I feel sick. 39 minutes ago Assad tanks have stormed Zabadani right now. Calls for help. damascus suburbs. 3 minutes ago I have a feeling it's going to be a bloody night.... https://twitter.com/#!/Thanku4theAnger AJA: Death toll in Sria has now risen to 85 martyrs. Majority were casualties of shelling of Homs, Zabadani & Madaya ...RIP2 minutes ago https://twitter.com/#!/Alexblx Assad tanks have been trying to enter Zabadani since FRI - but all attacks have been repeled by FSA - & sev tank & crew defections1 minute ago https://twitter.com/#!/abuhatem Alawite cop who has been injured is being treated by protesters in Taybit al Imam near Hamah & Salamieh. 4 minutes ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-07/u-s-seeks-plan-b-to-end-syrian-violence-after-un-fails-to-act.html In Syria, “the military option without a UN resolution seems to me to be almost inconceivable,” said Miller, “and there is no GCC equivalent for Syria.” Syria has rejected an Arab League plan for Assad to transfer power to a deputy, who would then begin talks with the opposition to form a unity government within two months. Nuland said yesterday that a number of foreign ministers are conferring about the formation of a “Friends of a Democratic Syria” group that backs the Arab League plan and wants to provide humanitarian and political support The Syrian National Council, the leading opposition umbrella group, wants a U.S.-led coalition to intervene directly. “We need the U.S. to build a coalition with France, Germany, the UK to intervene somehow and stop the massacres and atrocities that are happening right now,” said Ausama Monajed, adviser to SNC President Burhan Ghalioun. Arab and European nations haven’t given up on their Arab League peace plan on Syria. They may take the plan to the General Assembly seeking to override the Security Council and show up Russia in the 193-member body, UN diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks are at a preliminary phase. “There is a broad international support for the Arab League and we have to see how we can galvanize that,” Peter Wittig, Germany’s ambassador to the UN, told reporters. “We have to examine the possibility to mobilize the GA.” The General Assembly can overrule the Security Council through a mechanism known as Resolution 377, or Uniting for Peace. It was passed in 1950 during the Korean War to circumvent the Soviet Union blocking action to protect South Korea. It requires a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly to override the Security Council and its veto-wielding members and can be used when the 15-member decision-making body “fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2012/02/07/ac-intv-zaidoun-syrian-activist.cnn KTH: Deadly lies in Syria?Added on February 6, 2012 Anderson Cooper talks to a Syrian activist and Syrian Ambassador to U.N. about the ongoing violence in Homs, Syria. Heartwrenching interview.... Shorter version: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/02/07/ac-syrian-activist-zaidoun-on-continued-violence.cnn http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c1#/video/world/2012/02/06/damon-syria-violence-onslaught.cnn Another CNN video report on Syria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sisko Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 It may take days or months but eventually the Assad regime will fall and when it does, the Syrian Alawites and Christians are almost certainly going to be on the receiving end of the treatment they've meted out. Incredibly sad for all concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 And the shelling of Homs continues: God.... http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer/broadcast/2348417 Homs skyline, birds chirping...and oh yeah, pretty much nonstop explosions in the background. Thanks, Assad. :mad: and just when I was about to say, "it seems to have quieted down"...a few more mammoth "booms" are in the background. https://twitter.com/#!/BreakingNews Heavy gunfire reported in Homs, Syria, Tuesday morning, hours before Russian FM to visit Damascus - @skynews http://bit.ly/zWdqrV12:43 AM https://twitter.com/#!/AJELive Russia's FM Lavrov to meet Syria's Assad in Damascus today, but Russia is keeping the content of the mtg under wraps: http://aje.me/y9kbhm12:29 AM Quiet for a couple of minutes other than a rooster crowing and then suddenly a massive explosion and a little girl screaming somewhere nearby. https://twitter.com/#!/AlexCrawfordSky More mortar shelling being heard in Baba Amr area of Homs since first light1:00 AM Sounds like a lot of rockets going off right now. https://twitter.com/#!/THE_47th Damascus is putting a show for the Russian visitors today, massive pro-Assad rallies have been planned by the Gov1:01 AM I'm hearing some...anti-aircraft fire too I think. Who knows who or what they're shooting at. Probably people's homes. Now some heavier explosions again, quite a few. Wow...not sure what that was...huge explosion. It stopped for a few minutes and now it's really heavy again. Here's a clip of some of the shelling in Homs...not sure when exactly this was taken, probably from Monday during the day. w_mjN4S-h0c There's a lot of smaller explosions and some gunfire in the background of the livestream now. I just heard something driving nearby. And a massive explosion! https://twitter.com/#!/SkyNewsBreak Reuters: Activists in Syria say at least 95 people were killed in heavy bombardment of Homs yesterday 1:31 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed It's 8:40am in Syria, 1:40am here in DC. I can't stay up anymore. Keep watching live feed from Bab Amr, Homs http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer/broadcast/2348417 Stay safe.1:40 AM There's a lot of gunfire going off in the background now. And then a really big explosion once again, followed by some smaller ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/WilliamsJon Homs team report mortar fire resumed 0400 GMT. Will it pause during Lavrov visit? Would say much about Assad's power of command & control.1:52 AM https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace The shelling continues(24hrs). Using heavy weapons on civilian homes. I'm not in Baba Amr and I still know nothing about my family. 2:06 AM Watching shelling and massacres live now on Aljazeera, before on Alarabiya and also online live feed. I feel helpless. Helpless. 2:07 AM Those in Baba Amr revo grp keep writing the type of bombing is very weird, it sound is different, it looks different. 2:33 AM The sounds are terrifying on the live feed link below. Trying to imagine what those on the ground are feeling. 2:34 AM My relatives 2 minutes from Baba Amr r calling me asking me how our relatives IN Baba Amr are, though I'm in another country... 2:47 AM https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK Dear World- We're being bombed in Baba Amr. Just thought you should know. http://bit.ly/wWEtoh2:34 AM By the way, I realize that there is such a thing as compassion fatigue. I'm just asking you to overcome it for the sake of Syria. 2:37 AM http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria 28 min 39 sec ago - Abu Abdo Alhomsy, an opposition activist in Homs, told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the shelling is ongoing. "There was a rocket shelling and a mortar bombing. It's all around Homs," he said. "The condition in the neighbourhood is quite miserable. ... Sinpers are everywhere. ... We are just waiting to be killed. We don't know what to do." This feed seems to be live now: http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer/broadcast/2348650 And still on the shelling goes, fairly intense now. ---------- Post added February-7th-2012 at 03:16 AM ---------- https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace Watching a live feed of a Gov bombing its own people is like a live feed of a mother torturing her baby. And everyone just watches.3:03 AM Confirmed now they are also using anti-aircraft missiles from tanks now onto Baba Amr. Shelling is very intense. 3:04 AM Take a moment and re-read "anti-aircraft missile" - they're using on homes, on humans, not aircrafts. 3:06 AM https://twitter.com/#!/nouf_dousari Syria is not bleeding .. Syria is dying people.. 3:12 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Death toll by 4:30pm local time in Syria has reached 21 people today, including a mother and her 3 children. Source: --LCC 10:32 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ZeinakhodrAljaz Lavrov : Assad stands firm in resolve to stop violence in Syria wherver it should come from Russia9:12 AM https://twitter.com/#!/arwaCNN voice shaking w/emotion #homs activist "we keep risking our lives 2 get videos & our voices out, ppl know whats going on & no decisions?!?!"10:33 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Doctor: Emir Hamad, King Abdullah and Erdoğan, make these rockets stop! We can't do anything for the injured!10:29 AM Graphic: 13-year-old Ammar Abbar was reportedly shot dead by a sniper in Houla, Homs today 10:18 AM ... and this video reportedly shows scenes from his funeral procession 10:19 AM https://twitter.com/#!/THE_47th GCC Press Office Statement: Gulf Cooperation Council member will ask Syrian Ambassadors to leave an recall their Ambassadors from Syria8:48 AM Just talked to my source in Saudi, he said GCC states will ask for No Fly Zone and humanitarian routes in Syria in the next A.L meeting. 9:07 AM This source is super high up in the political scene in Saudi and is the same source who told Saudi will recall its Ambassador a day before 9:08 AM http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria 1 hour 52 min agoAccording to the Reuters news agency, the six-member Gulf Cooperation Coucil announced on Tuesday that they would be recalling their ambassadors from Syria. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, current head of the council, announces that the GCC states have decided to withdraw all theirambassadors from Syria and also demand that all ambassadors of the Syrian regime in its lands leave immediately," said a statement issued by the Council. The six-member Council includes Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which has also received international criticism for its crackdown on protests against the ruling al-Khalifa family that began last year. 1 hour 47 min ago - SyriaSpeaking at a news briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said he Beijing is considering sending envoys to Syria for discussions on an end to the violence in the country. "We have recently been considering sending people to North Africa who can play an active and constructive role in promoting a ceasefire and solving the political disputes in Syria," Liu told the media. But...Syria's not in North Africa.... Unless he means to Egypt for Arab League consultations...maybe? 45 min 16 sec agoSpeaking to the AFP news agency, Dutch foreign ministry spokesman, Job Frieszo said the Dutch have recalled their ambassador from Syria on Tuesday. Following the steps of several other European nations Frieszo said "Minister (Uri) Rosenthal has recalled the Dutch ambassador for consultations". France has also reportedly recalled their ambassador. https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: Italy recalls it's ambassador from Syria ~ Foreign Ministry.11:11 AM Spain has recalled their ambassador as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/Jonny_Hallam Younes el-Yousef Addounia TV cameraman has defected to the opposition after being forced to fake stories for Syria State TV11:47 AM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: Deraa is now under shelling from Syria'n regime forces.11:49 AM I'm afraid we're going to witness another massacre in Deraa. The military campaign there has started. 11:56 AM Someone on twitter said last night that they had been told by a source that this would happen today. https://twitter.com/#!/benmoran Russia Ambo to UN, to Arab countries reacting badly to Syria veto: "don't spit in the well, you may need to drink from it one day"11:52 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ZeinakhodrAljaz Syria activists report govt forces shelling areas in zabadani12:00 PM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets URGENT: BREAKING: LCC at Zabadani area of Damascus declared the city a disaster zone w/ no fuel, food & water.12:12 PM https://twitter.com/#!/javierespinosa2 According to Sana, the Syrian army practiced the "utmost self-restraint" in Homs 11:53 AM They're practicing that same 'self restraint' right now on Deraa and Zabadani. https://twitter.com/#!/javierespinosa2 "the least the international community could do is to help us with medicines" syrian commission for refugees12:38 PM https://twitter.com/#!/BintAlRifai Hearing extremely sad stories of wounded Syrian children smuggled into Lebanon trying to receive treatment. Many don't make it in time. 12:36 PM https://twitter.com/#!/KetyDC @BintAlRifai I cried last night when I heard Hamza died. Second Hamza killed by Assad that we know. Both 13 years old.12:34 PM One was killed by wounds from shelling in Homs the other day, and one died from torture by the regime a few moths ago. ---------- Post added February-7th-2012 at 12:53 PM ---------- https://twitter.com/#!/AlexanderPageSY BREAKING: both Tafas and Yadooda areas of Daraa are now under military bombardment by regime forces12:42 PM PLZ RT preparations for a full forces military bombardment on the city of Daraa are in place right now 12:42 PM (This is the person that tweeted last night about a massive attack on Deraa coming today) Keep in mind that Deraa has been locked down by the regime for months now and is supposed to be under firm control. It is of course where the revolution started almost a year ago with a few kids writing anti-regime slogans and being imprisoned because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria 1 min 7 sec agoWith Syria's makeshift hospitals unable to keep up with the growing rate of casualties, many of the wounded are left with little choice other than to travel to Jordan. Al Jazeera's Nisreen el-Shamayleh reports from the Jordanian capital, Amman, on those Syrians seeking treatment across the border, including a one-time Olympian. https://twitter.com/#!/JTSkyNews Sky's @ramsaysky in Homs just reported that petrol stations out of fuel, residents bracing for more tank shelling, more bloodshed.1:06 PM https://twitter.com/#!/HalaGorani From AFP - US senator John McCain: "We should start considering all options, including arming the opposition."12:38 PM - As I said a few weeks back, we should have been consideirng this for a while now (maybe we are). In my opinion we ought to have already been providing humanitarian aid and supplies to refugees in countries bordering Syria (and Libya where a lot of them fled to as well). In the meantime we should have been establishing ties and contacts with the FSA and other opposition members who can give us a good idea of what is going on in Syria. After a bit of this we could find ways to get supplies and medicine and food and such to suffering areas of Syria itself. At the same time we should have been getting to know the FSA and the opposition as much as possible to see who we can trust. After that we should have been prepared to support them the instant that the UN resolution was vetoed. I'd say start with incrimental supplying of things like medicine and clothes, and body armor and such and move up towards guns depending on our conclusions of them. I'd hestitate on heavier weapons at least until we were certain that they wouldn't be misused. Of course it is possible that we are doing some of this (making contacts and such) but I haven't really seen or heard about any big humanitarian effort on the US's part for Syria. Keep in mind that this wouldn't have to necessarily be government run, I'd envision handing off some of the humanitarian things to private groups/individuals with our blessing, but make sure they aren't doing anything shady. In any case, I'm starting to worry that it may be too late to expect the FSA and the opposition to beat Assad on their own. The past few days have been very unsettling to the idea that this can be resolved without outside intervention. It's possible that it still can, but the way things are going it seems that would make things go on like this practically forever. Syrians (including the FSA and the SNC have already been calling for months a No Fly Zone (although I think they mean more of a no military/security forces shelling zone or 'no drive zone' as I think Romney put it a few months back) I've been against it myself since the beginning at least a US involved one. I still would rather us push the Arab League/GCC/Turkey to do it if it comes to that. Will they though? Who can say. There is supposed to be a proposal for a no fly zone brought up by the GCC this weekend. But will they do it themselves or ask the "west" to lead it? I'd like to think they would have the guts to do it. I've long since given up expecting something of any substance from them though. And honestly so have the Syrians it seems (which is why they and other Arabs always bring up NATO these days). I don't know. It's a horrible situation. We'll have to see what happens I guess. These are just my thoughts on the situation though, I'm sure everyone has differing opinions on this. (And I expect some may be very much against any of this) By the way, the head of Hezbollah is making some crazy pro-regime comments again. Among other things, he said there have been no defections by members of the Syrian army Now this is a really fascinating article I don't think I've seen anyone lay out the details of what an intervention could look like, quite like this: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/as-war-engulfs-syria-foreign-forces-could-turn-the-tide#full On the other hand NATO and 'Western' countries have repeatedly said they don't want to intervene militarily. (even as air support) https://twitter.com/#!/BreakingNews White House says US considering sending humanitarian aid to Syrian people as it ramps up pressure on Assad government - @Reuters2:21 PM We should have been considering doing that months ago when all those refugees were forced to flee to Turkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Seems like something we should have been considering for some time now.... https://twitter.com/#!/acarvin "We are not considering that step right now." - White House spokesman Jay Carney on whether the US is considering arming Syrian opposition.3:57 PM Protesters clapping, drumming and singing in Deraa tonight. 3:59 PM Women and children run for cover as they dodge machine gun fire in Hama: 3:55 PM A 2-yr-old boy in Homs, his upper lip destroyed. Heartbreaking, infuriating, unforgivable. 4:07 PM Cameraman prays while filming houses destroyed by shelling: 4:12 PM tETb3kRH6so https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Video reportedly shows shelling on Zabadani the sounds is frightening 3:42 PM Video reportedly shows tanks outside Zabadani today, sounds of gunshots 3:49 PM Residents of Wadi Barada outside Damascus can hear the sounds of shelling on Zabadani, apprx 20km away 3:55 PM OqOeUWqtC5o This is the video of the shelling in Zabadani. Jyoi3o8rn0I This is the video of thre tanks. https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque Aleppo, Raqqa, and Sweida all calling for Assad's head tonight. Soon that chant will reach Qurdaha. 3:37 PM @acarvin @ahmed Actually people outside Homs are frustrated with the focus on Homs. 3:49 PM https://twitter.com/#!/ShantyTownie Venezuela-led alliance condemns Syria rebels, not Assad's repression (via @ReadItLater) http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2012/alba060212.html4:47 PM https://twitter.com/#!/jenanmoussa Anchor on saudi tv fights tears as she reads news about Daraa4:53 PM https://twitter.com/#!/Libyan4life EU says they are considering freezes on Syria bank assets. Only considering?!!4:54 PM http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57372413/syrian-resistance-worried-about-regime-air-power/ (CBS News) Anti-regime forces in Syria continue to resist a government crackdown but remain badly outgunned and are fearful that the Syrian army will start to use their air power soon, reports CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward. CBS video report from northern Syria (Interesting. I haven't heard much of The Syrian Liberation Army. It sounds more like a popular militia than the FSA (which is mainly a loosely coordinated bunch of units of defected soldiers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/freesyria74 Anti regime rally in Swaida Syria . Significant given that this is home to the Druze minority. http://youtu.be/J4fcyojPmPk5:42 PM J4fcyojPmPk https://twitter.com/#!/oh_bergine Last 2 statuses from my uncle on FB: They're asking us 2 leave Homs but we prefer to die here in dignity than to run away like cowards (1/2)5:24 PM (2/2) and the last status my uncle posted on FB yesterday morning "Pray for us" 5:25 PM https://twitter.com/#!/MahaTaher1 I cant sit here & watch the violence in Syria anymore. They are begging 4 help. How can Arabs, Russia,China just watch & let this happen?5:21 PM https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace has some videos from Bab Amr. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/07/syrian-homs-siege-genocidal-say-residents Syrian siege of Homs is genocidal, say trapped residentsResidents inside the besieged city of Homs claim they are under "genocidal attack" from a Syrian regime apparently deaf to international opinion and determined to "bomb, starve and shoot" them into submission. On Tuesday night the city was under massive continuous bombardment, witnesses told the Guardian, with rockets raining down from the sky every few minutes, and helicopters and fighter planes circling overhead. They said Syrian army tanks had encircled opposition-held suburbs, in preparation for what they feared was a final, deadly ground assault. "The regime didn't expect us to continue our struggle against them," activist Karam Abu Rabea said via Skype. "They didn't think we would persist. So now it is using its last card. It is the genocide card." Rabea described the humanitarian situation as appalling. He said the regime was deliberately attempting to starve families trapped in rebel-controlled districts. Army snipers had been positioned on the main roads, he added, and were able to mow down anyone who moved on smaller, intersecting side roads. No one could escape, he said. Two journalists – Salah Murjan and Khalid Abu Salah, documenting the horrors of Homs – were shot by snipers. Rabea said: "There is no food allowed to get inside neighbourhoods opposing the regime. Especially bread. We don't have any bread. They are targeting the vital installations of the city: bakeries, the hospital, mosques. Some of the bakeries were shut by force. The regime cut off internet and phones on Monday. I have a satellite set, which is why I can speak to you. The Assad regime is trying to destroy Homs completely." https://twitter.com/#!/stevebruskCNN Our political coverage through the night tonight will be mixed with the developments in Syria7:29 PM Barbara Starr reports the US military has started a preliminary review of potential military options in Syria, in case they were needed 7:30 PM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: URGENT: The Syria'n regime forces are shelling very heavily the areas of Khaldeya & Bayada in Homs right now. 7:40 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: Rockets are targetting residential areas in BabAmr area of Homs right now.11:23 PM REUTERS: BREAKING: Reports that the Syria'n regime forces are currently invading Inshaat ara of Homs and progressing to BabAmr area. 11:49 PM Communications have been cut out from Homs and there are lot's of planes in the sky! 11:49 PM It's only 7:30AM in Syria right now and 43 are dead! This is GENOCIDE! 12:24 AM BREAKING: Syria'n regime tanks have invaded Inshaat area of Homs and Emptied Supermarkets to starve the people ~ Witness on Aljazeera. 1:03 AM BREAKING: 18 BABIES HAVE DIED IN HOMS! After cutting electricity from a Hospital they were in ~ Aljazeera! 1:23 AM https://twitter.com/#!/fieldproducer Reuters reporting that activists say Assad's forces have killed at least 47 civilians in bombardment of Homs in last 8 hours1:13 AM https://twitter.com/#!/KareemLailah SRGC in Homs confirmed the death of 18 Preterm children, after power cut in the hospital where they were SLEEPING.1:28 AM Don't tell me we can't... we have been smuggling humanitarian supplies to Homs since MANY MONTHS... help us & do your part NOW. 1:32 AM Apparently the number of dead is now 52. livestream from Homs: http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer/broadcast/2351043 https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK Homs: Baba Amr: A missile hits one of the homes2:16 AM Abt 30 tanks and 5+ armored vehicles & number of Zil vehicles pass by DeirAtiya heading towards Homs 2:17 AM Al Jazeera Mubashar/Live: http://bit.ly/gyB3xJ Homs LiveMassacre 2:30 AM ekpTesn2zBI https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: 20+ Houses in BabAmro Homs are on fire right now!2:30 AM BREAKING: Number of houses on fire now rises up to 30 due to heavy shelling on BabAmro Homs & other areas. 2:38 AM I guess 'other areas' mean the houses on fire being counted aren't just in Bab Amr. y7DoFe9_5H8 https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets Field hospital doctor tells AlArabiya news that who escapes from shelling doesn't escape snipers.2:45 AM The dead are piled up in homes! Countless numbers! 2:47 AM https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK Field Physician: Children of Homs are in a state of hysteria due to the shelling via @AlArabiya_Brk2:45 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE80S08620120208 AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian forces thrust into the rebellious city of Homs on Wednesday, killing as many as 100 civilians by the accounts of opposition activists, and Turkey appeared to be preparing a new diplomatic push against President Bashar al-Assad.A newspaper close to the Erdogan government said Turkey planned to organize a conference with Arab and Western governments in Istanbul, part of a broader initiative that may be outlined later on Wednesday. A NATO member and rising Muslim power in the region, Ankara is sheltering Syrian rebel army commanders and has spoken of creating safe havens for refugees. 100 seems high compared to all the other numbers I've seen for last night's deaths. Maybe it includes more recent ones from this morning or something? On the other hand it is hard to count with what's going on there. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/08/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 A day after Russia's foreign minister touted the Syrian president's "commitment" to ending violence, at least 47 people were killed in the Syrian city of Homs Wednesday, an opposition activist group said.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead included 20 members of three "unarmed" families, killed when government forces stormed three homes in a neighborhood of Homs. One opposition activist, Omar Shakir, put the death toll at 54 after visiting and calling field hospitals in three neighborhoods in Homs. "There is nonstop shelling," said Shakir, a Homs resident. "They are shelling us using tanks." He said those wounded by government troops must resort to ill-equipped, makeshift clinics because rockets struck one of two hospitals and the other was taken over by President Bashar al-Assad's forces. "We cannot count the dead anymore. They want to finish us," said Mohammed Salih, another resident of Homs. He described loud explosions from shelling Wednesday that started at 5 a.m. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a first lieutenant and 17 soldiers defected Wednesday in Daraa.While activists described bodies mounting in the streets, unable to be retrieved because of snipers perched above, a group of Arab nations announced they are calling home their ambassadors from the besieged country. Among them was Bahrain, which last year had its own robust crackdown on dissidents. The Gulf Cooperation Council said it made the decision "with deep sorrow and anger" at the increased pace of killings in Syria "that did not spare a child, old man, or woman -- heinous acts that can be described as a collective massacre against the defenseless Syrian people without any mercy or pity, and without considering any rights or feelings of humanity or morality." https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace Rastan is being shelled also using the same multiple rocket launchers being used on Baba Amr. They are stationed in nearby Talbiseh.9:53 AM https://twitter.com/#!/NuffSilence I'm a pacifist, humanist kind of a guy. But the only role I see for myself in an "Assad Syria" now is that of violent resistance.10:18 AM https://twitter.com/#!/BSyria See my blog. You will see what I thought about an armed insurgency 6 months ago. I no longer agree with that view.10:19 AM https://twitter.com/#!/BSyria We are Syrians. You can't love our country more than we do. We know that the only way to stop the slaughter in Syria is FORCE. The only way.10:21 AM https://twitter.com/#!/AJELive Turkey's FM Davutoglu: International community must send strong message of support to Syrian people, send aid to city of Homs - Reuters10:30 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Another video of the doctor: "This man is dying, we are treating him in a mosque... Where is the world?!10:37 AM Doctor shows two dead bodies, note the exhaustion in his voice. "We are being shelled since 5am," he says 10:41 AM https://twitter.com/#!/KareemLailah 7704 documented martyrs names since March15. 2011 in Syria11:08 AM https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace Shelling on Madaya and Bloodaan mosques now...Beautiful memories in Bloodan...Now being shelled. Damascus suburbs.11:27 AM http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria 2 hours 4 min agoTwo leaders of the main Kurdish-Syrian opposition group have been arrested after returning to Syria following an opposition meeting in Iraqi Kurdistan, according to activists. According to the Kurdish National Council, Ibrahim Biro, political bureau member at the Ibrahim Biro, and Mohammed Youssef from the Kurdish Youth Movement were arrested by Syrian security forces in Qamishli on Tuesday. The two appeared at a press conference of the Kurdish National Council, the main Syrian-Kurdish opposition group, after a two-day co-ordination meeting last week hosted by Massoud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan. 1 hour 34 min ago - SyriaThe Syrian Revolution General Commission, a coalition of 40 Syrian opposition groups, is saying 2814 people have been killed in Homs since the beginning of the uprising. 1 hour 26 min ago - SyriaEuropean Union governments have reached an agreement in principle to impose sanctions on the Syrian central bank this month as part of new measures intended to force President Bashar al-Assad out of power, a senior EU diplomat said on Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: Number of dead until now in Syria is 75 most of them from Homs due to shelling for the 5th day in a row.12:54 PM BREAKING: Heavy shelling is happening right now at the border city of Deraa, and reports of defections from the Syria'n regime army. 1:34 PM https://twitter.com/#!/PositiveLibya To think after 8 months i was physically emotionally exhausted frm keepin up wit libya's rev & after nearly a year the syrians r still goin!1:37 PM https://twitter.com/#!/KareemLailah My relative in Homs: We are leaving the city now, not because of the shelling but becoz we have water since days.1:57 PM https://twitter.com/#!/MadeInNablus I'm Palestinian - and I will always support my bro's and sis's being killed unjustly, from Syria to Rwanda - I understand their pain.1:55 PM https://twitter.com/#!/acarvin Graphic: footage recorded by pro-govt militia of the men they just killed. MT @SeekerSK: Deir Ezzor: 1:52 PM https://twitter.com/#!/Layyan76 Assad soldier is telling the dead civilian as he pass by: "you want freedom? am going to **** you"1:59 PM https://twitter.com/#!/blakehounshell Erodgan advisor: " The next stage in Syria will be to further empower the Syrian opposition." http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-270884-what-now-in-syria.html2:03 PM https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK This is in Qusour and they're chanting for the areas of Homs that are bombarded (Baba Amr, Khalidiya, Bayada)2:24 PM dY6PqWPF-W4 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/08/us-turkey-syria-davutoglu-idUSTRE8171BM20120208 Asked whether the escalating violence was nearing the point where Turkey would consider establishing a buffer zone inside Syria, or enforcing a humanitarian corridor, Davutoglu said: "Yes, we are very very worried... Now, it is hundreds of people are being killed daily."We are worried what will be happening next week, next month, and Turkey is directly concerned." He said Turkey was currently providing refuge for some 12,000 Syrians who had fled their homeland, but the people in direst need were those left behind. "All the international community should work together to help Syrian people, especially those who are not able to come to Turkey, or go to Jordan or other countries. "But especially those who cannot even go from one street to another street in Homs. You have pictures of children running from one house to another house while under artillery attack." Asked under what circumstances Turkish troops could be ordered onto Syrian soil, Davutoglu said that point had not been reached and military intervention in Syria was a matter for countries of the region and the international community."Now it is still time for diplomatic efforts, and we are using all diplomatic means," he said. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara could consider enforcing a buffer zone or no-fly zone in Syria, if there was a huge influx of refugees that threatened to destabilize the neighbor's long border and put Turkey's own security at risk, or if Assad's forces carried out massacres in cities. https://twitter.com/#!/Thanku4theAnger Breaking: AJA: LCC: 117 martyrs today including 21 children & 6 women. The majority of the martyrs are in Homs2:52 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/08/u-s-humanitarian-aid-to-syria-not-likely-soon/ U.S.: Humanitarian aid to Syria not likely soonBy Jamie Crawford As the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continues its relentless assault on the city of Homs, the United States says it is still too soon to determine how a humanitarian aid package could be effectively delivered to those who need it. "We're not prepared to speak about what the delivery options might be," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday at a daily briefing with reporters. "We have quite a bit of work to do with other governments, so I'm not going to speculate." One such option would be a "Friends of Syria" contact group of U.S. allies and partners who support a free and democratic Syria, Nuland said. The group would support the Arab League plan on Syria that served as the basis for the failed U.N. resolution. A meeting "may be held in the near future," White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a White House briefing on Wednesday. For now, the United States is pursuing a "political solution" while considering humanitarian assistance. While the United States is not ruling out providing humanitarian aid unilaterally, "we're working with our partners," Carney said. But before any discussion begins on what kind of aid may be extended, the United States is consulting with individual countries about what such a group could do, who would join, who would be eligible for aid, and even where the group would meet. "We on the U.S. side have already been looking at what we can do to prepare ourselves on both the financial and legal side(s) so that we're ready to provide humanitarian aid, such as food and medicine," Nuland said. "But we're going to have to work with our international partners, we're going to have to work with neighboring states to identify coordinators on the ground who could assist in receiving this aid and in distributing it." This should have been looked into months ago. https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK RT @rimamaktabi: UN Ban Ki Moon: "details are being worked about a possible joint UN/Arab League observer mission to Syria". 6:16 PM I DON'T UNDERSTAND- WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO OBSERVE??!! 6:16 PM We don't need a mission that OBSERVES us dying, we need a mission that STOPS the MURDER. 6:18 PM Are you dense?? Don't you realize that these pointless "observer missions" just give him more time to MASSACRE??! 6:19 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=5f735413-c374-512d-e806-6ef13e8e2c95 STATEMENT BY SENATORS McCAIN, LIEBERMAN AND GRAHAM ON SYRIA “The conflict in Syria is entering a critical new phase. Assad’s slaughter of people in Syria, including dozens more killed today, is only increasing and growing more ruthless. In Libya, the threat of imminent atrocities in Benghazi mobilized the world to act. Such atrocities are now a reality in Homs and other cities all across Syria. More than 6,000 lives have been lost, and there is no end in sight......“The bloodshed must be stopped, and we should rule out no option that could help to save lives. We must consider, among other actions, providing opposition groups inside Syria, both political and military, with better means to organize their activities, to care for the wounded and find safe haven, to communicate securely, to defend themselves, and to fight back against Assad’s forces. Regardless of what actions we take, they will be more effective if they are coordinated with our friends and allies in the European Union, Turkey, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. _xXvnFN3mWo https://twitter.com/#!/blakehounshell Interesting point by @PJCrowley: "Russia will hold its current posture [on Syria] through its elections in early March."8:39 PM https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK Idlib: FSA launch operation in Corniche in response to daily sniping of civilians by Syria army & completely destroyed 2 BRDM vehicles8:41 PM https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace The attack on Baba Amr begins http://bambuser.com/v/2353306 live feed the old one finished, this one is live now: http://bambuser.com/v/2353349 https://twitter.com/#!/AC360 The BBC's Paul Wood was able to get into Homs. He tells AC360 about the horrific reality he witnessed in Syria. Tune in now.10:17 PM Paul Wood says civilians in Syria are burying their dead family and friends at night because daytime is too dangerous. 10:19 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/MagdyBasha123 Ruling out foreign intervention from the beginning is the reason for Assad emboldened assault on the Syrian people10:08 PM Anyone who has lived in Syria knows that Assad regime in not capable of reform and would never leave peacefully10:12 PM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets Food needs to be sent. Medicine, milk for children. Syria'n regime forces are emtying supermarkets. It's a disaster over there!10:47 PM The world moved for Haiti, the world moved for Africa. Aid is sent to them immediatly w/o delays. What is the world waiting for? 10:53 PM Is there no humanity left?, is there no one with a soul?. THE WORLD HAS TO MOVE w/o any delays and excuses! 10:56 PM People who are hding in their homes aren't safe, if no shelling kills them. Syria'n regime troops break in & kills them! 10:41 PM Families who try to flee Homs are captured and killed. There is no where to run, there is no where to hide! 10:42 PM A rocket goes into a house and causes severe damage to everything, the rubble alone causes death. Snipers outside targetting! 10:56 PM https://twitter.com/#!/abuhatem "We don't want to provide arms or military support, we want to provide political support" -White House Ben Rhodes http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7398009n 10:29 PM https://twitter.com/#!/AC360 Paul Wood just left Homs. He describes the constant attacks on civilians and the despair. Watch: http://on.cnn.com/yg3pDp11:43 PM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed [LIVE] It is 6:20am in Syria, some gunshots can be heard in the livestream from Bab Amr, Homs http://bambuser.com/v/235334911:20 PM [LIVE] Unlike the past few days, it seems like a quiet morning in Bab Amr, Homs today http://bambuser.com/v/2353349 11:42 PM I wonder what the regime is up to.... https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: The shelling on Homs is going to start soon according to @OmarShakir91 who is living in BabAmr neighborhood.11:49 PM I heard an explosion or two, but it's much quieter today. The feed seems harder to hear as well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Video reportedly shows the aftermath of shelling in Bab Amr, Homs, this morning 12:40 AM 0N3TmC2m-mE https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed [LIVE] Rocket hit very close! Smoke is covering the screen! 12:48 AM [LIVE FEED from BAB AMR, HOMS] Another rocket hits very close! This is very scary! http://bambuser.com/v/2353349 12:49 AM Must sleep now but you should keep watching the live feed from Bab Amr. Homs is still under attack. Stay safe, everyone 1:20 AM https://twitter.com/#!/NMSyria SKYPE WITH @OmarShakir91 CONFIRMED 20 INJURED & 5 KILLED (AMONG THEM 2 WOMEN) IN ATTACK SEEN ON LIVE BROADCAST1:23 AM @OmarShakir91 has reported that the count of martyrs at the field hospital in BabAmr is currently at 29. Please pray for them & family 1:25 AM URGENT: THIS IS A VIDEO OF THE AFTERMATH OF ROCKET THAT FELL WHILE LIVE BROADCAST WAS ON. PLEASE RT 1:32 AM QsPzqY3Wttw Wow! Just heard a tremendous boom in the background of the livefeed. And a couple moderately loud blasts a minute or two later. http://bambuser.com/v/2353349 https://twitter.com/#!/AmalHanano I have a doctor in Baba Amr who wants to speak to media on latest explosions that left 29 ppl dead Syria Homs Please spread 1:44 AM http://www.aljazeera.com/video/middleeast/2012/02/20122815151286888.html Syrians say Lebanon blocking escape Activists says arrests by neighbouring state's army deterring more injury victims from crossing border for treatment. ---------- Post added February-9th-2012 at 02:14 AM ---------- http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Feb-09/162713-sleiman-defends-army-as-march-14-raps-raids.ashx#axzz1lrkYhJmC [Lebanese President Michel Sleiman] Sleiman praised “the Army’s role in maintaining civil peace, protecting the citizens and their stability in the first place and preventing the repercussions of what is happening around us on the Lebanese interior by staying away from political polarization,” according to a statement released by the president’s office.He urged the Lebanese to continue rallying around the Army by granting it their “full confidence in its national unity in order to prevent the reverberations of the Syrian crisis from affecting Lebanon, namely in bordering areas, so as to keep the country in political, security and economic stability.” Sleiman’s remarks came amid media reports that the Army would pursue the raids it started last week in towns and villages bordering Syria in search of armed groups suspected of smuggling weapons to the Syrian opposition through illegal border crossings.However, the Army’s operation has evoked criticism from former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s parliamentary Future bloc and its March 14 allies, who demanded that the military be deployed right on the Lebanese-Syrian border to protect Lebanese citizens against Syrian incursions, rather than inside villages. Referring to the Army’s raids on the northern border, the Future bloc said in a statement Tuesday that they “seem to be targeting [border] villages rather than protecting them.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque Just interviewed doctor in a field clinic in Bab Amro. Could barely hear a word over the sound of explosions.3:58 AM Last explosion knocked out the connection with the doctor in Bab Amro. I'm hoping he's ok. Sounded very close. 3:59 AM The doctor expected Bab Amro to be completely overrun with Assad forces within hours. Thinking of handing themselves in. 4:01 AM http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16166221 check out the video report by Alex Crawford (of Libya reporting fame) in Idlib Syria with the Free Syrian Army. https://twitter.com/#!/javierespinosa2 syrian army helicpters shell baba al amr in Homs activists said Syria4:38 AM Oh crap...not good if true. https://twitter.com/#!/oh_bergine I have confirmations that Assad troops R looting empty houses in Inshaat in Homs as well as using tanks to crash cars 4:42 AM Helicopters are used and tanks. No ground troops because they'd face resistance. 4:43 AM https://twitter.com/#!/CBSNews BREAKING: Activists tell AlJazeera Syria military helicopters bombing Homs, which has been pounded by artillery for 6 days4:35 AM https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque **** you and your "peace plan" Russia. **** you from the bottom of my heart. And **** you again.4:48 AM http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16165798 Fears Of 'All-Out Ground Assault' In Homs (this was from about five hours ago or so) ---------- Post added February-9th-2012 at 05:06 AM ---------- https://twitter.com/#!/IvanCNN Homs doctor tells @SalmaCNN received 40 bodies & 100 wounded this AM. Has no antibiotics, only gauze, sutures, bandages... 4:55 AM Homs Dr Ali Hazoury: everybody's sitting in homes waiting for their turn for rocket to hit them & us to find them dead under rubble" 4:57 AM Homs Dr. Ali Hazoury:"we are praying that international community provides a humanitarian corridor for evacuation of civilians" 4:58 AM https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace He is finishing Baba Amr. They won't forgive you. I won't forgive you. I am speechless. They are in tears. Where is everyone.5:01 AM I want to dig a hole and hide. The videos coming are like a horror movie. Where is everyone I beg you :'( 5:09 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/09/world/meast/syria-homs-scene/index.html The bodies begin coming in before the sun had risen to the sky. Some arrive with heads decapitated or their torsos split open like animals after slaughter. Or their limbs are mangled under the crush of rubble.Ali Hazoury trained to be a doctor, to save lives. What can he do for the dead? He looks instead to help the 100 or so people who trickle into his makeshift clinic in the flashpoint Baba Amr area of the city of Homs. But the most he can do is wrap their wounds. "All I have is gauze, bandages, old stitches and few antiseptic wipes," Hazoury tells CNN Thursday morning. He has no surgical equipment, nothing that he can use to fix broken people. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent tried to reach Baba Amr the other day and bring in badly needed medical aid, but Hazoury says their vehicle was attacked. They were forced to turn around, leaving behind a neighborhood of people upon whom the Syrian regime's wrath has been focused in recent days. At least 105 people have already been killed in Syria on Thursday, according to the Local Coordination Committees, a network of Syrian opposition activists. Many of the dead are in Baba Amr. By Hazoury's assessment, the bombardment has damaged 60 percent of the homes in besieged Baba Amr. But people do not have an escape route."There is now way to flee Bab Amr because all surrounding suburbs are also under attack and anything that moves is shot at," Hazoury says. "We are hoping and praying the international community will set up a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians and injured to flee the fighting." Is this what civil war is like? Will it ever stop? It is a war in which people cannot even bury their dead, Hazoury says. They are wrapped in stark sheets and stack up in places like his clinic. In the darkness of night, they are buried in people's gardens, to keep infection at bay. It's not really much of a civil war right now. I mean the opposition is barely fighting back at the moment. (other than some sporadic ambushes every so often) In Homs they aren't really doing anything other than hiding and dying as far as I can tell. http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria 55 min 5 sec agoA Syrian man was seriously injured on Thursday when he stepped on a land mine as he tried to enter Lebanon through an illegal border crossing, officials said. The 26-year-old had one leg blown off, and was being treated at a hospital in the northern Lebanese region of Akkar, according to the officials. "He was crossing between the Syrian village of Musheyrfeh and Wadi Khaled in Lebanon," one security official told AFP, requesting anonymity. Rami Khazaal, the mayor of the village of Mqaybleh, in Wadi Khaled, said Syrian troops had planted mines in the area shortly before the incident. Syria has planted mines along its border with northern Lebanon, saying it seeks to prevent weapons smuggling. https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque LCC: 126 killed in Syria today, 107 of whom died in Homs.10:14 AM Hmmm. I guess they are fighting back in some places. https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: Lot's of injuries reported in Idlim [idlib?]. Syria'n regime forces are shelling & there are raging battles as FSA fights.11:00 AM BREAKING: 100's are gathered front of the Syria'n embassy in Amman JO. 11:02 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/Skytwitius Just interviewed William Hague re Syria. He says UK will put 'maximum pressure' on Syria 'diplomatic and economic stranglehold'12:41 PM In Sky News interview William Hague rules out military intervention in Syria AND rules out arming rebels. 12:41 PM Hague says Assad should step down 'this minute never mind today, he has so much blood on his hands, he can never regain credibility'. 12:42 PM I asked-how does this help Homs? He was honest enuff to say it doesnt but conflict will go on for long time and UK will work with oppostion. 12:44 PM https://twitter.com/#!/RulaAmin LCC says 137 people were killed in Syria today ,110 of them in Homs alone12:56 PM https://twitter.com/#!/Samsomhoms I'm tweeting now from Homs city, Mobiles have just back where #Assad's regime cut them off since sunday shelling's still taking place12:52 PM https://twitter.com/#!/Mou2amara Unless the joint Arab/UN monitors carry weapons & their mission is to take out Assad I'm not really behind it.1:01 PM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Danny RT @anasqtiesh: Report on shelling damage and civilian casualties in Baba Amr, Homs, Syria[/size]1:05 PM Te82QDjbCBA Protest in Midan yesterday (Damascus suburb) https://twitter.com/#!/ChangeInLibya Football legend Messi promises to handle treatment expenses for 1000 Syria ns injured in Bashar's massacres (Arabic) http://www.mbc.net/ar/sports/articles/%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%A3%D9%84%D9%81-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7.html#.TzQBrWum1nt.twitter1:06 PM I wish more celebrities and people with money would stepup. (I wouldn't mind if a few put a price on Assad's head too.) http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria 1 hour 7 min agoLibya is expelling Syria's top envoy and his staff from the country to protest Damascus' crackdown on dissent. Libyan Foreign Ministry spokesman Saad Elshlmani says the Syrian charge d'affaires and the embassy staff on Thursday were given 72 hours to leave the country. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the "Libyan people, who triumphed in their revolution over tyranny and dictatorship, can only stand by the oppressed people ... who are fighting for their freedom.''[AP] https://twitter.com/#!/lindseyhilsum Tonight I'm reporting from Beirut on more shelling in homs, and a doomed FSA attack on a Syrian army checkpoint. @Channel4News1:11 PM https://twitter.com/#!/farGar hey, West: the people of Homs cant hear your nice words when they're being bombed to pieces. Sincerely Syria1:23 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/09/us-syria-idUSTRE80S08620120209 West offers words, only, as Syria killing ragesSyrian government artillery barrages killed dozens of civilians in Homs on Thursday, activists said, as President Bashar al-Assad, bolstered by Russian support, ignored appeals from world leaders to halt the carnage. The United Nations secretary-general condemned the "appalling brutality" of the operation to stamp out the revolt against Assad, and Turkey's ambassador to the European Union warned of a slide into civil war that could inflame the region. Diplomats from Western and Arab powers, lining up meetings that could mean some decisions soon, condemned Assad in strong language. But having ruled out military intervention, they were struggling to find a way to convince him to step down. Syria's powerful ally Russia, meanwhile, said no one should interfere in the country's affairs. In Homs, witnesses said makeshift hospitals were overflowing in besieged opposition areas with the dead and wounded from nearly a week of government bombardments and sniper fire. Medical supplies and food were running out and, in the streets, some of the wounded had bled to death as it was too dangerous for rescuers to bring them to safety. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/09/syria-uprising-homs-residents-plight?CMP=twt_gu Martin Chulov near HomsThe Free Syria Army has held this territory of orchards and farmland since September, during which time loyalist forces have never been closer, nor seemed more menacing. As rockets regularly thundered on Thursday into towns that residents could neither defend nor leave, the three months of freedom they had savoured now seemed illusory. There is little left in the town in which the Guardian was based on Thursday, or in the equally deprived and forsaken villages that dot the hinterland near Homs. Electricity here was switched off two months ago, the phone lines were downed last week. And on Wednesday, contact by road was cut with Homs, Syria's besieged third city, whose fate is seen as a dire warning of what lies ahead for the rest of the area. Homs was on Thursday a very difficult place from which to flee. Only three seriously wounded residents are known to have made it out of the devastated opposition held sectors of the city into the relative safety of nearby Lebanon. Two of the wounded are unlikely to survive. The rest face a desperate plight, barricaded in concrete homes that are crumbling in the face of the relentless onslaught now spreading to nearby farmland and villages. Some residents of this town say a small number of families from the heaviest hit areas of Homs, Baba Amr and al-Khalidiyeh, have managed to hole up in other areas of the city. However they can no longer speak to those left behind, who they now fear face a gruesome fate.... https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque Syrians in Jordan have just told us that Libyans receiving treatment there have sent the government aid they got to Homs.1:53 PM https://twitter.com/#!/ahmed Video reportedly shows a big rally in Karnaz, Hama, in solidarity with the people of Homs 12:20 PM Video reportedly shows shelling on Zabadani today 1:50 PM Video reportedly shows shelling in Bab Amr today, cameraman seems very close 2:00 PM Video reportedly shows anti-regime protest in Sayeda Zainab today 2:08 PM LBfw7o86SAc vltNZg0izVc 80Pv1A7X6Z8 vrNxGbf7kbQ There's more graphic videos on his page as well of some of the people killed and wounded. https://twitter.com/#!/abuhatem Arab world 2012: Tomorrow the Friday in Syria is not anti-Israel Friday or anti-USA Friday- it's the Syrian people protesting against Russia1:59 PM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: URGENT: BabAmro Homs is under heavy shelling again.2:24 PM https://twitter.com/#!/ZeinakhodrAljaz Turkey envoy EU :sanctions may have little impact in short term; little chance of toppling Assad govt &likely to increase popular support2:28 PM https://twitter.com/#!/Thanku4theAnger Breaking: AJA: LCC: 755 killed in Syria by Bashar forces since last Friday including more than 100 women & children ... RIP2:33 PM EDIT: 4:16 pm EST from Skynews reporter Stuart Ramsey https://twitter.com/#!/ramsaysky from homs to the leb border people making preps to die3:55 PM huge military offensive expected families saying goodbye to loved ones, thanks for trying - this is our last day time and again people stopped me in street 3:58 PM i predict a further massacre 4:03 PM https://twitter.com/#!/SeekerSK "Alawite group from Homs issued a statement accusing Assad regime of committing massacres in city of Homs." via http://bit.ly/y5VoBW3:42 PM "This comes after regime escalated its violence level by executing entire families in the Sabil neighbourhood." http://bit.ly/y5VoBW 3:42 PM "While three families were trying to escape their houses during the shelling, Assad’s militiamen detained them and slaughtered them with knives in front of their houses." 3:43 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150545674871938 A note from Ambassador Ford on recent events in Syria.by U.S. Embassy Damascus on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 8:52pm Satellite image taken February 6, 2012 First, like people around the world, my colleagues and friends are watching the video coming out of Homs and some of the other Syrian cities in the last days with horror and revulsion. I hear the devastating stories about newborns in Homs dying in hospitals where electricity has been cut and when we see disturbing photos offering proof that the regime is using mortars and artillery against residential neighborhoods, all of us become even more concerned about the tragic outcome for Syrian civilians. The Arab League protocol, which received wide support from the international community, called for the Syrian military to withdraw from residential areas, to stop firing at peaceful protests and to release prisoners arrested due to the unrest. The film coming out of Homs and elsewhere in Syria shows the Syrian government's real response. And we have never heard of the armed opposition firing artillery for example. It is odd to me that anyone would try to equate the actions of the Syrian army and armed opposition groups since the Syrian government consistently initiates the attacks on civilian areas, and it is using its heaviest weapons. As the United States’ Ambassador to Syria—a position that the Secretary of State and President are keeping me in —I will work with colleagues in Washington to support a peaceful transition for the Syrian people.We and our international partners hope to see a transition that reaches out and includes all of Syria's communities and that gives all Syrians hope for a better future. My year in Syria tells me such a transition is possible, but not when one side constantly initiates attacks against people taking shelter in their homes. https://twitter.com/#!/SajaR26 it's funny how the same people who supported Gaddafi are now supporting Assad & are not even Libyans or Syrians ! Allah yal3enkom ya klab11:31 PM http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/02/10/exp-jk-syria-wall-segment.cnn More than 130 Killed in Syria TodayJohn King USA|Added on February 9, 2012 John King at the Magic Wall shows you what it looks like on the ground in Syria as President Bashar al-Assad cracks down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7UKm2mGLLY&feature=youtu.be D7UKm2mGLLY In Syria, dictator Bashar al-Assad's forces have surrounded the city of Homs - the center of the 11-month rebellion. Clarissa Ward reports from inside Syria where life has become a cycle of funerals and gun battles. By the way France 24 has had some pretty good coverage on Syria lately also. They had a really lengthy look at Syria and the FSA with some live correspondants in Syria earlier in the evening. (for me they're on channel 453) BBC has had some excellent online coverage from Homs http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16976889 President Barack Obama has described the Syrian army's mortar and rocket attacks in the city of Homs, as "outrageous bloodshed".Meanwhile, the US State Department said that efforts were continuing to put together a "friends of Syria" group of countries. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman has been dispatched to Morocco, France and Bahrain to discuss the group's membership and its mandate, AP reports. Germany has meanwhile welcomed the possibility of the return of the Arab League mission to the country. Restarting the Arab League mission in partnership with the UN "would serve peace and balance," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said, according to AFP. The mission "would be a clear signal by the international community to the Assad regime," as would the appointment of a UN special representative, he added. Kind of odd, since the Arab League were the ones who stopped the mission in the first place because they thought it wasn't helping that much and because a lot of them were treating it as a vacation. Also Assad has said he wants the monitors to return.... I don't think he's particularly worried about the observers getting in his way. map of homs: Sky News has been doing some good reporting in Syria too. It seems like a lot of the reporters have left Homs now though. I kind of worry about what that might mean for the area... https://twitter.com/#!/MatogSaleh Just got out of Syria . What a trip it was this time!!12:33 PM The people of Syria are going through so much and everyone can see it yet no one is doing anything. 12:56 AM We could hear the shelling in #homs going on for days. People getting shot at for driving on a road 12:57 AM It was so hard seeing the people just sitting there feeling so hopeless,just waiting for the army to come in to their houses and ... 1:00 AM Beautiful girl in Syria. What have these people done to deserve what is happening ? 1:37 AM This is all the people can do to help !! Giving blood to help the injured 1:39 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/10/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 Tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets Friday to protest Russia and its recent veto of a United Nations resolution that would have condemned a brutal crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad.The "Russia Is Killing Our Children" protest, organized by anti-government opposition groups, follows reports that troops in tanks stormed a suburb of the besieged city of Homs. Syria's third-largest city has become a flashpoint in the nearly yearlong uprising. As anti-government protests escalate, Russia, a Soviet-era ally of the al-Assad regime, said it appears there is evidence of a foreign military presence in Syria. "According to the latest reports that are now being verified, a foreign special task force has been deployed in Syria. In case these reports are proved to be true, the scenarios will be absolutely the same as it was in Libya," Alexei Puskhov, chairman of Russia's lower house of parliament, told journalists, according to the state-run Itar-Tass news agency. "They are supporting the opposition and supplying it with arms, they propose an unbalanced resolution laying rigid conditions to Syria's ruling regime, while laying practically no demands to the opposition." The accusation comes the same day Syrian state media accused terrorists of two explosions Friday that rocked Aleppo, a city considered one of al-Assad's seats of power. At least 25 people were killed and 175 wounded in the blasts, according to Syrian TV. LOL, the only foreign military presence that I've heard of so far in Syria are Libyans who went there to fight alongside the Syrians. A few have died in Syria. If the Russians want to talk about supplying killers with military weapons though.... https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace An eyewitness in Khaldiyeh has said a missile falls every ~5 minutes. Attack began at 7am Syria time this morning. On Bayada too.4:53 AM Insha'at update from an eyewitness there: for the 3rd time homes are being stormed and searched fully, both homes .. (1) 4:56 AM Insha'at update: tanks remain in the roads with new enforcements today, sniper shots stop us leaving and gunfire also heard (3) 4:57 AM Madaya and Zabadani are surrounded from all sides and still being pounded. Civilians besieged for over 3 days now. 4:59 AM Inkhel: storming of homes with some destroyed during raid and mass arrests of youth, targeting only youth. 4:59 AM AMAZING eyewitness: "despite the missiles falling on Albayada we are out in protest. Shelling can be heard around us" Homs Syria 5:53 AM FSA Riyad Al-Assad on France24 denies any FSA involvement. So congrats to those who got excited. We don't kill civilians. Aleppo 7:19 AM https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF State TV presenter forgets the script and accidentally says soldiers carried out the attack in Aleppo: LOLOL5:43 AM Riad Al-Assad speaking live on AJA. 7:42 AM Riad Al-Assad: The explosion happened after we withdrew. An attempt by the regime to cover up the attack that embarrassed the regime. 7:43 AM Riad Al-Assad: We attacked the security forces that suppressed protests in Aleppo. The explosion happened around an hour after we left. 7:44 AM https://twitter.com/#!/libyanproud if someone can get a boat to Tripoli, we can donate our guns for Syria !4:34 AM @BSyria I'm serious people will give their weapons for syrians, someone need to take care of transport 4:59 AM Feb17 should be celebrated with Libyans donating their guns/ammo/food/medicine to Syria ! 5:05 AM Tunisians and Egyptians donated food and shelter to Libyans at a time when their countries were recovering. Libyans MUST give to Syria 5:07 AM Picture: Syria solidarity protests NOW in Tajura district of Tripoli Libya http://twitpic.com/8i0bk4 8:29 AM Tajura Tripoli is officially pissed off at Bashar ! http://twitpic.com/8i0kom 8:50 AM Residents of Ghiryan have successfully delivered 22 Satellite phones to Syria via @ashour_said 8:51 AM https://twitter.com/#!/AlexanderPageSY BREAKING: regime forces storm the Qaboun area of Damascus now 8:42 AM BREAKING: anti gov demo just kicked off in the Midan area again in central Damascus significance as the area is sealed off with SF 8:25 AM Qamishly: Sec forces/shabiha fire live ammunition at protesters & run them over w/ cars while other sec forces burn/vandalize stores in west 9:29 AM I love Idlib. They have some of the greatest signs and songs. Syria 9:35 AM 0SE2ZB29hXU https://twitter.com/#!/javierespinosa2 Syrian officials suspected of committing crimes against humanity should face prosecution in the ICC, the UN human rights office said8:52 AM ---------- Post added February-10th-2012 at 10:14 AM ---------- http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5E8DA0E920120210?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0 Activists in Homs said shelling resumed sporadically in the morning, adding that tank reinforcements sent in the past two days raised the possibility of a major push to storm residential areas, where hundreds of thousands live.Activist Mohammad Hassan said a brief respite in the shelling had allowed him to leave his basement and survey the extent of the damage. "There isn't one street without two buildings or more that are badly damaged from the shelling," he said by satellite phone. "We are hearing from the rebels that a big attack could occur as early as Saturday," he added. He said artillery barrages had been directed at Baba Amro, Inshaat, Khalidiya and other districts of the city where rebels have been lying low while mounting hit-and-run guerrilla attacks on the rear of Assad's troops. "Four tanks or armoured vehicles were destroyed today on the edge of Baba Amro and some bread and medical supplies were delivered there for the first time in days by activists who crossed from Brazil Street," Hassan said. Walid Abdallah, another activist in the city, said Alawite militiamen were playing a crucial support role for the attacking troops. "Districts such as al-Waer on the edge of the city have mostly been spared the shelling but it is now unsafe because the 'shabbiha' [loyalist militia] have begun raiding daily," he said. Not sure it's a good idea to mention their supply route in public. I expect Brazil street may get some shelling soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque On Tuesday Russia said Assad promised to end all violence. Today it says the opposition is responsible for ending the violence.10:04 AM This sudden shift in responsibility is confirming to Syrians Lavrov's visit to Syria was to offer Assad help in crushing the opposition. 10:06 AM https://twitter.com/#!/AlexanderPageSY BREAKING: full bombardment of the mountainous areas of Zabadani taking place right now 9:49 AM all communications and electricity are out in the mountainous areas around Zabadani and a full force attack taking place now 10:10 AM regime forces have gained control of Madaya and are now shelling into Zabadani 10:13 AM BREAKING: bodies scattered out in the streets of Madaya as a result of a full force bombardment by regime forces 10:14 AM so far recorded numbers of 69 people killed across Syria today 10:38 AM https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusTweets BREAKING: URGENT: There is a massacre taking place right now at Zabadani area of Damascus. Situation is horrible, heavy shelling. 10:14 AM BREAKING: Civialn corpses in the streets of Madaya near Zabadani & regime forces storm the whole area with tanks. 10:16 AM BREAKING: Shelling is taking place right now on Bayada & Khaldya areas of Homs from Syria'n regime forces. 10:19 AM BREAKING: More then 40 Injured in Mezzeh area of Damascus after Syria'n regime forces chased after people w/ live ammunition ~ Aljazeera. 10:21 AM BREAKING: In Aleppo more then 70 injured after thugs and Syria'n regime forces opened fire on a protest in Margeh neighborhood. 10:34 AM BREAKING: Syria'n regime forces are invading Bostan area of Homs right now which is going through a horrible humanitarian situation too. 10:36 AM Pretty telling that so much is happening in Aleppo now, which is the second biggest city and the business community and is supposed to be silently supporting the regime. https://twitter.com/#!/AmalHanano Right now in Aleppo: 15 protests in the city and 53 in the surrounding countryside.10:19 AM Syria tweeps: Please tweet about Zabadani. We need media focus on Zabadani while it still exists. 10:27 AM Tanks shelling Bab Amr rfZIrUM40BM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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