Syria Live Blog
Violence in Syria has escalated into what the Red Cross calls a civil war. The UN says more than 60,000 people have died since the uprising began in March 2011. The government of Bashar al-Assad, which is increasingly losing territory to rebel fighters, blames "terrorists" and "armed gangs" for the unrest, while the opposition and other nations have accused Assad's forces of crimes against humanity.
Syria
A large explosion hit a central neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday, state television said. The news report said the explosion was caused by rockets fired by a "terrorist group" - a term it frequently uses to describe rebels trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
The blast caused casualties, the report said, without giving details. Television images showed the side of one building collapsed into rubble as a crowd sifted through the wreckage and pulled bloodied bodies onto stretchers.
Syria
A Belgian-born French journalist, Yves Debay, has died from sniper fire in north Syria's Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.
"He was killed on one of Aleppo's fronts" on Thursday, said the Aleppo Media Centre, adding that he was "shot by a regime sniper."
Anti-regime activists in Aleppo posted online photographs of Debay's body and of his press card, as well as an amateur video showing the corpse.
The French defence ministry press card, dated 2010, showed Debay's name and picture. The AMC's Abu Hisham told AFP via the Internet that he was first alerted of Debay's killing by a volunteer at an Aleppo field hospital.
Another activist said he helped put Debay's body in an ambulance en route to the Bab al-Salama border crossing with Turkey.
"It is not exactly clear how he was killed, but it seems like he entered a very dangerous street where the army and pro-regime militia were positioned," said the activist.
Debay founded Assaut magazine, a French publication specialised in defence. He reportedly described himself as a "rebel journalist."
Debay was born in 1954 in Lubumbashi, in what was then the Belgian Congo. He volunteered until 1980 with the ex-Rhodesian army of the white minority regime that ruled what is now Zimbabwe until 1980.
At least 17 professional journalists, both foreign and Syrian, and 44 citizen journalists have died reporting on one of the deadliest wars for the media in recent years, according to figures from media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.
Syria
Latest updates from Syria:
In Al-Hasakah province, fierce clashes are said to be underway between rebel and Kurdish fighters in Ras Al Ain. Rebel forces were said to be using artillery and a tank. Witnesses say about 300 rebel righters crossed in to Ras Al Ain at dawn from the Syrian/Turkish border.
In Aleppo, an explosion rocked Al Muhafaza neighbourhood in the city. There are reports of casualties.
In the Damascus suburb of Daraya, several airstrikes were reported on Friday.
Syria
A new video game based on Syria's civil war challenges players to make the hard choices facing the country's rebels. Is it better to negotiate peace with the regime of President Bashar Assad, for example, or dispatch fighters to kill pro-government thugs? The British designer of "Endgame: Syria" says he hopes the game will inform people who might otherwise remain ignorant about the conflict.
Views differ, however, on the appropriateness of using a video game to discuss a complex crisis that has killed more than 60,000 people since March 2011. Computer giant Apple has refused to distribute the game and some consider the mere idea insulting. Others love it, and one fan from inside Syria has suggested changes to make the game better mirror the actual war.
Syria
The Free Syrian army claims the lack of ammunition is hampering their ability to fight government forces.
Some of the fighters are blaming the Syrian National Coalition, which they say has done nothing to help the FSA since it was set up two months ago.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports from Hama Province.
syria, Hama,FSA
Syria
The AP reports:
Syria accuses Turkey of knowingly receiving looted items from 1,000 factories plundered in Aleppo by "armed terrorist groups," as Syria calls the armed resistance movement fighting to topple the government.Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari made the accusation in a letter to the Security Council released Thursday.He said the transfer of stolen manufactured goods was made "with the full knowledge of the Turkish government."He called on the Security Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to denounce Turkey for receiving the items. The council circulated the letter, dated Jan. 10, with no comment.
Syria
Reuters reports:
Two Russian ships heading for a naval exercise off Syria this month are picking up munitions to drop at the Syrian port of Tartous, news agencies reported on Thursday.Russia has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main foreign protector during a 22-month uprising against his rule and is its biggest arms supplier.It leases a naval maintenance and supply facility at Tartous that is its only military base outside the former Soviet Union.A Russian General Staff source told the Itar-Tass news agency that the landing ship Kaliningrad had docked at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk to pick up munitions and another landing ship, the Alexander Shabalin, was due there for the same purpose.It was not clear who the munitions were for, however.
Syria
Reuters reports:
Syrian warplanes and troops pursued a countrywide offensive, activists and state media have said, bombing rebel-held areas and clashing with armed gfroups who have pushed into cities.
Government forces clashed on Thursday with rebels in the cities of Deraa, Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Damascus and east of Deir al-Zor, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.Only the coastal government strongholds of Latakia and Tartous were spared violence.
Syria
Abu Mohammad Al Tahawi, the leader of Jordan's Salafi Jihadist leader in northern Jordan, told Al Jazeera that Abu Musaab Al Zarqawi's brother in-law Mohammad Yassin Jarad was killed in clashes with Syrian troops at Al Mujeimeer military checkpoint in Al Suwaidaa province.
Mohammad Yassin Jarad is a 22 year old Jordanian national who left for Syria four months ago to fight with Jabhet Al Nusra against the Syrian government. Adam Abu Al Mutassem, another Jordanian national, who's an electronic engineer was also killed in the clashes.
Mohammad Jarad's father, Yassin, is behind the Al Najaf operation that killed Mohammad Baqer Al Hakim one of Iraq's most prominent Shiaa Muslim leaders in 2003.
22 of over 300 Jordanian fighters were killed in fighting in Syria.
Mohammad Yassin Jarad is a 22 year old Jordanian national who left for Syria four months ago to fight with Jabhet Al Nusra against the Syrian government. Adam Abu Al Mutassem, another Jordanian national, who's an electronic engineer was also killed in the clashes.
Mohammad Jarad's father, Yassin, is behind the Al Najaf operation that killed Mohammad Baqer Al Hakim one of Iraq's most prominent Shiaa Muslim leaders in 2003.
22 of over 300 Jordanian fighters were killed in fighting in Syria.
Mohammad Yassin Jarad, al najaf, Iraq,mohammad baqer al hakim
Syria
Syrian refugees living at the Kilis camp in Turkey are holding an election.
People are choosing a council that will run the camp along with Turkish officials, with women entering the political fray for the first time.
Although the elections are largely symbolic, it is hoped they will expose the refugees to challenges they may face when they return to Syria.
Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reports from the Kilis refugee camp.
People are choosing a council that will run the camp along with Turkish officials, with women entering the political fray for the first time.
Although the elections are largely symbolic, it is hoped they will expose the refugees to challenges they may face when they return to Syria.
Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reports from the Kilis refugee camp.
No comments:
Post a Comment