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

President Assad: we have received “S-300”... Syrian Army has the upper hand.

Source :

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that Syrian Army achieved major victories on ground, and emphasized, in an interview with “al-Manar” channel today, that the scale has turned completely to the advantage of the army.

President Assad maintained that : “Syria and Hezbolla are at the same front, there are groups of Hezbolla fighters at boarder areas with Lebanon; however, Syrian Army is the one who fights and administers battles against armed groups, these battles will continue till all terrorists are finished”.

President Assad also condemned the roles of Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in aiding militant groups “there are more than 100,000 militants from Arab and foreign nationalities who have infiltrate into Syria due to the support of these tries”.

as also confirmed the in-principle participation in Geneva 2, and decried opposition rships abroad though he showed no optimistic signs about the conference.

on Israel, he said that Syrian Army “will respond immediately to any aggression by Israel, hat Syrian government will not stand against any group that wants to wage a war of ance to liberate al-Golan”.

y and more importantly, he said that “we received the first shipment of S-300 anti-aircraft ts and the rest of it will be delivered soon”.

Assad insists he will not quit, car bomb hits Damascus

Source : thenews.com.pk

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad insisted he will not resign before the end of his mandate in 2014 as a car bomb exploded in the capital Damascus on Saturday killing at least three people.

"To resign would be to flee," Assad said in an interview with the Argentine newspaper Clarin when asked if he would consider stepping aside as called for by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

"I don't know if Kerry or anyone else has received the power of the Syrian people to talk in their name about who should go and who should stay. That will be determined by the Syrian people in the 2014 presidential elections."

He nevertheless said he welcome a US-Russian peace initiative to end Syria's two- year civil war.

The United States and Russia are trying to convene a peace conference in Geneva that would bring together members of the regime and the rebels fighting to oust Assad.

"We have received the Russian-US approach well and we hope that there will be an international conference to help Syrians overcome the crisis," Clarin quoted Assad as saying.

He added, however, that "we do not believe that many Western countries really want a solution in Syria. And we don't think that the forces that support the terrorists want a solution to the crisis."

Syria calls the rebels who have been fighting to overthrow the regime "terrorists" Saturday evening state television accused "terrorists" of detonating a car bomb in a north Damascus neighbourhood, saying it killed at least three people and wounded five others.

The state broadcaster said the bomb was placed in a car in the Rokn Eddin eighbourhood and that a disposal team was sent in to defuse another device.

"The terrorist explosion was the result of a big bomb concealed in a car ... Three people were killed and five others wounded according to a provisional toll," it said.

In the interview with Clarin and the Argentine news agency Telam, Assad spoke at length and also denied that his government has used chemical weapons against civilians.

The use of chemical weapons "would mean the death of thousands or tens of thousands of people in a matter of minutes. Who could hide something like that?" he asked Telam. He nevertheless acknowledged that "thousands of Syrians have died" in the conflict that broke out in March 2011 as a peaceful uprising against the regime before turning into a full-fledged war.

The Observatory says that more than 94,000 people have now been killed in Syria.

Syria could confront Israel: Assad

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com

TEHRAN, May 8 (MNA) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad say Damascus “has the ability to confront adventurist actions by apartheid Israel.”

During his first public comment after the Zionist invasion, Assad said that Damascus “has the ability to confront venturous actions of apartheid Israel.”

Assad made these remarks after meeting with Ali Akbar Salehi, the Iranian Foreign Minister. Syrian president also said apartheid Israel is supporting the terrorists in his country.

Syrian President also thanked the rational positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Syria and believed that the terrorist groups’ actions in Syria were futile.

Assad continued: “the future belongs to the people of Syria and those who have moderate views on the political process in this country,” stressing his support for the resistance movement against the apartheid regime.

Ali Akbar expressed support of Iranian people and government for the Syrian nation, and praised their resistance against the recent attack by the Zionist regime in Syria.

Condemning the recent action of the extremist groups’ desecration of Islamic shrines and destroying mosques, Salehi said that “it is the proof of the extremism and lack of their logics, that, they proceed to do such heinous actions disregarding the beliefs of Muslims.”

Syrian Troops Kill Several Saudi, Jordanian Terrorists in Outskirts of Latakia

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army killed a large number of foreign terrorists, including Jordanian and Saudi nationals, in the suburb of the coastal city of Latakia in the Western parts of the country on Tuesday.

According to FNA dispatches, the Syrian army destroyed several terrorist bases in Reef (outskirts of) Latakia, including Salma, Tartiah and Kafar Delbeh villages, killing two Jordanian terrorists and several Saudi snipers.

During the army operations in al-Dareh and Borj al-Ahrash, a number of foreign terrorists, including the notorious Saudi terrorist, Masha'al al-Saleh, 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.

The US and its western and regional allies have long sought to topple Syrian President Bashar al-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 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.

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.

Assad: Syria capable of responding to Israel

Source : The Daily Star

BEIRUT: President Bashar Assad said Tuesday the Syrian army is capable of confronting Israel, saying the airstrikes represented an act of terrorism aimed at Syria.

"The Syrian people and its army who have made important achievements by fighting terrorist and Takfiri groups are capable of confronting Israel's ventures that represent one of the many faces of terrorism targeting Syria today,” he said during his meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Syria's state TV reported.

The Syrian President also said Israel's air strikes in Damascus reveal the extent of the Jewish state's involvement in the ongoing crisis in Syria.

"The Israeli aggression on Syria reveals the extent of Israel and other regional and Western states' involvement in ongoing events in Syria," Assad said.

Salehi voiced his country's condemnation of Israel's "aggression," affirming the Islamic Republic's support of Syria in the face Israel's attempts “to mess with the region's security and weaken the axis of the resistance.”

According to SANA, the Iranian official who arrived to Damascus in an unannounced visit also said “it was time to deter Israel from carrying out such aggression against the people of the region.”

Syrian troops advance on several fronts nationwide: report

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army is advancing on several fronts as part of its fresh wide-scale operation to wrest control over rebellious areas across the country, local media reported Wednesday.

The army now is breaking the siege on Wadi al-Daif encampments in northwestern Syria to secure the road between the central province of Hama and the northwestern province of Idlib all the way to Aleppo province, media reports said.

It also said that the road between the capital Damascus and the southern province of Daraa and the borders with Jordan is open, adding that the army is "cleansing" the road between Damascus and the central province of Homs in the areas of Jobar, al-Nabek and al-Qalamoun.

The operation has also included border areas near the Lebanese frontier, namely al-Qussair and Talkalakh.

The operation apparently aimed at securing network of routes connecting several Syrian areas as a prelude to besiege the rebels for decisive battles.

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 civilians, including two women and two children, were killed by bombardment with rocket launchers on the al-Bweida al- Sharqiya town earlier on Wednesday.

It said three rebel fighters were killed during clashes with regular forces in the vicinity of the Abel town in the countryside of al-Qussair.

The Observatory also alleged that violent clashes broke out between regular forces and pro- government militants from one side and rebel fighters from the other in the perimeter of the towns of Abel, al-Bweida al-Sharqiya, Jousiya, Jobar, al-Dab'a, al- Sultaniya and al-Burhaniya. The clashes resulted in losses from both sides, the Observatory said.

It also claimed that fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah were fighting alongside the government troops near al-Qussair.

Earlier in the day, an opposition activists in Homs told the Saudi-funded al-Arabiya TV that around 700 militants affiliated with Hezbollah were deployed to the Syrian town of al-Nazariyeh near al- Qussair in Homs.

Hezbollah has recently acknowledged that Shiite people living in villages between Syria and Lebanon have taken up arms to defend their areas against threats from the rebels Free Syrian Army, but the Shiite group has shrugged off allegations that it had sent manpower to back their Syrian ally, the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

US-Israel led Al-Nusra-Front rapes the Free Army militants

Source : Islamic Invitation Turkey

Both Al-Nusra, that resides under the umbrella of Al-Qaeda, and the ‘Free Army’ have several times coincided and fought against each other on the loots, something which may not be new. However; local sources informed our network from inside the city of Idlib that a new milestone which can be considered as a turning point in the usual fighting since a month ago as the battalions and brigades of the rebels have withdrawn from the circumference of Wadi-Al-Daif and Al-Hamidiah strategic sites in Ma’arat-Al-Nowman town in Idlib countryside.

The source maintained as 10 of the ‘Free Army’ militants were kidnapped by Al-Nusra, those militants who follow their leader jamal-Ma’arouf in Idlib, were taken, tortured and sexually ‘raped’.The main reason of this incident was because of the withdrawal of the ‘Free Army’ militants from Ma’arat-Al-Nowman in a battle against the Syrian Army leaving Al-Nusra alone in the battle which caused them heavy casualties.Incidents of hostage- exchange have increased lately between the two sides along with mediators for the increasing tension especially where retaliation started to appear where every side now is only aiming to prove their domination and existence

Assad issues new general amnesty

Source : Tehran Times

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a new general amnesty decree for crimes committed in the country before April 16, 2013.

"President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed” prior to Tuesday, the state news agency SANA reported on Tuesday.

The agency added that under the decree, the death penalty of the criminals will be commuted to a life sentence.

According to the President’s decree, Syrians “who joined a terrorist organization will only have to serve a quarter of their sentences."

"The decision does not apply to those who avoided conscription," the decree added.

Damascus has repeatedly called on the armed foreign-sponsored militants to lay down their weapons and engage in a dialogue with the government.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government has said that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.

Several international human rights organizations have accused the foreign-sponsored militants of committing war crimes.

In an interview recently broadcast on Turkish television, Assad said that if the militants fighting against the Syrian government take power in his country they could destabilize the entire Middle East for decades.

“If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control... the situation will inevitably spill over into neighboring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added.

Syrian president appeals for help to solve crisis

Source  :  Xinhua

DAMASCUS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday appealed to BRICS countries to help his unrest-stricken country restore security and stability.

In a letter to those countries, Assad asked them to work together to stop Syria's two-year-long bloody conflict and facilitate a political solution.

Al-Assad also urged the five nations to exert all possible efforts to alleviate the Syrian people's sufferings caused by the "unjust and illegal" economic sanctions.

The appeal came a day after the Arab League, which suspended Syria's membership in November 2011, granted the long-vacant seat to the West-backed Syrian opposition, the National Coalition, and called on all countries to back it with all means, including military ones.

The Syrian government rejected the pan-Arab body's move, warning it would have "dangerous" repercussions on the AL's future and the Arab national security as it would cause more bloodshed and encourage "terrorism and terrorists."

The government also said it would "hinder the genuine efforts" exerted by caring countries and parties to "find out a political solution based on dialogue among the Syrians."

BRICS countries, which group five emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have just concluded their fifth summit in South African city of Durban.

The Syrian conflict, which began in March 2011, has killed more than 60,000 people and displaced more than 3 million, including some 1.1 million fleeing to neighboring countries.

Assad calls upon BRICS countries to intervene in Syrian conflict

Source : Vesti Kavkaza

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad calls upon the countries of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and the South Africa) to intervene in the ongoing conflict between the regime and the rebel forces. Al-Assad's official letter has been sent to the President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma.The issue will probably be discussed at the BRICS summit scheduled for March 26.

A Message from President al-Assad to Indian PM…Indian FM: Solution in Syria by Syrians

Source : SANA

NEW DELHI, (SANA)_President Bashar al-Assad sent a letter to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, conveyed on Wednesday by Presidential Political and Media Advisor, Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban to the Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid in New Delhi.

The Indian FM stressed India's rejection of foreign interference in the Syrian domestic affairs as ''foreign interference is unacceptable and is bound for failure.''

He underlined necessity that "the solution in Syria come from the Syrians themselves,'' stressing the need for an immediate halt to violence and backing the Syrian's government's efforts for finding a peaceful exit route from the current crisis.

He expressed India's concerns over the escalation of violence in Syria and the innocent victims there. Khurshid said New Delhi has backed a peaceful solution and the plan of the former UN envoy to Syria,Kofi Annan and Geneva statement, indicating that its position remains unchanged in backing these efforts at international forums based on India's conviction that ''the situation in Syria will have dire consequences on the neighboring countries and the world.''

Dr. Shaaban thanked India for its support to a political solution in Syria away from foreign meddling as to preserve the interests of the Syrian people and Syria's unity.

Shaaban hailed India's leading role at international forums which is based on the international law and the sovereignty of states, calling for crowing this role with a decision submitted to the BRICS Group that helps intensify efforts for dialogue in Syria.

Shaaban highlighted the fierce media campaign against Syria that aims to serve the goals of certain countries as a pretext for foreign military intervention, pointing to the dangers of extremist religious movements that tarnish Islam through using fatwas that give the green light for the bloodshed in Syria.

Dr. Shaaban also discussed with the Indian State Minister of External Affairs the developments in Syria and the proposed solutions for the crisis and stemming Syrian bloodshed.

Dr. Shaaban's India visit is one leg of a BRICS countries' tour.

Assad says he "can't think of living outside Syria

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stressed that his departure will not stop the fighting in Syria, adding that it's "nonsense" to suggest that the conflict in the country is about the president and his future.

Assad made his remarks during an interview with the British Sunday Times published on Sunday, during which he described himself as a patriotic Syrian that can't think of living outside his country.

"No patriotic person will think about living outside his country. I am like any other patriotic Syrians," Assad said when asked if he would leave to improve the prospects for peace.

He stressed that it was nonsense to suggest that the conflict was about the president and his future, saying that "Clearly this is absurd, and recent precedents in Libya, Yemen and Egypt bear witness to this."

The embattled leader made the remarks as some superpowers have renewed their calls on him to step down.

Last week, newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that he was drafting diplomatic proposals to persuade al- Assad to give up power.

Kerry did not detail any potential offers or arguments to Assad, but hinted that his upcoming visit destinations will be Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia where he wants to talk with allies about ways to "ease Assad out."

However, and during his recent interview, Assad accused Kerry of wasting time by trying to ease him out of power, noting that his leadership was an internal matter.

"Any Syrian subject wouldn't be raised with any foreigners. We only discuss it with Syrians within Syria so I am not going to discuss it with anyone who is coming from abroad," Assad stressed.

Assad elaborated that "we have friends, we listen to their advice but at the end, it's our decision as Syrians to make what's good for our country."

Meanwhile, Assad slammed the British government's recent stance toward Syria, especially after recent statements about Britain's desire to arm the Syrian rebels, branding London government as " naive, confused, unrealistic" because it has been trying to end an EU arms embargo so that the rebels could be supplied with weapons.

He said that such a move could further inflame the conflict on ground, adding that "the problem with this government is that their shallow and immature rhetoric only highlights this tradition of bullying and hegemony..."

In regard of the opposition, Assad adopted a conciliatory tone and renewed invitations to the opposition parties to join in a national dialogue, according the Sunday Times.

"We are ready to negotiate with anyone, including militants who surrender their arms," he said, adding that "we are not going to deal with terrorists who are determined to carry weapons, to terrorize people, to kill civilians, to attack public places or private enterprise and to destroy the country."

"We have opposition that are political entities and we have armed terrorists. We can engage in dialogue with the opposition, but we cannot engage in dialogue with terrorists. We fight terrorism," he stressed.

Syrian President Assad Blasts British Government

  RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, March 3 (RIA Novosti) - The British government is “shallow and immature” and has for centuries played an “unconstructive” role in the Middle East, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with the Sunday Times.

“To be frank, Britain has played famously in our region an unconstructive role in different issues, for decades, some say for centuries,” Assad said. “How can we expect to ask Britain to play a role while it's determined to militarize the problem?”

He ruled out any suggestions that Britain could help resolve the ongoing conflict in Syria, saying “We do not expect an arsonist to be a firefighter.”

“How can you ask them to play a role in making the situation better, more stable, how can we expect them to make the violence less when they want to send the military supply to the terrorist?” he added.

Syria has been locked in an increasingly bloody civil war since demonstrations broke out against President Assad in March 2011. According to UN estimates, at least 70,000 people have been kille in the conflict.

Western states have been calling for Assad to step down. However, Russia and Iran insist that President Assad's exit cann be a precondition for a deal to resolve the country’s crisis.

Friends of Syria Group ‘Encourages Extremists

Source : RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, March 1 (RIA Novosti) - A resolution adopted by the Friends of Syria Group in Rome on Thursday encourages extremists there to seize power by force, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Friday.

US, EU and Arab officials who met in Rome on Thursday pledged more assistance to the Syrian opposition fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, recognizing the National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

“There is a general understanding within the international community that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis,” Lukashevich said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website.

“Meanwhile, judging by incoming reports, the decisions made in Rome, as well as the statements that were made there, both in letter and in spirit encourage extremists to seize power by force, regardless of the inevitable suffering of ordinary Syrians.” He did not elaborate.

The Rome statement praised the opposition National Coalition for its reform efforts, urged Assad's regime to end “indiscriminate bombardments against populated areas,” and deplored “the unabated arms supply to the regime by third countries.”

The US pledged $60 million in “non-lethal” assistance for the Syrian political opposition.

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday the US would send the Syrian opposition an additional $60 million in non-lethal aid, but still refuses to supply the weapons and sophisticated military supplies the rebels have said they need.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow’s position on Syria stems from its concern for the Syrian people, and not the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States has called for Assad to step down, but Russia says it is concerned that the Syrian president’s forced departure would make the conflict worse.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said last Tuesday foreign military supplies to Syria’s armed opposition have been growing. He reiterated Russia’s official position that Moscow will not carry out fresh arms deliveries to the Syrian government, but is only supplying arms and military equipment under contracts signed before the civil war, which has claimed some 70,000 lives according to the latest UN estimates.

Last Monday, Lavrov denied Moscow had tried to smuggle arms components into Syria via Finland, and said there are no Russian troops in Syria apart from several dozen technical staff at the Tartus naval support facility. Russia’s state- run arms dealer Rosoboronexport said on Wednesday it is supplying air-defense missile systems and maintenance and servicing equipment to Syria, but not combat aircraft.

Kerry, Lavrov seek common ground in Syria talks

Source : The Daily Star

BERLIN: US Secretary of State John Kerry began talks with his Russian counterpart Tuesday aimed at bridging differences over Syria after voicing confidence the two could find "common ground".

Shaking hands at the start of the meeting in Berlin, Kerry commented he was "happy to see" Sergei Lavrov since "we know each other" while the Russian minister quipped he would sit down when journalists allowed him to get to his chair.

Moscow and Washington have differences over Syria -- Russia is one of the few big powers to keep ties with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and, with China, has vetoed UN Security Council resolutions that would have introduced sanctions against Damascus.

Hours ahead of his talks with Kerry, Lavrov had slammed "extremists" within the Syrian opposition who he said were blocking the start of dialogue in the war-torn country by making unrealistic demands.

He said that recent faint hopes that dialogue was possible between the opposition and the Assad regime had dissipated.

"It seems that extremists who bet on an armed solution to the Syrian problem have prevailed in the ranks of the opposition at this time, including the so-called (Syrian) National Coalition, blocking all initiatives that could lead to the start of dialogue," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow.

Lavrov said there was "an increasing understanding of the need to influence both the government and especially the opposition in order to persuade them against putting forward unrealistic demands as the prerequisite conditions for the start of dialogue".

"During our latest phone contact it seemed to me that he (John Kerry) understands the acuteness of the situation," he added.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem had said in Moscow Monday that the authorities in Damascus were ready to talk to armed rebels, the first time a senior official of the Assad regime had made such a proposal.

But the rebel Free Syrian Army's chief of staff Selim Idriss said that before any dialogue could begin, Assad's regime must fall, among other pre-conditions.

"I am not going to sit down with him or with any other member of his clique before all the killing stops, or before the army withdraws from the cities," he told pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Arabiya.

Kerry, on an 11-day tour of Europe and the Middle East, his first foreign trip since taking over the office, earlier told an event in Berlin with German youngsters that he and Lavrov had a "good relationship".

"I am confident we will find common ground," he said.

Washington has recently toned down its criticism of Moscow's intransigence over Syria.

"We've been absolutely clear that there needs to be a political transition, and we felt that Russia could play a key role in convincing the regime... that there needs to be that political transition," a State Department official told reporters.

However the talks are not expected to produce a "big breakthrough", the official added.

-- 'Decision on next steps' in Rome --

As diplomatic efforts intensified, fierce clashes erupted Tuesday around the historic Umayyad Mosque in Syria's second city Aleppo, as rebels battled troops on the grounds of a police academy elsewhere in the province, a watchdog said.

And a record 150,000 people this month fled the worsening conflict, according to the top UN political official.

Syria's opposition has been calling for the international community to do more -- the United Nations says the fighting has claimed 70,000 lives since the conflict began in March 2011 -- and warned last week it would withdraw from an international conference in Rome planned for Thursday.

But Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague convinced the opposition to revoke its boycott of the Friends of Syria conference.

Syrian National Coalition chief Ahmed Moaz al- Khatib said his group would attend after Kerry and Hague "promised specific aid to alleviate the suffering of our people".

In London, Kerry insisted he wanted the Syrian opposition to know "that we are not coming to Rome simply to talk. We are coming to Rome to make a decision on next steps."

The trip sees Kerry, the son of a diplomat, back on familiar ground. He spent part of his childhood in Berlin and has family in France.

Kerry also met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and standing next to her reminisced in a statement to reporters how he had cycled through Berlin past the then-destroyed Reichstag in his youth.

Clashes continues in Syria, opposition leader renews desire for dialogue

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Clashes have continued in Syria, particularly in the south and east of the capital Damascus as the head of the main opposition coalition reiterated desire to embark on talks with representatives of the administration of President Bashar al-Assad.

Clashes continued Saturday in the southern sprawling suburbs of Daraya and Muadamieh between the rebels and the government troops amid reports that the Syrian military has beefed up presence in the vicinity of those areas to hasten dislodging the rebels and ending the fight there that has been dragging on for more than two months.

The reports said that the battles continued also in the eastern suburbs of Ghouta and Douma and the Beit Sahem town near the road to the international airport of Damascus.

The violence continues as the head of the main opposition coalition, Moaz al-Khatib, repeated on Friday previous surprising statement that he is ready to embark of talks with Assad's regime with conditions such as to release detainees and renew documents of Syrians abroad.

His remarks came during a late-night panel talks with joined UN- Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi at the Munich Security Conference, a day ahead of their meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

The U.S. vice president is also set to meet the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Sunday after his meeting with both Brahimi and al-Khatib.

The broad-based opposition has for long rejected any dialogue with the Assad administration until the ouster of Assad himself, but the recent statement by al-Khatib stipulated no departure of Assad as a prelude to dialogue. Al-Khatib said that the talks would be held with Syrian officials whose hands didn't smear in Syrians blood.

Last Wednesday, al-Khatib said the same stance on his Facebook page, but the oppositional Syrian National Council said his remarks were personal and didn't reflect the stance of all opposition factions abroad.

During his Munich meeting, al-Khatib also called for "some sort of electronic hacking" to hinder the bombardment of Syrian aircraft to populated areas and "if that doesn't work," he said, " I would demand to destroy the planes and weapons of the Syrian regime."

He warned that the persistent of the 22-month conflict in Syria would have grave repercussions on the entire region, calling on the international community not to be "bystanders" regarding what is happening in Syria.

Syrian Deputy FM Says Assad Can't be Excluded from 2014 Vote

Via : Naharnet

President Bashar Assad should be allowed to stand in the 2014 election like any other candidate and it is up to the Syrians themselves to decide their future leadership, a senior official has said.

"We are opening the way for democracy, or deeper democracy. In a democracy you don't tell somebody not to run," said Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad in an interview with the BBC on Monday.

A plan to end Syria's civil war, agreed in Geneva in June during talks among global powers and the U.N., envisages the establishment of a transitional government but it does not refer to Assad going -- a key demand of the opposition.

Muqdad's remarks come after Assad unveiled in a rare speech on January 5 in Damascus his own three-step peace initiative for the strife-torn country.

He offered dialogue with the opposition to end the conflict -- but only with elements he deemed acceptable, not rebel-affiliated groups he termed "killers" and "terrorists" manipulated by foreign powers.

His plan was rejected outright by the entire opposition as well as by the West, and it was criticized heavily by U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Brahimi who termed it "perhaps even more sectarian, more one-sided" than previous such initiatives.

In Monday's interview, Muqdad reiterated Damascus' long-held view that calls for Assad to quit immediately are foreign-backed and illegitimate.

"It is a coup d'etat if we listen what to those armed groups and those elements of Syria are proposing," said Muqdad.

"The president now and many other candidates who may run will go to the people, put their programs and be elected by the people," Muqdad told the BBC.

"So the ballot box will be the place where the future of the leadership of Syria will be decided."

The United Nations says that more than 60,000 people have died in the Syria conflict which began 22 months ago, on March 15, 2011, with peaceful protests that quickly erupted into deadly violence in the wake of a harsh regime crackdown.

President Assad Orders Commanders to Target Israel, US Interests "If Assassinated"

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered his army commanders to target Israel and the US interests in the Middle East region in case he is assassinated by the terrorists, informed sources said on Monday.

President Assad's remarks came after he attended several meetings with his senior commanders, and discussed the country's security situation with them, the Algerian Al-Shorouq Oline newspaper quoted informed sources close to the Syrian government as saying on Monday.

In the meetings presided by President Assad, Syria's top army commanders told him that "the foreign hostile states will strive to assassinate him instead of launching a military attack on Syria".

According to the report, a Persian translation of which was released by the Iranian students news agency, the Syrian army commanders have told the President that the spy agencies of certain western states and Syria's neighboring countries have smuggled hi-tech missiles into Syria to provide armed rebels and terrorist groups with a chance to target President Assad's likely residence.

In response, President Assad has ordered his military commanders to target Israel and the US positions in the region, specially in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, if the western states succeed in assassinating him.

Earlier this month, President Assad voiced his readiness for dialogue with the opposition and political parties in Syria. The Syrian leader also proposed general elections, adoption of a new constitution as well as a national reconciliation conference.

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.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned 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 eventually restored in the Arab state after President 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 increasing unrests in Syria.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May 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.

According to the report, material is 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.

Syrian troops kill scores of rebels, parliament works for national dialogue

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Syrian media said Sunday that scores of armed rebels were killed nationwide during clashes with army troops, as the Syrian parliament were working to prepare for a national dialogue among all spectra of the Syrian people.

The Syrian army continued operations in several suburbs of the capital Damascus Sunday, killing 18 rebels in Douma and another 12 in Harasta, the pro-government Sham FM reported.

The radio said the army has called on residents in the surrounding of the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees to evacuate their homes due to the intensity of clashes between local committee and armed rebels inside the camp.

Separately, army troops killed as many as 60 rebels in the countryside of the northern Aleppo province, the report said, adding that those rebels were killed while trying to storm a cotton factory.

In the northwestern province of Idlib, Sham FM said, 15 militants were killed in the Binish town as the Syrian air force targeted armed groups' gatherings at the Taftanas airbase, which has recently been stormed by rebels and radical militants.

On the opposition side, the Local Coordination Committees (LCC) reported shelling by army troops on several hotspots nationwide as well as intense clashes with the rebels' Free Syrian Army.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee at the People's Assembly Omar Aussi stressed that the committee will work on getting engaged into in the political process and effectively contributing to make successful the implementation of the political program outlined by President Bashar al-Assad to solve the crisis.

In a press conference held Sunday, Aussi said the newly- established and democratically-elected committee will take part in all the ongoing preparations to hold the comprehensive national dialogue, considering it as a safe and the only way out of the crisis.

"We will work on spreading and consolidating the culture of citizenship and coexistence among the various spectra of the Syrian society with all its constituents," he said.

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi also issued Sunday a decision to form a ministerial committee to make intensive contacts with all the political forces and civil society bodies to start directly open dialogue sessions in preparation for holding the comprehensive national dialogue conference.

The Syrian parliament also stressed that it will work to unify its members' efforts, including the national reconciliation committee, which was formed by the assembly, and through all available means to make the political program set by Assad a success.

In a statement issued Sunday, the parliament said it will activate the political move and dialogue among all spectra of the Syrian people and political and intellectual parties. It vowed to mobilize the Syrians to be engaged in the national dialogue, so as to foil the attack targeting Syria and draw its political future in the framework of pluralism, democracy and protection of human rights.

Assad has recently said embarking on a political solution does not mean to stop countering terrorism. The Syrian administration labels the rebels as "terrorists".

Amid the stalemate in the Syrian political landscape, Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Nabil al- Arabi said Sunday that the UN Security Council should dispatch peacekeeping forces to protect the Syrians, stressing in the meantime that the forces should not be sent for fighting.

During the preliminary session of the AL Council's emergency meeting, Arabi called on the UN Security Council to issue a decision according to article No. 7 of the UN Charter to send peacekeeping forces to Syria to urge ceasefire there and protect the Syrian people.

Arabi also said talks are underway with UN-AL joint special representative to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi to find a mechanism for solving the crisis, but added that there is no apparent solution in the near future.

According to the UN estimates, more than 60,000 people have been killed in Syria since the unrest erupted in 2011. Also, the World Food Program said around 2.5 million people in Syria are in need of food assistance, but only 1.5 million can receive supplies from the agenc