ISIL Kills Armed Group’s Ringleader in Northwestern Syria

Source : FARS News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists assassinated the ringleader of a rival militant group, Jund Al-Sham in Reef (countryside of) Idlib in Northwestern Syria.The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) killed Abu Suleiman, commander of the Jund Al-Sham rebel group. Abdul Samad Issa nicknamed Abu Suleiman Al-Hamavi was a ringleader of armed groups in Aleppo and Idlib cities.Abu Suleiman was stationed in the town of Harem in Reef Idlib, where armed rebels massacred civilians for supporting President Bashar Al-Assad’s government.In a similar incident, the Al-Qaeda-linked ISIL terrorists killed the commander of another armed group affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the countryside of Aleppo in Northwestern Syria on Sunday.Hesam Al-Basha, ringleader of the Martyrs of Idlib Battalion was killed in Ma’ar Tamsarin town by ISIL and transferred to Hazano, an important ISIL camp in Idlib countryside.Last week, the Al-Qaeda terrorists executed members of two rival armed rebel groups, including a ringleader, in the town of Haritan in countryside of Aleppo.The Al-Nusra Front executed commander of the so-called Namr Battalion Abu Al-Khabar, his son called Senan, and four members of another armed rebel group, Andan Brigades, in Haritan.After more than two years of fighting side-by-side and leading one of the bloodiest conflicts in the recent history of Middle-East, FSA and al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been making some moves against each other following reports of West’s alleged concerns over sending more arms to Syria and possibility of them falling into the hands of the terrorists.Militants in Syria have been committing numerous war crimes against people and Syrian army soldiers throughout the country during their bloody war.The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when sporadic pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states.The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists.Washington has remained indifferent to warnings by Russia and other world powers about the consequences of arming militant groups.

Mother Agnes Warned against Systematic Expulsion of Christians from Syria

Source : syriatimes.sy

Team Leader of  the Catholic Information Center Mother Agnes Mary al-Saleeb stressed  that  nuns of  Mar Takla monastery who were abducted by armed terrorist gangs from  Maloula are kidnapped , rather than being  held. In  a radio interview yesterday , mother Agnes said that , "The  broadcast video, which had shown the nuns   constituted in  itself a media scandal, adding that there is always a tendentious TV channels that stand beside  such operations." She added:  "This is against the profession  and human rights.  I am surprised  that no one  raised the voice to ask a media as such  to refrain from inciting crime and kidnapping," noting that the nuns were forced to speak in this way and  that the biggest proof on  that they are forced is the  disappearance of the Cross from  their chests . " Mother Agnes indicated that there is a systematic  expulsion of  Christians in Syria from their own country and hometown,  because there are villages that were not taking a position concerning  the war of aggression against Syria and were  invaded,  revealing that the issue  has become global and there is a systematic program and a will hidden by a global  external cover to erase the traces of ancient civilizations in the region for  evil motives.. One  armed terrorist group attacked earlier this month the monastery of Mar Takla  in Maloula of Rural Damascus and detained the head of the monastery Lagia Sayyaf and several  nuns who work in the convent and its affiliated orphanage,   and  carried out acts of killing and destruction in the city. The Vatican Pope Francis made an appeal for the release of the nuns and all the people who were kidnapped in Syria.

Syrian Army Kills Saudi Colonel, Eliminates Terrorists across Country

Source :

The Syrian Army continued to smash terrorist groups' dens and gatherings in intensified operations carried out across the country during which large number of terrorists were eliminated, including group's leaders and foreigners.In Damascus Countryside, an army unit destroyed an armed terrorist group's den that contained an amount of weapons and ammunition in Alieh farms in Douma area.A number of the terrorists, some of them are of Arab nationalities, were killed in the operation, including Sami Abdullah Ahmad from Somalia.Another army unit ambushed members of an armed terrorist group in the eastern mountains in al-Zabadani city, killing many of them.Units of the armed forces killed a number of terrorists, injured others in the village of al-Wadi in Rabi'a, in Lattakia countryside and destroyed terrorists' cars loaded with rockets, RPG launchers, machineguns.Another army unit killed 12 terrorists and injured others in the village of Zahiyeh.18 terrorists were eliminated, others were injured and a car loaded with launchers, 3 cars equipped with heavy machineguns were also destroyed in al-Aliya village.Units of the armed forces killed and injured a number of terrorists in the villages of Tirtiyah and Eyen al-Samour.46 terrorists, among them a Saudi connection colonel named Abu Daifallah al-Saudi and a French and two British terrorists, were killed.A military source said that all members of armed terrorist groups who were looting and attacking the citizens in al-Dbait street, the vegetables souk in al-Ashrafiyeh neighborhood, Salah-Eddin and Bustan al-Kasser neighborhoods and the old city of Aleppo, were eliminated and injured.An army unit confronted an armed terrorist groups' attempt to attack al-Kindi Hospital and foiled terrorists' attempts to detonate two cars bomb in the area surrounding the hospital, killing and injuring scores of them. 

Free Syrian Army militant General Salim Idris to joining army to fight al-Qaeda

Source : Ahlul Bayt News Agency

Syrian ringleader of the anti-government militants General Salim Idris has declared that he is prepared to join government troops in the future to drive out al-Qaeda-linked extremists.The commander of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) warned that in particular ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham), with thousands of foreign terrorists in its ranks, was “very dangerous for the future of Syria” and needs to be confronted before it becomes even more powerful.Speaking in Istanbul, General Idris, a former officer in Syria's army, said he and his associates were dropping the precondition that President Bashar al-Assad must leave power before the Geneva meeting takes place. Instead they would be satisfied if his departure were to take place “at the end of the negotiation process” when General Idris will join forces with the remainder of the government to mount an offensive against the terrorists.Western security agencies now believe that Syria poses the most potent threat of terrorism in Europe and the US from where hundreds of extremists have gone to join the terrorism. Britain’s intelligence agency (MI5) and Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorist branch recently tackled the first case of men sent from there specifically to carry out attacks in London.One senior Western intelligence official stressed that the Syrian government’s forces must be preserved for the battles ahead against the terrorists and the need to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq and Libya, where the army and police were disbanded with the fall of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, allowing terrorist groups to rise in a security vacuum.The official held that talks between the Syrian government and militants set to take place in Geneva in January could be the beginning of the formation of an anti-al-Qaeda front in Syria, along with a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.The opposition would like to see evidence of good faith from the government, which would include allowing supplies to get through to communities trapped by the fighting.General Idris complained his men were having to fight a war on two fronts: they have, he claimed, fought al-Qaeda at 24 different locations in the last six months while at the same time facing poundings from government’s warplanes and artillery.

Army Kills 22 Militants in Northern Syria

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army continued its mop-up operations in Reef (countryside of) Ariha in Northern Syria on Wednesday, and killed tens of militants.The army conducted operations in Ma’ar Belit town in the countryside of Ariha and killed 22 armed rebels. Ma’ar Belit is located on Idlib-Saqlin road.The Syrian army also pounded the positions of the militants in the Western parts of Idlib, and killed 22 armed rebels in the area.The government forces repelled another group of armed rebels in heavy clashes in reef Ariha and prevented them from taking position in Al-Fanar Restaurant in Al-Arbaeen mountainous region.The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when sporadic pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states.The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists.Washington has remained indifferent to warnings by Russia and other world powers about the consequences of arming militant groups.

European countries in contact with Damascus on Western fighters

English.news.cn (Xinhua) -- Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Tuesday that some European countries are in contact with Damascus regarding the growing number of Western radicals fighting alongside the rebels in the war-torn country.Declining to name the countries and the contact methods, al- Zoubi told pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV that these countries fear that the terrorism in Syria will have repercussion on their own region, given that many fighters in Syria are foreigners, including Europeans, who may return to their original countries even more radicalized.His remarks came after Bashar Ja'afari, Syria's ambassador to the UN, revealed on Tuesday that the Syrian troops had captured around 300 Saudi fighters.Earlier in the day, the local al-Watan daily said that the Syrian troops killed tens of Afghani fighters in the north.Yet, the Western countries fear the return of their nationals, who may have fought alongside the al-Qaida-linked groups.Some U.S. security officials recently warned that some American fighters in Syria may unleash terrorist attacks on the U.S. soil after they have come back."We know that American citizens as well as Canadian and European nationals have taken up arms in Syria, Yemen and in Somalia. The threat that these individuals could return home to carry out attacks is real and troubling," U.S. Senator Thomas Carper said recently.Some Western media reports placed the numbers of Western jihadists, who carry passports of theUnited States and Europe in Syria, at more than 1,000.

Jaafari: Saudi Releases Criminals from Jails, Sends Them to Syria

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=123815&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=20&s1=1

Syrian permanent envoy to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, accused the Saudi Arabia of releasing the criminals from its prisons in a bid to send them to Syria for the so-called “Jihad”.At a press statement after a Security Council session in New York, Jaafari said that Saudi intelligence knows all Saudis who traveled to fight in Syria. He added that a large number of them have been sentenced to death or to life imprisonment and they were released in return for going to "jihad" in Syria and kill the Syrians."The Saudi authorities release those criminals, the majority of them are affiliated to extremist, terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda, to send them to Syria through hidden agreements through which they are given amnesty in return for their travelling to Syria to kill the Syrians,” the Syrian envoy told reporters.He added that those terrorists enter Syria through borders with Jordan, Lebanon while the others come through Turkey with facilitations by the Turkish, Qatari intelligence."At the same time when the Security Council recognizes that Nusra Front is a terrorist organization and the other groups are terrorists, some international officials name them as opposition," Jaafari said.On the number of victims in Syria, the official news agency, SANA, quoted the Syrian envoy as saying: "We are regretful over the death of any Syrian citizen, wondering "Do you inform me about the number of soldiers and their average within the number of the victims, about the number of policemen, women or those who died because of the suicide explosions… the answer would be that we should take into consideration that all the victims are Syrians, and a lot of them were killed at the hands of the armed terrorist groups which are active in Syria by the instigation of external sides.

ISIL Kills All Members of Rival Armed Group in Reef Idlib

Source : FARS News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) killed all members of another militant group in Reef (countryside of) Idlib in Northwestern Syria on Monday.The heavy clashes erupted after ISIL came under the group’s attacks in Hazano in Reef Idlib.Last week, ISIL clashed with an armed rebel group in Saraqeb town in Reef Idlib and a large number of militants from both sides were killed in heavy fighting.The heavy clashes erupted in Reef Idlib after the ISIL kidnapped nine armed rebels and executed them.After more than two years of fighting side-by-side and leading one of the bloodiest conflicts in the recent history of the Middle-East, the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been making growing moves against each other to take charge in battle zones following West’s official announcements about its arms and logistic supports for anti-government forces in Syria.Analysts say West’s pressures for opening a way to send arms to militants in Syria and not the terrorists is actually differentiating the anti-Syria armed groups to “good terrorists” and “bad terrorists”.Militants in Syria have been committing numerous war crimes against people and Syrian army soldiers throughout the country during their bloody war.Earlier this year, sources said the number of antigovernment combat factions has reached 1750, including the FSA, ISIL, and other groups working for different agendas.However, the most prominent differences lie between the FSA and the ISIL, where media sources reported that the latter killed Abu Obeida Al-Binshi, one of the FSA commanders, the Islam Times reported."The assassination took place after the ISIL had taken a number of Malaysians, Syrians and Turks relief workers as hostage," the sources said."Following the abduction, a number of the FSA brigades moved in an attempt to release prisoners, which led to clashes between the two opposition groups, and left Abu Obeida Al-Binshi killed," they elaborated further.Earlier, a media source in the FSA described the ISIL as the movement which turned into a cruel rebel group."This organization kills all dissidents without exception, chasing and assassinating them in the areas of Ghouta and Damascus western countryside," the media source said.Such incidents were being repeated in Syria during the recent period, signaling a growing tension between the militant groups active under the FSA and the so-called 'Jihadi' groups, mainly composed of non-Syrian militants.For its part, the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory said that Al-Qaeda-affiliated ISIL had beheaded another battalion commander in the province of Idlib, Northwest Syria, in the wake of a battle erupted between the Syrian army and militants of other battalions in the town of Dana, in which dozens were killed.Recently, the city of Raqqa in Northern Syria has witnessed protests, sit-ins and demonstrations against the armed groups deployment as a result of arrests carried out.Moreover, the killing of a 14-year boy at the hands of "State of Iraq and Levant' mercenaries in front of his family in the city of Aleppo after being accused of blasphemy had also provoked widespread protests. 

Syrian Electronic Army Hacks TIME Magazine over Assad

Source : Ahlul Bayt News Agency

The SEA has tweeted from TIME’s official account, "Syrian Electronic Army was here via @Official_SEA16. Next time write a better word about the Syrian president #SEA."That tweet was soon deleted, RT reported.The group referred to TIME’s list of people – politicians and celebrities – selected as potential winners for "Person of the Year," the magazine’s annual award.The voting closes on December, 4, with TIME's Person of the Year to be announced on December 11.The SEA also claimed interfering with the vote on the US magazine’s webpage.TIME is not the first target of the hacktivist group. The SEA, a group of hackers sympathetic to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, also claimed responsibility for cyber-attacks on The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post and Thomson Reuters.In April, they also compromised the main Twitter account for the Associated Press. As a result of the online attack, the Associated Press falsely reported that US President Obama had been injured in a surprise attack on the White House, causing a brief panic online and even causing the stock market to fall by over 150 points.The SEA also defaced a US Marine Corps recruitment website on September 2, posting images of US soldiers holding messages of contempt regarding possible American involvement in Syria.Following that attack, the Federal Bureau of Investigation added the SEA to its list of wanted criminals.

ISIL Executed Six FSA Militants in Lattakia Countryside

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=121207&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=20&s1=1

Local EditorA number of terrorists who belong to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) executed six  Free Syria Army (FSA) militants in Lattakia countryside.ISIL had accused the FSA group of murdering four of the Islamic State terrorists.The opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory reported that an ISIL senior had also executed a member of the "Shari'a Committee" who was mediating to halt the clashes between ISIL and FSA militants.In al-Bab city of Aleppo countryside, ISIL also executed a Syrian youth after it accused him of apostasy and belonging to the Syrian army.ISIL takfiri militants operating in Syria’s northwestern city of Aleppo beheaded a fellow wounded militant after mistaking him for a Syrian army soldier. The militant circles refused ISIL acts and accused it of basing their execution decisions on doubts and commonplace disputes with the other militant groups.

Syrian army regains 2 towns in Homs

Source :  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-11/15/c_132892056.htm

(Xinhua) -- The Syrian troops on Friday regained two towns in the central province of Homs after intense battles with the armed rebels, according to the state-run SANA news agency.The troops recaptured the towns of Muhin and Hawariyen in the eastern countryside of Homs city, said SANA. It added that the armed groups there had suffered grave losses.Meanwhile, the Lebanese al-Manar TV said the army also recaptured the weapon depots in Muhin, a day after recapturing the Big Muhin mountain, which is only 3 km south of the town and 2 km west of 32 arms depots.The rebels tried to move out the weapons before losing the town but the army's shelling thwarted their attempts.Friday's progress is part of the recent victories the Syrian army and its affiliated militias, including the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, have made on many fronts in their battles with the armed groups.Earlier on Friday, state-run media reported the army's recapture of Tal Hasel town in the southeast of the northern province of Aleppo

Syrian Army Makes Major Advances in Mountainous Areas of Reef Idlib

Source : http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920820001250

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army made major advances in a strategic mountainous area in Reef (countryside of) Idlib in Northwestern Syria on Monday, inflicting heavy casualties on the armed rebels.The army units purged militants from the mountainous regions of Jabal Al-Arbaeen in Reef  Idlib, and killed more than 10 armed rebels and injured dozens more in heavy clashes, FNA dispatches said.The Syrian army’s artillery units, concurrent with operations in Jabal Al-Arbaeen, pounded the gathering centers of the armed rebels in Kafr Lateh and Marzaf towns and also shelled the roads linking Bazabour village to Zerjeh village.The army also repelled the armed rebels’ attack on Al-Qiyasat checkpoint in Al-Rami town in Reef Idlib. Tens of armed rebels were killed and dozens more injured during the heavy clashes over the Al-Qiyasat checkpoint.Earlier in the day, the Syrian army repelled armed rebels’ attack on a military base in Reef Idlib.The army units fiercely clashed and pushed back the armed rebels from Qaminas town in Reef Idlib before they could attack and capture the military base.Meantime, the armed rebels attacked a police headquarters and Carlton Hotel in Idlib city with improvised missiles.There were no reports on the possible number of casualties or damage to properties by the armed rebels’ attack on the Idlib city.Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and civilians being reported across the country.Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

Syrian Army Retakes 3 Towns near Damascus, Kills Many Rebels

Source : http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang

The government forces drove out militants from the towns of al-Sabeineh al-Kubra, al-Sabeineh al-Sughra and Ghazal on Thursday.Military sources say the three towns were among the most important positions for militants on Damascus’ outskirts, and militants in Southern capital have practically all their supply routes cut off now, Al-Alam reported.The operation took nine consecutive days, during which a large number of militants were killed.The takeover came weeks after the recapture of nearby Hussainiyeh, Ziabiyeh and Bweida areas.Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.The UN recently warned against the humanitarian situation in Syria, saying that over nine million people are in need of urgent aid due to the crisis in the Middle-Eastern country.

Syrian army pushes back after rebels take large arms depot

Source : http://en.trend.az/regions/met

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fought rebels in a small town 100 km (60 miles) north of Damascus on Thursday after video footage showed the opposition captured a huge weapons cache, Reuters reported.The looting of hundreds of weapons in the town of Mahin will aid rebels who are based there, halfway between the capital and Homs, two cities where the opposition has tried to take territory during the civil war.State television said on Wednesday evening that the army was engaging with "terrorists" in Mahin, its usual description for the rebels. An anti-Assad monitoring group said that four rebel fighters had been killed on Thursday.The group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said several brigades, including hard-line Islamists linked to al Qaeda, were taking part in the fighting.Opposition video footage from Tuesday showed rebels fighting in the desert and shots of militants standing in front of hundreds of green crates, some open with munitions showing.An opposition activist in the video said the depot included missiles, artillery shells and mortars."These mortars are very long," he said, looking into an open green box. "Only the Assad brigades have these."Another rebel in a video posted online on Thursday stood in front of a tank, saying it was one of three that opposition forces had taken from Assad's forces in Mahin.Reuters could not confirm the authenticity of the videos nor when they were filmed.Eliot Higgins, a UK-based researcher who trawls daily through online videos of Syria's civil war and verifies weapons in them, said he had not seen a "big ammo cache like this for several months."He said that in addition to mortars, artillery and tank ammunition, the size and length of some of the boxes in one video posted online by rebels indicated there were rockets."This will help (the rebels') war efforts. In that one room there is a very significant amount but, depending on the intensity of the fighting, they could burn through these in a couple of weeks."After 2-1/2 years of war, which started when Assad's forces fired on pro-democracy protests, the fighting has settled into a broad stalemate in which more than 100 die every day, with few significant advances by either side.More than 100,000 have died since the start of the conflict, the United Nations says.

Kurdish Fighters Torch 2 Oil Tankers Stolen by Al-Qaeda in Reef Yarubiya

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Kurdish fighters made major advances against the Al-Qaeda terrorists in Reef (countryside of) Yarubiya and set ablaze two oil tankers stolen by the militants.

Kurdish militants from Committees for the Protection of the Kurdish People seized and torched two crude oil tankers that the Al-Nusra Front terrorists had stolen from Al-Fazel Fuel Station in Reef Yarubiya.

Meantime, the Syrian Kurdish fighters also made major advances in Tal Halaf and Mosharefeh towns in Hasaka Province.

The Syrian Kurdish fighters have intensified their attacks against the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in recent weeks.

On Saturday, the Kurdish fighters seized the sole border post held by Al-Qaeda-linked groups on their border with Iraq, Kurdish sources and an Iraqi official said.

Kurdish militants seized the border post on Saturday, after three days of clashes with an Al-Qaeda-linked group which had held the crossing since March, Al-Alam reported.

According to the armed Kurdish group YPG, fighting carried on through the morning.

The Yarubiya post and surrounding areas in the Northeast were taken from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorist group which is an offshoot of Al-Qaeda in Syria. An Iraqi intelligence official confirmed that Kurdish rebels held the crossing point, adding that Baghdad brought reinforcements to the area to prevent any spillover of violence.

"There were heavy battles in which all types of weapons were used," said the Iraqi official on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. "Iraqi forces are ready to repel any attack."

Kurdish groups control a large swath of Northern Syria. Clashes between their fighters and militants have killed hundreds of people in the past months.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and civilians being reported across the country.

Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

Syrian Army Continues Advances, Kills Tens of Militants in Reef Idlib

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army continued its mop-up operations in Reef Idlib in Northwestern Syria, and killed tens of armed rebels in heavy clashes.

The army’s units pounded positions of an armed group in the forests of the Southeastern parts of Al-Arbaeen mountainous region in Reef Idlib, killing 26 militants in heavy clashes.

Meantime, the army conducted a series of separate operations in Siritel region in Reef Idlib, killing and injuring tens of terrorists.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and the civilians being reported across the country.

Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

In October 2011, calm was almost restored in most parts of the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies brought the country into chaos through every possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of increasing unrests in Syria.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May, 2012 that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling Assad's government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The newspaper, quoting opposition activists and US and foreign officials, reported that Obama administration officials emphasized the administration has expanded contacts with opposition military forces to provide the Persian Gulf nations with assessments of rebel credibility and command-and-control infrastructure.

According to the report, material was being stockpiled in Damascus, in Idlib near the Turkish border and in Zabadani on the Lebanese border.

Opposition activists who several months ago said the rebels were running out of ammunition said in May that the flow of weapons - most bought on the black market in neighboring countries or from elements of the Syrian military in the past - has significantly increased after a decision by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf states to provide millions of dollars in funding each month.

Al-Nusra Out of Syria's Ancient Sadad Town

Via : OrthoChristian.Com

Syrian Army regained control of the ancient town of Sadad after days of intensive fighting with militants from al-Nusra terrorist group.

Around two thousand militants from the Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front stormed and occupied the ancient town of Sadad, 60 kilometers (37 mi) South of Homs, nearly a month ago and sieged its fifteen thousand residents to use them as human shields against the Syrian army, Al-Alam reported.

The militant groups who were driven out of Sadad were from the same groups that raided Syria's ancient Christian town of Maalula in Northeast of Damascus a couple of months ago.

Terrorists had taken Sadad to turn it into their stronghold for the al-Qalamoun war which both sides are getting ready for, an army member said.

Clashes between the army and militants in some Western and Northern parts of the town are still going on.

Sadad is a very old town and probably the one mentioned in the Old Testament under the name Zedad, translated as Sedada.

It is located on the edge of the desert and the community has remained predominantly Syriac Orthodox. Aramaic is still spoken there.

Source : FARS News Agency

Syrian army continues mop-up operations

Source : Strategic-Culture

The Syrian army continues its mop-up operations against the foreign- sponsored militants across the country.

On Saturday, a military source said that the government troops stormed the militants’ hideouts and killed scores of them in the countryside of the western province of Lattakia.

The troops also destroyed several vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition in al-Qantara village, the source added.

The Syrian army units carried out similar operations against the militants in north-west of Yabroud in Damascus countryside.

The government troops also confiscated weapons belonging to foreign- backed Takfiri militants in the southern province of Daraa.

The Syrian troops also inflicted losses on the militants in the western province of Homs.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.

The UN also says more than four million other Syrians will be forced out of their homes in 2014 by the escalating conflict in the country.

Two million Syrians are expected to take refuge outside the country while another 2.25 million are predicted to be internally displaced during the next year.

Moreover, a recent report commissioned by UN agencies says the devastating conflict in Syria has left over half of the country's population in poverty.

The report put the unemployment rate at 48.6 percent, saying 49 percent of Syria’s children were out of school as education "is in the midst of a silent disaster."

It also warned that the health sector faces a "significant collapse."

The Right Arm of “Al Nusra Front” in Syria, ripped off

Source : http://breakingnews.sy/en

Syrian Arab Army has today morning, 26 October, carried out highly accurate operations in rural Lattakia, harvesting the life of the right arm of the Nusra Front leader Abu Mohamed al-Golani.

Ahmad Malik al- al-Nuaimi, an al-Nusra commander, and was a member of “Al-Nusra Shura Council”, is known as the assistant of Abu Mohamed al-Golani and his right arm, was killed following the operations of Syrian Arab Army in al-Qantarah village.

Military operations conducted in Lattakia countryside have also led to the killing of Emad Eddin al-Golani, an Emir of al-Nusra and is responsible for the front in each of Idlib and Lattakia.

Units of armed forces have managed to kill 35 members of al-Nusra, including Ahmad al-Asmar, Jalal Moussa and Adel Shukri, they also killed 28 gunmen in Tourous village and destroyed two vehicles.

Finally, army has set up an ambush against militants, killing 76 of them from Kazakhstan and Philippine with their families in al-Kandisieh village, as it killed Abo Ahmad Shiko, Abu Sayaf al-Philippini, Abu Fateg al-Azari and Abu Ahmad al-Iraqi, meanwhile the dangerous fighter, Abu Holaco al-Shami was injured.

Behind the Scenes: Top Level Gulf Officials in Syria Soon!

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb

Highly trusted sources have revealed that some gulf countries are on the course of gradual rapprochement with Syrian official authorities after reaching a conclusion that all their past policies were mistaken. Some sources said they would not be surprised to see top level Gulf officials in Damascus soon.

14th of March partisans openly express their bitter disappointment because they yielded no success in their attempts to tighten their grip over the country depending on the international and regional support. One of their sources used sarcasm saying ever since they followed Samir Geagea, they have become sworn experts in losing all battles they wage.

Recent visitors coming from Washington expressed big surprise because of the huge change they came across in the way US officials approach problems in the region. America came finally to recognize the vital importance of the Iranian role in preserving and guaranteeing stability in the whole region, they added.

Syrian Army Firmly Controls Htaitit al-Turkman, Damascus Countryside

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb

Syrian firmly controlled al-Turkman neighborhood in Damascus countryside as it pursued armed terrorist groups there, killing a big number of their members and destroying their tools, SANA reported.

In Daraa, the Syrian army destroyed a number of tunnels extended from the Sports club towards Abu Khaceibeh building and al-Sad and the camp road with all the weapons and ammunition inside them.

The Syrian military also pursued members of armed terrorist groups in Sadad and Mahin towns, and they foiled, in cooperation with residents, infiltration attempt into Arakvillage in al-Sukhneh in Homs Province.

Syria frees dozens more women in hostage deal

Source : Voice of Russia

Syrian authorities have freed dozens of women prisoners and cleared a prominent young blogger for release in one of the final stages of a three-way hostage deal, a monitoring group said on Thursday.

President Bashar al-Assad's government has released 61 women over the past two days as part of the Qatari- and Turkish-brokered deal, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A Syrian court also granted amnesty to Tal al-Mallohi, a blogger arrested while in her late teens more than a year before the revolt in Syria began in March 2011, the Observatory said.

Mallohi, the grand-daughter of a former minister, was detained for political writing in 2009. The pro-opposition Observatory said her release was imminent.

The release of around 200 detained Syrian women was the main demand of kidnappers in northern Syria who had held nine Lebanese men hostage for 17 months. Those hostages and two Turkish pilots abducted in August by Lebanese gunmen in retaliation were freed last week.

Voice of Russia, Reuters

Norway mulls taking and destroying the bulk of Syria’s chemical arsenal

Source : http://breakingnews.sy/en

Norway is considering a request to take the bulk of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile for eventual destruction, an official said Tuesday. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ragnhild Imerslund told The Associated Press that the U.N. and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which are working together to eliminate the deadly arsenal, would like to see the stockpile of chemicals destroyed in one country outside Syria. “But the best solution for them is not necessarily the best solution for Norway,” said Imerslund. She said Norway is refusing to handle chemical weapons loaded onto warheads and ready for use, but is considering accepting mixed chemicals and chemical precursors that can be mixed to make deadly nerve agents. The U.N. has informed Norway that Syria has 50 metric tons of mixed chemicals in the form of mustard gas and some 300-500 metric tons of materials needed to make nerve agents. Imerslund said her government is consulting with a working group made up of environmentalists, military analysts, lawyers, and other ministries. Norwegian officials have yet to select a possible site for destruction, a decision which could lead to protests from nearby municipalities and regions. A recent survey by InFact, a pollster, said 48 percent of the population opposed destroying Syria’s chemical stockpile on Norwegian soil, compared with just 30 percent who support it. Jorn Siljeholm, a former U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq, said Norway is capable of destroying the chemicals safely, providing it can be over months or even years. “It is technically feasible for Norway to destroy these chemicals. This is purely a political decision,” he said. Observers said the mid-2014 deadline for the destruction of Syria’s arsenal, which was set by the United States and Russia, could also be a problem. It is “a deadline that would be impossible to meet since Norway at the moment doesn’t have any facilities to destroy these chemicals,” said Nils Boehmer, a manager at Bellona, a Norway- based environmental group. Imerslund stressed that Norway would not be forced into meeting any deadlines unilaterally set by other organizations.

Associated Press writer Gary Peach in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report.

More Israeli-Made Missiles Found in Syria

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian army troops confiscated a number of Israeli-made missiles, which were in the possession of foreign-backed militants.

According to Al-Alam, the seizure was made near the village of al-Tabeh in the countryside of the Southwestern city of Dara’a on Monday.

Besides the missile, the Syrian troops also seized a large amount of Israeli-made weapons and ammunition, including developed machine guns and wireless communication devices.

This is not the first time that government troops have made such a seizure.

Media sources have in the past showed arms with Hebrew inscriptions, which they said originated from Israel.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

In other news, the Syrian army troops annihilated a weapon warehouse belonged to foreign backed militant groups in the countryside of Daraa Balad, located in the Southern part of Daraa city.

Some clashes were also reported in Aleppo where dozens of militant were reportedly killed in heavy clashes along the al-Kastillo-al-Jandoul road.

Army navy troops meanwhile launched air strikes on areas Southeast of Damascus on Monday after militant groups trying to seize a key position of the government, while troops pressed their onslaught on the besieged suburb of Moadamiyet al-Sham.

Al-Qaeda sent 50 suicide bombers to attack Aleppo prison

Source : http://en.alalam.ir/news

Al-Qaeda-linked militant groups have retreated after two days of futile attacks on Aleppo’s central prison in northwest of Syria, which were blocked by the Syrian army.

Militants from al-Nusra Front, Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIS), both offshoots of al-Qaeda operating in Syria, along with Shaam al-Islam and Lewa al-Towhid militant groups brought Aleppo’s central province under attack two days ago but they had to step back on Saturday after suffering heavy losses.

The Arabic language Asia News quoted sources among militants as saying that, the terrorist groups sent 50 suicide bombers to open their way to the prison, but they failed to get in.

The sources said this was the first time they used this many suicide bombers in a single mission, according to Asia News.

Most of the suicide attackers who were killed in their attacks had foreign nationalities including Iraqi and Palestinian.

A source close to al-Nusra Front was quoted as saying that the armed groups have retreated and there only ten people left around the prison. Aleppo’s prison holds a large number of al-Nusra and ISIS terrorists.

The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of Western and regional states.

The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.

SHI/SHI

Hama- a very large explosion was heard all over Hama city

Source : Islamic Invitation Turkey

Hama- very large explosion was heard all over Hama city ..

the picture of smoke rising due to a bombing , probably terrorist bombing car attack which happened on the Al-Salamyeh bridge , Hama few minutes ago.

the timing of the bombing car is associated with employees arrival to their jobs ..

May God have mercy on the martyrs of the Syrian civilians and military personnel ..

Syrian sources

Militants Pound Residential Areas, Church in Damascus City

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- Armed rebels launched mortar attacks on several residential areas, specially a church, in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on Saturday.

The militants fired mortar shells on two residential areas of Al-Doyla’a and Tabaleh in Damascus. One of the mortars hit the roof of Yasou Al-Amer Church causing material damage to the building.

The mortar shells hit two houses and a plastic factory in Damascus. No one was hurt in the attacks, but material loss has been reported.

Earlier this week, the armed rebel groups targeted many Christian and Muslim worship places, especially the Lady Church and Constantine and Helena Church in Yabroud in Damascus Countryside with two explosive devices.

An official source said that militants detonated two explosive devices planted on the roofs of the churches, causing large material damage to the crosses with no human casualties, Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and civilians being reported across the country.

Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

A Kazakh family of 150 heads to Syria for “Jihad”

Source : http://breakingnews.sy/en

As hundreds of thousands of Syrians flee the war in their country, others are doing everything they can to reach the battle zones. Around 150 Kazakhs said to be from the same family – including very young children, teenagers, women and men – left their country “to fulfil their duty of jihad in the Levant”. Jihadist networks have been proudly circulating images of their relocation to Syria. Since Monday, a propaganda video uploaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an Al-Qaeda affiliated group, has been doing the rounds of jihadist social networks. Its title is dramatic: “Letters from epic battlefields, the hospitality of a jihadist family” and the video’s content is unprecedented. The video begins with a military march, followed by the arrival of three vehicles carrying the black flags of Al-Qaeda and ISIL as they arrive at the gates of a villa. Within minutes, we see, in white text on a black background: “The al-Furqan Institute [the media arm of ISIL] enjoys the hospitality of a Muhajir [foreign] family. The 150 members of this Kazakh family travelled for thousands of kilometers and spent a fortune to immigrate to the Levant”. Then, we hear a small boy read verses from the Quran before we see around 20 children, including babies just a few months old, seated on the ground next to teenage jihadists. We also see young girls wearing veils, some wearing the niqab. After this, we see the small boy who has been reciting the Koran; he appears to be not older than six. At 2:57, a young man who goes by the war name “Abdel-Rahman the Kazakh” explains why his family has come to Syria. He says he wants to “fulfill his duty as set out by the precepts of Islam”. He continues by reciting a verse on the glory of martyrs, whose ranks he hopes “to join as soon as possible to ascend to paradise”. At 5:07, “Abu Khaled the Kazakh”, another young jihadist who appears to be a bit older, says he too wants “to die as a martyr”. Foreign jihadists generally go by a war name that includes their country of origin. In this case, their war names indicate these men most probably came from Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that is about 5,000 kilometers from Syria. Later in the video, we hear in the background a song on the glory of international jihad, listing “battlegrounds” from the Philippines to the Sahel, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Caucasus, Bosnia and, of course, the Levant, that is, Syria. The video then moves on to a third jihadist, “Seif al-Din the Kazakh”, who explains that “it is every Muslim’s duty to join jihad to defend Muslim lands across the world when they come under attack.” At 13:22, “Abu Hafiz the Kazakh” thanks God for “allowing the family to emigrate and to be together in Syria to fulfill its duty of jihad”. This is the first time that a video showing an entire family of foreign jihadists has been published. Usually, jihadists travel alone – or in couples, in rare cases – to conflict zones. The fighters in this family are presented as candidates for martyrdom, or suicide attacks, as shown by a reference to Abu Zunair al-Madani, @halb_1 on Twitter, at 15:39 in the video. The Saudi blew himself up in mid-September in Nabak, in the Qalamoun region west of Damascus

Huge explosion rocks arms depot of Syrian army in Homs, killing 3

Source : Xinhua | English.news.cn

DAMASCUS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and 81 others wounded when a huge explosion shook one of the arms depots of the Syrian army in the central city of Homs on Thursday afternoon, pro- government Sham FM radio reported.

Several rockets slammed a number of areas in the southern districts of Wadi al-Dahab and al-Zahra in Homs city and caused a huge explosion in one of the arms depots of the Syrian army, the report said.

The attack was carried out by rebel groups and left huge material losses, it added.

Meanwhile, pro-government al-Ekhbaria TV cited a military source as denying media reports that the attack killed 40 people.

Activists' networks said the blast occurred at one of the Syrian troops' arms depots in the Wadi al-Dahab district in Homs city.

Moreover, other activists' websites posted video footage on the internet that shows a huge fireball spiraling into the sky with heavy black smoke surrounding it.

The attack comes as the Syrian administration is celebrating the army's 68th anniversary.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday stressed his confidence in winning the conflict with the rebels that have engulfed Syria for over 28 months.

Mortar attack kills 6 state servants in Syrian capital

Source : Xinhua English.news.cn

DAMASCUS, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and more than 20 others wounded on Wednesday when a mortar shell struck a bus carrying workers of the state-run Scientific Research Center in the capital Damascus, the state-run SANA news agency reported.

The mortar was fired by armed "terrorists" at the Damascus' district of Barzeh Wednesday morning and struck the worker bus, SANA said, adding that the attack also led to big material losses.

The opposition activists said that the Barzeh area was subject to intense shelling coupled with intense fighting between the government troops and the armed rebels.

Activists also reported heavy government troops' shelling on several rebellious suburbs in the southern rim of Damascus. Witnesses said heavy black smoke blowing over the southern part of Damascus countryside.

In the central province of Homs, the state-run media said the army had inflicted hefty tolls among the armed rebels during a series of operations carried out against rebels' strongholds in the city.

The army on Monday recaptured the strategic district of Khalidieh in Homs and apparently pressed forward to take over other rebellious areas in the restive province.

However, activists' networks said the rebels in Homs were fending off the government troops' attacks and killing many of them.

According to the United Nations report, more than 100,000 people had been killed in Syria's 28-month crisis, with about 1.7 million forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries.

Rebels clash with Qaeda-linked opposition group in Syria

Source : LBCI

Rebels clashed with an opposition unit linked to al Qaeda in northern Syria, activists said on Saturday, in a deadly battle that signals growing divisions among rebel groups and rising tensions between locals and more radical Islamist factions.

The rebel infighting comes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have made gains on the battlefield and drawn comfort from the downfall this week of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, which under ousted President Mohamed Morsi had thrown its weight behind the Syrian opposition.

The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the new al Qaeda franchise announced by the head of global network's Iraq leader, has been quickly working to cement power in rebel- held territories of northern Syria in recent months.

ISIS units have begun to impose stricter interpretations of Islamic law and have filmed themselves executing members of rival rebel groups whom they accuse of corruption, and beheading those they say are loyal to Assad.

This as an activist and Syrian state media said that regime troops are advancing in parts of the rebel-held city of Homs.

In this regard, Homs-based activist Tarik Badrakhan said that Syrian troops seized control of buildings in the rebel-held district of Khaldiyeh; the first time government forces entered Homs neighborhoods held by rebels for over a year.

Badrakhan added that troops began the move Friday night and mentioned that they continued to pound the area with mortar shells and missiles until Saturday.

On another note, the Syrian opposition voted to elect a new leader, but the top two candidates failed to gain a simple majority needed to become president of the coalition fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

A runoff ballot was scheduled for later on Saturday after Ahmad Jarba, a tribal figure linked with Saudi Arabia, and Mustafa al-Sabbagh, a businessman who is Qatar's point man, did not gain more than half of the votes in the 115 member Syrian National Coalition in an early morning ballot in Istanbul.

The coalition is split into three power centers: the Muslim Brotherhood, the Sabbagh faction, and a Saudi-backed bloc that includes Jarba.

The three factions held the vote for a new leader after failing to agree on a compromise candidate.

The coalition has been without a leader for months after its head quit over disagreement over potential talks with Assad's government.

Syria's two-year revolt against four decades of Assad family rule has degenerated from a peaceful protest movement into a bloody civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people

Syrian Army Smashes Militants in Homs Outskirts

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian troops continued mop-up operations in Palmyra and several neighborhoods of Homs and inflicted heavy losses upon militants.

The Syrian army tightened control over a number of buildings in Bab Houd neighborhood in Homs old city, after killing and wounding a large number of antigovernment fighters in the battle fields, a military source told the Syrian Arab News Agency.

The army units raided rebels' dens and gatherings near al-Amal hospital in Jourat al-Shyah, al-Qosour and al- Khalidyeh neighborhoods, killing and wounding all militants there, the source added.

Other units of the Syrian army targeted rebels' heavy machineguns on Talbisa-al-Sa'ein road in the Northern countryside of Homs, inflicting heavy losses upon them.

The Syrian soldiers killed a number of militants near al-Ghajar village in al-Rastan countryside. Tamim Obaid, the leader of an armed group, and Ahmad Satuf Kdad were among the killed insurgents.

In Palmyra countryside, the Syrian soldiers clashed with members of AL-Islam Brigade in al-Tayba village, killing so many of them, while another army unit repelled rebels' attempt to attack military checkpoints in al-Zyraa, al- Mouthaf and al-Braikat, inflicting heavy losses upon them.

Meanwhile, other army units traced armed groups in al-Mashajer al-Janobi, Taldo, al-Zafarana and Talbisa in Homs countryside, killing and wounding scores of fighters.

Syrian crisis not real revolution: Assad

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that what is happening in his country is not a "revolution," adding the real revolution would be purely domestic and unrelated with foreign agendas.

Assad's remarks were made during an interview with the state- run al-Thawra newspaper to mark its 50th anniversary.

"Take many examples on that; the French revolution, the Russian revolution and even the Iranian one. Real revolutions are popular ones that have purely internal factors, have a spontaneous aspect and led by ideological and intellectual elites," he said.

"Whereas what has been happening in Syria, since the beginning, has the foreign factor in it, and that was what they have tried to conceal but today become absolutely clear," he added.

The embattled leader, whose country has been gripped by more than two years of deadly conflict, said that the "conspirator countries on Syria have used all they have of material, morale and psychological means against Syria and have nothing left but direct intervention."

While hailing the Syrian people, Assad said that "tolerance is essential in resolving national crises but it must be popular, not official."

He, meanwhile, likened terrorism to cancer, saying that if terrorism wasn't removed, it could spread quickly "so we must root it out, not only hit it."

He charged that what is currently happening is "turning Syria into a land of terrorism," adding that terrorism "grows and multiplies in the fertile soil called chaos, where you see the chaos you see terrorism grows automatically."

He noted that what have drawn in terrorism in Syria wasn't only the chaos, but also the foreign countries backing terrorism in Syria.

Regarding the deteriorating economic situation in Syria, the president said that with a troubled security situation, there can be no good economy "and thus the security problem is affecting us directly, whether we like it or not."

Syrian Army Destroys Nusra Front Den in Latakkia, Continues Pursuing Militants

Source : Almanar

The Syrian army destroyed a hideout for Nusra Front insurgents in Lattakia countryside as it pursued foreign-backed militants in other areas across the country.

Official news agency, SANA, reported on Wednesday that “a unit of the armed forces destroyed, in a qualitative operation, a den for Nusra Front terrorists in the villages of Sakiet al-Kart and al-Zweik in Lattakia countryside.”

The agency quoted a military source as saying that “the operation resulted in the destruction of rockets, machineguns and ammunition and the killing of a big number of terrorists, among them Majed al-Masri, Abdullah al-Hasan and Abdel-Ilah al-Markabi.”

SANA also reported that a Syrian Army unit destroyed a den of the so- called 'Abdul-Rahman Battalion' armed group in Daraa countryside with all weapons and ammunition inside, “killing many terrorists in al-kark al-Sharqi.”

A military source told SANA that the militants of the group were killed “including its leader, Hamza al-Marrouh and the female terrorist, Widad al-Ammar, nicknamed Om Sofyan.”

Meanwhile in Damascus, engineering dismantled an explosive device planted by armed group inside a private car near the Opera House in Damascus. An official source told the agency that the engineering members dismantled a 2 kg explosive device before being detonated.

Syria army makes progress in Homs

Source : Strategic-Culture.org

The Syrian army is making progress in its operation to retake control of the western city of Homs.

Syrian forces on Saturday advanced into some areas of the city including Qusour, Jouret al-Shayah and Khaldiyeh, as well as some parts of Old Homs.

The army has eliminated a large number of terrorists and dismantled explosive devices in the operation.

Meanwhile, Syrian troops are also fighting foreign-backed Takfiri militants on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.

Reports say two mortar shells fired by the militants have hit two schools in Mazra’a and Amara areas in the capital, causing material damage.

The militants claim they have captured a military checkpoint in the southern city of Dara’a.

The Syrian army has conducted successful operations against the terrorists in recent weeks.

Foreign-sponsored militancy has taken its toll on the lives of many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has claimed that the army’s warplanes targeted militant positions in Homs on Saturday.

Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former US national security adviser, has said that the ongoing crisis in Syria, which erupted in March 2011, has been orchestrated by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and their Western allies.

“In late 2011 there are outbreaks in Syria produced by a drought and abetted by two well-known autocracies in the Middle East: Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” Brzezinski said in an interview with the National Interest on June 24.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said on June 25 that Riyadh believes the al-Qaeda-linked groups in Syria should be armed, but weapons shipments to the Syrian government should be stopped.

Speaking at a news conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jeddah, Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia was doing everything it can to help the militants in Syria.

Syrian Armed Forces Continue Mop-up Operations in Aleppo

Source : Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian soldiers raided militants in Aleppo province, killing and wounding too many anti-government fighters.

The rebels were killed in al-Showaghrat, al-Alqamieh, and Ein Dakneh in the surrounding of Minnigh airport, an official source said.

The army brigades clashed with armed groups which tried to attack the central prison of Aleppo, killing scores of assailants there, the source added.

In Aleppo city, some other units of the army clashed with insurgents which tried to infiltrate into the secure areas in al-Rashidin neighborhood, killing a majority of insurgents.

In Qadi Askar neighborhood, the Syrian soldiers carried out a mop-up operation in which scores of militants from the so-called "Sharia quartet committee" were killed.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.

In October 2011, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Bashar al- Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of stirring unrests in Syria once again.

The US and its western and regional allies have long sought to topple Assad and his ruling system. Media reports said that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May 2012 that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling the President Bashar al-Assad's government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The newspaper, quoting opposition activists and US and foreign officials, reported that Obama administration officials emphasized the administration has expanded contacts with opposition military forces to provide the Persian Gulf nations with assessments of rebel credibility and command-and-control infrastructure.

Opposition activists who several months ago said the rebels were running out of ammunition said in May 2012 that the flow of weapons - most bought on the black market in neighboring countries or from elements of the Syrian military in the past - has significantly increased after a decision by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf states to provide millions of dollars in funding each month.

Syrian Arab army eliminates 7 ringleaders outside Damascus, Daraa

Source : Syriatimes.sy

PROVINCES,(ST)_Units of the armed forces have eliminated several terrorist ringleaders and gangsters nationwide. Here's a round-up of today's main developments:

In Damascus countryside: -The armed forces killed four terrorist ringleaders and their gangsters during qualitative operations in Doma suburb, quarters of Barzeh, Jobar, and al-Qabon (north of Damascus countryside) as well as al-Nabk area. - They also foiled a bid of the terrorists to detonate nine booby-traps planted in the surrounding of al-Iman Mosque in Harasta suburb. -Three terrorists perished as the armed forces pounded a hideout of the terrorists in Erbin area. -A 23 mm anti-aircraft gun was destroyed in Adra suburb. -Operations of the army continued in the farms and towns of the Eastern Ghouta.

Outside Idilb province: - Terrorists from chechnya were killed when the armed forces targeted a terrorist grouping in Maaretmesrin area.

In the central Homs Province: -Competent authorities crushed many terrorists and seized three vehicles, two of them were with machine gun, in an ambush near al-Sekkareyeh town outside Palmyra. -Various types of weapons were confiscated during a mopping-up operation in Jabal Ghalyon quarter in TalKhalkh city (north-west of al-Qusayr) outside the province. -Several terrorists were killed and weapons were destroyed near a sport club in al-Rastan city. -A hideout of terrorists was shelled near a swimming pool in Tal Dahab town in al-Holeh area.

Outside Hama province: -Many terrorists from al-Nusra Front were liquidated in towns of al-Thlejeh, al-Fatrawi, Rasm al-Teneh, Rasm al-ward, and al-Jezdaneyeh.

In southern Daraa province: -The armed forces took control of buildings near the national hospital, head offices of the social insurance branch, and the surrounding of Abdulaziz Mosque in the city after crushing big number of terrorists including three ringleaders. - Pursuit of the terrorist groups in Daraa al-Balad, and town of al-Shabraq, al-Mzer'a, al-Naf'a, Hit, Sahm al-Golan, and Jnin was underway. A sniper was killed in the pursuit .confrontation of terrorist attacks on several garrisons. -A hideout of an armed terrorist group was wiped out in Kerbet Hamman village.

Syrian Troops Smash Rebels in Homs Outskirts

Farsnews

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army targeted militants' dens and gatherings in Homs countryside, killing and wounding a number of antigovernment fighters.

The Syrian soldiers killed and wounded a number of militants in the farms between the archeological Bel temple, Dedeman hotel, Taldo, Tal Dahab and Kesin toward al-Houla in Homs countryside, an official source said.

Another army unit attacked insurgents' dens in al-Karabis and al-Khalidieh neighborhoods in Homs city and in al-Rastan, Talbisa, al-Ameriya and al- Ghajar areas, the source added.

Several anti-tank missiles and explosives were seized by the Syrian soldiers in Homs countryside, the source said.

Scores of antigovernment fighters were killed and wounded in al-Tawil and al-Taiba villages in Palmyra countryside, a local source said.

The source added that an army unit seized rebels' weapons and ammunition in al-Dab'a farms in military operations al-Qusseir countryside.

Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011. The Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict, by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.

Syria won't give up power to opposition in Geneva conference: FM

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al- Moallem said Monday that his government is "serious" about participation in the Geneva conference on Syria, stressing however that no power handover to the opposition will take place during the planned meeting.

"We will head to the (Geneva) conference seriously to reach a halt of violence and terrorism that we deem as a popular demand," al-Moallem said in a press conference Monday aired live by the state-TV.

"We are not going to hand over the authority to the other party and whoever thinks so, is delusional," the head of the Syrian diplomacy said.

He added that the Syrian government would take part in order to achieve a real partnership and to discuss the formation of a national unity government that would represent the Syrian people.

Meanwhile, the minister slammed a decision by the western powers to arm the rebels, branding the move as "dangerous" and " aiming to prolong the crisis and the chaos."

On Saturday, foreign ministers of members of the so-called Friends of Syria group met in Qatar's Doha on the latest developments in Syria, and agreed to further arm the Syrian opposition fighters.

In a joint statement, participants of the meeting agreed to " provide urgently all the necessary materiels and equipment" to the rebels fighting the Syrian army forces on ground.

The Doha meeting also resulted in "secret decisions" that were not made public. "Arming the rebels would hinder the Geneva conference and would kill more of our people and we will insist in Geneva on halting the violence and terrorism," the minister said, adding that "we are ready to discuss the mechanisms of curbing the violence and the armament and training of the armed rebels."

The minister stressed that his government wouldn't accept any foreign-imposed solutions and "will never even accept thoughts that are imposed from outside. The dialogue is between the Syrians themselves." "We have doubts about their West's intentions and see that they have placed snugs ahead of the Geneva conference after their armament decision," he said.

Responding to a question about the "secret decisions" of the Friends of Syria meeting, al- Moallem stressed that he had no idea what those secret decisions are but linked the decisions with the recent wave of violence that targeted the capital Damascus a day earlier and the military showdown in Lebanon's Sidon.

"What is going on in Sidon is very dangerous," the minister said, adding that the Syrian government has warned from the beginning that the extremists phenomena won't stop on the Syrian borders.

I Saw Nasrallah in Qusayr

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com/en

TEHRAN, Jun. 17 (MNA) – Just days after the fall of Qusair, the city started receiving visitors. Some were returning residents looking for what was left of their homes and properties, while others were only passersby who wanted to see what had happened to the city. There was a third category: Probably Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah fits in.

According to Al-Monitor, It was my last day in Qusair, and the security measures taken there weren’t as restrictive as in the previous days. When I asked, the only answer I received was that every day there are new orders. “Probably the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will pay a visit to the city, a visit similar to the one he paid to Baba Amr in Homs after the regime took control of it,” a colleague of mine suggested but never confirmed. Later, a Syrian officer told us that a high-profile Syrian official (not Assad) will arrive soon in Qusair.

After I had been a couple of hours in the city, no one had arrived. I decided to move around the city to look for returning residents for a possible interview or package. In the center of the city, I stood in the middle of the main road as a huge, black four-wheel-drive came my way.

I stared at the man sitting beside the driver: The face was familiar, but something was missing. It was clear I was face to face with Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, without a turban, wearing a military uniform. He smiled and nodded to me, and while I was still in shock, the car was out of sight. There was no convoy, only one car, but as I said before, there were security measures taken in the city and around.

It took me some time to confirm that whom I saw was Nasrallah. When I returned to Beirut, I started my investigations to confirm it and I did.

While investigating, I came across another piece of information: that this visit wasn’t the first for Nasrallah to Qusair during this very crisis. “Sayyed Nasrallah went to Qusair a day before the start of the battle: He met the commanders, visited some injured fighters and gave a speech,” a source close to Hezbollah told me, “He spoke for around half an hour with his main commanders exchanging ideas on the battle and the expectations and how many days it’ll take them to finish it.”

As for the latest visit, the one day after the offensive, our source said that Nasrallah visited the city of Qusair and the towns around it in the country side. He added, “Sayyed Nasrallah wanted to thank the fighters personally, he met them, met the injured, and went around the area.”

I asked the source how Nasrallah is able to move from Beirut to Qusair in Syria and sometimes travel to Iran while Israel is saying that he is hiding.

“It’s a hide-and-seek game,” he replied, “Nasrallah's security apparatus is professional enough to know when to move and how. No one knows what they do and what their measure are, we only know when things are done.”

Nasrallah’s visit to Qusair shows once again that the group’s fight in Syria isn’t a matter of interests, it’s a matter of existence

Syrian army makes fresh advances in strategic city of Aleppo

Source : Strategic-Culture.org

The Syrian government forces have made fresh advances in fighting with foreign-backed Takfiri insurgents in the flash point city of Aleppo.

The army campaign against foreign backed militants in the strategic city of Aleppo is considered one of the largest operations carried out by the Syrian government. The operation is conducted in the southern and northern countryside of the city with two different objectives.

While the operation in southern parts of the city aims at securing the Syrian Army’s supply routes to Aleppo and northern Syria, the campaign in northern parts zeros in on cutting off insurgents’ supply lines.

“We are working in these operations to clear the northern part of Aleppo’s countryside in follow up to our operations in southern Aleppo. The foreign- back groups are fleeing from one place to another, leaving their weapons behind in addition to their dead bodies. We are working on more than one act at the same time, but we are facing difficulties related to landmines that terrorists have planted everywhere,” an unnamed Syrian army official told press TV.

According to the analysts, the fighting is the beginning of an end to the war between government forces and foreign-backed Takfiri insurgents. They believe if the Syrian army manages to clear the countryside of Aleppo, the whole situation in Syria will change drastically.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government forces, have been killed.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the militants.

In addition, several international human rights organizations say the militants operating in Syria have committed war crimes.

Rally celebrates restoration of security in Qusayr

Source : Strategic-Culture

A large number of Syrians have held a rally in the strategic city of Qusayr to celebrate the restoration of security in the city, which borders Lebanon.

The demonstrators, waving Syrian flags and chanting nationalistic slogans, marched through the streets of Qusayr on Sunday, the official news agency SANA reported.

They expressed their trust in the ability of the Syrian security forces to confront terrorists and protect the homeland against plots hatched by the Arab country’s enemies.

Homs governor Ahmad Munir Mohammad, who was leading the rally, said that the public services destroyed by terrorists would be restored soon.

Former Lebanese MP, Hassan Yaacoub, who also participated in the demonstration, said that Syria's enemies sought to destroy it but failed “due to the steadfastness of the Syrian people and bravery of the Syrian army.”

Last week, Syrian troops established control over Qusayr following weeks of heavy clashes with foreign-backed militants. Syrian troops were backed by forces from the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah during the Qusayr operation.

The Syrian Army is now in control of most of the towns and villages near the border with Lebanon.

There have been reports of heavy clashes between government forces and militants in Aleppo, Lattakia, Idlib, Deir Ezzor and several Damascus suburbs.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government forces, have been killed.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the militants.

In addition, several international human rights organizations say the militants operating in Syria have committed war crimes.

Homs car bomb kills 8 in Alawite area

Source : Shanghai Daily

A CAR bomb exploded yesterday in a Syrian neighborhood largely populated by the Shiite offshoot sect that dominates the regime, killing eight people including three women and a teenager, according to a state-owned TV station.

Outside the central city of Homs where the blast took place, government troops pressed an offensive against rebels in nearby villages.

The state-owned Al-Ikhbariya TV said the booby-trapped car exploded in a populated area near a roundabout in Adawiya, a mostly Alawite district. The station's reporter on the scene said 10 people were wounded by the explosion, which also heavily damaged houses in the area.

Al-Ikhbariya's footage shows frantic residents running around, blood splattered on the ground, and a badly mangled car. Other cars were also damaged. The reporter said the car was carrying about 100 kilograms of explosives.

The station had earlier said the blast was caused by a suicide bomb.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on informants inside Syria, said the car was booby-trapped. It said seven were killed.

The rare explosion in a neighborhood populated by Alawites, the sect to which President Bashar Assad belongs, comes as the conflict takes increasingly sectarian overtones.

The rebels are largely from Syria's Sunni Muslim majority, joined by Sunni fighters from other countries.

The government's offensive in south of the city, in contrast, has been backed by fighters from Lebanon's Shiite militant Hezbollah group.

The government on Wednesday recaptured the town of Qusair. Syrian state TV said yesterday government troops now had control of Buwaydah village between Qusair and Homs city.

Lebanese Red Cross transfers 34 injured Syrians from al-Qusayr

Source : LBCI News

The state-run National News Agency reported on Sunday that the Lebanese Red Cross transferred 34 Syrian nationals wounded in the Syrian town of Qusayr to Lebanon.

Syrian regime forces backed by Hezbollah fighters captured on Wednesday the strategic town of al-Qusayr near Lebanon's border following three weeks of fierce fighting.

Only 10 kilometers from Lebanon, al-Qusayr town is strategic for the regime and Hezbollah due to its proximity to the border with Lebanon.

As well, the town is located on a route that links Damascus to the regime's strongholds on the Syrian coast.

As for the rebels, the town was important as it served as a conduit from Lebanon for smuggling men and weapons.

Syria government forces say it takes last rebel bastion near Qusayr

Source : The Voice of Russia

Syrian regime forces have retaken the village of Eastern Bweida from insurgents, state television said on Saturday, four days after the nearby rebel bastion of Qusayr fell to the army and Hezbollah.

"Our heroic troops have restored safety and security in Eastern Bweida," the channel said.

UN Council demands aid access to Syria conflict town

Russia on Friday agreed to a UN Security Council statement that demanded that its ally Syria allow humanitarian access to the conflict town of Qusayr.

The statement, agreed after Russia had blocked an earlier version, called for "immediate, safe and unhindered" access to Qusayr.

White House condemns 'in strongest possible terms' Assad's assault on Qusair

The White House on Wednesday condemned the assault on the Syrian border town of Qusair by Syrian government forces, who worked with Lebanese Hezbollah allies to take control from rebel fighters.

The United States denounced President Bashar al-Assad's government on Thursday over its 17-day assault on Qusair, near the Lebanese border. It said Syrian troops owed their success to Hezbollah fighters backed by Iran.

"The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the Assad regime's assault on Qusair, which has killed untold numbers of civilians and is causing tremendous humanitarian suffering," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in statement.

"It is clear that the regime could not contest the opposition's control of Qusair on its own, and is depending upon Hezbollah and Iran to do its work for it in Qusair," Carney said.

He went on to repeat a White House call for Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw all troops from Syria, adding that Hezbollah's involvement posed a direct threat to Lebanon's stability.

The Syrian government had earlier claimed a "heroic victory" on May 19. "Our heroic armed forces have returned security and stability [to the area]," the government said in a statement broadcast on Syrian state television.

As a crucial supply route for both government and rebel forces, the town had become the focal point of Syria's 27-month conflict. Witnesses said the town, formerly home to 40,000 people, had been left in ruins.

The United States, Russia and the United Nations are seeking to bring rebel and regime representatives to the negotiating table in Geneva.

Al-Assad's regime has agreed "in principle" to attend the talks. The opposition, however, has demanded a prior commitment that the president will step down.

Arab League condemns Hezbollah role in Syria

The Arab League on Wednesday condemned the military intervention in Syria by the Lebanese Islamic militant group Hezbollah, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said.

A statement agreed at a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo condemned all forms of foreign intervention, especially that by Hezbollah, Elaraby told a news conference after the meeting.

Rockets launched from Syria hit Lebanon's Baalbek - security source

At least five rockets launched from across Lebanon's border with Syria hit the eastern city of Baalbek Wednesday, including two that landed near the city's renowned Roman ruins, a security source told AFP.

Another three rockets that hit Hezbollah bastion Baalbek landed in the city centre, the source said on condition of anonymity, adding that several other missiles landed in areas near the city.

The attack came hours after Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and the Syrian army took control of central Syria's Qusayr, located near the border with the small Mediterranean country.

Syrian Troops Continue Military Operations against Rebels in Several Areas

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Armed Forces, in a series of successful operations on Thursday, inflicted heavy losses upon armed groups in Saqba, Adra al-Balad and al-Nabek in Damascus countryside, killing and wounding several antigovernment fighters there.

An army unit destroyed insurgents' gatherings and dens in Hajira town, killing a number of fighters, including Ziad al-Buka'e, Mohammad Rouh and a Tunisian terrorist Abu Hafs, a military source told the Syrian Arab News Agency.

The source added that another army unit clashed with an armed group in Saqba, killing and wounding a large number of its members.

Abdul Karim al-Khatib and another four rebels also were killed while assembling explosive devices.

In Adra al-Balad and its outskirts several dens belonged to the rebels were destroyed by the army units.

So many antigovernment fighters were killed and wounded in al-Nabek in the Syrian troops' crackdown.

Control of al-Qusayr is game changer in Syria

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com/en

TEHRAN, Jun. 5 (MNA) – The recent operation, in which the Syrian army recaptured much of the city of al- Qusayr, was one of the country’s biggest victories in its war against the rebels, which has lasted over two years.

Al-Qusayr is on the Damascus-Homs highway, and thus by gaining control of the area, the Syrian government has cut the supply route of the rebels operating in the Homs region, which could force them to retreat from their strongholds. The importance of the city is magnified since it is located on the weapons smuggling route and is just 15 kilometers from the border with Lebanon, so its recapture will allow the Syrian government to control the border area.

If the government of President Bashar al-Assad can gain full control over al-Qusayr, it would be a massive setback for the United States, Israel, and the reactionary Arab states, which have spent billions of dollars to support the rebels fighting against the Syrian government. The gains made by the Syrian military over the past few months have changed all the equations in Syria and have improved the government’s position for the proposed talks with the opposition to resolve the crisis.

Now that their main supply route is blocked, the rebels are trying to intensify the battle in the city of Daraa on the Syria-Jordan border in order to weaken the army’s position in al-Qusayr. However, the army seems to be in control of the situation in Daraa since the vast majority of the people of the region support the government.

Thus, Assad’s government is expected to have the upper hand at the second Geneva conference on Syria. However, the general atmosphere that prevails at the meeting will determine how many concessions Assad can acquire from the opposition. And at the end of the day, the talks between the United States and Russia, and the positions adopted by other influential countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, will determine the outcome of the Geneva conference.

Seyyed Morteza Nematzadeh is an expert on the Middle East who formerly served as Iran’s cultural attaché in Syria.

MS/HG MNA END

Syrian Army Invites Citizens of Qusseir to Return Home

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army asked citizens of al- Qusseir to return to their homes after it regained full control of the strategic town.

"We ensure Qusseir is safe now," the Syrian army announced on Wednesday.

It stressed that the victory in Qusseir is a clear message to the enemies of the country, particularly the Israeli regime.

Also on Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian felicitated the Syrian nation and government on the army's full control over the town of al-Qusseir.

Syria's state television reported that Syrian forces have regained full control of the strategic city of Qusseir following three weeks of fighting with the militants in the region.

The Syrian military forces dismantled the terrorist network of the militants in the strategic area, which borders Lebanon.

Many of the foreign-backed militants and members of the armed groups were killed or injured during the Syrian army operations to cleanse the region of the terrorists.

Speaking to FNA, Amir Abdollahian congratulated the Syrian nation, government, and army on the success of the Syrian military forces in Qusseir.

He also condemned the shipment of arms to the militants in the Arab country, and said, "Certain parties, who are still supporting arms shipment and terrorist acts against Syria, are responsible for massacre of people and devastation of Syria and should be tried as war criminals."

Hezbollah kills 38 Syrian terrorists

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com/en

TEHRAN, Jun. 3 (MNA) – Lebanon’s Hezbollah has killed 38 Al-Nusra Front terrorist fighters in two ambushes.

A Hezbollah close associate told Kuwaiti Al-Ra daily that “Hezbollah caught Al-Nusra terroris fighters in ambush inside Lebanese territory Before, a 25-people group of Al-Nusra Front had left Al-Zabadani and moved toward Serghaya in Lebanese borders, with the intention of deploying missiles to target Nab Shayt in Lebanese side of the border.

However, they had been caught in ambush by Hezbollah fighters and 17 of them from different nationalities, were killed. The same source also added that yesterday morning 21 member of Al-Nusra Front who had returned to collect the casualties and remaining artillery, also had been caught in Hezbollah ambush and killed.

Hezbollah’s ambushes have been in line with decisions made by high-ranking authorities to prevent rocket launching to Lebanese side The source also said that a Hezbollah fighter was killed and 4 others were injured.

SH/MR MNA

Terrorists target Syrian scientists: minister

Source : http://abna.ir/data.asp

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Muˈala asserted that threatening and murdering the Syrian university professors and scientists are aimed at damaging the countryˈs scientific bodies.

Over 70 Syrian scholars and scientists have been killed or wounded in the terroristsˈ war against the Syrian nation in the past few years, he said.

The Syrian minister further announced that buildings of some 12 universities have been damaged or destroyed clashes.

Border clash kills several Syrian rebels, one Hezbollah fighter

Source : Al Akhbar English

Several fighters were killed in an overnight clash between Hezbollah fighters and Syrian rebel forces in Lebanon's eastern border region with Syria, Lebanese security sources said on Sunday.

One source said 15 rebels were killed in the fighting east of the Bekaa Valley town of Baalbek, but the exact toll would not be clear until bodies could be retrieved from the remote and rugged border area. One Hezbollah fighter also died, he said.

Syria's two-year-old conflict has impacted in its smaller neighbor, with deadly fighting shaking the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli and rockets hitting the Bekaa Valley and southern Beirut.

Hezbollah, which supports President Bashar al-Assad, has sent fighters alongside his army to drive rebels from the Syrian border town of Qusayr, while Lebanese combatants, mainly Sunni, have joined the anti-Assad revolt.

The latest fighting took place near Ain el-Jaouze in a finger of Lebanese territory which extends into Syria. The sources said the rebels may have been ambushed as they set up rockets to fire into the Bekaa Valley.

The clashes came after a barrage of rockets fired from Syrian territory at Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon in recent days.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that at least one rocket landed in Hermel Sunday, with no immediate information on damages or casualties.

Rebels have said they will carry out attacks inside Lebanon in response to Hezbollah's support for Assad's assault on Qusayr, a strategic town for rebel weapons supplies and fighters coming into Syria from Lebanon.

The United Nations said on Saturday that up to 1,500 wounded people might be trapped inside Qusayr and warned all sides that they would be held accountable for the suffering of civilians.

But Security Council diplomats said Russia blocked a council declaration of alarm over the two-week siege of Qusayr, arguing that the council had done nothing when the town was first taken over by anti-Assad fighters.

The draft statement also urged forces loyal to Assad and rebels trying to oust him "to do their utmost to avoid civilian casualties and for the Syrian Government to exercise its responsibility to protect civilians".

It appealed to Assad's government "to allow immediate, full and unimpeded access to impartial humanitarian actors, including UN agencies, to reach civilians trapped in al-Qusayr."

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius suggested on Sunday that the conference could take place in July. He said the Syrian government and the opposition must attend what he called "the last chance" for a negotiated solution.

"It's not just about getting round the table and then asking what are we going to talk about. It needs to be prepared. That is why I say that the July date would be suitable," Fabius said.

Assad has lost control of large areas of northern and eastern Syria but his forces have been fighting fierce counter-offensives in the south and center of the country, including Damascus, Deraa and Qusayr.

The uprising against Assad has killed at least 80,000 people according to UN estimates, driven 1.5 million refugees across its borders and fuelled regional sectarian tensions.

Qatar-based Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi called on Saturday for holy war against the Syrian government after intervention by Hezbollah.

(Reuters, Al-Akhbar, AFP)

Operations for Syrian Army kill Arab and Syrian members of al-Qaeda organization.

Source : http://www.breakingnews.sy/en

Syrian Arab Army launch a series of the military operations against the fortifications of al-Qaeda organization in Edlib countryside killing many Arab and Syrian terrorist, while it has confronted Lebanese armed men attempted to infiltrate on al-Qusair.

Units of Syrian Army target a gather for Free Army militia inside “Qaser al-Reman” on Edlib- Binnish road; resulted in the death of about 60 armed men and the injury of others, including Saud al-Hasan, Salem Abu Zaid and others.

Our reporter in Edlib points out that Syrian army holds off the armed rebels who have attacked on the Cement checkpoint near al-Faleen factory around Jeser al-Shughour city; resulted in the death of around 30 gunmen and the destruction of a car provided by Dotchka gunfire resulting in no injuries among the members of the checkpoint.

Our correspondent says that the armed militia has fired 5 missiles on the checkpoint, but landed on agricultural lands resulting in raging fire

Syrian army maintains the operations, where units of Syrian forces of Abu al- Zuhour Military Airport target a gather for the armed men were preparing to attack on the airport from the side of the village causing the death and the injury of a large number of the armed men and the destruction of 3 cars with machine guns.

The correspondent adds that the army has targeted armed men gather in Dahret Balet Nahla of Areha countryside; resulted in deaths and injuries among the insurgents.

Syrian Army kills Lebanese insurgents tried to infiltrate on al-Qusair.

Units of Nomadic forces affiliated to Syrian Arab Army have frustrated the infiltration of the armed members from the Lebanese territory through Josieh location of al-Qusair countryside claiming deaths and injuries among their ranks.

Syrian state news agency “SANA” quotes of an official sources as saying that “a number of the terrorists got killed, including three Lebanese terrorists they are Nedal Subeh, Feras Shalha and Ahmad Kasher.”

The agency says that Syrian Army has destroyed dens for the insurgents with the weapons and the ammunitions in the northwest and the west neighborhoods of the city.

Syrian Army extends its domination over Homs

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com

TEHRAN, Jun. 2 (MNA) – Sources report that Syrian Army has the control of al-Qusayr’s Dhabi airport and extended its domination over Homs.

The Syrian Army has taken complete control o the al-Qusayr’s Dhabi airfield in the city o Homs, despite all sporadic attacks by armed terrorists, Al-Alam TV reported.

Al-Alam correspondent reported from the airport, in an interview with military forces stationed in the area, emphasizing that the armed terrorists could not have made any advance, even as much as an inch, in this area

In the Northern part of Homs, Syrian army crossed the armed groups’ supply lines to the remaining of armed groups in Homs.

According to the report, the attacks killed dozens of terrorists and their weapons confiscated. The armed terrorists have committed other crimes in the area against the citizens in the village, situated between a Dhabi and city of al Sanayeh.