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.

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

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

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 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.

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 kills 34 Al-Qaeda fighters

Source : islamicinvitationturkey.com 

Syrian government forces have killed 34 members of Al-Qaeda, including four Saudi nationals, and seized $40m stolen money. According to reports, during Syria army offensive on Al-Qaeda strongholds in Al-Reyhana village, in suburbs of Latakya Syrian army killed 34 Al-Qaeda terrorists including four Saudi nationals, Ahmed al-Khashromi, Ammar al- Ousayri, Abdul Rahman al- Sheikhli, and Omar al-Khorastah.

Reports from eastern Syria had it that Syrian security forces also had seized Syrian Lira 4b ($ 4.58m) from the terrorists. The report also had it that the army engaged in fight with an armed group in Al-Husseiniya village in Reef Deir ez-Zur and taken back the heavy railroad facilities of Syrian Railroad Organization. Terrorists were selling the facilities to Turkish traders.

Army Kills Tens of Armed Rebels in Northwestern Syria

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army attacked a rendezvous point of rebel leaders on Saraqeb-Aleppo international road on Sunday killing tens of terrorists.

The rebel leaders had gathered in Sahar al-Sharq restaurant along Saraqeb-Aleppo road when the Syrian army attacked the place and killed more than 90 armed rebels with different nationalities fighting against the Syrian government.

Four Jordanians, six Saudis, an Iraqi and an Afghan national were among the armed rebels killed in Sahar al-Sharq restaurant.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs and terrorists against Syrian forces and civilians 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 last 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 terrorists escape in women’s attire

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com

TEHRAN, May 22 (MNA) – Internal clashes among rival groups of terrorists and their escape in women’s attire and being trapped in Syrian army ambush is most important developments.

Al-Ahd news website reported that clashes among terrorist members from Persian Gulf countries, Chechnya, and Libya had broken out.

“The clashes rose when every group accused others of being responsible for defeat against Syrian army, and this have worked to their weakening and escape to Al-Zabqa airport,” wrote the website report.

Military sources reportedly had the account of terrorists being trapped in the ambush by Syrian army outside of Al-Qusayr, and their suffering of casualties including 8 deaths and some other injuries.

The same sources also had it that Syrian army progress in Al-Qusayr, and that some terrorists had escaped the city in women’s atti

Syria demands foreign fighters leave or get killed

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Prime Minister Wael al- Halqi said Monday that the armed rebels in Syria have two options "return to where they came from, or to be killed."

The minister's remarks came during a session of the ministerial committee tasked with implementing the political program outlined by President Bashar al-Assad recently.

According to the state-run SANA news agency, al-Halqi stressed that the Syrian people are determined to combat terrorism and restore security and stability to Syria.

He added that two options remain for the "mercenary terrorist groups" either to "return to where they came from, or be killed by the Syrian armed forces," indicating that the "government's doors are wide open to whoever wants to return to the right path."

The Syrian government has repeatedly said that thousands of foreign fighters affiliated with Jihadi groups are fighting in Syria alongside rebels.

Haitham al-Maleh, a leading opposition figure in exile, said recently that a total of 12,000 foreign fighters have joined the rebels in Syria.

Meanwhile, al-Halqi reiterated that the government is serious, honest and open to all political and social and opposition forces inside and outside Syria which believe in the national solution, indicating that the Syrian gunmen are becoming convinced that a major conspiracy is at play in Syria.

Militants used chemical material against civilians near Idlib: Syria

Source : Tehran Times

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar al- Jaafari has said that the foreign- backed militants in Syria have used chemical material against civilians during an attack on a town near Idlib.

Bashar al-Jaafari said at a press conference on Tuesday that the militants spread the contents of plastic bags containing chemical material during the attack.

Many residents were affected by the armed groups’ “heinous and irresponsible act,” the Syrian envoy said, warning that it was an attempt to “implicate the Syrian government on a false basis.”

Some of the victims were transferred to Turkey for treatment, Jaafari added.

The envoy went on to say that 'today or tomorrow Ankara and Western media would launch a new propaganda campaign against Damascus and claim that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against its own people.'

Reports say that two people were killed and 20 others injured in the militants’ chemical attack in Idlib.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama has said Washington did not know how chemical material was used in another recent attack in Aleppo.

The Syrian government requested the UN to dispatch a fact- finding mission to the country after reports circulated that the foreign-backed militants had used chemical weapons against civilians in Khan al-Assal district of the northwestern province of Aleppo on March 19. Over two dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the chemical attack.

Obama said at a press conference on Tuesday that, "If I can establish in a way that not only the United States but also the international community feel confident in the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, then that is a game-changer."

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government security forces and army personnel, have been killed in the violence.

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.

(Source: Press TV)